The Crow
(Third Arc: Another World)
(Part 25)
XxxxXxxxX
The shy glimpse Violet could see from the light shining in his chest was hypnotic. Her eyes remained wide and fascinated, fastened on Clow with a scary intensity – at least until the witch would turn down to gaze at her own chest, where an equal mass of burning luminescence coalesced brilliantly.
Though as her concentration wavered, so did the image… and before she could blink again, the lights were gone along her mage sight.
Voice wavering slightly from emotion, the witch gathered enough breath to ask "When were you going to tell me about this?"
Her sorcerer smiled gently, waving a hand above the space between them and obviously weaving a spell – for the next second Violet wasn't feeling so drained – she nodded in thanks, pressing her hands against her knees.
'So much going on… and now this… It is impossible not to think that he only wants me because of the bond… no, maybe that's how it started' the feelings she caught drifting from Clow were anything but platonic.
…
A ruby red rope of passion so ardent it shimmered, right behind another lighter pink/white cord that pulsed with warmth and love. There were others conjoined in the emotional bond – from little intricate webs of strings to thick strong cables. The multicolored hues intertwined together so tightly they became white again, glistening like a precious stone.
…
To her half accusation, Clow just said sincerely "I didn't want you making any decisions based solely on the nature of our bond. I wished for your decision to stay come from you, and you alone" He finished with a smile, eyes trailed on her face as if to gauge a reaction.
'I wish I could say if I would have been affected by this knowledge or not… maybe I'd have chosen to go back and never come back, or maybe I'd stay and blame the bond and Clow later on' As it is, there is no sense in wondering what ifs. The true nature of their bond was a something that she could have learned anytime, though… 'I do feel cheated that he hasn't told me earlier!'
"Well… don't hide important stuff from me anymore" Violet settled on, diplomatically not mentioning all the times he's withheld information before. Just because she hasn't the right questions, doesn't mean he can't give the right answers. "And no more planning on the future without consulting me first! I don't want another one of these cards surprise… Merlin you gave me a fright!" The witch finished her piece scolding the unrepentantly smiling sorcerer.
Clow hid incredibly well all the amusement he was feeling, though it made tingles travel down her spine. "Of course, dear" He agreed amicably, making Violet swallow her irritation and give out a snort when she also realized how they sounded. "I should practice that line a lot, shouldn't I?"
"You're learning"
XxxxXxxxX
"How do we go about charging these?" Violet asked once her thoughts settled down and she remembered the cause of it – the innocent looking book sitting on top of Clow's desk, gold glinting under the light as if it carried not a death sentence to her sorcerer.
'I too needed time to settle down… that took a lot more out of me than I thought it would' Said sorcerer didn't intend for their time to devolve into… whatever it turned into. He should have predicted that Violet's reaction to his intended purpose for the cards would be violent… At least she understood… which was good.
And…
'She's admitted her love out loud' His thoughts revolted into one big giddy mess – his measured focus and composure almost crumbling in the wake of her hesitant confession. Sure, his witch was scolding him and he was too busy trying to make her see his point, but the fact remained that she vocalized it 'And so did I'
Violet was a passionate woman by nature – reckless and brave, when properly motivated, he knew she'd fall head first into anything that tickled her fancy… 'Now if I can draw it out of her in the height of passion, it should sound all the more rewarding'
Clow then refocused on Violet's original words and rose from his seat in answer – as was customary, the sorcerer pulled on his witch's chair as well and assisted her to her feet. The green eyed woman smiled in thanks, and the raw need written on her face warned him ahead of time about the armful of loving Violet he eventually received.
Her arms secured around his neck as she clung tightly to him… "I really scared you, didn't I?" The sorcerer whispered in her ear, using a hand to push stray strands of hair away from her face. "Do not worry yourself over what this silly old sorcerer thought about doing before… nothing else matters now that you're here… No plans will ever hold me as much as you do. My future belonged to you from the very moment I stole you from the storm"
Violet's heart thudded reassuringly strong against his. She breathed in his scent in relief. "I love you" His witch whispered back shyly, the words foreign in her lips. 'Has she ever told anyone that she loves them? Has anyone ever told her that they love her?' It'd explain a lot about her insecurities…
And also made Clow tighten the hold on his temper… 'The day I meet her family…' He's thought about it before – the wretched beings that managed to crush his love's self-esteem rated below humanity in his eyes – and the sorcerer already felt relatively poorly about people in general.
Ending the embrace but not letting go of his witch, Clow summoned his staff with a thought with his left hand, the other holding onto Violet's. "We can do this later" He offered, already knowing what she'd say…
'Or perhaps hoping she will agree. I will not try to push for that future anymore, though I would be… nice if I still manage to make it happen. It'd give a meaning for all I've been through'
"No… if you were going to sacrifice so much for this project, it tells me these cards, the little girl, Sakura, mean a lot to you" The green eyes young woman searched his face – He knew he showed an easy smile on his lips, and eyes partially close – but the witch managed to see something in the depths of his emotions that made her decision solid. "If what you need is my magic, then it is yours"
Selfless, giving and nurturing… How he loves his little witch. She was offering her powers without expecting anything in return 'Perhaps not… her reward is going to be my continued existence' Clow could practically hear the clogs turning in her head, if not outright guess what she was thinking based on the mishmash of emotions flickering in and out of her eyes.
So the sorcerer just nodded, changing his grip on her hand and interlacing their fingers together "Just keep hold of my hand and channel magic down to me, our compatibility makes certain our elements will mingle in harmony" He explained, skin starting to tingle when Violet's magic flared around her, motes of light exploding from their joined hands and flowing into him.
Clow knew the feel of Violet's magic – felt it actively brushing against him in their bond, sometimes a questing limb of an ethereal nature would reach out from the ether, tethering them together with a jealous zeal that did not surprise him anymore – but being literally submerged in her very essence was…
Glorious.
The light whispered of her feelings, imprinted in her magic was her past and present, each bond she's ever had in her life left indents – giving what was essentially Violet personality and flair. Since they were both halves of each other, that same power entering Clow without trouble, filling him from head to toe and leaving the sorcerer almost drunk in its potency… 'I might regret this but…'
"A little less, my dear… feel for my own magic and as you sense my own reservoirs begin to dwindle, replenish mine with your own" Violet's eyes screwed shut in concentration – it was impressive enough that a novice sorceress could achieve feats that many found difficult, but she could do it without problems – transferring magic, or lending magic, took a lot of mental power and visualization from the one attempting it. "Yes, keep the flow steady" The sorcerer squeezed her fingers, letting a tendril of his own darkened light enter her, giving her insight as to his inner workings.
Violet slowly did as he instructed, and Clow felt her magic recede until it laid restlessly just at the reach of his hands – what before swallowed him to the point of nearly drowning, now turned into a steady, passive trickle.
When his witch regained confidence, the sorcerer began the ritual that would "awaken" his lifelong project.
'Each card will be an aspect of magic, from battle and healing to mundane tasks such as Bubbles… it'll take a creative and resourceful sorcerer to command them to their full potential, I think my precious gift will have fun exploring them before they go to their rightful owner' Of course he hoped for Sakura to still exist… it'd take a lot of maneuvering and Violet going along with his plans – since Fujitaka was a both reincarnation and a descendant…
'How do you feel about children? Lots and lots of children?' Sounds like something really awkward to ask when they were just starting to become better acquaintance in their relationship.
And as if attuned to his thoughts, the magic he was coaxing into the circle he's had imprinted in his mind long ago flared up, coming to existence on the ground beneath their feet.
Clow's staff was but a word of summon away, and it coalesced in his free hand eagerly, following the call of his powers – The staff was golden, metallic and heavy. Well-worn leather bands around the handle part of the staff greeted his hands, even as he shifted his stance to compensate for the added weight. A solid shape glinted yellow as if a piece of the very sun was trapped within – long and spiky 'rays' protruded from the main body, enveloping a waning moon made of the same materials. As soon as his power started to course through it, the staff's weight was made meaningless.
"Clow…" Violet's voice was filled with wonder – this was the first she's seen him work a spell to this level, not even the transportation circle could compare to the veritable wonder sprawling like a new born galaxy beneath them – magic pulsing so beautifully everything else lost color and luster. His witch's magic fluctuated, eager to join in with his in what amounted to creation – but was actually a very convoluted battery.
"…" Clow couldn't answer, his mind focused solely on the circle spinning lazily and the book now floating above the tip of his staff. 'Wake up' The sorcerer whispered incantations under his breath, words mixing into a long hummed string to direct and mold magic. It didn't take long for the cards to 'wake up'.
His magic waned like the moon, the drain sharper than he'd predicted. Each of the cards he designed sucking on his power greedily, at the same time, just like they were projected to – needing to be 'woken' at the same time so they'd act as a single unit – his darkness element tinged magic leaving him as if he was breathing out in a long, drown out sigh.
'Now I see why I'd tap into my life force' Clow leaned on his staff just to keep upright. 'About half way done…' The sorcerer relaxed slightly when Violet started to feed her own magic into the mix, filling in the cracks left by his diminishing powers with her stunning, brilliant light.
The book lit up like a little star in his office, greedily sucking on the magic both magicians provided and demanding more with every beat of their hearts. Clow felt sharply when Violet staggered once, the witch being drained on a faster rate than he due to her faltering control – so it was with brutal relief that both felt the drain slower and then stop completely.
Both Clow and Violet stood, staring transfixed at the glowing book as its covers slackened open, pages shifting and shining as the ritual took hold and each individual leaf settled with a 53th of the power provided.
The book trembled, leaves pulsing and shimmering, and soon, so suddenly it seemingly came from nowhere, fifty three glowing rectangles now danced through the air around Clow's staff.
'They are alive' Was the first coherent thought the sorcerer could make in the wake of such tiresome task.
The very next second, both he and Violet were crumbling to the floor in a dead faint, tarot like cards fluttering around them gently as magic lost its hold and they fell into gravity's hand.
XxxxXxxxX
Every breath was a struggle.
Her head spun. Light lost meaning, time ceased to exist and the only sounds she could hear was the magma-like flow of her own blood and the slow beating of her heart.
'Let go of me!' She screamed inside her own head.
'Don't struggle. The only thing you're managing is annoying me. I could have you gone from here easily enough'
Gone.
Gone where?
This was her body, her mind, her soul?
"Is everything alright? You suddenly lost focus. That's dangerous in a spar" The heavily accented American voice asked, with that foreign twang and the high, squeaky quality of a boy going into manhood.
Her body moved without her consent, a hand going up to wipe sweat from her forehead – the touch chilling since she could feel both but didn't command any.
'You don't wipe sweat with your hands! It can make your grip on your weapon slippery!' She chided angrily, not about to suffer for such a rookie mistake in her own body. 'If you don't want sweat dripping in your eyes use a band or the back of your hands, not your palms'
'Thank you for the advice' the alien presence cooed lightly, condescension written all over the tone of thought. 'I will take care of this body, don't worry'
"Don't worry Mr. Manson, I just suffered from a dizzy spell. Perhaps it is time for a break?" Her lips moved. Disgust and fear curled in her chest.
The small boy nodded, combing his own orange colored hair away from his eyes. He's the one who asked her to spar with him, to keep his skills sharp while not under his father's tutoring – for all of his size and age, Edgar Manson was, indeed, a child genius not only in alchemy – but he also showed a good grasp on the daggers he wielded.
'Ignorant little boy… Now, why don't we go see what we can do, huh?'
'No! Let me out!'
But her pleas fell in deaf ears.
…
Violet's head was pounding.
The back of her eyes were also aching, as were every other muscle in her body. She was feeling dry and heavy at the same time, thirsty and hungry and nauseated – an unpleasant contrast that made the witch retch emptily on her side.
She couldn't even open her lids – the very notion of doing so sent sharp pangs of pains through her eyes.
'Did I drink too much fire whiskey?' Her hazy mind refused to cooperate and generated only incomplete thoughts.
Something vital was missing.
Like missing an arm or a foot…
A muscle stretched, expecting to generate movement and yet nothing happened – she's only ever felt like this once in her life – when confronted by Dementors and having poured an unreasonable amount of magic and emotional power in a Patronus charm.
It took an embarrassing while for Violet to comprehend that she was utterly and completely drained of magic.
Another large gap of time for her to remember what was going on.
'Clow… where is he?' the witch wondered with a hint of panic. She couldn't feel him. His usual spot in her chest didn't register and his magic seemed out of her reach. She's never noticed how much his presence became constant until it wasn't there anymore.
With her heart beating faster in fear, the witch's green eyes snapped open to a world of light and pain. Wincing, Violet physically flinched, trying to control her breathing so she wouldn't throw up, though her abdominal muscles spammed dangerously – she had to find Clow! So she tried to open her eyes once more, hands fisting on the carpeted floor.
'Wait… carpet?' Heavy lids opened a slit, enough for the witch to catch a misty, wavering view of the underside of Clow's desk and the familiar burgundy color of his office's carpet. Light spilled in through the windows, curtains drawn though the panes were closed. The air felt stuffy and warm, though shivers traveled down her spine as her body shuddered in sudden cold.
"C-clow?" Violet managed to stammer out, turning on her belly so she could look at the opposite side of the desk – and witness her seemingly powerful lover fainted on the floor just beside her – if she's turned her hand up their fingers would have brushed. "Wake …u-up… Clow"
The witch rolled again so she'd lay on her back and used the desk to try and pull herself up "Hnn" Her sorcerer moaned once, before a long gush of air hissed between his teeth. "Violet?" Clow called out, sounding hoarse and tired. "Are you alright?" He asked, making said witch huff out a small laugh.
"I've felt worse waking up after drinking fire whiskey for the first time" She managed to croak out, already feeling her energy returning in small spurs. "Are you?" the witch asked in turn, receiving a faint little nudge from her sorcerer – it brought a relief she'd never have thought possible 'It is faint, but I can feel him again!' It was enough for Violet to propel herself upwards, staggering dangerously and heavily relying on the table as support.
From this new point of view, she could see their handiwork.
Cards…
Fifty three of them lying scattered all throughout the office.
...
TBC~
