Cards, Love, war, and rebellion
Author's note: this my first CCS fanfiction so please don't give me heat on anything that's inaccurate to the anime, I planned to write this AU with ancient Asian culture and mythology in mind. The magic system may be based on ancient beliefs, like Japanese magic will be based off of nature which is the base of Shinto religion, and Chinese magic is something I need to work on. If any of you readers have more knowledge on Asian myths and culture please let me know to further enhance this fanfiction.
Prologue
"Almost done!" an elder Clow Reed thought out loud. In front of him were his cards, and surrounding the cards was a magic circle of Clow's magic. He was sealing his cards into a small book. As he sealed the final card in the book he smiled the same smile he had when he made those cards, because they were his life's work and one of his most valuable treasures, but he knew that his time was running out. The demons will be here at any moment now. He must act fast. Clow was thinking for a solution for a good solid minute till the door to his office opened up.
"Sensei are you alright? The demons will arrive at any moment now." The young man that entered the room was Kaito, Clow's most dedicated apprentice. He's a young man in his late teens, with mid length hazelnut brown hair pulled back into a wolf's tail, dark eyes and a slim and handsome face (think Fujikata but with longer hair in the style of myamoto musashi and no glasses), he wears a blue kimono and a pair of grey hakama pants. He hails from the archipelago nations of ni-hon-kai-do, in the kingdom of daidouji. He was weak in terms of magical powers and abilities but he can sense any form of magical entities whether they'd be good or evil, but to kaito it's a matter of perception. Many of the local girls find him attractive and want to become his wife or concubine if the opportunity comes, however he was also ridiculed by his fellow pupils for his lack of magical abilities, but Clow saw something even greater in his future and helped him work hard. As kaito walks into the office Clow was happy to see his most dedicated apprentice.
"Ah… Kaito… Come here, come here, come here!" Clow exclaimed "just the man I want to see."
"Sensei you don't have to praise me like that, you know that I am the worst student" Kaito has always been quite humble and has low self-esteem, and he was conscious of his low magic power, but that didn't stop him from studying all he could and worked hard on it.
"Nonsense kaito. You are the most dedicated student I have ever taught, and that is more than what I could ask for." clow answered
"Demo sensei-!"
"No need to eplane kaito… I am fully aware of your drawbacks, but didn't stop you from trying did you? Now sit down, sit down, sit down." as Clow motioned kaito to take a seat he placed his aged hand on the book with his sealed cards.
"Do you know what this is Kaito?" Clow asked
"Sensei is that?"
"Yes… it's my cards."
'What is sensei planning?' kaito thought
Clow passed the book to kaito which indicated something to him "I want you to take them."
Kaito looked at his teacher in surprise, not sure if what he said was either a joke or either true.
"Sensei you don't mean-?"
"Yes I do." Clow interrupted.
"Demo I'm not worthy to wield the cards!" Kaito exclaimed in disbelief.
"Maybe you aren't but your blood line maybe." clow answered.
"What do you mean?" kaito asked confused
Clow looked at Kaito with a smile then answered "You may not have the power at the moment, but I believe that someday one of your descendants will become a mage more powerful than me, and surpass me in every way."
Kaito looked at clow with disbelief "are you sure?... how do you know?"
"On the day I saw your dedication!" Clow explained "through that I saw your future, and your past." As clow said those words Kaito remembered his hardships, all his failures, and successes and the pain he has experienced through the days. He made friends through his days of pain and suffering.
"You may not be the one to inherit my cards, but through you I will have a true successor, even if it takes a few centuries. Here, take the cards, and use this money to help you out. Hide them if you have to, just take them as far from here as possible." as clow placed a purse filled with golden yuanbaos next to the book.
"You're not coming sensei?" Kaito asked
"Sadly I don't have much time left in this life." Clow answered
Kaito realized something within words. "You mean?"
"Yes, and I have checked with a physician… however when the demons come I will go on my own terms."
Kaito takes book and the money in his side bag, and stood up from his seat
"Gomenasai sensei!" As Kaito was about to leave, a female student burst through the door in anger.
"Sifu I can't allow you to let the cards go with Kaito! We need them at this moment! Also you can't just send him away like that! Are you out of your mind?!" The girl has long black hair tied in a bun that's being held together by a hairpin. She wears a red and green hanfu with the skirt barely touching the feet.
"Fang shi have you been eavesdropping on us?" clow asked with a serious tone.
"Uuuhhh I uuuhh." fang shi try to come up with an excuse. However as Clow sees her face go red with embarrassment, a mischievous smirk crosses his face. There were times when he loved to play matchmaker on his students just to see what would happen; some became long lasting couples while others were meant to be a joke. He knew that Fang shi admires kaito for his hard work and dedication despite his apparent handicap to the point of affection, however her pride kept her from accepting it and was very cold to him, and the fact that her parents are old school and inflexible, however her brothers were supportive of their relationship, and he knew kaito likes her.
"Kaito come here." as kaito came to Clow's face, his master whispered something in his ear. As kaito listened his face grew red with embarrassment. Clow hands Kaito a vial and gives him some instructions.
'What are they doing, and why is kaito red?' fang shi was thinking. However her answer came after what kaito did to her. As kaito stood up from his seat, as he walked up to fang shi still red in the face from shame and embarrassment he took out the vial, uncorked the lid. And before fang shi realized what he's doing, it was already too late.
"Fang shi gomenasai!" kaito exclaimed as he threw the contents on to her. Immediately fang shi felt weak in her entire body and kaito immediately hoisted her up in what's known in the Ni-hon-kai-do archipelago as the hime sama carry. As Kaito hoisted her up Fang shi started to blush and began to protest
"Wha- hey why are- how! sifu what did you give to him, what was that potion?!" Fang shi
"Just a little weakness potion...it's quite strong though. it'll last only a couple hours." Clow answered with a mischievous smile "Now kaito take her with you. I know you two have something for each other so make her yours, and don't worry her brothers have already prepared a dowry for you when you go in front of a priest. Oh and kaito, be sure to break that pride of hers, it tends to get in the way of her true feelings."
The two pupils blushed with embarrassment, Fang shi more than him.
"Hai sensei… arigatou for teaching us sensei, we are very proud to have been your students." Kaito slightly bowed to his master and took off with a struggling Fang shi in his arms. Lucky for him the potion made her weak enough that the struggle she put up was next to nothing. As the two go off to the safety of where ever they are going to hide, Clow Reed became more serious in his face, he knew his age would slow him down and his sickness isn't going to help either, however he stood up from his desk, took a staff and walk out to meet his destiny.
4 hours have gone by as Clow sat in a meditative position in front of the entrance building of the very academy he built from his own hands. As he waited, thunder roared and lightning flew across the sky. Clow felt the demonic presence coming towards him. As Clow opened his eyes he could see the leader of the demon army in front of him, what many didn't know was a human who colluded with the demons and his name was Long Chang Su of the long clan, a former pupil of Clow.
"I have come home, master. My aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Long is a tall man with waist length black hair that's held up by a top knot. He wears a black and red hanfu, his eyes that were once brown are now a glowing gold with slit pupils and his skin is pale like it had never seen the light of day in years.
"Skip the pleasantries Chang, I know what you're after." clow answered venomously
(Author's note: clow calls Long Chang 'cause it's his given name while I use Long since it's his family name.)
"Then you know what I'm after. I'll cut to the chase and give me what I want, give me the cards and there won't be a battle." Long told Clow
Clow stood up and looked at Long hard and fierce "You know I can't do that"
"Is this how it's going to be?" Long asked.
"That is how it must be." Clow answered, taking a stance.
As the two stared at each other's eyes, the battle began, and the two fired bolts of magic into each other which connected for a good solid minute till it imploded. When it did it flew both combatants in the opposite direction of each other. As clow landed on the marbled flood of the great hall of the entrance building. As clow stood up and prepared himself, Long was walking in the entrance, rage was in his eyes.
"I've rotted in that dimension you've exiled me to for 20 years because of your betrayal." long shouted
"You were practicing the dark arts to advance!" Clow retorted
"You told me I would be a promising successor, didn't you? But you held me back! You didn't teach me some of your secrets so that I can advance and be worthy of your succession, we may even take over the empire or the world for that matter but you didn't agree with that! And I had no choice, If I were to become the strongest mage I may as well enslave the world for that matter! Didn't Madoushi wish for you to become the ruler of Hong kong?" Long exclaimed
"Madoushi's ambition went too far! Sure she was my lover and a promising student but her thirst for power blinded her. but you were not ready for those secrets, and some of those spells are too risky to teach!" Clow answered back.
"Not ready? You said I was talented! You even said I had the potential to be your successor! You even told me I was one of your greatest pupils!" The battle soon returned after Longs yelled at his former master. The fight was brutal as it was a spectacle. Fireballs were thrown, walls of water, earth and ice protected the mages, and lightning zapped across the room at each other. But after a full 5 minutes of fighting long blasted Clow with a fire ball into a large circular room at the east side of the building, Clow laid there exhausted and bruised, his old age is betraying him and he wasn't as young as he used to be. As Long walked in he noticed that his former master wasn't using his cards like he always does, instead he was using rudimentary spells for the fight.
"Why didn't you use the cards on me? And what did you do to them? No matter what, you're old and weak. For the last time, where are cards and GIVE THEM TO ME! And I may give you a quick death." As Long finished, Clow started to chuckle.
"Took you long enough to realize." clow said cryptically. Long stood there confused not knowing what his master was saying. Clow slammed his hand on the floor and it began to light up. Long looked at his feet and realized that he was standing on a magic circle, he looked at his master with rage and confusion wondering what he did. But before he could ask Clow already answered him.
"This magic circle was prepared before you arrived, when you escaped that dimension 3 years ago. I knew this day would come so I prepared some precautionary measures just for today. If you think that I'm going to die by your hands, well you're wrong about that, cause I am already dying, and I'm going down my way. I'm sealing you and this time it'll be a long time for you. And as for the cards, they are already long gone, far away from here, two of my finest pupils are taking them to safety and are probably halfway across Han-cho or across the ocean by now. You will never claim the cards Chang. I may not be the one to end you but mark my words, my true successor will claim the card and he or she will return here and finish what I have begun. So for that reason I'm sealing you away, even if it takes centuries for that successor to come. Prepare yourself Chang cause it's going to be a long wait for you."
As Clow answered him Long restored back "fine I promise you this, when I escape this hell hole I will kill your successor, claim the cards and enslave the world."
"And when that happens I will ensure that you don't." Clow whispered softly "SEAL!" and with that final shout Long Chang su's presence was sealed far away from the academy and was no more for the time being. Clow collapsed to the floor as his life was fading away, before he took his final breath he muttered his last words "my final gift for the next generation."
Miles away on the ocean, an ocean going junk was sailing off into the night on it's way to the Ni-hon-kai archipelago. In one of the cabins Fang Shi was lying on a bed in the corner of the cabin. Her clothes were ruffled and loose, the main reason being that Kaito had confessed to her and he kissed her and caressed her to the point that she was being dominated by him for hours. He didn't to her maiden hood thank heaven for that, but her pride is broken, the weakness potion had worn off minutes ago but she still felt weak. She laid there holding Kaito's jacket and was sniffing it as if her life depended on it.
"What am I doing? I'm a failure of a mage, I let kaito take advantage of me and he was such a gentleman despite doing that to me. But I love him… DAMN YOU SIFU! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS?" Fang shi shouted she was frustrated yet happy that she's with the guy she likes but she didn't expect it to turn out like this.
"Mother, father I'm sorry, but I have been broken and conquered by a man that I like. If I see kaito again I would lose my self control over my feelings for him. I like him but this is Sifus' fault! But I must thank him later on… Kaito I'm sorry for being cold to you. I promise I will be a good wife and give you lots of children, I'll even give you a clan if you want.'' Fang Shi told herself. As she drifted off sniffing Kaito's jacket, Kaito was on top of the quarter deck looking back at the horizon where Hong Kong was as thunder was roaring in the distance. His thoughts were on fang shi, his master, and the future. He paid the captain well to get across the ocean by using half of the money he was giving. Now he is thinking a lot as he held the book that held the cards in his hands. He promised his master that he would keep the cards far away from hong kong, the only place he could think of was his home in the daidouji kingdom in the Ni-hon-kai archipelago. As the ship moved further away from the city, Kaito stood in prayer.
"Sensei I am really sorry for leaving you like this, but I am grateful for what you have done to me. I hope that one day my descendants will become a worthy successor of yours." Kaito looked up from his prayer "I Kinomoto Kaito will promise you that one day my family will return to Hong kong to finish what you started" . He drew out a tanto and brought it up to his hand and sliced a cut on it as he swore a blood oath.
Some 300 years later
"Turn back from whence you came CLOW CARD!" a shout ran out in the night sky of tomoeda, a flash of light and wind gushed around as a clow card was being sealed. Once the card was sealed back into it's card form it flew to the hands of the sealer. Her name was Sakura, a 10 year old girl with short hazelnut brown hair and emerald green eyes.
"Nicely done sakura" sakura looked to where the male voice came from to see Kerberos, tomoyo and Syaoran running to her. keroberos was sakura's companion for catching the cards, he is in his small form which is considered to be his disguise.
"Another Clow card down sakura chan, I have it recorded on this crystal!" Tomoyo is sakura's long time and was responsible for all of sakura's clothing. And syaoran is sakura's new friend and rival in hunting the cards
"Arigato you guys, it was really tough! 34 cards and we have only 18 to go!" sakura exclaimed happily
"Don't celebrate yet silly, there are more cards out there that are probably more dangerous. We haven't collected the rest of the elemental ones yet." Syaoran criticized. He is always serious when they are on the hunt, a trait the 4 friends always find it good to have but can be a pain sometimes.
"Don't worry Syaoran kun. I'm just happy that we got the Card." sakura said happily
"But what if you get hurt!" syaoran asked
"Ara could it be you're worried about sakura chan Li kun?" tomoyo asked jokingly
"That's not it! I'm more worried about the cards dummy!" syaoran frustratingly exclaimed
"No need to be rude brat. My card captor can handle herself, you know!" Keroberos told syaoran.
"Demo I appreciate the help… Oh I know, let's swear to support each other!" Sakura said. Syaoran looked up at Sakura, surprised as she pulled up her pinky. Syaoran immediately complied and connected his pinky with hers.
"Whoever lies shall get cut" as the two made their vow, Tomoyo recorded the entire thing. Keroberos looked pleased that his mistress is making allies with that vow.
"Oh yeah syaoran kun you said that meiling was sick right" sakura asked.
"Yeah a slight fever to be precise, I was just trying to get some medicine till the card showed up." Syaoran answered
"Well then let us help you li kun! You and sakura will get the medicine while kero chan and I will get some ingredients for rice porridge for her" Tomoyo said, clapping her hands.
"Good Idea let's go syaoran, I know a pharmacy close by. Hopefully they are still open around this time!" Sakura told Syaoran as she pulled him. Tomoyo and Keroberos watched in amusement as Sakura pulled a blushing Syaoran with her to the pharmacy. Little did they know that the pinky promise they made would strengthen their bonds together.