Chapter
Five:
The dark figure came forth, the
brilliant disc sparking once before blinking out. The circle of people widened,
squeezing away from the mage and the man merely paused in their center, staff
held loosely.
Syaoran stared, quiet fury in his
amber-brown eyes. Meilin reached out with her other hand, taking hold of his
elbow and holding his stiff figure back. "Syaoran…"
The mage lifted one hand, a gloved
finger pointing directly at Syaoran. And with the other hand he stabbed
downward with his black staff, striking the floor.
For a moment nothing happened. The
sound of the staff striking the floor echoed eerily around them. The man stood
silently, never once lowering his hand. People watched him with held breath,
Syaoran practically trembling from anger. And then, slowly, on each side of the
man bright light exploded into being, small orbs hovering in the air. Blue
light flashed across the width of the spheres, surrounding the light like rings
around planets.
Syaoran frowned, looking from one
orb to the other.
Eriol swallowed, jaw clenching as he
felt that familiarity again. Something bad was coming, he felt it. He glanced
over his shoulder toward Nakuru and Spinel Sun and he nodded once, slowly.
Nakuru came forth, hands releasing
Spinel Sun who jumped to the floor with the soft patter of paws. She floated
forward, Spinel Sun trotting with her and they came to stand in front of the
group, taking up protective stances.
The orbs on both sides of the man
burst and with it feathers flew.
Syaoran inhaled painfully, chest
suddenly heaving. It wasn't possible. This was not about to happen…
From one orb of snow white feathers
appeared a large, golden, feline-looking creature, gold-bronze armor protecting
his head and lean form. He took a step, crossing in front of the mage
defensively. And from the other orb came the figure of a young man, form as
brilliant as the light he appeared from. The figure darkened, the light
blinking out and he had long white hair flowing down his back, gray-blue eyes
blank of expression.
Spinel Sun and Nakuru stiffened
noticeably and Nakuru glanced over her shoulder at Eriol, uncertainly.
Eriol, for the first time in a long
time, didn't know what to do. He looked at Nakuru quickly and then shifted his
gaze back to the two Guardians surrounding the black mage.
"Keroberos." Syaoran whispered
faintly, looking from the Guardian to the Judge. "Yue-san…"
The white haired man lifted one hand
slowly and blue light flashed, shards of glass-like material appearing before him.
A moment later he swiped thoughtlessly and the shards flew at them, shining in
the light of the festivities.
Syaoran recoiled, lips parting.
Nakuru took a step to the side, hand
lifting, and burgundy-black light burst from her, appearance shifting. Her hair
lifted, the brown strands lightening to a maroon red, party dress lengthening
to reach to the floor. The shards struck a reddish-purple shield she threw up,
her eyes suddenly flashing red and burning angrily.
Light fizzed around Spinel Sun,
enveloping him. He burst into his true form, blue-black form a shadow in the
brightness.
Eriol studied the mage, squinting.
And he suddenly froze, eyes blinking widely as realization dawned on him.
If he has the Guardians, he has
the Cards…
Syaoran lifted his hand, splaying
fingers before his face. Behind him Meilin took another step back, releasing
his other hand to stand beside Tomoyo in confusion.
His sword came into being and
Syaoran took hold of it, taking a stance.
"Xiao Lang!" Eriol said quickly and
when his descendant looked at him he whispered, "The Sakura Cards."
Syaoran frowned at him questioningly
then faced off once more, looking at the mage.
The mage lifted the staff, black
light streaking outward. One hand dug into his robe and he pulled forth a black
object, flinging it into the air. Syaoran stared at the object, recognizing it
but not the color or the Master.
A Dark Card.
The mage swung his staff, striking
the card and light exploded from it, shooting outward.
Eriol followed the light with his
gaze, observing as it flew to the doors and paused. A lock appeared, hanging in
mid-air for a moment, black wings upon its face. It slowly vanished, phasing
into the door and he knew they were locked in now.
This was going to end when one of
them was the victor.
With a breath Eriol took a step
forward, lifting his hand. "Release."
From his fist, another staff
appeared, strikingly similar to the one the mage held. He took it into his
grasp, coming to stand beside Xiao Lang and behind Nakuru and Spinel Sun.
The mage stared for all of a moment.
Then he threw up another card, hitting its face with his staff. He hid his face
from the brilliant mist that billowed from the card, backing away a step.
The smoke formed a slender woman,
her figure a faint green. She came to float above her Master, gazing at Syaoran
and his group blankly. With the same blankness Yue held in his stare.
"Windy." Syaoran growled.
Eriol placed a hand on his arm. "He
has the Sakura Cards." He said to him quietly.
Syaoran exhaled impatiently. "I
figured as much, thanks."
Eriol tightened his grip on his
descendant's arm, bringing him back to the subject at hand. "Pay attention." He
ordered. "He has the Sakura Cards. And they are his cards now. You once
owned several of them but you lost them to Sakura. Which means if you prove
yourself stronger than that man, the cards become yours." He stared at Xiao
Lang, willing him to understand.
And understand he did, finally.
Syaoran blinked, staring straight ahead at the mage and then shifting his
glance at Yue.
Yue was staring right back and
something came into those blank gray eyes. An agreement, he realized.
"Will he understand?" Syaoran asked.
Eriol nodded slowly. "He already
does." He answered. And he threw forth his staff, shooting a burst of black
light nearly as powerful as the mage's.
The man staggered back a step, away
from the attack, and he motioned at them, robes flowing around his feet.
Windy flew forth, reaching with
long, slender arms. Her winds swirled around the room and party-goers shrieked
and scattered, panicking. Syaoran shouted an incantation, lifting his sword,
and lightening streaked from the blade towards Windy.
The Card flew through the
lightening, unfazed, and her winds circled the group, winding around Tomoyo and
Meilin.
"Syaoran!" Meilin shouted angrily,
already in a stance but unsure as to what to do. She turned her head, watching
the Card surround her and she pulled closer to Tomoyo, trying to distance
herself from Windy.
Syaoran was staring after his
attack, watched as it went through Windy but struck the mage head on in the
mid-area, flinging him backward. His body crashed to the smooth floors,
sprawling, and his staff went spinning off toward the side wall.
Eriol swung around, holding his
staff out. Black light streaked outward, surrounding Tomoyo and Meilin and as
Windy wound around them her winds clashed with his power, the energy swarming.
Syaoran lunged forward toward the
fallen mage and the man gestured in his direction, rising onto his rear.
Keroberos dived into Syaoran's path,
teeth bared, a growl rumbling underneath the rush of Windy's attack.
At Syaoran's side Spinel Sun came
forth, eyes narrowed coldly. Keroberos turned his gaze to the other Guardian
and he looked from Syaoran to Spinel Sun, uncertain which to attack.
Spinel Sun made the decision for
him, jumping toward the golden Guardian and slashing furiously.
Syaoran circled around their
struggling figures, ignoring the growls and hisses erupting between them. He
had one target now, only one. And he was going to seize control of the Sakura
Cards. If he could do nothing more for Sakura he would do this. In her memory.
The mage staggered to his feet,
hunched over his stomach painfully and he lifted his head, catching sight of Syaoran
as he skid to a halt before him. The man hesitated, looking over Syaoran
towards Yue and he gestured quickly.
Nakuru blocked the Judge's path,
long maroon hair swinging around her slender frame. "No. You have me to face,
Yue." She said coldly, throwing up hands blazing with burgundy power.
The mage straightened, swinging his
head around. Trapped against a wall with Syaoran before him, sword raised. He
looked toward his staff against the far wall and then looked back at Syaoran.
And almost frantically he reached into his robes.
Syaoran was already moving. He swung
his blade, lightening forking outward and seizing hold of the mage. The man
fell back against the wall, struggling as the lightening wound around his
wrists and trapped them. Syaoran held the sword out, teeth gritting coldly and
forcing more power, more emotion.
You took her from me…
The mage tried to double over,
struggling against the confines of the lightening but it held fast, the shock current
eating away at his robes and his sleeves.
Syaoran took out a ward, whispering
quietly, and fire sprang forth, shooting into the air.
I want you to feel what I've felt
for so long.
The mage stiffened, head bowed, the
fire shooting toward him. And before Syaoran understood what was happening,
white light blossomed behind the mage's figure, reaching forth and grabbing
hold of the man's figure. Syaoran growled angrily, throwing forth his arm and
redoubling his efforts but the white light enveloped the mage, swallowing him
whole into its brightness. A moment later the white light blinked out, leaving
behind nothing but a scorched wall.
And black cards scattered across the
floor.
The growls fell silent from Spinel
Sun's battle with Keroberos and the powerful winds circling the room stopped,
napkins and streamers floating freely to the floor.
Syaoran glanced over his shoulder,
taking in the scene.
Windy hovered over Tomoyo and
Meilin, Eriol standing before them and against the Card protectively. But Windy
was still now, her hair and form billowing. Yue also stood calmly, floating in
mid-air, wings flapping slowly. Nakuru was crouched low, power flashing from
her fists. She straightened a moment later, however, looking around in
confusion.
Keroberos pulled away from Spinel
Sun, head bowed.
Syaoran stared from one Guardian to
the other, even to the Card again. Then he turned and looked at the black cards
lying across the floor. He took a step forward and crouched, reaching out to
touch one with a fingertip.
"You are worthy." Yue said quietly
and never before did hearing his cold voice sound so good.
The black staff against the wall
clattered, jumping of its own accord. Then it levitated off the floor and flew
at Syaoran. He caught it instinctively, flinching nonetheless as it came into
contact with his skin. The wood was cold, shimmering in the light of the room.
He stared at it, convincing himself it wouldn't hurt him.
Eriol lowered his own staff, wishing
it away without a second thought. Behind him Tomoyo came forth, grasping his
arm.
"What happened?" she asked in
a whisper and she glanced around at the room of frightened people, unsure what
to do.
Syaoran turned his attention to the
cards on the floor. His sword glowed for a moment before disappearing and he
reached out with his free hand, scooping up the cards at last. They shone in
the light the way the staff did and he stared at the design on the back, the
Moon and Stars in gold upon a black background. He turned to face Windy and she
gazed back, motionless.
"Return." He uttered to her.
He could have sworn she smiled
faintly. Then her figure melted into mist, funneling into a single source, a
shiny black card. It flashed once before flying toward him and he caught the
Card, looking down at its face. Windy's form stared back, dormant once more. He
stared at it and then looked toward the door, feeling the magic there. "Return,
Lock."
The Lock appeared from the door once
more, floating forward and dissipating into the form of the Card. It also came
toward him, floating to a stop before him and he took it into his hand as well.
Yue slowly touched down, feet coming
to rest on the floor.
"They're…my cards now?" Syaoran
asked quietly, feeling as if his voice echoed in the silence of the room.
Yue's expression didn't waver. "You are
the Card Master." He said. "But they are not your cards."
Syaoran frowned at him, not
understanding.
"Once you revive the Cards under
your name they are yours and you are their Master." Keroberos explained. And he
sat on his rear, tail swishing, a thoughtful look suddenly crossing his face.
"I would never have thought the Brat would be my Master."
Syaoran blinked at him and he
couldn't understand why, instead of laughing at the insult, he found tears upon
his face. He bowed his head, looking once more at the cards. And then,
inexplicably, his legs melted under him and he slipped to the floor, losing
consciousness.