Disclaimer: While possession is a rather important legality, and I do possess this fic, CLAMP owns the copyrights to the origin of it, which override my possession. However, I do own any original characters in here, as well as original situations.
A/N: Indeed.
Episode 8: Freedom at Last
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The card in his hand glowed softly once more, but the glow quickly become brighter, and seemed to steal the small amount of light that was in the room and bring it within itself. The intensity of the card's light got stronger and stronger, and behind him he heard Sera cry out that her eyes hurt. Syaoran had run up in front of her, blocking the light, and attempting to shield from what he knew was coming. Sakura stayed back as well, next to Sera, trying to comfort her. Kero just curled up next to them and yawned lazily. Azure, however, could not remove his eyes from that light, for it drew him in as well, although he did blink once, something the voice had told him to do. Slowly the glazed appearance in his eyes disappeared, and he widened with shock at what he now saw, that which he had been seeing, yet not giving true recognition of. The light in the card now burned so brightly that all that could be seen was the shape, for the flare of the magical energy now far outshone the writings and illustrations etched its surface.
Slowly, yellow glowing lines began to appear on the floor around him. He stood on a five-pointed star. To the left was a crescent moon, to the right, a rather elaborately drawn sun. The lines glowed deeper, knowing what they were doing far more than he did. A circle formed, marking the borders of the design. Symbols etched themselves in all around the rim, and haphazardly connecting lines sliced in where the symbols were not. From each angle that these lines formed, thinner lines shot in towards the center, towards him. Lastly, shapes shot out from the reverse points of the central star, forming a star underneath it, facing the opposite direction, and then each shape was bisected in turn. At last, it was complete. No new designs formed, but the weak lines began to glow brighter and brighter. The circle was now formed, and all in a matter of seconds.
A bright flash went off, illuminating the area for but a second, and then again, and then again, three times in succession. A small cone of swirling air appeared, while at the same time the card glowed blue once more, and tendrils of energy shot out from it, fueling that cone, causing it to slowly grow. Azure, the voice now gone from his head, dropped the card, backing away, yet with the book still in his hand. As the wind picked up in the small room, the other cards began to fly out of the book, slowly at first, but going faster as the cyclone grew taller and stronger. The cards weren't the only ones being thrown about in the gale though. Azure quite distinctly heard a cat screeching. Then, he heard another voice, one he didn't recognize, one that sounded suspiciously like that same cat.
Grab them! he heard it shout. Try to stop them from flying off! Obviously, he wasn't the only one who heard that voice, for his parents were also reaching for the cards that were now madly flying about the room, some even disappearing into, and, he knew with a sinking sensation, going through the walls, and at a rapid pace at that. However, he noticed worriedly, his parent's hands were simply passing right through these cards that now seemed to have minds of their own. He held the book tightly in his hand, not wanting it to fly off as well. He quickly tried to grab one of the cards flying about him, but also halfheartedly, expecting it to pass through him as well.
However, this one felt solid to his touch, and he held on to it, and the book as well, for the winds were getting stronger, pulling with more force. He heard the voice shouting again.
Use the card! Try and stop them! Azure read over the name before speaking it, making sure it wasn't something that would scatter the cards more. Syaoran saw the name as well, but by the time the recognition hit, it was too late. Azure spoke the word.
The card flashed once, the book flashed red, and then both book and card disappeared, as the last of the remaining cards flew out through the walls. Slowly, the magical circle dimmed, and then disappeared all together. The winds died down, and the Storm card floated gently to the ground, laying at Azure's feet. He was about to kneel down to pick it up, but first he raised his head to the doorway, where he saw a rather furious father, a crying sister, a pouting mother, and one very annoyed cat.
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