/\ Arawyn's Gate /\
~Chapter 4- The Emotion
...
The nothingness was soon replaced by something else, a brilliant light, shadowy and speckled perhaps, but after being in the darkness of that chamber, it stung my eyes fiercely. Instead of stone at my back, I felt bark. We were back in the forest. I heard Tomoyo' breath a tired sigh. Once my vision cleared, I looked towards her, and managed to utter something.
How did you-?
Beat him? She shrugged innocently, although any effect that produced was countered by the sword she had on her belt. I've learned a few things since you left. Like the magical shield I had put on your aura just now. It makes my head aches' a lot more useful... she trailed off looking a bit forlorn.
How's your leg? I asked, glancing at the wound that the floating sword had made. I was shocked to find it had already sealed up and the mark from it was disappearing right before my eyes, including the tear in the fabric of her leg armor, which seemed to be sewing itself back together expertly. And then she did something else that shocked me. Tomoyo' hugged me. Not just a normal glad to see you again hug, this one reminded me of the ones Meilin used to give me, only it was softer, more heartful. Like the way that Sakura...
Her head was lying in the angle where my neck met my collarbone, and along her cheek, I felt something watery.
Was she....crying? I heard a sob. She was...I thought I heard her say something, but it was lost in her tears.
What did you- I began. She pulled her head away, but still kept her arms around me strongly, as if afraid that if she let me go I would disappear.
I'm so glad you're safe... she said softly, trying to hold back her tears, deep affection in her eyes. W-when the portals scattered I thought I had l-los... she broke down, more tears streaming down, and leaned her head back onto. I just sat there, leaning my back against the tree that I had appeared next to. I felt I should do something to comfort her, but I wasn't sure what; this just felt too unreal, moreso than anything else I had encountered here.
She tightened her embrace again, and it touched upon one of my minor wounds; I couldn't suppress a groan of pain. She pulled back, an almost horrified look on her face.
Hitaayamarmashita...did I...hurt...you? she affectionately.
Not that much...I've felt worse...
Oh, I completely forgot about your wounds. Here, let me look at them, she reached out her hand and took mine, being careful not to touch the rope burns on my wrist, grasping just past that, so that the burns touched the somehow icy cold leather of her bracers. It felt soothing on my burning skin. She took a look at it and become even more sorrowful, a sympathetic look crossing her face.
My poor Shai-kishi...what did they do to you... She examined the burning marks on my ankles next, and I felt the cool touch of the leather on her arms again. She next motioned for me to lean downward so she could check the cuts on my back. I did so. The brushes with that leather seemed almost intentional on her part, as if she knew it was making me feel better. She looked at my face, and frowned. There was a small, thin cut just above my right eye, and while it was sealing up fine, it still stung enough to slightly increase the amount of times I blinked.
We'll have to get you back to Nana-san soon, but it's still a great distance... she began worriedly.
To where? I asked her, hoping that I could actually manage to hold a conversation topic. It was not to be, however. She almost started crying again when I said this. Her mood suddenly changed drastically though, and a vengeful anger dominated her facial expression.
Karou is the one who'll be punished now....for messing with you like this... She hugged me closely again, this time being careful not to put too much pressure on any of my injuries.
Can you walk? I don't think I can carry you the entire way... she said apologetically, having seen the wounds on my leg. Her expression brightened, though, as an idea popped into her head.
...unless....do you still have your amulet with you? she asked hopefully.
She placed a hand sorrowfully on my cheek. Then, noticing something on my neck, she reached for it. It was my sword talisman, and it was my only defense in this world, despite that it hadn't helped much so far. I tried to pull back, but I was too weak at the moment to resist her touch, which felt better every time she grazed my skin. Tomoyo' tugged at it gently and it came right off, seeming to just float through my neck. Her sad look turned to one of glee, and she smiled at me.
The fools...they didn't take it from you! I wondered why they would have, but apparently it held some measure of importance.
This will be so much easier now! We can use the gates again... she said excitedly. She became impatient now, but not in an angry way, just a hurried one.
Tomoyo' placed her right index finger on my forehead, and strange lightness flowed through me. I felt as if a great weight had physically been lifted off of me, and one good jump could leave me floating in the air. Picking me up, she carried me over to another tree, one that looked no different than the others, just felt different. After putting me down, smiling happily, she unsheathed her sword with a flourish. Then, she stabbed it straight into the trunk of the tree. Speaking a few words, apparently to the tree itself, in a language I didn't recognize, she picked me up again, and touched my charm to a dark purple gem on her sword. What happened next was literally a blur.
Reality seemed to warp around us for a few seconds, and then calmed down again. The sword in the trunk became ethereal, leaving only an image, as of a very realistic hologram. Centered around it, a dark circle began to spread outward, becoming an oval, with the vertical longer than the horizontal. It soon reached the borders of its face of the tree, and stayed on it, but at the same time, no longer touched it.
Holding me closely, Tomoyo' slowly walked through the portal, and all was blackness once again.