Author's notes: This chapter revolves around a television show that shouldn't have been seen by young kids (though that never stopped me…lol). If you don't want to read it through, you don't have to. None of the future events will revolve around this chapter
"Open the Circle"
In the mists, the moonlight glazed everything and lit up a certain sacred tree. The temple was closed and no one was around. Candles were lit all around a sacrificial table was facing parallel to the tree. A podium stood in front of it, open to a page in a book. Ancient Chinese script lined the page, showing different incantations of witchcraft and "The Circle". A woman in a white silk nightgown approached the podium. She was tall, slender, had blond hair and emerald eyes, like Sakura's. She walked slowly, observing everything she passed and her movements were graceful and made with thought. The candle's flames grew taller, sensing magic emanating from her. She had waited for this moment along time. She looked around nervously, knowing what the spirits were capable of. Then she looked down at the book and recited a spell:
"Open the circle and you shall see
Just how strong that I can be
Grant the power you have to me
Enchanters and prophets I call opon thee
Open the circle!"
The lady looked around and turned in circles. Not seeing anything, she started speaking again, "Open the Circle!" But a presence was now in the air. Some of the candles blue out, seemingly under their own power. Then a scratch ran across the lady's left arm, slicing through the thin sleeve. Pure red blood squeezed outward. More scratches followed. Across her chest, then on her legs. They increased in speed. The candles went out one by one and she knew something wasn't right. She was scratched and slashed on every part of her body. The gown was beginning to be saturated in blood. She screamed in terror and fell over. A lone candle blue over onto the book. It burned nearly instantly. Wind blue the fire across the other table and the ground. The fire then blue out. Remains of the book, table, candles, and the lady lay on the ground.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sakura, Madison, Li, and Shuai were walking to the temple. Li told Sakura had something he wanted to say to her. Madison couldn't wait, with her camera gear, she was ready. Shuai followed them insanely, annoying Madison who was wondering if he was also bothering Sakura. He insisted on coming everywhere, saying they'd need him if Kuragari attacked, that either they were too slow to act or they didn't know what to do. They approached the temple; cops and investigators lined the place.
"What happened?" Li asked the guard.
"There was a murder here last night." The guard responded in sorrowfully. Sakura, Madison, and Shuai
"Now, psychic!" Shuai
"It looks ancient." Li said observing it. "Open the circle" Li said reading it. A strong breeze just then flue through the air, enough to chill bones. The cover was brown and it had jewels lining the edge. It was also quite thin. Shuai
"What is it?" Sakura asked them.
"We found it at the crime scene. It looks magical." Li said.
"So you think the woman was a socerror of some kind." Kero assumed. "Because it looks more like witchcraft." Kero corrected.
"Witchcraft!" Sakura cried. "Everyone knows that's not real."
"Sakura," Kero said, "You have no right to say that. But either way, what ever happened there probably has something to do with this book. We need to get a copy that were able to read."
"What about that shop that is always selling these strange things?" Madison interrupted. "I think it's called… um… Osiris"
"Yes, that's it." Li said. "I've seen it. There only open on Sunday, which is today, fortunately."
"Alright than, lets go!" Madison said. "I've been wanting to go there."
"Li and I can go back to the crime scene to see if there's anything left of suspicion." Shuai said.
"And I'll stay here and study this one." Kero said.
"Than were all meet back here in about two hours." Sakura suggested.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sakura and Madison made it to Osiris. The place seemed dark and erie. "I don't like this place." Sakura said to Madison as they entered the store. Around them, on shelves in a display was ancient Egyptian replicas. There were ancient pictures, amulets, and charms. And in a far corner were ancient books. Sakura and Madison headed there. A man peered out from behind the bookshelf, startling Sakura and Madison in this dimly lit store.
"Can I help you with something?" he said in a voice with nearly no emotion. The sound reminded Sakura of Shuai. The man, Sakura now could see, was white had a baldheaded. He was kind of tall and just a little chubby.
"Were looking for this book." Sakura said nervously, showing the man the title.
"Over here." He said slowly, looking at them as if they were troublemakers. He walked two ils down. "This is the one." He said, pulling a book from the shelf. The book he pulled was white and fat, but it had the same title.
"This is a newer version." Madison said, glimpsing through it. "We need this copy." The man eyed them. He now knew they were up to something. Still watching them, he led them into the back, into a narrow closet. He reached into the darkness, pulling a string. A light popped on, lighting the closet dimly.
"It would be in here, if I have it." The man said, leaving back to the front.
"Is there a card to help us here?" Madison asked.
"I'm not to sure I'd want to use one. That man seemed suspicious of us." Sakura replied, kneeling on the floor, looking through the piles of books. Madison followed her in. The bell on the front door chinged.
"I'm looking for these." A fimular voice said.
"Over there." The man replied.
"That's Kuragari!" Madison warned Sakura. They both got up and peered out of the closet door. Light from the windows came into the store, lighting it a little more. Kuragari was looking at the charms and amulets. Kuragari sharply turned his head in the closet direction. Sakura and Madison flue back into the closet.
"What's back there?" Kuragari asked the man.
"Old books that haven't been organized." The man said, returning for his work. Kuragari walked back to the closet.
"Sakura what'll we do?" Madison asked frantically. Kuragari appeared in the doorway.
"What are you doing here!" Kuragari asked, knowing they were up to no good. "What ever it is, I'm sure it's trouble." Kuragari said, approaching them. Sakura and Madison walked backwards until they ran into a wall. Kuragari noticed the old book Madison was holding. "What is that! Give it to me!" Kuragari hollered.
"Help!" Sakura and Madison cried as Kuragari tried to rip the book from their arms.
"What's going on back here!" The owner came running back. He took Kuragari by the collar and throw him back to the door. "If you want to harass my customers you can get out!" He ordered. Kuragari went back to the amulets, resuming his business but kept a watch on the closet.
"Thank you." Madison said, but the man walked out without saying another word. Sakura looked down.
"Is this it?" Sakura said, spotting a similar book.
"That's the one." Madison said, comparing the two. They both walked out. Kuragari wasn't there anymore. "I wonder why he was here." Madison said to Sakura.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"We found nothing." Shuai said, entering Sakura's room. Kero jumped up, startled.
"I take it Sakura's brother isn't home yet." Kero asked Li, who shook his head.
"You said the book involved witchcraft," Shuai said to Kero. "What's the difference?"
"They both are very alike, but they have their differences." Kero answered. "Listen, you cannot rely on Clow magic if you face an attack by this. It may not be able to handle it." Li looked puzzled by what Kero had said. If Clow's magic couldn't contain what they were facing, what other options did they have?
"Were back!" Sakura called up the stairs.
"We got it!" Madison said, giving the book to Sakura whom ran it up the stairs, while Madison went into the kitchen.
"Good, cause I can barely read this one." Kero remarked.
"This was the page it was turned too." Shuai said, taking the book from Sakura's hands and flipping through the pages to the spot. Sakura looked at him in an astonished look.
"How rude." She said, passing him to sit on the bed.
"Here it is," Shuai said, ignoring Sakura. "Open the Circle."
Sakura read:
Open the circle and you shall see
Just how strong that I can be
Downstairs, Madison was fixing sandwiches. A humming filled the room. A soft yet disturbing hum that ran shivers up her spine.
"Sakura" Kero interrupted. They all looked up to him. "I sense something."
"Where?" Li said.
"It's very near us." He responded. Madison came up just then.
"I made sandwiches," she said. They all jumped, startled. "You should get your refrigerator fixed." Madison told Sakura. Sakura looked puzzled.
"It's not broken." She contradicted.
"I heard this humming noise. I thought it was the refrigerator." Madison responded. Li looked up at Kero.
"Kero, can we use the cards to figure out what were up against?" Sakura said. "Like when we used them for the Mirror?"
"It should work." Kero said. "It's the exact same principle." Sakura took the cards and laid them out. She piled them as Kero told her. Madison, Li, and Shuai watched. Li was rather jealous at this. He barely had enough cards to try, even though he knew there were other ways. The cards were arranged. Shuai naulled on a sandwich. Sakura turned the top card. It was the water card. Sakura turned to Kero.
"Water is emotional. The thing were dealing with is probably fueled by anger." Kero explained. Sakura now turned the bottom card. It was the sword card. "This means that it's looking for a challenge. Ready to fight." Kero continued and Sakura turned the middle three. They were the Firey, Fight, and Libra. Sakura stared at the Libra card. "This thing must do judging." Li said.
"I think I get it." Shuai said. "The lady tried the spell, she failed the judgment and it fought her until she died.
"But what's Firey got to do with it?" Li asked.
"It must be because Firey is energetic and full of energy." Kero said. Sakura nodded, then turned over the card at the bottom right. It was the Dark card. They all sat there, not knowing what that meant.
"It's trying to cause night?" Shuai said stupidly.
"I'm home!" Cried Tori as he entered through the front door.
"I'm out of here." Li said to them, making his way to the window.
"I'm right behind you." Shuai said. Kero watched them scurry out.
"You're just going to abandon me to this?" Sakura said, looking at Li.
"Not abandon, just leave." Li said with a smile, jumping out the window, Shuai followed. Then someone tapped at Sakura's door and it opened. Kero stiffened and fell flat. Tori pocked his head through the doorway.
"Are you talking to yourself again?" He asked, looking around.
"No" Sakura said, picking Kero up and sitting him on the shelf.
"Than are you hiding someone." Tori said about to enter.
"Just me." Madison said, appearing from behind the door. Tori took a stronger look.
"Leave me alone!" Sakura screamed at hid, taking the pillow from her bed and throwing it at the door. Tori shut the door.
"Sakura, it's bad for you to yell." Madison advised her.
"You should listen to her." Tori said, reappearing in the doorway. Sakura stared at him. Having nothing else to do, he went downstairs.
"Where did she get that stuffed animal?" Tori asked himself, not remembering when she brought it home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The phone rang later in the day. It was dark now and Sakura couldn't figure out what the Dark card represented. Madison had left and dinner was over. Kero was browsing through the ancient book. Sakura picked it up and Madison's voice spoke.
"Sakura you should come over here. That noise I heard at your place is here now." She said. Sakura didn't hear any noises in her kitchen while eating dinner. So, she scooped Kero and the book he was reading into a bag.
"Call Li and Shuai." Sakura said to Madison. "I'll be over."
Sakura walked down the road. The darkness began to creep her out. "It's nothing Sakura." Kero spoke to her.
In the distance She saw Kuragari. He shot his head her way. Sakura began to pull the key from her neck.
"You're the cause of what's happened." Kuragari said to her.
"What do you mean?" Sakura said.
"The place I was staying burned to the ground, under mysterious circumstances…." Kuragari responded. "You're with them. I can feel it." He began to approach her. Sakura tried to back away but Kuragari sped up. "Contain the spirits. Close the circle." He said to her. Sakura backed up into a tree. He pulled something out of his pocket. Sakura grabbed the key from her neck. "The cards won't help you now." He said, slapping her hand. The key fell to the ground. He brought his hand to her face. It contained an amulet. "Close the circle!" He ordered. Sakura felt pain in her head. No ordinary amulet should make her feel pain.
"Stop it." Sakura cried futilely. Tears ran from eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about. What circle?" Sakura dropped the bag she held.
"You have control." Kuragari spoke again. Sakura felt like her face was on fire. Kero emerged from the bag. He bit Kuragari's finger.
"Ouch!" Kuragari said, unleashing the amulet. The pain Sakura felt decreased, but a headache remained. He swatted down Kero and took a glance at the bag. He felt power from it and picked it up. From inside he took out the book.
"Kero, he's got the book!" Sakura called.
"I was right. You have tried the spell." Kuragari assumed.
"What spell?" Sakura asked.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Kuragari said, flipping through the pages. Kero snick behind him. "Recite this." Kuragari ordered. It was titled "Closing the Circle". On the next page, she saw something that might be used to defeat Kuragari.
"Spirits that wander the echoes of the void
Hear my call" Sakura recited.
"Not that!" Kuragari said as lightning roared through the sky. From thin air, transparent gasses emerged and formed beings. They attacked Kuragari, cutting his clothing and skin. "So you are with the evil." Kuragari spoke painfully, drawing a clow card. Kero stood by, watching. "Darkness card! Release and dispel." Kuragari ordered. A purple gas rose from the card. It seemed to be fighting back against the three formed beings. It tackled one down and it dissipated into gas. The second stalled the Darkness card while the third still attacked Kuragari. Sakura couldn't stand what was happening, it all seemed too violent. The Darkness card wrapped itself around the second being and it exploded into dust that was disintegrated before it hit the ground.
"Kero!" Sakura called to behind Kuragari, who was trying to fend the third being with his sword. "How do I stop this?" The Darkness card went after the third being. Both were fearless and aggressive, not ready to tolerate defeat. More beings emerged from the air, over powering the darkness card. Kuragari called it back and activated the Transport card. Kuragari disappeared and the spirits left too. Sakura was shaking. How could she have unleashed such evil on someone, even if they were an enemy?
"I didn't mean too." Sakura said in defense. "I didn't know."
"Sakura, did you ever activate the beings with some spell?" Kero asked.
"I don't think so." Sakura said crying. "Kuragari said I had though." Kero sat on Sakura's shoulder the rest of the walk, trying to comfort her.
"When was the last time you listened to Kuragari?" Kero said.
"Why are you crying Sakura," came a voice from around the corner. Ms. Mackenzie came from around and looked at her. Kero already stiffened into his pose.
"This boy, he attacked me and…" Sakura said, trying to think of a story.
"It's alright, not everything people say is true and you have to look past it to find your goal." She said. Then she eyed Kero. ""Where did you get that?" She said pointing to Kero.
"This?" Sakura said nervously. "It's just a stuffed animal. I get lonely on these long walks." Ms. Mackenzie eyed him. "Everyone must love him, they all stare at him." Sakura continued with a smile. Ms. Mackenzie looked up.
"Good day." Ms. Mackenzie said to her and walked away. Five minutes later, Madison's house was in sight. At Madison's house, Li and Shuai were already there. Madison's mother wasn't home and Madison had dismissed the bodyguards. Li and Shuai had looked over the entire area.
"Sakura, what's wrong?" Madison asked.
"It's nothing." Sakura responded. Madison could see she was lying.
"We heard the humming but it stopped about ten minutes ago." Li told her. Kero and Sakura looked at each other.
"That's because they were with us." Kero told them. Li and Shuai didn't quite understand. Why did Kero say "They"?
"The humming is coming from these beings, that attack people." Kero said.
"So you think they'll attack me, why?" Madison said, horrified.
"It attacks someone who threatens Sakura." Kero observed. "So, when you were in the kitchen, it may have saw you as a trespasser."
"Well then we have to stop it." Shuai spoke up. "Did Kuragari try a clow card against them?
"He used the Darkness." Sakura responded. "It didn't help too much." The humming came back.
"We have to start." Kero said to them. "Do you have any candles?"
"They are in the kitchen." Madison said, heading that way. They followed the diagram in the book on the candle positions and everything was set.
"Were too late." Sakura said worryingly.
"I feel a presence." Li told them.
"Me too." Added Kero nervously. "Sakura begin!"
"Close the circle that lays before me
The show of power you shall see…." Sakura was cut off. The beings became visible. Five all together. They swooped down engaging Li and Shuai in battle. They launched lightning at them, trying to protect Madison and Sakura. One disappeared after numerous hits but the other four were breaking up their concentration.
"Sakura, you have to continue." Kero encouraged. She watched Li and Shuai. The lightning wasn't helping much.
"Illusion card." Sakura ordered. "Create false targets!" The beings however, could sense which was the real thing and kept attacking. "Thunder card! Release!" Sakura changed.
"Storm!" Li followed. The tornado though wasn't holding the beings. Storm fell to its card form. Thunder was also getting beaten. Li and Shuai were getting tired. The beings had been getting through their attacks. One more disappeared to dust. Ten more however appeared from the air. They were over running Li and Shuai.
"Wrap card!" Shuai tried. Vines were wrapped around the beings but each managed to escape and continue attacking.
"Shadow card! Contain the beings!" Sakura ordered. Shadow unleashed and started confining the beings into a ball. They began to escape slowly. Sakura was thinking about the fortune. "The Dark card… Dark, like space, a void." Sakura said to herself. "That's it, they want nothing!" Sakura said, figuring it out. "They want nothing, how does that help?"
"Sakura, the only way to stop them is to continue the spell!" Kero called to her. The Shadow card was weakening and the beings were escaping easier. Clow magic isn't working, you've got to hurry!" The Shadow card broke.
"Close the circle that lays before me
The show of power you shall see
Combining my forces, listen to me
Spirits of the void I close the circle on thee
Close the circle!"
The beings charged them. Cuts lined their clothing, blood running from them. Li and Shuai fell to the ground. Kero pushed Madison out of the room, followed by the beings that were spread out everywhere. Candles fell over, furniture was being broken. Sakura saw one headed at her. She could feel its anger. Sakura took a defensive pose, ducking and covering her face. Waiting for the strike Sakura sat there, afraid. She felt someone poke her. Peering up, she saw Kero.
"It's alright kid." He said.
"What about Li? Sakura asked, seeing Madison checking Li and Shuai.
"They'll be ok." Madison said, going to the kitchen to retrieve a rag and bowl.
"You did it." Kero spoke to Sakura. "The circle is closed."
Author's note: I rushed to get this done, it's kind of my Friday the 13th story. You've probably been trying to think about what television show this came from. Most of you won't be able too because it's off the air now. (Well I don't have cable so I don't know about that) Basically, everything that Madison, Kuragari, Ms. Mackenzie, Kero, or Shuai did never happened. The only characters would have been Li and Sakura. Sakura would have gone to the bookstore alone, there was no attack on Sakura, etc. The "beings" would have attacked a repairman at Sakura's house, not Madison's. Most of the episodes I saw were pretty much along the line of suspense and thrill. Although most reached a part where they got ugly. I tried to leave that part out. The show, as most of you probably want to know was called Baywatch Nights.