Like Birds in the Wind

Chapter 3: An Ancient Raven Returned

An Eriol/Tomoyo Alterfic

The events at the dinner party had a lasting effect on me. I became morose sometimes, and throughout the months, it came to me more than ever. Little did I know that he -Eriol- was going to propose. To me.

All people dream, except those who are at Death's Doorway, and my dreams were no exception. It was said that only a miniscule percentage of people dreamed with color, and I was one of those privleged people who were able to see a brilliant array, a veritable rainbow palette in their sleep. These colors that I saw while in slumber gave me the ideas for the oil canvases that I painted, and as Eriol once proclaimed, were worthy enough to be called not just a piece of art, but an objet d'art. These dreams gave me the inspiration for my quasi-Art Noveau Rococco pieces that I did. They helped me keep my despair at bay.

It was strange how sometimes love is our undoing, how very addictive that rush of blood in our ears and that pounding heart is. I was determined to win Eriol, yet somehow I had a vague sense that he would never be mine completely. I should have listened to that inner voice.

At this time, it was a brilliant summer now. I lived near a park, the Park of Godwinson. It was impeccably laid out, and seemed an idyllic paradise of Renoir. Renoir, with his eternally sunny spur-of-the-moment flashes of the lesser moments in life, somehow magnified by his potraying them, by his capturing them in their enforced merriment forever. This was when my life changed sharply. I had come to the park to ruminate in the late afternoon, and it was night now. I knew that Senora Dellesandro would be worried, but I preversely was determined to not care.

Then a sound came, a young woman chanting in Japanese. I stood from the cool marble bench, frowning, and went to seek out the sound. There had been a clearing in the wood, an almost perfect circle of grass and wildflowers. Then I saw it. Sakura Kinomoto, the beautiful young wife of the clan leader of the Lis of Hong Kong, held a staff which had come out of oblivion. It just appeared. I gasped loudly, but I was sure that they couldn't hear me over the howl of the wind that wrapped itself around her almost gently with its unseen strength.

No, they couldn't hear me. Syaoran Li was there, and so was Tomoyo, and –with a great shock- so was Eriol. I could not take my eyes off him. he seemed even more handsome calling some unknown magic, holding a tall staff, with a controlled expression on his face.

/This is not good./ Eriol muttered darkly. Sakura looked up, precise and cool in a deep green formal dress, and as I could see from its gleam, was the finest silk taffetta.

/No, it is not. What tutelage do you have for me, Reincarnation of Clow Reed?/ her words were cool. I was so shocked by this time that even the news that Eriol was a reincarnation did not stir me. Perhaps I had taken to believing that it was some sort of mistake. Eriol looked distracted.

/My dear Sakura, this was a pair of cards in the deck that I created. They were apart from the rest of the Clow, er, Sakura Cards. That is why you didn't have to capture them to transform the deck. These might be looked at somewhat like jokers. They are the War Card and the Plague Card, a last resort to take down the human population. No, they weren't even that."/Eriol looked desperate now. His eyes were intense enough to make me shiver.

/As everything in this universe has its opposite, its antithesis, so did the cards. There were good cards, and I had to create some evil cards. It is the way of magic. There is good and evil magic. Luckily we have been able to contain the evil magic, until now. Sakura dear, you must collect these two cards, or there will be imminient doom on earth./

There was silence. Syaoran let out a breath. He raised his head slowly. There was silence in the wood, and only a lonely wind rustled the trees like satin, and the moon gilded everything with a silver shimmer. The earthy scent of earth and wind and water were mingling, and sharpening my senses. It was not possible what I was seeing.

/Let it be done, Clow. But how will it be accomplished? I sense that these cards are not like the others./ Eriol nodded approvingly.

/Very good, Cute Descendant. You can't just sense these, this time. You not only need magical ability, but you need the second sight./ Sakura looked a bit worried, now.

/The second sight, Eriol?/ she burst out. /You can only be born with that!!/

Eriol shook his head, chuckling.

/There are certain advantages of once having been the most powerful sorcerer on earth. I discovered a spell in case these two cards were released somehow. So I have it. But I still cannot figure out how these cards escaped./ Eriol frowned darkly.

/I smell a rat./ He said in a low tone.

/Not a rat,/ a deep, cold voice said, /but a raven./ Eriol's head stared straight ahead, but the figure was behind him.

/Hello, Belisarius./ Eriol said noncommitially. He turned with a fluid motion, and though his stance did not change, he held the air of being ready for death and killing. A dark young man, with the complexion of an Italian, walked from the shadows. He held a long broadsword, double-handled. This Belisarius was very good looking, but the dark look in his eyes were frightening.

/So glad you remember me, Creator./

/You're a turncoat./ Eriol said airily. He affected to not care about anything at the moment. Belisarius gave a shudder of mock fear. Syaoran laughed derisively at him.

/Whatever you say, oh all wise and powerful Clow Reed./ Belisarius gave a mocking bow. It seemed that he was never sincere. Eriol turned his head, annoyed.

/What do you want, Belisarius?/ Eriol did not seem to care one way or another about this Belisarius, but his stance betrayed his wariness.

/Retribution, Creator./ Belisarius cocked his head to one side. I  ducked, my heart pounding furiously. He had not seen me. He had not.

/I see you're trying to give the Gift, Clow./ Eriol's mouth tipped sardonically.

/There are many gifts in the world./ He stated. It seemed that he enjoyed being preverse today, too.

/Let me clarify it for you. The Gift of Second Sight./ Eriol gasped sarcastically, in such a derisive and mocking manner that the three surrounding him could not help but laugh despite the situation. Belisarius did not look pleased. He did not know that he had touched on the truth.

/The Court of the Eagle, Tomorrow, at noon. We duel, Clow./ Eriol raised an eyebrow.

/For retribution./ Belisarius clarified. And then there was a gust of wind, and he was gone. Eriol looked on in silence. He opened his mouth to say something, when a strong arm clamped itself around me and someone tied a gag to stop me from crying out. I was turned, and my eyes widened in surprise as I saw it. It was Belisarius.

The look in his eyes told me that he was mocking me, but I did not care. Eriol had now raised his hands towards Sakura, who was right in front of me.

/My gift to you, dear, whoever you are./ Belisarius kissed my cheek laughingly, and tossed me infront of Sakura. A flash of light hit me, and nothing more.

I was knocked senseless for a few moments, until Syaoran helped me up and untied my gag. He was watching me suspiciously, and with the same controlled movements of Eriol. I stood shakingly. There was nothing but silence. The soft wind ruffled my hair, and I shivered in its caress.

/Well dear Anna,/ Eriol said in a deceptively light tone, /I hope you enjoy the gift of the second sight./ I gaped at him like an idiot, and stuttered inanely.

/I, I mean I didn't…, I really wasn't…, there wasn't any…, I didn't mean to!/ I burst out finally. Eriol made a soothing noise.

/I know you didn't, Anna, and I somehow don't think that I could trick you into believing something else than the truth. You will keep our little secret, won't you, darling?/ He was manipulating me, and I didn't care. I nodded quickly, out of my wits at the moment. There was really nothing else to do.

/You do want me to reverse the gift, or would you rather keep it?/ I shook my head, then nodded. Eriol was watching me, and watching my nerves unravel in a humiliating manner. I really should have left sooner, I thought.

/You want it reversed, don't you?/ Eriol said soothingly. I nodded more surely this time.

/Good./ He said more grimly. /Because if you retained it, and I still found no way to release it, then he could set a spell on you, marry you, consumate that marriage, and keep your powers at his command, provided he is faithful to you. And the Guardian of the Jokers would do it./ I looked a bit horrified.

/Can you reverse this?/ I asked, more than a bit panicked. He patted me gently on the shoulder.

/You can always reverse magic, in one way or another./ He said reassuringly. Then Tomoyo spoke for the first time, her voice like magic and more beautiful that anything I have ever heard then or since.

/And the duel at the Court of the Eagle, Eriol? What of that?/ she asked quietly. Eriol looked resolved, a steely resolve.

/I will meet him at the duel./ He said quietly, also. /For now, there is nothing else to do./ Tomoyo watched in silence. First Eriol, then me.