Trials of Sin                            

Chapter two

            Sakura's life flashed before her eyes. Everything was in slow motion; the whistle of the blade coming toward her was heart-strickening.  She couldn't breathe. Only think.

            "I never got to…to do anything I wanted to do…**gasp**  I—I didn't even put in my college applications! I have to pay Eriol $20 back for buying me that book I needed! I need to do so many things! I have to get my revenge on Touya and and and…" Sakura's racing thoughts flashed through her mind like lightning.  But…then her thoughts slowed down as she remembered one person. "…Syaoran…I never got to…tell him…"

            Then everything went in normal, fast action. The blade was clearly heard and close.

            "Ahhhh!" Sakura's scream escaped her lips against her will.

            "Grraaahhhh!" another scream came.

            … …

            "Wha—?" Sakura blinked, looking at her body and touched her throat with her hands, feeling and looking for any fatal wounds. "I'm…not…dead?"  She looked behind her shoulder and saw the shadow, muscular monster on the ground, black blood seeping on the ground. She quickly looked away as her eyes fell upon the glassy black eyes…it was still alive. She could tell…

            "Sa…ku…ra…" the raspy voice called softly...

            Sakura unwilling turned her head around and looked at it…she didn't know what forces made her do it.

            "Mu..st..have..Free..dom…mu..st…ki..ll…Sa…ku..ra…" it reached its' silver claws towards her throat. She sat there, looking at it. She didn't feel anything. She was not fearful or worried…just…she felt sympathy for the monster…why..?

            Sakura saw a quick flash of silver cut across the monster's thick neck…its' head fell right off and its' body fell lifeless to the ground. Sakura whipped her head around and saw the man with blond-brown hair and icy gray-blue eyes. The short sword he held was stained with thick black blood.

            "…???" Sakura didn't trust her voice. She gave him a questionable look: Who are you?

            He looked at her, studying her face. He whipped his blade in the air with such speed that the black blood flew off. The blade was now clean and shiny as if new.

            "You look like a child. How pitiful." He scoffed as he put his sword back into its' sheath that hung on his leather belt.

            Sakura's face was now burning up with embarrassment and anger from the offense.

            "Hey! I'm 17 years old!" Sakura snapped.

            "I could not care less." He turned around and walked away from her, looking down at the monster. He murmured, "Damn you, Demitre…"

            "…what is that thing?" Sakura asked quietly. "And who is Demitre?"

            "That 'thing' was a low-class assassin." was the reply. But he did not answer who "Demitre" was…

            "…oh…wait a second—ASSASSIN?!" Sakura sputtered, utterly surprised.

            "Yes. Assassin. Someone that is assigned to kill you. You know, someone sent this demon after you to kill you. Understand?" he was impatient.

            Sakura was annoyed with his impatience and retorted, "I know the definition of 'assassin', but who wants to kill me…and this is demon??? There isn't such a thing!"

            "Gods, you're so naïve."

            "…Am not!" Sakura exclaimed.

            "And immature."

            "Am not! Take that back!"

            "And foolish."

            "Stop that! OKAY, I get the idea!!" Sakura stood up and glared at him.

            Suddenly there was a loud sound like glass breaking.

            "Hmm, interesting…he broke the barrier." The blond-brown  haired guy murmured.

            "He? Oh! Syaoran!!" Sakura exclaimed.  Her eyes lit up as she heard light, quick footsteps coming toward the basement.

            Sakura was about to run but she slipped on the pool of black blood and slipped forward.

            "Ahh!" Sakura gasped.

            The blond-brown haired man caught her on reflex just before she hit the floor.

            "Oh, gods, not only are you naïve, immature and foolish—you're also clumsy!" he snapped.

            "Sorry, I'm not as perfect as you!" Sakura retorted sarcastically.

            "Well, now that's a shame because if you were, it would make life easier!" he retorted coolly.

            Sakura opened her mouth to snap back a retort but the basement door swung open and there stood Syaoran.

            "Sakura! Are you all right—" he stopped when he saw Sakura in the arms of someone he didn't know.

            Sakura saw the guy was still holding her. She a sweat-drop rolled down her head.

            "It's not what you think, Syaoran!" Sakura exclaimed as she practically shoved the guy away by knocking her palm into his head.

            "…I hope not." Syaoran glared at the foreign guy, especially when he saw the short sword in its' scabbard hanging on his side on the leather belt.

            The other guy glared back at Syaoran.

            Sakura sweat-dropped again.

            "Enough with the staring or glaring contest!" Sakura exclaimed. "You!" she looked at the stranger that saved her life. "You have things to discuss."

            They all sat at her kitchen table after Kero awoke with a large bruise on his head. They all turned their attention on the brown-blond haired young man.

"What is your name? You apparently know Sakura's name." Syaoran narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"My name is Vance Wycliff. ((pronunciation: Van-ss Why-cliff))" He replied. Sakura studied him carefully. He had blond hair that was brown at the roots…a nice mixture. And gray-blue eyes with a perfect light, fair skin complexion. He had a smooth, expressionless voice that was firm and sharp…

"That's a strange name, buddy." Kero remarked suspiciously.

Sakura gasped as she looked into his eyes again and recognized his voice.

"Y-you're the guy from my dream!" Sakura exclaimed. She didn't know how she remembered the dream just then…it was mysterious.

"You dreamed about this guy?!" Syaoran blurted out.

"Sakura, how could you!? I thought you only loved about that idiot Syao—" Kero blurted out, but he stopped himself when Sakura cast an angry 'shut-up' glare at him. "I, uh, eh, mean, how could you dream about this guy! Do you even know who he is?!" Kero pointed at Vance.

And then…they all attacked Vance with questions.

"How did you find Sakura?" Syaoran asked.

"I found her through—" he started, but was interrupted.

            "Why did you save me?" Sakura asked.

            "I had to because—" he started, but was interrupted again.

            "Where did you come from?" Syaoran asked.

            "I came from—" he started, but was interrupted—again.

            "How did you get in my house?" Sakura asked.

            "Easily. I simply just—" he started but was interrupted…again…

            "Are you some kind of psycho that stalks women?" Kero asked.

            Vance looked at the yellow little thing strangely. Sakura and Syaoran did the same. For once, there was silence.

            "What the hell do you think?" Vance growled, offended by Kero's question.

            "…is that a yes then?" Kero asked.

            "… …" Vance glared daggers at Kero.

            Sakura sweat-dropped.

            "He isn't a stalker, Kero." Sakura mumbled.

            "Just making sure…" Kero scratched the back of his head.

            "Anyway, enough with your useless questions. We'll find a time to answer them later." Vance stood up. Sakura stood up as well. She looked at him curiously.

            "What?" he asked as he noticed her curious look.

            "You said…you said you'd bring me to my doom.  You said you were my guide..to my doom. And that you'll bring me to pain and suffering…but you saved me…" Sakura remarked slowly, thinking it through.

            "And I am. My words are true." Vance nodded his head, his cool composure not wavered in the least.

            "But you saved me!" Sakura protested.

            "I'm supposed to protest you—that's my job. I thought you'd know that by now," he rolled his eyes and gave her an annoyed stare. "When you come with me, I'm sure you'll meet your end. And enough questions! Gods, people in this world are so senseless!"

            "Good I'm not a human." Kero mumbled.

            "Now come with me! We don't have time!" Vance said impatiently. He reached out his hand and was about to grab hold of Sakura's wrist but…

            In a flash, Syaoran stood in front of Sakura protectively.  He made her stand behind him as he blocked Vance's hand.

            "Back off." Syaoran glared, his eyes could pierce through the thickest wall.

            Vance smirked, his cold eyes amused.

            "Out of my, boy. Stop acting like her knight in shining armor." Vance remarked, his eyes grew colder. "You're a foolish boy to think you can stand in my way. I have a choice to take Sakura Kinomoto by force—and I will if she does not cooperate. But I decided to let her come on her own will so I won't have to hear her kicking and screaming as I drag her away—Now. Out of my way." His eyes were narrowed in an intense glare.

            Syaoran stood his ground, his brown eyes were sharp and stubborn.  He was rooted into the ground, protecting her.

            "…Syaoran…" Sakura murmured, her green eyes were questionable as she looked at the back of his head.

            "I'm not going to let you take Sakura anywhere." Syaoran said in a firm voice.

            Ching ching ching!!!!

            A small wrist device on Vance's wrist was glowing golden yellow and making that strange chiming sound.

            "Damn you! All the time I wasted!" Vance growled and glared at Syaoran. Sharp winds blew around and around in the kitchen.

            "Wha—what's going on?!" Kero exclaimed as he hung onto the edge of the table as the winds blew into circular motion.

            "I wasted my time talking to you and now the portal is opening! There's no more time for idleness!" Vance exclaimed, his blond hair being tousled back and forth by the wind.

            "P-portal!? Where?!" Sakura asked frantically, still behind Syaoran.

            Vance reached out to get her but Syaoran blocked his hand away.

            "Leave her alone!" Syaoran exclaimed angrily.

            "Out. Of. My. Way!" Vance growled angrily. He gathered some kind of light within his hand.

            Sakura's eyes widened at the sense of raw energy coming from Vance.

            "Away!" Vance commanded and the ball of light rammed into Syaoran, making him knocked over to the side as his back slammed into the wall.

            "Syaoran!!!" Sakura exclaimed. She wanted to go to him, but Vance grabbed hold of her wrist.

            "I apologize."

            Sakura stared at him, blinking. Yet she could not get her mind of Syaoran.

            A hollow circle of golden light appeared close by Vance and Sakura. Suddenly a silvery water filled the golden circle and all the winds was sucked into the portal.

            "Ahhhhhhhh!!" Kero yelled as he was sucked into the portal. His small yellow body disappeared into the silvery liquid.

            "KERO!! NO!" Sakura screamed.

            Syaoran stood up, clutching his shoulder, "Sakura!"

            "Syaoran!" Sakura reached her hand out to him.

            "Our turn." Vance leaped into the portal, taking Sakura with him.

            "SYAORAN!" Sakura screamed, her hand still out to him.

            "SAKURA!" Syaoran leaped forward, his hand stretched out to hers.

            Their fingertips brushed against each other…

            "Syaora—" Sakura was sucked into the portal, disappearing into the silvery depths.

            "N-NOOO!" Syaoran's eyes wide as he hit the floor, not taking his eyes off the slowly closing portal that took Sakura far, far away from him…

A/N:  Mwahahahaha! Another cliffhanger. I know, I know—I'm evil. Thank you for noticing! ::gives a little curtsy::  well, I'll make the third chapter soon—please review this chapter, okay? Pretty please? And I know Vance Wycliff seems bad and evil, but just wait and see the whole story—don't jump to conclusions! =P  bye!