Well, Hello and welcome to my Little World of Weirdness!
I state for the record that, despite the fact I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the official characters that will grace this story; it's all CLAMP's! Always has been, always will be! I *DO*, however, own Marcibay Hilligans and Hei-ying Reed!! I also own Mystrasa Kyree, and the dragon isn't mine, it's on loan from my good friend, the Blue Goo! And what the heck . . . I own the mansion as well! [Laughs] Also I don't pretend to have any Mastery over the language of Japanese or any clue as to correct grammatical structure. I put it in and hope it gets across the point I'm trying to make! And I don't pretend to be able to write any sort of accents so please don't hate me! Onegai means 'please'. . . and the longer form I have used here is a more formal term. . . Kisama is a rube form of 'Why, you!' and Damare, again, is a rude form of 'Stop that!' or Possibly 'Shut Up!' I've seen it translated as both.
"Speaking"
*Stress/emphasis*
//Thinking//
In This Tainted Soul . . .
By Dr Megalomania.
Part Seventeen: Regrets
[Gotta put a warning with this one. . . it's a little dark, sorta akin to 'let me tell you a story' dark. There's themes of attempted murder, strong language, and some serious stuff so if you ain't got the stomach don't read it, if you do. . . please read on. But I don't want any flames ok, not unless they are constructive, got that? Good! Please R&R!]
Clow sat back in his chair. He regretted everything.
The cards . . . he wished he never created.
Yue . . . he wished the child wasn't here.
Keroberos . . . he wished the lion didn't have to be so vigilant all the time.
Hei-ying . . . he'd come to loathe.
It was all a horrible mistake . . . one that he no longer had the power to correct. He sighed and sank lower into his chair.
"Reed . . . Reed . . . What are you going to do now?" He looked up and out of the window. It was snowing; the icy cold wind blowing hard, the snowstorm was very powerful. "What am I going to do?"
His eyes widened as something golden and scarlet fell past the window. Clow Reed rushed to the window, and flung it open.
Keroberos plummeted unconscious or dead to the ground. "WINDY!!" Clow's staff immediately appeared, "Stop his fall! NOW!!"
The Windy swept out the window and rushed down as fast as it could, but it couldn't catch up with the bleeding lion. "Keroberos!" Clow whispered as the golden lion hit the snow bank hard. Clow was about to summon Fly to take him straight to the fallen guardian when a piecing scream rang thru the halls.
"LEEET MEEEE GOOO!!"
"Yue?!" Clow called back. Clow turned and ran down the halls, another scream issued forth, "Yue! I'm coming!" Clow pulled another card from his deep robes, "Dash!"
Clow sped up the stairs, the screaming got more incessant. Something out of the corner of his eye made Clow stop, the window. There was something outside the window. The glass glowed then shattered as Keroberos' fire attack blew it apart. "Yue!" The bloodied guardian crawled thru the window, and limped towards Clow, "Clow! Hei-ying's got him!!" Keroberos breathlessly explained. "Hei-ying's got Yue!!"
"Keroberos! Help me! He's hurting me!" Screamed Yue's panic-stricken voice. Clow spun and called out "Fly!"
He flew up the stairs, Yue's voice still ringing out strongly, "You're hurting me! Let me go!" Clow closed his eyes, he didn't want to hear this, Yue was starting to beg for his life. "Please let me GOOO!"
Keroberos growled behind him, and flew much faster than Clow's winged staff. Clow followed as Kero turned a corner, the wounded lion knew where they were. Clow cursed himself for having such a large house, Hei-ying had lived here for nearly ten years now, and he knew ever nook and cranny. "Somebody help me!! Please! Please help me!"
"Hei-ying!" Keroberos roared, "I'll kill you for this!"
Clow prayed that his youngest guardian would survive the latest attack.
"CLOOOOOW!! Please help me! Please!" Yue sobbed. "Onegaishimasu!! I beg of you!! Please stop hurting me!"
Kero swooped into a room, and stopped suddenly, "They're gone! . . . Clow! They're gone . . ."
Clow stared in horror; it was Yue's bedroom. The child's toys were scattered, the bed unmade. The room was splattered with blood; Yue's white silken curtains, ones Clow had handmade himself with tiny moons and snowflakes, were stain with blood. The window was still wide open and snow had started to drift in. Yue screamed out again.
"Hei-ying! Where are you?!" Keroberos scrambled on the floor and took flight again, "You bastard!! I'll fucking kill you!"
"CLOOOOOOOOW! KEERROOOBEEROOOOSS!!! HELP ME!!" Begged Yue, "Somebody please! Onegaishimasu!"
"YUE!! We're coming!! Keep calling!" Keroberos shouted, "We're coming!"
"NO!" Yue screamed; his pain brought his voice to new heights. "ONEGAI!! ONEGAI!! NOOOO!!"
"Kisama!" Hei-ying's voice now sounded, he yelled in anger and pain, "Damare!"
"Hei-ying! You coward!" Hollered Keroberos. "Let him go!"
Clow remained silent, he was going into a state of shock, Yue's voice was the only thing he could hear, but where was he? The powerful magician fought to keep his calm, and listened for indications where Hei-ying had taken him. He and Keroberos flew out into the stair well and stopped. There were so many corridors; so many places Hei-ying could have taken him. //Yue . . . where are you . . .? //
"THE ROOF!!" Screamed Yue. "He's taking me to the roof! Clow, Keroberos, ONEGAI!! He's hurting me! Onegaishimasu Hei-ying-sama!" Clow grimaced to hear Yue call Hei-ying by such respect. "Onegaishimasu!" Keroberos roared; his anger now surpassing the pain his body had, "ONEGAISH ---"
Silence. Yue stopped calling.
"Yue?" whispered Keroberos, the bloodied lion squeezed his eyes shut and roared. "YUUUUEEE!!!"
"Keroberos! This way!" Clow changed direction and flew straight toward the window. Keroberos over took the magician and blew the window out.
Sparkling shards of multi-coloured glass hurtled to the ground as Clow Reed and his sun guardian made their way to the snow-covered roof. Clow grasped his golden staff harder and willed his magic to go faster. //Just a bit faster, please let me be there in time, please let him be alright, let him live . . .// Clow prayed to every god that he'd been brought up to believe in, and then some that he didn't, // I'll give anything! My life, my magic, my soul! Just let my little moonbeam live! //
"Clow!" His dark eyes snapped open at Keroberos' call. Time seemed to slow as he turned his attention to what Keroberos was staring at.
"Yue . . ." Clow whispered, as the boy hurtled toward him. Hei-ying had thrown him off the roof, as he had Keroberos. Time began again as Yue's body plunged between them, for a few seconds Clow could do nothing, but watch. He froze, no magic he had would ever stop the boy's fall, not even Keroberos could stop his fall.
"Yue!" Cried Keroberos, he too knew he could never catch him. His head snapped upwards as he roared, "I *will* avenge you!"
Clow could do nothing, //Nothing I do will save him . . .// he thought, //Nothing I do will save him, there isn't enough time . . . not enough time . . . Time . . . Time? . . .// "TIME CARD!" It would give him a few seconds at most, but it would be enough . . . he hoped. "FREEZE THIS MOMENT! TAKE MY GUARDIANS WITHIN THOU!" He bellowed above the harsh wind. "RELEASE!!"
The elderly card swept the landscape into it's power, Clow looped over and flew downwards as fast as he could. His tiny angel boy was suspended in his fall, arms and legs held up lifelessly, hair obscuring most of his face, but Clow could see his eyes. They were closed, and peaceful. //He's dead . . .// a small, defeated voice told Clow. "No!" Clow cried, "No! No! NO! NO! NOOOO!"
He could feel the Time card weaken, and give way. He was just a few more meters away from him. The Time struggled to let the boy be the last part of it's frozen moment, as it's magic hold unravelled. Clow suddenly could hear Keroberos' roars as he charged after Hei-ying. Clow's hair streamed away, it has broken loose of it's customary ties, his spectacles slipped off and whipped behind him still attached to their lace.
Time finally gave way, letting Yue go, and the boy returned to his plummet. Just a few more feet, Clow let one hand reach out in front of him; he strained to catch his moonchild. His eyes started to water, a mix of the rushing air and tears, Yue was still out of reach . . . and unlike Keroberos, there was no soft snow bank to cushion his fall.
"YUE!!" Clow almost sobbed, he was going to lose him. The child's pale hand was still out of reach, Clow damned himself, damned the cards, damned Keroberos, damned Hei-ying, AND DAMNED EVERYTHING!
Yue's eyes snapped open, the beautiful orbs widened as he realised what was going on. "Clow!"
"YUE!! Your wings!" There wasn't enough time; not enough time for Yue to call his wings back into existence, Clow knew, but he had to try everything he could. Their eyes were locked, as Clow raced downwards, and Yue fell.
Just a few meters away, Yue's fearful amethyst eyes slid shut; he knew his death drew closer. "Clow . . ." he murmured, tears falling from his face, and stands of blood-caked hair whipping about his face. The child stretched his hands as hard as he could towards his creator. "Onegai . . ."
"No . . . Yue . . ." Clow's eyes fell shut as he pulled up, he couldn't save the boy and the Fly card wouldn't let him fly into the harsh earth after him. "NO!"
The Fly took him to a safer height, and hovered, it's Master sobbing into his hands. The wind blustered around them, and Clow was uncaring of it. Flakes of snow stuck into his raven black hair, as he shook with sorrow, with anger, with a sadness deeper than he had ever known. He, Clow Reed, the world's most powerful magician, was incapable of saving a single little boy. His hands slid down his face to cover his mouth, he felt sick. This was all his fault. He looked up into the sky above him. The snow spiralled down beautifully, the stars glowed peacefully, and the midnight sky was held them all. The moon, having just been reborn, hung there. That was why Yue was over powered by Hei-ying, the moon was still in it's earliest stages. He hadn't had a chance.
The icy cold wind blew against his back and he shivered, it pushed him strongly. Still staring at the moon, Clow reached into his pocket to pull Windy out. He was going to order it to cease the cold wind. He frowned when his hand came up empty, //Of course// he realised, he hadn't recalled it after sending it after Keroberos.
"Windy . . ." he said quietly, knowing the gentle card would hear him no matter what, he licked his dry lips, " . . . Return."
The beautiful woman swirled and gathered in front of her Master, but didn't return to her card form. Clow gazed at her, and she gazed back. Clow frowned, "Return."
The Windy dipped her head and shook it. She pulled her lower dress up, as it responded she held her arms out to Clow.
There, encased in her soft warm folds, the Windy held Yue. If she returned to her card form, she would have to drop him. Clow reached out and stoked the boy's sleeping face; he glanced up at the Windy, which smiled.
"Thank you. . ." Clow murmured. His face hardened as he remembered the cause of Yue's near-death. "Care for him." He ordered and turned to fly back to the rooftop.
The Windy nodded and cradled the tiny boy in her arms, he whimpered quietly, and she took him to the Master's study.
Keroberos was unaware that his youngest brother had been saved. He was only concerned with Hei-ying. The ice-cold wind whipped about them as the two brothers faced off. Hei-ying's raven black hair thrashed about his face, but that didn't hide the fact he was bleeding from somewhere on his head.
Keroberos smiled ferociously, the tiny boy had struggled against him and had hurt the cruel monster. //Good boy! Now I will finish him!//
"What's the matter, little sunbeam?" Taunted Hei-ying, "Didn't I wound you enough?" He drew his hand up, his jaded dagger appeared. It glowed and he threw it at the golden lion. Keroberos ducked out of the way as the jaded dagger became a swarm of sharp thorns. Keroberos grew his wings and lifted himself into the air, "I swore to you, if you ever harmed him, I'd kill you!" He spat a fireball at the murderous beast.
Hei-ying laughed and grew his own wings; he lifted off into the air just as Keroberos' fireball hit the rooftop. "Try and keep your promises!" He called, "Isn't that what you kept telling that brat?!" He spread his arms and three daggers appeared. Hei-ying threw his arms forward and his attack threw itself forward at Keroberos. Keroberos flew out of the way, but was too slow to miss one thorn; it ripped right threw his wing. "ARGAAH!" He roared as his damaged wing forced him down.
Hei-ying landed, his pale feet settling softly in the snow. The jade stones on his robes' feet straps glinted coldly as he stalked slowly towards Keroberos. The lion struggled to stand, as Hei-ying approached.
"Always keep your promises, Yue" he hissed mockingly, "Always eat your greens Yue!" The dark angel crouched beside Keroberos and hauled the lion up by the scruff of his neck. "It's so nice, Yue! I'll treasure it forever!" He raised Keroberos' head sharply, and brought it down just as harshly, cracking Keroberos' jaw hard on the cold tiles, "Such a pretty painting, Yue! I'll hang it on my mantelpiece." Hei-ying yanked him closer, to hiss in his ear, "Isn't it nicer now it's just the two of us, Keroberos? Just like the old times? No more 'Be quiet you two, Yue's trying to nap' . . . none of that anymore . . ."
Keroberos struggled to stay awake, the cold and the pain crept in on his vision. "You killed him . . ." he growled weakly.
"Didn't I just?" Hei-ying laughed, "And do know what the funny thing is? The snowy one . . . is now *one* with the snow!"
"NO!" Kero summoned the last vestiges of his strength, and slashed at Hei-ying's face. He extended his razor-sharp claws, and tried to rip the skin from Hei-ying's very skull. "I hate you! You bastard! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! He was only a child! A fucking child! What the hell did he ever do you?!"
A sharp explosion of magic under his stomach blew him off Hei-ying. As Keroberos skidded along the roof, Hei-ying lifted himself off the snow. He put a hand over his face, Yue had already claimed his ear, and now Keroberos had claimed one of his prized jade eyes. He spread his wings and lifted himself off the roof. His black robes thrashed around him in the cold wind, as he spread his arms once more. As the thorny jaded daggers materialized, Hei-ying glowered down at Keroberos. "I'll tell you what he did . . . he dared to try and make Clow love him more than me."
As Hei-ying threw his arms forward, Keroberos closed his eyes. He was too weak to move his wings to protect him. //My little moonbeam . . . I'm sorry, I'm too weak to revenge you . . . but have no fear, we shall meet soon.//
When no thorns pieced his body, Keroberos opened his eyes. A heavy thud nearby caused him to raise his head. Hei-ying lay in a deep slumber in the snow. The Sleep card bowed graciously to Clow as she returned to her card form. Clow ignored the courtesy, as he dismounted from his staff, the Fly card instantly disappearing. His study's slippers crunched the snow as he walked over Hei-ying and approached Keroberos. "Keroberos? Are you all right?"
"I will be." The lion growled weakly, "Once I have avenged Yue." Clow's sun guardian tried to raise himself, but Clow rested his pale hand on the revengeful lion's head.
"I will take care of him."
"Clow, with all due respect," Keroberos could barely contain his rage, "I *swore* I would kill him, if he harmed the boy. I *will* make good on my oath!"
"Lock card; bind Hei-ying. Freeze card; freeze him in a block of ice. Float card; take him to his room." Clow ordered emotionlessly. As the three cards carried out Clow's instructions, Clow turned his attention back onto Keroberos. "Can you turn back to your false form? I will carry you back to the study and tend for you there."
"Clow!" Kero protested, "The bastard killed Yue!"
Clow pulled out the fly card; he threw it in front of him. As the wind carried it back to him, he tapped it with his staff. The gilded wand instantly grew wings. As he mounted it, he looked back at Keroberos.
"Yue is safe."
When Yue opened his eyes, he wasn't in the Very Beautiful Place Keroberos had described when Yue asked him what happened when mortals died. Keroberos said you couldn't feel any pain in the Very Beautiful Place. Yue could. His legs hurt, his arms, his back, everything, and everywhere Hei-ying had stabbed the shiny silver scissors. Yue wondered briefly if Hei-ying had really succeeded in his threat. With every cut, his eldest brother had spat that he was going to send Yue to Hell. Yue moaned quietly, Hell was the Very Awful Place that Keroberos said where all the bad people had to go. //Am I There?// he wondered.
The panelled wood ceiling flickered with the light from a roaring fire, Yue continued to gaze at it, it looked very much like the Master's study's ceiling.
A beautiful woman came into view. "Windy . . ." Yue identified her with a whisper. The magical illusion nodded kindly, and helped him to sit up. The pain in his back made him wince. "Ow!" His face creased in the pain.
The gentle woman reached out, and a swirl of her wind pooled in front of him. The swirl morphed into her hands, and cupped in her palms was some water. She held it to his face, bidding him to drink.
The boy's eyes slid shut as she wrapped herself around him like a blanket. She pulled him into the air and cradled him gently. She was thankful that the Master had forgotten to restore her to her card form. She wouldn't have been able to catch him, she had failed to catch Keroberos but he had survived his fall . . . this boy would never have. She smiled slightly, it was hard to believe that one day, this tiny sweet hearted boy would ever grow up to be the Judgement Maker. He snuggled into her bosom as he started to weep quietly. "Windy, it hurts, why did he do this to me? What did I do?"
She laid a kiss upon his pale forehead, unable to answer his questions. She wrapped herself gently tighter about his body, warm and soft, willing her protection on him.
The window swung open again and Keroberos' false form flew thru, a beat of his wings later, his true form appeared. "Yue!" He called, and then collapsed onto the ground. The Windy reached out her arm and swept the large lion up into her arms, she hauled him up to lie besides Yue.
The lion was splattered with blood; a large rip crossed his face, causing one of his eyes to close slightly. "Yue?" he asked, unconcerned about his own injuries, interested only in the boy he thought he had failed.
When Clow dismounted his staff and stepped through the window, he found Windy cradling two of his guardians gently. Keroberos had wrapped a protective paw around Yue, and the two were now sound asleep. Clow may have been exhausted, and wet, and freezing cold, but he smiled at the sight. His cards had done what they had been created to do; Yue was safe and smiling under the warmth of Keroberos' protection.
There was only one thing he regretted now.
Hei-ying.
-------------------
And Now It's Time For LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!
[Silence, all stare at DrM]
DrM: Nani?
Clow: Where the hell did *that* come from? [Re-reads chapter, cringes] How much pain did you dish out there?!
Kero: [Winces] Oh, come on . . . [Reads] *Ouch!* There was no need for that jaw thing!
Yue: [Grimaces] Whatever possessed you to write that?!
DrM: Let's just say, I have vivid nightmares about large houses, chases, falling and scissors . . . I watched entirely too much of Batman Returns [Tim Burton RULES!!] . . . I played 'Hindi Sad Diamonds' from the Moulin Rouge OST once too often . . . and . . . It needed to be done.
Clow: [Turns to reader] I think it might be a good idea to review . . . you know . . . keep her happy so she doesn't . . . you know . . . kill anyone off . . . [Glances at DrM as she nurses Hei-ying back to health]
DrM: Poor baby . . . I wuv you!
Clow: [Gulps and makes 'she's crazy' motions against head] . . . or allow a certain someone to cause anymore trouble . . .