The Malevolent Cards
Chapter Two: Snake Cards
"Li… uh I thought you were in Japan!" Sakura gasped.
"Yeah, kid, what you up to anyhow?" Kero growled in his usual mood around Li. "Sneaking around at night is another strike on your record. Doesn't look so good for my birthday party. Na ah. I don't think you'll get any ice cream if Sakura's there."
Li ignored Kero. Sakura however pressed him on it.
"Actually, Kero, I think Li doesn't like ice cream, do you Li?" Sakura asked attentively.
Li blushed,
"Depends on the type," Li murmured under his breath.
Kero was pushed to the bursting point. He flew up to eye level with Li.
"Stay away from Sakura!!!!" Kero growled.
"What?" Li retorted.
Sakura looked equally perplexed and decided to change the subject.
"Ahem. Li. Why are you here?" Sakura asked pressuring. "Why now do you come back?"
Li pushed Kero away forcefully and glared Sakura in the eyes. She could see the fear in them. He lowered his head to the ground.
"Remember when I told you I would be back if you needed me?" Li muttered.
"Yeah?" Sakura replied wondering where this was leading to.
"Well…" Li mustered up his courage but it was the hardest thing he had to say to anyone. Especially to Sakura of all people…
"Sakura," Li lifted his amber gaze to hers. "I need your help."
And with that he promptly collapsed into her arms.
"I think he's coming to…"
Voices… Couldn't make them out. Is it… Is she back… No… NOOOOOOOOO!
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Li screamed jerking upward out of sleep.
"Li! Calm down Li! Shhh! Calm down!" Sakura cried wrestling Li back into her bed. He stopped struggling and looked around him. He was in her room.
"What happened?" Li muttered rubbing his head.
"You passed out," Kero answered hovering by Sakura's shoulder.
"Can't blame you." Sakura smiled, "You were in a lot of pain."
Li looked down to see his chest was bandaged up with some doctor tape. His shirt and robe was gone. He still wore his white baggy pants. Li blushed even brighter,
"You…" He touched his bandaged chest.
"You can thank us later." Sakura grinned.
"That was a pretty serious wound, kid," Kero frowne., "If you hadn't gotten to us sooner I doubt you would of survived the night. Who held the sword?"
Li was silent. He looked over to Sakura. She was so beautiful in the moonlight. Streaked her golden hair with its light. He couldn't image life without her. He wouldn't allow this to happen. No. Sakura will not get hurt. She is strong. But so is…
"I'm sorry." Li muttered, "You deserve to know…"
Sakura turned around and picked something off her dresser. She held out a tea cup and saucer to Li.
"Tea?" Sakura offered.
Li blinked.
"I thought that it will make you feel better. The truth will come out when you wish it. Relax for a moment," Sakura beamed.
Li took the cup and drank deeply from it. It felt nice. He had gone so long without food and water.
Sakura grabbed her own cup and sat at the edge of the bed watching him. Kero hovering behind her.
Li stopped drinking and gazed at the two of them.
Had they even sensed anything? Did any of them really stand a chance?
Li, you fool, look what you have done. You have brought this down on all on them. Now they will suffer just as you have. You lead it to them. You could of dug their graves too because now…
No… this will pass. Sakura is strong…
Not as strong as you wish her to be.
Stop it!
Admit it, Li. Sakura is going to die.
No!
And it's all…
Stop!
your…
Stop! Please!
fault…
"SHUT UP!" Li screamed his tea cup crashing to the floor.
Sakura and Kero stared. There was a long painful silence.
"No. I am alright," Li said before they could fuss over him. "It's just that… I'm… I'm…"
"What?" Sakura asked.
"Nothing," Li snapped.
"You know Li. It's okay to be scared sometimes," Sakura said knowingly. "Everyone gets scared."
"I'm not scared," Li lied.
Yeah. And I'm a monkey's uncle. She could see through that from a mile.
She is just trying to help me and I am going to be the cause of her death. She shouldn't be this kind to me. She should throw me out. Sweet Sakura. You are too pure hearted…
"Okay," Sakura smirked. "You don't have to be Mr. tough guy. I know you aren't all muscle, Syaoran."
Li smiled secretly, and attempted to clean the mess he made.
" It's okay. I'll clean it," Sakura sighed. "I'm just glad no one woke up."
Li sat up again and looked around the moonlit room. It was so peaceful here. It made him homesick. He wanted his old room. His old bed. His parents. How long since he had seen their faces. He never really knew them. He was taken to the academy when he was a toddler. How he missed them. Would they miss him? He was sure he wouldn't live much longer. Would they be sad when he was gone? Would they care? They must of. They sent Meiling out to save him. They must of cared dearly for him…
"Li? Li? Li, are you alright?" Sakura asked waving a hand before his face.
Should I tell her? Should she know that…I can't. No. I'm not alright. I'm going to die. You are going to die too. It gives no mercy. I have seen it's power for myself, Sakura. But I will not let it harm you, Sakura. I swear as long as I am alive, you will be safe.
"Sakura. You have seen for yourself powers of many sources," Li muttered softly. He stood up and walked instinctively to the place were the Sakura Book was hidden. He opened the desk drawer and pulled out the beautiful pink book. He outlined the star with his index finger.
"The power of plants, wind, fire, water, earth, thunder, clouds, loops, time, light and dark…" Li paused staring hard at the cover of the book. "You haven't really discovered… Dark."
Li turned to Sakura, her eyes fixed upon him,
"Sakura, there were two makers of the Clow Cards."
"WHAT?!" Sakura and Kero cried.
"When Clow Reed made the Clow Cards he had help. He had a brother… His brother too was a powerful sorcerer. With his help they made they made the Clow Cards in honor of their father who was also named Clow Reed. But the brother became jealous of his brother's fame. He anger drove him to break the elders highest rules… I don't think it was meant to get back at his brother. Sometimes I wonder if it was right do punish him in such a way for something so small," Li trailed off.
He stared at Sakura briefly before continuing, "He married someone not of choosing."
Sakura looked puzzled but Kero keyed her in.
"In other words he married someone outside a arranged marriage," Kero chimed. "A local tradition in many countries."
"I think they were acting rashly," Li spat. "The woman he was to marry was a rueful excuse for a woman. She was ugly and cold hearted."
"So you were on his side?" Sakura asked.
"Not with what he did next," Li hissed. "The elders killed his lover and sentenced him to life imprisonment as a slave. In secret he made his own Clow Cards. Ones who powers dwelt of him. Not his brother. He designed them off the real Clow Cards but made sure they were stronger and more dangerous then their brothers. He made a evil army of darkness He called them the Snake Cards. He changed his name to Snake."
Li paused once more and put the Sakura Book down. He sat down on the bed next to Sakura and looked down at his knees,"He unleashed his rife upon the world covering it in darkness. But Clow Reed sent out his own army against his brother's. It was a huge battle that surprisingly ended as Clow Reed the champion. His cards were more experienced and used to Clow Reed while The Snake Cards were mean and selfish. Only caring for their own being.
"Clow Reed trapped his brother in his own book of hate. Forever sealed in Darkness… until I came along."
Sakura blinked at these words. Li took her hands and looked pleadingly into her eyes.
"Please do not hate me for what I have done, Sakura. Please. It was a mistake that I wish I could take back. If I had know sooner about the snake cards… If I had paid more closely to the name on the cover…"
"I don't hate you, Li. I could never…" Sakura trailed off.
Li looked confused when she blushed.
"Thanks," Li sighed pretending not to notice anymore. "I really… It was a mistake. I… I was practicing my moves out in the training room. I needed… practice… I was out of shape…"
Sakura looked doubtful but Li pretended no to notice that either.
"I…I heard a sound… No… More like a song… Eerie music coming from outside… I … I… was curious so I went out to see what it was…" Li closed his eyes to remember every detail. Sakura would need to know for sure that what he did was not intentional, "The sky was getting dark… It was cold… very cold… I remember that the only sound was that song. Even my breathing a dulled out… Was getting colder… There was a cave… I went in… very cold… So very cold… The book lay in the center of the room… I saw it… I thought it was…yours… I was wondering why it was here. I called out to you… The music stopped. No noise. It was like time had stopped but I could still move… I couldn't speak. It was strange… Some force was pulling me to the book…" Li trailed off. He opened his eyes to she Sakura looking worriedly at him.
Tell her to stop. She shouldn't care. She should hate me. Stop staring…
"I…I wanted to open it… I wanted to see if I could… I…."
Tears filled up his eyes but he forced them back.
If only I didn't…
"I missed the fact that it wasn't a Clow Book. I thought that if I could open it that they would be mine… It looked so similar. I held the book in my hand and flipped back the front page… Everything happened at once….I remember spurts of energy circling about me and a figure stepping out of the heart of the book…Then hurling back wards into a wall and… and… and a voice… a horrible voice… He said thanks kid… I ran… I screamed for help… The demon burnt the village to the ground and… disappeared… or so I thought… The elders found me… Standing by what was now the ashes of home… or what was my home at a time. The took me to trial and sentenced me guilty for helping the beast escape. They thought that I was its apprentice… The punishment was… death…"
Sakura squeezed his hand tighter, her eyes full of compassion…
Li closed his eyes again but didn't continue.
"But Meiling…" Sakura gasped.
"I was thrown in to a cell with only one night to live. Meiling would receive news of my death only days later. She was away with her grandmother… You would probably never of known what had become of me," Li stopped and opened his amber eyes.
They glowed in the moonlight.
"But my parents… I had never known them completely. They had heard of my execution and told Meiling. Meiling told them she could get me to Japan. Where I could find you. She freed me that night and took me as far as she could. The elders were after me but in Japan they could not find me…" Li paused again.
"Then who held the blade which struck you?" Kero asked.
"It must have been three weeks. I traveled on a old fisherman's boat. He took me to Japan… But I had to travel here. That took longer. I had to survive on what people offered me. I had no money. I was tired and hungry. One night, this night, The demon arrived. He was trying to finish me. He thought that I would die with the elder's fist but he underestimated me and my friends. He attempted to killed me. I fought. I used my magic. I used my sword. I used my abilities. But I failed. I ran. He found me. I had tripped. He slashed me with his own blade and told me to bleed. Bleed to my death. He pressed his foot against my womb to where I lay. He watched me struggle with his laughter. It began to rain. He smiled at me and told me that he would leave me to die alone. He didn't want to be wet. I was able to stand… I'm not sure why but my clothing wasn't that damaged. I was able to fix them mostly so you wouldn't worry. Hide the blood stains and the ripped spots. And I came as fast as I could here."
"Li, you almost did bleed to death." Sakura whispered, "We should of brought you to a hospital. But-"
"But you were lucky that Sakura is good with first aid. Her father is every critical when it comes to boo boos. He has the works. You name it." Kero grinned.
"How long was I out anyway?" Li asked.
"A hour."
Li turned pale…
"He said he would come back to see me dead. He wanted to burn me… Burn my body," Li shivered. "He thought an hour would be enough… He'll come back… and this time he'll succeed."
"Li! Don't talk like that!" Sakura gasped. "He won't kill you."
"He wants to… Please Sakura. I was wrong to pull you into this. I was acting foolish. I die he'll never know you exist. Sakura, you have to seal him back in the book! He thinks I am the master of the clow cards!"
Sakura blinked.
"And as long as he keeps thinking that you will be safe. If he gets through with me you will have your opening. You can defeat him. I know it."
"Li… I can't… Why not together?"
"Sakura…" Li reached out and touched her cheek gently, "My only purpose, after he appeared and tried to kill me. I knew it then and there. My purpose was to help you defeat him. I felt it when I lost. You were to destroy him. My destiny is to help that come true…"
Sakura grabbed his hand and held it.
"Li… No… You don't have to die. That plan stinks! Please Li. Don't sacrifice your self for a cause in vain. Please Li!" Sakura pleaded.
Li smiled.
She won't give up. Just like you. Go along with her for now. Who knows, maybe her plan will work… If all else fails… At least you will be there to protect her…
"Your right. It was a dumb plan," Li sighed. "Then how are we going to defeat him."
Sakura eyes lit up.
"I have a plan, but first things first, Li. Where are you staying tonight?"
"Out on the streets I guess…Why?" Li asked.
Sakura held up a familiar card…
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!'
To Be Continued…
Please Read and Review!
Dun, dun, dun! And so what will happen to our heroes. Turn in next time… Aw. Everyone left. ::cries:: But I have popcorn!
