Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura doesn`t belong to me, but is CLAMP`s
original work. This fanficseries is partly based on CCS and their
characters are used without permission and i is reserverd for entertainment
purpose only. Card Captor Sakura is the copyright of CLAMP, first published
by Kodansha Co. Ltd.1996
Posted May 2002
1 Destiny`s child
3rd chapter
How to rescue the world: lection no1:
Go the direct route without any distractions
Once existed a mysterious world. To another time, far beyond the one we know. A world with its own rules, in some way similar to ours, but nevertheless different.
This world... will be the place where the fate of thousands of dimensions will be decided in the fight about the destiny's souls.
Sakura, the powerful mistress of the Clow Cards, looked upon a white sky. Her emerald eyes were wandering through this strange place in amazement. Everything was white, sky and ground were completely covered by a strange white mist. Instinctively she scrutinized her clothing. As colourless as her surroundings.
Just like in the dream before...
„ ... I`ve found you, little mistress, your hiding is useless... You didn`t have any chance from the very beginning. Better we finish this quickly now, or you will suffer in never-ending agony. Good night, little mistress...", a voice sounded in the girl`s head; her body almost exploded in agony, as she collapsed, holding her ears closed against that aching voice. Blinding light surrounded her completely, when she already thought she would die in pain.
Protecting her eyes, and the magic around her almost blinding her senses, she looked up.
A glowing figure was standing there and was slowly stretching out her hand. She didn`t know where this idea came from, but she knew it was a woman. An even more blinding lightning shot from the figure`s hand, hurting her eyes even more. She held her arms protectively before her eyes, as the light was approaching her. She knew, it would take something incredibly dear to her, the light becoming faster and faster.
Although knowing it was useless, she screamed...
...when suddenly a voice echoed in her head again, but this time in a gentle tone, soothing her agony.
„Sakura...", it whispered, while the firgure before her started fading.
„Who are you...? Why are you calling for me?", she asked helplessly, still in pain.
But the bodyless voice didn`t answer the sorceress`s questions. Instead it whispered like from the far „Be aware of fire... my child... little Sakura..." The presence`s aura started to fade slowly.
„ Wait!", the auburn haired girl called, while her outskirts were slowly changing, as if a new page had been turned.
The white mist dissolved and revealed a forest, as the voice started whispering again.
„ Sakura...", it called her again and again, and she followed the sound of this incredibly gentle voice through the wood. While she was running the aching magic decreased more and more, until just the smooth calling was left. She didn`t know how long she had been walking, as she reached a beautiful grove, and inside it...
„ Sakura..."
„ SAKURA!"
„HOEEEE!!", the shocked Card mistress almost panicked completely, as she felt a cold touch on her shoulder.
Quickly she looked around, but she couldn`t see anything, but this anxious feeling inside her... that could mean only one thing...
„ Good morning", someone behind her cooed, a shudder went through the little auburn haired sorceress, as she turned around... and looked directly into two dark eyes... and the wall behind them...
„WAAAAAH!! WAAAAH!! WAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!"
„ Outch! Could you stop screaming?", Vincara shouted, half-deaf from Sakura`s screaming.
With wild-beating heart the trembling girl stopped, staring at the transparent ghost before her.
„ Much better."
„ Wh-what do y-you w-want?",
„ Well... our cute little bard ordered me to tell you something as soon as you wake up.... and `cause you seem to be awake, with some little help of me...", A mean grin featured the ghost`s face.
Sakura would have sweatdropped, if she hadn`t be so frightened... , „ I can accomplish this little task. Our long-winded bard went with your little cute boyfriend to the weapon`s shop over there...", Vincara pointed somwhere out of the window, „ `cause he says he needed a sword... whatever for. Although I can`t imagine what a little kiddo could use a big weapon for. You`ll meet them there."
1.1 Boyfriend?!
Sakura blushed a little by this thought.
I`ve never ever considered him as a boyfriend... Why does this ghost think...?
„ I SAID I`LL GO NOW!", the Card mistress cringed at the loud sound, and as she looked around, the ghost had already vanished.
Well, well... I think I should go then... , The emerald eyed girl thought, as she got up to put her clothes on.
It was already late morning, when the young sorceress had found the meant building.
... so that is a weapon`s shop... it is kind of... eerie
She looked sceptically over the shop, where dangerous looking axes, short swords and long bows were put next to the entry. Hesitating she went through the open door and looked for her friends. It was a little bit dim in the room, as it seemed to be in every shop in this city, or even in this whole world, and she could only see few people in this barely enlightened shop.
„ Hey, Sakura! Here we are!", a girl`s voice called her. Still not used to the darkness of this room, she turned around to two figures standing some meters before her.
„No wonder you didn`t notice us. In this room you can barely see a thing", Shaolan remarked, as the emerald eyed girl had joined them.
„ Why then, is it so dim in here?", Sakura asked curiously. The little bard shrugged.
„ I don`t know.... Maybe just a matter of atmosphere. I`ve never wondered why."
This is a strange world...
„ So... Did you find something in this shop?", Sakura asked. The cinnamon haired boy showed her a sword, which was very similar to his own, only that the blade was a little bit thinner and longer. „That was the best I could find so far... Not exactly like my own one, but this will do it."
Mac looked at it scrutinizing „ Maybe we can find a better one... the material of this one is a little bit unbalanced, and the blade is not as sharp as it should be. The sword is not that bad, but the price is a way too expensive for this quality." Surprised Shaolan looked at the little orange haired girl next to him.
„You seem to know a lot about weapons."
„What do you expect of a blacksmith`s daughter? My father is the most famous blacksmith in the world, my own sword is one of his creations." Curiously Shaolan looked at the sword on the bard`s back. It was really a well made sword,... although a little bit too long for the little girl`s size...
Sakura looked at the weapon, while they both talked.
I can`t see anything special about this thing...
„... I can tell you... you should choose another sword. If I could arrange it, I would go to my father`s forge, but it is too far away. Maybe I can help you..."
Feeling a little bit uncomfortable Sakura looked at them both.
„ Well.. you both seem to get along very well without me. I don`t have any knowledge of weapons..., I won`t be of any help, I think I wait outside."
Surprised her two friends looked at the awkward sorceress.
„ If you wish so... we won`t need too long...", Mac answered puzzled, while Sakura left the shop. The sheepish bard didn`t notice the amber eyed boy`s eyes following the Card`s mistress leaving, a concerned look featuring them...
The auburn-haired girl blinked in the light outside, leaning against the wall.
Why did I come? They don`t really need my help... And why do I feel so strange since I got up? Sakura looked investigating around and could hear the jovial talking of the barely crowded city and saw a little boy playing with a wodden short sword. A woman, obviously the mother, admonished the child and pulled him with her. The Card mistress had to smile at this scene and looked further. On the other side she could see a very upset, not very thin man, yelling at a dodging salesman, because of the expensive ware. Finally the man went insulted away and the salesman sighed relieved, when he suddenly seemed to feel her glare and looked back. Selfconscious suddenly again the auburn haired girl smiled at the salesman, who just stared at her, and then looked away.
Suddenly she thought that all people around her were staring at her, mistrust appearing in their eyes. The uneasy atmosphere was almost unbearable for her. Although she turned around to avoid the expression on their faces, she thought to see, she felt those glares like daggers in her back. Her usual cheerfulness faded away, but the life she was not a part of went on again, as if nothing happened.
They know I don`t belong to their life... What am I doing in this foreign world? I don`t belong to this place... I miss my home... my family, my friends...
A tear formed in the corner of her eye, as she looked down at her feet. Am I crying?... Stupid me...How am I supposed to save a world... whole dimensions, if I can`t even handle this situation...
A memory touched the mistress`s mind...
Frigthened and crying she ran through the cave. (They... they all are... gone) was the only thought in her mind, while dashing around a corner only to land in Shaolan`s arms.
„ Tomoyo... and the others...?" he asked worried, „Disappeared?!"
Still crying she nodded.
„ And if ghosts are behind this? Ghosts that had them disappeared!"
„Surely not."
„But..."
„Pull yourself together!", Shaolan said, gripping her by her shoulders, „Crying is not anything of use..."
Yeah... he is right... crying is no use. I will handle it. I won`t cry...
Sakura wiped her tears away and smiled.
Strange... he knows always the right words in the right moments, she thought, not noticing the almost invisible figure in the shadows that watched her silently...
The tall stranger, dressed in a dark cloak and its eyes covered by a hood, melted with the shadows, as an eerie smile broadened on its face. A blonde strand of hair was the last visible thing, before it had completely vanished.
Waiting Sakura watched the shop, where Shaolan and Mac were shopping. ... they are still not outside again... What takes them so long? Impatiently Sakura looked around, as she suddenly observed an abandoned-looking stand with unknown herbs she hadn`t noticed before. She scrutinized with her eyes a beautiful rose-like plant which had caught her attention. Its blooms were violett, formed like stars, but almost half of her size.
What a beautiful flower...
She stepped curiously closer to the rose and started feeling a little dizzy. But it was a pleasant kind of dizziness. An incredible longing to smell at the plant let her take another step, her eyes oddly empty. She almost had touched it, when she was holded back by a tight grip.
Sakura`s eyes cleared to their usual colour as she looked surprised over her shoulder to see an upset Mac.
„Are you insane, Sakura?! Not all things are as harmless as they seem to be. This flower could have killed you! It is known for killing lots of men and so far only few powerful sorcerers have been lucky enough to wake up again!"
Sakura was staring puzzled at Mac, while she continued, „The flower itself is not that dangerous, but it produces a dust that strengthens its effect. If you had got too close to the bloom, it would have poisoned you!"
„Oh...", Sakura could only remark. That was why she felt so dizzy...
„Well... it`s not your fault... You didn`t know it.", the orange haired girl said more softly, when suddenly a thoughtful expression darkened her eyes. „Why is this flower standing by its own at all...? Dangerous as it is... the owner of this stand must be really frivolous... or..."
„Thank God that we came just in time. I thought you knew that you shouldn't come near unknown items, Sakura!", Mac winced at the loud chiding, as Sakura turned around to see a worried Shaolan „Sorry... I will remind that... I don`t know what got into me.", she said ruefully. Then, suddenly, she saw the sword on the boy`s back. It was a different one than before and it... how was it called in fantasy adventures?... seemed to be a bastard sword, little longer than half of his size and its shaft was covered with ancient symbols, as the beginning of the blade. It looked very impressive, completely different than Shaolan`s normal sword.
„Wow...It seems you have found a proper weapon... Impressive.", the sorceress smiled at the little wolf, who blushed, not able to say anything.
„ Well... it was the best we could get... The salesman wanted a impudently high prize for it, but I managed to lower the man down. After all I know a lot about weapons.", Mac explained to Sakura, oblivious of the reddened Shaolan.
„ So... now we should have everything we need. As far as Cara told me we have to head for the forest on the other side of the city. There we are supposed to meet the others again."
Mistrusting Shaolan looked over the little bard. „ Hm... Where did you put all ... the things we need? I don`t see anything like a bag or something similar." Mac winked smiling. „ Lyma feathers can contain a lot of things...", she whispered, while taking out of one of her pockets some small white feathers.
She giggled at the amazed looks of her companions.
„ Let`s go! We don`t have the whole day to stare! Follow me!", the smart bard yelled, while she was already dashing forward. The two from another dimension gazed at each other, than tried to catch up with the laughing orange haired girl.
After they had dashed quite a bit, the city suddenly ended, like cut off, in a wood and two startled teens looked up to the huge trees.
„ What?!", Shaolan began, looking back. It was like they had entered another world out of sudden. Without a break the forest and the town were connected. It was... abstract.
„ Why does it suddenly break off?", Shaolan and Sakura asked upset, as the bard soothed them.
„ Don`t worry, that`s just the Yrieel wood. Nothing is wrong."
„ What is this for a forest?", Shaolan scrutinized mistrusting.
„... These are the holy woods... Some people maintain, that ghosts live here..."
Sakura stiffened at the last words, her face went pale.
„ G-g-ghosts?"
Mac giggled at Sakura`s trembling tone „ Those are just rumours! I`m just teasing you! Don`t worry, most of the ones who contended those things are idiots..."
Anxiously the Card`s mistress looked around, like thinking about this a lot different than Mac.
I don`t know... these woods... they remind me of something... Wait, the dream with this light! And the dream-forest, could it be...
Shaolan watched the mind-absent sorceress very carefully, who looked afraid of something.
I wonder what`s wrong with Sakura...
For the whole morning she has seemed to be not herself... what`s concerning her so much? And the little incident with that flower... that reminds me of something...
Shaolan turned to Mac, who looked thoughtfully into the darkness of the woods.
Didn`t she whisper something like that ... normally the flower shouldn`t have been there? Is it possible that our enemy could have done his first step? I have the bad feeling that our enemy is already watching us...
Slowly Shaolan stood up and went to a still thoughtful Sakura, who looked down at her hands, like not knowing what to do with them.
„ Sakura..."
Without warning a strong wind blew around them, as a dark hole opened behind him.
„ What...", the little wolf just managed to say, as he was pushed forward by a dark dressed person, who rushed against his back.
He couldn't hold his balance and fell, but he didn't land hard...
The little wolf blushed as crimson as a tomatoe as he looked down at the surprised Card Mistress, he had fallen on top of...
" Uhm... Are you two not a little bit too young for this?", a questioning voice sounded behind them. The emerald eyed girl and the amber eyed boy turned a furious red at those words and quickly Shaolan stood up.
" ... I really dislike cute scenes...", Sakura cringed at this voice, turning from crimson to pale. Mac gave the ghost, who had obviously said this, a death-glare before stepping forward.
" We should really get going, we don't have the whole day for arguing. Vincara, where are we supposed to go?"
The ghost looked at the little bard from under her eyelashes.
" Well... to the palace..."
" The palace!? But... but why didn't you tell us earlier?! You showed to the boy a place to memorize, that is almost two days away from our informant?! We could have gotten there from the very beginning if you would have showed that place to the boy earlier!", Mac shouted angrily , „Now we will lose lots of time by finding a way –through- this forest!"
Shaolan interfered "... But Mac... You told us that Ragna was the main- city... Is the palace not supposed to be there? Why are they seperated by this forest into two parts?"
„Well... I`m not sure... but the old rune of the three gods say some things about this holy forest..."
Oh oh... not again... this sounds like the beginning of a tale again... Shaolan thought, while Sakura asked curiously „ Well... and what do they say?"
The little bard cleared her throat and Shaolan, sighing, looked around for a seat and after a while sat down on a rock.
„Well..", she began mysteriously, „... the old books of Nefarios, the sun, say that many many years ago an evil magician had once served under the king of the golden century... He practiced forbidden dark magic and tried to revive the demons of the past, who were once created by the human`s ancestors, but those evil creatures were defeated by the gods at the beginning of time. The king discovered the magician`s plans, but not able to execute him, he banished him out of the country.
The sorcerer, vindictive and depraved by evil magic, hatched wicked plans to destroy the people, who sent him to exile, yet the king, wise and wary, had already foreseen the magician`s return and looked the gods` temple in the Yrieel woods up, searching for their advice. As soon as he had entered the holy place, a bright light was supposed to have surrounded him. A voice sounded in the king`s head and he knew: He was speaking to the messenger of the gods', the allmighty oracle, containing the whole powers of the holy Yrieel woods. The god`s eye told him with powerful voice that the gods knew his quest, and that they wouldn`t desert humankind, despite ist many imperfections. Because the demons mustn`t be released again, they sent him the oracle itself to destroy the magician. But the power they gave him had to be treated very carefully. If its user was careless, they warned him, it could have terrible consequences. And he should never ever underestimate the orb`s power. In spite of those warnings the wise king took the eye of the gods and from that moment on the king was the oracle`s guardian.
Always aware of the danger and the power he held in his hands he waited for the magician to come, but although prepared, he didn`t expect how much time would pass to the magician`s return.
The king died.
And his son, young and careless, had to be entrusted with this dangerous task. But wild and selfish he had never cared about his father`s warnings about the dangers, his recklessness could cause. And so the mischief took its course.
As the magician broke out of his exile, the young prince set the god`s eyes free. He managed to defeat the evil sorcerer, but underestimating the incredible power of the orb he lost the control and the terrible power of the holy Yrieel woods exploded. The city, in which they fought, was splitted into two parts. The greater part of the city on one side, the other with the palace. Between these parts now was the huge Yrieel wood, a dangerous jungle of ancient magic. And so far nobody had been able to reunite the city again in its beautiful uniqueness.
And the oracle, the most powerful item in this world, had never been found again, the forseeing orb, forever lost. But still there exist rumours that the orb maybe is still hidden in the deepest depths of the woods, exactly in its midth, the source of the Yrieel-woods..."
The god`s eye... , Sakura shivered suddenly without feeling cold, ... why do I have a bad inkling about this? It`s... like something inside me knows... knows what?
" Strange... really strange, don't you think so, Sakura?", the cinnamon haired boy turned to Sakura. They had walked through the forest in silence since Mac had told them the legend and now they were resting a bit in a grove. Mac was talking to the boy and Vincara, who maybe teased the little bard again.
The dreamy sorceress snapped out of her dreams at his voice and stared at him.
" What?"
I wonder what's the matter with her... almost the whole day she didn't speak a word...,
but instead of speaking those thoughts aloud, Shaolan continued, „ I mean... this forest... don't you feel anything strange? Maybe there is more behind this legend than we thought... "
" Yeah... you're right... I have the same feeling... It's like a ghost's aura... but still different... It frightens the hell out of me..."
A nervous laughing resounded from Sakura.
For this whole day the Card Mistress had not been herself. Always mind- absent and nervous... as if waiting for something terrible to happen.
" Sakura..."
Barely spoken , an ear deafening crashing came from every direction, and a wave of terrible heat took their breath. Light started surrounding them, dividing them from the others and he thought he heard a cruel laughing as they were coughing, almost suffocating in this unbearable warmth.
The trees around them were burning, falling to ashes.
Be aware of fire... Sakura...
The Card mistress stiffened, those words echoing in her head again and again, her eyes as empty as glas, not noticing the burning tree going to fall on her...
„Sakura! Watch out!"
The little wolfwarrior dashed as fast as he could and managed to push the paralyzed girl out of the way. He tried to protect the little emerald eyed girl against the hard landing, and held her tight in his arms, barely able to dodge the danger himself. With a terrible crackling the tree landed next to them, as they both were falling to the ground. He looked at Sakura, whose face was covered by dust and ashes, but her eyes had cleared again, staring at him in amazement.
"... you okay...?" he whispered breathless while standing up.
" I'm alright... But we have to do something....", the Card mistress managed to say under hard coughing, herself again.
" What's with the others...?", she asked, looking around, but they could only see some meters, the fire almost touching their feet. Shaolan froze.
Odd... if everything was really on fire, wouldn't we cough much more?
Suspecting something the descendant of Clow searched with his magic senses and found the cause.
" Sakura, can you feel it?"
" What...?"
" The magic... that is behind all this."
Her eyes were watering because of the smoke, as she concentrated as well as she could.
Shaolan was right, most of the fire was really just an illusion, exactly as the blinding light, and not far away she felt the aura of a ghost, and that meant...
The Card mistress dragged herself out of her concentration.
„Mac, boy, Vincara! They are nearby...", then she shouted as loud as she could, „ Mac! We're here! Answer me!", until three figures appeared out of the light, the little bard holding a great sword in her hand.
" Sakura!", the boy shouted, in front of the others , but then suddenly Mac screamed, looking behind her, into the burning emptiness. The ghost's and the orange-haired girl's shapes seemed to be suffocated in heat and vanished out of sudden; the boy could barely was able to escape the invisible danger, but managed to reach them.
„ What has happened?!", Shaolan yelled, his voice oddly quiet between the crackling of fire.
„ I don't know! We tried to dodge all the burning trees and followed your voices, but then there was suddenly a shape in the fire, and it seemed to be speaking a spell and then they suddenly vanished!", the boy yelled back.
The Card`s mistress closed her eyes for a while to concentrate and gripped her key to speak the incantation of her power as so often.
Key of Clow,
Power of Magic,
Power of Light,
Surrender the Wand,
The Force ignite,
RELEASE! --
And the staff formed in her hand, as the sorceress already gripped a Clow Card.
„Watery! Release and dispell! Put this fire out!", and more powerful than ever before the Clow Card appeared, leaving water everywhere it went through, yet the determined emerald eyed girl didn't watch that amazing sight...
„Dissolve the fake surroundings, Illusion!"
Suddenly the light and the dangerous looking fire vanished, only some burning trees were now standing there and the ashes of bushes and plants. Quickly they watched out for the person who did all this, but there was nothing anymore, no aura, no concentration of magic.
The last traces of magic around them were fading slowly, as they were searching the surroundings for the bard and her ghost.
„Mac! Vincara! Where are you?", they called for the two lost, but there was no answer.
We.. we can`t find them... If I had reacted earlier maybe... maybe we wouldn`t have lost them...
Sakura wanted to break out in tears, until she suddenly noticed, that Shaolan was watching her very concerned. The sorceress remembered her promise to don't cry again, and smiled back at the little wolf, who looked away quickly.
They both didn't observe the mysterious smile featuring the boy's face, as they were dashing further into the direction they had lost track of the two. Slowly thinking that their unknown enemy had done something terrible to their friends, suddenly a muffled calling sounded from above them.
Surprised they looked up to a huge tree and there a transparent figure was watching them, smiling.
" WAAAAH", the powerful mistress screamed, the others cringing at this high pitched-tone.
" COULD YOU AFTERALL STOP THIS!", Vincara tried to overshout the auburn haired sorceress , "Everything is alright! Your anxiety is really getting annoying, especially when you try to deafen a ghost's ears, you know?"
Breathless Sakura stood there, still a little trembling.
„... What's with Mac?", the boy asked after recovering from the the mistress`s sudden scream.
The ghost hovered slowly to them, pointing at the branches high above.
„Before the light had caught us we managed to get there... but Mac fell unconscious... but she's alright, she was only in shock, that's all, but now we have to get our sleeping bard down again... I'm not able to touch any living creature and so, guys, you have to do this..." She looked meaningful at the boy and Shaolan " You're strong guys, aren't you? You should do this easily, won't you?"
The called ones sweatdropped at the ghost woman's sceptic phrases.
After some efforts the 'strong guys' managed to carry the orange haired girl to the ground, who stayed unconscious.
Worried Sakura sat down next to the girl, some cuts were scattered over the bard`s sword-arm and her face was dirty, but she could see some burnings under the ash.
„What cuts are these? And why those burnings?", Sakura asked anxiously the ghost, not any longer caring about her fears.
„... I don't know... She was touched by that light... I couldn't see what happened in that moment... She's still breathing and so on, but I didn't manage to wake her up... maybe I was too late...", the ghost's voice faded, leaving the rest unspoken.
This ghost... really seems to care for this girl..., Shaolan noticed surprised, scrutinizing the darkened look in the ghost's features.
„Well, well..", the boy said with playful voice, to cheer them up , „ We`ll see, if the master of waking little girls up won't have any success!", and kneeled beside the hurt bard.
Rubbing his hands he held Mac's nose and mouth shut and they waited... and waited...
„PUAH", the orange haired girl freed herself of the boy`s grip and panted hard.
„What the hell was that supposed to be?! Do you want to suffocate me?", she yelled at the nervous smiling boy, while her new friends from the other dimension sighed in relieve.
Hesitating Sakura started speaking "... Are you alright? You really worried us... You had fallen unconscious after climbing up the tree, as Vincara told us..."
The little bard looked in a suddenly exhausted, but questioning tone " I can't remember that... The last thing I know is a blinding light... and..." Mac stopped, mind-absently, as she couldn't speak about this.... or was afraid...
" O dear... our sweetheart's not only a careless cute little sweetie... she is getting Amnesia, too...", the ghost hovered above the orange haired bard, bored looking, very similar to Yue in some way...
" What - did - you - say - ?", Mac already clinched her fists, turning to the transparent woman.
Everyone sweatdropped, while Shaolan spoke the words aloud, everyone, except Mac, thought now
" Not again..."
It was evening by now and they had decided to rest in a little grove they had discovered. A little lake near the grove was enlightened by the dim light of the dawn, and the atmosphere was so... peacefully. Exactly what they needed after this long arduous day.
„Do you want to swim a little bit?", the orange haired girl asked cheerfully the others as soon as she had seen the little lake before them.
„Swim...?", Shaolan asked suspicious
„Yes, our clothes are still covered by ashes and, well, we could need a little bath, don't you think so?", Mac answered smiling. The cinnamon haired boy looked at the black dressed guy, who had disappeared before and had suddenly appeared again, clean and in shining new black clothes.
„Well, she's right. I really do feel a little uncomfortable in this dirty clothes...", Sakura agreed.
„And you Shaolan? Do you want to accompany us?", the little innocent bard beamed at him.
The little wolf sweatdropped and sent Sakura a qick glance.
Does she really mean it as she says?
He looked back at a still oblivious smiling Mac.
She DOES!
„Well... I think I won't. I better go prparing a camp and caring for a little fire and so on!", he said quickly, while he was dashing away; the boy followed him at once.
„HEY, you really don't want to accompany Sakura in a little lake?", he shouted after the poor blushing little wolf,... with a really meaningful grin.
Mac watched them go in surprise and turned puzzled to the sweatdropping Card mistress.
„What's wrong with him? I really don't understand why he seems to feel uncomfortable as soon as I ask him something at evening..."
„Don't worry! Let's go!", Sakura tried to change the subject. She, too, seemed to feel veeery uncomfortable at those 'questions at evening'.
Shaolan really couldn't believe it.
Is this bard insane? She should have heard by now that boys and girls... First yesterday she... and now... And this stupid boy! He knows exactly...
„HEY, you really don't want to accompany Sakura in a little lake?", the boy shouted after him, emphasizing 'Sakura' with a strange tone.
How should he know how I feel about...
Furiously blushing he dashed faster, as he suddenly hit something, that felt like a person...
„You... How did you do this!?", Shaolan asked, rubbing his head.
„Well... I can open portals whereever I want..."
( And Shaolan had dashed the path they had used)
The boy grinned " Well... Weren't you going to search for a rest place for Mac... and Sakura?"
Feeling the arising warmth in his face he gave the boy before him a death glare.
„... I wonder if you will ever admit...", the boy asked cheerfully.
„...Admit what...?", Shaolan asked warily, but the boy just smiled.
How much does he know...? All these hints...
All those hints in my dreams... everyone of them were right. But who is this voice? And why does it help me against that person of fire...? Maybe I should tell Shaolan about those dreams...
„... Sakura... what are you thinking about?"
„Hoe?", the water formed rings around her, as she turned to Mac, who looked directly into her eyes now.
The thoughtful mistress looked into the deep sea-blue concerned eyes of the little bard.
„Is something wrong? You can tell me if you want to..."
Sakura smiled " No... It's nothing. I just thought about today... I'm worried about our enemy... He seems to know about us..."
„Don't worry, I'm sure you and Shaolan will do just fine. I saw like you two interact together... You two as a team can do everything."
„Well... He is really a lot of help... I don't know if I could have done this without his presence so far... he gives me courage, and he always knows to say the right thing in the right moment...", smiling Sakura leaned against the shore and looked into the far distance, thinking about her many adventures together with Shaolan.
„You have to be really good friends... I envy you so much, Sakura! If I look at my companies...", they laughed released, not any longer thinking about the events of the afternoon, as suddenly Sakura felt magic surrounding her. She screamed at the touch of a cold presence...
Shaolan looked alarmed into the direction of the scream.
That scream... Sakura
As fast as he could he got up, leaving the rest place and a surprised boy in black, who didn`t manage to stop him.
Sakura... I hope she's alright! , was his only thought as he was dashing through the forest to the lake, not caring about anything but a little auburn haired girl with beautiful emerald eyes. He seemed to need an eternity to reach the lake, but... he was just in time to be part in one of the most messy scenes he had ever been in.
A grinning ghost hovering above two girls, who were only dressed in towels, one of them trying to sooth a panicking Card mistress. The amber eyed boy could only stare unbelievingly.
" Wohoo, guess who's the little voyeur over there."
Oho, the ghost-woman had noticed the poor little wolf, who quickly turned around, where nobody could see his blushing face, that had now overexceeded every known description of red.
"I- I didn't-I mean... I'm sorry !", the reddened boy stammered, covering his eyes with his hands, as suddenly someone else hit him. The result was a crimson boy falling into the lake, while a ghost and a little bard were arguing in the background.
" Oops... sorry.", the boy whispered, and foreseeing the trouble, stepped back, while Sakura shouted „Shaolan!".
Coughing and panting for breath the wet little wolf dived up again to look into beautiful emerald eyes, and blushed.
" Shaolan! Are you okay? Is something wrong? You're so red in your face!", the Card mistress asked concerned, dressed in an only towel.
The boy's head appeared behind a tree " Uhm... Sakura... don't you think the reason for this could be you?", he asked hesitating, and then disappeared again.
" What... HOE!", Sakura pushed the blushing boy aside, and he could enjoy another dive-tour.
Will this ever have an end?, the little wet wolf thought, as the water closed above him.
" Well... I think after all this... we should get to sleep, don't you think so?", Mac asked jovially the group. Meanwhile it was late evening and their clothes had dried again.
Dramatically gesturing the little bard took her feathers out of her little bag and...
" Oohoo..."
" what do you mean with 'Oohoo'?", Shaolan asked irritated.
"... I think in the fight this afternoon I have lost the feather with your sleeping-bag..."
" What!?", he yelled at the little bard, who repeated quietly
" I said..."
" I don't mean that! Where will I sleep now?"
".... With Sakura?", Mac asked helplessly. Not noticing the suggestive meaning she continued " I mean... you don't know me that well and I think you would like more to..."
Does she do this by purpose?! , the outer dimensioners thought.
Well.. if I think about the sleep-arrangements she planned yesterday...., the little wolf blushed, followed by an awed Sakura.
" I-I think I prefer the tree as sleep-place!", Shaolan stammered.
Suddenly a voice from above answered "Hey, that's already my place!"
O this stupid son of a b...
Mac lifted an eyebrow " What's wrong? Always when ask you something at evening in the evening you two seem to blush a lot more than normally... "
Sakura tried to dodge this... embarassing... subject
„Well... let's just say that between us is some kind of agreement that we don't do such things, okay?"
Mac was still staring warily at them both, then sighed " I think you will not have the mercy to explain me this, will you?"
Sakura and Shaolan shook their heads wildly.
„Well... I think then I will stay clueless, but if you really think so... Then, because it was my fault, I think Shaolan, you should..."
Before she could say any more embarrassing things Sakura interfered " Mac, we both can share a sleeping-bag, can't we? Shaolan can have mine, I think that would be the best!"
Surprised Mac stared at her, but nodded.
Saved..., the little wolf thought released.
Mac took two feathers out of her bag and out of them appeared two large sleeping-bags, and gave Shaolan one of them.
Looking a last time at the both of them she said in a bard's tone: " I wish our heroine and hero a good night and sweet dreams", she smiled and bowed to both of them, and smoothed out the sleeping-bag on the ground.
The orange haired girl yawned a last time before laying down and stretched her arms out, the cuts of the fight clearly visible in the warm fire.
I wonder what happened to Mac, as she had touched the light..., Sakura wondered, concerned about the little bard and looked at Shaolan, who had already wragged himself into the bag.
Sighing the mistress of the Clow Cards turned around and lied down two.
Mac, already half asleep, whispered " Sweet dreams... friend..."
Sakura smiled at the last word, but she didn't think she would sleep very well... , not after experiencing the last dreams....
The Card`s mistress stood in a large hall, which was enlightened by thousands of torches. She was scrutinizing her surroundings very carefully, but the room was empty, besides a winged figure, bathed in crackling flames.
Where am I...?
The figure was kneeling there in front of a girl, who...
„That`s enough!",
Sakura turned around in surprise, while the scene changed into a white mist; The mistress was lifted from the ground by a tight grip and two firey golden eyes, bristling with anger, drilled into hers and flowing blonde hair was surrounding her. But strangely she wasn`t able to see the stranger`s face clearly.
I have a feeling... as if I know that person...
„You`re cheating, little mistress! Using your powers for foreseeing is not a fair kind of fighting!", the female voice noted purring, as Sakura was struggling for breath, „ I think this will demand a little punishment..."
The figure stretched out her hand to touch the mistress`s arm lightly, but Sakura wasn`t able to do anything.The emerald eyed girl bended her body in the sudden agony, burning as the hell itself, while the pain went through her body.
„... Now..Let`s see, what you can do without using your little toy..."
The blurry figure was still speaking, as she already gripped the Card`s mistress`s key. Feeling the heat in this grip, she tried to release herself, but her opponent was too strong.
Already thinking she would suffocate, the stranger hurled Sakura to the ground.
Hard panting and coughing the little sorceress was kneeling there, gripping her key, which suddenly felt so different, so... cold and lifeless...
Her enemy bended to the mistress, scoffing with dangerously gentle voice „... Now... we`ll see what whether you and your little foolish friends can handle my surprise-present... little mistress..."
„ What... what are you planning... and why...?", Sakura whispered in terror.
„... Patience, little girl... you will find out soon enough...", she was answering, slowly fading, leaving only a cruel giggling behind her. Painfully her last words were echoing in her head, as she collapsed, near unconsciousness.
„ Stop this!", she screamed in agony...
... and woke up in the darkness, sweat was dropping from her face and panting. Quickly she looked around; everything was still, the fire had gone out, and she could only hear Mac`s even breathing, and Shaolan was still asleep, too. She looked at the sky, which was covered by leafs and branches, an odd pattern forming, the sun had not arised yet. The little Card`s mistress shighed relieved. Everthing was alright... yet...
„ You`re already awake, Sakura?", a dark shadow appeared in front of her, she just managed to suffocate a scream.
„... Vincara..."
„ Wow... that`s an advancement... No screaming of you as soon as I had appeared...", the ghost remarked smiling.... a friendly smile, as she noticed surprised. It changed the ghost`s features completely, thy were not any longer mean and mockily. The auburn haired girl even felt some kind of... sympathy.
A voice sounded from above „ Hey guys, be quiet. Maybe here are some people who want to sleep."
Slowly shaking her head the ghost turned to Sakura again.
„ Wohoo... seems we waked up our little princess from his beauty-sleep..."
The Card`s mistress strated giggling, while the boy was scowling at them.
„ For this you will have to pay...", he grinded insulted with his teeth and jumped down, while the ghost was grinning.
„ Anytime, honey."
Ignoring the ghost`s last remark he sat down in a far corner of the grove, silent.
„ Well... you don`t seem to be that afraid any longer of me...", Vincara noted, turning back again, a gentle smile in her features again.
„ ... We are members of the same group... One day I have to get used to you.", Sakura responded and smiled weakly back.
„ ...Did you have a nightmare?", Vincara was slowly asking, as the mistress stayed silent.
„... Yeah... I have a feeling as if every moment something`s going to happen..."
Suddenly they heard a crunching, as if had stepped on a little branch, the ghost looked alarmed up, scrutinizing their surroundings carefully.
„ Maybe your feeling is right...", the boy whispered disastrously
„Wake the others up, but don`t make too much noise; I`ll go looking for the cause of the crunching.", the ghost-woman ordered them both.
„ But it could be dangerous for you alone!", Sakura interfered, but the ghost just smiled.
„ I am already dead...", the ghost said and vanished into the shadows.
Quickly she shook the orange haired girl gently to wake her up, while the boy was taking care of Shaolan.
„What...?", the bard asked sleepily, but Sakura hushed her with a gesture.
„ Be quiet... There is something nearby..."
Before Mac could respond something, the Card`s mistress already sneaked to the boy and the now serious-looking Shaolan, gesturing Mac to follow.
But they didn`t come that far.
Vincara appeared above them upset and shouted „ RUN!", as suddenly a shadowy thing behind her entered the grove. Quickly reacting the mistress released her key, while they were dashing through the woods, trying to escape the mysterious creature.
Key of Clow,
Power of Magic,
Power of Light,
Surrender the Wand,
The Force ignite,
RELEASE! --
Nothing happened.
What?!
The others were staring at her in amazement, panting hard in the run, as she repeated the incantation.
Still no reaction of the key.
„Sakura! What`s wrong?, Shaolan asked her upset.
„I... I... I can`t use the key!", she answered unbelievingly, glaring at her pendant. It felt so... cold.
Wait... the dream, Sakura remembered again, this woman... she had gripped my key and... What has she done?! Are my powers sealed?!
„ Watch out, guys!", Vincara`s voice dragged the mind-absent emerald eyed girl out of her thoughts and pointed behind them.
The dark creature, so fast that it blurred in its speed, had almost reached them.
Determined Mac turned around, her sword drawn.
„I will distract that thing!", she shouted and dashed to the creature.
Frightened at the bard`s action the ghost yelled „ Mac, are you crazy?! Mac, stop!!!"
But the bard was already gone, determined to stop the creature by her own; the ghost closed its eyes, fists clinched and barely hearable the ghost- woman spoke under her breath „ This stupid girl..."
Opening its eyes again, the ghost turned to them.
„ Just go straight ahead until you have reached a river! You have to follow its line and you will reach the palace-city. We will meet there again!", she ordered and was going to dash along the path, Mac had used, as suddenly Mac was thrown to their feet, the creature broke through the trees and stopped in front of them, standing above the little bard, who was bleeding and seemed to be half unconscious.
„Mac!", Sakura shouted worried while trying to get to Mac, but Shaolan held her back and pushed her to the boy.
„ Take care of her!", he ordered and drew his sword, ready for battle.
The boy nodded silently, as Shaolan rushed to Mac`s rescue.
„ Wait!!!", the powerless mistress shouted, while the boy pulled her away from the fight.
I... I have to do something... anything!
But she couldn`t... what use could she be without being able to use her key...?, and still...
She even saw Shaolan disappearing out of her sight, felling helpless as never before, as the boy lifted the struggling auburn haired girl, dashing away with her.
„ Shaolan!"
To be continued...
Interclude:Dominatrix appears
Myrwin: BWAHAHAHAHA I always wanted to get revenge for all the cliffhangers I suffered... BWAHAHAHA
Choking in her laughter, coughing follows
Dominatrix: ...
Shaolan: Who the hell is that?!
1.2 Myrwin is still coughing
The boy: That`s my creator, Dominatrix!
1.3 Background: Myrwin is still coughing
Shaolan (thinking): so that`s the one I have to thank for a teasing annoying boy
1.4 Dominatrix is drawing a pistol, holds it directly in front of Shaolan`s nose, while Myrwin is still coughing
Dominatrix: Don`t forget that I, too, have a little experience in hearing your thoughts in this fic...
....
Author's comments:
Myrwin, recovered from her coughing: Well... Now it`s getting exciting. Now the adventure is really beginning....
Sakura: Who is that gentle voice in my dreams and how will I get my powers back?
Shaolan: What creature do we fight against?
Mac: Will I die?
Everyone sweatdrops.
Vincara: Why am I suddenly so nice to Sakura?
The boy: What am I going to do with Sakura ?
Shaolan: With her?
The boy sweatdrops: Uhm... nothing...
Dominatrix: WHAT THE HELL DOES THE ENEMY WANT? THIS AND MORE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!
Posted May 2002
1 Destiny`s child
3rd chapter
How to rescue the world: lection no1:
Go the direct route without any distractions
Once existed a mysterious world. To another time, far beyond the one we know. A world with its own rules, in some way similar to ours, but nevertheless different.
This world... will be the place where the fate of thousands of dimensions will be decided in the fight about the destiny's souls.
Sakura, the powerful mistress of the Clow Cards, looked upon a white sky. Her emerald eyes were wandering through this strange place in amazement. Everything was white, sky and ground were completely covered by a strange white mist. Instinctively she scrutinized her clothing. As colourless as her surroundings.
Just like in the dream before...
„ ... I`ve found you, little mistress, your hiding is useless... You didn`t have any chance from the very beginning. Better we finish this quickly now, or you will suffer in never-ending agony. Good night, little mistress...", a voice sounded in the girl`s head; her body almost exploded in agony, as she collapsed, holding her ears closed against that aching voice. Blinding light surrounded her completely, when she already thought she would die in pain.
Protecting her eyes, and the magic around her almost blinding her senses, she looked up.
A glowing figure was standing there and was slowly stretching out her hand. She didn`t know where this idea came from, but she knew it was a woman. An even more blinding lightning shot from the figure`s hand, hurting her eyes even more. She held her arms protectively before her eyes, as the light was approaching her. She knew, it would take something incredibly dear to her, the light becoming faster and faster.
Although knowing it was useless, she screamed...
...when suddenly a voice echoed in her head again, but this time in a gentle tone, soothing her agony.
„Sakura...", it whispered, while the firgure before her started fading.
„Who are you...? Why are you calling for me?", she asked helplessly, still in pain.
But the bodyless voice didn`t answer the sorceress`s questions. Instead it whispered like from the far „Be aware of fire... my child... little Sakura..." The presence`s aura started to fade slowly.
„ Wait!", the auburn haired girl called, while her outskirts were slowly changing, as if a new page had been turned.
The white mist dissolved and revealed a forest, as the voice started whispering again.
„ Sakura...", it called her again and again, and she followed the sound of this incredibly gentle voice through the wood. While she was running the aching magic decreased more and more, until just the smooth calling was left. She didn`t know how long she had been walking, as she reached a beautiful grove, and inside it...
„ Sakura..."
„ SAKURA!"
„HOEEEE!!", the shocked Card mistress almost panicked completely, as she felt a cold touch on her shoulder.
Quickly she looked around, but she couldn`t see anything, but this anxious feeling inside her... that could mean only one thing...
„ Good morning", someone behind her cooed, a shudder went through the little auburn haired sorceress, as she turned around... and looked directly into two dark eyes... and the wall behind them...
„WAAAAAH!! WAAAAH!! WAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!"
„ Outch! Could you stop screaming?", Vincara shouted, half-deaf from Sakura`s screaming.
With wild-beating heart the trembling girl stopped, staring at the transparent ghost before her.
„ Much better."
„ Wh-what do y-you w-want?",
„ Well... our cute little bard ordered me to tell you something as soon as you wake up.... and `cause you seem to be awake, with some little help of me...", A mean grin featured the ghost`s face.
Sakura would have sweatdropped, if she hadn`t be so frightened... , „ I can accomplish this little task. Our long-winded bard went with your little cute boyfriend to the weapon`s shop over there...", Vincara pointed somwhere out of the window, „ `cause he says he needed a sword... whatever for. Although I can`t imagine what a little kiddo could use a big weapon for. You`ll meet them there."
1.1 Boyfriend?!
Sakura blushed a little by this thought.
I`ve never ever considered him as a boyfriend... Why does this ghost think...?
„ I SAID I`LL GO NOW!", the Card mistress cringed at the loud sound, and as she looked around, the ghost had already vanished.
Well, well... I think I should go then... , The emerald eyed girl thought, as she got up to put her clothes on.
It was already late morning, when the young sorceress had found the meant building.
... so that is a weapon`s shop... it is kind of... eerie
She looked sceptically over the shop, where dangerous looking axes, short swords and long bows were put next to the entry. Hesitating she went through the open door and looked for her friends. It was a little bit dim in the room, as it seemed to be in every shop in this city, or even in this whole world, and she could only see few people in this barely enlightened shop.
„ Hey, Sakura! Here we are!", a girl`s voice called her. Still not used to the darkness of this room, she turned around to two figures standing some meters before her.
„No wonder you didn`t notice us. In this room you can barely see a thing", Shaolan remarked, as the emerald eyed girl had joined them.
„ Why then, is it so dim in here?", Sakura asked curiously. The little bard shrugged.
„ I don`t know.... Maybe just a matter of atmosphere. I`ve never wondered why."
This is a strange world...
„ So... Did you find something in this shop?", Sakura asked. The cinnamon haired boy showed her a sword, which was very similar to his own, only that the blade was a little bit thinner and longer. „That was the best I could find so far... Not exactly like my own one, but this will do it."
Mac looked at it scrutinizing „ Maybe we can find a better one... the material of this one is a little bit unbalanced, and the blade is not as sharp as it should be. The sword is not that bad, but the price is a way too expensive for this quality." Surprised Shaolan looked at the little orange haired girl next to him.
„You seem to know a lot about weapons."
„What do you expect of a blacksmith`s daughter? My father is the most famous blacksmith in the world, my own sword is one of his creations." Curiously Shaolan looked at the sword on the bard`s back. It was really a well made sword,... although a little bit too long for the little girl`s size...
Sakura looked at the weapon, while they both talked.
I can`t see anything special about this thing...
„... I can tell you... you should choose another sword. If I could arrange it, I would go to my father`s forge, but it is too far away. Maybe I can help you..."
Feeling a little bit uncomfortable Sakura looked at them both.
„ Well.. you both seem to get along very well without me. I don`t have any knowledge of weapons..., I won`t be of any help, I think I wait outside."
Surprised her two friends looked at the awkward sorceress.
„ If you wish so... we won`t need too long...", Mac answered puzzled, while Sakura left the shop. The sheepish bard didn`t notice the amber eyed boy`s eyes following the Card`s mistress leaving, a concerned look featuring them...
The auburn-haired girl blinked in the light outside, leaning against the wall.
Why did I come? They don`t really need my help... And why do I feel so strange since I got up? Sakura looked investigating around and could hear the jovial talking of the barely crowded city and saw a little boy playing with a wodden short sword. A woman, obviously the mother, admonished the child and pulled him with her. The Card mistress had to smile at this scene and looked further. On the other side she could see a very upset, not very thin man, yelling at a dodging salesman, because of the expensive ware. Finally the man went insulted away and the salesman sighed relieved, when he suddenly seemed to feel her glare and looked back. Selfconscious suddenly again the auburn haired girl smiled at the salesman, who just stared at her, and then looked away.
Suddenly she thought that all people around her were staring at her, mistrust appearing in their eyes. The uneasy atmosphere was almost unbearable for her. Although she turned around to avoid the expression on their faces, she thought to see, she felt those glares like daggers in her back. Her usual cheerfulness faded away, but the life she was not a part of went on again, as if nothing happened.
They know I don`t belong to their life... What am I doing in this foreign world? I don`t belong to this place... I miss my home... my family, my friends...
A tear formed in the corner of her eye, as she looked down at her feet. Am I crying?... Stupid me...How am I supposed to save a world... whole dimensions, if I can`t even handle this situation...
A memory touched the mistress`s mind...
Frigthened and crying she ran through the cave. (They... they all are... gone) was the only thought in her mind, while dashing around a corner only to land in Shaolan`s arms.
„ Tomoyo... and the others...?" he asked worried, „Disappeared?!"
Still crying she nodded.
„ And if ghosts are behind this? Ghosts that had them disappeared!"
„Surely not."
„But..."
„Pull yourself together!", Shaolan said, gripping her by her shoulders, „Crying is not anything of use..."
Yeah... he is right... crying is no use. I will handle it. I won`t cry...
Sakura wiped her tears away and smiled.
Strange... he knows always the right words in the right moments, she thought, not noticing the almost invisible figure in the shadows that watched her silently...
The tall stranger, dressed in a dark cloak and its eyes covered by a hood, melted with the shadows, as an eerie smile broadened on its face. A blonde strand of hair was the last visible thing, before it had completely vanished.
Waiting Sakura watched the shop, where Shaolan and Mac were shopping. ... they are still not outside again... What takes them so long? Impatiently Sakura looked around, as she suddenly observed an abandoned-looking stand with unknown herbs she hadn`t noticed before. She scrutinized with her eyes a beautiful rose-like plant which had caught her attention. Its blooms were violett, formed like stars, but almost half of her size.
What a beautiful flower...
She stepped curiously closer to the rose and started feeling a little dizzy. But it was a pleasant kind of dizziness. An incredible longing to smell at the plant let her take another step, her eyes oddly empty. She almost had touched it, when she was holded back by a tight grip.
Sakura`s eyes cleared to their usual colour as she looked surprised over her shoulder to see an upset Mac.
„Are you insane, Sakura?! Not all things are as harmless as they seem to be. This flower could have killed you! It is known for killing lots of men and so far only few powerful sorcerers have been lucky enough to wake up again!"
Sakura was staring puzzled at Mac, while she continued, „The flower itself is not that dangerous, but it produces a dust that strengthens its effect. If you had got too close to the bloom, it would have poisoned you!"
„Oh...", Sakura could only remark. That was why she felt so dizzy...
„Well... it`s not your fault... You didn`t know it.", the orange haired girl said more softly, when suddenly a thoughtful expression darkened her eyes. „Why is this flower standing by its own at all...? Dangerous as it is... the owner of this stand must be really frivolous... or..."
„Thank God that we came just in time. I thought you knew that you shouldn't come near unknown items, Sakura!", Mac winced at the loud chiding, as Sakura turned around to see a worried Shaolan „Sorry... I will remind that... I don`t know what got into me.", she said ruefully. Then, suddenly, she saw the sword on the boy`s back. It was a different one than before and it... how was it called in fantasy adventures?... seemed to be a bastard sword, little longer than half of his size and its shaft was covered with ancient symbols, as the beginning of the blade. It looked very impressive, completely different than Shaolan`s normal sword.
„Wow...It seems you have found a proper weapon... Impressive.", the sorceress smiled at the little wolf, who blushed, not able to say anything.
„ Well... it was the best we could get... The salesman wanted a impudently high prize for it, but I managed to lower the man down. After all I know a lot about weapons.", Mac explained to Sakura, oblivious of the reddened Shaolan.
„ So... now we should have everything we need. As far as Cara told me we have to head for the forest on the other side of the city. There we are supposed to meet the others again."
Mistrusting Shaolan looked over the little bard. „ Hm... Where did you put all ... the things we need? I don`t see anything like a bag or something similar." Mac winked smiling. „ Lyma feathers can contain a lot of things...", she whispered, while taking out of one of her pockets some small white feathers.
She giggled at the amazed looks of her companions.
„ Let`s go! We don`t have the whole day to stare! Follow me!", the smart bard yelled, while she was already dashing forward. The two from another dimension gazed at each other, than tried to catch up with the laughing orange haired girl.
After they had dashed quite a bit, the city suddenly ended, like cut off, in a wood and two startled teens looked up to the huge trees.
„ What?!", Shaolan began, looking back. It was like they had entered another world out of sudden. Without a break the forest and the town were connected. It was... abstract.
„ Why does it suddenly break off?", Shaolan and Sakura asked upset, as the bard soothed them.
„ Don`t worry, that`s just the Yrieel wood. Nothing is wrong."
„ What is this for a forest?", Shaolan scrutinized mistrusting.
„... These are the holy woods... Some people maintain, that ghosts live here..."
Sakura stiffened at the last words, her face went pale.
„ G-g-ghosts?"
Mac giggled at Sakura`s trembling tone „ Those are just rumours! I`m just teasing you! Don`t worry, most of the ones who contended those things are idiots..."
Anxiously the Card`s mistress looked around, like thinking about this a lot different than Mac.
I don`t know... these woods... they remind me of something... Wait, the dream with this light! And the dream-forest, could it be...
Shaolan watched the mind-absent sorceress very carefully, who looked afraid of something.
I wonder what`s wrong with Sakura...
For the whole morning she has seemed to be not herself... what`s concerning her so much? And the little incident with that flower... that reminds me of something...
Shaolan turned to Mac, who looked thoughtfully into the darkness of the woods.
Didn`t she whisper something like that ... normally the flower shouldn`t have been there? Is it possible that our enemy could have done his first step? I have the bad feeling that our enemy is already watching us...
Slowly Shaolan stood up and went to a still thoughtful Sakura, who looked down at her hands, like not knowing what to do with them.
„ Sakura..."
Without warning a strong wind blew around them, as a dark hole opened behind him.
„ What...", the little wolf just managed to say, as he was pushed forward by a dark dressed person, who rushed against his back.
He couldn't hold his balance and fell, but he didn't land hard...
The little wolf blushed as crimson as a tomatoe as he looked down at the surprised Card Mistress, he had fallen on top of...
" Uhm... Are you two not a little bit too young for this?", a questioning voice sounded behind them. The emerald eyed girl and the amber eyed boy turned a furious red at those words and quickly Shaolan stood up.
" ... I really dislike cute scenes...", Sakura cringed at this voice, turning from crimson to pale. Mac gave the ghost, who had obviously said this, a death-glare before stepping forward.
" We should really get going, we don't have the whole day for arguing. Vincara, where are we supposed to go?"
The ghost looked at the little bard from under her eyelashes.
" Well... to the palace..."
" The palace!? But... but why didn't you tell us earlier?! You showed to the boy a place to memorize, that is almost two days away from our informant?! We could have gotten there from the very beginning if you would have showed that place to the boy earlier!", Mac shouted angrily , „Now we will lose lots of time by finding a way –through- this forest!"
Shaolan interfered "... But Mac... You told us that Ragna was the main- city... Is the palace not supposed to be there? Why are they seperated by this forest into two parts?"
„Well... I`m not sure... but the old rune of the three gods say some things about this holy forest..."
Oh oh... not again... this sounds like the beginning of a tale again... Shaolan thought, while Sakura asked curiously „ Well... and what do they say?"
The little bard cleared her throat and Shaolan, sighing, looked around for a seat and after a while sat down on a rock.
„Well..", she began mysteriously, „... the old books of Nefarios, the sun, say that many many years ago an evil magician had once served under the king of the golden century... He practiced forbidden dark magic and tried to revive the demons of the past, who were once created by the human`s ancestors, but those evil creatures were defeated by the gods at the beginning of time. The king discovered the magician`s plans, but not able to execute him, he banished him out of the country.
The sorcerer, vindictive and depraved by evil magic, hatched wicked plans to destroy the people, who sent him to exile, yet the king, wise and wary, had already foreseen the magician`s return and looked the gods` temple in the Yrieel woods up, searching for their advice. As soon as he had entered the holy place, a bright light was supposed to have surrounded him. A voice sounded in the king`s head and he knew: He was speaking to the messenger of the gods', the allmighty oracle, containing the whole powers of the holy Yrieel woods. The god`s eye told him with powerful voice that the gods knew his quest, and that they wouldn`t desert humankind, despite ist many imperfections. Because the demons mustn`t be released again, they sent him the oracle itself to destroy the magician. But the power they gave him had to be treated very carefully. If its user was careless, they warned him, it could have terrible consequences. And he should never ever underestimate the orb`s power. In spite of those warnings the wise king took the eye of the gods and from that moment on the king was the oracle`s guardian.
Always aware of the danger and the power he held in his hands he waited for the magician to come, but although prepared, he didn`t expect how much time would pass to the magician`s return.
The king died.
And his son, young and careless, had to be entrusted with this dangerous task. But wild and selfish he had never cared about his father`s warnings about the dangers, his recklessness could cause. And so the mischief took its course.
As the magician broke out of his exile, the young prince set the god`s eyes free. He managed to defeat the evil sorcerer, but underestimating the incredible power of the orb he lost the control and the terrible power of the holy Yrieel woods exploded. The city, in which they fought, was splitted into two parts. The greater part of the city on one side, the other with the palace. Between these parts now was the huge Yrieel wood, a dangerous jungle of ancient magic. And so far nobody had been able to reunite the city again in its beautiful uniqueness.
And the oracle, the most powerful item in this world, had never been found again, the forseeing orb, forever lost. But still there exist rumours that the orb maybe is still hidden in the deepest depths of the woods, exactly in its midth, the source of the Yrieel-woods..."
The god`s eye... , Sakura shivered suddenly without feeling cold, ... why do I have a bad inkling about this? It`s... like something inside me knows... knows what?
" Strange... really strange, don't you think so, Sakura?", the cinnamon haired boy turned to Sakura. They had walked through the forest in silence since Mac had told them the legend and now they were resting a bit in a grove. Mac was talking to the boy and Vincara, who maybe teased the little bard again.
The dreamy sorceress snapped out of her dreams at his voice and stared at him.
" What?"
I wonder what's the matter with her... almost the whole day she didn't speak a word...,
but instead of speaking those thoughts aloud, Shaolan continued, „ I mean... this forest... don't you feel anything strange? Maybe there is more behind this legend than we thought... "
" Yeah... you're right... I have the same feeling... It's like a ghost's aura... but still different... It frightens the hell out of me..."
A nervous laughing resounded from Sakura.
For this whole day the Card Mistress had not been herself. Always mind- absent and nervous... as if waiting for something terrible to happen.
" Sakura..."
Barely spoken , an ear deafening crashing came from every direction, and a wave of terrible heat took their breath. Light started surrounding them, dividing them from the others and he thought he heard a cruel laughing as they were coughing, almost suffocating in this unbearable warmth.
The trees around them were burning, falling to ashes.
Be aware of fire... Sakura...
The Card mistress stiffened, those words echoing in her head again and again, her eyes as empty as glas, not noticing the burning tree going to fall on her...
„Sakura! Watch out!"
The little wolfwarrior dashed as fast as he could and managed to push the paralyzed girl out of the way. He tried to protect the little emerald eyed girl against the hard landing, and held her tight in his arms, barely able to dodge the danger himself. With a terrible crackling the tree landed next to them, as they both were falling to the ground. He looked at Sakura, whose face was covered by dust and ashes, but her eyes had cleared again, staring at him in amazement.
"... you okay...?" he whispered breathless while standing up.
" I'm alright... But we have to do something....", the Card mistress managed to say under hard coughing, herself again.
" What's with the others...?", she asked, looking around, but they could only see some meters, the fire almost touching their feet. Shaolan froze.
Odd... if everything was really on fire, wouldn't we cough much more?
Suspecting something the descendant of Clow searched with his magic senses and found the cause.
" Sakura, can you feel it?"
" What...?"
" The magic... that is behind all this."
Her eyes were watering because of the smoke, as she concentrated as well as she could.
Shaolan was right, most of the fire was really just an illusion, exactly as the blinding light, and not far away she felt the aura of a ghost, and that meant...
The Card mistress dragged herself out of her concentration.
„Mac, boy, Vincara! They are nearby...", then she shouted as loud as she could, „ Mac! We're here! Answer me!", until three figures appeared out of the light, the little bard holding a great sword in her hand.
" Sakura!", the boy shouted, in front of the others , but then suddenly Mac screamed, looking behind her, into the burning emptiness. The ghost's and the orange-haired girl's shapes seemed to be suffocated in heat and vanished out of sudden; the boy could barely was able to escape the invisible danger, but managed to reach them.
„ What has happened?!", Shaolan yelled, his voice oddly quiet between the crackling of fire.
„ I don't know! We tried to dodge all the burning trees and followed your voices, but then there was suddenly a shape in the fire, and it seemed to be speaking a spell and then they suddenly vanished!", the boy yelled back.
The Card`s mistress closed her eyes for a while to concentrate and gripped her key to speak the incantation of her power as so often.
Key of Clow,
Power of Magic,
Power of Light,
Surrender the Wand,
The Force ignite,
RELEASE! --
And the staff formed in her hand, as the sorceress already gripped a Clow Card.
„Watery! Release and dispell! Put this fire out!", and more powerful than ever before the Clow Card appeared, leaving water everywhere it went through, yet the determined emerald eyed girl didn't watch that amazing sight...
„Dissolve the fake surroundings, Illusion!"
Suddenly the light and the dangerous looking fire vanished, only some burning trees were now standing there and the ashes of bushes and plants. Quickly they watched out for the person who did all this, but there was nothing anymore, no aura, no concentration of magic.
The last traces of magic around them were fading slowly, as they were searching the surroundings for the bard and her ghost.
„Mac! Vincara! Where are you?", they called for the two lost, but there was no answer.
We.. we can`t find them... If I had reacted earlier maybe... maybe we wouldn`t have lost them...
Sakura wanted to break out in tears, until she suddenly noticed, that Shaolan was watching her very concerned. The sorceress remembered her promise to don't cry again, and smiled back at the little wolf, who looked away quickly.
They both didn't observe the mysterious smile featuring the boy's face, as they were dashing further into the direction they had lost track of the two. Slowly thinking that their unknown enemy had done something terrible to their friends, suddenly a muffled calling sounded from above them.
Surprised they looked up to a huge tree and there a transparent figure was watching them, smiling.
" WAAAAH", the powerful mistress screamed, the others cringing at this high pitched-tone.
" COULD YOU AFTERALL STOP THIS!", Vincara tried to overshout the auburn haired sorceress , "Everything is alright! Your anxiety is really getting annoying, especially when you try to deafen a ghost's ears, you know?"
Breathless Sakura stood there, still a little trembling.
„... What's with Mac?", the boy asked after recovering from the the mistress`s sudden scream.
The ghost hovered slowly to them, pointing at the branches high above.
„Before the light had caught us we managed to get there... but Mac fell unconscious... but she's alright, she was only in shock, that's all, but now we have to get our sleeping bard down again... I'm not able to touch any living creature and so, guys, you have to do this..." She looked meaningful at the boy and Shaolan " You're strong guys, aren't you? You should do this easily, won't you?"
The called ones sweatdropped at the ghost woman's sceptic phrases.
After some efforts the 'strong guys' managed to carry the orange haired girl to the ground, who stayed unconscious.
Worried Sakura sat down next to the girl, some cuts were scattered over the bard`s sword-arm and her face was dirty, but she could see some burnings under the ash.
„What cuts are these? And why those burnings?", Sakura asked anxiously the ghost, not any longer caring about her fears.
„... I don't know... She was touched by that light... I couldn't see what happened in that moment... She's still breathing and so on, but I didn't manage to wake her up... maybe I was too late...", the ghost's voice faded, leaving the rest unspoken.
This ghost... really seems to care for this girl..., Shaolan noticed surprised, scrutinizing the darkened look in the ghost's features.
„Well, well..", the boy said with playful voice, to cheer them up , „ We`ll see, if the master of waking little girls up won't have any success!", and kneeled beside the hurt bard.
Rubbing his hands he held Mac's nose and mouth shut and they waited... and waited...
„PUAH", the orange haired girl freed herself of the boy`s grip and panted hard.
„What the hell was that supposed to be?! Do you want to suffocate me?", she yelled at the nervous smiling boy, while her new friends from the other dimension sighed in relieve.
Hesitating Sakura started speaking "... Are you alright? You really worried us... You had fallen unconscious after climbing up the tree, as Vincara told us..."
The little bard looked in a suddenly exhausted, but questioning tone " I can't remember that... The last thing I know is a blinding light... and..." Mac stopped, mind-absently, as she couldn't speak about this.... or was afraid...
" O dear... our sweetheart's not only a careless cute little sweetie... she is getting Amnesia, too...", the ghost hovered above the orange haired bard, bored looking, very similar to Yue in some way...
" What - did - you - say - ?", Mac already clinched her fists, turning to the transparent woman.
Everyone sweatdropped, while Shaolan spoke the words aloud, everyone, except Mac, thought now
" Not again..."
It was evening by now and they had decided to rest in a little grove they had discovered. A little lake near the grove was enlightened by the dim light of the dawn, and the atmosphere was so... peacefully. Exactly what they needed after this long arduous day.
„Do you want to swim a little bit?", the orange haired girl asked cheerfully the others as soon as she had seen the little lake before them.
„Swim...?", Shaolan asked suspicious
„Yes, our clothes are still covered by ashes and, well, we could need a little bath, don't you think so?", Mac answered smiling. The cinnamon haired boy looked at the black dressed guy, who had disappeared before and had suddenly appeared again, clean and in shining new black clothes.
„Well, she's right. I really do feel a little uncomfortable in this dirty clothes...", Sakura agreed.
„And you Shaolan? Do you want to accompany us?", the little innocent bard beamed at him.
The little wolf sweatdropped and sent Sakura a qick glance.
Does she really mean it as she says?
He looked back at a still oblivious smiling Mac.
She DOES!
„Well... I think I won't. I better go prparing a camp and caring for a little fire and so on!", he said quickly, while he was dashing away; the boy followed him at once.
„HEY, you really don't want to accompany Sakura in a little lake?", he shouted after the poor blushing little wolf,... with a really meaningful grin.
Mac watched them go in surprise and turned puzzled to the sweatdropping Card mistress.
„What's wrong with him? I really don't understand why he seems to feel uncomfortable as soon as I ask him something at evening..."
„Don't worry! Let's go!", Sakura tried to change the subject. She, too, seemed to feel veeery uncomfortable at those 'questions at evening'.
Shaolan really couldn't believe it.
Is this bard insane? She should have heard by now that boys and girls... First yesterday she... and now... And this stupid boy! He knows exactly...
„HEY, you really don't want to accompany Sakura in a little lake?", the boy shouted after him, emphasizing 'Sakura' with a strange tone.
How should he know how I feel about...
Furiously blushing he dashed faster, as he suddenly hit something, that felt like a person...
„You... How did you do this!?", Shaolan asked, rubbing his head.
„Well... I can open portals whereever I want..."
( And Shaolan had dashed the path they had used)
The boy grinned " Well... Weren't you going to search for a rest place for Mac... and Sakura?"
Feeling the arising warmth in his face he gave the boy before him a death glare.
„... I wonder if you will ever admit...", the boy asked cheerfully.
„...Admit what...?", Shaolan asked warily, but the boy just smiled.
How much does he know...? All these hints...
All those hints in my dreams... everyone of them were right. But who is this voice? And why does it help me against that person of fire...? Maybe I should tell Shaolan about those dreams...
„... Sakura... what are you thinking about?"
„Hoe?", the water formed rings around her, as she turned to Mac, who looked directly into her eyes now.
The thoughtful mistress looked into the deep sea-blue concerned eyes of the little bard.
„Is something wrong? You can tell me if you want to..."
Sakura smiled " No... It's nothing. I just thought about today... I'm worried about our enemy... He seems to know about us..."
„Don't worry, I'm sure you and Shaolan will do just fine. I saw like you two interact together... You two as a team can do everything."
„Well... He is really a lot of help... I don't know if I could have done this without his presence so far... he gives me courage, and he always knows to say the right thing in the right moment...", smiling Sakura leaned against the shore and looked into the far distance, thinking about her many adventures together with Shaolan.
„You have to be really good friends... I envy you so much, Sakura! If I look at my companies...", they laughed released, not any longer thinking about the events of the afternoon, as suddenly Sakura felt magic surrounding her. She screamed at the touch of a cold presence...
Shaolan looked alarmed into the direction of the scream.
That scream... Sakura
As fast as he could he got up, leaving the rest place and a surprised boy in black, who didn`t manage to stop him.
Sakura... I hope she's alright! , was his only thought as he was dashing through the forest to the lake, not caring about anything but a little auburn haired girl with beautiful emerald eyes. He seemed to need an eternity to reach the lake, but... he was just in time to be part in one of the most messy scenes he had ever been in.
A grinning ghost hovering above two girls, who were only dressed in towels, one of them trying to sooth a panicking Card mistress. The amber eyed boy could only stare unbelievingly.
" Wohoo, guess who's the little voyeur over there."
Oho, the ghost-woman had noticed the poor little wolf, who quickly turned around, where nobody could see his blushing face, that had now overexceeded every known description of red.
"I- I didn't-I mean... I'm sorry !", the reddened boy stammered, covering his eyes with his hands, as suddenly someone else hit him. The result was a crimson boy falling into the lake, while a ghost and a little bard were arguing in the background.
" Oops... sorry.", the boy whispered, and foreseeing the trouble, stepped back, while Sakura shouted „Shaolan!".
Coughing and panting for breath the wet little wolf dived up again to look into beautiful emerald eyes, and blushed.
" Shaolan! Are you okay? Is something wrong? You're so red in your face!", the Card mistress asked concerned, dressed in an only towel.
The boy's head appeared behind a tree " Uhm... Sakura... don't you think the reason for this could be you?", he asked hesitating, and then disappeared again.
" What... HOE!", Sakura pushed the blushing boy aside, and he could enjoy another dive-tour.
Will this ever have an end?, the little wet wolf thought, as the water closed above him.
" Well... I think after all this... we should get to sleep, don't you think so?", Mac asked jovially the group. Meanwhile it was late evening and their clothes had dried again.
Dramatically gesturing the little bard took her feathers out of her little bag and...
" Oohoo..."
" what do you mean with 'Oohoo'?", Shaolan asked irritated.
"... I think in the fight this afternoon I have lost the feather with your sleeping-bag..."
" What!?", he yelled at the little bard, who repeated quietly
" I said..."
" I don't mean that! Where will I sleep now?"
".... With Sakura?", Mac asked helplessly. Not noticing the suggestive meaning she continued " I mean... you don't know me that well and I think you would like more to..."
Does she do this by purpose?! , the outer dimensioners thought.
Well.. if I think about the sleep-arrangements she planned yesterday...., the little wolf blushed, followed by an awed Sakura.
" I-I think I prefer the tree as sleep-place!", Shaolan stammered.
Suddenly a voice from above answered "Hey, that's already my place!"
O this stupid son of a b...
Mac lifted an eyebrow " What's wrong? Always when ask you something at evening in the evening you two seem to blush a lot more than normally... "
Sakura tried to dodge this... embarassing... subject
„Well... let's just say that between us is some kind of agreement that we don't do such things, okay?"
Mac was still staring warily at them both, then sighed " I think you will not have the mercy to explain me this, will you?"
Sakura and Shaolan shook their heads wildly.
„Well... I think then I will stay clueless, but if you really think so... Then, because it was my fault, I think Shaolan, you should..."
Before she could say any more embarrassing things Sakura interfered " Mac, we both can share a sleeping-bag, can't we? Shaolan can have mine, I think that would be the best!"
Surprised Mac stared at her, but nodded.
Saved..., the little wolf thought released.
Mac took two feathers out of her bag and out of them appeared two large sleeping-bags, and gave Shaolan one of them.
Looking a last time at the both of them she said in a bard's tone: " I wish our heroine and hero a good night and sweet dreams", she smiled and bowed to both of them, and smoothed out the sleeping-bag on the ground.
The orange haired girl yawned a last time before laying down and stretched her arms out, the cuts of the fight clearly visible in the warm fire.
I wonder what happened to Mac, as she had touched the light..., Sakura wondered, concerned about the little bard and looked at Shaolan, who had already wragged himself into the bag.
Sighing the mistress of the Clow Cards turned around and lied down two.
Mac, already half asleep, whispered " Sweet dreams... friend..."
Sakura smiled at the last word, but she didn't think she would sleep very well... , not after experiencing the last dreams....
The Card`s mistress stood in a large hall, which was enlightened by thousands of torches. She was scrutinizing her surroundings very carefully, but the room was empty, besides a winged figure, bathed in crackling flames.
Where am I...?
The figure was kneeling there in front of a girl, who...
„That`s enough!",
Sakura turned around in surprise, while the scene changed into a white mist; The mistress was lifted from the ground by a tight grip and two firey golden eyes, bristling with anger, drilled into hers and flowing blonde hair was surrounding her. But strangely she wasn`t able to see the stranger`s face clearly.
I have a feeling... as if I know that person...
„You`re cheating, little mistress! Using your powers for foreseeing is not a fair kind of fighting!", the female voice noted purring, as Sakura was struggling for breath, „ I think this will demand a little punishment..."
The figure stretched out her hand to touch the mistress`s arm lightly, but Sakura wasn`t able to do anything.The emerald eyed girl bended her body in the sudden agony, burning as the hell itself, while the pain went through her body.
„... Now..Let`s see, what you can do without using your little toy..."
The blurry figure was still speaking, as she already gripped the Card`s mistress`s key. Feeling the heat in this grip, she tried to release herself, but her opponent was too strong.
Already thinking she would suffocate, the stranger hurled Sakura to the ground.
Hard panting and coughing the little sorceress was kneeling there, gripping her key, which suddenly felt so different, so... cold and lifeless...
Her enemy bended to the mistress, scoffing with dangerously gentle voice „... Now... we`ll see what whether you and your little foolish friends can handle my surprise-present... little mistress..."
„ What... what are you planning... and why...?", Sakura whispered in terror.
„... Patience, little girl... you will find out soon enough...", she was answering, slowly fading, leaving only a cruel giggling behind her. Painfully her last words were echoing in her head, as she collapsed, near unconsciousness.
„ Stop this!", she screamed in agony...
... and woke up in the darkness, sweat was dropping from her face and panting. Quickly she looked around; everything was still, the fire had gone out, and she could only hear Mac`s even breathing, and Shaolan was still asleep, too. She looked at the sky, which was covered by leafs and branches, an odd pattern forming, the sun had not arised yet. The little Card`s mistress shighed relieved. Everthing was alright... yet...
„ You`re already awake, Sakura?", a dark shadow appeared in front of her, she just managed to suffocate a scream.
„... Vincara..."
„ Wow... that`s an advancement... No screaming of you as soon as I had appeared...", the ghost remarked smiling.... a friendly smile, as she noticed surprised. It changed the ghost`s features completely, thy were not any longer mean and mockily. The auburn haired girl even felt some kind of... sympathy.
A voice sounded from above „ Hey guys, be quiet. Maybe here are some people who want to sleep."
Slowly shaking her head the ghost turned to Sakura again.
„ Wohoo... seems we waked up our little princess from his beauty-sleep..."
The Card`s mistress strated giggling, while the boy was scowling at them.
„ For this you will have to pay...", he grinded insulted with his teeth and jumped down, while the ghost was grinning.
„ Anytime, honey."
Ignoring the ghost`s last remark he sat down in a far corner of the grove, silent.
„ Well... you don`t seem to be that afraid any longer of me...", Vincara noted, turning back again, a gentle smile in her features again.
„ ... We are members of the same group... One day I have to get used to you.", Sakura responded and smiled weakly back.
„ ...Did you have a nightmare?", Vincara was slowly asking, as the mistress stayed silent.
„... Yeah... I have a feeling as if every moment something`s going to happen..."
Suddenly they heard a crunching, as if had stepped on a little branch, the ghost looked alarmed up, scrutinizing their surroundings carefully.
„ Maybe your feeling is right...", the boy whispered disastrously
„Wake the others up, but don`t make too much noise; I`ll go looking for the cause of the crunching.", the ghost-woman ordered them both.
„ But it could be dangerous for you alone!", Sakura interfered, but the ghost just smiled.
„ I am already dead...", the ghost said and vanished into the shadows.
Quickly she shook the orange haired girl gently to wake her up, while the boy was taking care of Shaolan.
„What...?", the bard asked sleepily, but Sakura hushed her with a gesture.
„ Be quiet... There is something nearby..."
Before Mac could respond something, the Card`s mistress already sneaked to the boy and the now serious-looking Shaolan, gesturing Mac to follow.
But they didn`t come that far.
Vincara appeared above them upset and shouted „ RUN!", as suddenly a shadowy thing behind her entered the grove. Quickly reacting the mistress released her key, while they were dashing through the woods, trying to escape the mysterious creature.
Key of Clow,
Power of Magic,
Power of Light,
Surrender the Wand,
The Force ignite,
RELEASE! --
Nothing happened.
What?!
The others were staring at her in amazement, panting hard in the run, as she repeated the incantation.
Still no reaction of the key.
„Sakura! What`s wrong?, Shaolan asked her upset.
„I... I... I can`t use the key!", she answered unbelievingly, glaring at her pendant. It felt so... cold.
Wait... the dream, Sakura remembered again, this woman... she had gripped my key and... What has she done?! Are my powers sealed?!
„ Watch out, guys!", Vincara`s voice dragged the mind-absent emerald eyed girl out of her thoughts and pointed behind them.
The dark creature, so fast that it blurred in its speed, had almost reached them.
Determined Mac turned around, her sword drawn.
„I will distract that thing!", she shouted and dashed to the creature.
Frightened at the bard`s action the ghost yelled „ Mac, are you crazy?! Mac, stop!!!"
But the bard was already gone, determined to stop the creature by her own; the ghost closed its eyes, fists clinched and barely hearable the ghost- woman spoke under her breath „ This stupid girl..."
Opening its eyes again, the ghost turned to them.
„ Just go straight ahead until you have reached a river! You have to follow its line and you will reach the palace-city. We will meet there again!", she ordered and was going to dash along the path, Mac had used, as suddenly Mac was thrown to their feet, the creature broke through the trees and stopped in front of them, standing above the little bard, who was bleeding and seemed to be half unconscious.
„Mac!", Sakura shouted worried while trying to get to Mac, but Shaolan held her back and pushed her to the boy.
„ Take care of her!", he ordered and drew his sword, ready for battle.
The boy nodded silently, as Shaolan rushed to Mac`s rescue.
„ Wait!!!", the powerless mistress shouted, while the boy pulled her away from the fight.
I... I have to do something... anything!
But she couldn`t... what use could she be without being able to use her key...?, and still...
She even saw Shaolan disappearing out of her sight, felling helpless as never before, as the boy lifted the struggling auburn haired girl, dashing away with her.
„ Shaolan!"
To be continued...
Interclude:Dominatrix appears
Myrwin: BWAHAHAHAHA I always wanted to get revenge for all the cliffhangers I suffered... BWAHAHAHA
Choking in her laughter, coughing follows
Dominatrix: ...
Shaolan: Who the hell is that?!
1.2 Myrwin is still coughing
The boy: That`s my creator, Dominatrix!
1.3 Background: Myrwin is still coughing
Shaolan (thinking): so that`s the one I have to thank for a teasing annoying boy
1.4 Dominatrix is drawing a pistol, holds it directly in front of Shaolan`s nose, while Myrwin is still coughing
Dominatrix: Don`t forget that I, too, have a little experience in hearing your thoughts in this fic...
....
Author's comments:
Myrwin, recovered from her coughing: Well... Now it`s getting exciting. Now the adventure is really beginning....
Sakura: Who is that gentle voice in my dreams and how will I get my powers back?
Shaolan: What creature do we fight against?
Mac: Will I die?
Everyone sweatdrops.
Vincara: Why am I suddenly so nice to Sakura?
The boy: What am I going to do with Sakura ?
Shaolan: With her?
The boy sweatdrops: Uhm... nothing...
Dominatrix: WHAT THE HELL DOES THE ENEMY WANT? THIS AND MORE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!