Chapter 10-Syaoran
Sakura is a good writer. A very good writer.
We were in a dark hall, my father and I. A dark hall, like that of a castle. The acoustics went overboard here, one can hear a pin drop around ten times or so when dropped once. The walls and ceiling were made of stone bricks, gray and eroded. There were steps leading farther down and others leading farther up. We did not know which way to go at first, we didn't know where we are, but Father felt the walls and guessed that we were somehow underground. There was a silence and a few whispers in between.
I was seriously scared, that I would admit freely. I felt for my father's hand. He looked down and gave me a smile, the kind he saves for me alone. It was a reassuring smile, accompanied by a squeeze of my hand. I managed a smile back, but I was so scared, so scared. Finally, I gave in and clung on my father's leg.
July 9th, in four days I will be twelve. And I was still acting like this.
I could tell that Father was tired. Very tired. But he managed to stay strong
that time. I slid off him guiltily, remembering how he had fainted before because of
me.
" Gomen nasai..."
" For what?" Father asked, confused.
I didn't answer.
Father had always been there for me. Somehow I had the one I wanted, without knowing it. A father that cares, a father that loves, a father that is brave and has confidence in me. Even if he was torn after Sakura's accident, I still love him as well. He made my draughts very well, if they are bitter, and always had a chocolate ready, as promised. There were times when I would feel queasy and weak, times when I felt nauseous and in pain. There is no use hiding that from him; he knows in an instant. And the best part is he always supports or comforts me in a less obvious way, at least in public. At home, well, that's a different story, but the truth is I like being pampered, being the youngest. Just not in front of everyone.
Father was everything I had ever wanted.
And yet I lost so much. It is strange and seems quite unfair, to me at least, that I should trade my whole family just to have one person. But I had realized another thing. No would could be like my father. Not even my mother. She and I were never that close, neither of us understands the other. My sisters? They do cheer me, do annoy me, as siblings do sometimes, but they were awfully exhausting. The rest of my family, they don't understand me, don't know me. Not even Meiling.
And I got more than my father. I got true friends. True friends. You see, everyone has a family, good or bad. But true friends, friends you can trust your life with, well, that's different. Because in this world not everybody cares about you. They each put themselves on the top priority. And you have to be careful about what you say because...they can always turn on you, one way or another. They won't understand you. They certainly won't waste their time helping you if it involves their whole lifetime, like my case.
And I still got a family. A large, mass of unknown members, but a family all the same. And I got my father.
He was always there. At night, when dead ones attack, dead ones I have never seen before, I open my eyes and he was there, in his true form, shaking me awake, sometimes with a stone in his hand, sometimes not, sometimes reaching for it. I'm safe now, he'd tell me. Nothing has happened. But he knew as well as I that those dreams are as real as the term reality. They were very real. They have happened. Sometimes if they were very bad Father would stay by my side the rest of the night. Sometimes holding me if worse. His heart always had a nice rhythm, that of a lullaby. At daytime he, as Yukito, would tease me a little. Brighten the day. Sometimes attacking with tickles. Those were the worst. Because then Xuyan joined in.
I didn't know such things had worn him out until that incident in the cave. I never thought about it. I should have, I guess. I should have, but what could I honestly do? I could hide nothing from him. One discomfort and he knows. It's like he was reading my mind.
" It's alright, Syaoran." Yue pried me off his leg and bent down to hug me. " I'm
here. I don't think we're in any sort of danger..."
" What's that?" I cried, and instantly regretted it. My voice echoed so many times
someone was bound to hear it. But I called because a heavy wave of magic lashed
out towards us and then faded. This type of magic was different. It felt different.
More different then anything I felt before.
" By the lord," Yue whispered. " I thought they were extinct."
" Who? What?" I asked, looking around frantically.
" Syaoran," Yue pulled me close. " I need you to stay quiet. No sound. And stick to
me always."
I nodded. He smiled. Then he stood up, picking a direction, holding my hand
we walked up the steps and into the hall. Our footsteps sounded loud, until both of
us muffled it. There is a type of walking that makes no sound.
Father suddenly gave a cry, and I felt his body jerk backwards.
" Easy now!" I heard a voice, powerful and mighty. " Do you always have to use
force?"
" I'm sorry." It's in Mandarin, I realized. " I was hoping to stop him."
" Truly, you must control your staff." There was a feminine voice. " For it has been
a time since you've used it."
" Who-who's there?" I asked, in Mandarin, not my best language, but I still know it.
I must have spoken with quite an uncomfortable accent.
" Ah..." There was the feminine voice. " The child sounds quite young, does he
not?"
" What do you want?" Father's voice called. I turned around and around, but there
was suddenly a black sort of smoky aura, covering my vision. I could not see him or
the voices that spoke.
" Relax, relax, dear boy." Said the powerful voice, this time gentle and tender." Do
not fret, no harm shall come to you. We wish only to help if we may."
" Where are you Syaoran?" Father's voice asked after some hesitation. " Where is
he?"
" Right here, a little lost, I'll bet." A hand rested on my shoulder and I gasped.
Behind me was a tall woman, wearing a dark purple robe, a broomstick in hand?
" There he is." Said the second male voice. " Come little one. You've been through
quite a lot lately-"
" Where are you taking him?" Father's voice suddenly rang out.
" Oh...a very protective parent." There was a silence. Then the form of the voice
appeared. He was...a wizard.
" No way..." I whispered. Wizards and witches were thought to be extinct. Mostly
because it was thought the last one was killed by a magician. Like sorcerors, wizards
can be good or evil. The difference between the two are that wizards are completely
dependent on their staffs, while for sorcerors staffs are merely meant to store a little
power if the body has too much, or to symbolize one's status. Witches specialize in
potions. They also carry staffs, and are completely dependent on them. Wizards and
witches, also, are immortals.
The wizard turned to me and smiled. Then he looked troubled.
" Well, such things could be made good, however..." He looked uncomfortable this
time. " I doubt that it would work this time...you two would have to be separated
for the good of both of you."
" How do I know if I could trust you?" Father asked. He looked a little panic
strickened. I guess I must have looked the same.
" Like father like son." The wizard had said, confusing both of us. " I don't suppose
you have much choice-the entire area belongs to us, and you can easily get lost and
never come out again. In addition I believe the child is in need of some...energy." He
eyed me queerly. " And as you probably noticed there is not much light down here
so nothing can grow. The boy is still half mortal. Like your false form, my dear boy.
And for the time being you're trapped here; the gates to the outdoors is a little
stuck. I have no idea how you got in here, but since you did we wish to be of some
use. The half mortal, as you know, is quite famous to all those who practice magic.
And we do not wish to anger the dead. Even if a few of them are absurd enough to
abuse him."
" Jealous, I'll reckon." Said the witch behind me. " Come along, little one, let's get
you something to eat. Richard? You might want to cast a spell over the Moon
Angel. He looks weary."
Father opened his mouth to protest. Richard clamped his hand over his
mouth, and circled the top of the staff over my father's head. He instantly relaxed.
" Now, child, come along, you're safe, no harm shall come to you." The witch led
me to a lighted room.
She was a tall, beautiful woman with an air of mystery about her. A long face
with full cheeks, with eyes far apart and are filled with different colors, green, blue,
and gray. Long lashes vieled her large eyes and her brows were finely traced. Her
hair was honey brown, soft and slightly curly, and a long, thin neck, with slim
shoulders. Her nose was high and narrow, and her lips were thin and only slightly
colored. Right now she had a nice look in her eyes, one that was friendly and kind,
understanding and gentle.
" Wa," I immediately turned my attention to the food.
" Cool! That is the half mortal?" Asked one of the children. " He is!"
" Children, do calm down." Said the tall witch, squeezing my hand reassuringly.
" But Sarah, we've never-"
" He's tired. He's been through quite a lot. I don't doubt he's hungry?" Sarah
replied.
The children sighed and one of them dragged me over to a seat.
" This is much better than any food you'll ever eat up there." he said.
" Yeah!" Cried a girl. " Try this."
I had absolutely no idea what the food was called.
" Like it?"
" Ah...yeah," I said in Mandarin, " I guess. What is this?"
" If we told you, you wouldn't like it. It's one of those foods." She answered.
I cocked an eyebrow and then bit in. It was a weird taste of sour and sweet,
with something else I couldn't quite describe.
" Oh." I said.
" Don't worry. It's healthy." Said the girl. " My name is Toshira. Mimi Toshira."
" And I'm George Smeals." Said the boy next to me.
" Oh, nice to meet you-"
" We know who you are. You're Li Jingxi." Said another boy.
Mimi Toshira was a sweet looking girl, with a wide face and full cheeks. Deep green eyes, not like Sakura's, but more like those of a cat's, ones that have a yellowish tint to them. She had brown hair, a little puffy, but brown. George was more of the average kind, about my height but naturally a lot more fleshy. He had black hair and hazel eyes, with a large nose, thin lips that seem to quiver whenever he talked. There was something about him that was shy, another very excited. He had a British accent; not the best for Mandarin.
The hall was very bright. There was a great deal of talking, mostly about me or directed at me. I didn't really like being the center of attention in a group of strangers.
I learned a lot about what was going on. These...wizards, never exactly died out. They came underground. Or into another dimension. But this dimension was underground, or rather, equivalent to it. And they have never seen the sun or moon. Mimi is thirteen years old. George was also thirteen. Some were nine, some ten. There was a wide range of nine to fifteen in this particular dining room.
I made a great deal of friends. And the next day, I think, next day, which was yesterday, George showed me how to use the staff.
" Just hold your hand out with the staff and say the spell." He told me.
To which I made quite a few accidents.
But in all seriousness the wizards were kind. The first voice that had spoken was the oldest wizard of them all, he had a hooked nose and a long long beard. When Father woke up they released us into the outside world, and when I thanked them, they said I was welcome anytime.
Why they brought us to that realm I didn't find out until today. They studied
my magical skills and George came in the morning to tell me the old wizard thought
I was not only half mortal, but half wizard. It was very confusing news, indeed, but I
accepted it after some hesitation.
" The witches are going to try to make a potion, and then they'll ask the Card Mistress for her cards. Soon you'll be cured!" He was slapping me on the back. I only smiled. That was hopeful news, but I was no longer expecting too much. And neither was Daddy, because we all knew that disappointments may be too much to bear.