Oiiiiiiiiii.. brain…. Hurting…. The ouchies of it all! …. Warning: there's er… -blood spillage- in this chapter… Ok anywho, would've actually posted this a day or two ago, but am kinda sorta… banned from my compi so the time I get to work on this is limited. Buuuuuuut I updated a lot faster than last time huh? ^-^;;;;
Syaoran: Think that'll matter?
RKH: O.o oiiiiiiiii…. Syaoran-kun?... now I know I'm delusional. Am gonna go take some asprin. Hope ya like this chapter and don't forget to review!! But…erm…. Please don't flame for some of the things I have happen… ehehe. ^-^ Thankies!!
Demon's Wings
Crawling Through Briars
Eriol stared out the window, the book held limply in his hands. Five days….. Five days had passed since last they had seen Syaoran. Everyone had sense enough not to prod Sakura about what happened. Her nerves were thoroughly rattled.
Almost a week and not a word from Ame or Syaoran.
Eriol stood up, deciding he needed some fresh air. Leaving the house with a near silent good-bye to Nakuru and Spinel, he thought about the phone conversation he had earlier with Tomoyo.
Kenneth had come by her house the other day. He told her that a strange woman had been trying to look into her home… he followed and the woman looked into Syaoran's old apartment, then Yukito's, Eroil's own, and then Kaho's. The lady had long black hair and carried a dagger. The dagger was what had made Kenneth so suspicious.
Eriol frowned, kicking a pebble along the path. It sounded like her but she hadn't attacked anyone…Then again, she is only after Syaoran. But what if she was just buying her time? What if-?
He was jerked out of his thoughts as someone ran into him from behind.
"Eriol! Oh Eriol, thank God I found you!" The girl fell to her knees, head bent as she desperately tried to catch her breath. Eriol frowned, backing up a bit as he noticed the dagger only half hidden in her jacket. She wavered and slumped forward. Eriol quickly dropped to catch her before her head smashed into the pavement. He turned her over to look at the thin, faint, black haired girl in the face.
"What? … M-Meiling-san?"
She looked up, grinning and gasping, "Of course…" She frowned and reached up slowly, touching his cheek, as if unsure he was real, then embraced him faintly. "Good… not another hallucination…"
He started a moment, then simply hugged her back. "Alright, Meiling-san. Lets get you out of here shall we?"
She nodded, then tried pushing herself up, to her feet, failing miserably and lapsing into a dead faint. Hiiragizawa sighed a little, frowning. Then scooped her up onto his back, walking her back home. …Well…. Now –this- was unexpected to him. Why wasn't Meiling still in China?
**********
Meiling wolfed down the food placed before as if she hadn't eaten in weeks as soon as she awoke from her short nap. Dirt and grime was streaked across her skin. Her clothes also looked very worn and ratty, making them wonder about how she had gotten here. Eriol watched her curiously. Sakura and Tomoyo had just arrived. He had called them right after he carried the weak girl home.
Nakuru stared a moment at the hungry Meiling, then laughed, "I'll go get some more food."
Meiling looked up, some noodles half hanging out of her mouth before she slurped them up, speaking with her mouth full, "Yesh pleashe."
As Nakuru left, Sakura sat on the couch beside her ravenous friend, "Meiling, what are you doing in Japan. You could've called or something, we would've picked you up from the airport."
Meiling turned pale, "No… I couldn't contact you in any way."
Tomoyo placed a hand on her shoulder, "Meiling-chan, can you tell us what happened?"
The girl paused and then nodded, straightening up, trying to be her usual, proud, self, "Four days ago… that demon woman showed up at my house. Saying the Keeper had been sent loose and she wanted us to tell her where he was, because he wasn't in Japan anymore. We had no idea what she was talking about, and we told her that…" Tomoyo noticed the suddenly dead look that filled Meiling's eyes and slipped her arms around her shoulders in a comforting hug. "She… she went berserk… killed my mother and my father's missing. I barely managed to escape… I wandered for a while… then managed to sneak on a boat that was shipping plants to Japan. Some of those plants had thorns, which is why my clothes are like this… anyway… I managed to find my way here. I had figured she was talking about Syaoran, I've been trying to find him." She looked like she wanted to cry, but couldn't, leaning a little onto Tomoyo instead.
Eriol reached onto the little table before him and picked up her dagger, "And this?"
Meiling frowned, meeting his gaze, "Grabbed it off the floor after she threw it."
His blue eyes widened slightly from behind his glasses, "Spinel, take this to my study please." He carefully handed it to the guardian, who had been watching silently, and he quickly flew it away.
"So… so where is Syaoran?" Meiling looked at them all curiously. It took Sakura a moment, then slowly, the story came out. The Card Mistress felt bad for not speaking of it all sooner, and from the moment she mentioned "The Keeper" a distant look came across Eriol's face, a sign that he was sinking into his thoughts.
Meiling frowned, rubbing her eyes, but she didn't look horribly disappointed, "Well, I'll just have to wait…"
Eriol turned his gaze to Nakuru as she put a plate of sweets on the table, then muttered to Meiling vaguely, "If you wish, you can take a shower and rest here."
She stood up slowly, popping a cookie into her mouth and smiling faintly at him. Tomoyo stared… Meiling… was blushing? Before she could comment, Nakuru was already guiding Meiling upstairs.
Sakura and Tomoyo exchanged looks. They had both seen her blush, and then glanced at Eriol, who was looking strangely detached, "What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked softly. A moment passed and he did not seem to hear her.
"Eriol-kun?" Tomoyo stared.
He snapped out of whatever trance he had been in and sighed, "Pardon. But… I know what Ame meant by 'The Keeper' and was thinking of its significance… Seems as if my cute little descendent has a still rougher road ahead of him." Catching the worried expression in Sakura's eyes, he smiled faintly, "The Keeper was a termed used for the one who was granted temporary control of the Orb of Peace, without restrictions, to wield against those who were considered a danger to the world. The ability has been dormant within a person chosen by fate, incase the Orb ever needed to be used."
"What do you mean 'without restrictions'?" Tomoyo brushed her hair out of her eyes, for once in her life, oblivious to the softened expression on his face.
"I believe it's related to a reason that Kaji wants Syaoran dead. She somehow knew he was The Keeper. If The Keeper is dead, she would be able to use the orb with greater ease. You see, it would already take a lot of power to put the orb together, you felt the magic released even as Ame showed us her piece. The mere fact that The Keeper is alive makes the orb even more difficult to piece together because the Keeper's life force is linked to it. It would weaken Kaji greatly to try and put it all together, and even if she succeeds in doing so, it takes a greater amount of strength to keep the orb from breaking apart again from the sheer power it would let loose. Though there is more about the Keeper and his or her abilities that are omitted from all records, leaving that role still shrouded in mystery."
"Someone did their research." Sakura chuckled.
Eriol shrugged, trying, and failing, to look modest, "Your brother helped as well. I also spoke to Ame a little, and between us, we managed to piece some of this puzzle together. But now that I see that Syaoran's The Keeper… it makes some more sense."
**********
Meiling linked her hands behind her back as she walked along the path, sighing as her eyes hazily fixed themselves on the back of Eriol's head. Sakura, Eriol, and Tomoyo walked slightly ahead of her. All their thoughts were similar, and all focused on Syaoran and where he must be, or why he wasn't back yet. It had been nearly a week and those 'few days' had passed.
They decided that none of them could stand being cooped up indoors anymore and went out.
Sakura looked up towards the hazy clouds, breaking the silence with the question that was on their minds, "I wonder where Syaoran and Ame are?"
"Who knows?" Meiling mumbled, closing her eyes to feel the sun's warmth on her face.
"No one apparently." Eriol mumbled with the same tone.
Tomoyo opened her mouth to speak, when she noticed a faint shadow move from the corner of her eyes. Turning towards the tree-line, she saw nothing. Frowning just a bit, she tugged on the end of Eriol's sleeve, leaning in to whisper into his ear.
Meiling turned around, noticing this, "What?"
Eriol's gaze darkened as he placed a finger over his lips to silence her. Sakura fingered the Key around her neck.
The two magic-users felt it at the same time, but they all smelled it. Smoke… fire… blood…
"Duck!" Eriol pushed Tomoyo to the ground as a wave of fiery daggers flew over their heads. Sakura dropped to the floor, summoning her staff as she did. But the daggers did not home in on them. The small, burning blades turned sharply. Meiling quickly moved aside, but not quickly enough as her scream let them all know. Two of the eight daggers had embedded themselves into her flesh, one into her arm and the other into her side. The searing pain ripped through her body as she yanked the weapons out.
"This is the final time I shall ask." A familiar, icy voice growled, "Where… is… Syaoran Li?!"
"We don't know!" Sakura screamed, summoning the Shield card. A ruby dome wrapped around the four, staring up at the demon woman in horror.
"Meiling," Tomoyo rushed over to the fallen girl, "Meiling?!"
"I'm… ergh… fine…" Meiling pushed herself to her feet, clutching her bloody wounds. She stumbled and began to topple over, only to be quickly caught by Eriol.
The boy scowled. Never in his life, present or past, had he ever felt this helpless. And he certainly didn't like it.
Kaji dropped to the ground, pressing her wings close to her body. "I can wait… And if none of you tell me where he is. I will just have to kill you all."
Sakura trembled a little. They couldn't stay here forever and the shield card was slowly draining her. They all knew that…
Minutes… hours flew by. Sakura was trembling with effort to keep the card going. Eriol was giving her some of his own magic energy, and, as vast as it was, it was tiring them both. Kaji at time would randomly murmur a spell, suddenly sucking even more magic from the card. It was sudden jolts on her power like that, that gave Sakura the feeling Kaji was enjoying their fear.
Eriol kept his arms around Meiling, who was still losing blood, though slowly. Seeing Sakura so pale, she pushed herself away from Hiiragizawa. Picking up one of Kaji's fallen daggers and tucking it away in her jacket too quickly for any of them to notice. "Hey! If I told you where Syaoran-kun was… would you let –them- all go?!"
"Meiling?!" Sakura and Tomoyo shouted simultaneously.
She shot them a glare that shocked them all even more, "Well, demon? Will you promise?"
Kaji stared at Meiling with a completely blank expression. "Alright, I promise. They are of no concern to me anyhow…"
Sakura frowned and whispered, "But… Meiling-"
"Mind lowering the shield card a second? The lady and I need to talk." She simply grumbled.
Sakura frowned and glanced at Eriol. He nodded slightly and Sakura did as she was asked. Meiling stepped away, murmuring softly as she did, "Be ready to run." She then quickly jogged closer to the demon, leaving the card mistress somewhat baffled as she raised the shield card again.
Kaji grinned, moving over to the girl "Now, my dear, why is it you wish to tell me where he is –now- and not as your mother burned?"
Meiling's fists tightened. "B-Because –now- I know where he is. I didn't then."
"Ah… well then… enlighten me."
The girl motioned the demon to get closer, as so to whisper, and she did so. With a flick of her wrist, Meiling whipped the dagger out from beneath the folds of her jacket and gouging the demon at the base of her neck with a sharp twist. Kaji reeled back, unable to scream as dark blood streamed down her neck. Meiling stumbled around and began to run. Sakura, Eriol and Tomoyo were less than seconds behind her.
A blood curdling screeching grew louder behind them and a dismal shadow blocked the sun light. Sakura came to a screeching halt, readying Watery and Windy. Her emerald eyes widened in horror, since before even her cry left her lips, the demoness swept down with her great wings and clutched Meiling, lifting her up by the hair. "Meiling!"
"I'm not so easily killed, fool!" Kaji spat, yanking Meiling up to eye-level with her. The blood on her neck was dry, and the wound was very slowly, but noticeably, healing. Meiling twisted and shouted, holding her hair to keep from ripping her scalp off. All the while, desperately trying to kick away the demon. "However, little girls like you are very easy to kill." She droned, pulling out a dagger.
Tomoyo screamed and covered her mouth, unable to look as Kaji slowly drew the blade across Meiling's neck. Another screech filled their ears… Kaji's glass-shattering shriek.
"Hiiragizawa!!"
Eriol's eyes grew wide. "Li?" He looked up in time to catch Meiling. He jumped slightly in shock. Her eyes were glazed over and deep scarlet blood ringed around her neck and down her shirt. "Meiling?!" He laid her down quickly, but she was too far gone. There was nothing he could do except watch in horror as she trembled, eyes wide and glazed over. Shaking terribly, she pointed up.
"S-Syaoran…" She coughed, blood streaming from the corners of her mouth.
Eriol looked up. Hovering over them towered a black clad figure, with terrifying, black dragon wings. The only specks of color other than his bared arms were two circlets of gold, one wrapped about his head. The other, about his arm, which held a dark, fiery sword. Rammed clear through Kaji's stomach.
Sakura nearly dropped her cards. That stranger… he didn't seem like the Syaoran she knew.
Gripping the handle, he whipped about his blade, sending Kaji's body hurling across the air. A blue black of light streaked across the horizon and one last scream ripped through Kaji before she was sent flying out of view.
Ame touched down beside Sakura. "I'm sorry… forgive me. We should've flown faster…" Her eyes lowered in sorrow as she saw Meiling, slowly dying in Eriol's grasp. Sakura and Tomoyo stumbled over. Held back a moment as Syaoran… this new Syaoran, landed next to Eriol.
"Meiling… forgive me… please…" He choked, kneeling down. "I'm so sorry… so sorry."
"For…. Forgiven…" She spluttered, her voice horribly slurred as blood flowed faster out her mouth, "Now juuugh…" She choked, "Just d-don't flllly inta agny trees."
He frowned, then forced a smile, "Of course not…" He stood slowly, "I love you like a sister… you know that right?"
A weak smile formed on her lips and Sakura and Tomoyo rushed forward, in tears, "Oh my god, Meiling!"
"Stop yer cryghhh… cryin'. I love yga all…" Eriol shivered slightly. Meiling… always so strong in moments of crisis.
Syaoran pulled them back. "Good-bye then…" Meiling gave them another forced grin, then stared right into Eriol's eyes, unaware that Syaoran had his hand raised over her head. Her voice was soft… soft enough for only him to hear.
"Eriol-kun… I… I… I love you…"
A bright flash of green-light blinded the already shocked Eriol and once his vision cleared, he realized Meiling was already dead in his arms. Looking peaceful… asleep…
A swirl of wind and orange lights flew up from her corpse. A deep gold color rising from her slightly parted lips, slowly forming into a knot of gold. Thorn-covered vines were wrapped around the knot, vanishing along with the light and wind.
Syaoran slowly reached out and took the piece, murmuring softly, "I'm sure she –did- crawl through briars… in her heart and mind…" His eyes lowered on Eriol a moment, who's mouth was still slightly parted in the shock of it all. He sighed and clenched the piece in his fist, "Rest in peace, Meiling… my sister…"
Don't kill me for making Meiling say that!!! O.o I just had the urge to stick in a twist!! Cauz hey, if she's over Syaoran then Eriol's the next bachelor in line right? .;;; Not to mention it's a lead into the next chapter… And don't hate me for killing her either!! I wuv her too…… don't hurt me…
Syaoran: Hunt her down!
RKH: O.O Nuuuuuuu!!
Meiling: Nu? … You don't say 'no'?... Anyway, at least I got a decent scene… I feel important. ^-^
RKH: Aye, that ya are. Wait… Dang I really must be sick to be talking to Anime chars… I'm gonna go sleep now… oh! And the next chapter will be called Heart of Roses Review please! *exits*
Kero: Ok everyone, Kitchen Raid!!!
Cast: YAY! ^_______________^