PROLOGUE
It begins with a prophecy.
Country: Peacifial
Juuile Village 179 B.V. (Before the Victory)
Hearts pounding loudly, an auburn-haired young woman and her two young children huddled in the tall bushes hoping that the soldiers won't notice them. "Ma-ma, ma-ma why are they here? Who are they?" one of her children, a boy, asked. "It's the Xerogen. After all these years, they have come for us. They are evil." Their mother tried to be quiet. "I'm scared. Make them go away, ma-ma," whimpered her daughter. "Hush, Musai," her mother comforted.
"Hey! Who's there?" A soldier looked their way.
The mother gripped her children, fear in her bright blue-green eyes.
"I thought I heard something." The lead soldier looked suspiciously into the bushes. He motioned the others not to follow him. He will go see for himself. Slowly, the soldier walked to the bushes. He pulled out his sword and aim into the bushes. He thrashed his weapon wildly. Striking at nothing, he walked back to the Xerogen.
"I swear I heard something move in the bushes," he mumbled. "Must an animal. There's no one here. Let's go!" Muttering under their breaths, the Xerogen moved along, never noticing a mother and her children breathed out sighs of relieve.
* * *
"Clow Reed!"
Clow Reed turned around to see a woman with her two children ran up to him. "Akaai! What's wrong, my daughter?"
"They are here! We were hiding in the bushes and one of them came close to discovering us, but thankfully, I was able to conjure up a spell in time."
The people in the small village stopped what they were doing to stare at her in shock.
"So they are finally here, after all these years," Clow murmured.
"What should we do, Clow? There is not much time left. Them Xerogen will be here shortly."
The children trembled at the dreadful name.
"I should've known they would come. They won't give up so easily at capturing the Book. Quick, call for Tahuro and instruct him to round up half of the people to stay at the Sazet Tunnel. As for the other half, they will stay in the cave we created."
"Yes, Clow." Akaai hurried off to find Tahuro.
Clow sighed and raise his blue-green eyes at the sky. I knew this day would come sooner or later.
* * *
"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You stupid fools! Trying to escape, are ya? Well, it is entertaining to catch you. Let's have a little fun here. So I am giving you exactly five seconds to run. One-two-three-four-five! Here I come, fools!" the overweight soldier laughed cruelly, his pot-belly jiggling with every move.
The people looked at each other in horror and without another word, are running as fast as their legs could go. But they can't escape their predators and are killed with swords slashed onto their backs.
"You think you can escape? Well, you escaped life with my sword! Get it?! Escaping life?! What a joke! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" he laughed, watching blood forming a big puddle on the already bloody ground. Soldiers everywhere are laughing loudly with their triumph. People run, but some tripped and the Xerogen closed the distance between them. Screams and shouts for help are quickly dying as the Xerogen overcome them with their simple magic and swords. From somewhere, a girl cried for help as some soldiers advance on her.
"Look what we have here? Such a pretty girl you are and such a shame you have to die!" the bristled-hair Xerogen grinned as he raise his bloody sword over his head.
Suddenly, a woman clutched the Xerogen's leg and begged as tears streamed endlessly down her wrinkled face.
"No! Please, let my daughter go. Take me instead. I'll do anything! Just let her go. Please."
The soldiers throw their heads back and laughed.
"Ma-ma! No! Let my ma-ma go and take me!" the girl pleaded.
"Ma-ma, go! Leave me! I don't want you to die! Just do this for me. Run away and escape. I just don't want you to die."
Then she looked at the Xerogen.
"Kill me. Let my ma-ma live."
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Sure! Your mother can go and she won't have to see you killed either." he grinned.
With one quick movement, he slashed the woman's neck and she whispered a last good-bye to her daughter.
"Ma-ma! Since you go, I will go with you!"
The tear-stained girl grabbed a sword on the ground and strikes it at her stomach. Taking one last look at her mother, she whispered, "I will be with you, ma-ma, don't worry."
"Oh, what a touching scene. So you want to be with her. I'll give you a quick chance!" The Xerogen pulled out the sword in her stomach and cut her throat, ending her last breath.
On the opposite side of the village, a young man is trying to help his aged grandfather escape the dreadful scene with much difficulty. His grandfather is such a old man who cannot walk without his crane.
"Ojii-san, we must go, we must try to escape," the young man said.
"My magomusuko. I'm afraid I will slow you down. We can't escape. You go. You go and run away from here." The old man sighed in deeply and stopped running. His chest hurt from the beatings of the soldiers not so long ago and his leg is fixed so he cannot walk far. In this condition, he knew he would slow his grandson and they won't go anywhere far with this leg. He knew he is very old. He will soon die from lack of thirst and he doesn't want his magomusuko to go with him.
"No, ojii-san. We can escape this. I know we can. And I won't leave you here. Come on," he said desperately. He knew they can't escape this, but he won't leave his beloved ojii-san behind. If he were to die here, he will die with him. He pulled his grandfather to the other side where there aren't much soldiers around because they are busy torturing the people. The old man limped painfully to the safer side.
"My dear, I can't bear it any longer. I'm very thirsty." his hoarse voice trailed off as he suddenly fainted, the cane bouncing off his side to the ground below.
"Ojii-san! Oh, this cannot happen, this cannot happen," he said shakily. He put his finger on the old man's pulse and felt it beating faintly. Then his hand moved slightly.
"My magomusuko."
"Ojii-san, I'm scared. When can we escape this horrible fate." he said more to himself then to his grandfather.
"I don't think I can go with you. Y-you can go while you can.leave me be. I- I will only be a heavy burden. I will not be able to live long without water." He became silent, his eyes drooping slightly. Then he starts to choke heavily in his chest.
"Ojii-san!" The grandson patted his chest to try to stop the choking.
"I-I feel this is the end. My m-magomusuko. please go now while you c-can. Take the opportunity," he pleaded.
"Ojii-san."
"I l-love you, dear. Go on now. G-g-go o-on." He leaned back, looking up at the sky. Suddenly, he can't hear anything. He felt calm.and peaceful. The sky looked bright instead of gloomy. He saw his smiling wife and his son before him. Happy memories floated in and out. "My wife, my son. You've come. Where have you been for so long? I've missed you."he whispered. "We've come for you. Come. Take our hands and come. We missed you very much. But you will soon be by our side." These voices echoed in his head.
"Yes. You waited so long. I'll come." He eagerly take hold of their hands and started to float away with them. Then he heard a faint voice saying, "They are not here. You are just imagining this. Ojii-san, come back, please." The words seemed so far away.
"I'm going, my magomusuko." Then his head turn around, his eyes rolling over toward the sky.
"Ojii-san. I love you. Rest in peace." His voice cracked as a lump formed in his throat. He swallowed it and laid his grandfather down, covering his eyes with his hands. Looking around him, he made his decision.
"I'm finally going to sleep peacefully and restfully." And he was off.
Everyone in the village are trying to escape, but some Xerogen on their horse are galloping on the people, swords slashing at them, furiously.
When all of them are killed or wounded, the soldiers lit a torch and threw it at a huge pile of hay, stained with blood. The fire spread rapidly, consuming everything in its path. The Xerogen threw back their heads and loudly, laughed cruelly at the sight.
"Let's go to the other village! There will be more victims to prey on!" The head soldier signaled the other soldiers and he galloped away with the others following him on their horses, kicking up a blurry of san
* * *
Juuile Village 179 B.V. (Before the Victory) ~the sun is setting~
"Is everyone save in where they are instructed to be in?" Reed asked Tahuro.
"Yes, father. I have put them in the secret places with food and water enough to last two months for I don't think they can go out safely now."
"Fine, Tahuro. You did a good job. So I gathered you have told Araai to meet back here as soon as she is done with my grandchildren."
"Yes. She will be here in---"
"I'm here." Araai half walk, half run to them. She seemed tired and worried, absently fingering her necklace.
"Araai. You have done what you are supposed to do, I supposed."
"It has been hard for me, but it was the right and safe thing to do."
Clow nodded, understanding that it is hard to let go of his grandchildren.
"They will be here soon. I can feel their auras faintly in the distance. I calculated that the Xerogen would be here by tomorrow morning." He looked at the setting sun in the hazy sky. "The sun is setting. Tahuro, Araai, it is time."
They looked at each other and nodded solemnly.
Clow made his Book appear and said, "I will sent a guardian to guard my Book until the day it will open for the cherry blossom. Kerberos, appear now in the form you were created!" A magnificent golden, gleaming beast became visible.
"Clow Reed," Kerberos said bowing.
"I command you, Kerberos the Guardian Beast to, guard the Clow Book until the right time comes. The cards are in the Book. And you will remain in another form, smaller as to not attract attention."
The beast bowed again. Reed made the Book hover in the air and saying some incantations, Kerberos was sucked into the Book. The Book fell back into Reed's hands.
"Clow Book, you have followed me faithly for so long and now it is time for you to go and find your destiny in the future." The Book quivered for a moment, glowing softly, then it stopped. Reed made the Book disappear.
"Tahuro, you shall keep my pendant. You will pass it to your son and he will pass it down from generation to the next, until it reaches the hands of the little wolf." Clow took out a pendant in the shape of a globe and hand it to Tahuro. He felt proud to receive this, for only the leader of the Li Clan may receive it.
"Araai, your star key will also be passed down from generation to generation, until it reaches the hands of the cherry blossom."
Araai touched her necklace and nodded. "I understand, father." She only called Clow, "father" when speaking seriously.
"The fate of Peacifial is in the hands of our future descendents. It will come a day when nobody is anyone's slave and the people will once again live peacefully." Clow sighed and hoped the day will come soon. But a smile tugged at his mouth as he remembered that day when Araai told him about the future.
~*Flashback*~
"Father! I have something important to tell you."
Clow Reed looked up as his tired eyes focused on his daughter. He could see that her face is flushed and that she seemed to be very serious because he knew she only called him "father" when she have important things to say. He was amused when she started calling him "Clow" because she thinks that " it's the appropriate thing to call my father 'Clow', when he is a very important man."
"What's the matter, Araai? You looked very serious."
"Father, I've been to the future! I know what we can do to prevent the Xerogen from controlling the world in the future!" exclaimed a very excited and hopeful Araai.
"Araai! Do you really know the answer?"
"I went to the future and changed some scenes. Two powerful heroes will rise to save Peacifial from the power of the Xerogen. With determination, hope, and love, the heroes, male and female will reclaim their land. And together, they shall fight to end the Xerogen once and for all!"
"Yes, Araai! That's the way the future shall be! Our race will not end, but shall grow stronger and increase their power inside!"
~* End of Flashback*~
The next day is a gloomy day. No birds are chirping as they usually do. No sun came up to meet the sky. Nothing sounded, except the silence. The dark, murky silence. This shows a bad sign. A very bad sign. When there is silence, there is the Xerogen. Suddenly, as if the silence sense evil, hooves started to sound in the distance. And it is increasing. Clow, Araai, and Tahuro each gripped a glowing staff in their hands, determination set on their faces. We will not be beaten.we will fight till the end.whatever comes our way, we will fight together.and together---we will win or we will die.All these thoughts ran through their heads as they watched their enemies galloping toward them on their horses.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It begins with a prophecy.
Country: Peacifial
Juuile Village 179 B.V. (Before the Victory)
Hearts pounding loudly, an auburn-haired young woman and her two young children huddled in the tall bushes hoping that the soldiers won't notice them. "Ma-ma, ma-ma why are they here? Who are they?" one of her children, a boy, asked. "It's the Xerogen. After all these years, they have come for us. They are evil." Their mother tried to be quiet. "I'm scared. Make them go away, ma-ma," whimpered her daughter. "Hush, Musai," her mother comforted.
"Hey! Who's there?" A soldier looked their way.
The mother gripped her children, fear in her bright blue-green eyes.
"I thought I heard something." The lead soldier looked suspiciously into the bushes. He motioned the others not to follow him. He will go see for himself. Slowly, the soldier walked to the bushes. He pulled out his sword and aim into the bushes. He thrashed his weapon wildly. Striking at nothing, he walked back to the Xerogen.
"I swear I heard something move in the bushes," he mumbled. "Must an animal. There's no one here. Let's go!" Muttering under their breaths, the Xerogen moved along, never noticing a mother and her children breathed out sighs of relieve.
* * *
"Clow Reed!"
Clow Reed turned around to see a woman with her two children ran up to him. "Akaai! What's wrong, my daughter?"
"They are here! We were hiding in the bushes and one of them came close to discovering us, but thankfully, I was able to conjure up a spell in time."
The people in the small village stopped what they were doing to stare at her in shock.
"So they are finally here, after all these years," Clow murmured.
"What should we do, Clow? There is not much time left. Them Xerogen will be here shortly."
The children trembled at the dreadful name.
"I should've known they would come. They won't give up so easily at capturing the Book. Quick, call for Tahuro and instruct him to round up half of the people to stay at the Sazet Tunnel. As for the other half, they will stay in the cave we created."
"Yes, Clow." Akaai hurried off to find Tahuro.
Clow sighed and raise his blue-green eyes at the sky. I knew this day would come sooner or later.
* * *
"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You stupid fools! Trying to escape, are ya? Well, it is entertaining to catch you. Let's have a little fun here. So I am giving you exactly five seconds to run. One-two-three-four-five! Here I come, fools!" the overweight soldier laughed cruelly, his pot-belly jiggling with every move.
The people looked at each other in horror and without another word, are running as fast as their legs could go. But they can't escape their predators and are killed with swords slashed onto their backs.
"You think you can escape? Well, you escaped life with my sword! Get it?! Escaping life?! What a joke! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" he laughed, watching blood forming a big puddle on the already bloody ground. Soldiers everywhere are laughing loudly with their triumph. People run, but some tripped and the Xerogen closed the distance between them. Screams and shouts for help are quickly dying as the Xerogen overcome them with their simple magic and swords. From somewhere, a girl cried for help as some soldiers advance on her.
"Look what we have here? Such a pretty girl you are and such a shame you have to die!" the bristled-hair Xerogen grinned as he raise his bloody sword over his head.
Suddenly, a woman clutched the Xerogen's leg and begged as tears streamed endlessly down her wrinkled face.
"No! Please, let my daughter go. Take me instead. I'll do anything! Just let her go. Please."
The soldiers throw their heads back and laughed.
"Ma-ma! No! Let my ma-ma go and take me!" the girl pleaded.
"Ma-ma, go! Leave me! I don't want you to die! Just do this for me. Run away and escape. I just don't want you to die."
Then she looked at the Xerogen.
"Kill me. Let my ma-ma live."
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Sure! Your mother can go and she won't have to see you killed either." he grinned.
With one quick movement, he slashed the woman's neck and she whispered a last good-bye to her daughter.
"Ma-ma! Since you go, I will go with you!"
The tear-stained girl grabbed a sword on the ground and strikes it at her stomach. Taking one last look at her mother, she whispered, "I will be with you, ma-ma, don't worry."
"Oh, what a touching scene. So you want to be with her. I'll give you a quick chance!" The Xerogen pulled out the sword in her stomach and cut her throat, ending her last breath.
On the opposite side of the village, a young man is trying to help his aged grandfather escape the dreadful scene with much difficulty. His grandfather is such a old man who cannot walk without his crane.
"Ojii-san, we must go, we must try to escape," the young man said.
"My magomusuko. I'm afraid I will slow you down. We can't escape. You go. You go and run away from here." The old man sighed in deeply and stopped running. His chest hurt from the beatings of the soldiers not so long ago and his leg is fixed so he cannot walk far. In this condition, he knew he would slow his grandson and they won't go anywhere far with this leg. He knew he is very old. He will soon die from lack of thirst and he doesn't want his magomusuko to go with him.
"No, ojii-san. We can escape this. I know we can. And I won't leave you here. Come on," he said desperately. He knew they can't escape this, but he won't leave his beloved ojii-san behind. If he were to die here, he will die with him. He pulled his grandfather to the other side where there aren't much soldiers around because they are busy torturing the people. The old man limped painfully to the safer side.
"My dear, I can't bear it any longer. I'm very thirsty." his hoarse voice trailed off as he suddenly fainted, the cane bouncing off his side to the ground below.
"Ojii-san! Oh, this cannot happen, this cannot happen," he said shakily. He put his finger on the old man's pulse and felt it beating faintly. Then his hand moved slightly.
"My magomusuko."
"Ojii-san, I'm scared. When can we escape this horrible fate." he said more to himself then to his grandfather.
"I don't think I can go with you. Y-you can go while you can.leave me be. I- I will only be a heavy burden. I will not be able to live long without water." He became silent, his eyes drooping slightly. Then he starts to choke heavily in his chest.
"Ojii-san!" The grandson patted his chest to try to stop the choking.
"I-I feel this is the end. My m-magomusuko. please go now while you c-can. Take the opportunity," he pleaded.
"Ojii-san."
"I l-love you, dear. Go on now. G-g-go o-on." He leaned back, looking up at the sky. Suddenly, he can't hear anything. He felt calm.and peaceful. The sky looked bright instead of gloomy. He saw his smiling wife and his son before him. Happy memories floated in and out. "My wife, my son. You've come. Where have you been for so long? I've missed you."he whispered. "We've come for you. Come. Take our hands and come. We missed you very much. But you will soon be by our side." These voices echoed in his head.
"Yes. You waited so long. I'll come." He eagerly take hold of their hands and started to float away with them. Then he heard a faint voice saying, "They are not here. You are just imagining this. Ojii-san, come back, please." The words seemed so far away.
"I'm going, my magomusuko." Then his head turn around, his eyes rolling over toward the sky.
"Ojii-san. I love you. Rest in peace." His voice cracked as a lump formed in his throat. He swallowed it and laid his grandfather down, covering his eyes with his hands. Looking around him, he made his decision.
"I'm finally going to sleep peacefully and restfully." And he was off.
Everyone in the village are trying to escape, but some Xerogen on their horse are galloping on the people, swords slashing at them, furiously.
When all of them are killed or wounded, the soldiers lit a torch and threw it at a huge pile of hay, stained with blood. The fire spread rapidly, consuming everything in its path. The Xerogen threw back their heads and loudly, laughed cruelly at the sight.
"Let's go to the other village! There will be more victims to prey on!" The head soldier signaled the other soldiers and he galloped away with the others following him on their horses, kicking up a blurry of san
* * *
Juuile Village 179 B.V. (Before the Victory) ~the sun is setting~
"Is everyone save in where they are instructed to be in?" Reed asked Tahuro.
"Yes, father. I have put them in the secret places with food and water enough to last two months for I don't think they can go out safely now."
"Fine, Tahuro. You did a good job. So I gathered you have told Araai to meet back here as soon as she is done with my grandchildren."
"Yes. She will be here in---"
"I'm here." Araai half walk, half run to them. She seemed tired and worried, absently fingering her necklace.
"Araai. You have done what you are supposed to do, I supposed."
"It has been hard for me, but it was the right and safe thing to do."
Clow nodded, understanding that it is hard to let go of his grandchildren.
"They will be here soon. I can feel their auras faintly in the distance. I calculated that the Xerogen would be here by tomorrow morning." He looked at the setting sun in the hazy sky. "The sun is setting. Tahuro, Araai, it is time."
They looked at each other and nodded solemnly.
Clow made his Book appear and said, "I will sent a guardian to guard my Book until the day it will open for the cherry blossom. Kerberos, appear now in the form you were created!" A magnificent golden, gleaming beast became visible.
"Clow Reed," Kerberos said bowing.
"I command you, Kerberos the Guardian Beast to, guard the Clow Book until the right time comes. The cards are in the Book. And you will remain in another form, smaller as to not attract attention."
The beast bowed again. Reed made the Book hover in the air and saying some incantations, Kerberos was sucked into the Book. The Book fell back into Reed's hands.
"Clow Book, you have followed me faithly for so long and now it is time for you to go and find your destiny in the future." The Book quivered for a moment, glowing softly, then it stopped. Reed made the Book disappear.
"Tahuro, you shall keep my pendant. You will pass it to your son and he will pass it down from generation to the next, until it reaches the hands of the little wolf." Clow took out a pendant in the shape of a globe and hand it to Tahuro. He felt proud to receive this, for only the leader of the Li Clan may receive it.
"Araai, your star key will also be passed down from generation to generation, until it reaches the hands of the cherry blossom."
Araai touched her necklace and nodded. "I understand, father." She only called Clow, "father" when speaking seriously.
"The fate of Peacifial is in the hands of our future descendents. It will come a day when nobody is anyone's slave and the people will once again live peacefully." Clow sighed and hoped the day will come soon. But a smile tugged at his mouth as he remembered that day when Araai told him about the future.
~*Flashback*~
"Father! I have something important to tell you."
Clow Reed looked up as his tired eyes focused on his daughter. He could see that her face is flushed and that she seemed to be very serious because he knew she only called him "father" when she have important things to say. He was amused when she started calling him "Clow" because she thinks that " it's the appropriate thing to call my father 'Clow', when he is a very important man."
"What's the matter, Araai? You looked very serious."
"Father, I've been to the future! I know what we can do to prevent the Xerogen from controlling the world in the future!" exclaimed a very excited and hopeful Araai.
"Araai! Do you really know the answer?"
"I went to the future and changed some scenes. Two powerful heroes will rise to save Peacifial from the power of the Xerogen. With determination, hope, and love, the heroes, male and female will reclaim their land. And together, they shall fight to end the Xerogen once and for all!"
"Yes, Araai! That's the way the future shall be! Our race will not end, but shall grow stronger and increase their power inside!"
~* End of Flashback*~
The next day is a gloomy day. No birds are chirping as they usually do. No sun came up to meet the sky. Nothing sounded, except the silence. The dark, murky silence. This shows a bad sign. A very bad sign. When there is silence, there is the Xerogen. Suddenly, as if the silence sense evil, hooves started to sound in the distance. And it is increasing. Clow, Araai, and Tahuro each gripped a glowing staff in their hands, determination set on their faces. We will not be beaten.we will fight till the end.whatever comes our way, we will fight together.and together---we will win or we will die.All these thoughts ran through their heads as they watched their enemies galloping toward them on their horses.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
