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Chapter Twenty Three-
Syaoran couldn't explain why he felt such an intense feeling of disquiet.
"You look as bad as I feel." A dry voice commented from his right.
Turning, Syaoran saw that Jamie was awake and was obviously anxious about something.
"You feel it too?" Syaoran inquired.
Nodding, Jamie stared into the still darkness of their dorm.
At breakfast, both Sakura and Yuri were absent. While they had all been in the common room, Naoko had informed them that the two sisters were still sleeping.
"Why would they still be asleep?" Harry asked, curious.
Naoko looked at her love. "They've been training even more intensely lately. It's like that they sense something." Naoko looked slightly worried, but then shrugged as she ate.
There was a screech from above them as the morning post flew through. Owls of various breeds, colours, shapes and sizes flew through the Great Hall, delivering letters, parcels and other assorted things.
As the last owl left the Hall, there came a sonorous trill from above them and a green phoenix swooped down to their table to land on Naoko's arm.
"Hello Jadeian." Naoko said happily to the bird on her arm.
Jadeian let out a sharp trill and lowered her head to the letter attached to her leg.
Naoko, curiously, removed the letter and turned it over, her eyes widening at the seal at the back. She gasped softly.
Eriol, who was also quite curious, gently took the letter from Naoko and looked at the back, his eyes widening at the seal. While Naoko wasn't vocal in her astonishment, Eriol was.
"What the hell?" He exclaimed, drawing those whose attention hadn't been on them, to them. "Where could have someone gotten this seal? It was their private seal!"
"Who does this seal belong to, Mr Hiiragizawa?" Dumbledore asked the agitated teen.
"It doesn't concern you, Dumbledore." Syaoran said abruptly, his anxiety growing by each passing moment.
Snape stood, affronted by Syaoran's tone. "Watch your tone when addressing the Headmaster, boy!" He sneered.
Syaoran glared at Snape. "And you'll do what if I don't?"
"Stop it. You aren't here to bicker with annoying professors Syaoran. We need to figure out who the hell could have gotten their hands on their seal." Meiling admonished.
Syaoran nodded and turned his gaze away from the fuming Snape to the letter in Eriol's hands.
Erin, who was standing behind the group, along with Yukito, Touya and Nakuru, gasped suddenly, drawing the others' attention to her.
"That seal was last at Rainbow Falls. Whoever used it would have to have been there, recently. The last time they used it, it was when…" Erin broke off, and Tomoyo paled and disappeared from sight.
When Tomoyo reappeared, she fell into Eriol's arms, sobbing hysterically.
"They're not there! They're not there!" She cried, burying her face into Eriol's shirt.
Suddenly, Naoko sat up straight and snatched the letter out of Eriol's hands. Tearing the envelope open, she quickly unfolded the letter and just as quickly, scanned the contents of the letter. Her eyes began to widen, and Naoko screamed, a scream full of despair.
"They did it again! They left! They've gone to fight them alone!"
The others all stared at Naoko, her words sinking in.
Suddenly, there were six flashes of light, and when the light cleared, behind the exchange students stood the guardians.
Riara looked at Keroberus, her eyes sad. "What if we lose them again, Keroberus?" She asked, tears forming in her large, crystal blue eyes.
Keroberus padded lightly over to Riara and gently nuzzled against her. "We won't. We'll find them and aid them in their fight."
Nerina and Yue shook their heads.
"We cannot sense them. They have hidden their auras from us." Yue commented calmly, his appearance the one of perfect serenity. This was all a mask, covering the fear he had.
"Even if we could sense their auras, we wouldn't be able to catch up with them. They are too far ahead of us."
Touya looked at the guardians. "Isn't there anything we can do?" he asked desperately.
They shook their heads.
Jamie swore, causing the others to look at him in shock.
"We should have known. I could sense that something was wrong with Yuri, but I thought it was the effects of the training." He slammed his fist down on the table, causing the stout wood to crack. "I should have known!" He shouted.
Dumbledore stood, looking at the exchange students, his face unnaturally hard. "I think its time that you tell us everything." He said, his voice hard.
Eriol shrugged. "Why not. I mean, you'll probably figure out that we're even more different than you first thought." Eriol drew himself up, and when he looked at Dumbledore, his gaze was calm and steady, as he brought out the part of Clow Reed inside him. Taking a deep breath, he began. "You already know that we here are sorcerers and sorceresses, but what you didn't know, is that we have all lived before."
There were startled gasps throughout the entire hall as Eriol said this.
Snape laughed. "You are talking about reincarnation. Only the strongest sorcerers could do that."
Eriol raised an eyebrow. "True. Did you realise that Clow Reed reincarnated himself?"
Snape nodded. "It isn't a well known fact. How did you know?"
Eriol grinned, and when he spoke, it was in the voice of Clow. "Could that be because I am the half reincarnation of Clow Reed?"
Snape was about to challenge Eriol, when Dumbledore stood up again, his face pale. "Master Reed?" He asked, his voice shaking and full of awe and respect.
Eriol nodded. "Only half of me. The other half is over there." Eriol pointed to the smiling Fujitaka.
"You two are the reincarnations of Clow Reed?" McGonagall asked.
They both nodded.
"Clow Reed isn't the only one here." Tomoyo said, her voice steady. She stood up, her face proud. "I am the half reincarnation of Evelyn Reed, Clow Reed's beloved wife." Her voice changed to that of Eve's. "My other half is Nadeshiko Kinomoto." She said, indicating to the floating spectre.
Syaoran stood forward. "I am the reincarnation of Syaoran Li, the heir to the Li Kingdom, and yes, my name is exactly the same. Syaoran Li was engaged to the youngest daughter of Clow and Eve."
Jamie stood. "I am the reincarnation of James Renawa, prince and heir of the Renawa Kingdom. James was engaged to Syaoran's fiancee's older twin sister."
Everyone sat there, gaping in awe as names, only ever read about, were being revealed.
Touya walked forward and placed his hand on Meiling's shoulder. "I am the reincarnate of Touya Reed, the only son of Clow and Eve."
Meiling raised her head. "In my previous life, I was the wife of Touya Reed. I was one of the princesses of the Li Kingdom."
Naoko looked out at the faces before her, trying not to concentrate on anything else but saying who she was the reincarnate of. "I am the reincarnate of Naoko Kiyota, best friend of Clow's twin daughters. I was an orphan and the Reed family took me in."
Harry stood, causing everyone to stare in shock. "I am the reincarnate of Harry Mandell." Everyone gasped as they heard the name of the most powerful wizard ever known. "Harry Mandell was soon to be king of his kingdom and was also engaged to Naoko Kiyota." Harry placed a reassuring arm around Naoko.
Hermione stood, looking at her friend in awe. "If you are all reincarnates, what does that make Sakura and Yuri?" She asked.
Eriol looked at her, and she flinched under his gaze. "Can you remember when Yuri talked about the Light and Dark Forbidden Magic? How she mentioned that two sisters, twins, fought against the Akai twins?"
Hermione nodded. "I still don't understand though." She admitted.
Eriol's smile was sardonic. "Would it help if I told you that Sakura and Yuri are sisters, and that they are twins?"
Hermione gasped. "You mean? They are the twin daughters of Clow?"
Eriol nodded. "Yes they are, and the reason why they aren't here is because they have gone to fight the Akai twins. That's why we're so angry and worried and so forth."
"But weren't the Akai twins destroyed?" Ron asked, his curiosity growing.
Tomoyo shook her head. "You obviously didn't pay attention in Types Of Magic. Yuri stated quite clearly that the twins were defeated, but not destroyed."
"Then that means…." Hermione broke off, her eyes widening in shock and dismay. "Then that means that everything else Yuri said was true and that means that both she and Sakura died in that battle." Her eyes grew wider and they filled with chagrin. "Yuri remembers, doesn't she. She remembers what it felt like to die."
Nerina nodded gravely. "My mistress does know what it feels like to die slowly, your magic draining from you, till there is nothing left of you but an empty shell."
"What do you mean? How can someone's magic be drained?" A whining voice asked.
Meiling spun around to pin a disgusted look on Pansy, and Pansy shrunk back from the heat of her gaze. "You witches and wizards would have no idea of the pain that one goes through as your magic is drained from your body." Meiling's voice was full of scorn as she sneered at Pansy. "Your power doesn't really come from you, it comes from your wands. Our power on the other hand, comes from us, and without it, we die. Our auras flicker and go out like a flame in the wind, if we are drained and cannot replenish what we have lost."
"Is there anything that we can do?" Professor Sprout, the Herboligy professor and head teacher of Hufflepuff asked.
Syaoran shook his head. "All we can do is wait."
Sakura shivered. She knew that she wasn't shivering because of wind, but because of the dark auras she had been feeling for the past ten minutes.
Yuri placed a reassuring hand on her sister's shoulder, while her eyes were lost in thought.
"Don't worry Sakura, we shall defeat these twins once and for all." She said calmly, her voice showing none of the emotions that she felt.
Sakura nodded, reassured by her older sister's confidence.
Suddenly, Yuri stopped abruptly, as they entered a clearing, and her eyes unclouded.
"Here is where the battle shall take place." She said, her voice echoing in the unnatural darkness.
There came an evil chuckle, and the twins spun around to see the Akai twins enter the clearing.
"So nice of you to join us, Yuri my love." Darva, the eldest twin, sneered.
"It would have been terribly rude to keep you waiting." Yuri's smile was more of a baring of teeth.
Garthra glared at Yuri. "Mind your manners when you talk to your Lords. You are pert and deserve a beating so you can learn your position."
Sakura stood tall as she stared at the younger twin. "Shut your mouth Garthra."
Garthra's eyes momentarily clouded with something, anger, elation, fear? But that soon cleared and he looked at Sakura, eyeing her lecherously.
"So, after a thousand years of waiting, you two shall belong to us." Darva commented.
Yuri snorted. "You are so think! Why can't you understand that we don't love you, never have and never will?"
"You shall never possess us." Sakura said, her eyes hard, as she drew in her power.
Yuri noticed that her sister was drawing in her power and she too began to draw upon hers.
The Akai twins smirked and flicked their hands in unison, in an attempt to smother the sisters' power.
The power the Akai twins sent at the sisters rebounded and hit the ground, not even a foot away from the Akai twins.
Darva's eyes widened as he realised that this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. The power that the sisters were already generating was much stronger than he expected. He narrowed his eyes as he realised that he would have to try harder. He grin was feral as he realised that this would make the victory taste even sweeter.
Sakura and Yuri, their power at its peak, looked the twins directly in the eye, as their auras, flame-like, surrounded and engulfed them in pink light.
They were ready.
Back at Hogwarts, Syaoran and Jamie looked up suddenly.
"They've started." Syaoran said softly, his voice echoing in the quiet hall.
"Will they be ok?" Naoko asked, her voice tinged with fear.
"Of course they will. They are the Card Mistresses. What could possibly defeat them?" Jamie asked, his voice strong, but his conviction didn't quite reach his eyes.
Meiling had begun to bounce on the balls of her heels, slightly edgy. "Can I have a sparring partner or something?" She asked, causing all eyes to look at her. She shrugged at some of the looks she was receiving. "What? I need to do something or I'll go out of my mind."
Eriol looked at Meiling, his eyes troubled. "Meditate. Maybe that will help, and maybe you'll be able to find them."
Meiling's eyes brightened as she waved a hand at the table before her, clearing the table of its breakfast dishes. Sitting down on the surface of the table, she closed her eyes, and calmed her breathing.
'One down' Eriol thought to himself, glad that this would calm Meiling. He turned his troubled eyes to Touya, who looked like he was about to go crazy. 'Now, he is going to be difficult.'
"Touya?" He asked hesitantly, noticing that Touya was extremely edgy.
Touya looked at Eriol, his eyes stricken. "Yes?" He asked, his voice full of sorrow.
Eriol frowned. Something is wrong. This isn't how I expected him to be.' "What is wrong Touya? Aside from the obvious?"
"I couldn't protect them last time. I hoped I could have protected them this time around. What kind of big brother am I if I can't keep them safe? I lost them last time, and I'll loose them again. I'm never going to see them again." Touya's voice was sorrowful, yes, but there was a note of something else, a note of guilt.
Eriol shook his head. "Don't think that you've lost them. You haven't. They'll come back, if only just to make your life miserable."
Touya gave a weak laugh. "Thanks Hiiragizawa." He said softly. He then looked at Meiling, and his eyes softened. Getting up from his position of being slumped on the floor, Touya walked over to the table and sat before Meiling, taking her hands in his, and closing his eyes. Soon their breathing was unified, as they meditated together.
Harry looked at the pair, and abruptly left the hall, muttering something about flying.
Naoko looked at Harry's disappearing back, and after an apologetic look at the others, she ran off after her boyfriend.
Eriol tried hard to restrain the grin that was hovering on his lips. He had to admit, planting the idea to go flying in Harry's head had been one of genius.
Tomoyo, her eyes red from the crying spell that had hit her after she announced who she really was, raised an eyebrow.
"Sometimes Hiiragizawa, you are too arrogant." She said smartly, letting him know that she was on to him.
Eriol blushed lightly and grinned at her sheepishly. "I only wanted to calm them down." He explained.
Tomoyo nodded, knowing that that was true. She then looked at Syaoran and Jamie, who were both looking at the table with unreadable expressions. Frowning, she sent out a probing thought, only to have it come back to her, it not having broken through the barriers that Syaoran and Jamie must have erected.
-They aren't even acting worried. There's something wrong with them.- She thought to Eriol.
Eriol nodded, having heard the message. Looking at the two young men, he frowned. "And you two? What's wrong? You aren't even acting worried."
Jamie looked at Eriol, his eyes full of pain, sorrow, confusion and fear. "Why act worried and let everyone else know what we are feeling? Are feelings are our own, and if you don't mind, we'd rather sort through them on our own." With that, Jamie turned away from Eriol, and returned his gaze to the table.
Suddenly, Syaoran cried out in pain, and Keroberus and Yue faltered.
"What happened?" McGonagall asked, her voice shrill.
Nerina, looking at Yue, concerned, answered. "It's through their bond that they share with Sakura. She must have been injured, or hit at least."
Syaoran, pressing a hand to his side, looked startled when it came away covered in blood.
Yue and Keroberus both had abrasions down their sides.
Hermione gasped as Syaoran, Yue and Keroberus were enveloped in a pink light, and, when the light cleared, they were healed.
Riara smiled briefly. "My mistress used her Heal Card."
The Great Hall's doors flew open, as Harry and Naoko rushed inside.
Harry, his eyes confused, looked to Eriol. "I think you better take a look outside." He suggested weakly.
Eriol, his eyes widening, was about to fling his hand in the direction of the curtains covering the windows, when he stopped, feeling an immense darkness, such an immense darkness that it almost overcame him. He looked at the others and saw that they obviously felt it too. Eriol's eyes then narrowed and he flung his hand out in the direction of the curtains, nearly blowing them away with his power.
Outside, there was no light. It was like the night had forgotten that morning had come. Darkness surrounded the castle, and, Eriol thought to himself, most probably the world.
"They have released the Dark Magic." Spinel said, his voice echoing through the dark hall.
"Let us hope that they can fight it as they did then." Ruby Moon said softly.
"Wouldn't their Light Cards be able to fight this?" Hermione asked anxiously.
Eriol shook his head. "No. When I faced Sakura, her Light Card was barely strong enough to fight off the darkness that I engulfed the world in." He laughed lightly at the looks people sent his way. "It was to test her strength and determination, to see whether she was strong enough for the cards. Of course, her strength has increased one thousand fold, and is increasing day by day, something that I never thought possible."
"Ever since she met up with her sister, her power, her strength, her ability to control the cards has grown. Now it is possible for her to do things that I thought she would never be able to do." Keroberus said, a note of pride in his gruff voice.
Sakura was currently engaged in a ferocious duel against Garthra. Her sword flashed as she moved with unbelievable speed and agility, her eyes moving as fast as her sword, calculating how much strength she should put into a thrust, how far left should she move to dodge the next swing of Garthra's blade. They also looked for mistakes or weaknesses in Garthra's attack.
Sakura's eyes widened slightly as she saw such a weakness. Garthra had put too much weight on his right foot as he thrust at her, causing him to place too much power into his thrust, unbalancing him. Sakura quickly reminded him, with a quick sweep of her leg, not to over-thrust.
Sharply, she glanced at her sister, who was duelling with Darva. Her sister leapt back, dodging the sword blade with ease.
-NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF YOUR ENEMY!- Yuri snapped, her voice echoing through Sakura's mind, making her realise that she could have been killed in an instant.
Sakura turned her eyes back to Garthra, to see that he had a smirk on his face as he was getting up. She growled low in her throat as she realised that Garthra had the perfect opportunity to kill her just then, but he didn't.
Why?
Sakura snarled at the grinning man, and she heard her sister growl just after her. Knowing that she would get yelled at again, she turned and saw that Darva had the same grin on his face too.
Why?
The evil twins attacked again, but their attack was slow and easy, like they couldn't be bothered in putting in the energy to fight them.
Why?
Because they were playing with them.