Chapter Six: Unanswerable Questions
Day 5 - Shadow World
Syaoran entered the room, taking a step at a time. He breathed in the magic, and almost staggered in the response his body gave him. It was too much. WAY too much. Syaoran pressed his hand to his forward, stopping for a minute to take in another deep breath.
"Well..." a voice filled with amusement said. "It seems that he can still walk. Very good, Li Syaoran."
He looked up, and his eyes widened. She was not the same woman as before. And instead of dressing in something simple, she was decorated like a Christmas tree. "You gotta be kidding me right?" he smirked. "How can such a tainted woman like you wear white? It's definitely not your color."
The woman wore a long, slim dress of white, shining as if a million lights were playing on it. She wore a collar made of little jewels sewn together. It ran and expanded from the base of her throat down about four inches before it connected with the cloth of the dress. Her sleeves were narrow, until they reached her elbow. There, it split and expanded, until the cloth reached the ground. She also had on a tiara. A big tiara, with two columns of tiny gems as well, linking down to hang in front of her face, each at the side of her face. The tiara itself was golden-colored. But then again, everything in here seemed to be of a bright sight.
She smiled at him, her eyes glittering, and her dimples showing. She had smooth skin, which Syaoran couldn't help but notice. "I think that white does wonders for my appearance."
"Yeah, it hides how hideous a serpent may be, luring in as many victims as she could," Syaoran spat back at her.
She arched an eyebrow at him. "At least you admit that I look good."
"What's a bahrrn?" Syaoran suddenly asked.
"That is the word for 'guard'. Do you wish to become one?" she asked.
Syaoran narrowed his eyes at her. "Okay. Here's the pop question of the day. I've asked you again and again, and this time, I want an answer. What is going on?!"
"If you want to know, then..."
"I don't know who you are, but I think that it's about time that you gave me some kind of an explanation. Come on, lady. You look like you belong to high school, you're my age. Yet, here you are, ruling over unhappy people. It's not gonna make me hate you much more than I already do. And I won't call you 'master.' You can rule that out."
She cocked her head to one side, as if considering all that he was telling her, and nodded satisfactorily. "I shall give my name to you, then. Here, I am known as Master. But to the dwellers out there, I am given a different name. One which expresses what they feel for me. I am Dtarna, the Efhnir."
"Efnear?" Syaoran blinked. "So what does this make you?"
"That means," she grinned at him, "Dtarna can be loosely translated to 'forceful.' And Efhnir is my land's word for, loosely translated again, 'being of ice and hate.' If you wish for the real meaning, my name means devil, and Efhnir means slave runner."
Dtarna grinned at the expression on Syaoran's shocked face.
"Yes," she whispered. "Welcome to my world."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 7 - Shadow World
"Wait," Eriol said. "Have you ever held a sword in your hand before?" Sakura shook her head. "A baton, yeah. Um... I've used the sword card a few times-"
Eriol sighed as he shook his head, and put his hand in front of the sword that she was holding. Suddenly, it faded away from her sight. "Hey!" Sakura protested.
"Shh! I just don't want you to get hurt," he muttered, staring off at the still-walking soldiers.
Sakura gulped as they continued to walk closer and closer. The men didn't wear much to protect them, for they had a small shield linked to their left arm, and a sword on their waist. They had no helmets on, but they had a shirt of armor protecting their chest. Wearing tattered leggings and dirty boots, the group consisted of eight men total. Oh, God... Sakura thought desperately. How are we supposed to defend ourselves from so many of them?!
"Who be you people?" a rough voice demanded once he walked up to them.
Sakura was about to answer when Eriol gestured for her to stop. Then, Eriol turned to glared at them. "We do not mean harm. We-"
"They belong to me, Kar!" another voice popped up. This time, it was a woman's.
She panted as she ran up to them, her short, black hair sticking to her sweating face a bit. She wore a plain clothes of brown colors. "Sorry, Kar. I didn't know my brethren's folks did not have a pass with them. Scaani probably didn't give them one."
The head soldier look at her with skepticism. Then, he turned to look at Eriol, who's face held no expression. He sighed and shook his head. "Fine, Klarne. But remember! Make sure that they do have one the next time they pass from town to town. Don't want trouble when there isn't any," he muttered. Then, he pointed at the spears, and they started to gradually recede back to the ground. The soldiers gradually walked away.
Klarne turned to them. "Come on, my kin," she smiled, taking them both by the arms of their cloaks. "They're all waiting, and wondering where you've been."
Eriol nodded. "I apologize for us taking so long." Slowly, he relaxed, and let his sword go, fading back away as he released his magic away.
She shook her head. "No. It is not your fault. Come now." Then, she turned around, and walked off.
Eriol grabbed Sakura's arm, and followed Klarne. Sakura stared at Eriol, confused. What in the world is going on?!
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 5 - Shadow World
Dtarna smiled at Syaoran, and walked up to him. Close up, Syaoran realized that she was just about his height. "I have a proposal for you," she whispered into his ear.
Syaoran scoffed. "Sure. And I'm going to accept it like the good little boy I am," he said in a light and sarcastic tone.
"I have much to offer you," she proposed, ignoring his sarcasm. "Stay with me. Let us rule together. You can never go back to the world you knew. I have closed up the portals to that place forever. And now, you have been given a taste of what peasant life is like, Syaoran. Say yes, and all this can be offered to you. All this, and me."
Syaoran felt a bit of his hopes extinguish, but he refused to let it all go. Suddenly, a thought came into Syaoran's head. "Wait a minute... So you've sealed all of the portals away, am I right?"
Dtarna nodded. "All of them."
"Then... what am I supposed to be worried about?" he laughed. "Sakura can't get in here, meaning... You can't hurt her!" Syaoran turned to look at her, an expression of pure anger on his face. "You, miss, are a dead woman."
"Oh?" she asked. "Do you really think so? Heh. I should have figured that one as slow-minded as you would believe that. Just because I can't open a portal does not mean that I cannot hurt the little girl. Think about it. A person of your magic level can hardly stand to be in here, for its magic is deep, and powerful. I don't need a portal in order to reach your world."
Syaoran's eyes flashed. Dtarna then smiled again, slow. "If you do not wish to stay with me, then... there is something that you can do for me. Something that you can give me."
Syaoran started to back up. "Heh. That's okay, ma'am. I don't know how you found out my name, and Sakura's, but there is no way that I'm listening to you anymore. Screw all of this." Then, he turned around, and started to walk away.
Dtarna glared at his back, her gaze slicing into him. She picked her hand up, and held it out to her side. "Fine," she whispered, so only she could hear. "If I cannot get you to give it to me willingly, then I will use force." With those words, she ran forward, and held her hand straight at him, mumbling words as she did. Her fingertip touched the back of his head as Syaoran's eyes widened, tilting his face up as her magic seeped into his thoughts.
"No..." he strained.
Her lips twisted up in a corrupted smile. It will be mine... she whispered to herself.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 7 - Shadow World
She quickly took the two into a building, and closed the door behind. The first floor had a counter, as if for people to check in to, and something close to a living room, with a couch and a couple chairs, with a table in the middle of it. Klarne turned around and drew a sign on the door with her finger. She watched as it glowed a slightly black color, before fading off. Then, Klarne turned to them, and said, "okay. You're safe now. Whoo! Can't believe we got away with that." Her lingo had totally changed now that they were in here.
Eriol turned to look at her, taking his hood off. "Who are you?" he asked. "And why in the world would you want to save us? You do not know who we are, and we could be a danger to you right this very instant."
Klarne's expression turned serious. "But you're not, aren't ya?" Then, she smiled again. "You can stay here for the night. I'm gonna go get some clothes, some tokens, and passes for you. I'll have them by tomorrow morning. Please, just stay here tonight and get a good rest." When Eriol and Sakura didn't answer, she continued to talk. "The bedrooms for you are upstairs. You can talk as you want, because I've sealed everything you will say. Only the three of us will hear, and only the three of us. I'm just going to go out now and run some errands. Feel free to do as you wish."
"Who are you?" Sakura asked just as Klarne was about to turn around to walk out the door.
"Me?" she blinked. Then, she regained her posture, and said, "Oh. Sorry. Guess I didn't explain, huh? Well, I'm like you guys. I'm from Earth." With those words, she walked out of the room.
Sakura and Eriol turned to look at each other. "Earth?" they asked.
"Then what is she doing here?" Sakura asked.
"I don't know..." Eriol mumbled. "I have no clue how she got here, and why she's even staying here..."
Sakura sighed as she slumped over to a chair, and sat down. "This place..." she mumbled. "It looks a lot like those cowboy pictures of the Old West, you know? In America?"
"Well, I guess the Shadow World has its own ways of showing us which place is which."
"And why can we understand what they're saying? Do the people here speak Japanese as well?" Sakura asked, confused. "It just doesn't seem reasonable for us to understand them, and for them to understand us. Or is this part of some kind of magic spell you cast on me, Eriol?" she joked.
"Actually," Eriol said, "we are able to understand them because of our magic. Please, Sakura," he laughed. "We're people of magic, and it goes a long way. I guess it can alter the sound waves so we can understand a little bit of it."
"But that girl... Klarne. She's been here before, so she must be able to talk to them... Meaning..."
"That she probably has magic as well. And she does. You saw her draw a symbol on the door. She has magic, Sakura. But still... I wonder how she got in here, and why she was accepted by this place. After all, she's still here, which makes all this quite curious for me."
"Cool," Sakura quipped chirpily. "You can think about it while I go make us a snack. After all, dinner's still a couple hours away, you know."
Eriol turned to look at her, and smiled. "Okay. That sounds very nice."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 5 - Shadow World - Realm of the Minds
She laid him down on the ground, and cupped his entire face into her hands. Dtarna smiled, and bent down so her forehead touched his, and closed her eyes, letting herself get sucked in to the world of the minds, where she also ruled. Clutching his face tighter, Dtarna started her search in this misty, white place, which had a similar look as the Crossroads.
Tell me... she whispered to him in his head as she took each step slowly and carefully. She walked through each door, passing down each road, seeking him out. What is your secret? What is your gift? What do you hold and cherish, for me to seek and find?
Dtarna yanked open another door, only to find it blank. She turned around, her essence's clothes swirling with her in his mind. TALK TO ME!!! she shouted. It was a direct order.
And yet, no one answered.
Dtarna smirked. Okay. You can drag this out as much as you want, my dear. I will have it. I will. Then, let us see how you can stop me. Dtarna then stopped walking, and held her hand out, palm up in front of her. We will do this the hard way then. I do not wish to waste anymore time. Suddenly, a dark swirl of energy emerged from that palm, and began to dance its way towards every direction.
Do you wish to know what this is? Dtarna grinned. This is a seeker AND a virus. If you do not give me what I want, then it will continue to eat you away with everything it touches. I will give you five seconds before I truly send it out against you.
One... Dtarna whispered.
Two... She started to take her other hand, and pointed her index finger around, playing with the black energy.
Three... There was still no reply.
Fo-
N-no... Syaoran moaned.
Dtarna smiled triumphantly. She watched as Syaoran appeared in front of her. Ah... His Highness has finally decided to appear in front of me... Then, Dtarna closed her palm up, and the dark wave of essence faded away. She smiled at him. Do you always make it this hard, and do things so last minute? Now, tell me your Name!
I... Syaoran whispered.
Dtarna's smile faltered a bit when she realized that he was trying to resist. Tell me your Name, she demanded in a harsher voice.
My... Name... Syaoran managed to get out, his voice strained.
TELL ME!!!!
Suddenly, Syaoran started to stared at her, his entire expression changed. He did not look like the one whom got sucked into the Shadow World, who was confused about this realm, but another one. One of which held more wisdom than needed for a real life person to have. One of which who understood what was going on, and was trying to stop it from happening. Let me go, he ordered.
Dtarna shook her head. You know what I want. Give it to me.
Syaoran still held that same, expressionless face on. That is not for you to know. You know the rules, Dtarna. Only those who it belongs to can they have what I own.
And it belongs to me, boy. Give it to me! she pressed on, her voice getting a bit louder with each word that came out of her mouth. I should be able to own it, as you have every right to it yourself. I do not see why you wish to keep it to yourself, you selfish brat.
No. You know already as to why one must keep quiet. There is a reason why we can't just give it out, Dtarna, and you know that. You are a fine example already of why it can't be given out. Others, other than the rightful owner, will corrupt it. Abuse it. I doubt that you would wish for me to find out yours and use it against you, ne? he asked, raising at eyebrow at her, as if telling her to try her best against him. How would you feel if I entered your mind, your spiritual haven? And search, going through everything? What if I find it? What if I found your Name, and hold onto it? When she didn't answer, he continued talking. Get out, now. You are breaking the rules, woman.
Please, dear child. I stopped following rules when I was but a baby, she said, as if his threats mean nothing to her. Now... give it to me before I get mad!!
Syaoran continued to shake his head. He does not know what we are talking about, Dtarna. I suggest you stay out of my - or his - head until you understand what I mean, when I say that.
Filled with fury, Dtarna lashed forward, her hands out as if to strangle him. Give me your Name!!! she shrieked. Syaoran quickly dodged her charge, and turned to look at her. Give me your Name, boy, or I will make you suffer so badly that not even your precious friends can find you back. I'll make sure that you lose yourself forever. I'll curse you to the ends of the world!! GIVE me your Name!!! she threatened.
Syaoran shook his head. It is time for you to leave this place. GO!!!
With that one word, Syaoran held his hand out, and a beam of light shot towards Dtarna, who recoiled, holding her arms in front of her face, as if trying to protect herself from it. NO!!! I'll return!!! I'll get it, no matter what it takes, I WILL!!! she yelled as she faded away from this world, and was pulled back towards her own.
Dtarna gasped as she pulled her grip away from Syaoran. "That fool!" she hissed, staring at the still unconscious guy. "I'll get his Name," she swore to herself. "I'll get his Name, or die trying! Bahrrn!!" she ordered a guard to come in. When one did, she quickly turned around, for none had the worthiness or right to see her face, said, still with anger filled in her tone, "carry him up to my bed! I do not want us to be disturb."
"What are you going to do, Master?" he asked.
Dtarna smirked. "I wish to find his Name. Do you wish for me to try to find yours, bahrrn?" She didn't even have to turn around to see the guard shuddering and his face rapidly paling to a snow-white color. "I figured as much. Then leave, before I do." She listened as the guard ran the heck out of there, and then turned around. Syaoran was there, lying on her bed.
"Oh!" she gasped. "He's filthy!" She hadn't considered how working at the sites might have affected him. Dtarna sighed, as she started to call some maids in to wash him, and then stopped. "Why do so," she whispered coyly, "when one has magic?"
She snapped her fingers quickly, and quickly as it was, Syaoran was cleanse of the dirt and ashes on him. His clothes were still rags, but it was truly better than nothing. She smiled a mockingly sweet smile down at the sleeping boy. "You won't wake anytime soon," she cooed into his ear. "I'll have you wake up when I can finally find your Name, and have you here, with me forever. As my slave, whether you want to or not. Because you see, my dear, if I have your Name, and wish to use it, then you are mine. You are mine, forever and ever," she giggled.
Ironically, the color on Syaoran's face drained, and his veins were pulsing, as if from anger at the words that she was whispering into his ears.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 7 - Shadow World
"I fold," Eriol frowned in defeat.
Sakura grinned. "I can't believe you bought a pack of cards with you. I beat you in poker ten times already. Eriol, you may be good in magic, but you stink at cards." She watched as Eriol glared at her, then glanced out a window. "Okay! Fine. We'll play another game. You can choose."
"......."
"Eriol?"
"Go Fish."
Sakura nodded. "Okay then," she smiled.
Twenty minutes later...
"Damn this!" Eriol swore as he threw his cards on the floor.
Sakura shook her head as she glanced out the window again. "Heh..." she laughed.
Eriol stared at her, all his joking and mocking anger leaving him. "That's been the umpteenth time or so that you've been looking out the window there, Sakura. Something's on your mind. What is it?"
Sakura started to shifted around nervously.
Eriol got off of his own seat, and walked up to her. He sat down closer to her, and stared into her face intently. "Tell me, Sakura," he told her softly, comforting. "What is it that's on your mind? Is it Klarne? Or is it Syaoran? Or is it something else? What is it?"
Sakura looked at him hopelessly. "I... I just don't that we should be just sitting around here, playing games when we should be trying to find out stuff that we need to know. I... I don't know. I'm sorry, Eriol. I guess that I just ruined another perfectly relaxing evening, huh?" She then smiled sadly at him. "I guess that I'm just a party pooper or something."
Eriol felt a lump in his throat as he wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm his friend down. "No," he whispered. "I understand. I'm just sorry that I didn't see it before, Sakura. Some kind of good friend I am, huh?" He squeezed her shoulder and smiled through his own worries. "Just don't worry so much, okay? It's all going to be okay. I promise you."
Sakura, even though she knew it was a childish thing to do, held up her pinkie. "Do you promise me for real? Do you really mean it when you say that?"
Eriol chuckled. "I can tell you to calm down. But..." he looked at her pinkie. "I can't truly promise you anything. I can't predict the future. I can't tell you that you won't get hurt. I can't promise you that I won't get hurt. I can't promise you that Syaoran won't get hurt. But... I can try my best, you know? I can try to protect us as hard as I can, from wherever I can."
Sakura bit her lip nervously, and she looked down at her hands, folded on her lap. Slowly, she nodded. "Okay," she whispered in a shaky voice. "I can do this." She then looked up at him, a small smile on her lips. "I'll try my hardest as well. After all, I've been such a prissy little thing, you know."
Eriol nodded. "You really are a worry-wart. Not perfect at all," he laughed softly.
Suddenly, as if those words triggered something in her, Sakura's face paled, all colors drained from her face instant. "I'm not perfect," she whispered softly, repeating his words, as if in a trance.
Eriol nodded his head, even though he knew that he might be doing something bad as he agreed with her. "Yes. You are not perfect. Nobody in this world is perfect, Sakura. And you should know that. I've made mistakes. You've made mistakes."
Sakura looked up, her frail face showing pain from a memory she just came up with. "You know," she said, "if Syaoran was here, he'd disagree with me, and say that I was the most perfect thing in his life." She turned to look at him. "How come you won't say that about me?"
"Well," Eriol replied, feeling his throat tighten up as his arm left her shoulder as he talked, "I am not Syaoran, so I cannot act as he did, Sakura."
"I know," Sakura nodded. "I didn't mean it that way, Eriol. I'm sorry. It's just that... I couldn't help remembering when you said those words, you know, Eriol. I... I can't believe that I can still feel this way. Oh, geez! Listen to me! I sound like those broken girls in those movies. I need to stop all this..."
"Your love for him will be the death of you, Sakura..." Eriol whispered.
Sakura nodded bleakly. "I know," she said in a flat voice. "Maybe then I'll be happy."
Eriol suddenly got up, and looked out the window as well this time. "I wonder when that Lady Klarne's going to come back," he asked casually. "It'd be great if she can get back here now so that we can ask her a few questions..."
"Didn't you listen to her?" Sakura asked. "She went out to run some errands. She went to get stuff for us, though I don't see why she'd do that stuff for us. She said that she'd be back with all those items by morning at the latest. So maybe it's going to take her a while, you know."
"Yes... but I can't help but wonder... She's from Earth, and yet she is here. Quite intriguing."
"Why?" Sakura teased. "Are you falling for her?"
Eriol turned to look at her, his eyes widening. "God, no! She's what? Twenty years old or something?!"
"Yeah, well, love can conquer all, right? Hehe. Even age doesn't matter when it comes to love."
"Love..." Eriol sighed, and turned back to look out the window. I wonder... how it really feels... to be in LOVE... "I wouldn't know, Sakura," he said, an emotion of longing ache in his voice as he said those words. "I really wouldn't know..." Suddenly, Eriol felt a tug of something at the back of his head. The sun was starting to set. "Come on, Sakura," he whispered urgently. "Let's pack up everything of ours. I don't think we'll stay up until tomorrow morning."
"What?!" Sakura asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Just listen to me. Come on. Let's do this right now."