Rei Eien: Hehe. It's out! I'm so glad you like this. ^^
Elizabeth: Is this soon enough??? Yeeaaahhhh. Me thinks so.
Jared: Awww!! So happy that you've been reading and reviewing this fic!! *glomps Jared*
RuByMoOn: Zank yewwww!!! Thanks for reading and reviewing this fic! \^o^/
cute angel: You luv my story?! AH! ME so happy!!
Chachagirl*88: Well, if he sensed it, then he'd beat them up, and where's the interesting part gonna come up then?? We gotta do SOMETHING evil to Eriol. *Grins an oh-so-evil grin* Yeah, I know... poor Eriol... T_T
:D: Thank you!
?: I updated!!!! Yay!!!
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Chapter Ten: A New Sense of Sadness
Day 17 - Shadow World
Syaoran turned to look at Tgaeh as he pulled a rock from another wedge. Grumbling as he turned back to his own work, he remembered how Tgaeh just mumbled to him to sleep and tell him the next day. Well, damn it, today is the next day, and he wanted answers. A Name... It just sounded so important, like life and death... But it's only a Name. Yet by the looks of Tgaeh, it seems that he would have to wait.
As he took out another stone, and looked around, Syaoran found the site to be reducing gradually. I wonder what they're going to make. If Sakura can see this- And his thought stopped right there. Sakura... That's right... She's not here with me right now. She's still... gone.
Well, I guess that it's better to say that I'M gone, not really her, but still. I miss her... Is she searching for me at all right now? It's been... How long? I haven't kept track of time, but it's really been a while. Or... it seems like it. Damn. It seems like it's been forever. Does she know how much I long to see her? How much this torture is killing me, that I need her here with me? Does she miss me a well?
Grabbing another stone, Syaoran threw it into his basket, when he realized that the entire container was full. Grumbling, he threw some back out, until he knew how much he could handle for the distance. Lifting it up, he staggered over to the disposal section, and happily got rid of the rocks, doing all of this half-heartedly. Sakura was still filling up all of his thoughts, and when it came to her, nothing could come interrupt any of these sessions.
Closing his eyes for a second to rest, he saw an image of her in his mind, smiling at him. Suddenly, he felt something hanging from his neck, and Syaoran took the object into his hands. His eyes widened when he saw that it was his necklace. Wow... I've been so caught up with everything that I totally forgot that I had this on me. Clicking it open, Syaoran smiled softly when he saw the picture, sighing. He felt himself relax a bit more, now knowing that he shouldn't doubt at all that Sakura wouldn't be lounging around when he's gone like this.
She's finding me; I know she is. Sakura's probably searching for me right now... he said to himself. And I know that-
Suddenly, Syaoran found himself pushed against the rocky walls, scratching himself up. "Ah!" he gave a short cry, and turned around to glare at whoever who did that. "Watch it, man!" Then, he saw a soldier standing behind him, eyes wide when he heard Syaoran retort at him like that. Sucking in his breath, Syaoran watched as the man pursed his lips in anger.
"Who are you to speak to me in that manner, commoner?!" the bahrrn shouted at him.
Cringing a bit, Syaoran found himself smirking slightly. "I'm not a commoner," he said in a calm voice, seeing the soldier's eyes widen even more when he talked back. In a way, it was pretty humorous within itself. "I'm a wizard." Then, he just stared at the soldier, who's face was starting to turn a VERY fuming red.
"Falsehood is an offense! You have spoke against an officer, commoner! Then you say that you are a wizard! And speaking of magic to relate to oneself is already worthy of a beating or even...!" Then, after he listed this crimes that Syaoran had committed in hardly five minutes, the bahrrn gave a smirk. "I think you will have a very relaxing time in Solitary, do you not think so?"
Syaoran's eyes narrowed at those words. Solitary... I've heard of it. Tgaeh told me about it once. But... damn! I totally forgot what it is... So instead, Syaoran backed up from the soldier. "No thanks," he laughed softly. "I think that I'll be just fine doing this instead. You know, picking up the bricks and all-"
Suddenly, he felt the soldier grab his arm, and jerked him away from the site. Syaoran groaned softly to himself. When he turned his head around, he saw Tgaeh, eyes wide with dread showing on his face, his entire face drained of all color. Suddenly, it all popped back into his head.
"I had it for five minutes, and I came back looking all blue. At least, that's what mum and dad said. I don't remember anything about it, though... All I remember was that it was very bright, but very dark as well. Kind of glad that I don't remember, really. Don't think that I'd still be here if I did. There were some would didn't even make it back! Why, I was just a lucky one. Some never came back out, and others die a few minutes after they stumbled back into their home. If their lucky, they're just broken and cry all the time. Who knows. It's always a different reaction when each one comes back, but they're always worse than before."
"Wait a minute!" Syaoran protested. "Aren't I supposed to get to go to Solitary if I offend the Master or something? Not because I offended you?"
Suddenly, the soldier flashed a carved piece of stone in his face, about the size of one's palm. On the stone were the markings and shapes that closely resembled fire. "I am the Master's head bahrrn," he exclaimed. "Do you know nothing?! That means that I get to choose your punishment, peasant," he threw the words out at Syaoran in a sneer.
Syaoran frowned. This is going to be GREAT... Of all the luck I have, I was just blessed with being able to talk back to the head honcho here. Oh, joy!
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 15 - Shadow World
Sakura groaned as she woke up, feeling sore all over. Opening her eyes, she sat up, being supported by her arms. But once she looked down, it all came rushing back at her, crashing into her head as she stared at her bloody hands. Well, her hands were not too bloodied up, but with the blood encrusted onto her hand from not washing them, it was more than enough to freak her out. All in all, she felt like retching.
Slowly getting up, Sakura looked around, and found herself in a cave with nothing else there. She cringed as the torches crackled with the fire, causing slight ache to her eyes, her knees starting to give way. Biting her lip to stop herself from crying out, Sakura started to walk.
Suddenly, an explosive noise ignited in the cave, and Sakura fell to the ground when it started to shake beneath her. Sitting up, she stared around, shadows moving across the walls, taunting her as they laughed. Noises, voices, they began to call out, getting closer and closer to her. Sakura cringed when she heard footsteps all around, some stomping on the ground, as others were just shuffling along.
"Get up," a clear voice said, loud enough for her to hear over the chaotic noises. Looking up, she saw the same man who had brought her here, and she flinched, backing up away from him. He looked to be taller than Eriol from where she sat, and this time, he was not half-invisible. He had fiery red hair that was tied in a ponytail, eyes as black as ebony, and maybe in his twenties. He wore armor over his breeches and clothing. Obviously seeing her fright, the man just chuckled. "There is no use in getting away. We have been watching you since I took you and allowed for you to sleep on the ground."
"Were you the one who shot Eriol?" she whispered so softly that she thought he wouldn't be able to hear her.
His lips moved up to half a smile, and Sakura felt anger starting to rise up, dimming her fear away. He didn't need to answer her, for she knew what was going to say anyway. "Yes," he answered in a perky voice. "I shot the arrow through his back, and knocked him out with my staff, which is why you saw him bleeding in the head."
Narrowing her eyes at him, Sakura shot up, and ran up to him. A loud sound riveted through the halls of the caves when she slapped in on the face. Suddenly, she noticed how many of the warriors were standing around the two of them, and how they had ceased making sounds that clashed in her ears. The man was staring at her, his arms at his side, never lifting up to hold his cheek where she had strike. "You dare..." he whispered.
Sakura found herself crashing to the ground, scraping it as she slid on it. Groaning, she looked up, and saw him smiling down at her, his hand held in a fist. Her shoulder cried out in pain from where he hit her, and her head rocked with dizziness. Sakura held her shoulder with her hands, which were painted with dried blood. She winced as she got up, ignoring how she shouldn't push him to a limit, and yelled, "Take me back to him! How DARE you hurt him like that!"
Instead, the guy just grinned some more, and ordered, "Take her and clean her up. She must look appealing when I set my eyes on her again." Suddenly, about a dozen women rushed out and grabbed onto Sakura's arm. She glared at them, and jerked away, but still got dragged away as she struggled continued to try to struggle.
"Let go of me! Let me GO!! Give him back to me!" she yelled at the laughing warrior as she tried to ignore the pain the women were giving her when some of them squeezed her shoulder. "Take me back to him!!!!"
Sakura found herself turning a corner, and dragged down a hallway, while the laughter was fading away from her ears now. There were many smaller entrances to other parts all around, she saw, and she was took to one of them. Once she entered, one of the women closed the entrance by cover it with a curtain. Sakura was turned around, and she found herself pushed into a large pool. Shivering, she found the water to be freezing cold.
Looking around, Sakura realized now that they were going to rid her of the blood on herself. Quickly, she took off her shirt, which had been drenched with Eriol's blood before, and threw it onto dry ground. Glaring at them, she said, "Don't wash that shirt of mine's. It's... It's probably going to be only memory I'll ever have of my friend. I know it's weird of me to keep such red marks of wounds, but I... I... Please..." Even though she started harsh and distance, the tone of her voice reduced to pleading. She realized that no matter what, she was still only one person, and the rest of them could seriously do as they wish to whatever she had on her.
"Why should we?" one of the women sniffed. She had long, golden blond hair that was tied into a ponytail, rested down her shoulders to her waist, and also looked to be about Sakura's own age as well. "Lord Vequal wants you appealing. We must do as he asks-"
"Oh, leave her be, Irian," another one said, and walked up to them. She had black hair, with streaks of blue in them, and looked to be the age of the one called Irian. "I was there, do you not remember, and she grieved much for the man who fell. Just let her keep what she wishes. Maidens," she said to the others, "Do not cleanse or dispose of that piece of clothing. And heat up the water; she looks as if her face is turning blue from the temperature." Bending down, the woman rolled up her sleeves, and beckoned to Sakura. "Come, lady. We will wash you." Sakura backed up a bit, and was about to protest when Irian opened her mouth first.
"Oh, Haeli," Irian rolled her eyes. "Why fall to the whims of this one little child? We should be able to do as we wish with her items-"
"We will give her new attire to wear then, Irian. Will you be content now?" Haeli told her. She then turned to Sakura. "I am sure that you are able to wash yourself at your own will, but this is of our customs, and since you are here, I suggest that you just follow them. That should be of no problem now, shall it?"
"I was not brought here of my own will," Sakura retorted back, a grieving look on her face as she looked up at the two who were tending to her. She had lifted her arm up, and now they were scrubbing her, rubbing all the blood off her now, and a few more came to wash her as well. Others were going about to other stuff, bringing in new clothing, heating the water, getting items for washing her, or just anything else that she probably wouldn't understand. Sakura closed her eyes, find them to burn with tears. "Do you think that he's dead?" she whispered, feeling a hole in her burdensome heart. She blinked the tears away quickly, wanting nothing to do with her idiotic crying self at this instant.
Sighing, Haeli smiled reassuringly at her. "I-"
"He had an arrow pierced from his back through to his stomach. That stupid lord of yours then hit him hard on the head. And when I left, the blood just kept..." she takes in a trembling breath. "The blood... It just wouldn't stop coming out. And I did nothing to stop it. I just kept trying to wake him up. I... I should've done better than that. I really should've-"
"Oh, hush it, lady. You grieve like a baby," Irian scolded.
"No," Haeli whispered. "She grieves like a lover."
Sakura's eyes widened at those words, shock replacing some sadness. "Oh, no! Oh, my God, no!" Sakura said in a horrific tone, feeling a light blush flow over her face. "I... Eriol, he is my friend. I have known him for years, and he left once long ago. We've just met up again a short while ago. I... I don't want him dead, too, you know. I'm grieving like a friend should."
"I was there, lady," Haeli told her. "Yes, I was there. And you were right. Illusions. We have invisibility attire, which were given to us by Lord Vequal. I saw your face when you saw him fall. Ah, if there were a more pained face that I have ever laid eyes on, it would still not be as harsh as yours. You looked as if the world had ended for you, and you would not believe it even if fate told you straight in the face. You kept shaking him, crying for him to wake. It would bring tears to my eyes, but I do not cry. If you two are not lovers, then there is something peculiar about the way you mourned for him, for I when I see pain such as yours, it is surrounded by strong emotions."
Sakura frowned at her words. "Ah, if only I can feel as this maiden does, then," Irian smiled sadly, longing on her face now, instead of annoyance. "You see, lady, one such as you should be considered fortunate to have such feelings in yourself. In our band of people, love is a harsh battle, and never much good comes out of it. I do not see why you wish to deny it. From Haeli's words, it seems that either he loves you back, or he does not, and you hurt even more."
"No," Sakura said slowly. "It's just that, well, there is somebody special in my heart already. Eriol knows that, and I know that. We're really just good friends. The only reason we are traveling together is to search for him-" Stopping in her words, Sakura suddenly glared at them. "You work for Dtarna, don't you?" Seeing the expressions on their tired faces, Sakura shook her head. "Why does she keep doing this to us?! Already, I've... I've... Oh, Syaoran..."
"We do not work for her," one of the maidens replied.
"Lord Vequal does," another woman said softly.
"He is in love."
"He wants."
"He desires."
"He is blind," Haeli said in a hopeless tone of voice. "She called him to her palace once, and he went, not knowing if he should or not. He was gone for days, and just returned a few ago. He told us that a small group shall travel with him to the desert, and catch a prisoner there. A few of us went, but before we did, Lord Vequal gave us some invisibility cloaks. They were filled with heavy magic. I was there as well, and I asked him what Dtarna told him. He just looked at me harshly, and said that I was to never call her that name ever again, that it was for him to say, and for him alone. She has spelled him to see her only, and it is working."
Suddenly, a thought popped up into Sakura's mind. "Wait a minute. Okay. The city she owns or rules over is known as Lyrra, right?" After she saw them nod their heads, she continued, "Then how far is it away from here? It is just about a day's walk from here or something, since he went there and came back so fast?"
"Oh, I guess that I should explained better," Haeli said. "She willed him to her side, so he did not go there all the way. The lady Dtarna has strong magic as such. Why, if he traveled, it would have taken maybe ten days at the least, and it would not be quite that easy of a task, really. Thus, when he was there, she must have enchanted him, or bribed, for Lord Vequal is more often than not hard to please. She has done something to him."
Sakura nodded. Together, since she found him in the town, Eriol and her had probably been traveling for a week at the most. To add at least ten more days to that... Sakura groaned, shaking her head. I can't concentrate at ALL. Eriol... What if he's dead? What if, what if... I can't think of that what if. I just need to think positively. He'll come get me. He will. After all, him dying is totally out of the question. At least... it better be.
"Ah, lady, your mind is not even on Lord Vequal or Dtarna anymore," Haeli smiled sympathetically. "You say that you already have a loved one? Well, then why is he gone from you? Did Dtarna do something to him?"
"Yes," Sakura whispered, sinking into the water. Her wet clothes were starting to get to her, but the women were already helping her out of them. "Dtarna took him away from me, which is why Eriol and I came here. She forced him to follow her, probably. I don't know. All I know is that I need to get him back to me."
Haeli shook her head, and sighed. "Aye, lady. Aye. If that is what you think, then just go ahead and think that. But, before you go through any more of those tenacious thoughts, let me tell you something. It is not as if I wish for you to lessen your faith, but... Dtarna. She does not force. Well, she does later on, but that is after the person willingly follows her. That special man of yours... He willingly gave himself to her, and she took him away."
Sakura listened to her, and bit her lip. "No," she said in a trembling voice, starting to shake her head. Backing away from the women, Sakura felt anger surge through her once more. "You don't understand; Syaoran, he doesn't do those things to me! He wouldn't. I mean, how can he want to go willingly?!"
"Maybe he saw the image of another before him?" Irian suggested, turning to look at Haeli. "I mean, she is a master of deception as well as magic. And if he sees the image of another, then he must say yes to her, will he not?"
Haeli pondered on this, and closing her eyes, she nodded her head. Looking back at the wearied Sakura, Haeli held her hand out. "I apologize for my assumptions, my lady. And what I hear is what I tell. After all, it does take two to make a situation like this. Or, in this case, maybe even three or four. Please do not think ill of me because of this."
Sakura shook her head. "I won't," she promised. But this really does get me thinking... Damn it all...
*~*~*~*~*~*
Day 17 - Shadow World
Syaoran recoiled when he saw himself getting dragged to a huge cave. Peering at the soldier, he suddenly gave a strong and forceful kick, throwing the guard off of him. Syaoran then pushed him down onto the ground, and quickly turned around to run off. Suddenly, he saw two more soldiers charging up at him when they saw the incident. Syaoran smirked, and hastily, he crouched down to slide in another kick that tripped the both of them at the same time.
Sensing something behind him, Syaoran jumped up, flipped in the air to see that the first soldier had gotten back up, and had hit the spot with a spear where Syaoran stood a few seconds ago. Rolling his eyes, Syaoran landed on the soldier's shoulders. He then squatted down and whacked his hand, in the shape of a knife, on the side of the bahrrn's head, causing him to fall instantly. Swiftly, Syaoran then leaped off of the soldier's shoulders and back on the ground perfectly.
But it had hardly knocked the bahrrn out, who just turned around to face Syaoran with the spear in his head, the sharp end held high up into the air. Without a second's hesitation, he charged up to Syaoran, the spear pointing straight at the teenager's chest. Sucking in a breath, Syaoran swerves to the side in time to feel the short wind of the weapon zoom past him. He then hastily grabbed onto the stick, and punched through the thin object into two jagged pieces. Grabbing onto the head, Syaoran threw it to the side, and turned to the soldier.
Throwing the other piece away as well, the bahrrn then held his fists up, his face red with hatred and loathe. No words came out of them as he struck first once more, and punched straight at Syaoran's stomach. This time, it caught him off-guard, and Syaoran fell back, the wind practically knocked out of him. Gasping for a breath, Syaoran got back onto his feet, and blocked the soldier's next hit with his own hand, clenching onto the soldier's striking one. Jerking his hand back and backing up, the soldier jumped up into the air.
Syaoran rolled out of the way, and felt the man's boot bang onto the ground, causing everything to vibrate around it. Holding his hands in a defensive mode, Syaoran stayed in the crouched position, and waited for the predictable charge from the soldier. When it came, Syaoran bent his head down, and fell to his back against the ground. Feeling the bahrrn above him for those few seconds, Syaoran gave a sharp kick, and also punched him in a face at the same time.
The soldier flew back, and knocked onto a stone wall, falling down in a tiring heap afterwards. Syaoran sat there for a few minutes, making sure that the bahrrn wouldn't get up anytime soon at all. After those few minutes were up, Syaoran let out a relieved breath.
Getting up and wiping his brow, he smiled in satisfaction with the soldiers groaning on the ground. Just about to turn around, Syaoran was jumping with joy inside to know that he's still got a few moves in him to keep himself away from all those bruises and wounds. After all, right now, he's just walking off with maybe a scratch or two on his chest from where that idiotic soldier had kicked him. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his head as he fell onto the ground. "AH-!!" he started to cry out, when the world around him started to spin. He then felt two arms grabbed onto his, dragging him to the cave. The other two had gained their consciousness back again, and had lashed out at him when he just thought that he was free to run off.
Feeling the jagged rocks on his knees, Syaoran groaned as he felt his view of everything around him starting to blur and turn hazy. His last memorable images were of him looking up, and seeing the soldier standing guard at the entrance to the Solitary. He looked into Mushi's surprised eyes, and felt everything around him give way to the darkness.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Hehe. I had fun with that last scene. ^_^ It's too bad Syaoran's ass got kicked anyway after all he did at first. As you can see, Eriol's not in this chapter. He's... well... oh, never mind! You can find out later on. *grins* Please read and review!!!