[A/N: Wai! Much love and glomping is sent to mah wonderful Beta Reader, Daelan! ^_^ Much love, also, to the bliss of a homework-less night in which I am writing this chapter. For once I love my teachers!!! Happiness abounds! o_O;; *ahem* anyway, I would like to start off this chappie by saying, that AGAIN (gomen nasai) there won't be much Yaoi. *extra sniffing and tears* This will NOT be a jump-in-the-sack fic! (as Daelan so aptly put it in her review) I can't stand when people just have two characters – who, I might add, have a certain level of rivalry in the show – become all lovey-dovey with no incentive at all… well, it's kinda a given that Eriol is attracted to Syaoran, (and I have ABSOLUTLY no idea how Syaoran couldn't be head-over-heels for Eriol *dreamy eyes*) but not visa-versa. (;-; ) Wai…character development will be in order, so the Yaoi-goodness could take a while!]
Disclaimer: Fine, fine, make the authoress depressed, remind her that she doesn't own Card Captors Sakura (or Li-chan or Eriol-kun…DAMN! ;-; )
Title: Love Painted Black
Chapter IV: And the Plot Thickens…
It was only then that he realized that a great pain had been lacing through his body. Falling to his knees abruptly, using the sword to keep himself at least partially upright, he turned his smoldering gaze towards the window. There Eriol stood, his sun-tipped staff raised and pointed towards the ground, eyes closed behind the large-lensed glasses, his lips moving in an unheard chant.
"An Illusion spell…" Li murmured, recognizing it almost instantly…the mage had been casting a long and complicated spell during Syaoran's battle, which made his fight appear like a group of children playing in the middle of the street, instead of a lone boy combating a gigantic bird. Grumbling out a would-be thanks, he slowly lifted himself into a standing position, contemplating the card in his hands.
He turned it over, the beautiful image of Fly, her wings folded, her head bent, adorned the front…it appeared to be an exact replica of Sakura's own, complete with the glowing red eyes…in fact, he would have been convinced that it was a Sakura card, had the back not so clearly displayed otherwise with its spidery print and crimson tint…
The Blood Cards…The Blood Cards… his mind gave a restless chant as he stared down, mesmerized by the delicate intertwining ebony strands of spider web that formed an intricate pattern over an eerily crimson surface. The card was so glossy and smooth that it appeared as though it were covered in liquid…Blood.
Tentatively running a single digit over the surface, he confirmed that it was indeed solid, though it was warmer than an inanimate object should have been…almost as though it had a source of heat all its own.
He again began to lose his footing due to the sudden reminder of his weakened state, and – with a quick glance up at Eriol's chanting form in the window – he slowly lifted the card, tossing it silently into the air before lifting his sword and bringing the point slamming down upon it. "RELEASE!" He shouted when the tip made impact…
For a brief moment he wondered how the Fly card would adapt to his sword…it would be nearly impossible to mount it like Sakura's sealing wand…the blade would have proved…uncomfortable…to sit upon.
His musings, however, were cut abruptly short as he felt a strange tingling sensation in his back, just between his shoulder blades. Stiffening instantly, he turned his head slowly, eyes wide, to glance over his shoulder…
Two large pearly white wings were what jutted gracefully from his back, feathers fluttering ever so slightly in the crisp winter breeze. He blinked, not once, not twice, but three times. Yup, count 'em. Three times. Three times, with blood red eyes. Instead of his usual liquid brown irises, glowing crimson were in their place; no doubt an attribute given to him by the Fly card. Confusion settled evident upon his scowling features, as he raised an eyebrow and slowly extended the feathered appendages to their full width before gradually folding them back against his body. He repeated the motion again, his head slightly cocked to the side before coming to the conclusion that this was indeed the Fly card's doing.
Carefully, at first, giving the wings slow, measured pumps, he began to feel the strange sensation of being lifted off the ground in a slight whirl of breeze and snow. Unsteadily, he began to ascend higher and higher, slowly making his way towards the window in which Eriol stood.
Finally, upon reaching it, he allowed himself to be held steady by wings spread again to their full breadth, pumping gradually outwards then back in, creating the tiniest of telltale winds, which ruffled his chocolate colored hair and loose navy shirt.
Eriol seemed to snap out of his magic induced trance when he saw the youngest of Li clan fly up towards him with wings that rivaled any angel's. He then blinked in complete surprise. "…Li?" He questioned, leaning closer as though to run his fingers through the feathery appendages.
"Move over Hiiragizawa," Syaoran growled instantly, pulling back slightly from the mage, a faint blush growing on his cheeks, accented darkly by his bright crimson eyes, "I don't want to stay out in the freaking cold all day!"
"Maa, maa," Eriol replied easily, his calm smile again in place as he stepped away from the shattered and charred wall, allowing room for Li to fold his newly acquired wings and clamber in.
Li, however, when clambering in, had felt a strange tug on his mind…an eerie sort of invasion of his inner thoughts…as though someone else was forcing him to obey their intentions and whims. Snapping around, he glared lethally at Eriol, which only brought more attention to his glowing crimson eyes.
The mage blinked, smiling ever-so-politely at the sudden scrutinizing gaze. "Yes, what is it?"
"I…I don't know…" Li growled back, as though struggling with some inner conflict. "I…I can't…"
One more word seemed to bubble on his lips, but there came no sounds, only a sharp intake of air followed by a ostensibly relieved exhale. His smile grew wicked, evil almost…then his mouth opened again. "Ahh. It's been awhile."
Eriol arched an eyebrow. "…Li-kun?" He tried tentatively, watching his descendent warily.
The 'possessed' Li narrowed his red eyes slightly. "You…I know you…" He growled, regarding Eriol with much more interest now. "…Clow Reed… She made us so we could defeat your creations. So we could put you to shame. But who would pass up this phenomenal opportunity? To kill the man instead of the cards?"
Eriol was silent for a few moments before giving his customary smile, which threw off the Fly's confident smirk somewhat. "'She'? Who is 'She'?"
The Fly snorted. "The Mistress never gave us her name. We were to refer to her as Mistress only. You, though, were an focus of her many restless nights…"
Eriol smiled again before nodding, his fingers clutching rather tightly at the sun-tipped staff that stood perhaps a head taller than he. "Aa, I see." Though he indeed he had no idea who this 'mistress' was, he wanted the Fly out of Syaoran's body…and as quickly as possible. He, therefore, voiced his wishes. "I would advise you to leave the form you have possessed and return to your card. 'She' may have created you, but if I am not mistaken I must have taught her how. Your magic is nothing compared to mine; no card's is."
The Fly snorted, waving his hand slightly in the air as he gestured towards Li's body. "You will not hurt me in this form, for you refuse to harm the boy, am I right?" He gave a curt nod, as though agreeing with himself. "And he has magic also. Magic that runs through his blood…he is your kin." The smile was wicked, evil, and horribly eerie…especially when it quirked Li's lips with a sudden madness. "I think it is perfect. He will do just fine." He flexed his wrist slightly, bringing Li's sword up to his eye level, before giving it a deft twirl that lanced dangerously close to Eriol's face, though the mage did naught…he simply glared at the card with gray eyes darkened to ebony.
"You will not." He stated simply before raising the staff in a decidedly defensive manner.
"I believe I will." With that the Fly sprung forward, sword raised in a great arch above his head, crimson eyes gleaming in a manner that clearly stated that he fully intended to kill. With a deft swing, he brought the sword spiraling downwards, aimed for a blow to the head, but was stopped by a powerful force field created of magical energy. "Kuso…" the card murmured before bringing his foot upwards sharply, slamming it with a great deal of force into Eriol's stomach.
Coughing out in surprise, the mage couldn't recover in time to stop the fist that was making a fast track towards his nose…there was a powerful 'crack!' as the blow connected, and Eriol was sent stumbling backwards, his one of the lenses on his glasses now shattered, blood splattering down his face from a broken nose.
"Physically, mage," The card leered mockingly, as he cracked his knuckles, sword laying forgotten several feet away, "This body is stronger than you…and since you refuse to hurt the boy with your magic…" it trailed off, leaving with a certain sense of impending doom lingering in the air.
As Eriol stood, wiping blood from his upper lip nonchalantly, he smiled down at Li's possessed form, though he could say naught.
Fly laughed, bringing his foot flying upwards again with speed that rivaled even the greatest reflexes. "And now, Clow Reed, you will die…" His fist connected with another sound crack against Eriol's ribs, causing the mage's mouth to open wide, a whoosh of air released from imprisoning lips as speckles of crimson liquid splattered, warm, against Li's cheek…
The card jolted backwards, unable to make the finishing blow as something akin to a scream ripped through his lungs. Throwing its head backwards, he stared at the ceiling as a growling and utterly enraged voice telepathically boomed through the room; 'What the HELL do you think you're doing stealing my body, Card?!' Li's form gave a violent shudder as suddenly the wings that fluttered from his back disappeared with a sparkle of light, crimson orbs fading to vibrant brown.
Syaoran collapsed to the ground as the single card materialized before him, floating gently through the air before landing softly on the carpeted floor. Looking up silently at Eriol, the youngest Li clan member stifled a gasp at the mage's broken and bloody state.
"You…I…I did that to you?"
[A/N: Well? What do you think? ^_^;; for any of you who are confused…the Fly card took over Li's body, though surprisingly Li was able to fight back. *solemn nod* Yup yup… and I leave off with these simple words: REVIEW AND I WILL FOREVER BE IN YOUR DEBT! ^_~ Jaa!]
The Fly: