Chapter 1: A new force

A/N: This story takes place after the second movie when Sakura and the others are 15 years old. Li and Sakura are a couple as are Eli and Madison. Rivalry's are still the same between Li and Tori, Kero and Li and Eli and Li (mainly on Li's side). . . Li doesn't exactly have many friends does he? Sakura's powers have grown some and Eli sensed Li's. . . feelings of weakness compared to her and lent him a spell book so now he knows a few other spells and is stronger but nothing compared to Sakura and Eli. Li is in a sense the central character in my story so for you die hard Sakura fans you may not like this but then again you might like it.. . well I might as well stop Rambling now and start.

Penguin park. . .

Li pushed Sakura out of the way of a blue magic blast sending them both to the floor, Li helped Sakura up and they both turned back to face the creature that had attacked them. It was like a wolf only 2 metres in height, a blue coat, three tails, four eyes, two arms that stuck out the sides of its body and a mouth that was like an anteaters mouth.

Sakura edged behind Li and whispered "I'm scared Li what do we do?"

Li smiled at her "don't worry we'll think of something"

Sakura nodded and stepped out from behind him, Li also looked at the creature *I wish I was as positive as I sound* he thought.

He drew his sword and chanted a spell under his breath, the branches of the nearby trees shot out and wrapped themselves around the beast but it broke free easily. It stretched its long mouth out and fired another blue magic blast, Sakura and Li jumped out of the way just before it hit them. Sakura quickly recovered from the attack and threw a card into the air.

"WINDY CARD!"

She hit the card with the end of her staff, the card glowed white and the elemental spirit of wind that belonged in the card came out and commanded the winds to bind the creature who dodged the incoming winds easily. Li jumped into the air and landed on the creatures back, he lifted his sword up and plunged it into the creatures back. The creature howled in pain as black blood shot out into the air from the horrible wound, Li threw one of his elemental ofudas into the wound and jumped of the creatures back. He landed on the ground next to Sakura and lifted his sword into the air.

"ELEMENTAL LIGHTNING! COME TO MY AID!"

The ofuda in the creatures back started to glow blue, seconds later lightning shot out of it and covered the creature who screamed into the darkness of the night. Slowly the lightning disappeared and the creature fell to the floor. . . dead. Suddenly the fur set on fire and burned away, then the skin burned followed by the muscle and then the skeleton disintegrated leaving no trace of it. Li smiled and walked over to Sakura then collapsed to the floor at her feet.

"LI!"

Sakura knelt down and pulled his head into her lap, she brushed a few strands of hair away and shook him gently. Li slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her, she smiled back and kissed him.

Next day Eli Moon's mansion. . .

"The attacks are getting more frequent and more dangerous!"

"Calm down Li"

"No I will not calm down what does all this mean?" Li demanded.

Eli shook his head "I honestly don't know"

Li started to get pissed "YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE THE FUCKING REINCARNATION OF CLOW REED! HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE A DAMN IDEA OF WHAT'S HAPPENING!"

"Don't talk to MY Eli like that Li!" Madison exclaimed putting her arm around Eli.

Li sighed "sorry but this is the fifth attack this week and each time the creatures are getting more powerful"

"But we didn't get hurt or anything Li" Sakura said.

"That's not my point well not exactly. . . each time we have to use more magic to defeat them and if this keeps up then those creatures will fight us until they get so powerful that they can withstand all our magic and then we won't have a prayer" Li said.

"He is right about that we need to find out what is causing all these disturbances" Yue said calmly.

"Yeah but considering the power it must take to form these creatures we have to ask ourselves. . . do we really want to find out?" Spinner said.

Everybody was silent.

Unknown location. . .

Lightning rained upon this barren landscape with a red sky, the only sounds came from thunder and the slaves that worked, fell and died all over the place underneath the gaze of a huge menacing castle that towered over everything else. Inside the castle figures masked by shadow walked through the dark hallways with no light to guide them while dark laughter could be heard everywhere. In the throne room a cloaked figure entered and knelt before the person that sat on the throne.

"Mistress Kei. . . everything is in motion" the cloaked figure said.

". . . Have you found the one that can open the book of Shadow?" the women on the throne asked.

"I have my suspicions but I have yet to confirm anything Mistress"

"I see. . . you have done well Hastusha give me your full report on the current situation" Kei said.

Hastusha stood up "as per my original instructions I have been creating creatures to attack the card mistress and her friends, they are all very strong but there is one who is much weaker than any of them but fights with enough skill to equal any of them"

"Who is that?" Kei asked intrigued.

"He is the future heir of the Chinese Li clan Li Showron Mistress" Hastusa answered.

"Could he be the one?" Kei asked "and how easily can he be turned?"

"Hmpff I don't believe a weakling like that can open the book of Shadow Mistress even though unlike any of the others he harbours some darkness in his heart" Hastusha said.

"So can he be turned to our side though?" Kei demanded getting impatient.

". . . He has very strong feelings to the card mistress so I don't think it would be easy Mistress however. . ."

Kei's grin could be seen even through the darkness that covered her "yes I'm listening"

"I believe that he could be. . . persuaded and all I need is the book of Shadow Mistress" Hastusha said.

Kei laughed "very well. . ." Kei waved her hand and a black book appeared in front of Hastusha, Hastusha took the book and examined it. On the front of the book there was a picture of a black wolf with bat wings, red eyes and a face that would scare both small and large children while on the back was a picture of a humanoid with bat wings like the one on the front, he had black hair and red eyes and wore black robes. Above the creature on the front in Italic style writing was the word SHADOW.

Hastusha bowed "I shall begin immediately Mistress"

Hastusha turned and left the room, Kei started to giggle "and soon everything shall be under my rule. . . all I need to do know is get the person who can to open the SHADOW book and then nobody will stop me! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Preview of next chapter:

In the next chapter Sakura and co. continue to fight the creatures that have been appearing while Hastusha confronts Li with the book of SHADOW. Li must then make a choice, continue on the path he's on now or accept the powers that Hastusha is offering and open the Shadow book. Each path will have devastating consequences on someone but does Li have the strength to reject the chance to acquire the greatest power in the universe?

A/N: I won't continue this story unless I get at least TWO reviews