Well, hello! And Welcome to My Little World of Weirdness!

I state for the record that, despite the fact I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the official characters that will grace this story; it's all CLAMP's! Always has been, always will be! I *DO*, however, own Marcibay Hilligans and Hei-ying Reed!! I also own Lord Maduokai, and the three of the dragons, T'listia isn't mine but on loan from one of my favourite reviewers and writers, Tam Chronin! And what the heck . . . I own both of the mansions (The Reed/Hiirawagizawa and the Tsukimine) as well! [Laughs] Also I don't pretend to have any Mastery over the language of Japanese or any clue as to correct grammatical structure. I put it in and hope it gets across the point I'm trying to make! And I don't pretend to be able to write any sort of accents so please don't hate me!

 "Speaking"

*Stress/emphasis*

//Thinking//

Extended~ [basically odd letters that the characters extend the sound of or in Ruby's case, sings]

In This Tainted Soul . . . Find Redemption . . . 

By Dr Megalomania

Chapter Nine: Spell Caster

"And he wants what in return?"

Touya raised an eyebrow at Hei-ying. The angel's question was posed calmly with clear thought behind it. Hei-ying was sat, kneeling beside him. The changes in the guardian frankly amazed him; Touya could hardly believe that the dark angel beside him could have killed so many, attending his new master so discreetly. Occasionally, Hei-ying would catch Touya's curious glance and glare ever so slightly. Touya did not assume Hei-ying's outward compliance was as seamless as it appeared, he wasn't naïve enough to believe in the week he and the others had been away, Hei-ying had completely changed his outlook . . . and yet . . .

Touya could see what a struggle Hei-ying was undergoing.

When it would have been easier to sneer and insult, Touya saw Hei-ying swallow and clench his fists. Every so often, Touya could see Hei-ying wincing slightly as if in actual pain, but he dismissed this. The servile position he'd taken beside Touya's chair was more to serve as a reminder to himself that he was Touya's guardian than to show actual respect to his new master. While Yue stood behind Sakura, and Keroberos sat on her left side, Ruby Moon stood behind the sofa, resting her hand on the back of the seat near Tomoyo. Spinel Sun sat beside Eriol, the blue haired magician occasionally petted the panther thoughtfully. Syaoran sat in a chair nearby Sakura, on the opposite side to Touya. The five humans formed a loose circle, their creations and magical servants guarding them as they spoke.

Sakura looked down into her lap for a moment, "I agree with Hei-ying . . . what are his terms?" She asked quietly, after some contemplation of the facts lay before her and the others. Ruby considered the five masters. They had all grown, and yet it seemed that only a few days ago they had been only children. That was the most painful thing, she thought, that she would continue to exist in this teenager's body, while her master and his beautiful wife grew older and would inevitably die. Eriol might survive his wife by decades or centuries; he could; the amount of magic he possessed far outweighed Tomoyo's, but most likely – Ruby looked at their clasped hands – Eriol would chose to die like Clow had, rather than face the rest of his natural life without his sweet wife.

Who knows . . . Syaoran murmured, he sighed completely dissatisfied with that answer, he was very insistant on the fact he wanted to repay Clow Reed a debt owed.

Keroberos glanced over at his eldest brother. Hei-ying looked thoughtful for a moment, his mind obviously processing the conversation quickly, planning, strategising. The lion glanced up, Yue too was thinking although his pace of thought seemed a little slower, more careful than Hei-ying. It was clear of the three brothers, Hei-ying thought, processed, and planned the fastest. It was his nature, his very existence was supposed to be dedicated to helping the Cardcaptor capture the cards easily. Of the three, Hei-ying was always most analytical, unfailingly logical and ruthless. While Keroberos was the more emotional and impulsive, less analytical and 'academic' but his strong personality enabled him to do things whereas Yue, for instance, would have remained inactive; Yue was their dreamer. Loathed to admit it, while Hei-ying was callous in his thinking, Yue was the one whose mind ran in several directions, trying every possible route before action. Keroberos would act long before Hei-ying and Yue, but even he had to admit his strengths had never lied in his mind. Hei-ying who was so very intelligent had to rely on information presented to him, he had to rely on the facts he wasn't one able to imagine anything other that what he could strategise. Yue's strength was that he was careful, he was a dreamer. Imagination of spells, actions, movements. It was the reason his movements were always more graceful, how he seemed to capture the very beauty of the moon with his ever unconscious gesture. It was Yue's internal beauty that gifted and rendered his external beauty so spell binding. This difference between the two thinking brother was obvious to Keroberos, why he could never mistake Hei-ying for Yue, nor the other way around. Keroberos glanced between the two as they both thought. Hei-ying had reached his conclusion now. The lion's thick lips twisted into a deep frown. He'd had never liked the idea that Hei-ying was always a step ahead of everyone else. The jade eyes blinked and the angel looked up. "It is a trap."

Touya glanced down at Hei-ying, "How do you know?"

"No one offers to expend so much magical power without expecting some sort of return . . . if his intensions are good, then perhaps he expects some sort of reward . . ."

"What kind of reward?" Touya frowned and sank back in his chair. "Money?"

"Most likely magic, or perhaps power . . . even the promise of Mistress Sakura's protection would carry a lot of weight in the magic world . . ." Yue murmured, he sighed and placed a hand on his hip before shaking his head. The silvery strands of his hair danced in the moonlight spilling from the window. "I do not like it . . . I suggest we reject his offer."

"I would concur, youngest brother . . ." Hei-ying huffed sharply and looked at Sakura, "However we appear to be at a loss . . . he glanced at all of the human magicians, Clow Reed and Mister Hilligans' bones still remain disturbed, we must make any and all attempts to track them down . . . we will have to accept his offer."

"You said it was a trap a moment ago . . ." Keroberos rumbled quietly, his back warmed by the fire roaring behind him, but his expression was held tightly, "Why the change of heart . . .?"

Hei-ying glared at his younger brother for a moment before explaining, "If it isn't, his help will be invaluable . . . if it is . . ." Hei-ying looked at the human masters again, his jade eyes catching the reflection of not only the cool, blue moonlight from outside but also the sharp flicker of the fire, "I am confident enough that we guardians will be able to protect you."

Touya nodded slowly as Eriol sighed. He glanced at his wife who stared evenly at Sakura. "Sakura-chan?"

The girl blinked, all eyes rested on her, "Nani?"

"Sakura-chan, he has requested that you aid him in this spell . . ." Eriol glanced at her then around to the others, "He isn't powerful enough to complete the spell himself, but he hopes to channel magic from the strongest of our group . . ."

Syaoran sat up and frowned, "Is it possible for him to keep any of the magic that he channels?"

"No." Eriol closed his eyes and sat back, "He can only channel, not store . . . Sakura would know instantly if he started to store magic and be able to cut him off. . ." He opened his eyes again and stared evenly at Sakura, "It is your choice . . ." He glanced at the clock, "He'll arrive here in three days . . ."

The sunset burnt reds and purples against a beautiful backdrop of midnight blues and oranges.

T'amashu raised an appreciative eyebrow as his human form stepped up to the top of the stagecoach. Beside him, T'alusia was also in his human form, a fierce looking lean human with piercing red eyes, and short spiked maroon hair, sniffed irritably. The larger dragon was anxious to get on with the journey and cross the sea.

Mushu smiled at this, it was only because his element was fire that T'alusia was so nervous.

Beside him, T'listia smiled as she clambered up to sit. She brushed back a lock of her strange blue hair, and sighed. They waited for their master and his entourage of humans.

"Have you got Clow Reed's skull?"

The three glanced down at their master, as he stared up at them. T'listia lifted the bag in her lap, the skull's jaw rattling slightly as she jostled it. "Here, master!"

The magician smiled at them, "Good, good . . ." he nodded, "Give it to me . . . it shall travel with me . . ."

T'listia's expression grew sour for a moment, before she climbed down. She handed over the bag, and stared at Maduokai for a moment longer. He smirked at her and petted her head with his free hand, "You may travel with me, in the cabin."

"Thank you, master . . ." A sly smile grew on her lips as she glanced up at her fellow guardians, "I wouldn't want anything to happen to your prize . . ."

Mushu rolled his eyes as his fellow guardian fluttered her eyelids at their master. T'listia was a very powerful dragon, being the water element, but like all whose powers were derived from water magic, her narcissistic tendencies always seemed to take precedence over her duties as a guardian. Mushu would be willing to wager anything that the real reason his dear fellow guardian was happy to travel with their master in the cab of the coach was more to do with the fact that it wouldn't spoil her hairstyle more than actually protecting the skull of Clow Reed. Her sharp sapphire eyes sparked once more at them as she climbed into the cab.

The last of the bags were deposited safely on the back of the coach by the aid of a strong breeze, and Mushu looked up to see T'alas, the Third Dragon of the Four Winds move over them in slow circles of eight. The long golden yellowish green dragon sighed heavily, also eager to get underway. He would be carrying them across the sea and therefore had to remain in his dragon form.

Like T'listia, T'alas was also very self-centred. As a being of the wind, T'alas was bored with everything, he'd seen it all, heard it all, there was nothing that really ever surprised him anymore. He grew bored very quickly, and was more content to sleep by himself in their cave.

Mushu shook his head, running nimble fingers through his black and white streaked hair. He was going to look forward to the casting of the new spell, and to see if this man, this Clow Reed was really as dangerous as everyone implied.

//Let us go . . .// Their master's voice intoned telepathically. Mushu held on tightly, as T'alas picked them up, and began to fly them over the mountains that surrounded their hidden castle home.

Sakura looked down into her lap again.

She sighed deeply and glanced at the window. They were sat in the downstairs study, the site of her latest vision. The card mistress frowned for a moment more before she looked at the others. "How will I channel the magic?"

"You could use the cards. . ."

All eyes turned on Hei-ying. The dark angel's feline eyes were shut lightly as he spoke, "Then there would be a reduction in the amount of power he could possibly ricochet back toward you. . ."

"Aah?!" Kero frowned as stared at Hei-ying, "What in the hell are you talking about?!"

Jade eyes flicked open quickly and Hei-ying's glowing gaze turned on Keroberos.

"I may not be the Advisor of the Clow, but I do still possess the knowledge of the cards . . ." Hei-ying's eyes narrowed as he held up his hand, "Now stop disturbing me!"

Sakura leapt from her seat as Keroberos' golden eyes rolled back in his head, and the powerful lion keeled over. Eriol stood, followed quickly by Touya. "What in the hell?!" Eriol demanded, he turned on Hei-ying, "How did you--?!"

Hei-ying sighed and lowered his head. He rose to his feet, and breathed for a moment or two.

"I am capable of many things . . ." He whispered, lifting his head, Hei-ying's eyes glowed dimly. "Many things, or didn't Master Clow ever tell you?"

"Hei-ying?" Touya frowned at Hei-ying's tone, "What's wrong?!"

The dark angel shook his head as if he were in pain, and paced in a small circle. Tomoyo rose from her seat, and stepped back. Hei-ying looked like he was trapped in a nightmare. He swallowed hard, and raised his hands to his head. "Clow . . ." he ground out painfully, "Why . . .?"

"Oniichan?" Yue called to him, moving in front of Sakura quickly to protect them. Hei-ying shook his head violently, his shoulders shaking with his body's suddenly jerky movement. More sharply, Yue hissed. "Oniichan!"

Ruby pulled Tomoyo back forcibly, and Spinel moved in front of his master. "Hei-ying . . ." warned the panther quietly, he glared at the being, as he stumbled away from them. Touya held out his hand in the guardian's stop motion. The dark angel took no notice as he stumbled away from him. He didn't seem to be in actual pain, but something deeper, deep within his heart, his mind, his very soul seemed to be hurting him so much.

Sakura bit her lip in hesitation, and made her decision. She called out her key, pulling out her cards at the same time. "Windy . . ." she threw the card into the air, "Restrain Hei-ying in soft binds, protect him from himself!" She tapped it hard, and threw her arm out to point at the crazed angel, "Release!!"

As the Windy card was released, it caused a reaction in Hei-ying.

Eriol grabbed his wife close, and frowned as he watched Hei-ying's reaction. The angel had suddenly stilled, and was turning slowly as the Windy dived toward.

"Stop."

Sakura gapped as Windy jolted to a stop docilely before Hei-ying. The angel lifted his hand, motioning swiftly with it. As Windy returned to her card form, Hei-ying stared at the human magicians. Yue growled quietly as he realised his brother was no longer aware of himself, "Oniichan! Yamete!" He made a ceasing motion with his hand, "I won't let you harm Mistress Sakura, but I don't want to hurt you!"

Hei-ying blinked slowly, his jade eyes were blank as he turned away from them. Touya frowned as Hei-ying opened the door and stormed out, "Hei-ying! I command you to stop!!"

The dark angel paused in the doorway.

He turned slowly again, and stared at them without really seeing. "She's calling me . . . my mistress . . ."

"Kyree?! Mystrasa Kyree?!" Tomoyo surged forward, "Hei-ying, Mystrasa-san is dead!! She died over four years ago!"

His jade eyes widened, "No! She is Clow reborn!" He shook his head, clutching at it as a new wave of mental agony hit, "My master came back for me! He never left me alone!"

"Hei-ying!" Ruby cried out, "You've got to hold on there! Hei-ying!!"

"NO!!" Hei-ying threw his hand toward her; blasting a wave of invisible magic toward her, "Leave me alone!"

Spinel rushed over and cushioned his sister's fall, as Eriol dragged his wife out of the way. Tomoyo winced as Eriol's fingers dug into her shoulders; she opened her eyes to see Hei-ying turn his attention on Sakura. He held his hand out, and made a very familiar motion with his fingers.

Yue looked around himself with horror as Hei-ying used the same technique he had during the final judgement to call out the cards. Sakura shook her head, "Iie! Not my cards!!" She looked at Hei-ying pleadingly, "Hei-ying-san, please, please wake up!!"

"Watery, Woody, I the Advisor Call . . . Attend me!"

There was a snap of jade green magic around the cards, as they resisted. Hei-ying snarled, held out his hand, his magic circle glowing strongly under his feet. "Attend Me!"

The Watery and the Woody struggled as they were drawn toward the confused guardian. Syaoran jumped over the chairs, past Touya, and swung his sword toward the guardian.

"Shield."

Syaoran was thrown back as Hei-ying used the shield to defend himself. The angel stared at him for a moment, his hardened expression softening, "Clow's magic . . . you . . ." the blank gaze returned coldly, hardening Hei-ying's features again, "You are not him!"

"Hei-ying! Please Stop this!" Spinel called out as his sister got to her feet, "There's no need!"

"Quiet! I need to think!" Hei-ying growled savagely, "I can't think with all this noise!"

Once again, Hei-ying's hand came up and like Keroberos before him, Spinel's midnight blue eyes rolled back, and the sun guardian fell unconscious. "Kisama!" Swore Ruby violently, "Enough of this!!" She drew up her bow and arrow and aimed for Hei-ying, "Stop this madness now! Wake Up!"

A cruel smirk twitched Hei-ying's lip. "Watery, Woody."

Ruby Moon screamed as the Watery created a black pond under her feet, and the Woody reached out of the darkness and dragged her down into it. Eriol lurched forward as his moon guardian disappeared into the floor with a loud splash.

"Freeze."

The Freeze card dived toward the pond and froze it before Eriol could reach the edge. The blue haired former reincarnation stared down with abject horror as his moon guardian thumped on the glassy surface of the water, struggling to hold her breath and not be dragged down by the Woody at the same time. "NO!" Eriol cried out, as Ruby let out a scream of air bubbles. He called out his staff instantly and started to hack at the ice, "Ruby!!"

"Yamete Hei-ying!!" Yue called out as his brother reached forward for more cards. "Please!!" Yue ground out helplessly as he stood between Hei-ying and Sakura, "Please don't make me kill you!"

Touya growled as he called out his own staff, "Hei-ying, I command you to stop! NOW!!"

Hei-ying's blank, glowing gaze fell on the dark haired boy, "you're . . . not . . . Clow!" Hei-ying's features twisted with pain, "YOU'RE NOT CLOW!! YOU'RE NOT CLOW!!"

"He's dead!! Kyree is dead! Hei-ying, Onegai!!" Tomoyo called out as she ran past her husband and his fallen guardians, "Please stop this!!" She ran up to the edge of his glowing magic circle and held out her hand, "Please!"

Once again, a crack in the angel's delusion appeared, and his features softened, "Tomoyo . . . chan . . . where is he?" Hei-ying closed his eyes briefly, "I hear him . . . calling me . . ."

"Hei-ying! You hear us!" Tomoyo pleaded, "Please . . ."

"Tomoyo-chan! Sakura called out, Onegai!! Watch out!!"

The purple haired girl made the singular mistake of turning her head. Taking her gaze off Hei-ying, and leaving herself open to attack . . .

". . . Hei-ying . . ."

In the black velvet bag, on the seat between them, the skull of Clow Reed resonated, vibrated with undirected power.

The woman looked down as Lord Kuei pulled the skull out of its travelling bag; he frowned as he stared at the once powerful magician's skull. "Who is calling you . . .?" He blinked and glanced out of his enchanted stagecoach's window, glancing down as the wind dragon carried them across the sea. The water reflecting a distorted picture of them as they passed above it quickly. "What is calling you so strongly . . .?"

The darkened pits of Clow's eye sockets stared out, with a blank stare.

". . . Hei-ying . . ."

"TOMOYO!!"

Eriol cried after his wife as Hei-ying lurched forward and grabbed her by the throat. "Release her!!" The powerful young magician demanded, as the guardian took a step back. Hei-ying's lips leered into a smile, "Why should I?"

There was a bright ice blue flash of light as it streamed past the side of his head, and neatly sliced thru a few loose strands of hair.

Hei-ying's jade eyes narrowed, "Yue . . ."

The angel drew back his bowstring again and shifted his aim slightly, The next shot will not miss, Hei-ying! Yue warned him darkly, his cold whisper barely containing his complete fury at his elder brother. "Release. Her. Now!"

A vicious glint took over the blank jade eyes as Hei-ying's grasp over Tomoyo's mouth suddenly shifted sharply. Tomoyo gasped as Hei-ying snapped her head back hard.

"Tomoyo!" Eriol called out desperately as his wife's eyes fluttered shut. Hei-ying smiled darkly as he released her and let her limp body fall to the floor.

"Noooo!!" Sakura screamed out, "Tomoyo-chan!!"

Tomoyo's knees hit the floor hard, as the girl's head lolled forward. The long purple hair spilled over the red carpet as Tomoyo fell forward. Hei-ying stared at his brother for a long moment, before he stooped over and picked up Tomoyo. She lay in his arms as if dead, as the angel stepped backwards and smiled darkly.

". . . Jump . . ."

Sakura reached out futilely as the card spun out of her way, and gave Hei-ying's feet small, jade green wings. Yue gritted his teeth and aimed for his brother, "Hei-ying . . ." He murmured, fear for both his brothers jostling for his heart with the his duty to his mistress, "why are you doing this?!"

The angel let loose his ice arrow and Hei-ying jumped out of the way. He jumped back into the main foyer of the house where the massive carved magic circle was. Landing lightly in the middle, Hei-ying tipped his head back and stared up. "Clow . . ."

". . . Hei-ying . . ."

Mister Hilligans stared in abject horror as Clow's skull spoke the name of his most dangerous creation. The nameless woman jerked, her first real reaction to anything as the skull whispered the name. Maduokai's hand shook as it held the skull, its loose jaw working as it whispered the name again. The magician swallowed hard and reached out for the velvet bag.

"We're getting close . . ." Maduokai allowed the whispering skull to fall into the bag and then put the bag into a trunk under the seat. He wiped his hands as if trying to wipe away the creepiness of experience. Watching the skull talk without having any magic spell placed upon it was disturbing and allowed Maduokai to witness firsthand, how terribly powerful Clow Reed's influence still was. The magician looked at the others, "Hei-ying was the name of the creation that was buried next to Clow . . . the creation that I brought back and escaped . . ."

The magician glared hard at Hilligans. The old man stared back before snorting darkly, "Hei-ying is the devil incarnate . . ." the old man shook his head, "And Clow Reed is his master . . . thy 'ave messed wit' things far too powerful f' thee . . ."

Maduokai glared at him speculatively. "Perhaps I have . . . but I am confident that I have the skills to control them. . ."

"No man can contain the powers o' darkness . . . an' Hei-ying is more dangerous than even Clow Reed could imagine . . . what makes thee think that he won't recognise thee . . . won't recognise me?"

Maduokai smiled at this, and reached under his seat, pulling out the trunk he'd deposited Clow's skull into. "That is where this comes in . . ." He opened the trunk, Clow's skull still whispering quietly within the black velvet bag. He lifted this and reached for the masks underneath. Both were ancient, the masks of the very gods of China. Hilligans frowned as Maduokai waved his hand over the masks and whispered a spell. "What art thy doin'?"

The magician held up the mask and allowed it to float toward Hilligans. "No one will recognise you . . ."

Hilligans' eyes opened with horror as the mask distended at the edges horribly and reached toward his face. The white porcelain fixing itself to his face painfully. He reached up, trying to pry the enchanted mask off his face before it sealed itself to him completely. Maduokai sat back and passed the other mask to the nameless woman, "Asil . . . place this over your face."

She looked hesitant for a moment, reluctant to let the thing touch her face before she acquiesced. Maduokai smiled indulgently, "My lady, I wouldn't spoil your lovely features for the world . . ." he stared at Hilligans as the man passed out and slumped on the seat, the mask bled at the side, red blood oozing out of the eye sockets and down from the neck. "No, no one will ever recognise you . . . ever again . . ."

Yue ran after his brother, as Syaoran ran to Eriol's side. "Go!"

Eriol looked down at his moon guardian, Ruby was passing out, her eyes were falling closed, "I can't leave her . . . but Tomoyo . . ."

"Eriol!" Syaoran pulled his sword up and started to stab at the ice, chipping away large chunks of the frozen water, "I'll do this . . . go to Tomoyo!"

Eriol smoothed his hand over the surface of the ice, groaning quietly as Ruby's eyes finally closed, and the guardian's last breath left her lips in a small cluster of bubbles. The moon guardian was beginning to sink under the ice, her pink lips turning rapidly pale purple. Syaoran shook his shoulder; "Take out Hei-ying now, before he destroys anything else . . ."

Eriol nodded and stood, chasing out the door after the crazed guardian, trying to ignore the fallen bodies of the others. "Touya!!" He called out, the other man was already running after Hei-ying, "We've got to get through to him!"

Sakura grasped her staff hard and ran to her moon guardian's side, Yue took aim again, "Hei-ying! I'll kill you if you do not submit!"

The dark angel looked down at them and tilted his head; he took half a step back, before jumping again. He jumped from side to side on the beautiful twirling stairway, using the Jump card rather than his wings to easily dodge Yue's fast arrows. 

"Fly!" Sakura called out, and took off instant after Hei-ying, the dark angel still had her friend and Sakura was determined not to let him go. The angel finally stopped on the fourth floor. He landed on a sculpture there and looked down with blank but malevolent eyes. Sakura continued to fly toward him, clutching her staff hard. Behind her, Yue flew up to aim at the dark angel and protect his mistress. Internally, Yue was torn, he didn't understand this reaction from Hei-ying, what did he mean that Clow was calling him?!

"Hei-ying-san! Stop this please!!" Sakura screamed over to him, "Please, we're not your enemy!! Please, try to remember!!"

"Remember . . .?"

Blinking, Hei-ying glanced down at Tomoyo as she lay in his arms. Her pale features, her curling dark hair reminded him so much of Mystrasa. She was the one calling him . . . wasn't she?

Tomoyo's pale lips parted.

He'd only stunned her, knocked her out. He didn't want to kill the gentle girl . . . girl? Wasn't she Mystrasa? Kyree could hardly be described as gentle . . . he frowned as conflicting notions entered and battled inside his mind. Wasn't this Reed mansion? //Tsukimine// corrected a quiet voice inside. Hei-ying frowned deeper; the voice was that of this girl in his arms . . . but not the voice of Kyree . . .

//welcome to the Tsukimine Mansion . . . my name is Tomoyo Hiirawagizawa . . . wife of Clow's second reincarnation . . .//

The voice that had spoken to him in the darkness, when he was . . . the memory was fleeting, shattered, and incomplete. Sakura paused as she watched the confusion on Hei-ying's face. He seemed to be listening to various voices, and looking alternately above himself, to the side, into Tomoyo's face. His wings fluttered slightly, as if he was unable to decide what to think.

"I . . ." Hei-ying's features filled with alarm, "I don't  . . . understand . . ."

Yue floated closer to his brother, "Give me Tomoyo . . . please, and we can try and help you understand . . ." he held out his arms, "Please brother, we can help you . . ."

"My Lady, try to sleep . . ."

The nameless woman looked up from her lap, and looked at her lord. Maduokai stared at her with a small amount of concern. Leaning over, the man placed his hand over hers and asked gently, "Would you like me to place you under a spell? A small spell to help you sleep?"

She shook her head, "It's nothing . . ."

He smiled at her, and squeezed her hand lightly. "I shall place Clow under a spell then . . ." he pulled the bag up again and motioned T'listia forward. She held the bag containing Clow's whispering skull firmly as Maduokai placed his hands over it. The woman watched with little interest as his hands glowed slightly, and the bag began to shudder more violently. Maduokai gritted his teeth, "I can control this . . ."

"Hei-ying . . ." Clow's voice echoed slightly, "Keroberos . . . Yue . . ."

Hei-ying's arms were limp as Yue slowly took Tomoyo from him.

Sakura drew a tearful breath as she watched the moon angel take her friend, Tomoyo looked so peaceful. It was hard to imagine what life without her best friend could ever be like.

Yue's brow drew into a troubled frown; he could still feel Tomoyo's magic from her. He gazed up at his brother, the dark angel staring down at the girl's features. Hei-ying hadn't killed her, merely stunned her hard somehow. As they passed the girl, Yue felt his brother's fingers touch his.

A snap of magic passed from Hei-ying to Yue. Their creator's voice was suddenly audible to both, whispering, echoing within their minds.

Hei-ying's head snapped up, his jade eyes wide, "No!!"

Yue's hair flowed away from his face as he jerked with surprise, his beautiful amethyst eyes widening.

"Hei-ying . . . Keroberos . . . Yue . . ."

Maduokai closed his eyes and poured more of his magic into the spell to suppress Clow's skull, the voice of the long dead magician getting weaker but still calling out for his missing guardians.

"Hei-ying . . ."

Sakura's emerald eyes widened as Hei-ying's wings disappeared with an explosion of jade green magic. The guardian cried out with fright, as the cards he was using suddenly disbanded from him. Yue's mouth fell open as Hei-ying swayed dangerously toward him, "Hei-ying!!"

". . . Keroberos . . ."

Syaoran finally broke through the ice, and dived his hand down into the freezing cold waters to grab a fistful of Ruby Moon's hair. He pulled the moon guardian up and out of the icy grave, yanking away the thorny branches that were binding around her neck. He was so concentrated on getting Ruby to cough up all the brackish, icy water up that he barely noticed Keroberos suddenly cry out painfully as his large soft wings suddenly disappeared with a haze of golden magic.

". . . Yue . . ."

"No . . ."

Eriol's mouth fell open, as he and Touya stared up at the drama far above them, Hei-ying was toppling forward, and something was wrong with Yue. "No . . ." Touya murmured again, as he watched Yue's wings suddenly jerk unnaturally, "No . . ."

Sakura dived urgently as Tomoyo slipped from Yue's grasp. She managed to catch Tomoyo, and reached out to Yue as the angel wrapped his arms around Hei-ying's unconscious body. She watched in disbelief as Yue's eyes fluttered shut.

"No . . . No . . . NO!!" Touya yelled out as Yue's wings finally disappeared in a shower of icy blue magic, and the angel fell back limply. Clutching his older brother, the moon angel plummeted toward the ground. Their long hair twining together to create a stunning black and white display as they fell together and their hair pulled free of their bindings. Sakura clutched Tomoyo's limp body to her chest, and flew down to the fourth floor's landing.

"Guardians . . ."

Sweating profusely now, Maduokai smiled, his magic spell was winning out and Clow's troubled skull was beginning to fall silent.

"Guardians . . . attend . . ."

The skull shook once more violently before becoming still. Maduokai sat back in his seat, and wiped his brow as his water dragon slowly put the sleeping skull away. The nameless woman beside him glanced at him, as he smiled at her weakly, "I think it's time for both of us to sleep now that I've silenced Clow . . ."

The woman nodded slowly, and looked at the black velvet bag before it was shut up in trunk under the seat again.

"NO!!"

His master . . .?

"DAMNIT! WAKE UP!!"

. . . not Clow but . . .

"YUE!!! HEI-YING!!! GOD DAMNIT!! WAKE UP!!"

. . . Touya . . . Kinomoto Touya . . . his *new* master . . .

"PLEASE! DAMNIT, PLEASE!! WAKE UP!!"

His loose fringe whipped around his face, the wind stole his breath away. Hei-ying's jade eyes snapped open, and he jerked violently. He was . . . falling . . .?

A high-pitched scream above him . . .

"YUE!!! ONEGAI!! HEI-YING!! PLEASE!! PLEASE WAKE UP!!"

. . . Sakura the mistress of the cards . . .

Below him, the dark wood floor of the Tsukimine floor rushed up at him unrelenting. Realisation hit him as hard as the floor would in a few snatches of time . . . THEY WERE FALLING!!

His new master, Touya was stood below him watching them with fear filled sapphire eyes. Hei-ying gasped as he realised that Yue was asleep . . . or worse in his arms. The dark angel gasped horrified as he tried to shake off the stupor of whatever had put him in this position. He closed his eyes and held his brother tightly as he flipped their positions over so he was the one below Yue. His huge white-feathered wings exploded from his back, the velocity that they fell at ripping loose feathers from their place. It gave him precious few seconds as he manoeuvred Yue in to a better position on his chest. Freeing one hand, Hei-ying reached up and channelled all his magic. A jade green powerful glow surged around his hand, as he spoke, drawing on unused powers from the time of Clow Reed. The third floor landing flashed past his sight.

"CARDS OF THE MISTRESS SAKURA . . . ATTEND YOUR GUARDIANS NOW!!"

Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's head and clutched it to her chest, as she bent over her best friend to duck as the cards left her side in a sparkling rush of magic, they tore away from her reacting to Hei-ying's powerful spell. The two angels were still falling, and the cards chased after them in a rainbow of magic and light. Eriol winced as Touya suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the way. Hei-ying stared up in desperation, the cards weren't fast enough!!

His mind kicked into gear, he knew that even the Dash card could speed up the windy enough to break their fall. The watery could limit the impact, but the card wouldn't be able to compensate for the speed they were travelling at now . . . he had to slow them down somehow!

The second floor's landing . . . they'd fallen past it . . .

"KEROBEROS!" Hei-ying squeezed his eyes shut, "BREAK THIS SPELL THAT BINDS THEE!!"

In the study, Ruby opened blood shot eyes as Keroberos' magic circle suddenly set alight and the lion's massive white wings flapped powerfully. The claws of the sun guardian ripped into the carpet and the hard wood floor as he pushed up and sprung forward. Keroberos' teeth were bared as the lion ran forward, bowling over Touya and Eriol as he ran through to the foyer. Gold tinted feathers ripped from his wings as he leapt into the air and swooped desperately under his two brothers.

Hei-ying closed his eyes, and called up as he felt Keroberos' magic below them. "WATERY!! CREATE FOR US A POOL TO LAND IN!!"

Sakura glanced back at Tomoyo, before climbing over the banister.

"FLY!!"

She screamed as she fell to the ground after her guardians. The fly card exploded from its trapped form at the same time as the watery spread her arms and went crashing down immensely toward the floor and gathering in a massive floating lake.

"Ompft!" Keroberos grunted hard as the two guardians crushed into his back. His wings crunched as he felt his brothers' combined weight crash into him. He felt the wind knocked out of him, and lost his footing in the air. The lion winced as he began to fall with his brothers.

"NOOOO!!" Sakura screamed from far above them, she continued to race head down toward the three, reaching as much as she could, but she wasn't faster enough. "Kero-chan!! Yue-kun!! Hei-ying-kun!! MATTE!!"

Yue opened his eyes, feeling the wind coursing around him, as he felt the combined magicks of Keroberos and Hei-ying. He felt Hei-ying's arm wrapped tightly around his neck, his nails pinching hard into Yue's shoulder as they plummeted. Above him, he could see through Hei-ying's loose black hair, and his own thick rope of hair. He saw Sakura screaming silently as she flew down after them desperately.

They sped past the first floor's landing.

"The Fly . . ." His eyes widened, "She'll be killed . . ."

Hei-ying's other hand flew into his view as the dark angel cried out, "Fly . . . Abandon!!"

"IIE!!" Sakura cried out as fresh pain ripped over her back as her wings suddenly reversed their flight, and tried to drag her upward. Tears flew from her face as she watched her guardians' approach to the ball of water the Watery had prepared below them. Her brother and Eriol lay on the floor, bracing themselves as the Watery snarled, spreading her arms to brace herself against the falling guardians.

. . . And then . . . three brothers hit the water . . .

//There once was a boy, a little, little boy . . . how dark his frowns were!//

She smiled as she looked over the table, wondering how the songs of her other cousins were affecting him. He was so serious and nothing would faze him. His lips turned down, the slight frown forming again.

//And when this little, little boy frowned . . . grand storm clouds could not compete!//

Feathers filled the air, followed by loud sobs. The rain started to pour hard, bouncing off the pavement.

//For this little, little boy . . . For our family, he'll be . . .//

Feathers. Birdy, birdy, where could . . .

//Rain, Rain, go away . . . come again another . . .//

"My lady?"

//Rain, Rain, go away . . .//

"My Lady, it's time for you to . . ."

//Come again another . . .//

". . . wake up."

Maduokai's dark grey eyes came into sharp focus, she blinked slowly. The woman gazed over at the other side of the coach's cab, Mister Hilligans was still asleep, the blood from earlier wiped away neatly, and his clothes replaced with traditional, mythological robes. He looked like something out of an old Chinese storybook. T'listia was sleeping lightly, her strange blue hair – a wild mix of every blue ever known – spilling from its loose bun.

Maduokai's hand cupped her cheek, and slowly pulled her face toward him, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes . . ." she murmured quietly, ". . . thank you, my lord."

He sighed and sat back, "Good, good . . . we will be there in two days . . ." Opening his arms, he motioned her forward, "And very soon, your true form and I will be reunited . . ."

The woman moved forward, and allowed him to wrap his arms around her. She pressed her cheek against his chest, and listened to his heart as he began to slumber again.

"Rain . . . rain . . . go away . . ." she sang softly, sweetly, unaware of herself . . . unaware the skull below her began to chant quietly.

"Hei-ying. . . Keroberos . . . Yue . . . Saurian . . . Ruby Moon . . . Spinel Sun . . . Thy master returns . . . Hei-ying . . . Keroberos . . . Yue . . . Saurian . . . Ruby Moon . . . Spinel Sun . . . thy Master Returns . . . Hei-ying, Keroberos, Yue, Saurian, Ruby Moon, Spinel Sun, thy master returns-Hei-ying-Keroberos-Yue-Saurian-Ruby-Moon-Spinel-Sun-Thy-Master-ReturnsHei-yingKeroberosYueSaurainRubyMoonSpinelSunThyMaster—"

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And now it's time to LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!

DrM: Konnichiwa!! Sorry for no update last week but . . . yeah, I have my reasons for that . . . moving on, moving on! Did you like this chapter?! [Grins] I know. . . I have an obsession with falling. What can I say, it's one of the scariest things I can think of. Even a slight trip, a stumble one step down stairs can bring me to tears. What?! It's called a phobia!

Clow: [strokes chin] Phobia, eh?

DrM: I'll give you a phobia if you are mean to me today!

Clow: [strokes chin] Empty threat eh?

DrM: [growls]

Clow: smirks] Readers reviewing eh?