The Birth of the Phoenix
Chapter 8
" Whoa, slow down mate! You can't tire out before the actual party right now. Eriol!"
" My descendant is going to die if we don't hurry and so is the Card Mistress and you're bloody
telling me to slow down?" Eriol sighed. " I'm sorry. I'm losing it."
" I can tell, good lord! Hiriingaziwa, or whatever name you gave yourself, I've never seen you this
out of it since, since, since I met you!"
" I guess I am just nervous about the upcoming war." Eriol sighed. " Li Syaoran's just a child
Richard. So is the Card Mistress. And...I died before there was any war."
" Hey, I understand, mate." Richard sighed. " Things're going hectic lately around here too. Can't
believe I didn't notice it before. People were starting to whisper about strange magic coming from
the skies and all that nonsense. Could be those nasty nymphs."
" Come on, I hope you can speak Polish." Eriol sighed, walking down the road.
" It's not like I'm familiar with acting like a prince." Syaoran looked indignant. " Sue me if I'm not perfectly like Julan. For the last time Yue!"
Yue was laughing. " It never hurts to be sure." He answered, smiling tenderly at the child.
Yue and Syaoran, Kero had explained to Sakura, had dropped into one of the bickerings they liked to have during dire circumstances in the old days or when they feel uneasy. Apparently Yue and Syaoran had done this many times when they were trapped in the hands of the elves-they like to argue nonsense until the solution presents itself, or confuse the clerics enough to create a surprise attack on them.
" This is all your fault." Syaoran muttered. " All your fault."
" How is it my fault?"
" You brought this mess! If you hadn't taken me to Forbidden City of all places we wouldn't be
stuck here!"
" If you weren't running out in the rain, I wouldn't have brought you here!"
Syaoran turned to Sakura for help. Sakura just scowled at him.
" Very mature, Li Syaoran." She laughed.
" What makes you think he was ever mature?" Yue suddenly asked. Syaoran shot a glare at the
guardian, who pretended not to notice.
" I sense someone coming." Kero suddenly said.
Kaho entered the room. " Good afternoon."
" Kaho-san!" Sakura rushed up to greet her former teacher. Kaho smiled at the girl.
" Ah." The German sorceress nodded. " So the-Preence iz back. I vonder vhy they deedn't go avtuh him soonuh."
Richard was trying really really hard to understand what she was saying. Eriol didn't bother.
He began explaining things to the German woman ( what is a German sorceress doing in Poland?
He wondered,) and the German wasted no time in agreeing. Several Polish sorcerers were already
waiting impatiently with Richard, muttering curses in Polish and whatever flowery language they
could speak.
" ¿Qué hago?" One sorcerer blinked.
" No sé." His companion answered. " Me duele la cabeza. No quiero, no quiero, no quiero...¿qué
hora es?"
Eriol shut his eyes to block out the murmurs of French and Portuguese.
" Alright, we're all set and ready to head for Moscow. Ali said to meet us there after he finished
gathering sorcerers from the Middle East and Egypt. I already asked for the help of Pablo in the
Latin Americas, and he's going to gather them and meet us in Forbidden City." Eriol nodded at
Richard.
" We still have the US and Canada to deal with though."
" Well, Hiriingaziwa, that's your call. I know no one from the Americas." Richard answered. " We'll
need the beastmasters too-they served a great role in the past War Between Realms. I hope this new
Prince Julan is as smart as the last one."
" Hmph. I can't say he's stupid." Eriol answered thoughtfully. " He's certainly inexperienced, having
no reason to be involved in political issues at such a young age, but after meeting with Yue, who is
familiar with political issues, I'm sure that won't be a problem. Do you know any shamans? I know
there are few left but-"
" Yes, I know a few." Richard sighed. " Shall we go now?"
The huge wave of magic nearly burst open the door, and Eriol stepped in, with a sour expression on his face. It took a moment for Syaoran to realize why-following the magician was a long train of sorcerers all speaking in different languages and all talking very enthusiastically. He shot the boy a sympathetic look despite his former dislike of the boy-it takes a lot of energy to get that many people in order, especially if half the people don't understand what was wanted of them, which Syaoran supposed was the case.
It was a colorful spectacle, because each sorcerer dressed in their own culture's clothing. They entered the building in a terribly disorganized fashion, startling even Yue who had put on an impassive expression to prepare for the intrusion. The only one who managed to keep her head was Kaho, though she was just as surprised as the rest, and set about helping Eriol organize the large group.
They were all anxious to meet Syaoran-something the boy would not have, and in response to their various questionings, ( most of which he could not understand) he resolved it all by hiding behind Yue, who put on as cold an expression as possible which downright daunted the sorcerers perhaps more than an ogre would. Briefly the guardian mused on how the prince would have faced them without fear, but decided that Syaoran was wise in doing what he did because he did not have that kind of authority.
No more princes, all thanks to the Cultural Revolution, and to think the Chinese thought Chairman Mao was a good man. Yue thought bitterly. I do wonder how the Li's managed to escape his wrath. Perhaps the patriarch was a smart man-had good dealings with the oaf, maybe? At least Syaoran is of noble blood, otherwise things could be worse.
" I wonder how Hiriingaziwa kept that from the crowd." Syaoran sniffed.
" Probably a concealing spell." Yue answered, still standing in front of the boy. " Are you going to
come out anytime soon? You'll have to face them one time or another, you know."
" I know. I'm waiting for them to quiet down. They're too excited."
Yue had to agree.
Syaoran suddenly seemed sheepish. " Perhaps you wanted to protect Sakura from the crowd."
" They're intrigued, but not as much by her as by you." Yue answered. " You're going to start a
war."
Syaoran's mood was destroyed. " Please don't remind me Yue." He said in Mandarin, if it was a little accented. " It's bad enough I started one last time."
Eriol managed to calm himself before going further, otherwise he was afraid he'd lose his temper for the first time in his life. He and Richard managed to gather around seventy to eighty magicians-he lost count, from Germany, Italy, England, France, Spain, Russia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Egypt, Jerusalem and Jourdan. Supposedly, the ones from China and Thailand were also coming along, and the ones in Indonesia and the Phillipines are coming with the Latinos. The Koreans were among the Europeans.
" This is crazy." Richard sighed. " This is insane."
Eriol chose not to comment. He turned to one of the Serbians and said very slowly in English,
" We Need A Battle Plan."
The Serbian, the most powerful of the country, seemed to understand the meaning behind the words, because he began choosing the more powerful sorcerers, leaving Eriol in peace for the time being, which was taken up by Kaho who, humorlessly, poured some tea for him.
" First of all," Eriol sighed, waiting for everyone to quiet down, but before he could continue
Syaoran interrupted him.
" First of all, I'm the Crowned Prince Julan or I was, anyway, but what you need to know is that I'm
the Phoenix Child here, now that we have that over with, we need to take care of Sakura's family and
my family, so someone volunteer to go get them?"
There was a moment's pause as everyone attempted to digest the rapid and short speech. Eriol stared at Syaoran in surprise. Eventually, two people did volunteer-a Korean and an American who recently arrived, and Sakura and Syaoran gave them the address.
Eriol then began.
" Now that we have that settled, we also need about six people who can serve as spies. We need someone who is fairly resistant to spells, is fluent in sneaking. Please tell me there is someone." Eriol muttered under his breath.
There were some murmurs.
" Err...no sé,"
" -lento-"
" -shivik-"
" Tang tse-"
Eventually, after the translaters had interpretted Eriol's words into the languages, several people volunteered, and Eriol nodded, bidding them to stand into the next room.
" Next, we'll need to find an area clear of mortals where we can set up a base." Eriol stated. Syaoran cocked an eyebrow.
Nowhere in China, I'll bet. He thought.
The meeting was long.
" Be glad I'm the one teaching you archery." Yukito pushed his glasses up his nose. " According to
Master Richard over there, there are some loony sorcerers those two jokers invited to Forbidden
City."
" At least I'm getting to be multilingual." Syaoran said humorlessly, raising his bow.
Poof!
Syaoran tossed the burnt bow from him. " Why do I keep on doing that?"
" Pity, you had such good eyes too."
" Yukito!"
" Alright, alright, I'll stay quiet."
Syaoran sighed. " So when do the lessons start?"
" Two days, as soon as the Kinomotos arrive here."
" Brilliant. Things are going so fast."
" I know."
" Syaoran-kun?"
Syaoran turned. Sakura was heading towards them, looking about nervously.
" They say we're moving now."
" Great." Syaoran sniffed. Sakura looked tired, he was tired, everyone's tired. Why do these things
happen to me?
" Things would be hectic for a while." Yue told Sakura and Syaoran. " Everyone's preparing. At
least this time most sorcerers are on our side. We have some very powerful magicians."
" So what do we do now?" Sakura asked.
" Stay put." Syaoran suggested.
" Sounds like a good idea." Sakura interrupted Yue before the guardian could answer. Yue decided
not to speak.
The three sat silent for a while, eventually joined by Kerberus and Spinel Sun. The comfortable silence reigned for around an hour. Syaoran brooded on his life and how things were turning. Sakura worried over her father and brother and how they were going to take this. Yue was in his memories.
In his mind's eye, Yue saw the young Prince Julan training with the half mortals. The beastmasters joked amongst themselves while keeping watch around the grounds. He could hear Clow's voice saying, " That child there shows promise. See how his eyes are? The way they're positioned, the color, everything, shows that this child will become great one day..."But Clow was dead then. Why did he feel as if Clow was standing right next to him at that time? There were other times when Yue imagined what Clow would say, but that time...
They were in a field, he remembered. The prince was very doubtful and was extremely concerned for his two oldest brothers. The boy had voiced his opinions again and again to Yue and the half mortals but none of them cared to listen, or rather, afforded to.
The First Prince turned out to be a very powerful sorcerer. He lacked, however, the ability to control it properly, so after some fruitless efforts the half mortals erased his memory and froze his mind so he could not remember anything at all starting from the point where Julan had disappeared. The boy would not be able to remember anything new either, but that didn't matter because he wasn't able to remember things in the first place.
The Second Prince, Yue mused, was just as weak as the first was powerful, so he was fairly useless, but the Second Prince had one useful trait-he was resistant to all spells, mind, or physical. That, along with his handicap, the beastmasters had so cheerfully ( and rudely) pointed out, would be good for a role of the spy, which the half mortals reluctantly offered, and which the prince had willingly accepted.
Julan protested against this, and it was the first time, Yue smiled at the memory, that he had witnessed the extent of the child's stubbornness and self-certainty. I'm right, you're wrong, and you better do as I say, the prince's every move and word said. He didn't accomplish much in terms of relieving his brother of the danger, but he did earn the respect of everyone, including his more unfamiliar siblings.
" Earth to Yue, Guardian of Sakura Cards. You've been out for quite a while there."
Yue blinked. Sakura was giggling. Syaoran's face was expressionless, but his eyes held a glint.
" Care to share?"
" Tibet? We're going to Tibet of all places??"
" It's not quite as populated. Would you prefer Mongolia? Completely flat land."
Syaoran bit his lip.
" We're hiding in one of the taller mountains in Tibet." Eriol informed him. " There's a rather dense collection of caves on one section of it, and it's well-hidden. In addition, it has a natural magical barrier, so should any of us need to train we can do so with relatively little fear."
Syaoran glared. " You don't need to beat around the bush, Hiriingaziwa. I know I need to train."
Eriol did not answer. Syaoran turned. " Do we leave?"
" Hai."
" Now?"
" Hai."
Syaoran turned to Sakura. " Ready?"
" No wonder they chose this bloody place." Richard muttered. " It's completely made of magic, this
mountain."
" Legend had it," One of the English-speaking Russians answered, " that this mountain was made
by one of the idols during the Shang Dynasty. That time the magic was crude, but it was certainly
not weak, and the idols set this up to avoid capture from the nomads towards the west."
" Must be a pretty powerful idol." The Canadian sorcerer answered almost sarcastically. Syaoran
examined the place with a brief scan of his eyes.
" It'll do." He answered. " It saves energy than trying to build a fortress. This is a natural barrier. There're treasures we can use under one of the boulders but we can get those later. Right now we need to send off the spies and get settled so we can find some strategy we can use. Sakura, you take your brother and father over to that cave over there-it's safer there."
Yelan had already chosen hers, and the Li clan was getting settled.
" Hmph. Talk about de-evolution."
" Very funny Li." Eriol said flatly. Syaoran smirked.
The interesting order of characters began filing into the mountain.