YaYa! On with Chapter 7. This one's short because it's an opening to part two. Don't hurt me ok?
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS.
Chapter Seven: The End of the Beginning
Meiling's phone went off again as she was driving to get Sakura with Tomoyo. She put it to her ear and heard voices. One sounded kind of like Sakura but her tone was more demanding.
"So, where does this Clow Reed live, Rastael?" she asked. Meiling came to a halt where Sakura should have been but didn't see her. Tomoyo looked around in fright and Meiling listened harder to the conversation. Then she understood and listened to Rastael's answer.
"He lives at these apartments up here by your school, young one. We're almost there," another deeper voice said. Meiling recognized the voices immediately and did a complete turn around in the car. She sped off towards the apartments.
"What does he want anyways?" Rethasa asked. Rastael shrugged. He landed on top of the building and set her down. "What room?" she asked as she headed for the stairs from the roof into the building.
"303," he answered. She nodded and disappeared into the stairway. Rastael followed her closely and opened the door to the room for her when they arrived.
"Welcome," a deep voice said from a chair in the center of the room. The blood red drapes were drawn until a single crack opened to the bright moon outside.
"Alright Clow, talk to me. What do you want with the Guardians' powers anyways?"
Clow laughed loudly. "My dear, it is much more than I can explain to young ears as your own," he said with a chuckle.
"Try me," Rethasa challenged. He sat up and pulled his old tattered cloak off his head. Rethasa's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. His long dark hair was pulled back and strange markings tattooed his face.
"My child. All I want is to give my other children their rightful powers back. You Guardians stole them and they just want them back. Would you, and your friends, help me?" Rethasa looked at him sympathetically as he reached out for her. But her trance was broken quickly by Nanra and Legebra banging through the door.
"Rethasa! Who is this?" Legebra asked as her crimson eyes glinted at the old man.
"Calm yourself, Legebra. This is Clow Reed. All he wants is some of our power in order to help his children," she said as she looked back to him for approval. But he was on his feet and releasing and energy ball directly at her. It surrounded Rethasa and sparks started to shoot through her. She screamed as each bolt sucked energy out of her. Once her energy was gone, Legebra's and Nanra's power was shocked directly through her and into a slowly forming energy ball suspended in Clow Reed's hand. Rastael moved to stop Clow Reed but his free hand flew up and Rastael was instantly thrown off his feet and into another wall.
"Why?" Rethasa sputtered before she collapsed.
Clow chuckled to himself as he held the girls' energy in a swirling ball of red, green, and blue floating above his outstretched hand. "Come my children!" he called. A red book floated to him and he inserted the energy into the small lock on the cover. He smiled as the cover opened and the cards inside glowed.
Suddenly he was knocked off his feet. Rastael stood leaning over and clutching his side. Clow looked up at him in disbelief. "You lied to me! You said none of the Guardians would die! You said Rethasa would not get hurt!" Rastael called out in anguish. Clow Reed glared at him and he slowly was lifted off the ground.
"I did not lie! They are not dead, and Rethasa will be ok. But you will be far worse than dead when I am through with you! Nobody meddles with my plans!" Clow Reed yelled and he flung his hand towards the window. Rastael's limp body flew out the window and plummeted to the ground below. He tried to summon his wings but they would not come out. He closed his eyes and waited for the impact.
Once he hit he couldn't move. His arm was underneath him and a large gash was in the side of his head and bleeding freely. He looked back up at the window. "Rethasa…" he whispered before he went unconscious. His eyes closed and he changed back into his human form.
Clow Reed turned from the window to look back at the red book that had hit the floor. He picked it up and stood with it above Rethasa who had changed back to her human form of Sakura along with the other Guardians. Clow Reed looked at the book a moment longer and cried out in anguish as he realized that the first ten cards had disappeared. He disappeared as well, letting the red book fall neatly into the arms of the sleeping Sakura.