"Three Jewels Enchanted: The Beginning of an Epic"
by Seventh Faythes
Jezareth: Holler! This is the chap everybody's been waiting for! The chapter where all our first beloved reviewers make their first appearance!
Xiu Ying: Thank you for making an instant reply and reading our post immediately! We can't believe that you give us sooo much support!
Disclaimer: Seventh Faythes do not own any CCS characters that all belong to marvelous CLAMP ladies. Though Jeza and I agree that owning Syaoran would be quite a dream….This fic is also based on the uber-cool tele-fantasya (television Fantasy show) here in the Philippines, Encantadia, which, by the way, is sweeping us by storm. If you have time, you can look it up in the net, and we assure you a great catch!
Lenny: Of course, the Philippines can't rival with the great special effects of other countries, but we can sure try!
Robin: If any of you have got friendster accounts out there, please invite Jezareth. Her e-mail account is She'll be waiting! And you'll see a lot of Tsubasa RC pics there too, mostly of Syaoran.
Jezareth: can't seem to display our name right, so we're sticking to how it's done. It usually has two asterisks before and after, but I guess it can't be helped. By the way, Illusion Dragon, I love that story where Syaoran works to get his money. Though Xiu Ying thinks he's being quite harassed! ; p And, Senritsumon, we do not know what your gender is, but in this fic, you're a female sprite, ok? And a little note too! Sprites are like faeries, but they are the ones with wings. The faeries do not have any wings on their backs, got it?
Danny: And sprites are also small, like the little faeries in the tales we know. Unlike the Faeries, who are as tall as normal humans.
Seventh Faythes: On with our fic! Thanks for the reviews!
+The Meeting of Worlds+
"Sei'spe" Senritsumon screamed as she heard the prince fall on the hard ground with a sickening thud. The last thing the little sprite could remember was flying straight into the portal and ending up in a very strange world.
Senritsumon hovered over the unconscious prince, his sword laying forgotten beside him. His head was bleeding profusely, for his helmet had long disappeared, and rendered him helpless against the mysteriously flat ground.
"Help!" the little one screamed, fluttering around. There did not seem to be anyone who could hear her.
Suddenly, there was a growl that came from behind them. The sprite turned around and saw a fierce metal beast charging at them. (a/n: to those who might've not guessed it, It's a car. The growl he heard was the sound of the engine.)
"An accursed beast! It wants to harm the prince! Help! Help us! Anyone! The beast is getting nearer! Help!"
Senritsumon threw herself over the prince, desperate to save his life. But suddenly, they were pulled by an unknown force, to the safety of the trees.
+on the other hand+
Sakura could not believe it. She had just saved this unconscious stranger that was lying almost dead at the middle of the road. She just wanted to see where that light was coming from, and ended up finding this chestnut-haired boy.
"Hey! Could you hear me?" she asked, lightly touching the boy's cheek and laying him on his back, with his head on her lap. She could see that blood was coming out from a wound on his forehead, and it needed immediate attention. She fumbled in her pockets for her handkerchief and wrapped it around his forehead. Just then, something came out from behind the boy's ear.
"A thousand thank you's for saving the prince's life! You are a brave and noble soul!" a tiny voice said. Sakura's jaw dropped. The creature was unusually tiny, with butterfly wings on its back. It had a golden aura and long curly brown hair cascading past its shoulders.
"Are you a fairy?" she asked. The creature shook its tiny little head.
"Oh, no, no, no! I may seem like a fairy, but I am a sprite. And, are you," it circled around her, "an elf, or a fairy? I have not seen you before, and yet I have traveled all of Fantasya."
Sakura was confused. She had just opened her mouth to ask where the hell was Fantasya when the boy on her lap began to moan. The little sprite, or whatever it was, flew to him. "The prince is badly hurt! We must take him to the nearest house! We must call a Mat gamut! (doctor!)"
Sakura was still in shock, but she decided to help the boy, though he was dressed in a costume she could not figure out. She placed one of his arms around her neck, and pulled him up by the waist. 'Boy, he's heavy!' she thought as she started struggling to her house down the road.
+later, at Sakura's house+
Sakura wrung the wet cloth in her hands. She was washing it off in the sink. A lot of red liquid came out of it and flowed down into the sink.
Blood.
She winced at the sight and feel of it. She was afraid of blood, like most people. She did not know why. And now she has a guy bathing in the stuff in her room! She dumped the cloth in a basin of warm water and headed up the stairs again.
When she opened her room, she saw the sprite hovering above the boy, who was lying on her bed. She had taken off his "armor", as the sprite had dubbed it, which was a pretty difficult task since it was so heavy.
She had not yet replaced the handkerchief with a proper bandage, since there was not any in the house, but she did replace his sweaty silver-blue shirt with one of her brother's. She did not bother changing his pants for obvious reasons.
"He's still sleeping, but he's okay now," she told the worrying sprite.
"Okay? What does such a word mean?"
"Uhm…It means he's alright now. He will be fine," she replied, sitting beside the boy and washing his face with the damp cloth. "Where do you come from anyway? I would like to know."
"We come from Fantasya, from the land of the Faeries. I am Senritsumon, and that is our prince, Syaoran. We were in the middle of a battle, when Agate suddenly sent him here. I presume this is the world of mortals?"
"Well…I guess you could call it that…I'm Sakura and-Wait a minute! Did you say Fantasya?"
"Yes. What is the matter?"
Sakura suddenly remembered her mother's old fairy tale. Just a while ago, she was telling herself that she fully believed in it, but seeing this little sprite was quite a shock, even for her. "Then that would make Mama Nadeshiko's story true! So I was right! Faeries exist! And this boy here…He's Syaoran! One of the three royal children!"
"How can you know such things? I have not yet told you how many siblings he has!"
"Listen, I know you wouldn't believe me, but my mother…she used to tell me stories about Fantasya when I was still a kid-I mean, child. Now, I really know faeries exist. But…I thought they were the ones with wings…"
"Uhh…" Syaoran began to move. Sakura jumped away in surprise. Senritsumon, on the other hand, flew above his face.
"Sei'spe! Yusa qa l'n da? (are you alright?)" she asked, which got her a confused look from Sakura.
Syaoran's eyes fluttered open, and Sakura caught a glimpse of his deep auburn eyes. He sat up, holding his aching head with his right hand. At first, his eyes seemed unfocused. But then he blinked and they were alright again. He turned to Sakura, who was cowering against her study table. Somehow, she felt like that stare was seeing past her clothes. His eyes were so…blank. And yet furious at the same time.
"Your highness, this is Lady Sakura. She is the one who rescued you from being murdered by a metal monster. She is also the one who nursed you back to health."
The boy called Syaoran looked back and forth from Senritsumon and Sakura, and his expression somehow softened. Then he stood up and approached Sakura, who trembled and tried to back further.
Without a word, he bent down, eyes closed, and took her right hand.
And kissed it.
All of a sudden, Sakura's uneasy feeling disappeared. The moment lasted like forever, and she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks.
(a/n: This seems like that time when Eriol and Sakura first met doesn't it? (Xiu Ying)
After what seemed like an eternity, Syaoran broke away and stood up again. Then he bowed and tried to walk to the door. But he almost collapsed, before even touching the knob. Luckily, Sakura caught him.
"You're still weak, erm…Shu, uh…Shay…"
"Syaoran," Senritsumon finished for her.
"Syaoran, right! Anyways, I can't let you go out without that wound on your head healing completely! No matter what you say!"
Senritsumon fluttered toward her. "Uhm, that would be a problem. Prince Syaoran could not speak any more than seven words, and he had spoken his fill this morning."
"Seven words? That's it? How come?"
"It is some sort of…anomaly. It started happening after his father…left the living. None of us were there except the prince. So I am not actually sure why he is doing this."
Sakura looked concernedly at the boy, who turned away. He merely walked back to the bed and sat down. He stared at Senritsumon, who kept nodding as though he was relaying some sort of message to her. Then the sprite flew to Sakura.
"The prince said that he has to return at once to Fantasya. Without his presence, there is a possibility that the land of the Faeries will be in utter chaos."
"What? You can understand him, without even him talking?"
"Of course! Anyone can, if you only learn to listen."
Sakura scratched her head. "Oh well, why would there be chaos in Fantasya, anyway?"
"It is because Prince Syaoran is the future ruler of Fantasya, and there is a possibility that his absence will make the stone of the Moon grow weaker. And that would cause a giant dilemma for the whole of Fantasya, for the moon is the main source of power for Fantasya. And if it is weakened, then that would mean that Fantasya…would be submerged in night and ice."
+in the world of Fantasya+
The whole land of the Faeries was immersed in a lightless night, and freezing cold, as well as the other lands.
Eriol looked at the sky, standing at the castle's balcony. They had won in the battle with the goblins, but they had lost his brother. He merely vanished into thin air. That was it. And then there was no sight of him anymore.
"Syaoran…where are you?"
"Kuda? What are you doing here? It is freezing!" Jenith walked toward him, wearing a shawl around her bare shoulders. She was wearing a beautiful pink silk gown that displayed her celestial element: the Star. She also wore a tiara that had the same design. Her long chestnut brown hair trailed down to the floor.
"It is alright. I do not feel cold at all!" he lied. The wind was whipping through his red orange robes, and even through his skin. He was wearing a crown that held the sun symbol, and kept his dark hair in place.
"You are not a good liar." Jenith conjured another shawl, which was the same color as Eriol's robes. She then wrapped it around his shoulders, and he looked at her gratefully. "Do not be concerned. I know Syaoran is still alive, and he is out there, and that Senritsumon is watching over him."
Eriol nodded. "Yes. I wish so. I am still hoping that he is still in Fantsaya, and that Agate had not succeeded in…making him follow his father."
Jenith smiled. "Even if we are only siblings through our mother, I do admire Syaoran. For he grew up with his father, and almost passed down the throne just to be with him. If only Agate…"
"Sei'sa?"
They both turned around and saw Yue. He was not wearing anything, but he was warming himself by covering himself with his wings. "You must not stay here. The cold will-"
"I know. Let us go into the palace. You should get a coat as well. Those wings are not made to be for warmth." Eriol and Jenith walked past him as he bowed. But he was startled when he felt a piece of fabric cover his head. When he looked up, he saw that the fabric was made out of pink silk and had a symbol on it.
A star.
He gazed at the retreating princess' figure. The cover of her shoulders had suddenly disappeared, and her white shoulders were left bare. She stopped, as if noticing his eyes following her, and turned back.
And smiled.
Yue held the cloth in his hand with much respect. He did not move as the two royals disappeared out the door. Then he smiled and gently wrapped the shawl around his shivering body.
+meanwhile+
Yelan stood before the three celestial stones, which were all floating above their stone pedestal. The stone of the Sun was bathed in a bright orange aura, and the stone of the Star was bathed in pink.
However, the queen's concern was the third stone. The stone of the Moon was floating the lowest, almost touching the pedestal. Its magnificent silver aura was almost gone.
"This is not acceptable! If the stone of the Moon weakens completely, then that would mean…"
"That the heir to the throne is no longer living," a woman said, emerging from the shadows of the room. She was wearing a cloak that was made with intricate patterns. A hood also covered her face, and four sprites flew around her emitting auras of green, blue, red and yellow.
"Candifor? (a/n: That's you, candy44! Read it to get it! Thanks for the review!) What are you doing here?"
"My duty, my queen. I have returned from the land of the Elves for I have felt that the heir of the Moon has gone. I am here to once again be the guard of his stone until he returns." Candifor walked to the pedestal, and took off the hood. Long hair flowed down to the floor and elven ears were on the sides of her face. (a/n: read, The Return card)
She cupped her hands together in front of her, and a frozen silver rose appeared. When Yelan saw the rose, she gasped.
"Rishao's rose! It is frozen! But that would mean…Oh no! My son! He is not…"
"Calm down, my queen. The frozen rose is not only a symbol of death. It could mean another."
"What is the meaning of that? He is still alive?"
"It maybe so. But if that has occurred, it could only mean that…"
Candifor walked to the queen and let her look at the rose. "My queen, your son may be in the land of Mortals…in grave danger."
+back at the land of mortals+
"Ah! Prince!" Sakura yelled, catching Syaoran just before he hit the ground. He was sweating all over, and he was as hot as a boiling kettle. "What is happening to him!"
Senritsumon looked extremely worried. "Oh no! He is too far from the stone of the Moon!"
"And what would that do to him?"
"The stone is a source of life for him. And it is supposed to be fused with him so that they could live without being kept in the castle all the time. But, since he and the stone are still separated, both are gradually losing life!"
"Oh no!" Sakura watched in horror as Syaoran gasped for breath, clutching at his chest. He was mouthing some words that Sakura could not understand. "What are you trying to say! Please! Speak!" 'Oh please, if you could tell me any way I can help, speak! Oh…if only I can understand you like Senritsumon!'
'Help me!'
Sakura's head shot up when she heard a boy's voice in her head. Was she hearing things? Or was Syaoran actually talking to her…in her head?
She laid him on her bed, and he continued to gasp for life. "What can we do to help him? What way did you come through?"
"Through the portal of dimensions. But Agate has sealed it! We can not go back through it! There is…no other way…The prince will…die…"
Syaoran held Sakura's hand tightly. He was dying, but fighting.
Suddenly, an idea stroke Sakura. "Mother's book! Maybe it has something about those portals!" She almost walked away, but Syaoran gripped her hand tightly. She glanced at him sympathetically, and then hurried down stairs. Senritsumon looked back and forth from the prince to the open door and followed after Sakura.
"The book! It must be here! Come on!" Sakura threw away book by book in the basement. She was desperate. She had to act fast. Senritsumon tried to help by pulling away some of the books, which was quite a task for someone her size and weight.
"Ah! There!" Sakura screamed, running to the book farthest from her. It was coated in maroon, with the celestial symbols formed in a magic circle on the back cover. A tiger was on the front, along with the label above the beast that read "Fantasya."
"Senritsumon! I found it! We might be able to save Syaoran!"
"Yes!"
Sakura and the sprite charged up from the basement and up the stairs and broke into the room. "Syaoran! We-"
Sakura suddenly stopped. Syaoran was lying on her bed…
Dead.
+back in Fantasya+
Jenith fell to her knees, her body wracking with sobs. Yue ran to her, holding her shoulders. "Princess! What has happened? Princess!"
The guardian turned to Eriol, and found the prince staring into space as well. Their eyes were opened wide, as if in shock, and they were both clutching their chest. Jenith even looked like she was about to faint.
"What has happened! I better call the queen!"
"Yue…no." Jenith pulled him by the sleeve. "Yue…" she turned to him with tears in her eyes, "Syaoran…he's…dead."
+in the hall of celestial stones+
There was a small tinkle as the stone of the Moon fell onto the pedestal. Its aura had completely disappeared. Yelan fell to her knees, crying. Candifor bowed her head. The frozen rose she was holding had completely lost its life. It was the dreaded omen.
The prince was dead.
"I am sorry, my queen. Please accept my condolences."
"My son…my beloved son…I was not able to fulfill my promise to your father…Oh, Rishao…"
Candifor looked at the rose in her hands. The sprites were also mourning. And outside, the sky was trembling with thunder and lightning, announcing the untimely death of Prince Syaoran.
SBAM!
"Your highness?"
"Not now, Ruby Moon. I cannot…talk right now."
Ruby Moon bowed. The two guardian beasts were at her side. "Your highness, the goblins have attacked again. Agate is with them. We are awaiting your orders."
The queen straightened up, her eyes blazing with fury. "Then gather all the troops! We shall meet and defeat them completely! For Syaoran!"
+moments later+
The army of faeries waited at their fort, their eyes focused on the oncoming foes on the horizon. Eriol and Jenith were at the front, with another figure on a horse. The figure was wearing white robes, without any armor, and brandishing a pearly white sword. Her face was covered by a white hood and mask. Yet, her poise could instantly label her.
Queen Yelan.
She was now the commander of the army, a temporary substitute for Syaoran, she noted in her mind. She would not accept that her son is dead.
"Hirg'nante p'rah qa Sei'spe Syaoran (Revenge for Prince Syaoran)!" Eriol yelled, raising one of his stilettos. The elves and sprites were among them as well. They all raised their weapons.
"Hirg'nante p'rah qa Sei'spe Syaoran (Revenge for Prince Syaoran)!"
The queen raised her sword and commanded, "Dugsho (Attack)!"
+in Sakura's room+
"No…This cannot be happening," Sakura muttered, on her knees and embracing her mother's book.
"Prince Syaoran!" Senritsumon flew to the Prince's dead body and cried as well. "No! You have your whole life ahead of you! No! Wake up!"
Sakura dropped the book on the floor, and bowed her head. Her tears spilled onto the book. She was not able to do anything to save that boy. And she has always believed that faeries existed. Now their dead prince was on her bed.
"I'm sorry…mother, I am so sorry," she repeated over and over.
Suddenly, her mother's book began to glow…
+Wakas+
Jezareth: Whoop! We can't spoil the surprise! But, Syaoran really IS dead. And oh man! Is it midnight already? But no matter! Anything for our avid readers!
Xiu Ying: But if you believe in the spirit of S+S, then keep on reading! And yes (sniff) I feel your pain after reading this chapter. But we all have to believe! S+S forever!
Xiao Lei: Don't sulk! We didn't uhm…Can't tell you right now! But there are still more characters to come! Especially Lightning Illusion Dragon, Kawaii lil cherrypink, and dbzgtfan, who might just have the power to alter destiny! So wait for the exciting next chap!
Preview:
Three new characters…one destiny…This will bring a fairy and a human together in one world…to fight for freedom and peace. When all hope has been lost, a phoenix arises from the ashes, to bring back the light in Fantasya and truly defeat the goblins.
R & R!