AN: boring chapter… sorry… but this is supposed to happen…

Chapter 15

Dramatically, Ywdoranc told his story. He paced in circles, waving with his arms to show what he meant. It was very clear that he loved to tell his story, being sure that he had attention from the little group, trapped behind invisible walls.

'Years ago, I was the youngest member of my clan, and last in the line to heir the throne. But age has never really mattered to us. If you where worthy of the throne, you might be able to get there. We all tried to be best in everything, to be worthy. But I have to admit, I wasn't good at everything. Last in line, and worse in almost all subjects, it was clear I would never get the throne.

But there was on exception of that rule, for we were not the mightiest clan in our country. One clan was more powerful then mine was. The Reed-clan. If I succeeded to make our clan the mightiest of all, I would be the next leader for sure. And the only way to do that, was to terminate the entire clan.'

Ywdoranc looked at his audience, making sure they hung at his lips. Most did listen, but he saw Sakura and Syaoran, leaning back to back at each other, staring at the creepy ceiling of the dungeon. A vein grew on his head, but then he realized that, though they didn't look at him, they were listening.

'That would be, kill the entire clan.'

There wasn't much reaction from the group, they just looked at him, as if they wanted him to tell the story. So he continued.

'They had to much friends, to much allies, to simply kill a few of them, or humiliate them, so the entire clan had to be eliminated. But the Reed-clan wasn't the mightiest for nothing. The leader, Clow Reed, was a powerful magician. The one subject I didn't fail at, luckily for me, was magic. So I thought of a plan to finish Clow Reed off, and after that, the entire clan. I had to lure him into a trap, where he could not use his power, and I could finish him off easily. With Clow dead, the clan had no defense anymore.

But the plan didn't succeed as I wanted it to. It took me a year to trap him, and by that time, my little sister had managed to take over the throne. I wasn't there to witness the ceremony, for I was busy, capturing Clow Reed, and I didn't know she took over.' He clenched his fists, remembering the following humiliation, but his voice didn't tremble.

'I fought Clow for a long time, and in the end, I figured he wasn't even fighting for real. My powers, my magic, the one thing a was good at, wasn't enough to defeat the all-powerful master. When he walked away from the battlefield, I managed to activate my secret weapon. I put a spell on him, one that couldn't be removed, and would kill him within a few days, at most.

But even that didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. When I got home, I found my sister on the throne. And to make it worse, she was furious at me. The unthankful BITCH!' He took a deep breath to calm his anger. 'The stupid-one had changed the laws, in the few weeks she already was on the throne. I still can hear her high, stern voice, telling me I had transgressed the law, broke all her new stupid rules. Her newest rule that is, like I even knew she was on the throne, let alone stand, knew of the newest law, made by her!

The law implicated that, from this point on, the heir to the throne would be chosen by blood. Which meant I would never get there anymore, unless I would kill my own family. But without them, there wouldn't be a clan, of course. But it also meant that I had tried to assassinate the most powerful leader of all, who had become an ally of my clan, in the short time I wasn't there to witness the happenings around the castle.

I was punished – I will keep those details for myself – and you can understand that I was furious. All my plans had gone to waste, I would never get the throne anymore, and my own sister had abandoned me. And to make it all even worse, Clow Reed was still alive, though a week had passed. I was tortured, they wanted me to tell what I had done, so I suppose they knew that I had put a spell on the damned man.

In the end, I had told them, and they wanted to punish me with dead. But before that, I was brought to the Reed-residence, to face the almighty Clow one last time. He was dying alright! Oh, how I loved that sight! He was so weak, he couldn't move anymore, and he turned more whiter every second.

But besides those glorious facts, he could still talk, and so he did, and I didn't like it one bit. He told me the next thing. I have never forgotten his words, wanting to make it not come true.

I wont punish you, there is no need for, though I think this would seem like punishment to you anyway…

With your spell, you've stolen something from me, which you can't return to me anymore. But you will give it back, and therefore, I will pass my being on to someone else. Find him, and return what you have taken. Don't try to disobey me, for I have cast a spell on you, which will take you to your eternal downfall if you do.

And with your task, comes the trial for the keeper of most of my powers…

Those were his words, and I have never really believed him, whatever he meant. But all kind of bad things started to happen to me. I was all alone, abandoned, and weak. So I trained my magically abilities, but the most ridiculous things happened to me. I'm sure it had something to do with the curse, so I planned to escape it. And therefore, I cast a spell upon myself, sending me to the far future.

A came at this place, many years ago, and I learned a lot in the mean time. With Clow Reed gone, his clan grew weak and finally disappeared, so in this time, the Clow-clan doesn't exist anymore. And I have found a new power, very equal to Clow's powers, carrying the same name: The Clowcards.

When I came here, I figured the cards were being held by the so called card mistress. She died shortly after I came, and her cards where passed on to her daughter. I supposed Reed spoke of her, when he said 'And with your task, comes the trial for the keeper of most of my powers…'.At that moment, all I could think of, of course, was to get the cards in my possession. And I managed to do so, for the new card mistress was still a baby. It was a shame that Keroberos had the power to take more then half of the cards back.

By the way, Keroberos, did you name the cards that time, after her? It would explain a lot.'

'Of course.' Kero said sleepily. 'To prevent…(gapes)…that you could take those as well. Not that I have seen you back then, but I suppose it was you anyway.'

Ywdoranc glared at him. His audience wasn't a very good one, for now, Keroberos and Spinel where resting at their masters shoulders and Yukito was sitting on the ground as well, while Eriol held Tomoyo still in his arms. 'Of course… Not that it really helped, because I have found a way to rename them. The ceremony I spoke of before.

While half of the cards were in my possession, I figured that a part of their power was inside of me. Probably the power Reed spoke of. That power returned to the cards, as soon as I had them, but I can still use it.

I was planning to start a new clan, all on my own, or take over another clan and grow stronger then the rest. And though I succeeded in the last one, there was one clan stronger then me: the Li-clan. A little research showed me that they are the descendants of the Reed-clan, isn't that correct Syaoran?'

'Whatever you say…' he answered drowsily. Another vein grew on Ywdoranc's head.

'Anyway… Their clan was also the rightful owner of the Clowcards, and in order to have them, and to have the most powerful clan, the Li-clan had to be eliminated as well. I didn't succeed in the beginning, but I have sent my slaves to them. I don't know which one I have sent anymore, but I suppose they have done their job about know.

Oh, and I suppose I did find the one who Reed had passed his being to, isn't that right, Eriol?' Eriol didn't respond, looking at the beauty in his arms, whom he knew would soon wake up entirely.

'And well… that's pretty much my story.' He finally said, not knowing anymore what to say.

Tomoyo stirred in Eriols arms. 'My head hurts! That monotonous mumbling took forever…' She opened her eyes, looking straight into Eriols, realizing he had hold her all this time, she turned tomato red, but didn't turn away her eyes from his gaze. 'Wow, it's suddenly not boring anymore…'

Sakura opened her eyes, which she had closed somewhere during the story. She wanted to ask Tomoyo if she was okay, but one look at her lost eyes made sure she was more then okay. Sakura sweat dropped.

'This silence…it's a gift!' Touya said, not giving a damn that more veins appeared on Ywdoranc's head.

'It wasn't that bad.' Yukito said, seeing the anger rising at their captor.

Sakura looked at him, smiling sarcastically. 'You're right,' Eyebrows raised at that statement. 'That part about Kero giving the cards my name was interesting.'

'That was just a very, very little part.' Syaoran informed her.

'Oh,' Sakura smiled apologetic at Ywdoranc. 'I wasn't listening to the rest, I was thinking about… something else.'

(an: me sweat drops, and so is the rest…)

Sakura tried not to blush, but knew she wasn't succeeding entirely. During the story, she had only listened with half an ear. The rest of her thoughts where with Syaoran, who's back, resting at hers, was so warm and comforting. She didn't know anymore if he liked her or not, but right now, she just didn't want him to move away from their spot on the cold floor.

Syaoran laughed in his mind at Sakura's reaction. Before the story Ywdoranc told – if you could call it a story, for he was a lousy narrator – he had finally said it out loud. He had said he loved someone else, more then he cared for Meilin. He loved Sakura, and though he had said it, she still didn't know it. He was wondering if she would feel the same, and if he should tell her or not.

He wanted to tell, because now he finally was free of his promise from the past. It had happened so quickly, but he was glad it did happen. Meilin had found someone else, and so had he. I wonder who it is, she likes so much. Do I know him? Did she mean this when she said I wasn't there for her, when she needed me most?

During the story, he had decided something else. Although it was his mission, he would not take Sakura's Clowcards away. He knew that would hurt her, and that was something he didn't want to accomplish. Whatever his mother would say to him or do to him, he wouldn't give in. Eriols voice brought him back to the reality.

'Ey, mister, don't you think you should return now, what you took away from Clow Reed?' Eriol said, still looking in Tomoyo's eyes. He couldn't help blushing, while she captured him with her eyes.

'Actually, I don't think so. You see, he has put me trough a lot of hardships, I deserve some power and fun now.'

'You call that fun? Trying to murder my family!' Syaoran spat, fire in his eyes. But the fire disappeared as soon as it had come. 'Though I doubt that you have succeeded. They are stronger then you think, then everyone thinks.'

'Yup, that's right. No one can take the Li-clan down. It took you years to destroy the Reed-clan, so it will cost you centuries to destroy the Li-clan.' Meilin supported him drowsily. She as well had a hard time listening to the babbling of Ywdoranc. Though the story was told correctly, his voice was so boring and monotonous, it was hard to keep track with it.

'Uh…' Ruby came in between. 'He didn't send anyone to the Li-residence at all. Well, he did but…'

'But what?' Syaoran and Meilin asked, getting a bit nervously.

'Well, he send Suppy and me, because we were his only slaves who could do such a thing. But we didn't go, because Eriol is a friend of your clan, and Ywdoranc forgot he send us. So… no one is there now, killing your family…!' Ruby ended happily.

Syaoran and Meilin sighed with relief. Though it was a very dumb reason – who would actually forget who he had send on a important mission? – they were just happy nothing happened.

'I really don't advise to take the power and fun, Ywdoranc. You seem to have no idea what kind of spell Clow Reed has put on you.' Eriol finally looked at their captor, interrupting the conversation about the Li-clan. To Ywdoranc's surprise, Eriols eyes showed pity, pity for him.

'He's stronger then you think, he didn't put me in this time for nothing. He knew you would go here, to prevent his spell from happening. If you do not give back, what you accidentally took away, eternal downfall will be your destiny. Now, I don't want that to happen to anyone, not even to you. But if you don't listen, I wont be sad if it does happens.'

Ywdoranc seemed to think for a while. 'I don't have anything to lose. I don't believe that will happen, and I'm not planning to listen to you. You are his reincarnation, right, then your supposed to force me to give it back to you. I don't believe it. And anyway, once I have all the cards, no downfall is strong enough to take me away from what I want.'

'Sooth yourself… Don't say I didn't warn you. Because now you fully realized who I am, the clock is ticking. Within a few moments, the time to give it back is gone, and you will face your destiny…'

They all saw Ywdoranc hesitating, and making the decision to not pay attention to Eriols words. Sakura tried to think that whatever happened, he would deserve it.

But then it began…

AN: I'm soooo sorry! It took me like forever to post another chapter, but I've been really busy… next chapter probably doesn't come within a week, but in two weeks… or so I hope…

Gomen!

Oh… and although it took me a long time, don't forget to review! XD