Wow. Even the sneak peek of this story got good reviews! Well, anyway, I decided to put a little plot thing at the beginning, you know about the 'gang' finding some letter, and Eriol telling the story of Clow's life. To everyone. You know, just for some interesting reactions and such. If you don't like it, I'll remove the first bit and just leave the stuff about Clow's life.
I have a very complex idea of how the magical people lived. Just a few things before I begin: my guess is that Clow and his family lived during Biblical times. You know, people back then lived for a long time, so the magical people did, too, but they could extend their lives even more using magic. Wow. I'm not a very religious person, but for this I had to refer to some things in the Bible because that's when most of this took place!
The Letter
'Have you ever seen this before, Kero?' Sakura asked, brandishing a letter several pages in length. 'I found it in a crease of the book. I picked the book up to put the Cards away, and I saw that there were a few loose pages. I pulled them out and it looks like some kind of letter.'
'Letter?' Kero asked, suddenly not interested in anything else. 'In the Sakura book?' He rose into the air and flew over to Sakura.
She nodded. 'Yeah. The writing is really hard to read, though. The paper looks like it was just stuffed into the book, but because it must have been there for so long, it was pressed flat. It's all smudged, too. Here, look.' Sakura held out the pages for Kero to see.
Kero looked briefly over the letter, then gently floated to the floor, a rather shocked look on his face. 'That's Clow Reed's writing.....' He said quietly.
'Really?' Sakura looked it over herself. 'I'm not too familiar with English, but..... a letter by Clow Reed? In the book? It had to have been there even before I released the cards!'
'Yeah..... and it's been there ever since, I'll bet.....' Kero said, almost wearily.
'You..... didn't know about this?' Sakura asked, kneeling beside Kero, who shook his head in reply. 'Well, what does it say?'
Kero hesitated, almost as though he were afraid to read it. Sakura laid the papers gently on the ground and smoothed them out for Kero to see easier. He took a breath and read it aloud to her.
In the world, there are many things. So many, in fact, that it would be impossible to capture or even conceive them all. But I had tried. I felt the ambition to set out and find them, in an attempt to bring things to harmony. I don't know what will happen to them all, and it unnerves me to think that the ones who will hold these things that I captured will be someone I do not know. Yes, it was I who tried to capture the spirit of everything. I sent them into cards, and sealed them in books which were hidden around the globe.
Why did I do so? Why did I try to capture these spirits and seal them away? In truth, I'm not entirely certain, but the one thing I do know is that things would be better if some degree of control was present. With at least some of the array of things sealed away, a small bit of control could be achieved.
I tried all I could. I created prototype decks that held a portion of these spirits present in all of existence. The last of these prototype decks was finished, and I have lived but half my life. I would have had much time ahead of me to create the true Deck of Many Things. It would have taken much time and planning, and so I began, calculating, working great deals of magic simply to find out how this could be done on a larger scale. The time and energy I put into the prototype decks I had already created in comparison to the immense task I had before me was what growing grass in the front yard was compared to growing a mountain.
I would work towards this near-impossible goal. It was what I had been born to do, I discovered, for, due to the circumstances into which I was born, I was to be the savior of the arcane kingdom. This Deck would be my life's work. The Deck, once completed, would hold all of the major elements needed to have life itself upon the earth. Once these elements were captured, control would finally be achieved, and eternal peace would result. I now know, though, that I will not be finishing it. True peace will not be achieved.
I am fated to die three weeks after I began the essential planning my Deck of Many Things. I didn't know exactly how, or even why I would die before its completion if this was to be the reason for my life's existence, all I knew was that it would happen. So desperately I began, planning, working, never stopping. Though I had no chance, I began the Deck's creation.
That is where I am as I write this. I know I am on the brink of death. I am but moments away from it, I know. I have no illness, no afflictions. I am safe in my home, but Death stands with me in this room. I have already sealed the Guardians in the first book, simply because it is the only one I have left. The other books are already in their places of protection. I have a plan to continue my spirit on, but I do not know how, or if it will even work, for such a thing has not been done before.
I have written in one of my Books of Shadows how I will be attempting to do this, and I have written the dates that the rest of you will die on so you can make the same preparations and attempt to continue. I wish to see you all in the next life.
Father, though your grief will undoubtedly bring your end, do not fear for me. Tian, do not follow the shadows. Do not give in to the darker spectrum that is human nature, for if you do, I know you will be lost to it. Ketriana, protect the others, as they still need to be, especially now that I cannot be there. Sirrus, you will find your beautiful wife, but in the least expected place, and even your children's children will make me proud. Achenar, I fear there is no light for you until the end, but I will be there with you until it comes.
As for you, Yue, I only wish you to move on. I will be there for you, even if I cannot find passage into the next life. Cerberus, the future should not haunt you as the past does, though your future is less of a safe path than your past. You both should know that my heart and soul was put into creating you, and my death should not change that.
Final words are always hard, especially since it is simply me alone in this room before the comfort of the fire. This serene scene betrays what time has in store for me, though, and I can feel the end approaching quickly, but I still do not fathom how.
I do not know what I can do to make this acceptable to anyone. I have lived in a loving home and was surrounded by those who cared for me more than I could possibly know, and I hope desperately that this will be read by one or another of you, even if only one. I have explained what I could, and now I meet my end with these words taught to me once.
Pain is never my first thought
I will not strike out in anger
There is no such thing as vengeance
Sorrow will not cloud my thoughts
My heart knows no true fear
Hatred does not rule my hand
Emotion merely suggests
Peace is always my first thought
Judgment will bring me through
Virtue will fight with me
I will see all truths
There is only Light
My soul burns on hope
Emotion sways any battle
The one who taught me these words knows who they are. As Yue and Cerberus are now gone, I wish that the book be taken to its respective place of protection.
That was what it said, though it sounded incomplete.
'That doesn't sound right.' Sakura said softly. She looked through to Book to try and find another page, but there was no more. 'He couldn't even write it all down.....'
Kero just stared silently at the pages.
'Kero?'
'He did tell us..... he did tell us that he would be coming back.....'
'Oh, Kero..... I don't know what this is like for you, but I can guess.....' Sakura scooped him up and hugged him. 'Oh, don't be too sad!' There was a sad moment that passed between the two of them, and Sakura noticed suddenly that Yue had come to the doorway. 'Phweeeeee!'
Yue looked down at her with mild disinterest, then his eyes shifted to the letter with great interest.
'Oh, umm..... I found that in the book..... here, you can look at it if you want.' She held out the letter to him.
Yue read it over, his expression only changing marginally, then he left the room again.
'He took that rather well.' Sakura said, looking out the room after him.
Kero shook his head. 'I guess you still haven't figured him out, yet, then. He took it with him. When he looks at something, he always, always, puts I back where he got it, even if it's his. He said nothing when he left, either. He usually says something when he leaves, especially when the master- er..... sorry..... mistress is in the room. He said absolutely nothing. I think he's going to be spending a lot more time by himself for the next while.'
