Konnichiwa! I'm a newbie at Tsubasa fics XD But I'm totally addicted to the series. This story I actually thought up while I was daydreaming XD I'm a hopeless romantic So enjoy! The beginning is kind of bad (I'm not very good at those) but please enjoy!
Note: I do not own any of the characters! They are copyright of CLAMP and I do not take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I will create a few of my own for the purpose of this story. My fic is basically a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to next. Note that it takes place after they leave the Outo world (where they were actually inside a game). Enjoy!
Tale of the Frozen Memory
The morning sun was still just crawling up the sleepy sky, but many farmers and peasants were in the dying fields, tending to the surviving crops. They rushed to finish before the sun could reach high above their heads and burn the back of their necks. Suddenly, as if an unknowing ellipse had dawned upon them, the sunshine disappeared. Workers looked up, to see a large black blob fall from the sky, and dissipate as it hit the ground, scattering a fierce wind that shook leaves from the ailing stems.
"Successful landing!" A white pork bun with rabbit–like ears pronounced, punching its white paw into the air. Beneath this peculiar object, a heap of bodies lay tangled and dizzy, a girl sitting on top rubbing her head.
"Success! SUCCESS!" A tall aggressive man dressed in full black jumped out from beneath the pile and seized the bun by his ears. "Landing in wheat in a heap is what you call success!" He started pulling the creature's cheeks, as if trying to see how far they could stretch.
"Nyaaa! Kuro-rin is hurting Mokona!" The white bun squeals unhappily. The other 3 were getting up now too, dusting off their clothing to free any dirt.
"Aw Kuro-puppy, Mokona was only trying to help." The blonde suggested. At that moment, the new arrivals noticed that many eyes were on them. Across the vast field, countless farmers were motionless, some halfway through a task. They all were silent, staring at the newcomers.
"Uh, Fye-san?" A handsome young boy with chocolate brown eyes looked to the blonde man in white.
"Hm…" Fye smiled. "I don't think we're welcome here."
As if the ice that froze the workers had instantly melted, all the farmers dropped their workloads and bustled around, shouting "Get the King, Harold! Get the King!" and mingles of "They've arrived! Our saviours are here!" A few came pattering towards them, ushering them towards the edge of the field.
"Mokona feels important!" The white bun said, clutching to the young girl in the strange group. She laughed and smiled in return. "Yes, Mokona is very special." Mokona hugged her and giggled.
Fye caught up to one of the workers bustling them forwards and asked, "Ma'am, we're very sorry to have intruded onto your land. May I ask where exactly you are taking us now?"
"To the palace of course. The King and Queen will be very eager to see you, sir."
Sakura, Syaoran, Fye, Kurogane, and Mokona were travelling in a white carriage tinted with gold, towards what they've been told is the palace of this land. The sound of the carriage horses' hooves echoed through the windows on the sides.
Sakura peered out the window, seeing many faces, all bowing to their carriage and cheering. "Why are they bowing to us?" She questioned in curiosity.
"Because Mokona has arrived! Mokona the-"The pork bun was cut short as Kurogane began pulling his cheeks again.
Syaoran smiled and replied, "They seem happy to see us, Sakura-hime… though I'm not sure why."
"We'll find out soon enough." Fye added dreamily, as he continued staring out the window, pushing the curtain back. Moments later, he relinquished his grasp and said, "We're here."
The group stepped out of the carriage, only to see an amazing sight. The palace, as white as fresh fallen snow, rose high into the sky, seeming to cut through the clouds and reach into the heaven itself. Towering white statues of angels and maidens mapped across the palace square, adding a peaceful tranquility to the atmosphere. In the centre stood a white marble fountain, the size of the carriage itself. It was overflowing with tiny bubbles from the foaming water, continuously encircling the basin. The square was currently empty, except for a few white doves floating dreamily in the sky, and the presence of the palace guards standing at the entrance.
"It's so beautiful!" Sakura gasped, staring in awe at her surroundings. On either side, perfect gardens sprung up, running parallel to the white cement tiles of the ground. Blooming summer fragrances filled the air.
The driver of their carriage bowed to them and extended one arm towards the palace doors. "Please, follow me. The King and Queen await your company." Syaoran and his group trailed after him, still gazing in awe at the landscape.
Inside was just as beautiful as the courtyard outside. Silk-woven tapestries hung from the high ceilings, adding radiant colours to the pure white of the marble walls. Giant crystal chandeliers dangled down from the unreachable top of the entrance hall. In the centre of the hall, a grand staircase fanned out at its base, inviting them to climb upwards, across the shiny white marble to reach for the heavens.
The guards at the foot of the stairs bowed as the travellers passed by as they ascended the stairs. The walls were covered with portraits of old rulers and important people, scattered across the vast upper floors, pronouncing the prominent figures in an array of costumes and postures. As they passed doorways, maids, servants, and butlers alike bowed and curtsied at the guests. Syaoran stared in awe at the wonderful architecture, an old fascination that had always lingered with him.
The driver finally stopped after what felt like countless steps in the palace, in front of a polished set of gold doors, encrusted with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. He knocked twice, and slowly, as if coming to life, the doors swung inwards, and a bright light seeped through the crack, temporarily blinding the travellers. As their eyes adjusted, a magnificent view of the throne room appeared, flourished with riches and treasures. At the far end of the room, 2 figures sat in tall gold thrones, a third standing beside them.
"Announcing the arrival of the foreign travellers, to be in the presence of His Majesty, King Ethan, Her Majesty Maria, and Her Highness, Princess Esmerelda." A young page announced, standing at the doorway.
At the end of the room, bathed in the now late morning sun, the three Royalties stood, and Syaoran, Sakura and the others bowed down, showing paramount respect.
"Please, stand." King Ethan's voice boomed out, as he gracefully walked towards the travellers, arms outstretched. "We welcome you greatly to our humble Kingdom of Silan."
As the King strode closer, Syaoran could see he was quite young to be in such a rank of power. His brisk features illustrated him as a man in his 40's. The Queen and Princess followed suit, and stood silently beside King Ethan.
The Queen, unlike the King, seemed to be in her late 20's, having married at the age of 14; a tradition in their time period. She wore prized jewels and trinkets on her wrist and neck, radiating an air of prosperity and influence. Her blonde hair shone in the sunlight, glistening with her many jewels.
The princess was quite the same as her mother, though less tarnished with accessories. Her clinging blue dress hinted at her body's curves, a trait that matched the beauty of her angelic face. Esmerelda's long blonde hair hung down to her waist, her bangs tied back to reveal her shocking aqua blue eyes, matching the blue quartz on her crown. Esmerelda's eyes bored into those of the new arrival and a fire erupted in her eyes.
"Please, my dear sirs and madam, we have much to ask you." Her father's voice interrupted Esmerelda's entrance, and she once again turned her attention back to the rest of the travellers, listening intently to her father's words. She, like the travellers seemed to be, had no clue what all this excitement was about. Her father had seemed tense over the past few weeks, and now his voice sounded uneasily strained.
"Is it true that you arrived, falling from the sky? Are you here to save us from the evil, looming in the horizon? Are you the destined that will once again bring peace, like the legendary saviours of our Kingdom, to our beloved Silan?" The King imposed.
Fye stepped up, offering to answer the King's many inquiries. "Your Majesty, we did arrive by 'falling out of the sky', as you might say, but I'm afraid we don't know of this evil that you speak of, do we now Kuro-puppy?"
A vein popped in Kurogane's head, and Syaoran had to restrain him from launching at Fye for the nickname.
The King sighed, and rubbed his eyes, as if tired by unseen events. In Syaoran's eyes, though the King was young, he had an air of someone who has matured quickly in a short amount of time, and has gone through many hardships in his life already. "Very well, I shall tell you the story, passed down through generations of Royalty. From the beginning… back one century ago.
"The times were very well, and all led a happy life, though many evil shadows lurked about. One was a sorceress named Sephiria, a half-tenshi from another world. Some say her powers were not a large threat at the time because, being a half-tenshi, her sorceress powers could not fully awaken, kept under control by her good side.
"Then one night, as an eerie thunderstorm swept through the Kingdom, and the winds howled in unkempt voices, and a spell of pain and suffering unfolded. In that one night, the sorceress grew extremely powerful, and evil began to spread like wildfire. Crops died, disease spread, and famine claimed lives. The Kingdom went into a state of havoc and 2 weeks later, it was announced that the Royal Family had been murdered. The only survivor was the only child of the King and Queen. Prince Lindon was smuggled out by a servant, and hidden in a nearby Kingdom. Many, who had hoped the tenshi side of Sephiria would again control the powers, and seize the nightmare, but that side never came. Sephiria built a new army to help her reign. Citizens rebelled but their efforts were in vein. The generals under Sephiria seemed immortal, for nothing could defeat them. Until that one destined day.
As the stormy clouds continued circling in the sky and when all seemed lost, a group of strangers fell from the sky. The desperate citizens of the Kingdom pleaded for help, and the arrivals agreed to help. After a long hard battle, the group defeated the sorceress and confined her in a tower, on the outskirts of the Kingdom as an imprisonment for her actions. A spell was placed on Sephiria to suppress her evil side. Her legions were sentenced to time in dungeons and most of them, being mortals, have died off by now. Her main generals were locked up with Sephiria in separate rooms, but all in one murky castle. The Kingdom began to rebuild itself, and tried to award the strangers, but they were not to be found. After they had cursed the sorceress, no sight of them was seen again. Prince Lindon returned, and took the throne.
"But now, the curse seems to be wearing off. Events are beginning to reoccur, and crops have started to fail again. However… the most worrisome thing is… the Dark 13 has dawned again."
Syaoran asked, "Dark 13?"
The King seemed to have trouble speaking now. His breath grew raspy, and his hands, began to shake as he held them together. "The Dark 13 was a length of 13 days where mass murders and kidnappings took place each night, until on the 14th day, Sorceress Sephiria sends a message at dawn to the castle pronouncing the message 'Sephiria shall arrive at midnight.'
"Today…Tonight… will be the 13th. Tomorrow, Sephiria will rise again."
Author's Notes:
Teehee Still there? That was chapter one! I hope you enjoyed it, and please continue reading! Now, who's this Sephiria character? What's she up to, and how'd she come to power? And whom exactly was Princess Esmerelda staring at? What will they think of Mokona! Stay tuned readers!