-1:Pain:
Syaoran stood alone outside of rusted old gate that surrounded the house that had a lawn that was dried up, shingles that were falling apart, the paint peeling off the walls. He stood outside for a moment, still he couldn't get rid of that creepy feeling that he would always have when coming to this place. He snapped out of it and opened the gate and walked along the cracked concrete to the porch that creaked and groaned up to the bronzed door.
"Damn Eriol…Why the hell do you have to live here?" he said to himself with a small shudder at the end.
As he was inches apart from the door, it opened by itself into a dark room. He went inside and the door closed by itself and he stared down the darkened hallway to the dimly golden glow that eclipsed the door at the end. He walked down the darkened the hallway and opened the door. Inside he barely made out the people, but from the glow of the fireplace showed that Naruka was lying down on the red old couch and on top of her that looked like Kero but was a blacken color instead of a golden yellow, sitting above her chest. But most importantly was a small
"Naruka, Spinel please leave." Eriol said.
"What? Why?" Naruka and Spinel both said.
Eriol moved his head to the direction of the couch and looked at both of them. They moved almost instantly. They both left and Syaoran was told to sit down by Eriol. Syaoran slowly walked over looking around the room, bookcases filled with highly educated books and a table in the middle with a very old telephone sitting on top of it.
"Hm…I'm surprised that Sakura isn't here with you." Eriol said.
"Uh yeah she doesn't know that I'm talking to you here." he said.
"I suppose that you would want to know about him?"
"Yeah. Who is he and why is going after Sakura and why-" he said.
"One at a time Syaoran." he interrupted. "All will be answered in time."
Syaoran became quiet and Eriol didn't say anything more. Syaoran stared at him, his hands folded that were next to his mouth, his cold dark blue eyes that were behind his glasses still rattled Syaoran. It looked like Eriol was in thought of thinking what to say next.
"He's a dangerous man." Eriol finally said. "A dangerous and most powerful man. He's a very powerful sorcerer utilizing magical properties with swordsmanship." He pushed up his glasses that were slipping off.
Syaoran looked at him in disbelief. He couldn't really believe what he was saying. He stopped looking at him and to the floor. He saw that it hadn't been clean for a long time.
"He's after Sakura because she controls the cards now. I'm no longer the enemy anymore."
"Wait though, if he's powerful, shouldn't you be also powerful enough to stop him." Syaoran asked.
"No. It is Sakura's fight now."
Syaoran stood up immediately and said, "How can you say that? Can't you beat him, you are the reincarnation of Clow Reed!"
"It's her fight now!" Eriol said with a little anger in his voice. "She controls the cards now. Not me anymore."
Syaoran stood there with both of his hands clenched into a fist. He looked at Eriol with anger and he stared back with his cold eyes. For a long time it was like that. Syaoran was getting answers to his questions, but answers that he didn't like. He finally loosened his fists and sat back down on the couch.
"How…do you beat him?" Syaoran asked.
"There is no way that you can beat him. He will not stop until he crushes Sakura and completely destroy the cards."
Syaoran became a little bit sad and mad after hearing that. "So there is no way that we can beat him?" he asked Eriol.
"There is one way and only one way. You can only beat him with only with raw strength. Pure unrivaled strength." Eriol said. "And nothing else."
Syaoran looked at the floor again and then switched his view to him. Syaoran still continued on not believing what he was hearing.
"He won't kill you yet. He is a man of honor and pride and only wants to fight someone with his superior strength that can be matched. If he wanted to, he would've ended this a long time ago."
"Is that the only way?" he asked.
"Yes. The only way and nothing else."
Syaoran had enough. He didn't like the answers that he was getting and decided to leave. He got up and headed straight for the door.
"Trying to protect her?" Eriol asked.
Syaoran stopped walking and stood still. He thought about that question, searching deep within himself. "Yes." he finally said. "I care about her." Syaoran looked at Eriol and then went for the door again.
"Syaoran wait." Eriol said. "There is one thing that you should know…"
Syaoran left the room and the hallway and the old house. He had a look on his face of anger. He walked down the street and on to his house. He didn't think of nothing but the trouble that would be ahead in time. He walked for a long time was almost to his house. 'I have to train…have to keep that promise.' he thought. But that thought was interrupted by a voice calling him. He looked back and saw that it was Sakura with a plate of food in her hands.
"Hey Syaoran!" Sakura yelled out. "Wait up. I got some food from Tomoyo's birthday party."
His face was no longer full of anger. But filled with happiness and a small smile. "Hey how was the party?" he asked.
"It was alright. Meiling was like crazy though and all this other stuff happened. Rika brought the most presents and most the most food. Can you believe it? Oh how was your check up at the doctor?"
He didn't know what she was talking about for a second, remembering that he needed an excuse to talk to Eriol. "Uh it was alright." he said.
She continued on talking about the party while Syaoran, in the back of his mind was thinking of what Eriol had said to him at the end before he was leaving, "…If you stand in his way, you will be killed."
