Hikari clan tempts Fate

"Syaoran, we want you to kidnap the psychic and bring her to us. If you cannot do that then you must kill her. Is that understood?" said the leader of the Hikari clan.

"NO! I will not repeat that incident again! Give me one reason I should do this!"

"Do this and you shall have your revenge on the witch who murdered him," he retorted.

Yeah right. She had every right to kill him; I know I've been tempted to do so when I realized the truth.

It became very clear that the leader was trying to be rid of him. Why else would he give him this suicidal mission?! Syaoran saw by the look in his eyes that nothing he said or did would change the fool's mind.

"Fine, I'll do it. But I won't kill her if I can't retrieve her. Got that OLD MAN?!" growled Syaoran.

"What you do to that witch is of no concern to us."

Syaoran Hikari prepared to leave the safety of the temple. He knew that this was the last time he would ever see it again. He turned into his alter ego, Krad, and took flight.

Fate itself was disturbed by the Hikari's actions. By sending that boy to remove its favorite teller, they have inadvertently tipped the balance in the worst way possible! They had crossed Fate, and now they would have to live with the dark consequences. The Hikari clan shall know the meaning of Fool's doom.

Krad was minding his own business when he sensed it. The balance had shifted; and that meant trouble, especially for him! He swore that if he ever returned he would kill the idiots who sent him to do their dirty work! He was put into an even fouler mood when Dark and Rune appeared. This was definitely not a good day for him…

"Well, well…if it isn't Krad. What the hell are you doing in our territory?!" growled Dark.

"I wouldn't be here at all if I had any say in this matter. Those fools forced me to come here!" retorted Krad.

"How can someone force a cold-hearted entity to do their dirty work?" asked Rune.

"If I had refused, they would have killed me and sent someone else. I can guarantee that if I ever get my hands on them; I'll strangle them!" griped Krad.

"How do we know that you're telling the truth?" said Dark.

"Do I look like I really want to bother you?! I just want to be left alone and they never seem to take a damn hint!"

"I think I'll kill you anyway. You lot have yet to show that you can be sincere!" said Rune.

"Let me guess. You're the fortune teller who killed Rath…"

"Come to seek vengeance?"

"Hell no. He deserved to die. If only that damn fool had listened to my warning!"

"So you told him that the psychic would murder him?"

"No…all I said was that if he kept toying with people's hearts it would be his demise."

"I'm gonna kill you anyway. I need something to keep me entertained." Rune said evilly.

"Knock yourself out. I'm going back."

Dark left to take a nap. Rune was left alone with Krad. She would never forgive the Hikari clan; not after Rath betrayed her.

Rune took her staff and released its magic. Her Tarot cards flew in a circle all around her. Krad was impressed and freaked out at the same time!

"I call upon the power of MIRAGE! Show this teme what he fears the most! Kai!"

Krad saw the one thing he feared. His older brother telling him that he was worthless and the weakest Hikari of all time. He couldn't handle it then, but he knew what to do if he ever heard someone use it against him. He went past the illusion and went straight for the girl.

"Shit!" yelped Rune.

"I don't want to hurt you…" started Krad.

"Someone has already beaten you when it comes to pain. I call upon the power of the Blade! Show this man what true pain feels like! Kai!"

Her staff transformed into a deadly blade full of suffering. She had discovered long ago how to turn her pain into a weapon. Krad already knew the worst definition of pain. But he wasn't about to reveal that yet.

When Rune realized that it wouldn't work, she decided to end this.

"I call on the undying Flame of the pure heart! Let my forgotten heart purge this world of his insolence! Ka—," started Rune when Krad snuck up behind and knocked her out cold. He caught her before she fell and gently lowered her to the ground. He was telling the truth about not wanting to hurt her. It was then that his human side suddenly took control back from him. Syaoran was furious; mostly at the Hikari clan, but also at his alter ego!

Rune was shocked at seeing someone sitting next to her. Especially since her wings hadn't scared him away like it did the other boys! (This in Rune's opinion, was the real reason why she had worked so hard to control the Flight Tarot card.)

"You're finally awake…"

"Bite me creep. I don't need any lip from you!" growled Rune.

"What made you think that I'd be a creep?"

"Do you really need to ask?!"

"Bad question…I wonder why that blond guy took off so fast after he set you down."

"EH?! Krad took off?! Great, now I'll have to deal with my baka brother…"

"ACHOO!!" said Dark. The sneeze woke him up pretty effectively.

"Heh, guess Rune must be griping about me…I think I'll give her some good reasons why…"

"You do know that old saying that if someone talks about you behind their back they'll sneeze, right?"

"Damn! I forgot about that! Great, just great!"

"Why were you and blondie fighting?"

"Because of what his clan put me through, I'll never forgive them. Before that baka nii-san of mine shows up, would you tell me your name?" said Rune who wasn't going to fall for the Hikari clan's tricks ever again.

"It's Syaoran."

"I meant your last name!"

"I don't want to be reminded of the bastards who banished me, if you'll excuse my language."

"Fine, but if you're a Hikari, then I'll have to kill you!"

"I'm surprised about the fact that you didn't notice that I wasn't shocked about your wings…"

"I'm shocked that she's even speaking to a guy who isn't from our family!" laughed Dark.

"Is that the baka nii-san you're referring to?"

"How'd you ever guess?" retorted Rune.

"You wouldn't act so casually if he wasn't family…"

"So, did Krad live? And who exactly is this guy?"

"He fled after he put her on the ground and saw me. And my name is Syaoran, if you must know!" growled Syaoran.

"Down boy! After what happened to my sister, it's only natural that I'd be suspicious."

Rune tried to lift her wings, but they fell limp beside her. She tried to stand up, only to have her knees buckle from under her and caused her to fall. She was surprised that she wasn't on the ground when she realized Syaoran had caught her. He gently sat her down; and managed to ignore her death glare. That alone impressed Dark; most guys would have been scared out of their minds if they ever were on the receiving end of her glare!

Rune tried to stand up, only to realize that she couldn't. Dark looked at her quizzically and finally asked, "Um, Rune? Did you use up all of your energy trying to kill Krad?"

"Well what do you know; my brother isn't the idiot that acts like!"

"I heard her try to say an incantation while she was fighting Blondie, but he knocked her out before she could finish it. She might be suffering the backlash of the unreleased energy."

Dark started laughing at the description of Krad!

"So, what am I going to do?! Backlash energy doesn't fade away so quickly!" groaned Rune.

"Looks like one of us is gonna have to carry you…" grinned Dark.

"Great, so I have to choose between a grinning moron and a guy I hardly know…"

"Hey!" said Dark.

"I think we might as well trust him…for now. Is that okay with you Syaoran?"

"I don't mind. Good thing I'm not a creep, eh?"

"Ha-ha, let's get this thing over with…" griped Rune.

Dark led the way back to the house. Their father was surprised to see an unknown boy carrying his daughter, but he let it slide. Syaoran was offered a place to stay for the night after he helped Rune. Since her mood had improved (slightly), she offered to read his fortune. He accepted it, and was surprised at how easily she could summon the shadow of Fate. But before she could start the circle, Dark came in and said, "Rune, wait until morning. The last thing we need is you collapsing on us in that circle of yours."

Rune left the circle, and went to bed. Syaoran decided that he might as well tell Dark the truth now instead of him learning the hard way.