Summary: After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...
Pairings: KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura
Disclaimer: Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.
Note: This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).
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A/N: With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!
It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy When Worlds Collide as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.
I hope you enjoy my fan fic!
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When Worlds Collide
Chapter 16 — Twist Of Fate
By Mystic Dawn
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Kurogane roared in frustration and kicked furiously at a large rock in the clearing, which was not a wise move as he stubbed his toe in the process. Wincing and swearing sulphurously under his breath, he settled down upon the cold earth and drew several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. Once he had somewhat regained his composure, he struggled to put his thoughts in some semblance of order.
Judging by the mage's mysterious words, he obviously had no interest whatsoever in the others. He had made his intentions quite clear that he was only interested in Kurogane. But why?
Kurogane eased his elbows onto his knees and clasped his hands together, laying his forehead against them and closing his eyes. What was all this about a choice he would eventually have to make? What would the choice involve? Would it involve his future? An event? Or maybe even both? Kurogane exhaled wearily. He did not have the faintest idea what the so-called choice might or might not concern.
He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. Now, on top of all of his other concerns, he had this additional one to face as well. But this was something he had to figure out on his own. This mage had been spying on him—and on him alone—which meant that it was up to him to deal with it. But just what else did the mage know about him? Had the mage been watching him continuously like he had said he had done? For all of his life?
Kurogane swallowed with some difficulty. Even the very thought unnerved him.
He could not—and wouldnot—share it with the others. He could imagine the way they would react if he told them what had happened as clearly as if they were with him at that very moment. Syaoran would frown and rack his brains as he tried to puzzle out this new threat, Sakura would get all worked up and start fussing about possible solutions, Fay would most probably chortle and find the whole situation rather hilarious (unless he chanced to lapse into one of his more somber states), and Mokona would simply just scurry into his clothes and annoy him like hell.
No, Kurogane finally decided. I can't say anything. He had no desire to worry them unnecessarily. But he would have to somehow convince them that the mage was no longer their concern, though how he would be able to manage that without arousing any suspicions still eluded him.
Shaking his head as if he just wanted to forget about the whole thing, Kurogane reached out to retrieve his dagger. He could not deny the fact that the mage had appeared before him, no matter how much he desired to forget about the encounter. And no matter how much he tried to convince himself of the opposite, he knew that the mage had been telling him the truth. For how else could he have known about his first deliberate murder?
He exhaled heavily. It had been a long time since he had last thought about that incident. The man had been a pathetic excuse for a thief, a weak and frightened being simply following the orders of his superiors. He had managed to sneak into the shrine in the dead of night and steal the Lunar Bell, the ceremonial implement Tomoyo used and guarded as High Priestess. Kurogane had been furious that someone had actually managed to get past him, and, of course, he certainly did not remain idle. He chased the man down, like a hunter would chase down his prey, and retrieved the bell after taking the wretch's life.
Kurogane looked down at his hands and his bloodstained garments. Although he had managed to scrub the most of the blood away before setting up camp, faint red could still be discerned in the creases of his hands. He clasped them together and bowed his head against them in reflective silence.
He had never really given much thought as to why he had killed so many people. He knew that he had been extreme in most cases, but it had been his way of solving problems. Someone who was still alive could still plot another day, and that was something Kurogane had never been willing to risk. He always had a reason—a logical reason—to resort to such methods. Tomoyo's safety depended on his actions, and he had sworn never to take his position as Lead Ninja lightly. He loved her too much to risk anything happening to her.
But this time had been different. It had been a long time since he had been so intent in a fight. So intent to get himself covered in other people's blood... It had not been like the time with the mercenaries, when he had been focusing more on rectifying his mistake of leading them right to their party. He had completely and utterly lost control over himself, giving in to the seducing odor of blood without hesitation. He had enjoyed the struggle for survival, being enough to set his pulse racing and his senses reeling.
His shoulders sagged weakly. Who had he been trying to fool all this time? He had not changed. Not in the slightest. By supporting that he killed with reason, he had been trying, not to convince the others, but himself, that he was not a bloodthirsty killer.
But he had been wrong. So very, very wrong.
Kurogane drew a deep, uneven breath. He should have controlled himself, he should have kept his instincts under control, he should have thought about the consequences of his actions... There were so many things that he should have done that had not even crossed his mind in the heat of the battle. He had succumbed wholly to his bloodlust.
Tomoyo should never have removed the curse. It had been the only thing holding him back throughout the entire journey, the only restraint. How could he ever face the others again without shame? How could he ever face Tomoyo again?
Lost in his turbulent thoughts, Kurogane remained immobile for some time, but he started back to life when he felt something cold fall upon the back of his neck. Raising his hand to it, he realized that it was a drop of rain. He lifted his face to the sky. Judging by the appearance of the gray clouds swirling in from the east, it looked like it was about to start raining again. Another drop fell, and then another right after it. The heavens finally split in two as the dark clouds burst and the rain came pouring down.
"Great," he spat, getting to his feet. He had been too caught up in his problems that he had not been paying attention to more pressing matters, like the rapidly-changing weather. He would just have to push his personal issues away in a corner of his mind and deal with them some other time.
An ear-splitting peal of thunder rent the sky, much too close by the sound of it, as blinding lightning streaked across it simultaneously. All the signs indicated that it would prove to be a very violent thunderstorm. And storms of that kind were certainly not predictable in the wintertime. It seemed as if last night's downpour had only been building up for this storm.
Cursing his carelessness under his breath, Kurogane lifted the tent flap and poked his head inside. He regretted not being able to allow them to rest properly for as long as they needed. He hoped that he would not have to be forced to drive them on like last night, for he clearly knew their weaknesses, and knew that they would not stand a long chance if they were drained and exhausted.
Kurogane cleared his throat loudly. When none of them so much as stirred, he crept inside, crouching because of his height. Laying his hand lightly on Syaoran's shoulder, he shook him awake. "Get up. We've gotta get a move-on to find better shelter before the storm hits."
Syaoran started awake, blinking dazedly. He sat up slightly after a few moments, his hair all mussed up. "Whazzup?" he mumbled groggily, obviously still half-asleep.
"Get up fast and wake the others. It's started raining heavily, and that means we've gotta get going before we're caught in the middle of the storm."
Syaoran came fully awake. "A storm?" he asked in astonishment, rubbing at his right eye almost absently.
"Yes," Kurogane said exasperatedly. "Wake the others and get ready. I'll ready the horses."
"Okay..." Syaoran winced and placed the edge of his palm against his right eye for a moment.
Kurogane was not so far gone in his own problems that he did not notice Syaoran's. "Your eye?"
"It stings a little." Syaoran smiled reassuringly. "I'm all right. You should hurry with the horses."
"Right." Kurogane withdrew from the tent, letting the flap fall behind him as he turned to the tree where they had tied the horses. He quickly saddled them and made the necessary minuscule adjustments to their reins and stirrups. Untying them, he ushered them to the front of the tent, waiting for the others impatiently as the rain steadily intensified. He was thankful that he had had the good sense to refill their skins with fresh water from the brook beforehand.
Soon, Syaoran and the others emerged from the tent, fully dressed in their original clothing. They hurriedly stuffed their blankets in their packs and struck camp, erasing their traces as quickly and as thoroughly as they could with the help of Kurogane's instructions. In less than ten minutes' time, they had left the clearing, which had been a dangerous spot since it had been surrounded by tall fir trees, and had started along the Highway. The wind was little more than a small, yet chill, breeze so far, but all the signs indicated that it would change before long.
They had only been riding along for around fifteen minutes when there was a loud crack and a horrendous snapping noise, as a lightning bolt struck a tall tree not that far from them. With a deep and resonating groan, the rest of the base gave way and the tree collapsed on itself, shaking the ground with its fall.
Syaoran's horse bucked with a terrified whinny and nearly threw him and Sakura off of its back. He grasped the reins and pulled on them in an attempt to calm the animal, but it still took several moments for his mount to quiet down.
"This storm isn't natural," Fay muttered quietly with a puzzled furrow between his brows.
Syaoran turned to look at him intently. "What do you mean by that, Fay-san?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Kurogane grunted. "It must be the One Without Destiny trying to stall us."
"But I thought manipulating the weather with magic was impossible," Sakura objected.
Fay frowned. "He's not exactly tampering with nature," he murmured thoughtfully. "It's more like what happened in Koryo. Remember when the Ryanban used your memory shard to call upon that destructive wind?"
"Doesn't it amount to the same thing?"
"Not exactly. When you focus your will on something other than yourself, the manipulated object is twisted to suit your preferences, meaning that you try to control it by fusing your powers with it, which is the case when experimenting with the weather. But in the Ryanban's case, the source of the magic came from the feather. Basically, the magic used was the magic provided by Sakura-chan's memory. He did not focus the magic on nature, but rather harnessed the magic by conjuring the wind solely from the feather."
"I see. There certainly is much more to magic than I originally thought."
Syaoran said nothing for a moment. "Is there anything we can do about it?" he finally asked.
Fay shook his head. "Even if I were willing to use my powers, I wouldn't. It's much too risky."
They continued along the Highway, sidestepping the fallen tree, which had partially blocked the road, as the wind intensified and the rain started creeping down their necks. The storm being unnatural caused them to proceed with greater caution as they took care to keep their guard up.
After a time, the water droplets began to pelt them with a needle-like stinging force, turning rapidly into sleet. The wind tore at them fiercely, causing their cloaks to whip about them, and the temperature dropped even lower. Lightning flashed across the sky and thunder crashed soon after. The combination of the wind and rain was freezing them and starting to become unbearable, but they rode on doggedly, sloshing their way mile after mile.
Sakura was beginning to feel so numb and wet with the chill that she felt as if she would never be warm and dry again. She huddled against Syaoran, seeking warmth as she tried to pull her cloak about her tighter, her eyes slowly drooping shut with fatigue.
Syaoran instinctively wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders while he led their mount with the other hand, wondering vaguely if they would manage to find a place where they would be able to wait for the storm to pass. As if the already foul weather wasn't enough, the rain began to harden and turn into snow, snow that was blown into their faces, stinging their exposed skin.
Fay seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Syaoran. "Are you sure you know where we're going?" he yelled to Kurogane to be heard over the wind, his hair whipping about his face.
"If I didn't know would I be in the lead?" Kurogane growled.
"But the storm's getting stronger, and we've been riding for hours!" Fay said loudly for his voice to carry. "It's dangerous for us to be exposed to the weather like this, especially in the wintertime!"
"Fay-san's right!" Syaoran shouted over the howling wind. "If this snowstorm gets any more ferocious, we'll be buried alive! We have to find a place where we can at least be partially protected!"
Kurogane did not reply at first. He surveyed the area for a few moments by shading his eyes with his hand. He finally seemed to decide on something with a shrug, wheeling his horse to the left, away from the Highway. "I know of a place where we can stay!" he hollered. "It's this way!"
The others turned their horses and rode after him, practically soaked through as they struggled to shield themselves from the full blast of the merciless wind and the chilling snow.
After about twenty minutes of plodding through icy piles of snow with the wind swirling into their faces, Kurogane signaled that they dismount before a sharp outcropping of rock. An enormous crack in the side of the cliff was the opening leading into a cave, which had the appearance of a jagged split—as if something large had managed to tear it apart like a person would tear apart paper. The ugly black mass punctuated the dark sky, its ominous and bleak appearance making them feel more than a little apprehensive.
The horses seemed to be sharing the same sentiments, for they point-blank refused to proceed onward, and no amount of coaxing or persuading could make them willingly enter the cave. Syaoran's suggestion that they wrap cloths around their eyes was the only alternative they could think of which was actually successful, and so, Kurogane led the party into the side of the cliff.
The cavern was surprisingly very large, and had ample space for both them and their mounts to comfortably proceed several feet into its dry interior to escape from the biting wind still raging around the entrance. The walls had been worn smooth by centuries of swirling water, and the ground consisted of smooth, soft-packed earth.
As soon as they had unsaddled the horses and had rubbed their flanks dry so the cold chill would not seep into their muscles, Kurogane turned to them, his expression serious. "Pay close attention," he warned them, his voice low and cautious. "We just so happened to be close to Silverthorn's territory. He's a bit more aggressive than Firebolt, but I'll try to persuade him that you mean no harm. Hemight let us sit out the storm in his cave."
"Is this Silverthorn another dragon?" Fay inquired curiously, wringing out his hair from the excess of the melted snow.
Kurogane nodded. "But he's not here at the moment. He's probably off hunting." He paused thoughtfully. "He might take it the wrong way when he sees us in here, though," he mused. "It's considered very discourteous if you enter a dragon's abode without permission."
"Is Silverthorn dangerous?" Sakura asked him timidly, brushing back her wet bangs from before her eyes.
"It's not that. Silverthorn just doesn't really like humans that much. Actually, hardly any dragons sympathize with humans and their plights."
"If dragons don't really like humans, then how is it that you're friends with them?" Mokona piped up.
"There're some humans whom dragons unanimously come to respect." Kurogane shrugged. "They like me."
"They probably have no idea what a grave mistake they might've made," Fay murmured humorously to Sakura. "It's not like Big Doggy's all that loveable, you know."
"What?!" Kurogane choked in outrage.
"It's the truth," Fay said defensively, failing to hide a huge grin. "I mean, seriously, I have no idea what Tomoyo-chan sees in you. But then," he smiled, eyeing Sakura and Syaoran with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, "what are our opinions worth before the power of love?"
Mokona sighed exaggeratedly from its perch on Fay's shoulder, raising its little paw to its forehead as it struck a dramatic pose. "Ain't love grand?"
Fay's answering grin was one of his widest yet, and the two of them burst out laughing uproariously.
Kurogane glowered vehemently at the hysterically giggling pair for a long moment, his right eye twitching and a vein pulsing dangerously in his forehead.
Recognizing the dangerous signs Kurogane was exhibiting, Syaoran smoothly intervened with an innocent suggestion. "Isn't it nearly time for lunch?" he asked no one in particular.
"Why, I do believe you're right, Syaoran-kun," Fay chuckled. "How about I make us something yummy to eat? I'm positively starving since we didn't have time to eat breakfast." He winked hugely. "And if I'm starving, that means that you guys can't be that far behind, considering the fact that I don't have much of an appetite, hmm?"
"I am rather..." Sakura began to say, but before she had managed to finish, her eyes began to flutter and she swayed dangerously. Syaoran caught her just in time as she pitched forward, fast asleep.
"Seems like Sakura fell asleep again!" Mokona giggled from its perch on the wizard's shoulder.
"We'd better find those blankets so we can put her to bed," Kurogane said, turning to the horses to rummage through the packs.
"Why, of course!" Fay grinned sadistically, slipping up to his side. "Daddy should tuck in his children for bedtime, right, Mokona?"
"Mokona wants to be tucked in too!"
Kurogane rolled his eyes in exasperation, exhaling angrily. He was not about to get into a pointless shouting match with Fay, knowing it would be a waste of time and effort as he would never change his habits. Muttering something rather obscene under his breath, Kurogane drew out a few fur-lined blankets and spread them upon the ground. "Just lay her down here," he told the adolescent.
Syaoran nodded and gently eased Sakura upon them, tenderly drawing another blanket over her. She smiled and snuggled under the covers with a contented sigh. Syaoran smiled down at her faintly, smoothing her hair back from her brow. How soft and innocent she looked when she slept! He felt as if his heart would shatter from the sudden surge of emotion rippling through him.
"Doesn't she look so peaceful when she sleeps?" Fay smiled.
"She's like Sleeping Beauty!" Mokona piped up, blushing rosily.
"Sheis beautiful when she sleeps," Syaoran agreed with a look of bliss upon his face.
"No, no, silly! Sleeping Beauty is a name!" Mokona giggled shrilly, leaping upon Kurogane's head. "Sleeping Beauty is a fairytale princess who was put under a deep magical sleep for a hundred years by an evil witch," it explained excitedly, "and only true love's first kiss could wake her! Yuuko's read it to me lots of times!" It sighed dramatically. "It's one of my favorite bedtime stories!"
"What're the chances of a princess sleeping for a hundred years?" Kurogane snorted disbelievingly. "And anyone else for the matter?"
"I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream," Mokona began to sing, spinning upon Kurogane's head (the ninja's eye twitched). "Actually, there're lots of versions of the story," it mused thoughtfully. "Some say that it was a bad fairy who wanted revenge on the royal family because she wasn't invited to the banquet to celebrate the princess's birth (they didn't have enough gold plates), and then again, there're versions where the story goes even further, telling of the adventures her children had to face. But all versions agree that the evil witchy fairy made her prick her finger on a spindle to induce the sleeping spell. (Was it on her sixteenth or eighteenth birthday? I'll have to ask Mokona again.) Actually, she wanted the princess to die, but one of the good fairies hadn't given the princess her present at the banquet when she was still a baby, and the fairy changed it to a sleeping-spell, one that would be broken with true love's first kiss!"
Kurogane and Syaoran blinked, both of them extremely confused. Kurogane had been lost from the moment Mokona had mentioned the gold plates, and Syaoran had been lost somewhere around the end with the good fairy's gift.
Mokona continued to sing, not noticing that its audience wasn't being very responsive. It was similar to the time Mokona had referred to a 'Koumon Mito' back in Koryo; the others had had no idea what it was talking about, just like now.
Instead of being bewildered like the others, Fay had fallen rather silent from the first mention of the 'magical sleep'. Those words had been enough for a myriad of memories to bubble up to the surface of his awareness, even more acute than other times because of actually speaking face-to-face with Chii, who had been so much like his own Chii.
"What a load of crap," Kurogane sneered as he grabbed Mokona by its ears and pinched its cheeks. "You expect us to believe that it's possible for someone to sleep for a hundred years?! You're pulling our legs with all this shit!"
"It's possible." But it was not Mokona who said those words.
Syaoran and Kurogane looked up at the wizard curiously. Fay's complexion was rather paler than usual, and it was certainly strange to not see a smile on his face. Instead, his eyes seemed to carry a bleak appearance, as if he had suddenly just remembered something terrible.
"Fay-san...?" Syaoran said slowly. "Are you all right...?"
Fay shook his head and the ever-pleasant smile returned to light up his features. "Whoopsie! Must've spaced out for a few moments there!" He chuckled and clapped his hands together, rubbing them eagerly. "Alrighty then! Now that we've gotten Sakura-chan snug as a bug in a rug, I'll whip something up for us to snack on!"
"Yippee!" Mokona cheered as it jumped into the air. "Fay's gonna make us something yummy!"
Fay strode off to the horse carrying the pack with the foodstuff, whistling a cheerful tune as Mokona bounded after him, still singing.
"I wonder why Fay-san reacted like that," Syaoran mused quietly.
"You mean you don't know?" Kurogane said with some surprise.
Syaoran frowned. "Know what?"
"Hasn't he ever told you why he left his world?"
Syaoran shook his head. "You know?" he guessed.
"Not exactly. He's mentioned something about a person sleeping underwater in his world a couple of times, though. He thinks that he might wake up and come after him."
Syaoran's eyes widened. "Does this person have magic powers?"
"I don't know and I'm not about to pry. You know how he is. He'll only tell us what he believes we need to know. Nothing more, nothing less."
The two of them exchanged significant looks. Syaoran understood perfectly well what Kurogane meant. Fay had something dark hidden in his past, something he most definitely did not want out, and it was very rare that he ever mentioned anything regarding it.
Just what was hidden behind his cheerful façade?
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"Time to eat!" came Fay's chirpy voice ringing throughout the cavern after about a half-hour.
Syaoran sniffed at the air eagerly, his mouth watering at the delicious smell coming from the small fire. He had worked up quite an appetite during his study of the Prophecy and his stomach was rumbling.
"I can't understand why you still persist with that thing," Kurogane told the young adolescent in a disgusted tone as they settled down by the fire. "It's pure gibberish."
"Don't be so quick to judge something you don't understand, Kuro-rin!" Fay grinned. "Just because you're not as smart as Syaoran-kun, doesn't mean that he can't understand what the Prophecy says!"
"Stop talking as if you know everything!" Kurogane bristled, looking positively infuriated.
"Whatever you think is best," Fay smiled benignly as he bustled over to the fire, where a small pot was bubbling merrily. "I betcha you'll be able to cool down with this delicious soup I made, along with Mokona's precious help, of course!" He ladled out a generous helping of the soup into a wooden bowl, humming softly to himself.
Kurogane frowned suspiciously. "Soup?" he demanded of the wizard.
"Actually, it's too thick to be soup," Fay mused professionally as he served Syaoran. "I'd say it's closer to stew."
Kurogane crossed his arms. "As if you could make soup out of simple travel rations," he said with narrowed eyes.
"A master chef never reveals his secrets," Fay replied mysteriously, handing him his bowl with a large slab of crispy bread. "Just like a master magician never reveals the secret behind his arts."
Kurogane decided not to answer that as he bit off a large chunk of bread, chewing on it vigorously.
"Hear that?" Fay grinned at Mokona. "That's the sound of no one disagreeing with me!"
Syaoran began to relax. He had admittedly been worried about Fay, but his jokes and sallies were as outrageous as always. He suddenly frowned as he noticed Kurogane's shirt, which was still soaked with coalesced blood. He decided that now was as good a time as any to satisfy his curiosity. "What exactly happened to you two last night? And why were you insisting that we flee the city so quickly?"
"It's hardly anything to worry about, Syaoran-kun," Fay said with a nervous cough.
"When you start talking in that tone of voice I know I have to worry."
Kurogane's expression turned grim. "We ran into some cutthroats. They were probably hired by the One Without Destiny again, like those mercenaries."
"Some?" Fay mouthed incredulously.
"Shut it," Kurogane snapped.
"Probably hired?" Syaoran echoed. "Didn't you interrogate them?"
Fay merely looked at Kurogane in answer, so Syaoran turned his attention to the ninja.
Kurogane remained silent for a few moments. "No," he finally said in such a quiet voice that Syaoran almost did not hear him.
"Why not?" he pressed. "Weren't they willing to tell you?"
Kurogane wished that Syaoran had not opened the specific subject to discussion. He had no wish to elaborate on the reasons that had led to his mindless frenzy, hardly trusting himself to answer him with honesty. "The ringleader said that he'd only tell us after he killed us," he finally said truthfully. "I found it pointless to grant him that satisfaction."
Syaoran had a feeling that Kurogane was not letting everything out, but realizing the matter was one of extreme delicacy, he let it pass. Instead, he told them what he had found out from the Prophecy, excluding his suspicions that something might happen to one of them. He felt that it would be pointless for them to worry over something he was not even sure about.
Fay then recounted what he and Kurogane had discovered at the tavern. "But we didn't find out who he might be meeting at the Tower because no one had any idea where he disappeared to," he finished. "How about you? Did you find anything on that?"
Syaoran shook his head. "Nothing." He shrugged helplessly. "I guess we'll just have to find out once we get there."
Kurogane grunted in assent, laying aside his half-eaten stew. Clasping his hands together, he stared into the fire, apparently in deep thought, his eyes reflecting the reddish tongues of flickering flame. He didn't so much as turn a hair when Mokona skipped by him and slurped down the rest of his dish. He was oblivious to his surroundings, instead thinking back on what the mage had revealed to him that morning. He had a funny feeling that something important was going to happen at Solar Tower, but what it might be still eluded him. He was positive that the mage was involved, some way or other.
"There's always the possibility that the One Without Destiny might not even be there and that we've been on a wild goose chase all along," Fay suddenly suggested.
"And we still haven't got any leads on that mage," Syaoran added despondently.
Kurogane's eyes darted to him wildly. If he had not spent the last four years in Syaoran's company, he would've sworn that the adolescent had just read his mind. He licked his lips nervously and fixed him with a speculating look. "Do you suspect that the mage might have something to do with the One Without Destiny?" he asked him with forced casualness.
"It's possible," Syaoran shrugged. "I still think that the mage you saw is the one that the Prophecy is referring to, even though Fay-san's in total denial of it."
"I just think that there's more to this mage than meets the eye," Fay protested. "He just doesn't ring true, you know what I mean?"
Kurogane put his hand to his chin thoughtfully. As much as he hated what he was about to do, it was the only way he would be able to learn more about the mage. "How can you be so sure?" he asked Fay warily.
"I'm not. That's the whole point."
"Well, for you to be strongly opposing the kid's suggestion means that you must know something more than the rest of us."
"You know what I know," Fay replied evasively.
"No, I don't," Kurogane said bluntly. "You're a wizard, so you know more on magic than the rest of us simpletons put together. Just what do you think this mage's capable of?"
Fay said nothing for a long moment, running his finger lightly upon his lips in speculation. When he spoke, his words were slow and deliberate, as if he were weighing his every word with the utmost care. "According to a saying, the end justifies the means," he said in a low voice. "That can be easily interpreted as someone who would be willing to do anything for a good cause, be it resorting to the most unthinkable means to achieve it. As long as he believes he's doing the right thing, you can't blame him by branding him as a wrongdoer."
"You're not making any sense," Kurogane growled.
"How about I give you an example? A ruler is sometimes forced to resort to brutal methods to maintain order and peace in their country, right?"
Syaoran nodded. "Usually to prevent an even more serious matter that might be at hand from occurring."
"Right you are, Syaoran-kun. A ruler has to abide by the laws of their country, as do all citizens. If someone gets out of line, they're punished. Although the punishment in most cases is unjust, so there'll be order and justice, a ruler is usually left with no other alternative."
"I think I see where you're heading with this," Syaoran mused. "What you're saying is that the mage might use uncivilized means to achieve his ends. Even though his actions might be for a good cause, if he uses evil methods to achieve them, it's difficult whether to decide if he's good or evil."
"Those are general categorizations, but you've got the picture," Fay smiled with approval.
Kurogane's brow creased. Instead of having things cleared up, he was now even more confused than before. Not because of the mage, but because of the similarities he found in himself. In a way, Fay's words reminded of his own methods. If he deemed someone to be a threat, he killed them. And even if he had not done it consciously, that was exactly what he had done with the cutthroats. Kurogane had had to react faster than them, killing them before they killed him. It had all been bent on survival. But now that he thought about it, he realized that he could have just as easily dismantled them rather than resorting to bloodshed. For him to have resorted to such an abominable act...? Did it brand him as a wrongdoer? Was he an evil person for performing such deeds?
If only he knew the answer.
———————————————
Sakura yawned and sat up, stretching. She felt freshened and revitalized after her sleep, and her mood couldn't have been more cheerful. Spotting Syaoran and Fay by the fire, she skipped up to them happily. "Hello!" she greeted them exuberantly.
"Ah, so you've finally decided to wake up?" Fay grinned.
Sakura blinked. "Have I been sleeping for long?" she asked him anxiously.
"Fay's just teasing you!" Mokona giggled, leaping into the air. "It's approaching late afternoon!"
Sakura sighed with relief. "I won't hide I was worried for a moment there," she confessed. "So is the snowstorm...?"
"Yep," Fay said. "That blizzard's still brewing and it looks like it's about to reach a stupendous climax."
Sakura turned her head to look at the still-raging storm beyond the cave mouth. Although a sense of worry that they might be late for the meeting tugged at her conscious, she somehow felt that everything would eventually start looking up. It was probably due to the good dream she had just seen. She had felt a warm sense of protection envelop her, as if someone very close to her had been there for her in a time of need.
"It's a good thing that the cave entrance is in such a slanted position," Syaoran suddenly said. "The wind can't penetrate it this way and the cave's kept warm and dry."
"Or else we'd be freezing our toes off!" Mokona tittered as Fay cuddled it.
"Today is the sixth day since we left Shirasagi Castle, isn't it?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah," Syaoran answered. "Only three more days to go."
Sakura clasped her arms around her knees. "It's surprising that this cave is so warm," she remarked, her voice reverberating in the large chamber. "I feel as if it's springtime."
Fay looked up and smiled at her. "It is pretty peculiar, isn't it?" he agreed. "I was expecting a cave to be damp and cold. At least that's how the caves in my country are, since the weather constantly borders on freezing cold."
A few feet away from them, Kurogane was resting against the wall with his cloak drawn about him, but he stirred slightly at Fay's words. "Most dragons prefer warm temperatures," he said in a gruff tone of voice, his eyes still closed. "They take care for their homes to be in places where the heat won't be able to easily escape, like caves. That's why it's rare for a dragon not to be in his cave during the wintertime." He shifted his weight slightly, seeking a more comfortable position.
"I wonder how big this cave is," Fay mused, turning around and looking at the dark opening behind. "It looks like it goes on forever."
"I strongly advise you don't start exploring," Kurogane said sternly. "If Silverthorn finds out you've been ambling around in his cave without his permission, he's liable to tear you to pieces."
"Looks like Kuro-pippi has a lot in common with him, then," Fay murmured wryly to Syaoran. "They both have outrageous tempers."
Mokona giggled shrilly. "No doubt about that!" it agreed, imitating Fay's voice.
Kurogane made an irritated sound with his throat, but decided not to say or do anything. Shrugging indifferently, he curled up, his posture sagging against the wall.
"May I ask you something, Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked him politely.
He grunted to show he was listening, slumping even further down the wall.
"Didn't you once mention something about an earth dragon when we met Firebolt?" he asked him curiously. "And didn't you say that Firebolt herself is a fire dragon?"
Kurogane twisted himself around to face him. Sighing resignedly, he opened his eyes and straightened. It didn't look like he was about to get any sleep anytime soon. "What about it?"
"The way you mentioned it suggests that there are more kinds," he pointed out.
"Of course," Kurogane said, stifling a yawn. "There're dragons for each of nature's elements. Fire, earth, water, air, and metal. Although metal's not really an element when you think about it..."
"Why are there so many kinds?" Sakura asked him interestedly.
"Each dragon has a special kind of magic. Based upon which element they represent, they can harness the element's energy to suit their purposes. So fire dragons control fire, water dragons control water, and so on and so forth."
Always eager to find out more, Syaoran said, "Are there many dragons in these parts?"
"There're quite a few of them, but they rarely appear before humans."
"For there to be so many do they have some sort of a government?" Fay interjected.
"The structure of dragon society's a bit complicated," Kurogane said. "Basically, there're five dragon clans for the five elements. In each clan there're families with different ranks, something like the different statuses you find among nobles. You'll almost always find someone who'll be higher than the other. The highest dragon family in rank rules over the clan, with one of their members as the Head. So in total, there're five dragons, each representing their element, who compose the Dragon Council."
"The Dragon Council?"
"Mnh. The Dragon Council is ruled by two dragons who're apart from the others: the Silver Dragon and the Golden Dragon. They don't rule over one specific element, but are rather a blend of all of them. They're the most powerful and the most independent, with supreme leadership over all other dragons. It's their job to decide when the Council meets, which is a rare thing and only happens on special occasions."
"You certainly know a lot about dragons," Sakura marveled.
Kurogane waved his hand indifferently. "It's nothing, really. I was curious about it myself a few years back and Evenstar explained it to me once, that's all."
"I take it this Evenstar is another dragon?" Fay guessed.
"Yeah."
"Just how many dragons are you acquainted with?"
Kurogane's brow knitted. "Let's see..." he mused as he began ticking names off his fingers. "Firebolt, Silverthorn, Cloudbeard, Serpentscale, Greenleaf, Lightningstreak, Pewterstone, Evenstar, Thunderbell..." He shrugged. "That's it."
"N-nine?" Syaoran nearly choked on the number.
Fay grinned shakily. "That's quite a number!"
"Awesome! Awesome!" Mokona exclaimed exuberantly, twirling around in the background. "So many!"
"And you know them all?" Sakura asked him breathlessly, clasping her hands together.
"There're thousands more dragons I've never even seen, let alone heard of," Kurogane pointed out. "I'd hardly say I know them all."
"But still, it must be wonderful to know so many dragons!" she said, scooting up to his side. "Can you tell me more about them?" she asked him hopefully, her eyes shining.
Kurogane was thoroughly taken aback at Sakura's excitement. "You really wanna know more?" he asked her in astonishment.
"Oh, yes! Please, Kurogane-san?"
Not having anything better to do, he complied, relieved that he would be able to momentarily forget about recent events by focusing on something else. The others were also curious and listened with interest, sometimes asking him questions. Kurogane explained about dragon habits, customs, and their view on life. He even told them about their traits. "Dragons can be very emotional, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they're sentimental, except when it comes to music," he said at one point. "It's just difficult for them to hide their feelings."
Sakura nodded. "Firebolt sure let it on that she was angry with you for forgetting about her."
"That's Firebolt for you. She doesn't beat anything around the bush. If she has something to say, she says it. She's pretty impatient and doesn't sit to listen when I'm trying to give her advice."
"Just like Kuro-puu!" Fay grinned, ducking when Kurogane made a move to throttle him.
———————————————
The sun had long since set, and the embers of their fire had died down to leave ruddy coals. Everyone had gone to bed, and, as usual, Kurogane had taken the first watch, this time on his own, just like that morning. But because he had been awake for practically forty hours straight, he had inevitably nodded off, his head resting upon his chest as he snored.
But the dead of night was disturbed by a tumultuous roar in the distance, which caused the earth to start trembling beneath them. The noise was so loud that they all started awake because of it.
"What's happening?!" Sakura exclaimed, gripping Syaoran's arm in fear.
"It's an earthquake!" Mokona squeaked with terror, diving into Fay's hood.
Another vast bellow echoed around them, and the earth jerked violently beneath their feet, causing the whole cavern to shake and tremble with a thunderous roar.
Syaoran held Sakura close to him, trying to protect her from the crumbling debris of the ceiling as Fay raised his arms to protect their heads, noting that Syaoran was hardly taking any care to protect himself. The rocks came tumbling down upon them, some of them mere pebbles, while others were larger and more dangerous, easily exceeding the size of overlarge apples. The cave continued to tremor viciously, finally subsiding after several moments.
Kurogane raised his head from his crouched position on the other side of the cave. He slowly got to his feet, brushing off bits of rock from his cloak. "Is anyone hurt?"
Fay grinned shakily as he helped the others up. "A few bruises here and there is all." He patted Syaoran's shoulder reassuringly. "That was some earthquake, huh?"
Mokona tentatively emerged from its hiding spot, tittering excitedly. "Mokona got really, really scared! It was—" The cavern suddenly lurched again with a violent shudder, causing them all to lose their balance and fall to the ground. "Kyaaa!"
Kurogane struggled to rise as the cave continued to rock beneath him, throwing him off-balance. An ear-splitting shriek rent the air, and the ground seemed to shake even more. "Hang on—!" Kurogane cursed under his breath and gripped at the trembling wall in an attempt to support his weight as he made his way to the entrance.
"Kurogane-san!" Syaoran exclaimed, trying to get to his feet. "Where're you—?"
"Stay here!" Kurogane snapped. "This is Silverthorn's doing!"
"Remind me never to get on his nerves," Fay said dryly as the trembling subsided. "Both of their nerves," he added.
Kurogane snorted derisively as he crept out of the entrance.
It seemed as if an eternity had passed before Kurogane finally re-entered, followed by the most beautiful creature they had ever seen.
Silverthorn was a resplendent dragon with a regal bearing, whose towering form filled the whole cavern, his crown of golden horns nearly scraping the ceiling because of his height. He was slightly larger than Firebolt, and was wholly covered in shimmering silver scales. He had massive silver wings with golden wing claws, and the spinal ridge going down his back and reaching his long tail was also golden. He had golden whiskers flowing about his snout, and his ears were webbed and silver. Despite his massive size, which was the first thing one would notice about him, what stood out the most upon him were his piercing, ruby-red eyes.
"This is Silverthorn," Kurogane introduced him, almost with a note of pride in his voice. "He's one of the most important dragons, revered among the wisest of his kind." The introduction almost sounded formal. "He's agreed to shelter us until the storm passes."
Knowing a bit about dragon customs from what Kurogane had previously told them, they bowed their heads to Silverthorn solemnly.
Making a pleased sound of approval, he bowed his head back. He rumbled something to Kurogane in a deep, throaty voice.
"I took the liberty," Kurogane admitted. "Did I do something wrong?"
Silverthorn paused, his expression speculative. He then shook his head and proceeded into the cave, stepping carefully as to not make the earth shudder. He settled down a little way away from them, his scales making a slithering sound as he curled up and laid his head before himself, his long neck forming a curve.
Kurogane motioned to the others. "Listen," he said in a whisper, "Silverthorn wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of humans being in his cave. He could smell that we were in here, so he caused all that racket to scare us out. He apologizes if any of you got hurt."
"We're perfectly fine," Sakura assured him.
"How is it that he agreed to let us stay?" Syaoran inquired.
"Silverthorn doesn't exactly hate humans," Kurogane explained. "He just resents them because humans turned against dragonkind several decades ago, which forced them to go into hiding since they were being hunted down. As you can tell, dragons hold grudges. I suggest you be careful about what you say or do around him." His eyes rested upon Fay at these words. "I'm referring to you, in case you didn't get it," he said pointedly. "Knowing you, you'll probably let something stupid or other slip."
"I'm crushed," Fay sniffled, assuming a devastated expression.
———————————————
The next morning was as dreary as the previous day, and the blizzard had not lessened in the slightest. The sky remained a heavy, leaden-gray color, and not even the sun shone through the storm. The snow continued to fall heavily, covering the whole area with thick layers of snow. Sheltered in the cave, they were perfectly safe and protected.
The morning came and went without anything of earth-shattering importance taking place (unless you could call Kurogane chasing a food-stealing Mokona around important). The fact that Silverthorn also sojourned in the cavern with them had worried them at first, but by late afternoon, they had gotten used to his large presence (even though itwas a little unnerving the way only Kurogane was able to understand his language).
Syaoran stared moodily at the entrance of the cave, taking in the snow swirling around in the howling wind with his arms across his chest and his back against the cold stone wall. He was beginning to feel more than a little irritated about not being able to do anything in their confinement. Sure, he could always resort to scanning through the Prophecy, but how much can a person take reading through nonsense? Even Syaoran himself, who was not afraid to conceal the fact that he thrived on reading dusty old volumes filled with forgotten events and hidden mysteries, had finally decided to give up on its infuriating riddles.
Sakura sighed heavily, tearing her gaze away from Syaoran's form. She knew that Syaoran was chafing at their delay. She could tell by the small dip between his eyebrows and by the way she saw him struggling with himself, as if a heavy weight were upon his shoulders, weighing him down with exhaustion and fatigue. She could not blame his impatience; after all, they were so close to retrieving her memory shard.
Sakura was worried. More worried than she cared to admit, even to herself. She dearly longed to comfort him somehow, to assure him that everything would be all right. There was so much about him that she adored. His deep brown eyes, his soothing voice, his cool contemplation, the way he seemed to hover by her side whenever danger lurked around the corner, protecting her, regardless of his own life. She always had an impulsive urge to brush back his bangs, to be near him, to touch him... She could not understand the feelings she nurtured for him, even though she could tell that they were very different from the feelings she had for the others.
"We're going to have to brave the storm," Syaoran suddenly stated firmly, causing everyone to turn their heads and look at him in astonishment as he stood to his feet. "We're still around two days away from Solar Tower. We can't afford to wait any longer. If we leave tomorrow morning, we'll barely be on time."
"Snowstorms are very hazardous," Fay warned him from his seat by the fire. "If we're not cautious, we could be buried alive."
"We can't risk being late at the meeting," Syaoran objected. "Weknow that the One Without Destiny has Sakura's feather. He's even using it against us." He indicated the storm brewing beyond with a wave of his arm. "We just can't risk not to intercept him because we'll have no idea where to look for him afterward." His expression grew bleak. "It's highly unlikely that he'll remain at Solar Tower."
"The kid's right," Kurogane agreed, crossing his arms. He was sitting beside Silverthorn, and the silver dragon raised his head slightly, following their discussion with mild interest. "We can't risk arriving later than the full moon."
"Who knows what his next move might be?" Sakura added darkly. "For all we know, he might be planning to use my feather for something disastrous. It's happened before."
"We can't do anything until this blizzard is over," Fay said, shaking his head. "He'll probably exhaust himself sooner or later since he's using the feather, so, eventually, the storm will recede."
"But that could take another day," Kurogane pointed out.
"Or even a week!" Mokona squeaked from Sakura's lap.
"Can't you do something, Fay-san?" Sakura asked him hopefully. "Certainly you could use your magic to—?"
"No," the fugitive wizard said strongly, a fleeting look of fear in his eyes, "I've told you before that I won't use my magic. I just can't." He bowed his head in shame, his blond bangs hiding his eyes in shadows. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan."
A heart-wrenching emotion of guilt mingled with regret and despair suddenly washed over her like a wave. She gasped silently and put her hand to her heart. The emotion had been so intense that she felt as if she would never be able to smile again. She stared at Fay in wide-eyed astonishment. What on earth had caused him to feel so...disgusted with himself?
"But we have to get Sakura's feather back!" Syaoran protested vehemently, balling his hands into fists. "We can't let him stop us! Not now that we're so close!"
Mokona frowned in thought. "He must know," it said slowly. "He must know that we're very close for him to resort to using the feather."
"Meaning that we're on the right track," Kurogane concluded, straightening as he stood to his feet. "Since he's throwing obstacles our way it means that we're threatening him. So we have to push on."
"Even in the storm?!" Sakura asked him in shock.
"If it hasn't stopped tomorrow morning, we'll have no other choice."
"We'll freeze to death," Fay predicted with a wry chuckle. "It's not like our clothes are ideal for snowstorms!"
"You're such a—" Kurogane began hotly, but broke off when Silverthorn nudged his back, hard. He turned around to eye the dragon evenly. "What?" he demanded rather waspishly.
Silverthorn gave him a stern, reproachful look, his scarlet eyes flaming as he growled in disapproval. His glare could make even the bravest men feel weak-kneed and start trembling in terror.
Kurogane frowned at first in incomprehension. Then his eyes widened as it slowly dawned on him. "Oh...!" He slapped his forehead. "Man, I'm so stupid! I completely forgot!"
"Forgot what?" Sakura asked him, baffled.
"Silverthorn's an air dragon!" Kurogane indicated the silver creature, waving his arm excitedly. "He can tell when the weather changes by reading the signals in the atmosphere!"
The others blinked and stared at him blankly, obviously not having a clue what he meant.
Kurogane rolled his eyes and huffed exasperatedly, as if what he was trying to explain was the simplest thing in the world and they were ignorant little children who could not even tell apart a sock from a shoe. "Since one of Silverthorn's abilities as an air dragon is being able to determine when a storm will start or when a storm will finish," he proceeded to explain through clenched teeth, "he has kindly informed me that this specific storm is sure to pass sometime in the middle of the night."
Fay cleared his throat and raised his hand, as if he wanted to ask a question. "You do realize that this storm isn't natural, don't you, Kuro-bun?" he asked the ninja pointedly. "How can Silverthorn tell when the weather will change since it's not natural?"
"Dragons are magical beings too, moron," Kurogane grumbled. "Unlike you, he's not restricted in using it, so it's quite simple for him to use his senses to determine how weak that bastard's gotten while using the feather."
Silverthorn flicked his ears and rumbled something incomprehensible.
"More or less," Kurogane replied. "We're trying to get them back."
He looked at him inquiringly, unfurling his wings momentarily to get them into a more comfortable position.
"They belong to her," Kurogane replied, indicating Sakura with a tilt of his head.
Sakura swallowed nervously when the dragon's red eyes fell upon her. Silverthorn stared at her for a long moment, then nodded once in approval.
"Silverthorn says that he suspected as much," Kurogane translated. "You're sending off vibes similar to the feather's."
"It's only natural since they're her memories," Fay interjected, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It's remarkable that you have such intelligent magical creatures in Nihon." He looked at the majestic dragon and bowed his head to him in acknowledgement.
Silverthorn made a pleased sound of approval. He looked down at Kurogane and said something, clicking his tongue.
"He says to trust his judgment," Kurogane translated.
"Then let's hope he's right," Syaoran said seriously, "and that the storm will have passed by tomorrow morning."
———————————————
Kurogane's expression was pensive as he stared listlessly into the crackling flames of their small fire. He held his chin in his hands and he supported his elbows upon his knees, reflecting back on recent events. Now that the others were sleeping, he found to his chagrin that his mind could not be preoccupied. It was as if his mind had turned into some sort of machine, playing the images of his encounter with the mage over and over again. He still had not figured out what his true intentions might be. Kurogane wondered dryly if he was starting to lose his mind with his struggles to discover the truth. To be honest with himself, he felt like he was.
"Thou art troubled by something," Silverthorn commented from a few feet away from him, his tail swishing restlessly behind him. His penetrating gaze emphasized his statement. "There is a heavy weight upon thy shoulders."
Kurogane sighed and raked his hand through his hair. "It's just something that's been bugging me. It's a bit complicated. I feel that it's even more complicated than traveling from dimension to dimension." He struggled to find simpler words to describe what he meant. "From world to world."
"I understand the concept," Silverthorn said with a flick of his ears. "Only powerful magical beings hast the ability to perpetually achieve it, however." He regarded him inquiringly. "Is this the reason for thy unexplained absence from our midst?"
"Yeah. I got tangled up in a journey these last four years, a journey I never initially chose to take part in." He exhaled and rubbed at his face wearily. "At least you're taking it better than Firebolt. When I told her, she didn't believe me."
"Ah, Firebolt." Silverthorn sniffed disdainfully. "She is at times frivolous, and much too eager. She is a very enthusiastic young female."
"Young? She once told me that she's over three hundred years old."
"By human standards, she is very old, but dragons live much longer, as thou must certainly know. She is what one wouldst refer to as an adolescent."
Kurogane chuckled softly. "I thought she seemed immature at times. Ah... you don't necessarily have to mention I said that to her," he added hastily.
"I would not dream of it," Silverthorn assured him in such a solemn voice that Kurogane wasn't sure whether he was being serious or not. Dragons tend to have a very peculiar sense of humor.
"Just how old are you?" Kurogane asked him suddenly. "If you don't mind me asking, that is."
"I do not mind." Silverthorn shifted his weight slightly, resting his massive head upon his front claws. He replied after several moments of uneasy silence, "Though the answer shalt soon be irrelevant, I am well past mine second millennium."
Kurogane blinked, frowning in dawning comprehension. "But doesn't that mean...?"
"Yes," Silverthorn said gently. "I am old, even amongst my own kind. It is given to dragons to know the time of their death, and I can feel that mine time shalt soon draw to a close."
Kurogane did not know what to say, for he had been struck dumbfounded. "I... I'm sorry," he apologized simply. He suddenly felt ashamed that he had dared to ask him such a thing. It had been better not to know, to remain in a blissful frame of mind.
"Do not feel sad for mine part, Blacksteel." Among dragons, it was counted a formality to use name meanings. Names were considered to be the reflection of the soul, and referring to someone with their 'true name' was considered not merely an obligation, but a necessity. "I am weary, and it wilt be a chance for me to finally rest." Silverthorn looked down at him kindly. "I am at least pleased that we hadst the chance to meet again."
Kurogane could not think of anything to say that would not sound disrespectful or foolish, so he turned his gaze back to the fire, withholding a heavy sigh.
———————————————
True to Silverthorn's predictions, the next morning dawned clear and cold, the sky free from storm-tinged gray clouds. After packing their belongings and graciously thanking Silverthorn for his hospitality, they emerged into the blinding sun.
Everything was covered in white; from the mountaintops in the distance to the snow-covered fir trees in the nearby forest. The ground before them was heaped high with snow, and delicate snowflakes drifted down lazily, being swept up from the ground by the light wind.
Kuroganetsked critically. "It won't be easy to get through all this snow."
Sakura stepped out into the cold winter light, wrapped up in her heavy cloak and wearing Syaoran's black gloves that he had lent to her at breakfast. Seeing the winter wonderland before her, she laughed exuberantly and rushed out of the cave entrance, spinning around as she opened her mouth to catch the delicate snowflakes on the tip of her tongue. Her breath was a white plume in the cold air as she turned. "Come on, Syaoran!" she urged him with a wave of her hand. "It's so beautiful!"
"What?!" Syaoran asked her, baffled.
"Come on!" she repeated stubbornly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him after her. "Let's play with the snow!"
"But, Sakura..." he spluttered weakly, reddening.
"It'll be great!" She released her hold on him once she had managed to drag him to the center of the clearing. She looked at him, smiling, as her expression turned mischievous.
Syaoran took a nervous step backward, raising his hands. "Sakura, if you're planning to do what I think—" However, he never managed to complete his sentence as a snowball came hurling into his face, accompanied by a spirited bought of silver laughter.
Sakura grinned. "I bet you won't be able to catch me," she said, breathless with excitement.
Syaoran slowly wiped his face clean and looked at her, smirking. "Wanna bet?" he said, bending and gathering snow to him.
Sakura laughed and ran from him, but Syaoran was too quick for her and easily overtook her. He caught her in his arms and rubbed a handful of snow into her hair. Sakura shrieked with glee and tried to twist away from him, but he was too strong. On a sudden impulse, she stepped hard on his foot, causing him to relax his hold long enough for her to push him away. Syaoran lost his balance and began to fall, but grabbed hold of Sakura's hands to steady himself. Unfortunately, she had been taken off-guard and ending up falling on top of him.
Sakura blinked twice, then burst out laughing. After a moment, Syaoran joined in the laughter.
Fay and Mokona sniggered heartily. "Is it just me, or did I sense some sparks circulating between them?" the wizard grinned at the creature upon his shoulder.
"It's love-love!" Mokona twittered excitedly.
Silverthorn stepped out of the cave, the sunlight reflecting upon his silver wings. He lowered his head to Kurogane, his expression serious.
Kurogane reached up and stroked his snout, running his fingers along his gleaming scales. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but hesitated. He wanted to say something—anything—but he could not find the words to express his feelings. "I'll miss you," he finally managed to whisper.
Silverthorn smiled a dragon's smile and nuzzled him in farewell.
Kurogane put his arms around his neck. When he pulled away, his cheeks were damp.
Silverthorn gave him one last, reassuring smile before turning his back on him, spreading his massive wings. With strong thrusts, he lifted himself into the air and flew away, toward the far-off mountains.
Kurogane hastily wiped away his tears, avoiding making eye-contact with the others, who had turned to see their exchange when the dragon had emerged from the cave.
Sakura, her expression now solemn, stepped up to him and wordlessly squeezed his hand in understanding.
"You can tell, can't you?" Kurogane asked her in a voice he struggled to keep even.
She nodded with downcast eyes. "I'm sorry," she said softly.
"It's for the best," Kurogane said steadily, trying to make himself believe his own words. "He's tired. He'll be able to rest now." He held her hand a little longer in gratitude before letting go. "We'd better get a move-on," he said in a gruff, business-sounding tone, squaring his shoulders as he climbed onto his horse. "We need to get back to the Highway and follow it for another day before we head for Solar Tower."
They mounted without a word and steered their horses south, back toward the Highway. It was slow going at first since they were not following any paths, and the snow was difficult to struggle through, but after around a quarter of an hour they managed to locate it. They followed the worn-paved road for the better part of the day at a steady canter. Well into the evening, they set up camp and settled contentedly around the fire, absorbing its warmth after their meal.
The silence was broken by Syaoran. "According to the calendar, tomorrow night's moon will be a full moon," he reminded them.
"We've still got a few miles to go before we hit the path that'll lead us to the Tower," Kurogane said. "I judge we'll barely be in time for that meeting."
"So there's no chance in looking around at all, is there?" Sakura mused.
"We'll have to be prepared to face anything," Syaoran said determinedly. "Since we won't have any time to look around once we get there, we'll have to keep our guard up. What's certain is that the One Without Destiny won't give up the feather without a fight."
"Hell, yeah," Kurogane snorted in agreement.
"It always falls down to fighting," Fay noted dryly.
Sakura sighed, supporting her chin in her hands. "Why do I get the feeling that we're walking into this blindly?" She looked up at them seriously and said, "Even though we've managed to discover more about the One Without Destiny I still feel as if we know absolutely nothing at all."
"I guess it's normal to feel like that," Kurogane decided. "We don't know the true face of our enemy, so it's only natural for us to feel helpless." He shrugged and leaned back upon his forearms. "But it won't do to worry over it. We're as ready as we'll ever be. What'll happen will happen, regardless of the unavoidable choices we'll have to make." His frown deepened, as he was reminded darkly of what the mage had told him.
"Aren't you a bright ray of sunshine?" Fay commented with a faint smile.
"Somebody's gotta keep his head on straight," he grumbled. "You're way too flighty for your own good."
"It's one of my failings," Fay admitted blandly, buffing his nails on his shirt.
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They set off the next morning at a brisk trot for a few miles before turning southeast to follow the small trail that Kurogane assured them was the right path that led to the Tower. After trudging along for the rest of the day with the freshening wind blowing in their faces and the sun having long since set, Kurogane pulled on the reins of his mount, halting. "Here it is," he breathed, his breath steaming in the cold night air. "Solar Tower."
It was a spectacular sight to behold. The massive structure loomed above them, its tip lost in the dark clouds that obscured the full moon, drowning the world in shadow. Although the walls appeared gray in the night, it was apparent that they were sheathed in a thin layer of pure gold. The structure was basically a traditional pagoda, the series of rooftops climbing up to the top black-colored and untouched by time. The Tower had remained whole and intact, surely because the ancients had fashioned it in honor of the Sun Goddess.
Kurogane dismounted and tethered his horse to the branch of a near-by tree. "Amaterasu Omikami still remains the most important of our deities," he explained, strapping his sword to his side, "even though she's left us on our own. That's probably one of the reasons why Solar Tower hasn't been touched. The same goes for Lunar Tower, since we still worship her brother, Tsukuyomi No Mikoto."
"We?" Syaoran asked him curiously, listening to his words with fascination as he tied Hien to his waist.
"The people of Nihon. As High Priestess, Tomoyo is considered the only person who can still come into direct contact with him. I don't know if she's ever tried it, though."
Fay strapped his quiver over his back and hefted his bow. "You could ask her afterward," he mused, fingering the taut bowstring professionally. "You know, after we get the feather and you get back to Nihon."
Kurogane froze. "...Yeah," he said after a moment, feigning a casual tone.
Syaoran looked down at his feet and Sakura bit her lower lip. Whenever Kurogane's departure from the group was breached, they all felt rather uncomfortable about it. None of them were keen on discussing the matter, each of them half-wishing that the moment would come and pass in a blur just to get it over with, while also half-wishing that the moment would never come. What they shared was more than just ties of friendship, binding them together. They had been through so much that they practically considered each other as family.
The awkward silence was thankfully broken by Mokona's observation as it perched on Sakura's shoulder. "I'm getting some strange vibes," it said seriously. "Right at the top of the Tower."
"Why do they always have to be at the top?" Fay commented, trying to raise their spirits. "You'd think villains would get tired of always having to be aloof from the rest of us poor simpletons."
There was some laughter at this all too true statement, however, admittedly strained. They turned to the large entrance, an intricate design of the sun over the arch.
Syaoran pushed the door open. It immediately yielded to his touch, proving that the Tower had been indeed used recently. Nodding slightly, he took a step inside, the others following after him.
The interior was large and spacious. The walls were painted a deep red, and the floor had various patters of swirling suns emblazoned upon pale turquoise tiles, evenly spaced between themselves. The ceiling rose up quite a way, its top hidden in darkness, large marble pillars supporting it. It was difficult to hide their awe at the peculiar architecture.
Syaoran proceeded forward, heading for a large circular staircase at the end of the chamber. Urged on by Mokona's directions, they laboriously climbed the stairs, passing several floors that they only shot a cursory glance at, since they equally resembled the ground floor.
"This place is beautiful," Sakura said, amazed.
"All I've got to say is that it's weird that this place is empty," Kurogane grunted, subconsciously tightening his hand around the hilt of his sword. "It's so huge you'd think that there'd be something other than the decorative painted symbols to look at."
"Maybe there was, a long time ago," Syaoran mused as he climbed higher. "That's usually the case with ancient monuments. So many people come and go... the only thing left is the monument itself."
After passing another floor, they reached the top of the staircase, coming into a similar antechamber as the other floors, with the sole difference that there was a door situated a few feet away from them with a peculiarly-carved symbol upon it barring their way.
"I can sense something beyond," Sakura said quietly, half-raising her arm. "Something... peculiar."
"It's strange," Mokona squeaked, nodding its head vigorously in agreement. "But I can't tell what it is."
Sakura turned to face the others. "Now what?"
Kurogane loosed Souhi in its scabbard. "No point in dawdling now, is there?" He strode forward and pushed the door open.
They walked in on the largest chamber yet. It was different in style with the other floors. For one thing, the ceiling was made out of the shingles of the rooftop rather than marble, and not supported by pillars like on the previous floors, but by crisscrossed wooden beams. Three of the walls were taken up by marvelous tapestries that covered them wholly, and there was no fourth wall. Instead, in its place was a wide opening that led out to a large balcony. But something notable was that there was a throne in this room; a large marble seat, empty but for a small velvet cushion.
Kurogane kept a firm grip on his sword-hilt, as did Syaoran, while Fay slowly drew an arrow from his quiver. Sakura kept close to them, nervously looking around.
After several moments of tension, Kurogane exhaled explosively. "There's no one here. The meeting's probably over." He scowled in disgust. "We came all the way here for nothing."
"But I can still sense the One Without Destiny," Sakura said indignantly. "He hasn't left."
Syaoran pursed his lips in speculation, then his eyes widened as he gasped in realization. "Hang on... it's a trap! He sent people after us to make us think that we were on the right track and that we were threatening him. But he did it on purpose! The amulet, the note... he left all of those clues intentionally! He wanted us to come here!"
"And the thief..." Fay said slowly. "He really was telling us the truth, but all of those assumptions he made sounded too right for someone who had lived on the streets and had never had a proper education."
"Do you mean he intervened? Again?" Sakura said exasperatedly.
Fay's expression darkened. "In a way," he replied, frowning angrily. "I should have realized it sooner."
"So that bastard had his hand in just about everything that led us here?" Kurogane demanded, wondering if the One Without Destiny had also had anything to do with the mage.
"Apparently, that seems to be the case."
"And we fell for it," Syaoran spat bitterly.
Clap, clap, clap.
"Very good," a low and vaguely familiar voice from the shadows said. "Your grasp of the obvious is positively dazzling."
Syaoran's eyes grew large as he drew in his breath with a hiss. "It's you!" he exclaimed.
Kyle's lips twisted to form a malevolent grin. "Surprising, isn't it?"
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To Be Continued
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A/N: And at long last, they finally come face to face with the One Without Destiny! Did you guys realize that I was driving for Kyle or are you too shocked to speak? I dunno, maybe it was a surprise. It fit for me to make Kyle the one behind it all, you know? No, he did not share the 'same fate with the castle' in Jade. He actually showed up in Piffle. He tried to steal the feather, but thanks to Mokona's 'super suction' special technique he was forced to retreat, slipping through a warp-hole that took him to another dimension... according to When Worlds Collide, to Kurogane's Nihon!
Um, what else do I have to mention? Oh, yes! The line Mokona sings is from the Disney Sleeping Beauty movie. (I can't believe I actually remembered that.) —sweat-drop— Oh, and the dragon names 'Evenstar' and 'Greenleaf' are taken from the Lord Of The Rings. The rest of the dragon names are names I made.
Pfff... I'm not too good with archaic form, so if I've made any slip-ups please forgive me... I mentioned once that dragons have a rather formal way of speaking, so using archaic form seemed appropriate, and it was nice to get a deeper look at dragons, wasn't it? And even get the chance to see how they use speech. All of those habits, their society structure, their powers, etcetera, are my imagination going haywire again. Boy, my imagination sometimes gets the better of me, doesn't it? Just don't go thinking that all that stuff about dragons was pointless... Okay, I'll be naughty and spoil it a little. It wasn't pointless, it was needed. You'll see.
Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!