"So, you haven't spoken to Eriol since?" Tomoyo asked a few days later. She was visiting Hong Kong for a job, so she was able to come by soon after her initial visit.
Sakura shook her head. "And three more Cards have disappeared. Yue can't figure out how it's happening. He was able to stop him once before, but it's getting harder."
"You seem to be doing better, though," Tomoyo said encouragingly. Sakura smiled at her friend.
"Thanks, Tomoyo. I am a little better." Sakura sighed, holding the Star Wand tightly in her hand as she stood up from the great armchair. She seemed to make up her mind about something, for she looked at Tomoyo with a determination her friend had not seen since she took Eriol's final test. "We're going to find him!"
"That's the spirit, Sakura!" Tomoyo said, and dug around inside her tote bag for something. "And I have just the battle costume for you!"
"Oh Tomoyo..." Sakura said, laughing nervously.
"Look, I haven't gotten to make you a new battle costume in years! I've been working so hard on this one!" Tomoyo produced a sketch book from her bag, and flipped through the pages. "Ah hah! Here it is!" She smiled and showed the page to Sakura, who blushed a bit, stepping back.
"Y-You can't be serious! You want me to wear that, Tomoyo?" She looked up at her friend, but was met with Tomoyo's famous pout, which she used whenever she wanted something. Sakura sighed, admitting defeat, causing Tomoyo to jump.
"Yes! Oh thank you, Sakura! You won't be sorry!" Tomoyo gave her friend a hug and rushed out of the room. Sakura scratched her head. This definitely took her back to her elementary school years. At that moment, Syaoran walked in, smiling as Sakura sat back down in Clow Reed's armchair.
"I'm not sure if I should be happy or angry that you're not rushing into this."
Sakura laughed. "I'm not like you, Syaoran. Besides, Tomoyo would kill me if I didn't wear her new battle costume.. And Yue's right. The easiest way to find this guy is to wait til he tries to steal more Cards. Kero's the Guardian Beast, he's been guarding the Star Cards since the last ones went missing," Sakura looked down. "I'm not a very good Master; letting the Cards get stolen so easily."
Syaoran sighed and walked towards her, causing her to look up. "Clow Reed chose you for a reason, Sakura. You were the only one who passed the Final Judgment, and the only one who was able to convert the Cards."
"Not anymore! There's someone else.. someone just as powerful or more so than I am! How else would you explain how he can so easily bypass my own magic and take the cards for his own! He's even been able to transform them himself, you saw that!"
Syaoran pulled Sakura close, silencing her hysterical argument. "Stop saying that!" he almost shouted, putting a hand on the back of her head. "Clow Reed chose you! No one else! I don't know who this guy is, or how he's doing this, but you'll win!" He pulled back, his face determined as he put his hands on Sakura's shoulders. "You always win."
Sakura nodded, and smiled. Syaoran placed a hand on her head, smoothing her hair back before letting go and turning around. Sakura watched him go, her eyes filled with love. He had grown; they all had grown, there was no denying that. Syaoran had barely made it to the door, however, when a strong gust of wind picked up outside, and blew the grand window open. Sakura gasped as the wind nearly knocked her down, and shut the door Syaoran was starting to walk through.
"What is that?" Syaoran shouted over the noise of the gust. He tried to open the door, but it was latched, and unable to open it.
Sakura reached for her wand. "Thunder!" She shouted, summoning the Star Card with her wand. Nearly as soon as the Thunder materialized, so did the Windy. "It really is Windy!" Sakura shouted, though there was no need as the wind died down. The Thunder, taking on its animal form, snarled and growled at the sprite who took the physical form of wind.
"But why? Why would the Windy materialize without your command?" Syaoran responded. Behind him, something began pounding on the door.
"Sakura! Syaoran!"
"Keroberos!" Syaoran answered, running to the door. He tried to open it, but it still would not budge. "It won't open!"
"Stand back," came Yue's always calm voice. Syaoran barely had time to react as the door was blown apart by one of Yue's arrows.
"W-Watch it, Yue!" Keroberos reprimanded as the two came in.
All the while, both the Thunder and the Windy seemed to face off; neither one moving, neither one daring to attack. Yue flew towards the Windy, summoning his bow once more. "Windy, I command you to cease this at once!" Yue's eyes began to glow, as did the Windy, who stared at him.
"Windy! Return to your power confined!" Sakura shouted, in the process of pointing the Star Wand towards the Card. It appeared for a moment that Windy would indeed be subdued, but events had not been going well for Sakura or her companions, and true to this chain of events, another Card appeared. Keroberos spun around and shouted.
"Sakura! The Firey!"
"What?" She gasped, twirling to meet it. Furrowing her brow, she summoned her next card. "Watery! Come to my aid!" At once the third elemental appeared, swirling around Sakura and facing off against the Firey.
"Why are you doing this?" Sakura pleaded with the two cards, but it had no effect.
"I believe I can answer that," came a familiar voice. Darian jumped through the window, the black Book and Staff in his hands as he gracefully rolled into the floor, his red ponytail falling over his shoulder. "They answer to me now, Sakura Li."
"You!" Syaoran snarled, immediately drawing his sword, which he had begun carrying again since this incident began.
"Yes, me," the man said. "I believe I have yet to formally introduce myself to you. How rude of me. I," he said with a bow, "am Darian Hale. Soon to be known as Darian Reed."
"Thunder!" Sakura shouted, not giving him anymore time to talk. The Thunder immediately leapt towards Darian, but the Windy blocked its path. The two cards battled fiercely, but the Thunder eventually pinned the Windy.
"Clever choice, Sakura," Darian said. "Thunder is immune to Windy, and more powerful." Darian raised his staff. "Windy!" he commanded, and the form of a card appeared above the crescent moon. It began to glow, and the Windy swirled around, entering the card.
"He's Capturing it!" Keroberos said, but Sakura did not have time to react. When the magic was done, a black card floated into Darian's hand.
"Now, it's time to hand over the Firey."
Sakura slid into a fighting stance, similar to Syaoran's. The Watery swirled around Sakura still, protecting her, and the Thunder was sealed back. The Firey swirled around the room, surrounding all present. Sakura lifted her staff again. "Firey! Return to your power confined!" she shouted, putting all her strength into it. The Firey ceased movement for a moment, and the Watery pounced, attacking with vigor. Like Thunder versus Windy, the battle was quickly over and Firey was weakened.
Darian smirked. "Firey!" he shouted, at the same time Sakura did. The Firey rose up into the air, but the rage was too much to contain. The imp swirled around, heading towards Sakura, then towards Darian.
AN: Yay, a tense battle! What's happening with Windy and Firey!? Keep checking up, the next chapter will be here soon!