Sakura had taken Tomoyo's advice. Sitting in the middle of the large front room; the one that had been decorated as a mix of Clow Reed's style and Sakura's own personal taste, Sakura had spread the Cards out in a semi circle around her. No one bothered her while she did this, though both Kero and Yukito were present. They thought perhaps what little magic they had left might help Sakura.
In the middle were the Light and the Dark, always together. Sakura concentrated hardest on these, as well as the two remaining Element cards. Please, she thought, help me find the other Cards. Let my magic be strong enough to detect that which is no longer connected to me.
Sakura seemed to enter a meditative state, and so, in her mind, she stood up, surrounded by darkness, though she could see herself. Much like the time when she had first captured the Dark and the Light cards. Surrounding her were thirteen small specks of light, gradually growing larger and in more distinct shapes. Soon each of the thirteen, not the Light and Dark, Star Card spirits surrounded Sakura.
"You guys..." she said. "Please, help me." In response the spirits began moving all around, some disappearing into the darkness, some continuing to swirl around Sakura. The Mirror appeared before Sakura, and her twin stepped out, smiling.
"It's good to see you again, Mirror," Sakura said.
"You know you always have our help. You're our Master," the Mirror returned. Then she turned. "I will stay here, so you will have a place to return to."
The Star Wand had transformed into the Sword, and Sakura walked forward into the darkness.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Yukito asked when Sakura's breathing became slow and steady. She was not answering to their words, and did not seem to be aware of their presence.
"She'll be fine.. Let's just be patient. If she needs us, we'll be there. I think we have enough magic left to at least do that." Yukito looked at Kero, then back at Sakura and sighed. It did not ease his worry, even though Kero reassured him.
Outside of the room, Syaoran, Toya, and Tomoyo stood, silent, wondering. "Hey, brat," Toya asked, though Syaoran just stood there against the wall, his eyes closed and arms folded, "what's Sakura doing in there that we can't be part of?"
"She's using the Star Cards to find the Nova Cards. We don't know what will happen, Kero wanted us to stay out, so we're staying out."
Toya closed his eyes and leaned back. "Fine then. But if anything happens, that little stuffed animal's gonna get it."
"I'm sure everything will be fine," Tomoyo said, looking down, and smiling slightly. "It's Sakura we're talking about, and Kero and Yue are with her."
"Yukito's with her, not Yue," Toya pointed out, something that Syaoran actually agreed with.
Tomoyo smiled again. "But still.. she'll be fine."
Sakura continued to walk around in the darkness, though the small fairy that was the Glow continued to float along side her, shedding a bit more light around in the area. Sakura had sent the Fly's avatar out first, because it was the fastest of the remaining Cards, but it had not come back. It seemed as if it was gone forever, but Sakura had no notion of time in this place. Suddenly, the darkness was dispelled, and light flooded the area.
"What's happening?" Sakura asked. The voice of the Light card answered her. You no longer need this darkness. You walk in the light now, Sakura. To find magic, you can locate its bright glow in the dark. But Darian's dark magic can only be found in the light. "I see," Sakura said, looking around. There was still nothing around her; but rather than darker than black, it was brilliant white. She could still see most of her Cards. Behind her, her shadow was long, and so the Shadow followed closely to its Master.
"Where do I begin?"
Just concentrate, came the two voices together. Sakura nodded and closed her eyes. When she opened them, none of the Star Cards were with her, though her staff was still in the shape of the Sword. Sakura gasped.
"I can't sense the Fly or the Erase anymore!"
They have found what you're looking for. Hurry! Without further guidance, Sakura ran as fast as she could, but she sensed something was wrong. "Sword!" she shouted, sending the Sword back into its sealed state and releasing her Staff. "Fly! Return to your power confined!" she shouted, but the bird did not appear. Clenching her teeth, she tried again. "Erase! Come to my aid!" Still nothing. "Something's wrong!"
Darian sat in his study, the only piece of light coming from the flickering of the fire in the fireplace. His red hair was tied back as usual, and he stared triumphantly into a black obsidian mirror. The image in the mirror was Sakura's.
Of course Darian was surprised, completely, when two of Sakura's Star Cards appeared out of nowhere in the mirror, and at first Darian had to do everything in his power to seal the mirror so they would not come through. He had to act fast; he was caught off guard. But as he expected, it eventually worked out in his favor.
The magician sat in the chair, one leg crossed over the other, holding two cards- both black with blue and silver swirling in the image of the Fly and the Erase. "Your mobility is gone, as is one of the few cards you can use against me," he said as he gazed into the obsidian mirror. "What are you going to do now, Sakura?"
Then, waving a hand over the mirror, he undid the seal. "How kind of you to send me two of your Cards so willingly," he said.
Sakura looked up, hearing the voice echo. She could see seven small black points of light floating in front of her. "Darian!" she shouted. Then his image appeared before her. "Sword!" she shouted, and the staff transformed once again. She rushed at him. Sakura had never been very adept with swords, but a few years of training with Syaoran had offered her knowledge of the basics- at least enough to not be more of a hazard to her or her allies.
Black wings appeared on Darian's shoes again, and he jumped over and behind her. "You really will have to do better than that, Sakura," he said. Then, suddenly, he found himself unable to move. He looked down at his feet, and clenched his teeth. Vines had grown up from what served as the ground in this area, wrapping tightly around his legs, and inching further up his body. "What!"
"You'll have to do better than that, Darian," Sakura said with a smirk. "I know your moves by now; you never attack, you always Jump away. So all I had to do is limit your mobility!"
"You seem very proud of yourself. But you forget, I have other cards now!" Darian raised his Staff. "Firey!" he shouted, and from out of the Book came the swirling, raging sprite. She circled around Darian and burned only the Wood that was keeping him.
"Watery!" Sakura shouted, and the Firey's natural opposite appeared. The two battled, the Watery keeping its counterpart busy while the Wood grew once more. "Now then, give me back my Cards!"
Darian grinned maniacally, "Take them from me! Take what is rightfully mine, just see if you can!"
"Rightfully yours?" Sakura asked, faltering just a bit, allowing Darian to call forth the Erase to completely destroy the vines holding him down.
"Yes, rightfully mine! You do not have an ounce of Clow Reed's blood in your veins! That Syaoran brat, your beloved husband, has more claim to the Cards than you do! So I, a descendant of Clow Reed's English family, have the right to take what is mine!"
Sakura paused, torn. He was right. She was not related at all to Clow Reed. It was purely an accident that she had even discovered the Cards.
There is no coincidence, only inevitability.
Where did those words come from? And who spoke them? Why did they seem so familiar?
"Give up your claim on the Cards! They should have stayed sealed away, or opened by someone worthy!"
Sakura stepped backwards, doubt once more filling her heart. The light around her began to dim, as did the Star Cards. Suddenly the Shadow disappeared entirely, swirling around beneath the two Captors. Sakura gasped. "Shadow!" It had been released completely, from the Star Card, from the Clow Cards. Darian continued to grin, his eyes wide with greed.
"Shadow! Compelled by the power within, be sealed once again!" Darian pointed his own staff at the Shadow, which froze, unable to move. Sakura watched him, frozen to the spot.
Sakura! What are you doing? Stop him! The voice was the Light, coming from all around her. "Sh-shadow! Return to your power confined! Star Card!" Sakura shouted, with less vigor than Darian. As a result, Darian's magic overpowered Sakura's.
"That's it! By the power of the Nova, return to your borrowed state!" The Shadow swirled up and around, filling up a small card shape. When it was finished, the Nova Card went to its new master.
Darian floated easily, triumphantly, to the ground. "I thank you once again, Sakura. We really must do it again someti-"
From behind came a giant roar, and a large animal leaped towards him. Darian turned around, startled, just in time to see the Thunder in the air, coming down towards him. "Wh-what!"
Sakura was holding her staff in the air, her eyes defiant, glaring at Darian. "They are my Cards, and not yours! You will not take any more from me, and I will get them back!" The Thunder landed on Darian, pulling him to the ground and pinning him there.
The Thunder seemed to burn Darian where its claws touched skin, and where it touched clothing, it sizzled off in that spot. Darian screamed in pain. In response to his call, two figures appeared out of nowhere. Sakura looked up, and smiled.
"Keroberos! Yue!" she shouted.
A/N: Woo! Long chapter, probably because it's the first new chapter I've written in a while! Sakura's finally taking charge! But is it too late! Hmm, though I seem to be writing quite a few battles and they all seem to end with Sakura losing.. should maybe change that up a bit :/