Chapter 3.- Seer.
It had been three days since the Competitors arrived to Almaren, And the Tournament was about to begin.
"Good Morning Wizards, Witches, Mages and Sorcerers." A Man called from a microphone. "Welcome to the 75th Magic Tournament. Now I should introduce Lady Lan, last tournament's champion."
Yelan Li stepped forward, she was wearing an elegant red kimono.
"And about the rules," the announcer said. "You may use any kind of magic, Martial Arts, and Weapons like swords, knives, bows and canes are also allowed. It's forbidden to kill your opponent, if so you'll be out of the Competition. The fight ends when one of the opponents falls unconscious, or gives up. And now, this years Competitors!"
At the moment eight persons walked into the fighting grounds.
"Mage Dae." The announcer called.
Daeron stepped forward and bowed, in his left hand he was holding a gray scepter, he was dressed in purple robes.
"Sorcerer Leed." The announcer called. "And his assistant: Ruby."
Eriol, with his clothes as Clow Reed stepped forward and bowed. Rubymoon was behind but without her wings.
Tomoyo was surprised.
'Well it was to expect.' She told to herself. 'After all he's the reincarnation of Clow Reed.'
"Wizard Mier." The announcer called.
A man with dark hair and eyes, dressed in black pants and shirt stepped forward and bowed. He had no assistant.
"Mage Seer." The announcer called.
Seer, the blind girl, stepped forward, she was wearing pale-yellow robes, her cane in her left hand, but this time there weren't any dark glasses hiding her honey eyes.
"Sorcerer Xiao." The announcer called. "And his assistant Lin."
In that second Sakura could feel the aura, that green aura she knew too well. Tomoyo, who was behind her, noticed Sakura's reaction, she had also noticed Meiling behind of 'Xiao'.
Shaoran stepped forward and bowed, Meiling stayed where she was, and bowed; they both were in their Ceremonial outfits.
Now Sakura was really thanking the magic of the "Mask" Card; Tomoyo was ok, with the power of the Moon Ring they would never recognize her.
'This'll be interesting.' She thought to herself.
"Witch Mel." The announcer called.
A woman with dark hair and eyes stepped forward. She was wearing a black top and skirt, with a side open, and over it a long black jacket. She bowed.
"Wizard Juel." The announcer called. "And his assistant: Geo."
Juel was a man with dark brown hair hanging in a ponytail, a little long for a man, he had brown eyes and was wearing kaki pants, a dark-green shirt, and boots, he was holding a curved sword. Geo had green short-pants, a beige shirt, and brown shoes, he looked like a kid.
"Sorceress Cherry." The announcer called. "And her assistant: Violet."
Sakura stepped forward, and bowed, she didn't have her staff, and with the outfit Tomoyo had done and her magic she was sure no one would recognize her. Tomoyo was wearing a light-purple dress and silver slippers, she bowed too.
"These are this year's Competitors." The announcer said. "Now we'll proceed to do the sorting."
A woman with a crystal bowl came, inside where eight little balls.
"As your name is called please come to the front or send your assistant, so you'll get a number." The announcer instructed. "Mage Dae."
As he didn't have any assistant Daeron went himself to take the ball.
"Number six." The woman with the bowl read.
"Sorcerer Leed." The announcer called.
Eriol sent Ruby.
"Number one." The woman read.
The Wizard Mier got number eight.
The Mage Seer got number two.
Shaoran sent Meiling and got number five
The Witch Mel got the number four.
The Wizard Juel sent Geo and they got number seven.
Then Sakura sent Tomoyo, who took out number three.
"Very good." The announcer said. "And the results are:"
The woman let the bowl down and took the microphone. She spoke:
"In the first duel: Sorcerer Leed against Mage Seer. In the second duel: Sorceress Cherry versus Witch Mel. In the third duel: Sorcerer Xiao and Mage Daeron. And in the fourth duel: Wizard Juel and Wizard Mier."
"After this duels are over." The announcer continued. "The winners of the first and second will fight, as well as the winners of the third and fourth. Then we'll have the two finalists; they will compete, and the winner will have to defeat also the last Tournament's Champion: Lady Lan, to be declared the official Champion of the 75th Magic Tournament." He made a pause. "Sorcerer Leed and Mage Seer get ready, your duel starts in ten minutes."
With that all the competitors abandoned the fighting ground. Just Eriol, Rubymoon and Seer stayed.
Sakura, Tomoyo and the rest went to sit on benches at the ground's sides.
"You're in the next duel." Tomoyo said.
"I know." Sakura said.
"Will you use the Cards?" Tomoyo asked.
"I don't think so." Sakura answered. "I mean, I'll use them, but without the staff."
"Why?" Tomoyo asked. "You'll get tired sooner."
"Not necessarily." Sakura replied. "And anyway I don't think I'll need the power of the staff, yet."
"You don't want them to find out it's you, ne?" Tomoyo guessed.
"Also that." Sakura accepted. "They'll find out sooner or later, but as long as I can win without the staff I'll do it. Besides, it'll make things more interesting."
Tomoyo shook her head but remained silent.
Some people were wondering how a blind girl could fight, but they would soon find out.
.---.
~In one side of the yard~
Eriol was talking with Rubymoon.
"It seems that Sakura couldn't come." Rubymoon said a little sad.
"Probably her brother didn't let her." Suppy suggested from Nakuru's bag.
Eriol remained silence.
"What is it that has you so pleased Master?" Suppy asked.
"Sakura is near." Eriol said.
Both Guardians looked at him puzzled.
"I could feel her aura the day we arrived." Eriol explained. "Probably she's hiding."
"Why?" Rubymoon asked.
"That I don't know." Eriol answered.
He was sure Sakura was somewhere around, but he did not know where. And besides there was still that dream…
.---.
~Back in the benches.~
Shaoran was also thinking about the same.
"You seem upset cousin." Meiling murmured sitting next to him.
There was no answer.
'I was a fool to believe Sakura could be here.'
Shaoran was mad with himself for believing, and yet, he still believed by some sort of miracle he would find her sitting next to him.
And not exactly next, but a few seats away, Sakura was still chatting with Tomoyo, in a low voice so they wouldn't discover them
"Hello girls." Daeron called as he sat next to Tomoyo.
"Hello." Sakura and Tomoyo chorused.
"So Cherry and Violet ¿eh?" Daeron asked.
"And you are Dae, how original." Tomoyo said ironically.
"Your sense of humor hasn't changed a bit has it?" Daeron asked laughing.
"As much as you." Tomoyo replied also laughing.
In that moment Eriol turned to look around, he was almost sure he recognized that laughter.
"Daeron expand your aura now." Sakura ordered.
"Why?" he asked confused.
"Just do it." Sakura said.
Daeron nodded and did as he was told.
Eriol fixed his eyes over Daeron, he could feel his aura.
"I must have been tricked, that's all." The Sorcerer told to himself and went back to preparing everything.
"Enough." Sakura told Daeron.
Daeron relaxed and his aura went back to its normal brightness.
"What was that for?" Daeron asked.
"Tomoyo's laugh." Sakura answered.
Tomoyo looked at her cousin puzzled.
"He almost recognized you by your laughter." Sakura explained, emphasizing the 'he'.
"What?" Tomoyo asked.
Sakura nodded.
"Who are you two hiding from?" Daeron asked.
"You see," Sakura explained. "Some of the people here, we know them, and they know us. But we don't want them to know it's us."
"Why?" Daeron asked. "If you know each other you must be glad to chat and all that."
"Not if the someone you're talking about hasn't have the least interest in looking for you in the last seven years." Sakura murmured, her voice sounded calmed, but in her eyes you could see she was depressed.
Daeron noticed this and asked no more.
Tomoyo wanted to kill Shaoran for making her cousin and best friend be like this.
"Competitors get ready." The announcer called. "The first duel starts…Now!"
.---.
Eriol and Seer stepped in front of each other, they bowed, then they turned around and gave five steps, they turned around facing each other again. Eriol immediately called his staff, and Seer turned her cane into a longer one.
Eriol waited, he thought the girl would attack first, and she did.
"Earthquake!" Seer ordered moving her cane.
Eriol had to hold straight to his staff so he wouldn't fall.
"If that's what you have then it's my turn." Eriol said with a grin.
"He's gonna do the same." Sakura said in a low voice.
Eriol just tapped the floor and immediately there was a hard earthquake that shook all the island. Many people fell from their seats. But Sakura, Tomoyo, Shaoran, Meiling and Yelan kept calm.
"How did you know that was going to happen?" Daeron asked standing up.
"I know him well enough." Sakura replied. "All what he wants is to make fun of his opponents."
Seer took a couple of seconds before she could stand up again. She was feeling humiliated, but at the same time she stayed calm.
"Ice Daggers!" Seer shouted.
In front of her appeared what looked like Icicles, they flew directly to Eriol.
"Fire!" he summoned.
He melted most of the daggers, but a few hurt him.
The girl smiled satisfied.
Eriol seemed a little confused.
'How can she do that when she's blind?' He thought.
"Never underestimate a girl by her looks, Sorcerer Reed…I mean, Leed." Seer murmured.
Eriol stood there, shocked.
And he wasn't the only one. Also his guardians, Shaoran, Meiling, Yelan, Tomoyo, Sakura and her guardians where shocked.
"Did she really get wrong the name?" Meiling doubted.
"No," Shaoran said. "She did it on purpose. She knows."
Not far, Sakura was thinking exactly the same thing.
"She has a power, a special power." Sakura murmured as she closed her eyes. "It reminds me of one of the Cards."
"Which one?" Tomoyo asked.
"I'm not sure." Sakura answered.
Just then, Eriol reacted. He created a lot of knives from thin air, and threw them at the girl.
"Reflecting Shield!" Seer shouted.
Some of the knives where able to get to her before the shield was up, but she got aside easily.
"It doesn't matter if I can't see you." Seer told Eriol as she got near him. "I can still hear, and feel you."
'So that's it' Eriol thought.
"Well, not for long." He said with his playful smile. He moved his hand a few times and then smiled.
At the same time the Mage Seer opened her eyes wide (even though she couldn't see through them), and started turning everywhere.
"He erased his aura." Sakura murmured.
"That's playing dirty." Tomoyo said a bit mad.
"Well, it's not forbidden, and after all it is a competition." Daeron reminded her.
Tomoyo nodded but still didn't like it.
Eriol took this opportunity to use another spell.
"Contention Wind." He summoned.
The magic surrounded Seer before she had time to react, it was like a wind prison, and it brought her near Eriol.
"You won't be able to defeat your real enemies this way." Seer told him. The she added in a whisper just Eriol could hear. "Master Clow Reed."
"Kami-sama." Sakura said trying not to shout.
"What?" Tomoyo and Daeron asked her at the same time.
"She's a Clow Card." Sakura murmured.
Not far Shaoran had just said the same.
"She's what?" Meiling asked. She tried to calmed down. "No, that's impossible, all Clow Cards have been captured and turned into Sakura Cards. How come this can still be in physical form, and doing magic?"
"It's not impossible." Shaoran answered. "We're really far from Japan so it's normal we didn't notice her presence, that explains how she knows about Clow Reed, and why Eriol is still in shock."
"You are a Card, aren't you?" Eriol asked trying to get over his shock.
"Yes I am master." Seer replied. "I just came here to fulfill a mission."
With that she pulled free from Eriol's magic.
"I give up." She called.
"And the winner from this duel is the Sorcerer Leed." The announcer called.
"Why did you do that?" Eriol asked her after bowing again.
But she ignored his question and looked at him firmly, she smiled and said:
"Your fears are real, there's a new evil coming. And you won't be able to defeat them the way you defeated me."
"But the Mistress isn't here to seal you." Eriol said, he hoped the Card would said something about where Sakura was.
"There's no need for it." Seer replied. "Since I was created I was told I would seal myself when my mission was fulfilled."
"What mission?" Eriol asked.
"Your dreams, your fears, I already told you." Seer said smiling.
She started walking out of the place.
"Wait." Eriol called to her. "Tell me how to defeat it."
"The answer is right before your eyes," Seer said. "It's so simple you can't see it. But don't worry, when time comes, you'll know it."
She continue walking, Eriol was about to call to her again when she turned around.
"And remember," she said. "Never underestimate someone by his/her looks."
By then she was out of sight, she glowed and turned into a Card, still smiling, and immediately disappeared.
And so this Tournament begins. You now know what the first four battles will be, and I wonder who you think will win each. You may try to guess, though I don't make any promises on telling you anything in advance. Still, it might be fun to see who guesses right. For the next chapter you'll see Sakura's first fight, and the reactions everyone will have to her power and her way of using it. On another note, there's a fanart for this fic! A picture of Sakura in her fighting attire; you may find it on my spot in Deviantart: http:// princess-lalaith .deviantart .com/ (just take off the spaces)
Also, I have you a treat! Give me more than five reviews and you get the next chapter early! Before the 6th of January, or maybe even before New Year! It depends on exactly how many reviews I get and how soon. The chapter is alread written, so its up to you!
See ya!