Chapter 11.- Heirs of Clow
"And what do you pretend to do this time Mortal?" Michel asked. "Throw me another glowing star."
"You really don't know who you're messing with." Sakura murmured in a sweet, yet serious, tone of voice. "Tomoyo, Meiling, rise."
They both immediately stood up, each on one of Sakura's side.
Sakura looked at them for just a second, and they seemed to know exactly what to do. They raised their hands (the one in which they had their rings), and touched the staff Sakura was holding tightly with both of her hands.
"Magic of my heart, power of the light, unleash now, reveal here. Show your true form before me. I, Sakura Reed, heiress of Clow, summon thee." Sakura chanted.
In that moment a bright light enveloped the three of them. When it cleared Sakura was wearing the same outfit, except that with a light-pink cape that had her seal in golden thread. Tomoyo and Meiling were wearing low cut, triangular three-quarter sleeved dresses that on the front reached just to their knees and on the back went to the ground, a single ribbon in a shade darker than the dress served as belt, along with stripe-up ballerinas; Tomoyo's in purple and Meiling's in red; Also they each had a crest just above their bosom: Tomoyo's was the moon, and Meiling's the sun.
"So the heiress of Clow…" Michel murmured seemingly as calmed as ever. "Still, there is nothing you can do to defeat me. Clow Reed himself could do nothing more than seal me in the Shadow Realm for a couple of centuries. So as you're no more than a little brat, I'll get rid of you in a second, or maybe not me…Amelia!"
In that moment a woman appeared behind Lord Michel Darness.
Sakura widened her eyes, she knew who this lady was.
"Exactly, Witch Mel." Michel said noticing her surprise. "She was defeated by you twice already, but I'm sure that won't happen a third time, right Amelia?" his voice was a threat, if Amelia didn't kill Sakura Michel would do it, and then kill Amelia too. "Do it now!"
Amelia nodded and extended her claws.
"Shield!" Tomoyo cried out.
"Shot!" Meiling summoned.
But it wasn't enough, and they were both injured, barely.
"Sword!" Sakura summoned, and again, cut the nails.
"You won't defeat me that easily this time." Amelia assured. "Black darts!"
"Shield!" This time it was Sakura who called for protection.
"Windy!" Tomoyo summoned, to return the darts to Amelia.
"Arrow!" Meiling called.
Amelia laughed, as she easily dodged the attacks.
The laugh faded when she barely could dodge a silver arrow.
"Yue! Keroberos!" The gals called at once.
"Is everything okay Sakura?" Kero asked(in his true form).
"Are you okay Mistress?" Yue asked Sakura.
"Yes, just battling this wicked witch." Meiling replied sarcastically.
"Your help will just come in-handy." Tomoyo added.
Yue and Kero immediately nodded and stood each at a side of Tomoyo and Meiling.
"Thank you." Sakura murmured with a smile before she returned all her attention to the battle before them.
"Five against one isn't really fair, is it?" Amelia asked.
Lord Michel did a quick movement and a dozen of little demons appeared and began shooting them with dark fire, or small bombs.
Meanwhile, behind of them, the boys were having their own 'fight'
"Is that true?" Shaoran asked Eriol, referring to what Lord Michel had assured.
"Yes." Eriol answered ashamed. "He is really powerful, and besides, when I fought him I had just sealed the Void, and believe me, that took me a lot of energy."
"Then we can't let Sakura and the gals do this on their own!" Daeron exclaimed.
"We can be there to support Sakura, which is what Tomoyo and Meiling are doing." Eriol said.
"There must be something else!" Shoran called out. "We must be able to do something else!"
"There is something." Eriol said slowly.
"What?!" Shoran asked. "Tell me now! I'll do anything."
Daeron looked at him in silence, it was obvious he truly loved Sakura.
Yelan too heard her son's reply and sighed, she was really proud of her son, and at the same time afraid of what might happen to them for messing with someone of the Shadow Realm, a dark wizard, one that not even Clow Reed could defeat.
"Michel is right when he said Clow Reed couldn't defeat him." Eriol explained. "He would have been able had he been at his full potential."
"Then why don't you defeat him?" Daeron asked, he knew little about them but one thing was clear to him by now and it was Eriol being reincarnation of Clow.
"Because I'm Clow no more." Eriol explained.
"Then Sakura?" Daeron proposed. "She is after all, the heiress of Clow."
"She is just the heiress by magic, because she was destined to have the Cards." Rubymoon interfered.
"Master Clow before dieing chose two heirs." Spinel-sun added. "One by magic, and one by blood."
"And if the one by magic is Sakura, the one by blood is…" Daeron analyzed.
He noticed Eriol and his guardians were just staring at Shaoran.
"Me." Shaoran murmured.
Eriol nodded.
Just then they heard a cry. Kero was lying on the ground, badly hurt, and Yue was holding his left bleeding-arm.
"You will die!" Amelia cried out furious. "Deathly Shadows!"
"Shield!" Tomoyo summoned.
"Light!" Meiling called at the same time.
They could stop the attack, but just barely, and the energy drain they felt made them collapse.
"No!" Sakura yelled worriedly. "Tomoyo! Meiling!"
"It's your turn Sorceress…" Amelia said with a wicked smile. "Blooding daggers!"
Sakura was still too worn-out to respond to the attack.
"God of Thunder, come to my aid!!" Shaoran cried out in the last moment.
The tremendous attack hit the daggers, disintegrating them.
"Shaoran…" Sakura smiled tiredly.
"What makes you believe you have the right to interfere in this battle?" Amelia asked him.
"I have every right to aid the woman I love." Shaoran said.
Eriol was wide-eyed at the confession.
They all knew the full Eastern Council, and Ms. Yelan were present, and Shaoran couldn't have cared less.
"Love will do nothing against me!" Amelia assured them and attacked.
"You really think so?" Sakura asked.
Sakura and Shaoran looked at each other just for a fraction of second and that was enough.
"Firey!!" Sakura attacked.
"God of Fire! Come to me!!" Shaoran summoned.
The double attack seemed to be even more powerful than when done separately, it was enough to through Amelia back, crashing into the ground, and badly injured.
"Rubymoon, Spinel Sun, take Kerberus and Yue out of the field and stay with them." Eriol ordered.
"But master…" Rubymoon began.
It was obvious she didn't like the idea of leaving her master alone in the heat of battle, less of all if the battle was with that hell of a wizard.
"Go, protect Lady Yelan and the rest of wizards and sorcerers." Eriol ordered.
Spinel Sun didn't move for a couple of seconds.
"It's an order!" Eriol said with authority.
Finally Rubymoon and Spinel Sun nodded and did as they were told.
"Sakura…" Kero murmured as Spinel Sun helped him out of the field.
*Don't worry Kero, you'll be alright.* Sakura assured him telepathically.
*But you…* Kero began in his mind.
*I'll be fine, I know how to protect myself.* Sakura told him.
*I know, that brat better take good care of you.* Kero murmured, he was barely conscious.
*Don't worry, I will.* Shaoran entered their conversation. *You can relax…stuffed animal.*
*Hmm…* Kerberus murmured, but he was already too tired to reply.
"Be careful!" Daeron called just then.
Amelia was preparing to attack them again.
But this time they were ready for her:
"Sword!" Meiling summoned standing up just then.
With the magic sword in hand she ran behind Amelia and with neck-breaking speed she cut the evil witch's wings.
"Argg!" the witch cried out in pain.
She tried to stab Meiling with her nails, but Tomoyo acted before she could:
"Freeze!"
The unexpected attack froze Amelia's nails, and with a single punch they too broke.
"Argggggg!!!" Amelia cried out again.
Meiling and Tomoyo returned to their places at Sakura's sides. Sakura was standing seriously, right next to Shaoran, both ready for battle.
"Eriol, do something now!" Shaoran called.
"Ephemeral Light! Shine!!" Eriol summoned.
There was a blinding light, followed by a deafening cry of pain.
And a second later…nothing. Amelia had completely disappeared.
Eriol was panting, after such a powerful spell, Tomoyo immediately went to support him.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.
"Perfectly fine." Eriol answered, breathing deeply. "What about you?"
"A little tired." Tomoyo answered. "But still, Sakura takes the worst part."
Eriol nodded.
As Tomoyo was 'trying' to help him, they had ended with one of his arms over her shoulders, kind of an embrace.
Daeron just looked at them from aside, smiling. True it was sad that the woman that had been his first love had found someone else, but Tomoyo did deserve to be happy; and besides, she 'was' his love, now he had someone else in mind…
"Who the hell are you?!" Lord Michel yelled outraged.
Seemed he didn't like the idea of his faithful servant being destroyed.
Shaoran smirked at him, that enemy of theirs really was in for the greatest (and maybe worst) surprise of his life.
"My name is Shaoran Li, of the Li Dynasty; Future ruler of the Eastern Council and… Clow's second heir." As he spoke Shaoran was satisfied, his sword in his left hand, and his right around Sakura's waist.
Now Lord Michel couldn't hold a wide-eyed open-mouthed expression of full surprise and…fear?
There was an audible gasp, as the audience couldn't believe what they had just heard. It was just too strange.
"Why are they all acting so stunned?" Tomoyo asked confused.
"It's because some centuries ago, just before Clow Reed died, all the Sorcerers were worried, because they thought that they would never again see someone as powerful as him." Eriol explained.
"As Clow had no descendants, his closer family are the Li's by descendants of his younger brother. So as Clow didn't have any children, no one would inherit the great power he had." Daeron added.
"But just before he died he made a promise." Eriol added. "That one day that power would come back."
"When he reincarnated?" Tomoyo asked.
"No." Meiling shook his head. "He told no one he was going to be reincarnated, not even the Li's. But he made a promise that he would be having two heirs, each with half of his power."
"So when they were together they could reach Clow's level." Tomoyo deduced.
"Not just that." Eriol said. "As Clow, I was never sure if those people I had chosen to be my heirs would be together, but if they were, then the magic I had bestowed upon them would duplicate."
Tomoyo was wide eyed at this. Same as Daeron, who had heard about Clow's promise, but that last part was something new; in fact it was something new to everyone.
"You mean that together Sakura and Shaoran have twice Clow's magic power?!" Meiling cried out shocked.
Eriol just nodded.
"You can blab as much as you want. No matter how much power you say you have, no one's going to be able to defeat me. Never!" Michel yelled with a dark tone.
Although in the back of it, if you paid close attention, you would notice a thin line of insecurity. He wasn't that sure of himself anymore.
"We must take this chance to do something." Meiling murmured.
"But what?" Daeron asked.
"There must be something we can do…" Tomoyo murmured, thinking hard.
"If we are gonna do something we better do it fast, this is too tiring." Eriol added.
"You won't defeat me, ever!" Michel yelled as he attacked.
"Shield!!" Tomoyo, Eriol and Sakura summoned at once.
Meiling and Shaoran released their most powerful attacks.
There was a huge cloud of dust, and went it settled, Michel still stood there, laughing at them.
"Ja! Ja! Ja!" he laughed evily. "You're dead!!"
"We're lost." Tomoyo and Meiling murmured, the fear could be read in their eyes.
"Don't give up, not yet." Eriol and Daeron told them, trying to reassure them, but they themselves weren't that confident anymore either.
"We can't surrender to him, if we do the whole world will be lost." Shaoran murmured between clenched teeth.
"There must be something we can do." Sakura murmured biting her lower lip nervously. "Something, but what?"
Just then there was a dim light coming from her pocket, and a voice reached her ears:
"Mistress, Master, you know what to do, you have always known it." It was Seer's voice.
"We know…" they began.
And just then a memory invaded their minds, the memory of an old dream, a dream they felt as if they had had centuries ago, but it had been not even a week since it:
It was a huge yard. And suddenly everything was in silence. Shadows started rising and covering the blue sky. A huge magic could be felt, and it was dark magic. In one side where some persons in robes and Ceremonial clothes. Then they noticed that the Dark Magic was coming from two creatures in the center of the yard: One seemed human, a man, but the second one seemed like some kind of monster, it looked like a female, with bat wings and really long nails. Just their presence was intimidating enough. But then in front of the dark creatures a light shone, three people where standing there…
That was the dream, but now there was something else in their minds, there was more to that dream:
Now just one dark creature stood, but it was so big it's shadows covered everything around. But even then, a light still shone, a light coming from six people who were standing in the middle of everything. Three women, and three men, all of them shining a mystical glow that seemed almost unreal, it was magic, magic in its purest form.
Both Sakura and Shaoran opened their eyes and turned to look at each other in unison.
"I know what to do." they said in unison.
First things first, someone pointed out that Tomoyo and Meiling couldn't exactly have used the rings when Sakura was tired, following my own explanation on how the rings work. It's this way: they use Sakura's magic, and yet it's their own energy they're supporting that magic on. That's why it was so important that Tomoyo created the shield around Sakura while she healed Shaoran; if Tomoyo had been only canalyzing Sakura's magic it would have been the same as with Sakura doing everything by herself. I hope that clears up some doubts.
Another point that was handled is the fact of how fast Sakura recovered after her draining, when in the past she would need at least a full day; well, in first place you must all remember that a good deal of time has passed, Sakura's way more powerful than she used to be in the anime, and she hasn't yet tapped into her reserves (which doesn't mean it won't be tough on her later).
So, I think that's it for the explanations. I hope you liked the chapter, the idea of two heirs for Clow. And to clear that out too: Sakura and Shaoran are at least on the same ground as Eriol as far as power is concerned, and Eriol is no longer as powerful as he was when he was Clow; someone pointed out in a review that this isn't the manga so he didn't split up his magic, no, he didn't, but as Eriol himself pointed out somewhere, he's Clow's reincarnation, not Clow himself so...it's different. Sakura and Shaoran together are more powerful than Eriol is, more than Clow was, I mean, they're the Heirs for a reason.
There, I think now I'm done with explanation, if I missed something let me know. See you in the next chapter, we're reaching the end of this fic.