Disclaimer: I don't own ccs or the characters! Although, I wish I did!
Lilover131: Hey everybody! Did you all like the last chapter? I thought the little flashback was cute! Lol. I must be weird to be saying my opinion on my own story, huh? Lol. I'm sorry I took so long to get the new chapter up, but I'm on Spring Break, and I feel a little lazy. Lol. Anyways, here is chapter twenty-four!
Cry of a Wolf-Chapter Twenty-four: Venom and Anger
Syaoran stood before Naraku with glaring amber eyes. It is true that everyone has a unique glow in their eyes, for NO ONE would ever have the same glow as Syaoran's at that moment. Amber orbs glowed of determination, power, and love. Sakura smiled. She knew he wouldn't fall for Naraku's trick.
Naraku looked very disappointed from the failure of his plan. Although, he grinned still. It was not over yet.
"You are wiser than I thought," Naraku said. Syaoran grinned.
"This wasn't about intelligence at all. It was all intuition and experience," Syaoran said, correcting the statement.
"You think I've been all figured out, now don't you?" Naraku said, getting a confused glance out of Syaoran. Everyone behind the force field was confused as well. It wasn't over? Naraku revealed a wicked grin. Syaoran looked to the lifeless copies of Sakura as they grinned mischievously, and revealed their fangs. Suddenly, the triplets lunged at him at the same time. He quickly unsheathed his sword and slashed them successfully on their stomachs. However, even with the wounds, they continued to approach him. 'What?' Syaoran thought, in a slight panic. Everyone beyond the force field was banging on the wall angrily, trying to break through. Naraku only smiled at them from their helplessness.
"Let us out you coward!" Touya yelled. Naraku grinned. The second part of his plan was going to work just fine. Syaoran was continuously dodging the copies attempts to bite him, and stabbed them without seeming to cause much harm. Naraku smiled. Now was the perfect time. Suddenly, he muttered an incantation silently to himself. Keeping his aura shadowed so no one would notice, he cast a spell. He gazed to Sakura with his blood red eyes straight into her emerald through the force field. When Sakura gazed back, her eyes went blank and she fell into unconsciousness.
"Sakura! What's wrong?" Touya said, when his sister suddenly fell to the ground. Tomoyo quickly ran to her and caught her before she fell. Tomoyo paled when Sakura's body turned cold. Everyone's eyes widened when the cuts and bruises originally on her body disappeared, and a deep gash suddenly appeared on her stomach.
"Sakura…?" Feimei asked, concerned. This did not look good at all…suddenly, Sakura opened her emerald eyes, which were completely devoid of life. She grinned evilly, revealing fangs. 'Oh no!' Eriol thought. The evil Sakura raised herself up, and lunged at Tomoyo to bite her with her fangs.
"Watch out!" Eriol said, as he threw himself in between Tomoyo and Sakura. The girl's fangs sunk deep into his arm, causing him to wince.
"Eriol!" Tomoyo yelled. The guardians all knocked away the Sakura that had attacked them. She continued to walk towards them, as she smiled with a bloodied toothy grin.
"This isn't Sakura! It can't be!" Kero said, with his golden glaring eyes pointed at the imposter Sakura.
"He's right! Sakura wouldn't do this!" Eriol said, as he and the others dodged the clones attempts slash and bite them.
"But…if Sakura isn't here with us right now…then the real Sakura is…" Meilin said worried, as she gazed outside of the force field. They paled when they saw one of the once clone Sakura's suddenly stop moving.
"She's…there…" Fanren said.
Syaoran was continuously dodging the copies attempts to hurt him, and each attack he hit them with didn't seem to have a very great effect. 'What's with these things? Every slash I hit them with isn't hurting them!' Syaoran thought in confusion. Suddenly, he saw one of the copies stand still.
Sakura opened her emerald eyes…and she saw Syaoran. He was kicking away the copies of herself, and almost didn't seem to notice her there. She smiled. Now she was beyond the force field! She could be near him now! However…he gazed his eyes to her and glared fiercely. Without much hesitation, he quickly charged her way. 'Wait a minute! I'm not a clone!' Sakura thought panicking. Although, before she could warn him, he had already slashed her across the stomach.
Syaoran had expected this Sakura to keep fighting as the others did, but this one he just slashed had fallen to the ground clutching her stomach. Sakura fell to her knees, and tears flowed from her eyes freely. Syaoran did not expect this, but still maintained his cautiousness. When Sakura looked up with her tear-flooded eyes, he widened his eyes in horror.
"…Syaoran…" Sakura said, in a pained voice.
"Oh god…SAKURA!" Syaoran yelled, as he suddenly dropped his sword and ran to her. He quickly pulled her into a tight embrace, as he muttered words of apology into her ear.
"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" Syaoran said, in a sorrowful tone.
"I swear…I didn't mean to…I didn't mean to hurt you! I'm so sorry!" Syaoran said, continuously apologizing. She looked up with her tearful eyes, and was pained to see his sad face. A slight ache appeared in her heart. To relieve Syaoran and herself, she returned the embrace as much as she could. As a result, Syaoran embraced her tighter. Suddenly, the copies lunged at both of them. The two remaining copies slashed at Syaoran with their sharp nails, ripping through his robes and skin, causing him to wince.
"Syaoran!" Sakura screamed in a weak voice. They wounded him again and again, until his robes looked like rags, and his skin was covered in scratches. No matter how much they hurt him, he refused to move.
"Syaoran! Please stop!" Sakura screamed, a little louder this time. Syaoran shook his head in protest. As the clones began to approach again, Syaoran finally released his embrace, and turned to glare at them.
"STAY BACK!" Syaoran screamed at them. His eyes suddenly glew a bright green, and flames erupted around them, blocking the clones path. The flames were high, and could not be crossed. Sakura stared in shock at the surrounding flames. She then saw Syaoran look to her with saddened green eyes. He lightly took hold of her hands, and moved them away from the wound he had given her. Syaoran took a look at the wound and lowered his head in shame. However, he then looked up in determination.
"Sakura…please try to lay down," Syaoran said to Sakura. She nodded and slowly tried to lay herself down. She winced from the pain when she tried to move, although she successfully lowered herself. Sakura gazed up at Syaoran who still looked sad. Syaoran placed his hands slightly above her wound, and closed his eyes.
"I'm going to help you," Syaoran said. Sakura gave a look of confusion. How would he do that? Her questions were answered when Syaoran's hands began to create a green aura of magic. Sakura watched as his aura surrounded her body. His aura washing over her was…such a warm feeling. Before she knew it…the pain had completely disappeared. She looked to herself, and saw that her wound had also disappeared. 'How did he do that? What happened to the wound?' Sakura thought. Sakura saw the green aura suddenly pull away from her and onto Syaoran. Within seconds of the transfer, she saw him clutch his stomach in pain. She paled at the blood that soaked through his ceremonial robes.
"Syaoran!" Sakura screamed, as she sat up without any more difficulty. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gazed at him in concern. He looked up to her with pained, but happy eyes.
"Don't worry…this wound is not fatal. I'll be all right," Syaoran said to her in relief.
"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" Sakura screamed, with more tears streaming down her eyes. The smile Syaoran gave showed that he no regrets for what he had done.
"Because a certain person might kill me if he saw you hurt," Syaoran said. Sakura continued to cry and embraced him. His eyes went back to their original amber, and the flames around them soon disappeared. The clones grinned evilly. Syaoran reached into his robes, and revealed Sakura's star key.
"You might need this," Syaoran said to her. She smiled and nodded in understanding.
"RELEASE!" Sakura yelled. Her star key quickly turned into a staff, and was firmly gripped into her hand. Luckily, she still had her Sakura cards with her.
"WINDY!" Sakura cried, as she released one of the Sakura card spirits. Windy pushed back the clones into the trees, and they both raised themselves off of the ground. Syaoran ran for his abandoned sword, and Sakura ran to the force field.
"THUNDER!" Sakura cried, as she released the thunder spirit. Thunder sent several lightning bolts at the force field, as it attempted to break it down.
Behind the force field
Everyone was dodging the clone's attacks, and trying to keep track of Sakura and Syaoran at the same time. They watched in horror as Syaoran charged towards Sakura with an attack.
"No! He thinks Sakura is a clone!" Meilin yelled. When they saw Sakura fall to the ground after Syaoran's attack, they stopped all movement. Syaoran…had hurt Sakura. Syaoran dropped his sword and ran to embrace her. No matter how much they wanted to break out of the force field and help, they could not. The clone continued to attack them, and they were running low on ideas.
"What can we do? Naraku's switched the real Sakura with a clone!" Touya asked, fighting off one of the clone's attempts.
"We have to stop this clone first!" Eriol said, as he assisted Touya. Touya held up a pretty good guard, until suddenly the clone found an opening. However, before it could injure him, Meilin came in with a swift kick. The copy hit the force field hard, and was knocked unconscious.
"Problem solved," Meilin said with a smile. Everyone looked to the unconscious clone in awe.
"Wow. Good job brat!" Kero complimented in his own way. Meilin glared with her ruby red eyes towards Kero from the 'brat' attachment. However, everyone's gazes turned to the couple in danger. A circle of fire surrounded them.
"Did Naraku put fire around them now?" Futtie asked, concerned for them.
"No. The boy did," Yue stated in a straight voice. When the fire soon disappeared, the new scene consisted of Sakura embracing a wounded Syaoran. Everyone's eyes flashed in concern, except for Yue, who could care less as long as Sakura wasn't injured. They saw Sakura and Syaoran then raise themselves off of the ground and head in different directions. Syaoran ran to his sword, and Sakura ran to them. The thunder card struck the force field with enough power to shatter it to pieces.
"Guys!" Sakura said happily as she ran to her friends and family. Everyone reunited with her, and they were glad to see she was all right.
"What happened to the wound?" Yue asked, examining where the wound had been earlier. Sakura looked to Syaoran, who now ran towards them.
"Syaoran…took it away…and gave it to himself," Sakura said, causing them all to widen their eyes. Syaoran finally made it to them, and the clones stood at their place unmoving.
"You were all behind a force field?" Syaoran asked them. Eriol nodded.
"Naraku had blocked us, and switched the real Sakura with a clone," Meilin said. Syaoran's gaze turned to the unconscious clone. Blood dripped from the corner of its mouth. When he saw the bite mark on Eriol's arm, his eyes narrowed.
"Were you bitten?" Syaoran asked, examining the mark. Eriol nodded.
"If not, then Tomoyo would've be bitten!" Ruby Moon exclaimed. Syaoran looked to Naraku who sat at the top of a nearby tree grinning. 'First…he kills my father…and now…he's trying to kill my friends…I WON'T ALLOW THAT!' Syaoran thought to himself angrily. Eriol watched as Syaoran clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. Sakura was looking at Eriol's bite mark, with a few tears rolling down her cheeks in apology.
"This…is all my fault…" Sakura said. Everyone shook their heads in protest.
"No it isn't!" Fanren said.
"If you all hadn't come to save me…then no one would have be hurt! It's my fault…" Sakura said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"No it isn't," said Syaoran suddenly, without making eye contact. Everyone turned their gaze to Syaoran.
"It's HIS fault!" Syaoran said, glaring at Naraku dangerously. White wings then sprouted on his back, causing everyone to look in wonder. What was he doing? He floated up in the air, and with his sword tightly clenched in his hand, he bulleted towards Naraku.
"No Syaoran! Stop! You're wounded!" Sakura cried. Syaoran listened not to her words of concern, and continued to fly forward in rage.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Syaoran yelled in a very angry tone. His sword swiped forward, and tore some of the cloth on Naraku's clothes. He stared at Syaoran with his blood red eyes in surprise. Syaoran continued to attack in blind rage, as the others stared in shock. They had never seen him so angry. While everyone watched Syaoran's attack on Naraku, Eriol recalled his intimidating vision from the night before. 'Syaoran's attacking based on rage. He will never win this way…in fact…he'll get us all killed!' thought Eriol. He would not allow that destruction to happen.
"Someone fly me up there!" Eriol said, in a demanding tone, which stole everyone's attention. Spinel immediately bowed in his direction, allowing Eriol onto his back. He quickly jumped on Spinel's back, and the two flew up towards the aggravated Syaoran. Syaoran continuously attacked Naraku, and he missed him by inches every time.
"Syaoran! Stop it right now! You're going to get yourself killed!" Eriol yelled out to him. He wasn't listening.
"SYAORAN! STOP IT!" Eriol yelled again. Syaoran still did not listen. Eriol sighed. He would have to go to drastic measures. Naraku was having a tough time dodging Syaoran's attacks, and felt slightly intimidated by the intense green-eyed glare. Spinel took Eriol close enough to grab Syaoran by his arms. He fought Eriol's hold desperately, still glaring at Naraku with insane angry eyes.
"LET ME GO!" Syaoran yelled loudly as he continued to pull out of Eriol's grasp. Eriol refused.
"Syaoran…you need to stop this. Your anger is going to get us all killed," Eriol said whispering in his ear. Naraku grinned, and began to leap away on the treetops, with his clones following.
"HE'S GETTING AWAY!" Syaoran yelled, fighting his hold even more.
"Let him go, Syaoran," Eriol said in his ear again. As much as he hated to let Naraku go, he knew that they needed to plan more carefully before trying to destroy him.
"WHY SHOULD I? WHY SHOULD MY FATHER DIE, AND HE GETS TO LIVE! LET ME KILL HIM!" Syaoran yelled frantically as Naraku disappeared in the horizon. Even after Naraku was gone, Syaoran continued to fight Eriol. Eriol closed his eyes in frustration, and then whispered in Syaoran's ear again.
"Please forgive me," Eriol said, before hitting Syaoran quickly on the back of his head. Instantly from the contact, Syaoran fell into unconsciousness, and his wings disappeared. Everyone on the ground stood in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The guardians all flew up to them with a pair of people to carry each. Sakura had flown up on her own with the 'FLY' card.
"Is he all right?" Sakura asked, concerned, as Syaoran was lightly placed on Spinel's back. Eriol nodded.
"He's just unconscious. He'll be fine," Spinel said.
"What just happened?" Touya asked.
"I'll explain when we get back," Eriol said. Eriol's eyes were beginning to look glazed, and his skin was paler than normal.
"Are you all right, Hiiragizawa-kun?" Tomoyo asked, concerned. Eriol smiled to her in assurance.
"I'm all right…I just feel a little dizzy," Eriol said. Suddenly, he fell unconscious on Spinel's back.
"Eriol!" Sakura cried.
"We must get him home quickly," Yue said. Everyone nodded in agreement. Today had gone from peaceful to disastrous in a few hours. Although, on the way back, each person wondered 'why had they let Naraku go?'. Syaoran had made a very valid point. Why does he deserve to live after all he had done? All the answers were within Eriol's mind, who was currently unconscious. Possibly…they might not even get the answer.
Lilover131: Hey everybody! Sorry the chapter took so long! I hope you liked it! As you now know, Syaoran went totally insane, and Eriol is now in trouble. Why? Because of the bite of course! In the next chapter, we will discover is Eriol will survive or not. Should I be evil…? Lol. We'll find out next time! Please Review!