Authors Note (A/N): Umm… Hmm… I don’t remember… Something… Umm… huh… Well… I hope you know what it is, cuz I don’t seem to remember.
Li and gang underwent a gigantic attack by some guy in black armor. Sigma fended him off using as much power as he could muster, which still left the guy unfazed. Li may or may not be injured by the giant bird creature that attacked him. Either way, Sigma’s on his way. Sakura tried to escape and was, of course, caught by Shadow. However, if she wasn’t, she would’ve been caught by the giant Dragharbtek creature that Shadow saved her from. What’s with Shadow anyways?
by Shadowpheonix
The Portal closed as Li stepped through it. “Why didn’t you go with them?” Suppi asked.
“I have more important things I need to take care of. They could be gone for a while and I need to find a way to give them more time.”
“Breakfast is ready!” Ruby called from the kitchen.
“One second. I’ll be right there,” Eriol responded.
“So, how are you going to manage that? You’re not planning on stopping time in some bizarre way, are you?” Suppi asked in his normal soporific voice.
“Breakfast!” Ruby called as she stepped into the room. “It’s going to get cold! You people don’t appreciate all the work I do for you!”
“Yes. I’ll be there in a second,” Eriol said, staring out the large window.
“Alright, but I’m not heating it back up when it gets cold!” Ruby threatened as she walked back out.
“Breakfast it is,” Eriol said, following Ruby to the dining room.
“So, how are you going to do it? You must have something planned,” Suppi asked.
“I’m not sure. I may have to stop time. I should probably send Keroberos and Yue after Li. They should be able to help. I’m sure they know that something’s wrong by now,” Eriol said thoughtfully when a knock came to the door.
Ruby walked over to the door and opened it. “Hello!” she said in a cheery voice.
“What are you so happy about? I’m sure that you know Sakura’s missing! Let me see Eriol!” Kero yelled, floating in front of Yue.
“Keroberos, Yue, come in. I’ve been expecting you for a while,” Eriol said from his high-backed chair at the dinner table.
“Tell me where Sakura is! What have you done this time? I thought you said it was over!” Kero demanded as he and Yue walked into the room.
“Sit down. Enjoy some breakfast. I’m sure Ruby made a bit extra for you. Yue, are you not worried?”
“Sakura is very capable. I’m sure she is ok,” Yue said in a rather calm voice.
“Are you going to explain to us where she is, or are you just going to let us wonder?” Kero asked indignantly.
“She’s in one of the Realms: magical places that seem to exist perpendicular to our space.”
“How do we get there?”
“I can send you after Li. I know where he is, but I can’t tell you where Sakura is or how to find her,” Eriol admitted. The only reason I know where Li is is because I put a tracker of sorts on that book I gave him. He better not have lost it.
“What’s the kid got to do with this?”
“He wanted to go after her, so I let him.”
“Then we’ll go too,” Yue said in a cool voice. “Tell us how to get there.”
“You should probably stay for a little while so you know what you’re getting into.”
“Fine. So tell us what you know,” Kero demanded as he sat down on the table next to a bowl of soup.
“I can give you little history of the Realms. Clow Reed gave up on trying to study them long before he made the Clow Cards. He started studying them about a year after he created the two of you. All that he found out about them are written in this book.
“There are a total of seven of these Realms and they each have an elemental alignment: fire, earth, wind, water, thunder, light, and dark. Each of them has a variety of creatures within them that correspond in alignment. After that, his knowledge of the Realms ends. Most of what he found was in ancient texts about strange, magical places that would sometimes open up to this world and allow odd creatures to our world.
“However, I recently found a book about the Realms. It provided me with the incantations needed to create portals to the Realms and allowed me to send Li off to them.”
“So, where’s the kid?”
“I don’t know right now. I’ll have to check after breakfast,” Eriol said.
“Why didn’t you go with him? He needs all the help he can get.”
“Tomoyo and Meiling went with them. I had to stay here. I need to find a way to slow time until they get back.”
“Will you come with us?” Yue asked. “We can help you with the spell you need for slowing time. Then you can come with us.”
“No. You need to go as soon as you can. Li and the others need you to help them. The Realms are very dangerous and Sakura needs to be rescued as soon as possible. I’ll follow after you when I’ve finished the spell.”
“Fine. Then let’s go now. There’s no use waiting any longer, and you’ve already told us everything you know. Why are we still sitting here?” Kero asked.
“I’ll look for Li right now,” Eriol said and released his wand. He waved it through the air a bit and it glowed a bright red as a magic circle appeared under his feet. Then, a smaller circle appeared a couple of feet in front of him. Slowly, the image in the circle clarified and showed an image of Li, unconscious in what looked like a prison cell.
“He’s been captured by someone already?” Kero said. “The kid’s worthless!”
Suddenly, the prison door opened and Tomoyo was pulled out of the cell in an astonishingly fast speed.
“It looks like you don’t need to slow time at all. It’s already sped up in the Realms. You can come with us now,” Yue said as he watched Tomoyo get thrown back into the room only to be pulled out a minute later.
“Good. I suppose I will come with you then. Suppi, Ruby, pack some supplies that we’ll need. Pack some thread as well. I may need to use it,” Eriol said as he walked to his room and gathered what he saw necessary.
“We’re just going to leave? No planning or anything?” Suppi asked.
“What would you plan? He already said he doesn’t know anything about these Realms. Besides, if we go together, we can settle our score,” Kero said as he floated over to Suppi with a warm smile Suppi did not return.
Everyone except Kero and Yue spent the next hour packing their belongings. “Do you really think Sakura’s alright?” Kero asked Yue.
Yue stood for a while, watching Li as a large winged creature came to his window and attacked him.
“Are you ready now?” Eriol asked. “If you are we’ll leave now.”
“Well, I should probably go tell Touya what’s going on. He was kinda upset last night when Sakura didn’t appear back home.”
“We shouldn’t be gone too long. I’m sure we’ll be back before he does anything drastic,” Yue said.
“Alright, then. Let’s go,” Eriol said as he began the incantation that would lead him to the Earth Realm.
“Powers of Fire,
Powers of Earth,
Open the Path,
Create the Portal.
Powers of Wind,
Powers of Water,
Powers of Thunder,
Release the Portal.
Powers of Light,
Powers of Dark,
Intertwine yourselves,
Open the Portal.
“Path of Earth,
Strong and sturdy,
Create a path,
To solid rock.”
A Portal opened a few feet in front of Eriol. “Well, let’s go,” Eriol said as he stepped through the semi-transparent Portal with Yue, Kero, Suppi and Ruby.
“Sigma, please hurry! Li could be hurt!” Meiling cried as she half-ran, half-tripped up the cracked staircase towards her room.
“I’m coming as fast as I can!” Sigma lied as he walked up the steps after Meiling.
“I’m going to get to Li first. Hurry!” Meiling yelled as she stumbled a little faster up the winding staircase.
“Tomoyo, do you know who that was?” Sigma asked.
“No. I was going to ask you if you knew. Could he be the Summoner that you’ve been looking for?”
“Maybe, but I don’t see what someone that powerful could possibly want with a bunch of kids,” Sigma said. “I think the Council may have to meet again. I’ll have to call the other members after I see to Li.” Sigma reached the top of the stairs and turned to Meiling’s open room.
“Li! Are you ok? What’s wrong?” Tomoyo asked as she saw Li holding himself up with his sword.
“I beat it,” Li said as he fell over with Meiling trying to support him.
“Is he going to be ok?” Meiling asked.
“He’ll be fine. I’ll get some healing herbs from my garden. I’m sure…” Sigma stopped as he felt a tinge of magical energy coming from the direction of the Portal. That better not be him again!
“That better not be who?” Tomoyo asked.
Sigma stared at Tomoyo for a few seconds before realizing he had spoken that aloud. “I just felt some magical energy coming from the Portal the three of you came through a few days ago. I’ll be right back. I’m going to gather the herbs and see who that was.”
“Let me come with you,” Tomoyo cried as she followed Sigma. “I think I know who it is.”
“Who?” Sigma asked as he turned to Tomoyo.
“It could be Eriol, the one that gave us the spells and books to begin with,” Tomoyo replied. “He could have come after us. Maybe he’s rescued Sakura already.”
“Alright. Come on then,” Sigma said. “We’ll see who it is first. Then, we’ll take care of Li. You stay here. You need some rest for that leg to heal completely. I’ll bring you some ointment for it later.”
Sigma walked out of the room with Tomoyo following him. I hope Tomoyo’s right. As long as it’s not him again. I don’t know if I could stand another attack right now. Sigma thought.
He walked out of his castle, into the cool night air, followed by Tomoyo, and went to greet the blue-haired kid that was approaching with what seemed to be a panther with butterfly wings, an angel, a large fairy, also with butterfly wings, and a lion with angel wings.
“Eriol!” Tomoyo cried as she ran up to hug him. “Have you found Sakura?”
“No. I have no idea where she is, but I’m going to help you look for her. Who’s that?”
“I am Sigma, the ruler of this Realm. You must be the Eriol that I’ve heard about. These are?” Sigma asked, gesturing at the four figures near Eriol.
“I’m Ruby Moon, and this is Spinel Sun. We’re Eriol’s sun and moon guardians. Those are Yue and Keroberos, Sakura’s sun and moon guardians.”
“I see. Come in. I’m afraid I can’t offer you too much hospitality right now. We’re recovering from a large attack on the castle by an unknown force. I’ll be happy to help you how I can, though.”
“Thank you. I have a few questions I’d like for you to answer if you’re not too busy,” Eriol said.
“Not at all, what would you like to know?”
“Does time here in the Realms always travel faster than that in our world?”
“No, of course not. The ratio of time speed here to that of your time back home changes quite often. There’s really no specific pattern as to how the time changes, but usually it changes once every time both places are, in some way, synchronized.”
“Alright. Thank you. Do you have rooms in this large castle of yours that we can stay in tonight?”
“Of course. Would you like your rooms near your friends’?” Sigma asked as he led them into the castle.
“Yes, please,” Eriol said.
Sigma led them up the windy staircase and showed them a room about fifteen feet away from Li’s. “Here you are. Will you all be staying in the same room?”
“Yes, we will,” Eriol replied.
“Alright. Li’s room is right next to the staircase on the same side as yours and Tomoyo’s and Meiling’s is opposite his. I will be back after I see to Li’s wounds,” Sigma said.
“Do you need any help?” Tomoyo asked before Sigma reached the staircase.
“No, I can manage,” Sigma responded. Well, more guests. All of this started with the three of them. It’s just as well that they’re here and not out where someone can get them. I need to find out who it was that attacked me. I’ll have to speak with this Eriol kid over dinner. If we have dinner…
“Eriol, why are you here?” Tomoyo asked.
“I was originally going to just send Keroberos and Yue after you, but they convinced me to come. What’s wrong with Li?” Eriol asked.
“He fought a giant falcon creature during the battle that just happened. He got hurt pretty badly and Sigma’s going to get some herbs to treat him with,” Tomoyo replied.
“I see. Who attacked?” Eriol asked.
“We don’t know. There was this man in black armor that hovered over the Realm. He said he wanted the three of us and would destroy the Realm if Sigma didn’t just give us up.”
“He didn’t do a very good job destroying the Realm,” Suppi said. (A/N: Yes, Suppi. He changed back already)
“Sigma made a giant tidal wave of earth and sent it at all the creatures. Then the man left and said he’d come back for us later.”
“How did Sigma send a giant tidal wave at them?” Kero asked.
“I’m not sure. He does something with some Power Sphere or something. It’s this energy source for the Earth Realm and he uses it to do different things. I never asked him how he does it.”
“Let’s take a look at Li. Where’s Meiling?” Eriol asked as he led the way to Li’s room.
“She’s with Li. Is there anything you can do for him?”
“We’ll see. How badly is he hurt?”
“I didn’t see. He just fell over after telling us he beat the creature. If you can’t do anything, Sigma will.” Tomoyo said, a little disappointed.
“What’s Sigma going to do?” Kero asked.
“I don’t know. He’s going to get herbs right now. Other than that, I have no idea what he might do.”
“Eriol! What are you doing here?” Meiling asked as Eriol entered the room.
“I decided to come help you find Sakura.”
“We’ve already found her. She’s in the Dark Realm somewhere,” Meiling said.
“What’s wrong with your leg?” Eriol asked, looking at the bandages on Meiling’s leg.
“It got caught in a crack right after we stepped out of the Portal to the Earth Realm. Li got it out, but it still hurts.”
“Tomoyo, watch out!” Kero cried as he quickly changed forms to protect her and Yue put up a shield.
A glowing red tentacle appeared out of thin air and hit the shield just as it was put up. Seconds later, the rest of the creature materialized. “You will come with me! My master would have a word with you!” the eight- tentacled creature hissed.
“What are you doing here, Sphienent?” Sigma asked once he arrived.
“Ah, Lord Sigma, what a pleasure to meet you. My master has sent me to fetch this girl from you along with the other two travelers. I trust you won’t object?”
“Leave my Realm at once!” Sigma yelled, approaching the Sphienent.
“Perhaps this will change your mind,” the Sphienent said, handing Sigma a small sheet of paper.
Sigma hurriedly unfolded the paper and read the following:
My servant humbly requests that you release from your custody the three travelers that have arrived in your Realm. Failure to do so will result in the destruction of your Realm.
Sincerely,
The Summoner of Spirits
“Nice try. Anyone can sign a paper with that name. Tell your master, whoever he is, that I will not give up the ‘travelers’ without a fight. If he’d like a fight, I’ll give him one along with the rest of the Council. We don’t take threats lightly!” Sigma replied, thrusting the letter back at the Sphienent.
“Perhaps you do not understand what my master has written in that letter. I shall give you an hour to make your decision. If you do not change your mind by then…” Just as suddenly as it appeared, the Sphienent disappeared, leaving only the letter from his master as it gently floated to the ground.
“Well, I’ll tend to Li now. If it appears again, let me know. I’ll make sure he can’t leave this Realm the next time he slithers into my castle!”
Li ran silently through the forest. I’m dead if it catches me! he thought. Suddenly, the trees came to an end and he stepped out into a clearing. No! he thought as the shadow of a large bird passed over the clearing. “Leave me alone!” he yelled at the bird that was nowhere to be seen.
He ran through the clearing and down the hill he was on when, suddenly, he was standing within a dark room, the forest and hills nowhere to be seen. “Sakura! What are you doing here?” Li asked when Sakura approached him.
“Li, leave me here. I don’t want to see you again! I can’t believe you could do that to me!” Sakura said in tears. “Get away from me!” Sakura turned and ran, fading into the darkness.
“Sakura! Come back! What did I do?” Li asked desperately. He ran off in Sakura’s direction. What seemed like hours later, he found Sakura on her knees, crying. “Sakura, what’s wrong?”
“Li? You came! Li, I’m sorry. Please, run. You have to! You have to leave me here and forget about me. You must!” Sakura said through sobs as she faded away.
“Sakura! Tell me what’s wrong!” Li yelled into the darkness after her.
“Forget…” Sakura said as she disappeared completely.
What’s going on? Li wondered. Li ran as fast as he could, determined to find the solution to the puzzle. What do I have to do? What’s this weird feeling I have?
“Li, I hope you take Sakura’s final words into consideration. It would be a shame for her to die in vain,” came a mystical voice from the dark.
“Who are you? Where’s Sakura?” Li shouted.
“She’s dead. There’s nothing you can do now. Go home!”
“No! She can’t be! I won’t let this happen!” Li yelled as he drew his sword.
“You have no choice. It is already done!” the voice yelled.
“…already done…”
“…done…”
“…no choice…”
“…already done…” came the echoes of the mysterious voice.
“What do you mean? What happened to her?” Li cried desperately as the voice faded.
“She died… To save you…”
“…save you…”
“…for you…”
“…hope…”
“What do you mean? She can’t be dead! No! This isn’t real!” Li yelled as the voice disappeared altogether.
Li ran after the echoes, hoping to find the source of the voice.
“Leave… It is her final wish…” came another soft voice.
“…her final wish…” a different voice echoed.
“…leave this place…” came yet another voice.
“Who are you?”
“The Keepers of the Gate…” came one voice.
“We keep the souls of the soulless…” another said.
“It is her final wish…” echoed a third voice.
“Leave this place…” repeated a fourth voice.
“We will watch her now…” came the second voice again.
“The Keepers of what gate? What’s going on?” Li asked to the dark again, when suddenly a large gate made of red stone appeared in front of him.
“This gate…” said the third voice.
“Enter, and you shall see her…” whispered the first voice.
“Beware… Heed her advice…” repeated the fourth.
Li stepped through the large gate and found himself in the clearing he was in what seemed like hours ago. The only difference was the presence of Sakura, standing in the center of the clearing.
“Li… run away… You can’t help me now...” Sakura said in an odd voice that seemed to echo into itself. “You must leave… If not… the world is doomed…”
“Sakura! Come with me! Tell me more! I have to know what’s happening!” Li shouted. He ran over to Sakura and grabbed her arm. “Let’s go!” he said.
Sakura stood, unmoving. She stared expressionlessly at the empty space in front of her, her eyes hollow and soulless. “I can’t, Li. You have to leave me now… Go!” Sakura said as one of her Cards appeared in front of her. “You must!” she cried as the Card activated and set her aflame.
“Sakura! What are you doing? No!” Li yelled as the word faded out of existence.
Li sat up in bed with cold sweat on his face to find Tomoyo and Meiling asleep in chairs next to him. What happened? It was… a dream? He got out of his bed, careful not to disturb the two girls. Where is everyone? As he left the bedroom, he noticed a strange aura that he recognized as Eriol’s.
“You’re awake. Sigma would like to speak with you,” Eriol said as he appeared in the doorway.
“Eriol? What are you doing here?”
“I arrived when you were unconscious. Sigma’s downstairs. He said it was important that you spoke to him right away.”
Li walked drowsily out of his room and down the stairs. A few minutes later, he found Sigma enjoying a cup of tea at the head of the dinner table. “Good evening. Would you like something to drink?” Sigma asked when he saw Li.
“No, I’m fine. Did you want to see me?”
“Yes. Sit down. I’d like to talk to you about your journey to the Dark Realm. I need to know whether or not you’ll allow me to accompany you.”
“Sure. You can come. Is there anything else?” Li asked impatiently.
“No, that’s all. How are your wounds healing?” Sigma asked.
“They’re fine. What was that? The creature that attacked me, I mean.”
“It was a strong creature from the Dark Realm. I’m surprised you were able to beat it.”
“I see. Do you know who sent it after me?”
“You have no idea what was going on when you fought that creature, do you?”
“Well, I know that there was a war of sorts going on outside. Other than that, I have no clue. Speaking of which, aren’t you afraid whoever sent those creatures will attack again when you’re gone?”
“I spoke to Matriana, the ruler of the Water Realm. She and I put a spell on this Realm to keep things from entering it without me. In answer to your earlier question, no, I don’t know who’s after the three of you.”
“The three of us? That thing was after all of us?” Li asked disbelievingly.
“No. That thing, the Dragharbtek, was just after you. The other creatures were all attacking my castle for all of you. But, in essence, yes, the creature was after all three of you.”
“Why do you want to come with us?”
“I want to meet this Shadow kid that rules the Dark Realm now. He’s got a nice name for the ruler of that Realm. I need to… speak… with him,” Sigma said.
“Is he the one that has Sakura?”
“Yes. Anyways, if there’s nothing else, you can go. I’ve got to make preparations before I leave. Good night.”
“Good night,” Li said. He turned and decided he would talk to Eriol.
“I told you to tell your master I wasn’t letting them go. Leave my castle!” Li heard Sigma’s voice say from afar. He turned again and found Sigma confronting what looked like a half-human, half-snake creature with eight tentacles where hands should have been.
“I see,” the creature said. “If that is your decision, then I suppose it can’t be helped. I shall inform my master. Enjoy your precious Realm while you still can,” the creature threatened as it disappeared.
“What was that?” Li asked after it had gone.
“Nothing important. Go back to sleep. You’ll need rest before we leave tomorrow,” Sigma said as turned to leave.
Li turned and started up the stairs again. I hope we find Sakura soon. Then, we can all leave. Together, he thought as he arrived at the golden double doors to his room.
“So, we’re leaving tomorrow then?” Eriol asked.
“Yes. Why are you here?”
“To help you find Sakura, of course. Don’t you want his help, kid?” Kero asked as he hovered in the air above Eriol’s head.
“I suppose I could use his help,” Li said as he walked into his room.
“Li! Are you alright?” Tomoyo asked sleepily.
“I’m fine. You too can go back to your room now. I’ll be ok.”
“We… don’t want to. We’re scared, so we decided to all stay in here. You don’t mind, do you?” Tomoyo asked.
“It’s ok. There’s only one other bed in this room, though. Where are you going to sleep?”
“Meiling and I can share a bed. Eriol’s comfortable where he is, and I’m sure Yue’s fine up one the roof. I’m not sure where Ruby is, but Kero and Suppi are small enough to fit just about anywhere,” Tomoyo said. She walked over to Meiling and woke her up. “Meiling, Li’s up. Meiling?”
“Five more minutes…” Meiling said drowsily. “Just five more…”
“Meiling!” Tomoyo cried indignantly. “Li, can you help me carry her over to the bed?”
“It’s ok. Just leave her there. You two can have that bed. I’ll take the other one.”
“Ok. Good night, Li.”
“Good night, Tomoyo,” Li said and fell onto his bed. I’m so tired. I hope we find Sakura soon.
“We will, Li. We will,” Tomoyo said reassuringly.
I said that out loud? “Thanks Tomoyo. Good night.” Slowly, Li fell asleep, knowing that tomorrow, he would be a Realm closer to Sakura.
So, how was it? I thought it was a pretty boring chapter. Not much happened, but it was necessary. I think chapter nine will be much more interesting. Here’s a “preview” (series of questions for you to ponder until chapter 9 is up.)
Li’s about to travel to the Dark Realm. How many people are going with him? What was that dream all about? What’s Shadow going to do about it? Surely he won’t just let them walk in and take Sakura, will he?
Sigma’s going to be leaving his Realm completely exposed except for some spell that he whipped up with Matriana. When/If he returns, will his Realm still be there?
And here’s the challenge again:
Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery, scooby-doo fans. What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.