Chapter
52: On the Night the Lone Wolf Calls
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a mild spring day
twenty three years ago, just after the snow had thawed and trees were
blooming.
“I wonder how many more
years I have left to live,” Amamiya Nadeshiko remarked, twirling around to face
Li Ryuuren. Her long braid whipped around her, strands of violet curls brushing
Ryuuren’s cheeks ever so softly.
“Don’t say such morbid
things on such a bright spring day like this,” Ryuuren said, stroking his cheek
which still tingled.
Nadeshiko shielded her eyes
with her hand and looked up at the magnificent rows of sakura trees lining up
the path ahead of them. Everywhere they looked, they were surrounded by pink
glory as the petals blew around them with the gentle spring breeze. “It’s so
beautiful, isn’t it?” She reached up to pluck a branch of sakura blossoms.
“Sakura. The most beautiful flowers of them all. No matter how sad or depressed
you are, just looking at sakura blossoms makes you
happier.”
“I guess,” Ryuuren replied,
blue eyes smiling merrily at Nadeshiko’s radiant face. “I’ve never seen such
cherry blossoms until I came to
“If I have a daughter, I
think I would name her Sakura,” she commented, taking a whiff of the blossoms
from the branch she had plucked. “Don’t you think it’s a pretty name? She won’t
be clumsy or sickly like me, but she’ll be strong and
healthy.”
Bending down to look
Nadeshiko directly in the eye, Ryuuren murmurred, “Right. But I’ll be very very
jealous of your husband.” She blinked, wondering if she heard
right.
He was bent so near to her
that Nadeshiko could feel his soft breath on her cheeks. To her surprise, he
picked a sakura petal from her hair and took a step back. “R-really?” she asked,
turning the color of the flowers she held in her hand.
Ryuuren laughed out loud,
flicking her forehead. “You wish.”
At this, Nadeshiko pouted
and stomped down the path carpeted by a thick later of flower petals. Ryuuren
followed her, still laughing.
“Stop following me!”
Nadeshiko called out.
“I’m not following you.
There is only one path,” he replied back and continued to tail
her.
After a while, Nadeshiko
halted.
“What’s
wrong?”
She whispered lowly to
Ryuuren. “There’s someone following us.”
Immediately, Ryuuren drew
Nadeshiko nearer to him and narrowed his sapphire eyes. “Dark
force?”
Nadeshiko shook her
head.
“Who’s there?” called out
Ryuuren, swerving around. “Show your face
immediately.”
A short, blonde middle-aged
man stepped out from behind a tree. Clutched In his hand was a black Canon
analog camera. “I-I’m sorry,” he stammered. “My name is Mark Kant, and I’m a
photographer. H-here’s my name card.” He shoved his name card into Ryuuren’s
hands as if to prove that he was not a shady person.
“Well, what do you want
from us?” Ryuuren asked.
Gulping, Mark Kant
continued, “As I said, I am a photographer, and I was wonder if I could
photograph you two for a magazine shoot. The theme is ‘couples in the
springtime.’ ”
“We’re not a couple!”
exclaimed Ryuuren and Nadeshiko simultaneously.
Taken aback, Mark
stammered, “Ah, well, it doesn’t matter. I would be honored to photograph you
two.”
“Sorry, I’m not
interested,” Ryuuren said.
Mark gazed wistfully at
Nadeshiko. “How about you, ojou-san? The first time I saw you, that radiant
contrast of hair and eyes color, the beautiful porcelain skin, I swore I must
photograph you. I can make you big; I know for sure. We can find another male
model to pose with you, but if you can do this photo
shoot…”
“She’s not interested,
either,” Ryuuren interrupted.
At this, Mark looked so
abashed that Nadeshiko quickly assured, “Well, if it’s one photo
shoot…”
“Nadeshiko!” Ryuuren
exclaimed.
“What, it’s just one photo
shoot—it’s not going to hurt,” Nadeshiko replied, her green eyes sparkling. “And
you have to do it with me—I can’t possibly do it
alone.”
“I refuse!”
“Please?” Nadeshiko blinked
up at the older boy expectantly.
He sighed in relent.
This
was the launch of Nadeshiko’s modeling career at the age of 15, her last year of
junior high. As Mark Kant, the foreign photographer, promised, the “Couples in
Springtime” photo shoot for JJ magazine launched her a modeling contract and
made her name big in
Years
afterwards, even after Nadeshiko married, she continued modeling. A fun
experience that had befallen her on one spring day while walking down the
dream-filled lane of cherry blossoms with the first man she had ever loved had
lead her to a life-long career. And back in
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Li
Syaoran at the age of 15 could not understand how his father could have left the
love of his life and return to
He
ran out onto the streets, whipping out his Lasin board. He placed a frayed green
ribbon on top of the board and chanted, “Imperial king of gods, your
divinity watches over the four corners. Metal, wood, water, fire, earth.
Thunder, wind, lightning. Whirling blade of light, I summon thee!”
For
a while the Lasin board glowed, then faded again. Fingering the green ribbon
with his left hand, Syaoran frowned. How could she completely disappear off the
Lasin board? The only answer would be that either she was out of the country or
an extremely strong spell was concealing her location. Was it a trap? The Dark
Ones could have gotten her. Or, she might have… He took a sharp breath.
I can’t panic. Even if she
wouldn’t tell me what she’s up to, she’d at least tell her best
friend,
Syaoran reasoned to cool his nerves, realizing that he had no clue where to
start in his search. He’d have to enlist for help.
“Sakura-chan
has disappeared?” Tomoyo exclaimed. She’d never seen Syaoran this
anxious; she even had the tact to decline from mentioning videotaping let alone
battle costume change. Syaoran had called everyone to his apartment, and the
usual crew gathered without questioning Syaoran’s voice of urgency.
“The
Lasin board doesn’t show any trace of her,” Syaoran replied grimly. “The only
one I know who can put up such a strong barrier to conceal one’s location is
Hiiragizawa Eriol.” He turned his head deliberately towards
Eriol.
“Are
you sure Sakura-san missing?” Eriol asked blandly. “You said you saw her at the
hospital this morning. We might be preemptively
panicking.”
Syaoran
leaped forward and grabbed Eriol by the collar. “You know she’d stop at nothing
in order to save everyone, given a chance. Where is
Sakura?”
“I
would tell you if I knew. Unfortunately, I have no clue myself where she is,”
Eriol replied, peeling off Syaoran’s left hand from his collar. “I too have
spent the past hour scouring for her location.”
“What
do you mean you don’t know where she is? It’s your specialty to locate people,
isn’t it?” Syaoran glared at Eriol.
“Well,
it’s your specialty to be able to locate Sakura-san, isn’t it Li-kun? Besides,
it seems like our Card Mistress knew we’d be on her track and set up a powerful
barrier—so powerful that even her location is disclosed,” Eriol stated mildly.
“It must be her doing it; I know for a fact that no one in the East is capable
of setting up a barrier that I cannot detect with the exception of one who can
wield the Shield to its full potential.”
“Why
would she do something like that, all on her own, without telling any of us?”
Syaoran demanded. He frowned, staring directly at Eriol. “You swear you didn’t
tell her anything about the Plague?”
“It
wasn’t me,” Eriol replied. “There are other people who could give her
information besides me, you know.”
When
Syaoran turned to Kero-chan, the yellow creature shook his head frantically. “I
would never dream of telling Sakura-chan—I know better than anyone how
determined she is.”
“Grrr…
Arf!” Wolfie-chan barked at Kero-chan.
“Say,
Wolfie-chan, do you know where she is?” Syaoran asked the dog who looked up at
him with sorrowful golden brown eyes.
The
dog shook his head, then nudged the wall, indicating next doors.
Syaoran
blinked. Of course; why didn’t he realize sooner?
When
Syaoran stormed into Kai’s bedroom, he was not surprised to find the bed empty.
Don’t tell me that wretched thief got away… Syaoran yanked open the black
silk curtains and slid open the balcony door, ignoring the parrot pecking at his
arm. He found Kai perched on top of the balcony banister, presumably ready to
jump off.
“What
are you doing out there in the cold?” Syaoran demanded, looming over
him.
“Cigarette
break,” Kai replied, sneezing, slipping back onto the balcony with casual ease.
Just a second more, and he would have been able to escape Syaoran’s wrath. Why,
oh why did everyone insist on nagging him?
“You
don’t smoke.” Syaoran sighed. “Look, I don’t have time to waste arguing with
you. Do you happen to know where Sakura is?”
Shrugging,
Kai replied, “How would I know if you don’t know?”
“Exactly,”
Syaoran said, grabbing the collar of Kai’s shirt and dragging him up. “Would you
care to enlighten me before things get bloody?”
“Why
do you all come to plague me? What makes you think I’m involved in this,
anyway?” Kai said, yanking his shirt away from Syaoran’s grasp. He was still
drowsy and tired. These days, things seemed to be happening one after another,
leaving him no moment of peace.
“There
are only two sources in
Smirking,
Kai replied, “You forget there’s a third factor. Sakura
herself.”
“Why
would she conceal herself from me?” Syaoran then paled. “Don’t tell
me…”
Kai
sighed—if he had a choice, he would be in a den of hyenas than facing the
infamous Li temper at this moment. Even if he told Syaoran now, it was too late
anyway; he wouldn’t be able to stop Sakura now. “I’m sorry Syaoran. I told her,”
Kai said quietly. “I told her how to seal the Plague. And I gave her access to
the Five Force Treasures.”
Syaoran
swallowed hard. His worst fears were confirmed. There was no point in raging at
Kai. “Where is she now?”
“I
don’t know.”
“How
long has it been since she left?”
“A
little over an hour,” replied Kai. But still enough time for Sakura to do what
she had to do.
Without
listening any further, Syaoran jumped over the banister.
“Wait,
we’re on the seventh floor!” Kai called out half-heartedly. He saw Syaoran had
landed neatly on the road hundred feet below, then he dragged his leaden body
indoors and collapsed back into bed. I’m sorry Syaoran. I’m fond of Sakura
too, but it can’t be helped. And you won’t be able to stop her now, anyway. No
one will.
Syaoran
sprinted down the path, down to the main road. His breath came out in short
puffs into the winter air; he wished he had remembered to bring his coat. Around
a century and a half ago was the last time the Five Force Treasures were
gathered in one spot, in order to seal the Plague that had been released by the
Dark One. Since the seal on the Plague had been broken. The last time it was
released, Li Ryuuren and Amamiya Nadeshiko took it upon their hands to use their
own bodies as containers to seal the Plague. How they did it, Syaoran could not
fathom. All he knew was that back then, they possessed three of the Five
Treasures, and the ancient magic sealed within the treasures had lent them
powers unimaginable to them. With all five treasures gathered in one spot,
Syaoran did not know what powers would be granted upon Sakura. All he knew is
that a single person could not be a vessel for such great source of magic and
not be consumed by it.
“So,
how are we going to find Sakura-chan?” Tomoyo asked, panting as she and the
others caught up to Syaoran. “What did Kai-kun say?”
“She’s
taken the Five Force Treasures—I think she’s up to some big mess right now,”
Syaoran replied shortly.
When
Tomoyo turned to Eriol to see his reaction, she was taken back to see his grim
expression. She realized that he had known all along that it would come down to
this. Yet, Eriol was not the one who told Sakura about the Five Force Treasures.
Why had he kept the knowledge from Sakura?
“We
can always split up and look,” Kero-chan suggested.
“If
our Mistress didn’t want to be found, what makes you think that we’d be able to
see her, even if we find her?” Yue, who had just arrived via air, commented
disdainfully. Upon hearing the news of Sakura’s disappearance, Yue had flown
over to the crew in a hurry. Kero-chan glared at his poison-tongued fellow
guardian.
“No
time. We’ve got to think,” Syaoran said. He fingered the frayed green ribbon in
his pocket. So, she concealed her powers and her location through the Shield.
Well, she was mistaken if she thought that would keep him from finding her. He
had to stop her from doing something really stupid. He had to stop her before it
was too late. But to do so, he had to find her first. Where could she be?
“Well,
are we going to just stand around here then?” Miho
demanded.
“No,
Li-kun’s right. The results will be detrimental if we don’t stop Sakura-san in
time.” Eriol spoke for the first time. “I’d be truthful—I have no idea where she
could be.” They all turned to Syaoran, remembering that last year in
Syaoran
tapped his foot impatiently. He simply had to think like Sakura—and he knew her
well enough to follow her train of logic. She’d need a relatively spacious,
open-ceiling place to work, somewhere near the center of the town. She’d
probably prefer a relatively elevated, quiet place, but also, somewhere that she
feels safe and secure, comfortable in, where she won’t be disturbed in on a
bustling Sunday. A familiar place.
“The
school rooftop. Sakura’s at the school rooftop!” Syaoran exclaimed. It was so
obvious, why did he not think of it earlier? “Cerberus, take me to the school.”
Cerberus
did not even protest against Syaoran’s authoritative tone. Immediately Syaoran
and Tomoyo jumped on his back, and Cerberus soared off into the sky. Miho and
Eriol climbed on Spinel Sun’s back, and they tailed Cerberus and flew off
towards the school.
******
Kinomoto
Sakura, mistress of the Sakura Cards, sat in the center of the rooftop of Seijou
Junior High in a circle made by the Five Force Treasures, the Mirror of Truth
facing her, and beside it the Li Sword, on the other side the diamond necklace.
Behind her was the sapphire ring and the ruby earrings of the Dark Ones. “Bestow
the power of the Five Treasures onto your one humble servant to seal the foulest
of dark forces,” she commanded, and the Five Treasures gleamed then rose into
the air to surround her. Amamiya Hayashi’s diamond necklace settled around her
neck, and the Chang rubies shimmered from her lobes. The Reed sapphire felt
heavy around her ring finger while the Li Sword was lain in front of the Mizuki
Mirror of Truth levitated in front of her. She held her staff with both hands,
bracing herself as she summoned the Plague. “The Mirror that Sees. I summon the
Plague in front of me. I, Sakura, command you under
contract!”
The
Plague, in the form of a large black rat with glowing crimson eyes, appeared in
front of Sakura. Sakura shuddered at the sight of the vile vermin, realizing
that it had been responsible for the death of countless people. For the death of
her mother and Syaoran’s father.
It
snarled at Sakura, realizing that it was she who had summoned him to the roof.
Then it bared its fangs at the fresh meat laid right before
it.
“Plague,”
Sakura uttered through gritted teeth. “I’ll seal you if it’s the last thing I
do. I won’t let you kill another person.”
The
rat circled around Sakura, as if awaiting the right moment to prance at her and
bite into her flesh, and suck the life out of her. It hissed at Sakura, like a
cat humoring a mouse before prancing on it.
Yet,
Sakura was past the point of fear, intimation or horror. She was completely
calm, and knew what she must now do. Though she knew the Plague might attack her
any moment, she swiped out the one card she had created out of her own will.
“Heal! Cleanse the city of the Plague.” As she struck down her staff against the
Heal Card, the Five Force Treasures blazed, and she felt fiery burning and an
icy chill wrap around her veins, up her arms, channeled through her staff and
into the Heal.
The
rat let out a piercing screech as it was blinded by the light, and it scurried
to a shadowed corner of the roof. Sakura relentlessly fed her power into the
Heal feeling her aura radiate out across from the school, into town. She emptied
her mind and signaled her powers towards the hospital, all throughout Tomoeda,
all the way to
At
that moment, Syaoran and Tomoyo arrived soaring through the dusky orange sky on
Cerberus’ back. Cerberus swerved around the school top, impressed to see that
Syaoran’s deduction had been right. The great beast blinked its golden eyes,
blinded by the blazing light that surrounded Sakura. It took them a second to
realize what the large black rodent standing in front of Sakura actually
was.
“SAKURA!”
Syaoran shouted when he realized that Sakura was simply ignoring the black rat.
“Stay away from the Plague!”
Cerberus
tried to land on the rooftop but was repelled by a strong barrier and reeled off
midair. Tomoyo and Syaoran clung onto the golden beast, shaken by the
impact.
“What’s
the matter?” Miho demanded, clutching onto Eriol’s waist, flying on Spinel Sun’s
back.
“The
barrier. Our Card Mistress won’t let us in,” Yue replied, circling around the
circumference of the roof. He let fly a pointed silver feather to test the
strength of the barrier; upon hitting the Shield, the feather’s tip sizzled,
then blew away in the wind.
“Sakura,
let us in!” Syaoran drew his sword clumsily with his left hand. “If you don’t
let us in, we’ll have to break our way in!”
But
Sakura was not listening. She was completely focused on the Plague. Through the
Mirror of Truth, she could see that a glowing rose aura enveloped Kanto
district, absorbing the previous black that had clouded the area, indicating the
spread of the Plague. Sakura quavered as the last of the powers in the Five
Force Treasure were absorbed into her staff and the light went out of the
sapphire ring, then the Mirror of Truth. For a brief second, she saw the image
of a woman with weary gray eyes and long unbound auburn hair stare out from the
glass, shaking her head. Then the mirror toppled over onto the cement floor with
a clatter. But she did not notice.
“A
little more,” Sakura whispered to herself, oblivious to the ruckus around her.
“A little more and I’ll rid of the Plague completely.” Her white knuckled hands
were trembling from gripping her staff so tight. She felt a wave of nausea as
she exerted all that she had left into the Heal card.
“Stop
it, Sakura!” Syaoran screamed, banging on the barrier with his shoulder.
Tomoyo
tightly gripped onto Syaoran’s sweater, afraid that he would fall off Cerberus’
back at this rate.
“Sakura,
if you use anymore power, you’ll be cutting into your life source!” Syaoran
continued, slamming his sword into the barrier, which repelled him so badly that
he was flung off Cerberus’ back and dropped him down alongside the school
building until Yue swept down and caught him.
“I
don’t think she can hear us,” Yue told Syaoran.
Even
while Syaoran was trying to find an opening in the Shield, Eriol had been
deriving a powerful barrier breaking spell, hesitant to execute it because he
was not sure what effect it would have on the barrier maker.
“What
are you waiting for?” Miho demanded, as Eriol’s staff wavered. She pulled his
arm down and pointed it to the barrier. The staff let out a stream of blue-black
aura which shot down into the invisible barrier and etched black fissures around
the barrier. Yet, it did not break; it only resulted in Sakura being aware of
their presence for the first time. She lost concentration and looked up to see
Syaoran pounding on blank air, shouting her name.
It
was just the distraction the Plague needed to leap forward from its corner in
the shadow, and pounce onto Sakura’s neck, sinking its venomous yellow fangs
into Sakura’s soft flesh.
“NOOO!!!”
cried Syaoran, hurling himself shoulder first against the barrier. This time, he
clearly felt the barrier tremble—it would be a matter of time before it
completely collapsed. But he did not have time.
Sakura
let out a short gasp at the biting pain between her neck and collarbone and
flung away the vermin with all her might. For the first time, she realized that
her entire body was trembling because she had no strength left; it was difficult
even to breathe. Her vision was fading and she could see black spots in front of
her eyes. And she kept hearing Syaoran’s voice, even though she knew she had
concealed herself and that no one could find her. She had to seal the Plague
before its poison spread through her body. The Plague knew she was weak, and
scampered towards the other side of the roof. A wave of nausea washed over
Sakura, and her breath became rapid and truncated. Inch by inch, she dragged
herself forward towards the Li Clan Sword. With trembling hand, she reached out
and grabbed the hilt, then hoisted herself up using the sword as a crutch. She
had to pin down the Plague. The sword was heavier than she had expected, and it
took every bit of her aching arm muscles to lift it up above her
head.
With all the strength she
could muster, she leaped forward and swung the blade down with both arms,
piercing the gigantic rat through its stomach. She did not even hear the
piercing screech the rat let out, though Tomoyo, Miho and the others blocked
their ears. She stared at the gleaming sword of the Li Clan, edge stained with
black blood. The sword that had been Syaoran, and before that belonged to Li
Ryuuren, the man that her mother had first loved, and the man who was the father
of the one she loved. He would have been so proud of Syaoran, had he seen his
son now. “This is for Syaoran’s father.” The rat still squirmed, but she did not
relent. She raised the sword up fiercely and stabbed the rat again. Then there
was Miho, who had lost her entire family, Kai, who had abandoned everything in
order to find the Five Force Treasures, Mizuki Miara, who was confined to the
hospital for all these years, separated from her children. She cried out loud,
“This is for Miho-chan and her family.” She realized that her vision was blurred
not because of lightheadedness but because tears were fast dripping down her
cheeks, onto the sword, and she did not even known where she was swinging
anymore. She said choked, stabbing the sword down again, “This is for Subaru,
and all the centuries of your helpless victims.” Black gas vaporized around the
Plague, seeping out of its wounds.
“Sakura! Stay away from the
venom!” Eriol called out, slamming the bottom of his staff into the barrier.
Miho was startled by the edge in his voice, for Eriol never raised his voice.
Then again, neither did he ever look like tears would fall from his eyes, as if
he had remembered something he had long since forgotten.
“And
this is for me!” Sakura panted, sword already raised for the final blow. She
struck down mercilessly, pinning the rat down straight through its heart to the
ground. The mother that she never had—the Plague had taken away her father’s
loved wife, leaving him to raise her and her brother on his own. The Plague
flinched and screeched a bloodcurdling final wail. Everyone winced. Even as the
rat-form evaporated, its poisonous fumes shrouded Sakura.
She
gasped for air, picking up her staff again. The wound in her neck
throbbed and her hands on her staff were burned raw from the energy exerted from
her skin. Sakura, kneeling in front of the remnants of the Plague, held up her
staff and cried out in gasps, “Spirit of the dark forces… I, Sakura command you.
Return to a new shape under contract. Sakura Card!”
The Plague resisted the
ultimate seal, trying to escape in all directions, but it was entrapped in
Sakura’s overwhelming aura, bound by the magic circle of the Great Five. So deep
was she in concentration that she did not see the awe in everyone’s eyes at what
was unfolding before them.
The rat had mostly lost its form,
but it red eyes still glared at Sakura. It let out a last malicious shriek,
before it collapsed into a card. Even as she held the Plague card, with a black
rodent on its face, she felt the Plague’s malevolent last attack streak through
the weakened barrier, towards town. She could not yet conceive that the Plague
had been sealed, for her body felt like every limb had been ripped apart from
her torso, finger from hand, hand from arm, arm from shoulder. Her skin prickled
as if she had been pressed against a scorching iron grid and then sprayed with
salt. Several times, her eyeballs rolled back, but she realized that she could
not collapse yet. And she was jolted back into reality when she felt Subaru’s
heart beat grow weaker, back in the Kinhoshi hospital, where he had fallen into
a coma. He was not healed yet. The Plague had left its mark. There were still
numerous people remaining to be healed.
She could not quite sit up straight,
but knelt down on the ground, unaware of the gravelly cement cutting into her
knees. Even knowing that she was dry of her powers, she called out again, “Heal!
Save Subaru!”
It took a second for Syaoran to
realize what Sakura was doing. “No Sakura! You’re past your limit!” Syaoran
shouted, pounding on the barrier, wondering when Sakura would come to her
senses. Tomoyo was genuinely frightened as she saw a wild look of terror wash
over Syaoran’s eyes.
But
shaking her head, Sakura said to herself, “I promised Subaru I’ll save him.”
Yet, the Heal would not release again, for she had nothing left in her. She
waved her staff in the air, crying out, “Heal! I command you to release!”
“Why
isn’t the barrier breaking?” Tomoyo asked, as Cerberus swooped around the
rooftop for an opening. “Sakura-chan’s out of all her powers, isn’t
she?”
“Look.”
Eriol pointed to Sakura’s neck, around which hung the diamond necklace of
Amamiya Hayashi, the last of the Five Force Treasures to retain its powers. The
glimmering star-like gem was still glowing. “The last of the power embedded in
that stone is sustaining both the barrier and Sakura-san—otherwise, she would
have collapsed long ago.”
Even
as Eriol pointed out that remaining source of power, Sakura looked down and
realized the gem against her chest was still warm. Smiling in a euphoric state,
she cupped the ovular stone in her two hands, and commanded, “Power of great
ancestor Amamiya-sama; give thine all to me. I, Kinomoto Sakura, bind thee with
blood and life.”
Eriol
paled as he ascertained what Sakura was doing. “We’ve got to stop her. She’s
cutting into what’s remaining of her life-source.”
“What
do you mean?” Tomoyo asked, turning to Eriol. Was it terror that she heard in
his voice?
“When
a person uses up all their powers, it means that they’re powerless for the
moment, but eventually it comes back. Like lost blood,” Eriol said gravely. “It
happens to most of us when we get carried away. But what happens when you lose
too much blood?”
“You
can’t recover,” Miho replied grimly.
“And
Sakura’s used up beyond her regular power. Power can be generated from any raw
energy, and if she uses all of her lifeline—” Eriol could not bring himself to
finish his own sentence.
“Sakura,
listen to me! You’ve done more than you could have today. You’ve captured the
Plague. You’ve rid of it forever. Now, let us handle the rest,” Syaoran cried
out frantically. “You can stop now! There’s nothing more you can
do!”
Golden-brown
hair whipping over her sweaty face, Sakura tilted her head slightly, almost as
if she heard Syaoran’s words. But, at this point she could not hear or see or
feel anything; her body was entirely numb. All she knew was that she had to keep
her promise to save Subaru. “HEAL!” A great rose-colored light, enwrapped in
shimmers of pale yellow-green, flooded out of the rooftop.
“SAKURA!
STOP IT!” Cerberus boomed out in his deep voice.
Tomoyo
clenched her eyes shut, while Yue struck through the barrier with his bare
fist.
Syaoran
thrust all of his will into his sword point as he pierced into the barrier. He
was met by a blazing resistance and his skin prickled, as if he was getting
electrocuted. The barrier trembled at the impact and finally crumbled, and he
fell onto the rooftop, shoulder-first. Oblivious to the stun from the hard
impact, Syaoran ran towards Sakura, who even as he approached, wavered. She
murmured softly, “I can’t sleep yet. I must save Subaru…” Even as she spoke, the
light around her complete faded and they heard a large crack as the glow from
the crystal turned dull and the stone split into two, falling onto the ground.
And Sakura toppled over into Syaoran’s arms.
“Sakura!”
Syaoran’s heart plummeted to his stomach. He shook her. “Sakura! Answer
me!” But she swayed back and forth in his arms like a limp rag doll. With
trembling fingers he felt her neck to check for her pulse. “Someone, call the
ambulance.” His voice cracked. “We need to take her to the emergency room,
now!”
“No!”
Tomoyo gasped, jumping off from Cerberus’ back, stumbling towards
Sakura.
Yue
swerved up to Syaoran, taking one glance at his Mistress then sank down onto the
rooftop, kneeling in front of her. Tomoyo had her cellphone out in her trembling
hand, ready to dial.
Cerberus
shook his head, “It’ll be quicker if I fly her—“
“No,
it’s dangerous in her unconscious state,” Eriol said. His staff was already in
his hand, and a golden sun circle materialized at their feet. “I’m going to
transport her to
“I’ll
do that,” Tomoyo said, glancing over to the pale, pale Sakura, whose arm dangled
so limply by her side. Tomoyo could see the ugly red welts on Sakura’s palm,
where she had gripped her staff. Trying not to panic, Tomoyo bent over and tried
to pick up the staff, which had returned to its key state, then quickly dropped
it again because it was burning hot. She took out a handkerchief, then picked up
the Key of Star and the fragments of the diamond crystal and the molten chain.
“I’m
going with her,” said Syaoran in a low voice, clutching Sakura even
tighter.
Eriol
nodded without questioning further.
“Sakura’s
going to be okay, right?” Miho asked in a small voice. She expected Eriol to
confidently reassure her that Sakura just needed a good rest, and she would wake
up tomorrow, fine.
Instead,
he struck his black staff down, and Sakura and Syaoran disappeared from the
school roof.
“Miho,
you’ve got to do something for me,” Eriol said grimly, turning to the younger
girl. “We’re going home right now.”
“But
I want to go see Sakura in the hospital!” Miho protested.
“Later.
Right now, you’re going to have to help me find some emergency measure spells,”
Eriol continued, collecting the remaining four treasures. “Mizuki Mayura was the
greatest healer of her time. I am counting on your help.”
Miho
blinked up at Eriol. Eriol was always calm and omnipotent. When he was fighting
the duel against Syaoran, when he was facing the Snow Queen was nothing compared
to his current state. Eriol never perspired, never lost composure. Yet, there
was a sense of urgency in Eriol’s deep voice that was never heard before.
Cerberus,
who knew Clow Reed better than any mortal being, shook his head slowly. He knew
that in Eriol’s eyes, he, Cerberus, Guardian of the Clow, had failed to protect
his Mistress. “I’ll take you to find Sakura’s father,” he said to
Tomoyo.
“I’ll
go find Touya,” Yue said, flying off. He refused to believe that there was any
harm to come to Sakura, yet her brother had a right to know, though he was
reluctant to explain to Touya exactly why Sakura had been allowed to get to such
a state.
Spinel
Sun shot off back to the Clow estate with Eriol and Miho on his back towards the
dark horizon.
******
“What
do you mean she’s used up all of her life line?” Touya demanded to the person he
despised most in the world.
Syaoran
was not even listening to Touya anymore, for he did not have the energy or the
will to argue with Sakura’s older brother. His right arm ached again—though it
was stiff, he was able to move his fingers now. And his cough no longer brought
up blood. Most of the symptoms in the patients that suffered from the Plague had
subsided, and patients were being released from the hospital at a rapid rate.
Except
for one. A pale Sakura lay on white sheets, motionless. The doctors had deemed
that she was merely unconscious and would come about in her own time. They
simply dismissed her from the emergency room, which was overcrowded with
patients with more pressing matters. Sakura had been moved to the general room,
then later transferred to a private suite by Daidouji Sonoko, who upon hearing
that Sakura had collapsed, insisted upon the head doctor checking upon Sakura.
Sonomi also demanded that Sakura should have her own room, instead of lying
besides patients with “who knows what diseases and germs.”
Touya
glared at Syaoran. “I said, what exactly happened to
Sakura?”
“As
I said before, Sakura was trying to capture the Plague,” Syaoran said with
brevity, for he had already explained the situation to Touya upon arriving in
the emergency room and again after the doctors’ reassurance that there was
nothing wrong with Sakura. “And she got carried away.”
”What
do you mean ‘carried away’? And what were all of you doing?” Touya asked,
glaring at Yukito, who was grimmer than anyone could remember him to be.
“Sakura
had a barrier around her. She used the power of the Five Force Treasures,”
Yukito replied, unable to meet his best friend’s eyes. “You know its powers; no
one can break them.”
“So,
why exactly hasn’t she woken up by now?” Touya stared at Sakura’s fluttering
eyelids. She could have almost been sleeping, but her face had a grayish pallor
unseen before, and almost no breath came from her nose. The last time he had
seen someone that chill aura… It had been his mother in her deathbed. “Her pulse
is so shallow—she’s not sleeping, is she?”
“We
don’t know,” Yukito replied wearily. “All we can do is
wait.”
“And
what if she does not wake up?” Touya demanded.
“Eriol’s
coming up with something,” Yukito replied.
“Clow
Reed’s reincarnation?” Touya scoffed. “Shouldn’t he have done something before
she got to this state? I didn’t expect much from the Brat,” he glared at
Syaoran, “But I’m sure this Clow or whatever could have done
something.”
“You
underestimate your sister’s strength,” Yukito said, gazing at Sakura’s still
figure. “She sealed the Plague—no mortal has ever done that before. And she was
trying to save everybody; she placed healing everyone above her own life. How
many people can truly do that?”
“Is
it all right that we don’t call for Sakura’s father?” Syaoran interjected.
Tomoyo had not been able to get in touch with Kinomoto Fujitaka for he was out
of town.
“He’s
in
“Well,
I think her father has a right to know,” Syaoran said quietly, ignoring the fact
that Touya was glaring at him again.
“We
will contact my father when there is a change in her condition,” Touya repeated,
and that was final. And nobody challenged him other wise.
What
followed were the longest, most anguishing days for Sakura’s friends and
brother. When Sakura did not awake after the third day, even the doctors became
concerned, as they hooked her up to IVs and checked her pulse frequently.
“Her
pulse is getting weaker,” the doctor said solemnly. “At this
rate…”
“Yet,
we do not know what the cause is,” the second doctor stated. “Li-san, you
mentioned that it was over exhaustion? Or it could be traces of the recent
plague that has been circulating this neighborhood. But she’s not responding to
any of our medication and antibiotics, and she shows no physical symptoms of the
plague.”
“Can’t
you do anything, doctor?” Touya demanded.
“I’m
sorry, Kinomoto-kun. I know she’s your sister, but we cannot cure when we don’t
know the cause,” replied the doctor, shaking his head slowly. He quickly
retreated from the suite because the tension was stifling.
“Well,
don’t you have a solution?” Touya asked, crossing his arms and facing the
younger boy who had been haunting Sakura’s bedside for three days. “You’re from
the high and mighty Li Clan or whatever, aren’t you? So, what did your masters
teach you besides circus tricks?”
Syaoran
was too weary to answer to Touya’s usual cutting remarks. The best Healers of
the Li Clan would not have an answer, even if he had not been banished by the
Elders. He had stayed by Sakura’s bedside for the past three days, day and
night, without much sleep or food. Tomoyo had brought Syaoran his change of
clothes. Even though it meant being constantly in the presence of Touya, Syaoran
refused to let Sakura out of sight. Initially, Touya and Syaoran bickered and
sulked around each other, but eventually, they simply accepted that the other
must be present by Sakura, whose condition might change any moment. By the
second day, they worked out shifts where each could take short meal and nap
breaks while the other watched.
“Eriol
has been researching for cures,” Yukito replied for Syaoran, picking up a glass
of water and bringing it to Sakura’s lips to moisten her mouth.
Touya
stared hard at Yukito’s white hands. He rubbed his eyes, wondering if lack of
sleep was causing hallucinations. Then, he caught Syaoran’s eyes, and realized
that it was true. He could see the glass straight through Yukito’s
hands.
It
was the fourth day that Sakura’s condition worsened. She had developed a burning
fever and was perspiring so heavily that she was changed into a new gown every
couple hours because the old one would become soaked, and she would start
shivering. Though deep anguish was written on her face, she let out no sound,
nor did she move at all. She was unresponsive to any treatment, medication and
injection. And Sakura’s father was finally called for.
“Touya-san,
how could you not tell me about this?” Fujitaka demanded in a low voice when he
saw his daughter’s pale face against the white sheets. He was still in a suit
and he set down his briefcase on the ground, breathing heavily, for he had
caught the red-eye bullet train from
“We
didn’t want to falsely worry you during your seminar,” Touya replied, realizing
how ridiculous his excuse sounded.
“There
is nothing more important than the health of my children,” Fujitaka answered. “I
won’t ask any questions. Yet, I heard from the doctors that the cause
Sakura-san’s coma is unknown, and that all we can do is
wait.”
“Sakura
will be all right,” Touya said in a broken voice. His eyes were red-rimmed from
lack of sleep, and he was suddenly ashamed about trying to hide everything from
his father. Of course his father knew best. After all, he had lost Nadeshiko—he
knew better than any one else how trying illness could be. “I’m sorry otou-san,
I’m sorry for not being able to protect Sakura.”
Touya
leaned his head against his father’s shoulder, as if he were a boy of ten again,
and Fujitaka patted Touya’s back gently. “You tried your best, Touya-san.
Sakura-san is going to be all right. Nadeshiko-san is looking after her. Be
brave, and trust Sakura-san’s will to wake from her sleep.” And suddenly, Touya
was very glad that his father was by his side. Even when their mother had died,
Fujitaka never showed tears in front of his children. His father was his
greatest role model, and Touya grew up believing that even in adversity, one
cannot lose composure. Yet, he also found it difficult to be as understanding
and encompassing as his father.
Syaoran
bowed down low to Sakura’s father, afraid that Fujitaka might be angered that he
had allowed harm to befall his daughter. Instead, Fujitaka smiled and said,
“Thank you, Li-san, for looking after Sakura-san.”
“I-I’m
sorry,” Syaoran stammered, not knowing how else to respond.
“Sakura-san
will be glad to know you’re by her side,” Fujitaka said gently, because more
than anyone else, the boy from
That
night, Fujitaka stayed by his daughter’s bedside, and Touya and Syaoran each got
more than five hours of sleep for the first time in days. Over the night,
Sakura’s fever quenched a little as Fujitaka wiped her sweaty forehead with a
cool towel all night long.