Chapter 2 - Distant Voices, part 2: Sakura and Fated Decisions

Distant Voices, part 2: Sakura and Fated Decisions

Out of the shadows and the darkness and onto the shore before Sakura stepped the figure and reveled was a boy of her age, tall and strong. "Syaoran?" Sakura ebbed, her voice almost leaving her. She looked at his face, into his deep brown eyes, and then at his flowing green robes and he spoke again, "You're alright. I wasn't sure if..." said the dark figure. Rimmed in the light of the crescent moon he strode to the water’s edge and came into view. "...if I..."

"SYAORAN!" Sakura yelled as she jumped toward him and hugged him with happiness replacing wonder and fear. Syaoran held his breath as he blushed but as he exhaled he hugged her back with relief.

"What in blazes is the racket over there!" Came Kero's imposing voice from the distance startling the two out of their trance. They broke from one another and Sakura looked up into Syaoran’s big brown eyes.

"C'mon!" Sakura said as she then grabbed Syaoran's hand and ran toward their friends.

"Li!?" Tomoyo exclaimed as the two pairs met.

"AH! The Brat!" Kero shouted.

"Kero!" Sakura scolded.

Sakura felt Syaoran's grip on her hand tighten slightly to get her attention. "We have to go!"

"What? ah, o- okay, but why?" Sakura asked.

"Because it's not safe here. It's still out there." He said ominously.

Sakura felt herself fill with fear once again and images of frightful things raced through her mind as she took in Syaoran's words. "Wh- what is?" She choked out.

Kero looked at his master, Sakura with similar concerns and then to Syaoran for the answers he didn't have for his master.

"The Voice on the Wind, a phantom spirit. It has come for you, Sakura." Syaoran said. There was then a gust of wind and a low wail in the distance now sounding more like a voice than ever, deep and bloody. "We've got to hurry. It's coming for us!" The wail then became a scream seeming to be very near and with it the four souls took to their feet and fled this accursed place.

They ran through the shrine and the wind began to whip. The creaking of the trees and the violent whipping of their branches was almost defining. The pursuing voice behind now seemed to come from many directions. The whipping leaves and waving branches hindered their path out of the large shrine. Syaoran led them but he also took the brunt of the Voice's wrath; the leaves and branches struck him as he led the group and with the wind it seemed almost futile to attempt escape but he would not relinquish. With anger and determination he drew his sword from its sheath in his sash and cleared their path with a vengeance.

Finally out of the shrine and out of breath, Syaoran slowed to a stop though the wind still blew and rain now fell like sharp pins. The moon was gone once again and darkness was all about them. Sakura breathed hard but was still very frightened. she couldn't see anything, not Kero, not Tomoyo and not Syaoran the dark all around was so thick. "Syaoran?" She pleaded between breaths hoping that she was not once again alone. She felt a hand grasp her shoulder.

"I'm here." She heard him say. She stepped close to him and felt the cold dampness of a large wall. She then felt Tomoyo's hands on her arm. Sakura turned to her friend and embraced her close. Syaoran stood close to the girls and Kero rested on Sakura's shoulder. "Stay still." Syaoran said. He put his arms on either side of the girls. With his arms around them he closed his eyes and murmured a chant that Sakura couldn't make out. The words he spoke were similar to those he had in the past while casting a spell though these words sounded darker.

After a few moment of this he fell silent. The wind had died down and all that could be heard was the light pitter patter of raindrops and the breathing of the four souls. Sakura could just barely see Syaoran still standing over Tomoyo and she but suddenly he fell to his knees. "Syaoran!"- "Li?" The girls called out. Sakura dropped to the ground. "Syaoran, Syaoran?" She pleaded.

"I'm alright." He said. "I've cast a spell to hide us from it." He leaned back on the wall and the girls knelt beside him.

"I'm sure you felt it, Sakura, he's been expending a lot of magic. He's wiped out." Kero said and for once, Syaoran didn't argue.

"Oh." Sakura whispered.

Syaoran then started to get up. "Wait, Syaoran!" Sakura said as he stood. "You're still weak."

"I- don't know how long- the spell will last. I'll be fine. We have to keep moving." he huffed, still short of breath.

"Alright." Sakura said. "Where are we going?"

"I came here in a hurry but my family managed to make some arrangements while I was on my way. I have an apartment not far from here. Once we're there we can talk more."

"Okay." Sakura said. "What about you, Tomoyo? Are you okay?"

Tomoyo just smiled and said: "I'm with you and Li, how could anything possibly happen?"
"Good!" Kero biped. "Then let's go. Lead the way, Brat!"

Though very tired, Syaoran managed to swat at Kero a few times before he remembered something important. "Sakura?"

"Yah?"

"I probably don't have to ask you this but you have The Clow with you right?"

Sakura patted her pocket. "Right here." She said with a smile.

Syaoran's expression was anxious at best. "Good." He said after a pause. "Keep it closed."

Sakura wasn't sure where he was coming from, if she didn't open the book she couldn't use the cards or her magic. She had faith in his judgments and much trust in him though. "Okay, I won't."

With Kero concealed in Sakura's hands, Syaoran led them back into the city. In their past dealings with magical events there tended not to be anyone around for certain reasons but this was not the case this time. The three noticed some odd glances from people on the streets as they hurried on their way, most of them toward Syaoran in his robes with his large sword on his back.

Most of the way they jogged, slowing their pace to a fast walk only once in a while. Tomoyo was getting tired, as well was Sakura but Syaoran kept marching. Sakura, though ready to throw herself on the ground and refuse to get up for a week, was more worried about Syaoran than herself or Tomoyo. She knew his magic had already drained him and she was worried.

The four finally Came to a three story apartment building and Syaoran stopped. No one said as much and it was no secret but they were very glad for having finally arrived. It was only a short distance further to the apartment and once inside all flopped down onto the floor. Sakura could sense nothing in the still of the night so she and Tomoyo rested for a while sprawled on the floor on their backs. After a while Sakura opened her eyes and looked around. There was no furniture yet in the apartment and on the second glance she realized that it was the same apartment that Syaoran had lived in before. She then realize that he was nowhere in sight.

She sat up and her eyes were suddenly bombarded with light coming from the hallway. The light hurt her eyes as she had been in the dark for what seemed like hours. Out of the light came Syaoran no longer dressed in his green battle robes. He now wore a simple pair of tan pants and a dark green T shirt and in his hands were several white towels. Sakura then realized that she was very damp from the rain. Tomoyo had already stood and taken off her rain coat and kindly accepted the towel from Syaoran. Sakura being cold and rather unhappy as a result, did the same.

"Thanks, Syaoran." She beamed as he handed her the towel and took her rain coat.

Syaoran made everyone some hot tea and the voice on the wind, the so called Phantom, seemed to pass out of their minds. They sat silently in a circle in the empty living room sipping their tea and drying themselves off. Syaoran sat with his sword and had placed four magic scrolls and several burning candles around them. Sakura guess right in that it was another protective spell. After a few minuets the four had finished their tea and it was evident that Kero wanted to talk.

He hovered in the air with his arms and legs crossed starring at Syaoran. "Well?" He asked in an irritated tone of voice. "When are you going to tell us exactly what's going on."

Syaoran sat with his eyes closed ignoring Kero for a few seconds before beginning. "My guess is we're safe for now." he said.

"I know that! that's not what I asked!" Kero shouted argumentatively.

"Kero! Just let Syaoran explain." Sakura said.

A short pause followed before he began again and in that time Sakura could sense his mood had become more serious. "What's going on" He said "is that we're being hunted." Sakura didn't like the sound of that and Tomoyo and Kero weren't too thrilled either. "It's after the cards. That's why I told you not to open the book, Sakura. As long as the seal is in place The Clow is impervious to almost anything except maybe Clow himself- er, themselves."

"Okay, I understand that," Sakura said. "but what do we do about this 'Phantom'?" Sakura said shakily.

"Wait just one second!" Kero shouted. "How is it that you know all this in the first place?" Kero accused Syaoran pointing a paw at him.

Syaoran looked away. "That's not important." He said quaintly sounding almost mournful in Sakura's opinion. Kero starred at Syaoran for a bit but gave up on prying as it seemed that it would be no use. "Anyway, I don't really know what to do about the Phantom. The truth is I don't actually know what it is. It could be anything with any motivation for its actions." Syaoran said.

"So what you're saying is that we don't know anything that we didn't know before?" Kero criticized.

"That's not true." Tomoyo said. "We know it's after The Clow."

"That's right!" Sakura agreed with optimism. She then looked at her friends. Everyone including Kero was exhausted. Tomoyo was laying on her side and Kero had fluttered down and was sitting on the floor with her. Syaoran was still sitting up but Sakura could tell he could barely keep his eyes open. "Hay everyone," Sakura said. "Why don't we get some sleep and talk more in the morning?"

"You guys go ahead. I'll keep watch." Syaoran said.

"No!" Sakura said surprising Syaoran. "You've worked the hardest and you disserve a break too."

"I hate to say it but Sakura is right about that." Kero said. "And besides, you look terrible, kid, like you're about to die or something so I think sleep is a good idea. I'll keep watch."
Syaoran let out a deep breath of frustration. "Fine."

Without the aid of any pillows and in the dim flickering light of the candles the three quickly fell asleep and it was now up to Kero.

A few hours went by and despite his tireless efforts Kero fell asleep as well but fortunately Sakura had been bothered by her dreams once again and was awake. She held the Clow in her hands and looked down upon it. The wind outside still blew. It sounded not like a voice this time but quiet whispers of many voices in the back of Sakura's mind. The rain did also still fall like the pitter patter of small footsteps. As she listened the rhythmic sounds she felt herself once again in a dreamlike state of mind, not quite asleep but not in the waking world. The whispers began to grow as if more and more voices surfaced in her mind from a turbulent place underneath. Though there were many, Sakura, in a not completely conscious way, could tell their message: they in so many words beckoned her to do what she knew she should not.

'open the door'

'free them'

'bring them out of the darkness'

The voices all became louder and all spoke to Sakura at once within her mind.

As if she was watching herself through someone else's eyes and through the hazy mist of trance Sakura opened the book in her hands. All was silent; the whispers gone, the footsteps stopped. The candles flickered and the shadows in the room jumped about. Sakura looked down at the first card. Windy was on the top of the deck just as it had been that first fateful night, and just as before she reached down and took it from the book.

'deliver them to me'

This time the voice was no whisper. It was a deep and raspy voice like the echoes of a voice coming from the other side. It was like nothing she had ever heard and with it came a new kind of fear and dread. And then, before anything could be done the wind that had chased them so mercilessly caught up with her. The hazy trance of which seemed to blind Sakura from her own actions vanished and she realized her erratum and the graveness of what she had done for there in the very room suddenly came the wind lacking none of its previous wrath. Sakura screamed and held the Clow to her chest as the wind blew like as a great gale around the room in a spiral around her.

The candles blinked out and were swept away along with the scroll and the other people withing the room. The wind drew in on Sakura but outward on the others throwing them to the edges of the room. Syaoran, before hitting the fast approaching wall, managed to grasp Tomoyo in his arms and he held her close to keep her from harm as he careened into the wall almost knocking him cold. The wind forced he and Tomoyo down into the corner and they could not move. Syaoran had lost grip of his sword so he was unable to cast any spells, all he could do was watch helplessly.

As the wind roared around her, Sakura clutched the book in her arms. In her heart she knew that it wished to take the cards from her. The wind drew closer and closer in seeming to want to crush Sakura as well as take the cards. Sakura held the Clow closed to her chest unwilling to give them up. She tucked her head over the top of the book to keep them more securer. "I won't let you have them!" Sakura yelled but her voice sounded small amid the thunderous roar of the wind. Despite all Sakura's efforts the Clow was gradually being pried from her grasp by what seemed like unseen hands pulling her from it. 'I can't let it go! everyone is counting on me! I can't let them down!' Sakura though in sadness and desperation and then in an instant which seemed no more real than a dream, the book slipped from her arms. Time seemed to slow as she watched the book become farther from her as she was released from the wind's grasp to be cast aside like the others. Time for her caught up as she was throw to the wall seemingly with a malice and hatred.

She looked forth toward the swirling wind and in it's center the book spun open and there was heard the terrible cry of the Phantom voice shrieking out in what sounded to her as rage. A second later Sakura could not believe her eyes as from the book shot rays of light in every direction as it had before. The shrieking disappeared, fading away into the roar of the wind. Then suddenly the wind stopped and all in the room was still.

Sakura sat huddled on the opposite wall as Syaoran and Tomoyo, silent. She then slowly looked up to her friends across the room still safe and this brought her some happiness. She then looked to the center of the room where the Clow sat open, facing down.

Syaoran stood helping Tomoyo to her feet. As he looked toward Sakura he saw her sadness. She knelt before the book in the center of the room starring down on it and her tears fell to its face. Tomoyo opened her cupped hands and Kero popped out and fluttered to Sakura. Syaoran and Tomoyo looked at one another, Tomoyo with sadness for her beloved Sakura and Syaoran with regret and remorse. The two walked over to Sakura and knelt down at her sides.

"I..." Sakura said still sobbing quietly. "I couldn't protect them."

"You did your best." Tomoyo said.

Syaoran looked at the book and he then saw in Sakura's hand something that seemed to lift his spirits. He took Sakura's hand in his as if hold it up for her to see. "You didn't fail to protect all of them. You at least saved her." He said. Sakura looked to see that the Windy Card was still in her hand. She smiled slightly but her frown returned. "But what about the others?" She said.

"Not to worry I think." Kero said sounding optimistic. Sakura just looked at him with a blank star deducing nothing. "Whatever tried to take the cards you stopped dead in its tracks! Instead of letting them be taken you let them go! Now all we have to do is find them again!"

Sakura deduced what had happened in her mind: the cards had been released once again and they now awaited their master to find them. She smiled truly cheered by her friends’ words of kindness. But she couldn't help but wonder; the whispers had told her to 'free them,' and it seemed that was just what she did. So she wondered: 'did I really do anything at all? was this its plan from the start?' it would be a very long time before she had the answer. For now she was content in the thought that there was hope. And appropriately with that hope came the dawn and morning's light poured in through the window as Kero opened it for his master in the knowledge that it would cheer her up. "Thank you, everyone." She said as she put windy back into the book and stood with the others.

Now with hope for the future and her friends at her side she felt ready once again for the tasks laid out before her. She was Sakura, Master of the Clow and she would prevail.

To be continued...

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