THE HUNTER, THE HUNTED
A Cardcaptor Sakura Fanfic

Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess
With Assists from Rinnako-chan and Hawking

Paid for by contributions made to this station...And by Viewers like you.

Chapter Five - The Calling

The house was huge...not as large as the human's, but large nonetheless. A
three story home stood before him, made from brick and concrete. The windows
were big, with all the same pale coverings. Two windows on the second floor
were lit up as the residents were no doubt sitting quietly and relaxing. The
bushes and trees below the window were illuminated with the pale yellow light.

There were only a select few developments in London. All of them rich and
beautiful. Reese smiled to himself.

Too bad he'd have to destroy this one.

"Stop right there," a commanding voice shouted, followed by a very feral like
growl.

The wizard in the human's body turned his mortal eyes upward to the roof of the
residence. Shadowed by the moonlight were two figures. One was distinctly
human. The second was definitely animal, although he did believe the wings were
a nice touch.

Reese took two steps forward, the smile never leaving his face. If
these...these things...believed they could stop him, they were mistaken.
Besides, he did not have time to waste. What he wanted - what he needed to
destroy - was inside that house.

"I have no time for the likes of you," Reese said with a wave of his hand.

Spinel Sun jumped from the roof, landing gracefully on the ground below. Kero,
or rather Keroberos, followed him. The latter had taken his true Guardian form,
although it was a struggle to remain as such. The missing Clow Cards effected
him greatly. And if any more were to disappear....

Spinel Sun had little problem maintaining his human form. In fact, he preferred
this form to most others and was able to control it quite well. He resembled a
young man, not much older than his current master. His dark blond hair was
cropped short all around, his blue eyes flashing behind a small pair of wire-
rimmed glasses.

"I believe you were told to stop," Keroberos growled in response.

"Oh how cute," Reese said sarcastically. He stopped again, crossing his arms
over his chest in amusement. "An overgrown Muppet that can talk."

Keroberos growled angrily, crouching as if ready to strike. He had taken his
share of insults, especially from Shaoran. But coming from this man - powerful
or not - would NOT be tolerated.

Spinel Sun raised an arm, hand outstretched and open wide. He gazed levelly at
the young man before them. He could sense his power and new immediately that
this person was not entirely human. Was this indeed the threat they had been
waiting for?

Keroberos sensed it too. The Guardian of the Seal was tense, still crouched
next to Spinel Sun. Was this really possible? He tried thinking back to his
adventures with the original Clow Reed and could not come up with a suitable
comparison. Of course, the Clow had a new master now. And he wasn't about to
let any harm come to Sakura or the others. He lowered his body closer to the
ground, his eyes keenly focused on Reese.

"You shall not pass," Spinel Sun stated simply.

Reese unfolded his arms and grinned wickedly. Taking a deep breath, he drew on
the power that was the Grimorum Arcamornem. He could feel it surrounding him,
pulsing through him. A yellow aura encompassed him, exuding stunning power for
something so small.

He had thought that a small display of power would be in order. But when the
two guardians didn't even flinch at his flare of power, he decided another tact
was in order. It had been centuries since he'd been in a fight.

He thought it'd be fun.

"We shall see," he replied, taking the first shot.

* * * * *C*A*R*D*C*A*P*T*O*R*S* * * * *

Li Shaoran paced the floor in the large living room of Eriol's home. His face
was set, his eyes blinking but focused and his mind trying to come up with a
half-decent solution to their current crisis.

Sakura watched the young man pace from position between Tomoyo and Meilin. The
four of them had formed a small circle around the other four - Eriol, Emphera,
Daphne and Soleice. It seemed like so long ago when she'd last seem him upset
like this. Of course, it had been a while since there had been any danger like
this. He was only worried, she assured herself. There was nothing to worry
about.

But there was. She clutched her purse tightly in both hands behind her back.
Less than half of her deck of cards remained, more cards disappearing more and
more frequently than before. Emphera, Daphne and Soleice all tried to reassure
her that her cards would be safe, but she had a difficult time believing them.

And she was beginning to feel the effects of the book herself, as was Li and
especially Kero and Suppi. Eriol, too, seemed to be feeling the pull of the
magic from the Grimorum Arcamornem, but he tried not to let it show. It was
evident on his face from time to time, Sakura noticed, but he never said a word.

Instead he busied himself with the chant the four wizards had started only
fifteen minutes before. He kept his thoughts focused, but let his inner mind's
eye wonder around the room, checking from time to time on his friends. It
helped to keep him calm, knowing they were safe...for the time being anyway.

Dangerous magic like the Grimorum had not been seen in centuries. He was
definitely in a tizzy, more so now than before. The book's magic was wrecking
havoc all over town with Sakura's cards and would eventually cause the people to
panic.

The chanting stopped as Eriol stared out the window. He glared into the
darkness of the sky, seemingly blacker than before. Reaching out with only a
little of his magic, he could sense the transformations of Spinel Sun and
Keroberos. There was also the touch of another.

His eyes widened in shock.

Daphne, Soleice and Emphera also stopped, their eyes opening. The looked at
each other in confusion, then looked at Eriol. Soleice began to say something,
then stopped. Emphera did the same. Daphne seemed to go straight, as if hit by
lightening.

They all turned to look at the window in unison.

"Nani?! Sakura nearly screamed. She would've jumped if Tomoyo hadn't placed a
comforting hand on her shoulder to keep her still. The young woman sighed,
trying to relieve some of the stress she was feeling. Her eyes looked
pleadingly at Eriol.

Tomoyo frowned at her friend. She wanted to hug the girl and let her know
things would be okay, but for once, even she wasn't so sure. She looked at the
three cousins, then at Eriol. "What's wrong?"

"He's here," Emphera stated, standing from the couch.

Sakura looked at Li. Tomoyo looked at Sakura. Meilin looked at Tomoyo, and Li
glared at Eriol.

"Who?" Li asked.

"The Hunter," Daphne said, sinking deeper into the couch. "The Hunter has
appeared."

Eriol nodded his agreement. "It is definitely Reese." The young sorcerer had
always had a distinct signature, although it seemed impossible that he could
still be alive.

"He has taken a host," Soleice answered Eriol's unspoken question. She stood
from the couch and moved to stand beside Emphera. "Probably the poor human soul
whom my brother bargained with for the book."

The older woman nodded.

"You mean the guy who wrote the Grimorum is HERE?" Meilin asked, surprised.

"This is nuts," Li stated, pacing once more. He strode over to Eriol's side of
the room and stared out the window. "Where is he?"

"On the grounds about two hundred yards from the front door," Eriol replied.
"Keroberos and Spinel Sun are greeting him."

"Is that wise," Tomoyo spoke up. "To take him on, I mean?"

"It will give us the time we need," Emphera stated.

"Perhaps," Eriol replied, finally blinking. He turned away from the window,
shaking his head. "Perhaps not. Spinel Sun and Keroberos are guardians, but
they can do little against a sorcerer like Reese."

"So then, what should we do?" Sakura asked, eyes wide in fear.

Eriol sighed. His thoughts were so concentrated on the present that he did not
feel a second sensation of magic as it surrounded him, calling him. Too late he
realized what was happening.

"I think our next step should be--"

"Should be what, Eriol-kun?" Tomoyo asked, turning from the window to look at
the group. She gasped in shock. Her mouth hung open like everyone else's.

"Eriol?" Meilin squealed.

"Where...where'd he go?" Li asked.

The circle remained unbroken, yet where the young man had once stood, there was
only air.

Eriol was gone.

And there was an explosion outside.

Li sighed, shaking his head as the others ran towards the nearest window to see
what was happening.

"And his timing sucks," the boy muttered, sauntering over to join his friends.

"We have to do something to help Suppi-chan and Kero-chan," Sakura said, a look
of grim determination on her face.

Emphera looked at her cousins. Her mouth never opened, although her eyes spoke
volumes. Daphne and Soleice nodded in silent agreement.

"We will confront Reese," the older cousin stated. She turned suddenly walking
towards the nearest door with Soleice and Daphne on her heels. "I do not think
he will attempt to harm any of you. Although your help will be required should
he get past the three of us."

Li didn't like the idea. He wanted to be on the front line facing off against
this magician, but there was a bit of logic to the woman's course of action.
And they were, without a doubt, much stronger than he was and Sakura combined.
If anyone could handle the Hunter, the three cousins were capable.

And if they weren't? Well, he left that part alone, concentrating on what was
going on outside the window.

Mosely huffed as he charged towards the latest explosion of magic. The wizard
had never felt so out of shape in his life. He'd never considered himself
spoiled...especially on Avalon. But perhaps he had been wrong.

The latest explosion of magic came from a ritzy district of the city. It was
late enough at night that many people were home, some in bed. He hoped that the
commotion would not wake any mortals. He did not want to involve them.

Instead, he ran towards the source, stopping on occasion to catch his breath.
Another explosion sounded, this one closer than the last. With a sigh, he
resumed his chase. Finally he stumbled upon a modest residence on the far end
of the district. It was secluded in a way, with trees surrounding it on all
sides. A light rose above the treetops, signaling yet another explosion of
magic.

Okay, so he'd found Reese...finally, the man told himself. But what else did he
find?

Mosely charged through the front entrance and into the courtyard where he saw
Reese, powering up for what appeared to be a defensive maneuver. The
mortal/magician raised his arms over his head, covering it and creating a
shield. Several balls of energy and a large flame came barreling from the sky
towards him. Mosely cringed as the two spells collided. When the light
dissipated, he was relieved to see that the Hunter remained unharmed.

"I have no time for you...pests," Reese said angrily. With a wave of his hand,
a great wind rose from the south, gusting heavily at the weary guardians.

"He's much better than I thought," Spinel Sun told Kero, his voice barely
audible above the howl of the wind.

"Tell me about it," Kero replied. He flapped his wings eagerly, hoping to escape
the gust of wind. Instead it hit him straight on, forcing him to land on the
roof.

Mosely, uncertain as to what was happening, took cover behind a large oak tree.
Was that a giant cat on the roof? And who was the other guy? He could feel
their magic without even trying. Certainly they were no ordinary mortals.

The wind carried off into the distance, and Kero and Spinel Sun regained their
bearings. Kero perched himself on the roof, inching his way to the edge. He
was careful not to fall off, but was more mindful of the damage that was being
caused by this battle.

Spinel Sun stood a few feet away, his knees buckling as he regained his
composure. This battle was meaningless. He and Kero would tire before this
wizard would. And his power...he had never felt anything like it. He hoped it
was the book's doing, and not the magician's own strength, that they were
fighting against.

Even still...could they win?

With the wind blowing all around him, Spinel Sun had felt the touch of the
Grimorum. It was much stronger than before, nearly knocking him off his feet.
His head still pounded from the brief instance. He looked to the roof to find
Kero moving closer. He wondered silently if the other guardian had been touched
again as well.

Then he noticed the large dent in the side of the house on the second floor
where He had hit it before falling to the ground. Inwardly he groaned, shaking
his head. Eriol would not be pleased.

"Reese!"

All fighting ceased, if only for a brief moment, as all three fighters'
attention was drawn to the front courtyard. In the midst of shadows and broken
light stood three figures. It was difficult to make out any features, save for
the glowing amber eyes the pierced the darkness. Slowly, and one by one, the
figures emerged from the darkness.

"Ah," Reese said, lowering his hands to his sides. An evil smile passed his
lips. "So you are the three that my servant is so afraid of."

'Servant you say,' Mosely told himself from the shadow of his hiding place. And
while he wanted to deny the claim, he knew it to be true. There was no escaping
his fate now. What was...was....

"I believe he is referring to my brother," Soleice told her cousins.

Emphera nodded gravely, her eyes focused on Reese. The man looked nothing like
Merlin had explained to her, but then, in order to exist he had to take a host.
So this was the mortal her cousin had sold his soul to for the book....

"Then you know what we are here to do," Emphera stated simply.

"You want...this," Reese said. With a deft motion, he opened his long coat. In
a burst of light a small book appeared in his hands. He held it out for
everyone to see.

"The Grimorum," Daphne nearly exclaimed.

"He's had it with him the whole time?" Kero asked in awe.

"No wonder we couldn't get near him," Spinel Sun realized.

"Well, here it is," Reese stated, replacing the book within the folds of his
coat. "You want it? Come and get it."

* * * * *C*A*R*D*C*A*P*T*O*R*S* * * * *

"It has been too long, my friend."

Eriol slowly opened his eyes. They did not focus at first, his surroundings all
blurry and clouded over. As the seconds passed, the cloudiness wavered and the
blurs became solid objects.

A young man -- correction, an older gentleman -- stood at the foot of the bed he
had been lying on. He was dressed in casual robes of pale green and gray. His
white hair was growing shorter on the top, and his beard longer in the front.
But his eyes, his eyes maintained a youthful glow. The old man smiled, nodding
to Eriol as he sat up in bed.

His first reaction was shock. Shocked that he could not sense the presence,
which swept him away. And shock for the fact that he was in a place he had
thought to never see again.

Avalon.

"You've gone through a few changes since last we met, Clow Reed."

Eriol blinked, regaining himself. He was in a room in the main house on the
island. He could feel the magic around him, almost smell the familiar smell of
the perfume, of the flower she loved so much. In an instant he knew that he was
in a familiar place. His body relaxed instantly, a sigh escaping from between
pressed lips.

He nodded politely to the older gentleman at the foot of his bed. "So have you,
Merlin, my friend," he replied. "You are much older."

"And you are much younger." Merlin chuckled, his smile growing. "I see
something very wrong with this picture."

Merlin walked slowly around to the side of the bed. There was a small chair in
the far corner. Using his magic, he levitated it just inches off the floor and
moved it through the air to land next to him. Once he was certain it was still,
he sat down. "The Calling is not an exact magic. I am sorry to have called you
here on such short notice. I did not realize that you were in the middle of
something until it was too late."

Eriol sighed again. He tried reaching out with his own power, to find some sign
of Emphera or her cousins. But he was met by a barrier, a magical wall that
surrounded Avalon, protecting it from the mortal world. He would not be able to
reach them on his own.

"It is all right. I trust that Emphera, Daphne and Soleice can calm the
situation." He looked at Merlin seriously. "Is it as dangerous as before?"

Merlin's smile faded. Clow Reed had never been a stupid man, and it appeared
that his current incarnation was just as intelligent -- and quick to the chase.

"Worse," the magician answered. There was a touch of sadness in his voice. "It
is not only affecting the mortal world, it is also beginning to affect us here,
on Avalon. The creatures here sense the danger. And the fey are up in arms. I
am afraid it is even worse than I told my granddaughters." The old man paused,
sighing before continuing. "I need your help again, old friend."

Eriol nodded. "But I am not certain I have the power to help. The spell I was
performing with your granddaughters was far from any magic I've performed in the
past." The young man raised his hands in front of his face, regarding them
curiously. Would he be strong enough?

Merlin regarded the young man in the same respect and realized that he could be
correct. This was not the same Clow Reed that had forced the Grimorum to sleep
hundreds of years ago. But Merlin was hopeful. With a little luck and some
focus....

"We must not focus on the negative," Merlin told him kindly.

"True. Very true," Eriol replied, taking another look at his surroundings. It
was a typical room, he supposed. His mind tried to picture what it would've
looked like several hundred years ago, as Clow would've seen it. Instead,
feelings floated in his direction. Past feelings and thoughts. Perfume drifted
in the air tickling his nose.

"You still think of my Vivienne," Merlin stated with a sad smile.

Eriol blinked, drawn from his thoughts by Merlin's comment. He bowed his head
for a moment, embarrassed. Then he looked at Merlin with an equally sad smile.

"To be honest I had not thought of her again until I met your granddaughter,
Soleice." He chuckled. "It does bring back memories."

"And happy ones at that," Merlin added with a nod. "Perhaps we can sit and talk
again once this crisis is over."

Eriol's smile grew. He wasn't sure if he was excited for himself, or for Clow
Reed. Both men were happy at the prospect.

"I would be delighted, old friend." He paused. "But first, to business."

"Aye," Merlin acknowledged. "To business."

* * * * *C*A*R*D*C*A*P*T*O*R*S* * * * *

Li Shaoran growled angrily.

It had been fifteen minutes since the cousins confronted Reese. They did
nothing but toss spells back and forth. If this is all it would amount to, he
and Sakura could've fought the evil wizard.

But there was a slight nagging doubt in the back of his mind. He usually didn't
pay attention to it, but knew it to be the best thing in this case. Watching
the four magicians fight, he knew they were not at full power. Probably on
purpose. And still they were doing quite a bit of damage. His magic was a
little thing compared theirs.

And Sakura's would be littler still.

Speaking of which, Li looked over his left shoulder and down his arm. Sakura
stood there, clutching his arm. Not in fear of the current fight, but in fear
of what might happen if the fight moved to them. Her grip was tight, but he
didn't complain. Instead, he moved his opposite hand to rest on top of hers.

Sakura nearly jumped when she felt Li's touch. She looked up at him briefly,
offering him a small smile. This was not how she had planned to spend her
Spring Break. Had she known this...! Well, how could she have known...except
to know that trouble usually followed her everywhere she went.

She sighed, returning her attention back to the fight at hand. She hated
feeling so useless, and unprepared. But it looked like the three cousins were
match enough for Reese.

Behind her stood a worried Tomoyo and an overanxious Meilin. Both girls watched
the fight with interest. Tomoyo, though, could feel nothing but dread wash
through her blood. This was much worse than she had thought, and was glad that
Sakura was close by and not in the middle of the fight.

Meilin, however, wanted to jump into the fray as badly as Li. She paced just
behind the other three, taking three steps to the left, then three to the right.
All the while her eyes were concentrated on Reese and the three cousins. She
had no magic to fight with, but that wouldn't stop her from jumping right in.
She believed in her fists as much as Li believed in his magic.

In the course of her pacing, she noticed a small light in Sakura's purse. Why
would she bring that out here, she questioned. But her mind already knew the
answer.

"Sakura-chan," Meilin called. She had stopped pacing and was pointing to the
other girl's bag. "Sakura-chan, I think something's happening."

Tomoyo and Li turned to look as Sakura released her hold on the boy's arm. She
grabbed her purse and brought it up to her chest. She held it with one hand,
the other unzipping the top. Holding her breath, she opened the bag to look
inside.

And the light blinded her.

"Nani?" Li asked, confused.

The faded as quickly as it appeared. In the dimming light, Sakura could make
out five more cards. She reached for them with her free hand, hoping to stop
one of them from escaping, but they moved too quickly. They soared toward the
sky, then raced towards Reese, who was taking a small rest from his magic toss
with the three sorceresses.

To everyone's amazement, the cards hit him....Literally. Surprised, Reese could
only looked shocked as his body began to absorb the magic of the five Clow
cards. It was painful at first, the magic coursing through his veins like
blood. But as the pain subsided, he paused. Then smiled.

"What wonderful magic," he said to no one particular. One hand clutched at his
chest. There were no marks, no blood stains. His smile became wicked. Raising
a hand, he pointed his fingers towards the three cousins.

"What is he doing now?" Emphera asked. Her breathing wasn't labored, but still
heavy. While she hadn't been using spells of a high degree, she was still
wearing down. The longer it continued, the more she feared she would run low on
energy.

Daphne, however, would not have that problem. The girl was always full of
energy. An effect of all the sweets she'd eaten that day, for certain. But one
look at the blond woman, and one could tell that she was tiring too. Magic took
more energy and willpower than any other activity. And she'd been putting out
the most magic, shielding her cousins from Reese so they could attack.

Even she had a limit.

Through her own daze, Soleice frowned. She huffed, gasping for air, as it
seemed to be growing thinner around her. Her hair and clothing were a mess, she
was certain, but she didn't really care at the moment. With one hand on her
chest, she staggered to join her other two cousins.

The ball of energy amassing in Reese's hand was growing larger. It glowed
white, sparks of red, orange, yellow and silver spewing forth as it grew. The
wizard could feel the power, all concentrated into one thing. His smile grew
larger, and he added one last burst of energy to the ball.

Then it burst into flame.

From his hiding place in the bushes, Mosely watched the exchange with great
interest. Reese was simply amazing, deflecting the attacks of the three
sorceresses. He did it with relative ease, even after their powers had
increased. Commanding the very air around him, Reese was able to fight back.

But his cousins and his sister did not give up. They were knocked down several
times. And each time they got right back up and started over. Their attacks
came from angels even Mosely had not anticipated. They had gotten better, the
three of them. Perhaps, he would have to admit that they had surpassed even
him.

'Well of course they have,' a little voice in the back of his mind replied.
'They've had the training of Merlin. Training which you have spurned.'

Mosely blinked at the realization. Could he have been this powerful if he'd
trained under Merlin? That was all he had wanted in life. Power. But the old
man was too stingy, too stubborn. There were so many rules...so many
regulations and a list of "do not's" to follow. That's why he shunned his
grandfather's training. That...is why he had stolen the Grimorum and brought it
to the mortal world.

He was aroused from his thoughts by yet another disturbance. Apparently he was
not the only one watching the fight. On the opposite side of the courtyard
stood four teenagers: three girls and one boy. Where they the inhabitants of
the house? Not possible, he answered. If they were, they would not realize
this was going on, unless they too were magicians.

There was a small commotion in their gathering. A bright flash of light drew
his attention to one young girl holding a bag of sorts. As the light faded, he
could see several objects floating in the air. The girl grabbed for them, but
they moved out of her reach...and straight towards Reese.

Was this some kind of trick? Some kind of attack? Mosely poised himself to
move quickly in case Reese would need him. If those children thought they could
attack the Hunter and get away with it...well he'd show them.

The objects fluttered over to Reese, passing through him as if they, or he, had
been invisible. Then they disappeared in tiny flashes of light. Mosely became
worried. The Hunter looked as though he'd been dealt a great blow. But to
everyone's amazement, he recovered and began attacking again. This time,
sending a fiery energy ball towards the three sorceresses.

While the battle began anew, Mosely watched the other four humans more closely.
Carefully, he moved between the bushes, staying in the shadows. The girl's
purse was still glowing, but it was fainter now. As he closed in on the group,
he strained his ears to hear their conversation.

"Watch out!" Li shouted to the three cousins as the Hunter released the energy
ball.

Emphera, Soleice and Daphne immediately threw up a shield. The ball was small,
yet powerful. They held fast as the energy dispersed against their shield. But
what relief they felt was short lived as Reese formed another, and another,
sending them all in their direction.

"We can't keep this up," Daphne said. The girl looked as tired as she felt.
She grimaced as the second ball touched their combined shield. She nearly
stumbled backward, but was caught by Emphera.

"We need a way to attack," Soleice stated. She too grimaced as the second ball
hit their shield. She poised herself to take the hint, nearly dropping to one
knee in pain.

"There is no way to do that and keep ourselves shielded," Emphera replied.
"Daphne is too weak, and you are in no better state, cousin."

"There has to be something we can do to help," Sakura told Li. She was
clutching her purse in one arm, and clutching Li's arm with the other.

"My thoughts exactly," Meilin added, her voice laced with frustration. "I hate
being left out."

"Fighting with them would do us no good, especially if they lose," Li commented,
his voice angry, yet sad.

"Ne, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said curiously as the bag began to glow again.

Everyone looked at Sakura's bag as she opened it. She only had seven cards
remaining.

In all the confusion, Mosely rushed forward. He grabbed Sakura from behind, one
arm wrapping securely around her waist. With his opposite hand, he called up a
sleeping spell. Sakura struggled for only a moment before slumping forward,
asleep.

"Sakura!" Li, Meilin and Tomoyo screamed in unison.

Soleice took a moment to look away from Reese and find out what else was
happening. She spotted her brother almost immediately. And he was holding
Sakura. This was not right. But there was little she could do at the moment to
help the others. She and Emphera were practically fighting Reese by themselves.
Daphne was struggling to stay awake and keep her shield in place.

The Hunter was pleased to see the three women weakening. He'd thrown energy ball
after energy ball at them. All they could do was shield themselves. Helpless,
the lot of them.

But he could feel himself weakening as well. The energy it took to create the
energy ball was draining him. The power he had felt when the cards had hit him
was waning. Had he used them up already? Pity, he thought grimly.

Oh, he still had power enough. The book was steadily gaining power. And soon,
very soon, it would all be his. But he couldn't use it all. No, not on these
three. That would be a waste when he had more important prey to search for.

Namely Merlin.

But he would make Merlin come to him.

"Mosely, bring the girl! We're leaving!"

Mosely looked over at the retreating figure of his master. The wizard wasn't
even aware that he knew he was there, or that he'd obtained the girl. He opened
his mouth to question, but snapped it shut immediately. Carefully, he slung
Sakura over his shoulder. Making certain she was in place, he followed behind
Reese, looking back only once to see if the others were attempting to follow.

"Matte!" Li cried out. He started to run after them, but stopped short when a
quick flash of light blurred his vision. He raised his arms to cover his eyes,
growling angrily.

As the light disappeared, so did Sakura and the other two.

"No," he groaned, his arms falling to his sides. After a moment he fell to his
knees, holding back a scream.

Meilin and Tomoyo both placed a hand on Li shoulders. They looked at each other
before looking to the now empty spot where Sakura and Mosely had once stood.

"Things just keep going from bad to worse," Meilin muttered disgustedly.

Spinel Sun, who'd been watching events from the roof, joined the others on the
ground. He helped a very weary Kero, who looked about ready to pass out cold.
Both guardians had been reduced to their smaller forms. Suppi by force of will.
Kero because of the Clow cards, or rather the loss thereof. Apparently many of
Sakura's elemental cards were now missing.

"Let's go inside," Suppi suggested. "I doubt they will attack again tonight."

With Meilin's help, Li stood. He looked around the yard, hoping to see some
sign of Sakura. When he found none, he looked at Suppi and nodded.

"Perhaps Eriol has returned." Tomoyo tried to be encouraging.

Suppi looked at her oddly. "Where has he gone?"

Meilin sighed loudly, placing her hands on her hips. "We don't know. But if he
is back, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."

Tomoyo rushed over to Daphne as the three cousins approached. They all looked
very tired, worn out. The raven-haired girl placed an arm around Daphne's
waist, allowing the girl to use her for support. Daphne smiled meekly, but said
nothing.

Emphera shook her head sadly. "This has not been one of our greater moments,
cousins."

"The book has made him incredibly strong," Soleice said, blinking her eyes in an
attempt to stay awake just a little longer. She sighed loudly, her shoulder,
slumping. "And he will keep getting stronger until the book is locked away."

"Will he--?" Li was uncertain how to phrase his question. His English was
improving, but not too quickly.

Emphera placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "He will not harm Sakura.
Although I am at a loss as to why she was taken."

"Let's go inside. We can all use some rest," Suppi said, his own voice weary.
He began to float away, carrying a now unconscious Kero with him. "We can talk
about the book, Eriol's disappearance, and try to figure out a way to get Sakura
back."

* * * * *C*A*R*D*C*A*P*T*O*R*S* * * * *

'Concentrate. Empty the mind. Focus on nothing and everything.'

Eriol kept repeating this chant over and over in his mind until it had faded
into nothingness. His mind was blank, his vision in his mind's eye nothing but
white. He could barely feel the cold stones of the castle beneath him. The
cool night air blew past him, through him. Yet he didn't budge.

Sighing, he relaxed. Slowly, a picture began to form in his mind's eye. He
could see his friends: Sakura, Li, Meilin and Tomoyo, as well as Spinel Sun and
Keroberos. It appeared they were in the middle of a fight, but it was difficult
to tell what was happening exactly. He tired to focus his hearing, but the
voices remained small, light.

As he turned, the area panned around him quickly. He could barely make out the
faces of his friends, let alone his enemies. He felt the loss as the Grimorum
stole several more of Sakura's cards. Like a tear in his own heart, he felt it.

Finally the spinning slowed. He could see his friends more clearly now,
including the three sorceresses. They looked fatigued, but they were fighting
as well. There was a scream in the background. He couldn't make it out, but he
was certain something else was wrong. Something about Sakura? There was a
bright flash of light, blinding him.

Then, his vision returned to white.

Eriol's eyes snapped open quickly. He stood almost as quickly, charging towards
his bedroom door. His body shook from a feeling of power. It wasn't the Clow
Cards. Far from it. This power...was evil.

As fast as he could, he ran down the hallway and down a large staircase until he
came to a set of large double doors. He pushed the door open determinedly,
giving little thought as to what, or who, was on the other side.

He burst into the room, pausing as he saw Merlin, or rather his back, as the
wizard meditated. The older wizard cursed under his breath. Not because of
Eriol's interruption, but for something else entirely. Something disturbing.

"Merlin, what is it?"

"Ah, so you felt it too?"

Eriol nodded, slowly entering the sanctuary that Merlin used for his daily
meditation. The older wizard was barely able to concentrate, however. Probably
because of the same vision he had just seen.

"Something's gone wrong in the mortal world," Merlin stated. The old wizard
stood from his seated position, his back to Eriol. Slowly he turned around, a
sad smile on his face. "I believe one of your friends is in danger."

"Sakura," Eriol knew immediately. He stopped about ten feet from Merlin, a
frown on his face. "The cards...are all gone...now. Save for three, he has
them all."

"They have been added to the power of the Grimorum." The old wizard paused,
closing his eyes briefly before opening them again. "To be quite honest I
didn't think those cards of yours could cause such a ruckus," he continued,
jolting Eriol from his thoughts. The smile faded, replaced with pursed, grim
lips. "I was wrong."

"I am not so much concerned for the cards as I am for Sakura," Eriol said. "The
cards are rightfully hers now. And if Reese gains full control over them...."

"He will use them," Merlin finished with a nod. "I agree." He sighed. "Which
is why we must hurry. My granddaughters are good, but even I know they are no
match for the Hunter. We have little time to lose."

"Yes, we haven't a moment to spare."

~~TO BE CONTINUED~~

To Chapter Six

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