[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

April 26, 2001

Card Captors

"Dimensions II - Test of Evil"

By : The MOUSE............................

Syaoran couldn't remember exactly when it had been he had passed out or why exactly he had. Not that it mattered much now since he was positive he did pass out. He was waking from it as he realized it. His senses were agonizingly sluggish to return, frustrating his already alert mind. He wanted to know where he was, needed to know to prepare himself for anything that could happen. The warrior's sense of balance returned first. He was vertical by the feel of it, standing or hanging from something. Sounds came next. There were chains nearby, clinking softly from movement caused by something swinging from them or from a breeze moving them. But he didn't hear any wind. Only breathing. He could hear three different sets, his own sounding slightly ragged and two others not far away. The sense of touch returned soon after. The chains he had heard were binding him, holding his arms up and apart above his head, digging into his flesh slightly. The air was cool against his face. Or was that sensation of the fingers trailing down his cheek?

Fingers?

A warm breath brushed his lips and he recoiled sharply, as far as the chains would allow him, before whoever it was made contact with his mouth. He knew instinctively that this was not Sakura. His tawny eyes snapped open to stare into the disappointed face of his Cousin, Mesuinu. Syaoran frowned a growl at her, turning his face away in disgust.

She bristled and pouted like a child. "Why don't you love me?" she questioned in all innocence, genuinely not understanding how he could possibly resist her.

"Gee, where to start?" he snapped sarcastically, still looking away.

Mesuinu moved closer to him and grinned triumphantly when his chains kept him from retreating any further. She pressed herself up against his chest, a hand to his heart as the other hand lightly traced the features of his face, enjoying his attempts to escape her touch.

"That girl is an outsider, Xiao Lang, she is unworthy of your attentions." she murmured seductively. "You deserve someone of your Clan, someone better. Let me be that someone."

He didn't say a word, only tried to pull his face further away from her searching lips, thoroughly disgusted.

"She is far too naïve and innocent." she cooed, undeterred by his actions of refusal. "You deserve someone more experienced, someone who will know how to please you in every way possible."

Syaoran blinked in appalled understanding. He frowned in utter revulsion and glared at his jailer. "I would rather die a horrible and agonizing death that let you anywhere near me that way." he hissed.

Her expression faded to stunned disbelief.

He refused her?

The disbelief then melted into fury. He wasn't allowed to refuse her. He had to fall in love with her. She pulled back away from him, much to the warrior's relief. With her hand balled into a fist she struck Syaoran hard across the face, hard enough for him to taste his own blood on his tongue. All the sweetness and innocence that had played upon her face were now gone, replaced by the expression worn by every woman who was ever shunned by the one she loved.

"You'll change your mind soon enough." she ground in promise. "You'll see. I brought you here just for that."

Here…, he suddenly pondered. Where is here anyway?

Working his jaw against the pain from the blow, the young warrior raised his eyes and took in his surroundings. Lit torches cast the only light to see by along with a lamp hanging very close to the center of the ceiling. Dark shadows cast areas so pitch it was impossible to see through. Everything around him was made of carved stone and mortar. He blinked as details sunk in one by one, striking a memory cord.

A circular room…

Massive stone pillars…

A domed ceiling…

Symbols in all the most ancient languages of the world carved into the floor…

A central raised altar…

"Kami-sama… Where did you bring us?" he demanded, eyes wide as he recognized the place.

"Only where my patron Saint told me to bring you." she answered innocently.

"Patron Saint…? Do you have any idea where we are?"

She shook her head in confusion.

"You are roughly a mile and a half underground." a hollow, yet familiar sounding voice intoned from one of the black shadows. "Welcome, Li Xiao Lang, to Mummaro's Gate… and my prison."

The chained warrior glared into the shadows. "Don't bother going for the dramatic entrance. I already know what you look like."

The being in the shadow chuckled. "Hai, I suppose you do at that."

Mesuinu stared from the darkness, to Syaoran, and back again in utter puzzlement. This was not at all how she had expected all of this to go.

How had the warrior/sorcerer known what this place was from sight alone when she did not?

How was it he knew the wraith when he had never met him?

What had the wraith called this place his prison?

Then something finally struck her. "Mummaro's Gate?" she exclaimed in dawning fear.

The being shrouded in shadows stepped into the light, shaking his head with an annoyed smile. "Oh, do make an effort to keep up with the rest of the class, Mesuinu." Syaoran's black-eyed twin chided.

Now beyond confused she stared at both warriors with wide eyes, taking an involuntary step back. "Two? There are two of you?"

The dark one chuckled again. "Ah, now there's the reason I chose you for this. Not the smartest girl out there."

The derogatory comment was ignored. "But… but how…?"

Amber-eyed Syaoran frowned at his double. "Body snatcher."

"Tut, tut, Little Wolf. I merely took something you no longer had a use for." He suddenly smiled evilly. "In fact, you won't have use of much of anything soon."

"No!" Mesuinu suddenly blinked. "He's mine! You said that you would turn him if I brought him here."

"Hai, but I never said I would let him leave. Alive, in any case."

"You promised to help me!"

"Ah, dear jilted child, how easily you were duped, ne? I only needed you to bring him to me since I was blocked from directly doing it myself. One of Clow's little spells. Did you really and truly believe I would keep my promise?"

She couldn't bring herself to believe her ears. Nor her eyes as she stared at the dark eyed version of her heart's desire. He was nothing like the real warrior. He had no honor. Her body began to tremble in once again rising anger.

"No, girl, Xiao Lang is merely my doomed bait."

"Doomed bait?" she spat.

"Hai. The lovely Cherry Blossom would never leave her Little Wolf to a fate such as this."

"Always with the outsider!"

"Hai, she shows so much more power and potential than you, Mesuinu. She'll come soon. Higato will see to it."

The real Syaoran blinked. "Higato? You got him involved too?"

"Of course. His obsession for her made him so easy to manipulate. I made them both do my dirty work, turning what little magic they had dark. Their deaths will only add to my strength."

"You're mad!"

He made a dismissive gesture. "Hai, well, a few centuries of imprisonment will do that to you."

Mesuinu suddenly charged at the dark one with a fury maddened shriek. He didn't seem at all surprised by this move, almost as if he had expected it. Just before her hands could claw at his face his hand shot up from his side and gripped the hapless girl around the throat, easily lifting her off the ground as if she were weightless. She gasped desperately to get some air around his grip, her legs kicking the air desperately, her hands prying at a grip that just wouldn't loosen. Cold and dispassionate the dark one looked at her struggling in his grip.

"You've outlived your usefulness, Mesuinu."

"No, matte!" amber-eyed Syaoran cried out.

Black-eyed Syaoran raised an eyebrow at him. "Concerned about her, Little Wolf? Why?"

The warrior hesitated. "No matter what she did up until now, she is family."

"Correction." There was a dull, sickening crack and the girl went completely limp. "She was family." and he dropped her like she was nothing more than a rag doll.

The direct descendant of Clow Reed stared at the crumpled and lifeless body of his Cousin lying at the feet of his doppelganger. He was in shock. How could anyone take a life so casually as if it were a right given him or a simple whim? This thing had to be stopped at all costs. Who knew what else this creature was capable of doing if given the opportunity?

Kami-sama! And Higato is bringing Sakura here! No! Can I warn her?

He tried seeking out the bright and warm mind of his beloved sorceress and found nothing.

Nani?

It was as if a gigantic wall had been dropped down between her mind and his. He couldn't feel her presence at all. No doubt she couldn't feel his aura either. It was an almost terrifying sensation. He couldn't warn the Card Mistress of the danger waiting for her. She would be walking blindly into a trap, led in by another sacrificial lamb chosen by this creature of the Gate.

The dark one stepped away from the body casually and approached the stunned warrior. The real Syaoran could see the Life Card slink out from its hiding place behind one of the massive pillars. It tentatively approach the dead girl, picking her limp body up off the floor and cradling her almost tenderly in its arms to silently cry over and mourn a life it could not save. No matter how much it wanted to bring this girl back to life, the dark one forbade her from using its powers. As its Master, the card had to obey him. It looked up to the chained sorcerer, almost pleading for help of any kind.

How can I help you? he questioned it with his eyes. If I use my magic in here the whole place will go off like Hiroshima. It'll be a hundred times worse if Sakura tried it.

It gave him a plaintive look, unsure on how to answer the question in his eyes.

"Now, Xiao Lang." the doppelganger began, calling his captive's attention away from the Clow Card. "You and I simply must have a long talk about the lovely Cherry Blossom." and he sneered victoriously.

Tin Hau, protect her!

* * *

Kinomoto Sakura stood still and silent among the chaos, as most of those from the crowd around her fell into a panic at the recent events. The future leader of the Li Clan had been taken. No resistance had been possible. A deep, dark and powerful magic had been used to spirit him away to destination unknown. Keroberus stood at the young sorceress's side, both watching the barely controlled mayhem and Sakura's face. She seemed both lost and in control all at the same time. Then he saw her blink suddenly from something. The teen Mistress of the Cards suddenly looked down at her wrists and noticed them beginning to turn red. It felt as if something was rubbing them raw.

Syaoran?

She flinched visibly as something seemed to strike her across the face. With ginger fingers she touched the corner of her mouth and was only mildly surprised to find blood now staining her fingertips. Her eyes softened. She and her soul mate still shared sensations, still shared in each other's pain, but for the moment sensations seemed to be all they could share. All other forms of communication were blocked. She was unable to feel where he was, was unable to hear his thoughts. His aura was being masked to her senses. It frightened her, but the pain she felt from him seemed to reassure her slightly. If he was hurting and she could feel it, then it meant he was alive wherever he had been taken to.

I will find you.

A pair of rough hands gripped her shoulders from behind and tugged her back against a hard chest none too gently. She yelped in surprise, stiffening, and shoved whoever this was back away from her, yanking herself free of the rough hands. Both she and Keroberus whirled around to face the one that had been so brazen as to do this. A glare appeared on the sorceress's face at the teen standing there, looking thoroughly confused at her actions. Keroberus moved to stand between them to protect his Mistress, a low and menacing growl reverberating in his mighty chest.

"Don't you ever touch me." Sakura snapped at Higato Allan.

"I was just trying to comfort you in your moment of need." he explained in a sickeningly charming voice, keeping a wary eye on the Guardian Beast of the Seal blocking his path.

"I don't need or want your comfort, Higato." and she walked away, flanked by her Guardian.

Higato frowned as he watched the lithe Japanese girl walk towards the Elders and her friends standing on the edge of the crowd. They all looked concerned about the male Card Captor's disappearance. They had a right to be. Higato knew the wraith was at the center of this. This was part of the teen's plan to rid himself of his rival for the lovely cheerleader's affections. But things were still not going his way.

She still refuses my advances.

Shadow her movements, Higato, a voice whispered in his mind. She will be hunting for her Little Wolf soon. Mesuinu has taken him deep underground, but there are tunnels the Cherry Blossom can take hidden beneath the estate. She alone must enter the tunnels. You will know when to act. Your chance will come soon.

Higato nodded and hovered just out of sight of the small group.

Sakura came to stand with her friends, the Elders and Lerae, seeming much calmer than all of them combined. They looked at her expectantly, knowing she could sense where Li Syaoran was at all times. They were waiting for just that information from her, confident in her abilities. Lerae was hopeful, desperation rising within her. This was the first time she couldn't find her Son. Sakura turned from face to face and sighed, hanging her head.

"Gomen ne. I can't feel him anymore."

Lerae's hopes sank. "Cannot feel him?"

"What do you feel, Card Mistress?" one Elder questioned carefully.

Sakura closed her eyes and frowned in deep concentration. "I can feel sort of like… a wall. It's dark. He's surrounded by it and it won't let me locate him."

"Then he has to be in Mummaro's Gate." Keroberus concluded pensively. "All that dark magic is blocking you."

All the Elders made sounds of protest, deeming it impossible for Mesuinu to have been able to do such a thing since her magic was not strong enough. But the eldest of the Elders merely rubbed his upper lip thoughtfully as he pondered the recent events. If the girl, he and the other Elders had chosen, had been in league with the forces controlling the Gate then it was not as impossible as his peers believed for her magic to have been so powerful.

"It would be far too much of a coincidence for all these events to be unrelated to one another." he finally spoke. "It must be assumed that Mesuinu inherited her new gifts from the Gate."

"But how could she have since she had no knowledge of it's location?" another Elder protested.

"Dark forces have a tendency to seek out those they can use. Mesuinu clearly wanted to be the one to stand at Xiao Lang's side. She wanted power, this was something those powers understood. It found her." The eldest Elder turned to Sakura. "Card Mistress, you and Xiao Lang were searching for the Gate's location in our Clan's scrolls."

"Hai." she nodded.

"Then tell us, have you found it?"

"Hai." Tomoyo answered for her. "We're standing on top of it."

Lerae and the Elders blinked in confusion.

"Clow Reed built his home on top of the Gate to hide it from future seekers." Keroberus explained. "This estate was his home. He figured no one would think to look for something so dangerous under his own home. Now that I think about it this wasn't one of Clow-sama brightest moves."

"This explains much." one of the Elders began. "A few decades ago plans were made to add a storage room deep beneath the estate to prepare for a possible third world war instigated between the United States and the Soviet Union. We wished to be prepared in the event that another atomic bomb was used."

"Hai, I remember that now." another Elder spoke. "During the excavation we struck a barrier of interlocking stones. We thought it was some long ago buried floor, but nothing could chip those stones. Not the excavation tools nor our magic could pierce through."

"It must be part of the Gate." Meilin concluded. "Syaoran said that Light and Dark magic cancel each other out. And it has to be protected by a spell. That's why nothing can get through it."

Sakura nodded and faced the Elders. "Take me there." she ordered.

"No!" Everyone turned to the Guardian Beast in confusion and surprise. "No, Sakura, you can't go into the Gate." he voiced again in opposition.

"Kero…?"

"No. Your magic in contact with the Gate would destroy the planet. We… the kid and I both agreed we couldn't let you go there."

"Oh, Kero…" The teen sorceress kneeled before the golden beast to be at his eye level. "Kero, there's no other way. Whatever is in there wants me to show up. If I don't what do you think it'll do to Syaoran? To everyone here?"

He bowed his head. "I already lost Clow-sama. I don't want to lose you too." he whispered.

Her eyes softened and she carefully dug her fingers into the fur of his ruff affectionately. "You won't. I won't use my magic… I don't even know how. I'll find a different way."

He met her eyes. "Which way?"

"Um… I'll let you know when we get there."

"Sakura…" he groaned.

She stood quickly and again faced the Elders. "Take me to that storage room."

The eldest Elder nodded once. "Lerae, we will calm the Clan. Take the Card Mistress to the cellars."

"Hai, Elder." she bowed and the matriarch led the three teen girls and the large lion-like beast away at a jog.

Higato Allan was right on their heels. He wasn't about to let the sorceress out of his sight even for a second. They tolerated his presence so long as he kept his distance from the Mistress of the Cards. The small group nearly ran down the main building's many winding corridors, down what felt like countless flights of stairs until drab dark stone replaced the wood and paper walls. Gaslights lit their way down a steeply sloped passageway to an unfinished chamber beyond. The caked clay floor still showed signs of the decades old excavation work, elaborately interlocked stones showing beneath. Sakura walked out onto the stones and crouched down, brushing her hand along their cool and dusty surface. An icy electric chill raced up her fingers and her arm upon contact with the carved rock. This was definitely connected to Mummaro's Gate. Keroberus scratched his claws to the hard ground and listened to the sound it made very carefully, his hearing range far exceeding that of a human.

"It's hollow underneath." he informed.

Young Kinomoto paused for a moment, then straightened. "Right." Her hand closed over the key-like pendant hanging at her throat. It began to shimmer at her silent call and floated out to hang midair before her.

"Oh, Key of Clow,

Power of Magic, Power of Light,

Surrender the Wand,

The Force ignite!

Release!"

Glowing fiercely with powerful and ancient magic the key began to expand into its wand form, easily coming to rest within its Mistress's waiting hand.

"But, the Elders said magic could break through the rocks." Tomoyo voiced to her friend's back.

"Who said anything about using magic?" Sakura whirled around and showed them the Clow Card she now held. "I'm going to use brute force."

"I'd like to once again voice my disagreement of you entering Mummaro's Gate." the magical beast rumbled.

"Objection noted." was all she answered.

Higato watched in rapt fascination as Clow's magic seal appeared around her feet, magic charging the air around them. He had seen her call on the Clow Cards before during her battle against Cerberus and during the capture of the two element Clow Cards, but he had never seen it happen from so close. She was simply stunning. And she was firm in her decision.

"Power Card! Release and dispel!" The card flew from her nimble fingers mere seconds before her wand struck it dead center. "Release!"

At her call the card seemed to envelope the girl, surrounding her in a bright pink aura. She held herself differently now. The teen now appeared to stand like a superwoman, power and strength radiating all around her much like this new aura surrounding her. She stared at the floor in fierce determination.

Be ready to act quickly, Higato, Allan heard a voice whisper in his mind.

"Stand way back." the Card Mistress instructed, raising her wand.

It came down quickly on the hard stones with a resounding thwack. The floor shook from the magically powered blow, then a whole section fell away to reveal a dark emptiness below. Sakura recalled the Power Card and approached the edge to peer down. Being a little bolder than her friend, Meilin stuck her head down the hole and looked around. She sat back on her heels with a grunt.

"Dark down there, but it looks like it lightens down a ways."

"Sakura and I will go in alone." Keroberus announced definitively. "It'll be safer this way."

For once Tomoyo agreed without any protest, only looking on in trepidation for her friends. With a bracing breath Sakura carefully eased herself over the side of the opening, then let herself drop into the pitch void. Barely a second after letting go did her feet connect with the dusty stones below. The air was stale, having stagnated for so many centuries. Just as Meilin had reported, down the tunnel were the first signs of light, flickering softly. No doubt torchlight.

"All clear, let's go, Kero!" she called up through the opening.

Higato stepped away from the wall as Keroberus prepared to jump through. Allan extended his palm out to those still standing around the hole, an evilly smug grin on his lips. Suddenly erupting from his hand, an invisible force shot forward and slammed the four into a wall, away from the hole. Before any of them had a chance to recover he made a dash for the opening in the floor, letting himself drop through it. He saw a flash of an image in the dim light from above, Sakura turning to him in surprise, as he turned back to the hole and the pile of rubble below it. With a wave of his arm the rubble leapt up from the ground and reassembled itself back in its original place, effectively blocking the opening. Sakura could only gape in shock for the moment, barely taking notice of Allan turning and approaching her. Her instincts forced her to take a step back before he got too close to her.

"You too?" was all she could voice.

He smiled his most disarming smile at her. "And all done for you, Beautiful."

He made a move to touch her cheek, but she knocked it away, a frown on her face where he had expected to see a smile.

"What possibly made you believe that I would want any of this? And especially it coming from you?"

"Because I have the power now. Because we're Fated to be together." He suddenly gripped her arms. "You haunt me, Sakura. I dream of you every night." Higato pinned her against one of the walls, not releasing her no matter how hard she fought. "You don't know how much I want you. Everything about you drives me insane. The way you move, the way you smile, your eyes, your body, your scent... Oh Kami-sama, your scent..." and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.

She cried out in protest, desperately hitting and pushing at his shoulders to force him off of her any way she could. Allan just wouldn't budge, nuzzling her ear in growing lust. She knew that if she didn't do something soon anything was liable to happen. Sakura then raised her knee up hard in a move as basic to a female as instinct was. Allan doubled over unceremoniously, clutching at his crotch in excruciating pain, a groan the only sound coming from his throat. He dropped to the ground, giving Sakura the precious few minutes she needed to run away from him and towards the very faint light just ahead. She needed to put as much distance between herself and the obsessed teen as possible.

Turning a corner the light source suddenly vanished. She near skidded to a stop to regain her bearings in the dark. A black darker than pitch surrounded the lone Mistress of the Cards. She couldn't see a thing, but she did feel very powerful and dark magic all around her, concentrated in one direction. She took a blind step in the dark, following her senses. She knew what this force was calling her. This was the power of Mummaro's Gate. This was a trap, but this was also the only way she could find her beloved Little Wolf. The air was musty and damp with age, dirt and water. Her own footsteps and breathing were the only sounds to reach her ears. The silence was deafening. She was alone here. It caused a cold chill to run up her back. She walked in the darkness for what seemed like hours, surprised she hadn't tripped or run into anything. The darkness lifted slightly as torchlight came into view. Ancient, crumbling columns were everywhere, both fallen and still standing to support the ceiling. There were no windows in the roughly cut walls of hard clay and stone. Both the walls and the ceiling resembled more those belonging to a cave adapted for these tunnels. She frowned. This was her vision. Sakura stopped walking and looked around her dimly lit surroundings. The walls and columns were covered in carvings and frescos. She recognized the styles of the carvings from her history books.

Ancient Greek.

Inca.

Ancient Chinese and Japanese.

And others she couldn't quite remember or recognize. The dark magical presence she had felt earlier began to tug at her senses yet again. Again she frowned and began walking towards it.

Hai, alright, I'm coming, she snapped mentally.

She continued moving deeper into this cave-like temple. Torchlight was the only source of illumination until she reached the large circular chamber with a high domed ceiling. A round hole was punched through the center of the dome, allowing bright light from an unknown source to shine down on the empty raised stone altar. Before it lay a body dressed in pale blue silk, her long ebony braid curling on the floor behind her. Sakura blinked.

This is different.

She took a step past the room's threshold to investigate and began to hear soft whispers.

"… she is the one…"

"… power…"

"… Card Mistress…"

"… the Chosen One…"

The rest of the voices were in languages and dialects she didn't understand. Silently she wondered if this had been what Clow Reed had written about in his texts, about strange voices whispering to him when he entered the Gate. The tiles of the floor were arranged in a pentagram within a circle, just like she had seen in her vision. Symbols in various languages, including Greek, Chinese, and Japanese, were scattered all around the design. If she focused hard enough Sakura could make out heat eddies rising up from the patters and lines. This was a symbol of great power, a nexus, just like in her vision. With hesitant steps she walked up to the stone altar dominating the center of the chamber. She felt the room's power hum all around her as she crossed the pattern's lines. Her hand trembled in nervous fear as she clutched her staff a little tighter. Her mind worked quickly to assess the new changes before her.

Why wasn't the body on the altar?

Why wasn't it Syaoran?

For now she had no answers for herself. Carefully she knelt down next to the body and rolled it over from its side to its back. Mesuinu's lifeless sienna eyes stared past her, forever oblivious to the world around her. Sakura jerked back in shock, a small gasp escaping her lips. Mesuinu was dead. By the bruising on the girl's throat, Sakura could easily figure out how she had died. It was brutal.

"Sakura!" Higato yelled harshly as he appeared at one of the chamber's many entrances just as she whirled around. "I will make you very, very sorry for what you did." he ground in rage.

He took a few quick steps towards her cringing form, then was forced to a very abrupt stop when he rammed into some sort of invisible barrier. Allan stared at the nothingness that blocked him in surprise, then glared at the teen sorceress.

"Are you doing this?" he demanded.

"No, I am." a hollow voice sounded from the shadows as the sorceress shook her head in a quick negative. "The lovely Cherry Blossom can't risk using any of what little magic she knows here. Much too dangerous to the rest of the world. Besides, did you really believe I would have you bring her to me only to let you harm my new guest?"

Higato near fumed. "Bring her to you? Your guest? She is mine, no one else's, ever, in any sense!"

"Tsk, such a one track mind." and the speaker stepped into view.

Sakura's first impulse had been to run to Syaoran now standing before her in the light, but she fought the impulse. Something about him was wrong. Her senses, usually drawn to him like a magnet, recoiled from him as if burned. And his words and voice were not his. Her rational mind took over from her confused emotions and she meticulously examined the apparent warrior from her spot on the floor.

Wrong clothes, for one, she reasoned. Last I saw he was all in white, not his battle outfit.

His aura also felt different to her magical senses. Instead of its usual bright green and warmth it was now a darkening forest green and felt very cold. Usually when her aura reached out to his it would seek hers out as well to meld and blend. It did none of that now. Then there were his eyes. The rich tawny color of his eyes, that could either melt or freeze a soul at a single glance, had transformed to a deep charcoal black. She frowned in realization from this split second examination as this fake turned to smirk coyly at her.

"Where is the real Li Syaoran?" she demanded as she stood, her back straight, staff in hand.

The dark twin chuckled and approached her, gently caressing her cheek. "Very observant, My Love. I always knew you were special."

She pulled her face away from his touch, and the painful tendrils of electricity that danced over her skin, and continued to glare. "Where is he?" she demanded again.

Black-eyes Syaoran casually leaned against the altar and waved a hand to the empty space between two pillars. The air seemed to waver and the limp, chained form of the real Li Syaoran abruptly appeared, the dimly glowing figure of the Life Card kneeling somberly at his feet. Sakura made a move to go to her beloved warrior/sorcerer, but was stopped by the dark one gripping her arm. A shock of almost painfully cold electricity shot through her arm from his touch.

"Ah, ah, ah, little sorceress." he chided. "I simply must insist you keep your distance from him. I don't want you trying anything foolish just yet."

"He… he feels so weak." she near whispered.

"That would be because Life is withholding part of his life force from him. He was a bad boy so I had to punish him."

Her green eyes drifted down to the Clow Card kneeling on the cold stones. "Her light is dimmer than I remember."

"Comes from being around death so much." he chuckled in clear amusement. Then he stood and approached the stunned looking Higato. "Now, what shall I do with you, ne?"

Allan shook his head, snapping himself out of his shock at seeing his benefactor resembling his nemesis so completely. He glowered and pounded on the invisible barrier.

"Give me Sakura's heart, like you promised."

The dark one smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "I promised no such thing."

Allan blinked. "Nani?"

"Our agreement was, verbatim, I would give you exactly what you deserve."

"I deserve Sakura!"

He smirked again. "No, I think not."

At those words the Life Card rushed over to the Card Mistress, its arms latching tightly around the sorceress's waist, tears already in its eyes. It knew Higato's life would be another life she would not be allowed to bring back. The young Mistress of the Cards seemed to understand what was about to happen and sank to her knees, holding the Life Card in what little comfort she could offer it, stroking its long glowing hair. Both heard a gurgling sound, like that of someone choking. Sakura closed her eyes tight, holding the card firmly as she braced herself against the agonizing sounds that would follow.

"No." the dark one suddenly voiced.

Sakura looked up and saw him holding Higato up by the throat at arm's length effortlessly. The struggling teen's face was turning an ugly shade of purple from lack of air.

"A quick death holds no satisfaction for me and is far too quick a release for you." the dark one continued. "I want to watch the horror and pain flit across your face as you suffer. That is truly a beautiful sight."

Dark Syaoran carried the terrified teen, still struggling in his grip, between two other pillars and tossed him there as if he were weightless. Higato back peddled to regain his balance. Chains suddenly appeared around the pillars and wrapped themselves around his wrists, binding him in the same manner as his unconscious Cousin. Higato looked completely stunned, not quite believing this was happening to him. This wasn't how he had planned this. It wasn't as he had hoped it would be. He tried to scream his protests, but no sound was uttered from his lips. He blinked. The dark one smiled, pleased at his handy work, then turned his back to the captive teen to walk back to Sakura still kneeling with the Life Card.

"Shall we talk, dearest?" the dark one questioned sweetly.

Sakura blinked. "Talk?"

"Hai." He knelt before her, still smiling. "The Little Wolf was very stubborn and refused to tell me anything about you. There is so much I wish to know. I knew that to get you here I had to be very convincing. Taking the Little Wolf seemed just perfect. Don't you agree, My Love?"

She frowned and looked away in disgust.

Dark Syaoran merely chuckled. "So much like Ying Fa, completely stubborn. Hai, I knew her." he answered to the sorceress's surprised expression. "I know everyone on this island. Clow tried to hide her from me, forbade her to ever enter my domain, but I got to know her quite well from a distance. He forgot that I control all matter in this chamber. I created a seeing pool with which to watch them both on the outside, to watch the world grow and change from the one I knew. Ying Fa had such grace and beauty, a spirit and heart like no other. I have to admit though, you far outshine her in all those qualities, my sweet Sakura." and he gently caressed her cheek. "And you are far lovelier in person."

She turned her face away from his touch, refusing to look at him again. Instead of being angered by her reaction as she had expected, he sighed whimsically and ran a hand through her hair. She cringed. His every touch hurt her, like fire and ice at once.

"What is it about you that weakens men's hearts so?" he near whispered. "I have watched the Little Wolf for quite some time, watching for a moment of weakness I could use to trap him. He was the strongest warrior I ever encountered, never once letting his guard down, until you arrived, my Cherry Blossom. Even now, I feel your spell."

Sakura blinked and quickly moved away from the evil filled twin of her beloved. Magically, he was her opposite. She felt only cold and pain around him.

"Ne, don't be afraid, dearest Sakura." he tried to soothe quickly, looking genuinely remorseful for causing such a reaction in her. "I've reconsidered my having to kill you. I could never do that to you."

Sakura felt herself begin to tremble as she pressed herself against the side of the altar, wishing she could just melt into it.

"I won't hurt you." he continued gently. "All you have to do is agree to stay with me. Onegai. Ever since I was bonded to this body I have had strange and new sensations. I have yearned to have you near. It's strange. I'm supposed to hate you, to try to kill you for your part in Clow's magic, for being the new Mistress of his cards."

She cringed, holding the Life Card tighter to herself, as the dark one once again caressed her hair.

"But this mortal heart refuses to think anything bad of you. Perhaps I have made a poor choice in bodies, perhaps not." He grabbed her hand and she yelped in pain from his dark aura. "Onegai, stay with me and I will lay the Universe at your feet." he pleaded.

Sakura's whole frame shook in fear and pain. How could she fight this creature? He looked so much like her beloved warrior. He was Syaoran, in body and emotion. She looked to the warrior chained and unconscious before her and felt tears touch her eyes. She needed him so much.

"The Universe isn't yours to give." she suddenly found herself saying.

"Not yet." the dark one smiled. "I will give you some time to think over my offer, but I'm sure you'll agree to it. After all, all the lives in this Universe depend on it." and he got to his feet. "And just so you don't try anything while I'm away…" He waved a hand towards the real Syaoran and a glassy substance formed a large bubble formed around him. "This should keep you from getting too close, ne?" Then he smiled and left the chamber.

From his place, chained between two of the massive pillars, Higato Allan observed the dark doppelganger of his Cousin walk away. A small smile appeared on the restrained teen's lips from a thought his twisted mind conjured up. Sakura was now unable to go to her Little Wolf for comfort and reassurance since he was chained, unconscious, and blocked from her touch behind a magical barrier. But she did need to be comforted from everything that had happened within the last hour or so. She would have to come to him. His smile grew wider at the pleasant thought. To have the object of his affection, a beautiful angel, pressed against his heart. It made him tremble. His grey eyes fixed themselves on the sorceress and waited for her to come to him. The magic wielding cheerleader stood slowly, watched by both the curious Life Card and her obsessed stalker. Higato was abruptly dumbfounded when he saw Sakura walk straight forward towards the unconscious warrior instead of him. He tried to scream furiously, but not a sound issued from his throat.

Her eyes never straying from the lifeless form of her beloved warrior/sorcerer, Kinomoto Sakura walked right up to the bubble-like barrier and laid her palms flat against it. For what seemed an eternity she just stood there, still as a statue, scrutinizing the warrior for any sign of returning alertness. There was none to be had. Tears spilled from her eyes as she shut them tight, pressing her cheek to the barrier, wishing for it to fall away. A hand to the barrier still, she moved along its edge to where it overlapped one of the pillars. There she sat, her legs folded elegantly beneath her as she leaned against the column to gaze at her soul mate in hope, her back to the only other teen in the chamber. The Life Card seemed to hesitate for a moment, then curled into the Card Mistress's lap like a child, silently letting her know in its own way that it would have much preferred her as a Mistress than the dark one. The troubled sorceress carefully stroked the living card's glowing locks for a moment, then looked down at it.

"You can't give him back any of his life force, can you?" she asked it softly.

Life shook its head sadly.

Sakura sighed. "I didn't think so. You're bound by the same rules as all the other Clow Cards. The one who seals you is your Master. No matter how much you didn't want to do this, you had to obey."

The female Card Captor looked up at Syaoran and felt her eyes begin to mist again. He looked so weak and so pale that her heart ached. He had always been the strong one of their team, fierce, powerful.

But now…

You didn't want me to come here because you knew it was dangerous, she began in thought. It's dangerous for you too. He means to kill you, I know he does. And when you're gone, what then? What do I do without you? She paused as her eyes carefully examined his face. You and I are of the same soul, Syaoran, but I can barely feel you. You look like you're sleeping, so peaceful. Are you really at peace?

No.

She stiffened, enough for the Life Card to feel it, and blinked at the unexpected and faint answer she had heard in her mind.

Syaoran?

Hai. His mental voice was very weak, barely a whisper. I can hardly hear you, Sakura.

I'm here, Syaoran. I'm right next to you.

You feel so far.

Tears once again fell from her eyes. Concentrate on me, on the link. I'm right here, next to you. That… that thing put up a barrier so I can't get any closer.

There was a slight pause and Sakura became afraid that they had lost the link, afraid that he had slipped back into his unconscious state. She focused all her thoughts and energies on him, centering her thoughts on their unique bond.

I feel you now, his voice returned in her mind and she sighed in sheer relief. You shouldn't have come, Sakura. You're in danger here.

I know, Kero told me, but I couldn't just leave you here, Syaoran. I had to do something.

He sighed in her mind. Ying Fa…

A small smile touched her lips as she noticed something. You sound stronger now.

You're giving me that strength. I can feel it. A definite smile was present in his voice. I think… maybe…

As Sakura watched intently Syaoran's face twitched, his head bobbing slightly as he tried to raise it. The Life Card noticed the sorceress's body tense again and looked up, noticing the warrior's now frowning face as he began to move. The card leapt to its feet at this scene unfolding before it, incredulity on its face. It had taken a vast portion of the warrior's life force, almost to the point of death as commanded by the dark one, so where was he getting the strength to even move? It looked to the sorceress and back to the warrior in rapid succession. Was she the answer? The teen sorcerer's body trembled as he fought to get his weakened limbs moving again. With a great effort he set his feet flat to the stones and forced his legs straight, using the chains binding his wrists for added support to pull himself upright. Sakura's eyes never left him for a moment. Syaoran finally stood on his own, his breath labored from the supreme effort, his eyes remaining closed for the moment. Slowly, they opened and tawny orbs shone brightly at the teen sorceress. A relieved smile tugged up the corners of his lips at seeing her unharmed. She smiled in return as she got to her feet, her hands flat to the barrier, desperate to get to her soul mate. She quickly looked over the bubble, searching for a weakness, pounding at it with her fists to test its strength. It looked unbreakable. She suddenly blinked in realization.

"Oh, sometimes I can be such a baka." she self-berated, taking out the Sword Card.

Syaoran's eyes went wide. "No, Sakura, matte!"

His warning came too late.

No sooner did the glowing circle appear at her feet, to summon the Clow Card, did the entire chamber fill with crackling bolts of dark lightning. And Sakura was their sole target. The energy tore through her lithe body mercilessly, causing her to cry out in agony with each strike. No matter how hard she tried to prevent it the pain she felt arced across her link with Syaoran, letting his experience every excruciating moment. Her agony ripped through him and he howled. Every muscle spasmed uncontrollably as pain sparked across every nerve ending, firing them to life. It was as if they were being shredded to pieces from the core out. The Life Card and Higato could only watch, helpless to help either of them. Allan didn't understand what he was seeing. That the Card Mistress was in agony, that reason was very clear. But why was the warrior reacting the same way? The crackling assault finally ceased as abruptly as it had begun. Sakura hovered there for a moment before collapsing into a heap, unmoving, just as Syaoran went limp in his chains. Life rushed to the sorceress's side in abject worry, forbidden to help, but desperate to know if she was still alive.

A deep silence filled the chamber. As casually as if nothing had happened, the dark one walked back into the vast central room and approached the still body of the Card Mistress. Her wand had returned to its key form, the Clow Card having retreated back to safety. The dark one went down on one knee next to her and gently rolled her over. A slow and shallow breath rose and fell within her chest. Dark Syaoran left his fingers drift over the burns that decorated her skin both in concern and in wonder. He left her side and neared his double, harshly gripping this one's hair to raise his head. Identical burns as Sakura's dotted the young sorcerer's flesh.

"Interesting…" the dark one murmured. He noted his double's raw wrists and returned to the sorceress to examine her wrists. They, too, were worn raw as if she had been chained. "Very interesting…"

Ever so carefully he lifted the teen sorceress off the cold stone ground, cradling her tenderly in his arms, holding her tight to his chest. He grimaced at seeing her so limp, a memory he didn't remember experiencing flaring to life in his mind.

"Gomen ne, sweet Sakura." he near whispered. "I never really wanted you to be hurt." and he carried her away down one of the dark tunnels.

He entered a small anti-chamber, his black eyes scanning the small stone room for a place to deposit his fragile cargo. Finding none he nodded to a spot on the floor and an oval shaped basin appeared. In the blink of an eye it was filled with the softest of materials imaginable to cushion the sorceress's delicate body. The dark one set her down within his newest creation, then merely stood there, black eyes fixed on her injuries in remorse. Part of him agreed with his double, Sakura should have never come into the Gate. This was a guaranteed death sentence for her if she even tried to summon her cards again or tried to use any other kind of magic. But another part berated him for being so weak hearted when it came to her. He couldn't help himself. It had been far too many centuries since he had been alive and since he had sampled the intoxicating pleasures of the flesh. The dark one stretched out at Sakura's side and let his cold fingers trail down her cheeks, following the graceful curve of her neck, and down the satin soft skin of her arm.

"I'm supposed to kill you, precious one." he whispered. "Part of me wants to, to finally have my freedom. But another equal part of me would gladly stay a prisoner here if you simply stayed with me."

He kissed her shoulder ever so tenderly.

"Onegai." he breathed.

To Be Continued…