Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction ❯ Tsubasa: Revolutions ❯ Sunrise ( Chapter 14 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

It is all I can do to not panic right now. The sudden realization that I have no idea where I’m going, and no real plan on how I am supposed to accomplish the tasks ahead of me, it is hard for my head not to cloud with worry. Were I anywhere else, I might be considering the possibility of just talking my way out of things, or at the very least, plotting a way out from the next jail cell the drag me into. I have a feeling though, Sarûs will not hesitate to kill me, or try his hardest at the very least, now that I’ve gone and done what I’ve done. He seemed pretty steadfast about not giving up the feather, after all.


The guardian of the feather tugs lightly on my hand, “They’re close now, Mister.”



She doesn’t know my name.



I don’t know hers either.



“I know,” I smile back at her as I drag her along. “It’s alright. I’m not going to let them catch us.”



We run though the dark, freshly cut grass to muffle the sounds of our steps, we keep under the shadows of the tall trees in the gardens to stay out of sight. These trees. I’ve seen them before. They are not like the other trees around Sarûs’s city. If I’m not mistaken, they are the same trees as those found in the forest near Ádiea.



I have no doubt now I am in the vicinity of the place Sarûs spends the most of his time in; the area he calls his home.



“He’ll kill you, you know,” she says flatly.



I don’t respond. I don’t need to as who “he” is. I know. I know all of this.



“We should go the other way,” she insists, trying to slow down our pace by digging her heals into the ground. Her voice sounds increasingly more concerned.



“I can’t do that right now,” I say to her as calmly as I can. I can hear the guards behind us, gaining. I have no doubt I’ve waken half the palace already. But I have no choice but to keep moving.



Maybe, if he’s asleep I will have a split second to grab the vial around his neck and make my escape. As long as I’ve got it in my hand, I have no need to run. I can be back at Kurogane’s side in an instant.



I have a feeling that my luck will not be even half so good.



No.



My luck is going to be worse.



This is a bad idea.



I need more time.



Somewhere to regroup.



I can’t take this girl with me when I face Sarûs. She’ll be in danger. I’ll end up handing her right to him!



Dead in my tracks, I stop. She slams into my left leg and nearly trips, but I’ve got a good grip on her wrist.



“Where is Kimi?” I wonder, helping her find her balance.



She looks up at me with confused violet eyes, not quite sure what to say.



“Your sister. I’m going to take you to her. Do you know where she is?”



“She is in her hallway. She is always in her hallway,” she says quite matter-of-factly.



I guess I should have known that…



I smile to her once again before telling her to hang on to me. All I need is a single finger and a good breeze; I write the proper transportation spell in the air just as I hear the sound of guns being cocked and orders to open-fire being shouted.



Half a breath is all I take before we arrive in the silent, empty hallway accompanied by a small burst of the gun smoke that followed us.



Our footsteps echo as we walk about unnoticed, in search of the guardian of this hallway. I imagine every armed person the palace can spare is out in that courtyard, wondering what just happened. I’m not going to have much time before the find me, but at least I have them confused for a bit. I just have a feeling that more than guards are going to be coming after me this time, and I’ve better hide everything they can hurt me with before they think to use it against me.



I need to go back for Kurogane.



We find her, asleep on one of the benches outside one of the many doors of this lonely hallway; back in her jumper, her pigtails and a belt full of keys.



“Kimi!” her sister runs to her, and her voice seems to echo for miles.



She jumps, quite startled at the voice. Her face is priceless in its adorable shock.

By the look, it’s apparent the sisters have not seen each other in quite some time.



“Kia!? Fai-chan!? What are you doing here? What is going on?” she finally finds her words and they come spilling out at incredible speed as she jumps to her feet.



Kia. It’s good to have a name for her now. I suppose I should have asked for it when we first met. I’ll apologize to her for my rude behavior later.



“Sorry to wake you, Kimi-chan. I have a favour to ask of you,” I tell her with a small nod.



“He says that he is going to help get us out of here!” Kia exclaims with eager enthusiasm and grabs for her sister’s hand before I can get another word in.



I only smile.



They are absolutely identical.



Kimi says nothing, but looks at me as though she doesn’t quite believe she’s woken up yet.



“Can you go into one of the rooms and make it so no one else can come inside,” I finally make my request after giving Kimi a few moments to adjust. But her brows furrow as though I’ve just asked a very stupid question and she doesn’t want to offend me by giving me the answer to something I should already know.



I take this as a good sign, because I was counting on that being the case.



“That’s… my job,” she says with an emphasizing nod.



I smile at her, “Well, Kimi-chan, I need you to do just that, for me. If you could take your sister with you and not open the door for anyone else until I come for you, you will be alright. There are going to be a lot of people looking for us in just a moment, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to the either of you. Do you think that you can do that?”



“Of course.”



“One more thing…” I begin, but before I can finish my thought Kimi smiles.



“Hurry back,” she nodes and gives me a knowing smile far beyond her years. “I won’t lock the door until you bring him back.”



I wait to see which door they run into so I know where to go when I return. But the moment I see them disappear inside, I disappear myself; finding my feet upon darkly carpeted floors amidst a mess of blue curtains.



“Kurogane!?” I whisper harshly.



The room is dead silent, and my breath sticks in my throat. I’m just waiting for someone to jump out at me at any moment.



“Kurogane!?” I call again.



I’m not sure why I’m even expecting him to respond.



I breathe at last for the first time in what’s seemed like minutes, even though I’m quite aware it’s only been a second at best. He is asleep in the same chair he was in when I left him.



“Kurogane,” I grab him by the shoulders and give a gentle shake. “Kurogane wake up. Come on Kuro-non, wake up.”



Lazy, hollow red eyes are soon staring back at me.



“Come on now,” I coax him out of the chair by pulling at one of his arms. I seriously think it’s as big around as one of my legs…



It’s very strange to be trying to get Kurogane to wake up and be alert. Usually it’s like he sleeps with one eye open.



He’s standing now, and that’s all I need.



Once again, I write the spell in the air. It occurs to me that I have used magic more today than I have in well over a year. I don’t know if I’m comforted or terrified by the fact that I still hardly even have to think about it. It’s still there. It hasn’t gone away…



Sometimes, I think that would make things much easier.



I grab hold of his wrist before our departure, and I take one deep breath. I’ve done this so many times, I can’t even begin to count, and yet there is always a shadow of a doubt that I am going to do something stupid and wind up in the wrong place one day.



Before I exhale, we are in the hallway, but I can still see it; the door swinging open and light spilling on the floor. The voice yelling, “There they are!”



I suppose my timing couldn’t have been better. I should be thrilled I got to him before they could take him away from me. I’d be lying though if I said I was not completely terrified right now.



I knock on the door once, and Kimi rushes us in not a half-second later.



“What now?” she asks nervously. “What do we do now?”



“Sit tight,” I smile and say as calmly as I can. “I need you to stay with these two. Stay here, and I will come back for you in a moment. I have one more thing to get, and then we’ll leave.”



“You can’t go back out there Fai-chan! They’ll kill you!” she scolds me and I am reminded strongly of Sakura-chan.



“You shouldn’t worry Kimi-chan. I don’t die so easily,” I shake my head and shrug. “I won’t be long. You make sure that absolutely no one can get in here, alright.”



“Al… alright,” her voice is shaky.



She must be nervous for having so blindly agreed to go along with my foolish plans.



I’m rather surprised she did, actually.



I don’t know how I’ll live with myself if I fail. I should not have involved them… I know I shouldn’t have. But its far too late for that.



“I’ll be right back,” I grin and take one last quick look at the three of them before slipping back out the door; the image of Kia looking at Kurogane not sure what to think and Kimi smiling at me nervously burnt into my eye, I hear the locks click behind me, feel a short surge of magic behind me and I am on my way.



I am not looking forward to this in the least. Quite frankly, there are only a tiny number of things I might possibly dread more.



If at all possible, I would like to avoid a confrontation with Werra. How likely that is, I’m not certain, but it would really be helpful.



I’d rather only have to deal with one dragon before sunrise.



Sunrise…



I doubt I have much time left; an hour at best. But part of me really wants to delay things as much as possible.



If I can wait to deal with Sarûs until just moments before sunrise, I’ll have a great distraction when the time actually comes. I’m not entirely sure what it will be, but the collision of the two worlds is hardly going to pass by, unnoticed.



I’m more than certain though, I’ve got nothing but moments until I’m found. The palace guards with their foolish weapons are still confused and may not find me for minutes. I couldn’t care less if they find me. They are hardly a threat or concern of mine. But the day I arrived here, they knew I was here. They sent helicopters and a dozen guards to the middle of nowhere to collect me; Werra even knew my name before I could tell her. Sarûs as well.



They’ll find me the moment they put effort into looking.



I head towards the opposite end of the palace I’m used to exploring, the other way will lead me closer to the place I just was and I’d like to be as far away from there and the attention of others as possible.



I walk, alone, in eerie silence with nothing but the sound of my own breathing to keep my company. Despite the wide, marble hallways, my footsteps fall silently to the floor. No “tip tap” to give me away.



I do hear voices now.



Behind me.



In the distance.



I can’t hear what they are saying, but I don’t believe it’s particularly important enough for me to stick around to find out. So, I duck into the next room I come to.



I’ve been here before.



When I first arrived. The parlor. Sarûs brought me in here and we talked. I sat in that chair over there and I was pretty certain I was on the brink of death at the time.

There isn’t an actual door to close behind me and hide behind. Just a large archway that leads straight back out into the hallway. But I must have been far enough ahead of them that they didn’t see me slip in here.



They continue on walking.



Guards.



“They’d have said something if there was another one about, wouldn’t they?” one says.



“When have you known anyone to talk about it? No one talks about the old ways anymore,” agues another.



“To my understanding, Lord Sarûs has never withheld information about any of the dragons.”



“Well, if it is another one, it obviously doesn’t want anything to do with Sarûs. Maybe it’s from the other side, so Sarûs hasn’t said anything about him yet.”



Wait.



What?



Are they talking about me?!



They think I’m… a dragon?!



Great.



I try to listen to more of their conversation, but two of them start talking at once, and I can’t make sense of what they are saying, now that they’ve gotten to far down the hallway.



I’d only have heard another moment of the discussion anyway…



I can actually feel the room shake; feel the ground tremble beneath me as though the tremor cut clear through the center of the world. The pictures hanging on the wall clatter against the painted plaster, the mirrors and windows quiver and threaten to shatter. All too soon, a deafening roar louder than any thunder clap I have ever heard pierces through the air and it’s all I can do to keep myself from covering my ears and hiding behind something.



“FAI!” a voice bellows. But… It’s as though it’s inside my head. So loudly, so clearly; without the bothersome distortion of having to travel through the air to reach me.



“I have what you’re after!” it taunts. I have no doubt this powerful, intense voice belongs to none other than Sarûs himself.



I feel myself back into the wall, as though I’m instinctively backing myself away from him.



What have I gotten myself into?



I know exactly what is waiting for me. I have no doubts.



“If you want it so badly, come and take it!” he hollers.



I want to cover my ears, it’s so loud. So loud it almost hurts. But doing that would be no good. I can’t cover up a voice that can reach inside me.



I don’t want to go out there though. I don’t want to face him. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.



“FAI!” he calls again, as though he knows I’m practically arguing within myself.



Before doing anything, I’m going to a window to glance outside. There is nothing about but trees and palace towers. And one small comfort: a vague and lifeless wash of pale grey on the horizon that was recently an inky black.



Its coming now. It’s near enough I can see the light of the sun just off the edge of the world. And the thought of letting Sakura-chan, Mokona and Syaoran-kun having to see any of this sparks something in me.



I’ve delayed this long enough, I suppose.



The hallways are swarming with guards now, but none of them so much as try to touch me. In fact, they back away from me as I approach them.



Out the front entrance of the palace, there is a set of stairs leading down into a large empty courtyard. A still pool rests at its center – I recall a fountain being there at the middle, but it must be turned off.



Not a soul is out here.



I look up, and back towards the palace. At most windows, I can see faces looking out. Everyone scanning the grounds and the sky.



“Where is it, Magician?” the voice comes again. Though this time, I’m left with the distinct impression it’s coming from above.



“It isn’t your to keep, Sarûs-chan. I have no intention of returning it to you. And I’ve also come for something else you’ve taken.”



“You say that neither of these things are mine, Magician. But they are not yours either. What makes you think you have any more claim on them than I do?”



“I’m only taking them from you so I can return them to their rightful owners, Sarûs-chan. Nothing more.”



The thunderous roar comes once more. This time, from directly above, and for a fleeting instant everything grows dark – as though something just swallowed the moon and all the stars.



The ground trembles again, the shock of ripples through the ground just like someone had thrown a pebble into a still pond. But I keep to my feet and stare straight ahead.



A beast as black as a starless night towers above me maybe only twenty meters away. Fierce green serpent eyes stare down at me, flickering as though a fire lay behind them.



A dragon; the first I’ve seen since my arrival. And if he has his say in it, it’ll also be my last.



But I don’t have time to stand in fear and awe of him. I am only here for one thing. Nothing else matters right now.



And there it is; like it had been before, when Sarûs was still standing on his two feet of human flesh, he had worn the vial around his neck. Its soft blue-ish light is unmistakable and warm against the chilling aura of the dragon, glittering against the inky scaled.



“Give up now, Magician. I’ll crush you in an instant. You stand no chance against me.”



His threat is intimidating, but I know it not to be true. Were it true, and he were really more powerful than myself; if I really stood no chance against him… he’d already be dead.



Even still, I do not want to fight him. I have already gone against what I said I would never do again today far more times than I am comfortable with.



I cannot help but chuckle to myself.



Kurogane will never let me hear the end of it if he finds out I’ve been using magic.



I wonder what he will remember when he recovers.



For both our sakes, I hope it isn’t much.



I realize that I’ve been staring a bit too long when I hear him draw in a deep breath; feel the air around me pull towards him.



I know what dragons do, and I’m not about to let him do it to me. But I wait a moment. Let him aim straight for me. Let him think he’ll defeat me easily.



In an instant, I feel the super-heated air gush past me as I dodge the red-hot flames. The very place I had once been standing is now a smoldering stain of red and black.



“Where is the feather!?” he bellows, even though I’m quite sure he’s aware I have no intention of telling him.



He takes another deep breath and I look at him and smile.



He won’t aim for just one spot this time, so I have no intention of moving.



I wait until I see the flames come for me. I want him to think he’s got me this time. I wait, until I can feel the heat on my face before I hold out my hand.



The shield surrounds me immediately, reflecting the fire straight back at him.



He growls at me before yelling again, “Fight back!” It’s so loud, it actually hurts me ears. “If you want it so badly, fight me for it!”



He lunges for me, his massive head aimed straight for me.



I can see his teeth, long, and as sharp as any dagger I’ve ever seen.



I doge him, but he comes close. The sleeve of my right arm rips and I can feel the blood seeping down my arm.



It’s nothing more than a scratch though.



With his head close to the ground, the vial too is closer to me. But his massive head turns about again, searching for me before blasting another flame.



I shield myself once more and run towards him, searching for the vial around his neck.



He is enormous. His legs alone are as tall as trees; clawed feet the size of large boulders.



Even if I find it, I’m not going to be able to reach it.



His sheer size makes it hard for him to maneuver about to attack me, with me being so close by.



I hear him growl again in frustration.



Another blast of flame comes at me. Even under beneath the protection of the shield I can feel it’s intense heat, and while I am bombarded, I can see nothing else.



Once the flames are gone, I am on the move once more.



It’s all I can do but let out a startled cry as I am suddenly forced to the ground. The unexpected impact upon the hard cobblestone knocks the wind out of me.



Both my arms are pinned at my sides and the moment the smoke clears, I am met with angry green eyes just inches from my own.



“Where is the feather!? Give it to me!” he yells, as fingernails into both my arms.



The voice is no longer painful; just a bitter, furious yell coming from another human.



And all I do is give him a smile.



“You can’t win, Magician. I’ve got you pinned. Your magic relies on you writing spells in the air, and I’ve got both your arms. What are you going to do!? Who is going to save you now?”



“I am not counting on anyone to save me Sarûs-chan.”



Not exactly.



Since both his hands have got hold of both my arms, there isn’t much else he can do but sit there and wait for me to except defeat. It is the only reason I feel comfortable enough to loll my head to the side – toward the direction of east.



The sky is full of yellows and pinks now. The light all about us, a hazy grey.



Sunrise is just moments away, now. I’m counting on it to be a big enough distraction I’ll be able to snatch the vial and make my escape.



He knows I’m looking at something. Though, I suppose it is rather obvious.



“You look awfully hopeful for someone who isn’t expecting anyone to come and save you.”



“Soon enough, Sarûs-chan,” I face him once more and smile. “I’m not going to need saving.”



His black eyebrows furrow as he looks down at me just and in the very same moment… the sun breaks over the horizon.