Cardcaptor Sakura: The New Trials (Wish-luv)

Chapter 49: Venomous Minds

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A flash of light on the opposite end of the forest and a sudden stillness indicated that the duel between Li Syaoran and Hiiragizawa Eriol had come to an end. Erika and Eron both glanced up, unsettled by the blast of aura so intense that they could feel it as acutely as it were directly next to them, not kilometers away. Erika shuddered at the impact. Who had fallen? 

“Syaoran,” Sakura whispered, face pressed on the earth, knowing she had to stand but finding her body movement no longer within her control, bound by the Obedience. Had he fallen? If so, there was no hope left for her. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see glimpses of cherry pink floating on the river, drifting down with the current. She had to retrieve them, but no longer had any strength left in her. Furthermore, her sealing key was gone; she was helpless without it.

“This is the Sealing Key—from today on, you are Card Captor Sakura, and it will be your duty to collect the Clow Cards,” Cerberus, Guardian of Clow Book, had told her, as he presented her with a pink key with a winged red ornament at its head, which could be released into a sealing staff.

That had been more than five years ago, one spring day when Kinomoto Sakura stumbled across an old book in the basement of her house and accidentally released all the Clow Cards sealed within it except the Windy. From an ordinary schoolgirl, at that time merely ten years old, Sakura had been hurled into the world of Clow Reed and the mysteries of the past. The road to becoming Card Mistress had not always been easy, but she had no regrets. She had learned a lot, been discouraged, gathered hope and overcame the odds. It had been so difficult collecting all the Clow Cards, facing Yue’s Judgment, converting the cards into the power of the star and facing the new dark forces, yet she had always had her sealing staff with her. Now, under the bidding of the Obedience, she had thrown them all away into the stream, all in a matter of minutes. As Card Mistress, she couldn’t even protect her cards from the dark force.

Without your staff and Cards, you are no longer Card Mistress, but no one,

 said a hypnotic voice inside her head, the Obedience. Accept surrender. The Dark Ones are bound to win. Don’t get up. Don’t fight back. Just sit quietly for what will happen will happen. There’s nothing you can do about it.     

No, I’ve got to stand up again. I’ve got to gather my cards. I can’t give up like this,

 retorted a tiny, suppressed voice deep in the back of her mind somewhere.

Her entire body trembled as the Obedience clamped tighter in her mind, stifling all logical sense out of her. I can’t listen to that voice, Sakura reminded herself desperately. I can’t just be controlled like this. I need to get to Syaoran before it’s too late.

A voice cut through her concentration. It was in the real world.

“I asked you Erika, what’s going on?” Eron said to his twin, able to concentrate on what was happening before him. He stared hard at Sakura, clothes soaked in mud, hair stringy and hanging in her eyes, which had a vacant, distant glaze.