Why, Hello and welcome to my little world of weirdness!

I state for the record that, while I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the wonderful characters that will grace this story . . . they are all CLAMP's, always have been, always will be! However I do lay claim to a few of the original characters, for example . . . I own Hei-ying, and his false form, Tomodachi Yukito, I own Mystrasa Kyree, and Carolyn and Adeline Reed, I don't own The Dragon, Saurian because he is on loan from my very good friend, the ever intangible Bluegoo.

This is a Sequel to 'In This Tainted Soul . . .', which actually started out as this story's prequel . . . what can I say? I love writing!! Anyway, while it's not strictly need reading, since the first few chapters will be focus on establishing well . . . basically everything, it would still be nice if you go read up, especially if you want to know why Hei-ying is the way he is . . . I do warn you this may turn out to be pretty long like 'In This Tainted Soul . . .'.

. . . Or you could cheat and read 'In This Tainted Soul . . . [In Five Minutes]'

In This Tainted Soul . . . There Lies Hope . . .

By Dr Megalomania

[Please Enjoy, Read and Please REVIEW!! And a special welcome to all those who have come over from 'In This Tainted Soul . . .', hope this lives up to any and all expectations!! {Fingers crossed} Meeep, meeeep, meeeeep!! I'm so Nervous!!!]

Prologue: Beginning With An End . . .

*** . . . In The Time Before . . . In The Time Of Clow Reed . . . ***

"Seal . . ."

The command was as gently as a whisper.

"Thy task before thee . . . hold strong until The One comes for thee . . ."

The temptation welled up again, just not to finish the spell, release them all again, have them remain his cards. He twisted the key with more force than was necessary, and closed his eyes, forcing himself to speak the last word.

"Release."

Clow smiled gently as he fingered the lock on his book. Keroberos and Yue had been sealed; the cards were sleeping, drawing quietly from his magic. "I guess . . ." He sighed as he spoke to an empty room, encased within an empty home, ". . . there's nothing left for me . . ."

Standing, Clow walked slowly to his library's shelves, stepping towards the furthest shelf in the middle aisle. He lifted the Clow book to it's final resting place. Clow smiled, not caring about the tears welling up in his deep blue eyes, "I know you probably can't hear me . . . but I . . ." He smiled, and winked at the book, "I want you all to be tremendously hard to catch . . . make Sakura work to capture you and make her *earn* your respect . . . and Keroberos . . .?" He turned the book, Keroberos' symbol dulled slightly by Keroberos' trancelike state, "I want you to be very good for her . . . challenge her . . . give her the best of your counsel . . . be to her as you were to me . . ." He chuckled tearfully, "And demand pudding . . . every ten minutes of every hour of every day!"

The book glowed dimly, someone still struggling against the sleep spell he'd enacted. Clow turned the tome slowly, and stared at winged crescent moon, ". . . Yue . . . my dearest, dearest angel . . . I wish for you to be as handsome, and as loyal to her . . . you and Yukito shall be perfect for her . . ." He lifted the book to his face and kissed Yue's symbol gently. "I . . . I love you."

Clow Reed nodded, and pressed his hand on to the book, directing warm magic there, "Sleep, angel . . . sleep . . ." Yue's symbol glowed bright once with frustration and finally dulled as well. The black haired mage sighed and nodded again, "There now . . ." He slid the book on to the shelf.

The powerful magician stepped away and forced himself to walk away, part of him wanted to be selfish, wanted to remain with Yue and Keroberos and his cards for the eternity of the earth. Clow's brow creased into a hateful frown, as he growled quietly to himself, "Instead I must risk all for a girl I merely know a single name of . . ." His hands clenched tightly around a book he didn't realise he'd plucked from the shelves. Clow blinked, finding himself in the darkest corner of his library. Here lay every black magic, every dark art he'd ever found or in some cases created a book on. Clow frowned, disappointed in himself once again, lately he'd found himself stepping in this part of his library and wondering what it would be like . . . just a word, just a single spell cast . . . what would it be like to control . . .

Clow gasped as he realised what book he held. The black cover remained as night black as the day he'd created it; the jade lettering sparkled briefly temptingly. Clow drew a quick breath and slide the book back into it's place of well over twenty years. Clow stepped back, "Never again . . ." He murmured as the jade dulled once more, "Never ever again . . ."

As Clow Reed went to prepare himself for his imminent death, the jade letters glowed dimly once more calling for his return. Keroberos' symbol roused slightly, growling quietly in his sleep, and Yue's remained dulled, the power of Clow Reed's spell too much for him to realise what had happened.

Clow pulled the door shut behind him and locked it quickly with a spell; he frowned and pulled out his key, staring at it. "This is for Eriol . . ." He closed his hand around it and it faded from existence, tucked away somewhere in the realm of magic awaiting it's next Master, Clow smiled and pulled out another key he had fashioned, this too followed it's predecessor into the realm, "And this for Fujitaka . . ." he glanced at the door, still vaguely disturbed by his unintended actions, no one . . . aside from himself and Keroberos knew of the truth, Keroberos only realising it a few years back . . . no one would ever know of his greatest mistake. . . not even Yue.

//How could I have forgotten?// The thoughts bubbled up again, //My mother . . . my uncle . . . my father . . . they told me every day of my life . . . how could I forget such a law so simple as breathing . . .?//

Clow rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand absently, nervously, "Never again . . ." He mumbled, "Never. Ever. Again."

*** . . . In The Time Before . . . Four Years Ago . . . ***

His last remaining jade eye narrowed coldly, //NO!!// The part of him that hate had taken as it's stronghold screamed, //I want justice, I want revenge . . .//

"My dear, sweet, little brothers . . ." He giggled inanely, "Where are you? . . . come out, come out wherever you are . . ." His voice took a chilling note as he began to sing a centuries old song, that he used to sing for them, he twisted the lullaby coldly, "Little Sunbeam, Little Moonbeam . . . Where are you? . . . Little Sunbeam, Little Moonbeam . . . I've finally found you . . . " His dark jade eye settled on a single house on the corner of the road, his lips curling again this time in cold amusement. "Revenge . . . colder than the Freeze card could ever serve." He began to chuckle, his mirth twisted by the insanity he had had since childhood, and the murderous desire that had turned his black heart to ice.

His dark, scaled wings spread, and he stepped to the edge of the rooftop. The moonlight glinted off the ancient but sharp pair of scissors he had tied to his ankle.

 For a brief moment, he pressed a pale hand against the right side of his face. He brushed the longer side of his black, shiny fringe away, and pressed his hand against the hollow that was where his right eye had once resided. The eye Keroberos had claimed, during their last fight. The cold fingers trailed over to the fleshy ruins of his right ear. The ear Yue had managed to cut off, when he escaped briefly and used his icicles on Hei-ying.

"An eye for an eye, Keroberos . . ." He grinned darkly, as he pulled the fringe back over the ancient scars, hiding them once more from the world. " . . . And an ear for an ear, Yue . . ." The dark eye once again settled on the small house at the corner of the road.

"I've come to finish . . ." Hei-ying hissed, " . . . what I should have begun all those years ago . . ."

He spread his wings and beat them once, landing easily on the street. He smiled and wrapped his dark wings around his cold body beginning his transformation to the false form Clow Reed had so graciously given him so very long ago.

"I'll get it!" Twelve year-old Sakura smiled as she bounced down the corridor, //Yukito-san . . .// She sighed in her habitual way; Yukito was staying over for the night, which made Kero very happy. The lion was looking forward to catching up with his brother. Sakura smiled, she was glad everything was out in the open now, everything, even with her father!

She pulled the door open, and smiled up at the tall, brown haired boy. He smiled back, "Good evening . . ." He paused as he glanced at Kero, the small guardian was sat very still in her jumper's hood. The stranger smiled, "I'm a little lost . . . I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to Kinomoto-sensei's home . . ."

Sakura smiled cheerfully and invited him in, "You've found it!"

The boy smiled as he stepped in, "I don't wish to be any trouble . . . I just wanted to ask him about my assignment . . ."

"Kaijuu!" Touya stepped out, "What's going on? Where's my tea?"

"On-nii-chan!" Sakura growled, "I am not a monster!"

The stranger smiled at the little display, and looked past the two as a dapple grey haired boy walked in, "Konbanwa . . ."

Yuki smiled, "How can we help you?"

"I'm looking for Kinomoto-sensei . . ." The stranger lifted a gloved hand to his sunglasses, tipping them slightly as he stared at Yukito; he fell silent for a moment, just taking in Yukito's smile. Yukito's smile broadened cheerfully, prompting the stranger to speak again, "I . . . ah . . . A-about my assignment . . ."

Touya rubbed his knuckles against Sakura's scalp, "He's not here . . . he's at the university still . . ."

"Oh . . ." The stranger blushed, "Then it's of no matter . . ."

Kero shook himself as soon as the stranger left, that was a little strange . . . he had the strongest feeling the stranger knew him in som----

"AIYAAAA!!" Sakura screamed and jumped as Yue suddenly transformed in. Kero shook his head in amusement and feign disapproval. "Yue-kun . . ." He said quietly, shaking a small yellow paw at his younger brother, "Yue-kun! How very naughty of you . . . surprising the Mistress so . . ."

Yue stared at him, his normal hard mask of seriousness in place before it melted slightly, "Oh . . . my humblest apologies," Yue sighed, his normal tone of voice taking on a slightly warmer tone, "And I guess I . . ." He turned on a heel and walked towards the kitchen, "I guess I must throw out the modern yaki I was making since I have made such a naughty thing happen . . ."

Sakura giggled as Kero fluttered out of her hood instantly, "Oh! Modern yaki? Modern Yaki with extra noodles?!" Tomoyo blinked as Yue and Kero strode past her quickly, Kero holding his arms out to his younger brother like a baby, "Modern yaki! Make me modern yaki, with extra noodles! Don't throw out such good food, Yue-sama! Save the Modern yaki!! Yuuuu-eeeehhhh!!!"

The purple haired girl smiled and shook her head, and walked back to Sakura and Touya, who were now laughing quietly at the two enchanted brothers' antics. "Who was at the door?"

"Just someone looking for 'tuosan!" Sakura smiled, as Tomoyo grabbed her hand and started pulling her back to the living room. "Tomoyo-chan!"

"Come on! Come on! I have a wonderful new cloak for you to try!!" Tomoyo sighed, "It will be perfect for you, Sakura-chan!! Just perfect!! Come on! "

Touya shook his head; Tomoyo was a crazy little girl. He winced, as there was a loud crash from the kitchen, he sighed as Yue said quite threateningly, "Oniichan! I do not require your help! Shoo! Shoo fly, shoo!"

Touya glanced at the clock, it was ten thirty . . . //Otuosan would be home quite soon . . .//

He smiled and nodded his head, and began his way to the kitchen, "Keroberos! Out of my kitchen now!"

Hei-ying smiled as his wings peeled back, his transformation complete. He flew back to his place on the rooftop, and stared down at the small house.

"So . . . my spell works . . ."

Hei-ying smiled as he turned, he nodded, "Yes, Mistress . . . they can't feel me . . . they can't even begin to guess who I am . . ."

"Good." Her pale lips curled into a smile, "We have a little work to do before we attack . . . we will eliminate the few who stand to benefit from Clow Reed's magic . . . then attack his magic and his reincarnation directly."

Hei-ying nodded, "Of course, Mistress . . ." He pulled a wet wallet from his pocket, and looked down at the name of the owner.

//Kinomoto Fujitaka . . . his eyes wide . . . blood and bubbles squeezed out of his chest . . . they killed him with water . . .// Hei-ying blinked, shaking the unease out of his mind, "Mistress . . . who do we begin with . . . the Reeds or the Li's?"

"The Li's are too powerful . . . We will find another way to rid them from Clow's legacy . . ." She turned away, "The Reeds . . ." A smirk twisted her lips, "Yes . . . I think our first port of call should and will be to eliminate the Reeds first . . . I've always hated the bastards . . ."

"Yes . . . Mistress . . ." Hei-ying nodded and looked up at the moon, "I shall return for you, Yue . . . Keroberos . . ." he closed last remaining eye, as he promised them with all his heart, "Very soon, my dear, sweet, little brothers . . . very soon . . ."

In This Tainted Soul . . .