The Past Returns

Raw Truth

Amidst the city's hustle and bustle, within the confines of a nondescript hotel room, an enigmatic event unfolded. A pitch-black, circle-like barrier materialised. As the eerie glow subsided, Sakura, Eriol and Yue stood in its place.

Eriol couldn't help but conceal a satisfied grin as he remarked, "Perfect. That went smoother than anticipated."

Sakura, disoriented by the abrupt transition, mustered a faint acknowledgement, "Wow..."

"Apologies for the disorientation," Eriol said. "Portals aren't my favoured mode of travel, but the occasion called for it."

"Master Eriol. I didn't know you had that kind of power." Yue said.

"I have been studying and experimenting with different magic for a while now." Eriol informed Yue and Sakura.

Sakura's curiosity surged as she inquired, "Eriol, who is she? How does she know about Clow Reed and the Cards?"

Eriol, took a seat and gestured for the others to sit as well. "Her name is Calista, she's Clow Reed's sister."

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed in disbelief. 

Eriol nodded and continued, "Their parents were deeply entrenched in the world of magic, introducing them both to its secrets at a tender age. They nurtured Clow's prodigious magical talent, side-lining Calista, whose power paled in comparison."

"What are you talking about?" Yue demanded. "Clow Reed never had any siblings."

"All in good time Yue." Eriol replied, summoning a cup of tea in his hand.  "As Clow grew older, their parents' focus on him intensified. They guided him to unlock magic's full potential and harness its limitless power. Meanwhile, his sister watched over him, her heart brimming with support as they got older. But like any sibling there were arguments and jealousy over the years."

"So, that's when Clow created the Clow Cards?" Sakura asked, feeling a little unsure of the history of their creator.

"Eventually, but it wasn't until a lot later when he did," Eriol answered.

"I know all about the creation of the Clow Cards and why Clow Reed decided to create them." Yue stressed. "What I don't know, who is this sister of Clow's that you are talking about."

"Patience Yue." Eriol replied, taking a sip. "All of your questions will be answered. Although I guess I can skip to when Clow created the Clow cards."

"As you know Clow Reed created the Clow Cards with the vision of  blending both Eastern and Western magic . This was symbolise his heritage. Calista on the other hand didn't process nearly as much power but she did support her brother with his plan and even stood by him when he began creating them."

"That sounds wonderful. Calista must have cared about Clow Reed very much." Sakura said.

Eriol nodded, his expression turning sombre. "Indeed, she did. In fact, she went to extraordinary lengths to protect him."

Intrigued, Sakura pressed further, "Protect him from what?"

"Himself."

Sakura and Yue were taken aback by the cryptic statement. Eriol chuckled, "The Clow Cards harnessed immense power, and Calista, with growing concern, attempted to reason with Clow to reconsider his ambitious creation of fifty-two magical entities."

"fifty-two but we know Clow created fifty-three cards, including the Void Card," Yue pointed out

Eriol acknowledged Yue's observation, "Indeed, but I'm getting to that. As Calista watched, the balance between positive and negative magical energy within the Cards began to shift dangerously. Life on Earth became erratic and unpredictable, with continuous earthquakes resembling the turmoil all over China."

Eriol, noticing the two dumbfounded expressions continued, "Anyway, Clow assured Calista that everything was just fine and that he would be able to reverse all the damage done. However, as Clow created more and more Cards, the fate of the world was at stake."

Sakura, growing increasingly concerned, asked, "It was that bad?"

Eriol nodded. "Magic affects all walks of life, Sakura, regardless of whether people possess magic or not. The world's natural balance was deeply affected by this. Once all the Cards had been created, the world had become a very scary place. Earthquakes erupted multiple times a day, tearing the very ground beneath people's feet. The nights were plagued by relentless tremors, turning life into a never-ending nightmare, akin to the horrors unleashed by the unbalance of the Clow Cards."

Sakura's eyes widened, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "Surely Calista put a stop to this?"

Eriol sighed, "she tried, but like I said she didn't process the power to undo the damage. All she could do was watch helplessly."

Yue, growing increasingly frustrated, exclaimed, "Clow must of stopped at some point; he wouldn't let the world be destroyed because of his creations?"

Eriol replied solemnly, "Yes, Clow did put an end to the chaos. But it came at a terrible cost. It wasn't until a little boy lost his life, his innocence taken by the chaos that had consumed the world."

Sakura's face went pale as she grasped the devastating reality of Clow Reed's actions. She shook her head, unable to fathom the consequences of his creations.

Yue persisted, his voice heavy with emotion, "You still didn't answer my question. Why did Clow erase Calista's existence?" 

Eriol, in a sombre tone, replied, "I'm sorry, Yue, but I am unable to answer any more questions. It seems we have company." He rose to his feet, signalling the end of the discussion, leaving a chilling air of mystery surrounding the past events.

A/N; (Edited 05/08/24)