The Great Fatalist: Prophecy of the Star Cards
The heavy canopy of the forest pressed down on them, illuminated only by a dusting of stars overhead and the faint, residual shimmer of fading sorcery. Sakura leaned heavily against a moss-covered root, her breathing shallow, her cheeks flushed with pure exhaustion. The Star Wand felt twice as heavy as usual in her grip.
"Anyway, Sakura, you were saying..." Masaki Karsu broke the silence, his eyes fixed on the young Cardcaptor. "...you have to use a new incantation now?"
Sakura offered a weak, apologetic nod. "Yes. The old words... they didn't connect to the cards anymore. I had to change the call to reflect my own power."
"That explains why she's so tired," Yue murmured, his wings flaring slightly as he landed softly on a patch of grass. His silver hair caught the moonlight. "When she was using her magic just now, a new magic circle appeared. Not Clow Reed's magic circle."
"So it now relies entirely on your own magic," Masaki Karsu continued, his gaze drifting from Sakura to the dark woods beyond. "Which means Yue and I couldn't do a thing to help you out back there."
From the shadows, a heavy, thudding footstep shook the loose dirt. Gnasty Gnorc stepped into the dim light of the clearing, his massive club resting casually over his shoulder. He looked down at the group, his gruff features twisting into a rare expression of grudging respect.
"I'm impressed that you made it at all," Gnasty Gnorc added, gesturing forward with a thick, clawed finger. "This place marks the end of the beltline. It's also the entrance to Babylon City."
A low, smooth chuckle echoed from the trees, and Kyogi Kagimi stepped into view, adjusting his dark glasses with a slow, deliberate movement. His presence instantly turned the atmosphere tense.
Spyro, who had been resting near Keroberos, bared his teeth, a small plume of flame escaping his snout. "You again," the dragon hissed.
"Do you people do anything besides manipulate people and watch what happens to them?" Kyogi demanded, his voice sharp as he stared directly back at the unseen forces driving their bizarre journey.
Sakura pushed herself up from the root, her jaw setting with a quiet determination that defied her fatigue. She looked past Kyogi, looking out toward the distant, glowing horizon of Babylon City.
"I'll walk the path that I have chosen," Sakura said, her voice steadying as she stood tall, clutching her wand tighter. "Whether or not you tell me to."
An unsettling smile played on the observer's lips in the shadows. "I should hope you do. Because the more you struggle against destiny, the greater the show I get to watch."
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