Note: A new Aion beta starting up tonight so I worked on the details of this chapter most of today and finally wrote it up this afternoon. Prepare for the cliff hanger at the end, what is Fate's true form? Look forward to it!

Chapter 6

Elena crashed through the shop window but did not waste time sprawling in pain on the floor and instead used her momentum to roll back and jumped to her feet. Fate's scythe crashed through the shop ceiling to bury its point in the floor where Elena had been lying moments before.

"Windy!" Sakura's voice echoed through the otherwise silent world and cream coloured streams of air wrapped around Fate, constricting it. Elena used the brief moment of respite to leave the dubious protection of the shop and leapt out the window to join Sakura who was hovering in the air having used the Fly card.

"That won't hold It for longer. We need to find a better place to fight!" Elena called to Sakura who nodded her agreement and looked around, her mind racing. However, before she had a chance to find a suitable location Fate broke free of Windy's bonds and yanked Its scythe free before advancing on the two girls.

"I'll keep It distracted; you know the city better than I do!" Elena said, dropping her bow and instead unsheathing her sword. The blade glowed a deep blue and the air seemed to hum around it. Without another word she shot forwards to intercept the wraith speeding towards them.

Sakura looked around desperately; and then it came to her.

"The park!" She called down to Elena who was in the midst of parrying a series of fast jabs from the dangerous scythe. She showed no sign of agreement; but she had heard and counter attacked with swift and precise swipes and lunges, forcing the wraith back.

Suddenly Elena feinted a powerful haymaker blow and instead darted around Fate's side and shot off like a bullet towards the park that Sakura had indicated, following the other girl. Below them Tomoyo followed quickly with her video camera pressed to her eye, her expression was of both joy and worry, the battle did not seem to be going well.


"They're retreating to the park for a better place to fight, come on!" Himura shouted over his shoulder, abruptly stopping and turning sharply to take a path into the woods surrounding the park. Shaoran was on his heels in a matter of seconds and the two boys hurried along the paved path, the only sound their own heavy breathing.

The girls arrived first, quickly twisting around to find the wraith already upon them. The scythe swung down at Sakura who shrank back, unable to deflect the might weapon. Elena pushed the girl out of the way and partially deflecting the scythe but there had been too much momentum behind the weapon and it glanced off her sword blade to bury deep into her left shoulder.

Elena cried out in pain and pushed forwards with all her might, the wraith's weapon came free; but not without causing more damage as Fate angled the blade to rip through more skin before coming free. Elena wrapped her injured arm around Sakura, crying out as the pain flared up through her entire body; and leapt back to give them a few seconds of reprieve.

"Elena-chan!" Sakura ran forwards and knelt down by her injured friend who was crouching with her sword pointing towards their opponent; but her sword arm was wavering as the pain from her injured shoulder spread and became more intense.

"It's gotten stronger since last time, much stronger. We can't beat it by ourselves. Sakura-chan, go back into the woods and find the other two, you won't be safe if you stay here." Elena fell to one knee and dropped her sword, her right hand gripping her wounded shoulder, putting pressure on it to stop the blood flowing so freely and thickly down her limp arm, side and front, staining her white combat clothes.

"I can't leave you here! Hide in King Penguin; I'll hold It off until the other two get here." Sakura insisted, pushing Elena towards the supposed sanctuary but the blonde girl had a great deal of strength left in her.

"Go!" She barked the order and Sakura felt something take her body over, turn her around; and force her to run off into the woods, following the path towards where Elena had sensed the two boys.


"Trying to become a martyr, are you?" Fate hissed from inside Its rags. Elena slowly released her injured shoulder and picked up her weapon again, holding it up straight, gritting her teeth against the pain, using it to concentrate. "You know you cannot hold on for long, Lady Mithran." The voice was more quiet, sinister and sure. Many spoke of this as the voice of prophecy, Elena didn't take the bait, she wasn't prepared to fall apart here.

"I cannot beat you, that I grant you; but I can hold you here for long enough. It will save Sakura-chan from your horrors!" Elena screamed, rushing forwards and swinging her sword one handed, the steel meeting Fate's scythe in a clang of metal and a shower of sparks. Elena pressed forwards, a feral growl in the back of her throat. Fate cackled and pushed her away easily with the scythe, as if swatting a fly.

Elena had no time to attack again as Fate started a flurry of wide arcing slashes with Its scythe that she could barely react to let alone counter. After four successful parries and two narrow dodges Elena knew she was at her limit. Her vision was becoming hazy and she knew that four attacks ahead she would be unable to avoid the next move. Fate knew it too and sensed her resignation, howling in triumph and attacked ever more fiercely.


"Isn't that Sakura-san?" Himura asked, staring at the figure running towards them. Shaoran nodded and sped up to pass Himura. Sakura stumbled into his open arms, sobbing.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Shaoran asked, Sakura pointed down the path.

"Elena-chan... she used some kind of spell," she sobbed again, sniffled, then continued, "and sent me away. She was hurt and she sent me to you to be safe. I couldn't stop myself!" Sakura sank into Shaoran's embrace, her chest heaving as she cried.

"She used a type of magic called Free Magic to compel you to run. We don't have much time if she used it." Himura darted away, Shaoran had caught the worry that was barely hidden on his face.

"Come on, Sakura. We have to go help Mithran, crying won't do any good. Take us to her and we can save her, now let's hurry!" Sakura looked up at Shaoran, his smiling, confident face and wiped the tears away and nodded with new determination.

"Yeah!"


The last attack came, Elena ducked into a crouch, the scythe sailing inches above her head; but then Fate hauled the weapon towards Itself and Elena knew this was the one she couldn't avoid. Knowing this she dropped her sword and held one hand up, palm out, at Fate; and become muttering words of magic.

The Scythe ripped through her jacket, then her shirt, and then the blade was through her skin. Elena arched her spine as the blade pierced her lungs and then she was staring at three inches of the blade, the very tip of the scythe that had emerged out through her chest.

She screamed silently as she felt her life slipping away but she could still hurt Fate, a last thing to remember her by. Her right hand rose back up to face her enemy and Fate could now see that a blue orb was glowing brightly in front of her palm; and was growing in size. Then the orb shot from Elena's palm towards Fate and hit the wraith directly. There was an inhuman scream and the wraith was thrown back and toppled the climbing frame made of metal poles, throwing up a cloud of dust and dirt.

Elena's knees gave out and she fell to the ground, facing the woods. She stayed conscious just long enough to see the trio emerge from the woods and a weak smile crept across her face, she hadn't lost.


"Elena!" Himura shouted, seeing the blonde girl stretched out on the ground, a pool of blood spreading out around her, her face pale and her eyes glazing; and the scythe still protruding from her back. Himura sprinted forwards and slid to a halt in front of her, falling to his knees and picking Elena up. With a swipe of his hand he shattered the scythe blade and the weapon clanged to the ground.

Himura picked the helpless girl up and cradled her in his arms.

"It'll be alright. I'll heal you, don't you worry." Himura muttered, his body emitting a bright green glow that was a beacon of life in the otherwise frozen world.

"I know, Himie… you'll take care of me as… always…." Elena fell unconscious, her head lolling to the side. There was a rumble as Fate recovered from Elena's final attack and rose menacingly.

"Now you know pain, young Lord Imanda. In time I shall visit it upon you yourself; but for now I shall contend myself with breaking the hearts of this weak couple." Fate rose a hand to the sky and a new scythe shone before appearing in Its hand. Sakura stared at the dying Elena in shock, unable to believe it. Tears streamed down her face.

"Elena-chan!" She screamed, completely ignoring the world around her. Shaoran wrapped an arm around her waist and leapt away from Fate's attack. He shook Sakura to break her away from the sight.

"Sakura! We're still in danger here!" He shouted, finally snapping the girl out of shock. He could see the anger welling up in her now. Sakura was a hard girl to hurt, to put down, to make cry, to infuriate. Nothing angered and saddened her in equal measures as her friends being hurt.

I couldn't save Elena-chan. She's dying because I don't have enough power, because I don't want to hurt this monster! If I don't fight it for real then Shaoran-kun will get hurt too; and Himura-san as well. I don't want to see that, I don't want that!

"Sword! Fly!" Sakura cried, tears still flowing from her eyes but now of anger. The wings sprouted from her back once again and her staff changed into a sword. Sakura leapt forwards at Fate, now with the skills of a master swordsman. She swept Fate's attack away and lunged expertly into Fate's body. The sword sank into the cloak, and then out the other side, there seemed to be nothing in between. Fate swung a clawed, bony hand down towards Sakura but Shaoran was there, blocking it with the flat of his blade.

"It's not working! We need to use the more powerful offensive cards!" He grunted, finally pushing the hand away. The couple leapt away from the monster.

"Fiery!" Sakura cried, casting the Card, her staff still in sword form. Shaoran held up the Windy Card, it had come to his hand at his bidding.

"Windy!" He called, casting his Card. Fiery burst out of its card and swept towards Fate, Windy did the same and appeared behind Fiery, then merged with it to create a huge wave of fire that swept over the wraith. There was a high pitched scream and the monster twisted and turned burned by the flaming rags that hit It. Slowly the rags began to burn into ash and Fate tore off Its shroud and threw the burning mass to the ground, standing before them unveiled at last.

There was the beating of powerful wings and Sakura's two Guardians flew down from the sky with a cry of her name. Keroberos and Yue landed on either side of the couple, Keroberos by Sakura and Yue by Shaoran.

"So that's Fate." Keroberos muttered.

"You have revealed me… and unleashed all of my power."