Chapter 10

The Contract

Akiho

I came to myself so suddenly, immediately knowing the spell had been broken. With no time to lose I stood up to take the scene in front of me, a scene from a nightmare. I could see Yuna fighting Li and someone else I didn't know. Not far from them two creatures I had never seen before also fought with a ferocity that frightened me, a strange woman throwing shards of something towards the bigger one beside them. A man a few feet from me laid unconscious. The realization hit me hard pushing my lack of stamina to the limit.

"Yuna!" I yelled at him as loud as I could, he needed to hear me.

He stopped attacking the others to look at me. "Akiho-san?" He called my name with a hint of doubt. I knew he knew it immediately... that something was amiss. To be called by this his name... the name I had used many years ago before calamity stroke us.

"Why?" He asked as he approached at an incredible speed, his fight forgotten. His opponents barely catching their breaths, welcoming the sudden pause.

"I wasn't meant to destroy her Yuna, I know what you are trying to do, it's too late to stop this. Let me face my sins and move on"

"No! We will go back and make everything right again. If you didn't take her, I will"

Yuna said no more. He called for someone, the biggest beast answering his call and taking him through the sky towards a direction I could guess would lead him to her. I had to stop him.

"No, don't go!" I told him, still hoping I could make him see reason but he continued his path despite my desperate pleads.

"He is going to Sakura" I heard Li tell his companion in horror.

"Take me with you! I have to help" I told them when I saw them make their way to her.

Li's companion nodded and the other creature, much like a big cat told me to get on him. I mounted it in fear, next to the strange woman that seeing closely resembled a butterfly. She nodded at me in approval and we took off hoping against all odds we would make it in time.

...

Sakura

"She is back" I heard Yue said to someone I could not see. This meant the dream was over. I tried to open my eyes with some effort and saw my room. Kero flying in front of me to see me closely, Yue and Meiling on one side also staring at me carefully.

I tried moving, a sense of urgency devouring me but something heavy hindered my movements. I looked down to see Touya who was holding my hand, unconscious.

"He is sleeping" Yelan told me from behind the others near the door sensing my worry. "He is exhausted because he used all of his power to guide you"

"Guide me? I don't understand"

"The light" Yue told me "He used his spiritual power to reflect the light and show you the way out. She helped open the path at the right time" Yue pointed to Yelan as he said so, they had helped me get out.

"Did you see what was happening? My cards were with me when I needed them"

"Yes, Touya could see" Yue continued. I had no idea his power had increased that much.

"I think he is coming. He is after me" I told no one in particular.

"Yes, he is" Yelan agreed "The question is... what do you want to do?"

"I need to finish it all" I told her, I didn't have to think about it. She nodded in understanding and moved away from the door she was guarding.

I moved to stand up and leave while carefully removing myself from my brother's grasp. As soon as I tried to get up I felt the pain cursed my body, I had already used too much magic. Despite the pain I willed myself to move, pushing myself with all my might.

"Kero, Yue"

Kero transformed and allowed me to mount him as we followed the powerful magical presence we could tell was approaching.

"Mistress... are you sure about this?" Yue asked me as we moved swiftly through the house, towards the courtyard south of the house where we knew we would meet him. I could sense the worry in his voice.

"Yes" I told him in response, trying to sound strong as I did so to reassure him.

"Let's go!" Kero said in excitement, running through the halls he knew all too well "We are ready to kick butt!"

We almost lost our footing when we felt it. It was something like an earthquake except it didn't stop, the sound of thunder echoing along with the trembles.

"He is breaking our defenses" Yue guessed.

"We are almost there" Kero was now flying to avoid delays.

As soon as we were outside I dismounted him to stand on my own feet and as I did so, the protective barrier was broken, a spell so powerful it almost hit me if it were not for the necklace I was wearing. The emerald shinned before forming a protective shield around me. No doubt Syaoran's spell activating amidst the imminent danger.

"I'm impressed, for a child to break my spell... you sure are full of surprises" I heard his voice, knowing immediately who it was before I could even see him.

"I won't give you what you want" I told him.

"We shall see about that" Yuna D. Kaito attacked me with a powerful electric current.

"Reflect!" I called, returning the attack with the same force. He was one step ahead of me, sending trembles through the ground making me use Flight to protect myself as he created a shield to protect himself from his own attack. This was the power of a D sorcerer, a power I had never seen before.

With my guardians by my side Yue launched his arrows towards the enemy and Kero helped me with fire of his own as we continued to exchange spells with one another. I almost didn't notice their arrival until he spoke and despite the noise of the battle I knew he was there.

"Fire God come forth" Syaoran called. Fire spouting from his sword towards my enemy, giving me a much needed moment to land safely and prepare with the next card.

"Blaze!" I joined him, a curtain of smoke separating us from the enemy. Yuna D. Kaito sending a spell of his own in a fight for power that sent shocks to everything near us. The clash of our powers erupted high in the sky as if the impact had been too much, making all of us stop and take cover. The curtain of smoke still lingering, blocking my visibility and putting me on the defense.

I was on edge trying to use my hearing to help me determine where the enemy was when I heard it.

"STOP!" Her soft voice could be heard in a heart-broken scream.

Nobody saw this coming, Yuna had already seen me and was throwing a spell my way when Akiho had placed herself between us, the spell hitting her.

"No!" I yelled as soon as it hit me, Syaoran now by my side stopping me from moving forward.

Yuna D. Kaito had a terrified expression on his face and ran to where she was in horror. It was clear she was leaving us.

"Yuna, I am sorry" She told him with tears in her eyes.

He reached for a clock in his pocket with urgency, dropping it in his perturbed state. As he reached for it again a ray of energy hit it, moving it several feet away from him, Spinel moving quickly to grab it with his mouth and give it to Eriol who had used the spell to get it.

Yuna was ready to fight for it but was stopped by Akiho.

"I will never be rid of this curse, nobody can go back in time that far. I have to die, if not now I will later"

"No!" he cried "we will fix this" but as he said so, she slipped away.

I felt an ache in my heart I did not know I could feel, the scene touching me in a way that was killing me slowly. The loss of a life, in front of my eyes... of a friend nonetheless was too much to bear. It took me a second to swallow the pain I was feeling and I lost it then. I felt something overtake me.

Anger. Sadness. Despair. A force beyond me overtook me and I knew what to do, a light coming within me surrounded me as I moved closer to her. Her inert body under my gaze, unable to see anything else but her.

I made to touch her as Yuna tried to stop me, attempting to protect the body from anyone else. He tried to attack me but could not touch me, the light protecting me and forming a barrier around her body and me as I got closer.

A tear fell from my eyes, the sadness consuming me. As the tear touched her body something very strange happened. I saw something in her heart, a small light waiting... signaling it was time to do what my heart already knew. I stood up, used my staff and created a contract with a spirit., the card forming in front of me, the pain in my heart increasing as it did so.

Once done I called upon it, not needing to read its name, already knowing what had been created.

"Soul" I whispered and the card did its job, taking everything from me in the process and breaking as the task was done.

This was no normal card, it had taken something in exchange for the wish I had made. As soon as the contract ended, I collapsed, devoid of any strength.