Princess Mononoke and Cardcaptor Sakura

Chapter 10: Ashitaka versus Thiazzi

It was quiet in the forest where Ashitaka found himself. No insects buzzing, no birds singing, only silence. For a few moments the young prince thought he might be alone, but then he had the sensation of being watched. "Unless you plan on letting me stand here all day, I suggest that you show yourself."

"Very well," said Thiazzi's voice from nowhere. The black mist began to emanate from the ground and slowly transformed itself into the evil sorcerer. "I may be mistaken, but it seems that you are in a hurry to die."

Ashitaka glared at the man that stood before him, thinking of all the people he had killed and all the people he planned on killing. "I'm in a hurry to get this battle over and done with."

"Yes," replied Thiazzi calmly, "and when I am victorious I will finally have the power I need to restore peace."

For a moment Ashitaka was sure he must have misheard Thiazzi. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

The sorcerer smiled at Ashitaka's confused response. "I suppose you want an explanation," he laughed, and continued in a sarcastic voice, "Oh yes, I'm evil, how could I ever want peace."

"Actually, I fail to see how what you've done so far could possibly help you achieve peace," Ashitaka replied, as he studied Thiazzi carefully. He wondered if this was some kind of trick or if this man was even more insane than his son.

"It's quite simple," Thiazzi began, "I realized a long time ago that my way is the fastest and most effective way to end suffering."

With anger brought on by Thiazzi's words, Ashitaka drew his sword. He took a step towards the sorcerer but the magic of the black orb immediately made the handle become as hot as fire, forcing him to drop the blade. A second later an invisible force sent him crashing into a nearby tree.

Thiazzi looked at the prince with an unreadable expression. "You show anger towards me for wanting to end suffering?" he asked.

Getting to his feet Ashitaka looked at Thiazzi with fire in his eyes. "The only thing you've done so far is bring suffering!"

With a casual smile, Thiazzi replied, "Only for the greater good. It has taken me many years but now I finally have what I need to secure my rule over this world."

Just as he finished Ashitaka ran forwards and, grabbing his sword, tried to strike the sorcerer. When he looked back on it, he wondered if he really thought there was a chance of success. Thiazzi easily avoided the blade by ducking down, and then sent Ashitaka flying for a second time.

As the Emishi prince struggled to his feet he muttered, "How can you say your goal is peace? All you and Cargo want is power."

"True," he replied, "but only because it is necessary." He closed his eyes in sadness. "After my parents were murdered, I swore that one day I would allow peace to return."

Ashitaka winced at the mention of Thiazzi's parents. 'More killing,' he thought.

"It has taken me forty years, but now, at last, I am close. By tomorrow my magic will be fused with that of the Sakura cards and everyone will bow down to me." He then sent an energy ball at Ashitaka, who avoided it by simply stepping to the side.

"No they won't!" he yelled, "No matter how much power you possess, the people of this world will never allow you to rule."

"And they will be crushed," laughed Thiazzi, "Once I have the Sakura cards my strength will be unmatched. Anyone who opposes me will be preventing peace and will be dealt with." He raised his staff in the air. "Examples will be made and the humans and forest gods will soon see that there is no possibility of preventing my rule. Then at last there will be peace!"

A dagger was suddenly in Ashitaka's hand. It flew through the air, aimed directly in between Thiazzi's eyes. A split second before it reached its target, the blade exploded into dust.

"How many lives are you going to take," the prince yelled with hate in his voice.

"As many as it takes for me to secure myself as ruler. Millions most likely," he stated without a single drop of regret. "But afterwards suffering will be over. I will be saving so many more."

Ashitaka moved forwards again, his sword heading right for Thiazzi's throat. The sorcerer wondered if maybe his son had exaggerated Ashitaka's skill, for it seemed he continuously walked into the same trap. He waited until the sword was just an inch from his flesh; at that point he vanished before reappearing to his enemy's left. He planned on smashing Ashitaka's skull with the black orb but it seemed Cargo had, in fact, not been exaggerating. Predicting Thiazzi's move, the young prince swiftly brought his fist up into the sorcerer's face, catching him off guard and causing him to stumble backwards.

Moving quickly, Ashitaka tried to finish Thiazzi with one last blow of his blade. He frantically ducked, barely managing to avoid the attack. Unfortunately, he forgot that he had already used this tactic before and how predictable it was. As Thiazzi moved down, Ashitaka's knee came up to meet his chin, sending him sprawling on the ground.

It was the ideal opportunity to win the fight. All Ashitaka had to do was deliver one last blow with his sword. But he had to hesitate, it was just his natural instinct to avoid unnecessary killing. He momentarily thought that there was a solution that didn't involve death. The moment passed quickly, but not quick enough. Thiazzi seized his chance to retaliate by sending an energy ball flying into Ashitaka's gut, resulting in the prince being knocked to the ground as well.

"I must admit I can finally see why my son wanted us to personally wipe you out," muttered Thiazzi, as he stood up and his staff levitated back into his hand. "But you will not stand in my way of bringing peace."

"You may want peace but you are still evil right to the centre of your heart," Ashitaka stated as he pulled his bow from his quiver, "A good man would never harm innocent people to get what he wants. How can you not see that ending suffering is illogical if you have to bring pain upon everyone to do so?"

Thiazzi shook his head. "I simply imagine what my life would be like if my parents hadn't been taken from me and I realize I would do anything to have that, even harming millions of people!"

"I lost my parents when I was ten and Kaya was only six!" yelled Ashitaka, "But neither of us would kill others in order to get them back!"

Thiazzi looked at the prince with what actually seemed to be pity in his eyes. "And that is why you are weak," he irrationally proclaimed.

An arrow was knotted into Ashitaka's bow before Thiazzi even realized he'd retrieved it from his quiver. It sailed through the air, only to be stopped by the sorcerer's magic, just before it arrived on target. It then flipped around in mid-air and shot back to where it had come from. Ashitaka only just managed to jerk out of the line of fire. He then felt something hard, namely the black orb, hit him in the gut, followed by the other end of the staff smacking into his face.

Thiazzi walked a few paces away, watching with amusement as Ashitaka lay on the ground in pain. The young prince suddenly felt an invisible force lift him into the air. He tried frantically to grab a dagger or an arrow, but was brought back to the ground with shocking speed. He gasped as fiery pain shot through his joints.

"At this rate, I don't think you'll last that much longer," smiled Thiazzi. He was clearly enjoying every moment of this.

Ashitaka managed to get back on his feet, more slowly this time. With his eyebrows raised Thiazzi muttered, "Do you ever give up?"

"No," replied Ashitaka defiantly, "I will fight you until my last breath."

Thiazzi shook his head, "Fine, if that's how you want it." He then used his magic to pick Ashitaka up and send him hurtling into a thick branch. The Emishi prince felt like his head would explode when it came into contact with the tree. A split second later he was sent crashing down again. Luckily, he was able to jerk his body into a horizontal position to avoid breaking his legs, but, of course, the pain was still intense.

"Perhaps now you wish to surrender, that way I can kill you and your suffering will be over," said Thiazzi. Ashitaka was in too much pain to answer, so Thiazzi used his magic yet again in order to bring Ashitaka to his feet. He then appeared behind the young man and grabbed his hair. "Should I snap your neck or do you want me to wait a little while longer," he laughed.

Ashitaka attempted to pull out a dagger but Thiazzi let go of his hair and let him return to the ground. "Why do you take such pleasure in tormenting me?" he managed to utter.

"Tormenting?" Thiazzi raised an eyebrow, "compared to what I did to Cargo, I'm going very easy on you."

There was a moment of silence as Ashitaka tried, and failed, to stand up, but he barely had any energy left. "What are you talking about," he asked. The only thing he could think to do now was distract Thiazzi until an 'opportunity' to escape came along.

"Well," Thiazzi began, "I'm sure this will be a struggle for you to accept but Cargo was, during his childhood, quite different to how he is now. He always refused to harm anything. I would spend more time than I can remember watching him and his mother playing together."

"How could someone like that turn into a killer without emotion," muttered Ashitaka, with another unsuccessful attempt to arise.

"How could he not, after what I did to him," said Thiazzi with an evil smile on his lips, "But I think that's quite enough chitchat. It's time for you to join your parents." The black orb and white emerald glowed and Ashitaka suddenly found himself pinned against a tree.

A dagger materialised in Thiazzi's hand and he slowly began to walk towards the immobilized prince. He knew that there was nothing Ashitaka could do now. He raised the dagger, but waited a few more seconds just to torture his victim. Then suddenly, he jolted forwards letting out a gasp filled with pain.

He turned around and Ashitaka saw five purple arrows sticking out of his back, one in each leg and arm, and one through his right shoulder. His dagger slipped from his grip as he glared at some nearby bushes. "You little brats," he wheezed.

Sakura and Syaoran came out from behind the bushes, along with a Sakura card with purple skin. She was known as the Arrow card. "How did you find me?" Thiazzi spat, using his staff in order to stay standing.

"I gave Ashitaka one of my cards before we left Iron Town and Syaoran used his magic compass to locate it," Sakura explained.

"You're dead!" Thiazzi rasped. He tried to form an energy ball in his hand. It was only when he felt an excruciating pain in his back, which was the last thing he felt in his life, did he remember about Ashitaka. In his distraction and pain his hold on Ashitaka had been weakened. The sorcerer fell to the ground for the last time and as he did, throughout the forest, his army fell with him.

"Looks like we got here with no time to spare," Syaoran muttered.

Ashitaka nodded in agreement while dropping to his knees, completely exhausted. Something caught his eye. It was the white emerald glinting in the sunlight. He untied the string that kept it around Thiazzi's neck and took hold of it. The moment his fingertips brushed against the jewel he felt the pain in his bones wash away and his wounds healed in moments.

'Well, this is certainly going to be handy,' he thought getting to his feet.

To Be Continued…