Disclaimer: Don't own CCS. CLAMP does.

Cycle 20: Accablé

The fighting raged on, on land and in the air. Syaoran's sword clashed with Aiko's blades as she kept changing from one form to another. Eriol assisted him using his magic, making it harder for the reincarnation of Arya to finish off either of them. Sakura with SWORD fought Koryu with BLADE, and they seemed to be mostly even except that the Cardmistress kept hesitating at each moment where she could have finished him and ended the fight. Her hesitations allowed the Cardmaster to knock her away and continue fighting.

In the air, Ruby Moon was on the defensive, not striking back but at least keeping herself from getting more hurt than she already was while Yue was actively on the offensive. Lunarus was getting annoyed that Ruby Moon would not strike back against him but said nothing. The fight between Spinel Sun and Cerberus and Solarus was more intense, with none of them holding back.

Aiko swept Syaoran's legs out from under him, and he fell on his back. The Chinese boy rolled to the side to dodge the eight daggers that flew at him; they had almost got him. The elemental daggers flew back into Aiko's hands, and Syaoran glared at the girl. She was unfazed by his glare and continued attacking, blocking Syaoran's counterattacks and dodging Eriol's offensive strikes.

Sakura was knocked back a good distance as Koryu deactivated BLADE. His sword reassumed the form of the Moon staff and he pulled out another card. "DISCHARGE!"

What appeared reminded Sakura of the SHOT Card, and she readied herself for the incoming attack. But DISCHARGE was not aiming at her; it instead fired at Syaoran. Quickly, the Cardmistress deactivated SWORD and took out another card. "SHIELD!"

A sphere of magical energy surrounded Syaoran, barely blocking the bolt in time. But this little distraction was what Koryu had been looking for as he removed a card from his deck.

"DESPAIR."

Tendrils of black dust reached for Sakura, extending from the dark haze that seemed to surround the Master of the Harbinger Cards. She felt fear growing within her very soul as the tendrils wrapped around her, a tight grip that pinned her arms to her sides. Koryu simply smiled.

"Where there is hope, there is also its opposite." In his free hand he held a card with a picture of a strikingly beautiful woman with a pair bat wings curled around her, a sphere in her hands. The name that was shown on the card read as "THE DRAIN."

"Once DESPAIR has finished its work, your power will become mine with the help of this card."

"SAKURA!" Syaoran tried to break out of SHIELD, but the card refused to give in. It recognized him as being very important to its mistress, so it would protect him for as long as it could.

Eriol was about to attack Aiko when a loud scream distracted him. Tomoyo ran out from her hiding place in the bushes, pursued by Solarus. But the wolf was attacked by Cerberus and Spinel Sun, who saw that move as a cowardly tactic. Their fight started once more.

Ruby Moon had many perfect opportunities to step in and assist Yue in finishing Lunarus off, but she didn't. She kept hesitating, which allowed Lunarus to blast them both away from him and give the Moon Guardian enough time to turn the tables once more. Her brain said he was an enemy, but her heart said she loved him.

Lunarus had many perfect opportunities to kill Ruby Moon, but he didn't. He didn't kill Yue either, and instead focused on keeping their attention on him. He did not wish to destroy Ruby Moon. His brain said she was his enemy, but his heart said that he loved her.

"Yoru no Naginata!" A weapon with a wooden shaft and a curved sword-like blade on the end formed in her hands. The kanji character that was showing on it was Darkness, and she used it to create a dark sphere of shadows that enveloped Tomoyo before she herself went into the darkness.

Eriol rushed in after her, wanting to stop her before she could do anything to Tomoyo. But once he entered, he could see nothing. It was pitch black within the sphere, and deathly quiet. The silence was suffocating.

But a light suddenly shone, emanating from a dagger that was held by Aiko, the reincarnation of Arya Hitoraumi. She smirked as she said, "Within the confines of darkness you are alone. No one to assist you, and no one to turn to. Friends, loved ones, even your Guardians cannot help you now."

"What do you want?" Eriol asked calmly. "Where is Tomoyo-san?"

"Right here." The light grew enough to show Tomoyo, bound tight by tendrils of darkness. Her eyes were not open, she was not awake, and Eriol's eyes widened in surprise and fear.

"Tomoyo!" In that instant, Eriol realized that Aiko had known all along what the Daidouji heiress meant to him, how special to had become to him. And he also realized himself the full extent of his feelings for Tomoyo.

"So she is your weakness. Interesting, but it had been quite obvious to me. You certainly are an odd one, reincarnation of Clow Reed. I never would have thought that you'd get over the death of your dear Mizuki Kaho within a matter of days…"

"Let her go," Eriol said, a dangerous glint gleaming in the usually calm mage's eyes. Aiko shook her head and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Let me think… no."

The navy-haired mage released a strong bolt of crimson energy at Aiko, but it was blocked by a wall of light that had materialized. As if scolding a young child, Aiko waved her finger at him from side to side.

"Big mistake. You will have to be punished, Hiiragizawa Eriol. And I know the perfect way to do." One of her daggers flew into her free hand, and she lightly held it against the unconscious Tomoyo's neck. Aiko smiled. "So how do you want it? Slow and painful? Or a quick slash that will spill her blood everywhere?"

Eriol could only stare, helpless, fervently trying to figure out a way to save Tomoyo before Aiko killed her. "No..."

"Yes..."

Author's Notes: "Accablé" means "Overwhelmed" in French. All I can say right now is that I hope everyone makes it out alive. -prays- Stay tuned...