Chapter 21: Fire & Ice Part II

"SHI!" Sakura screamed with rage as her sword locked with his scythe. It wasn't like her to do anything remotely like this, such an assault wastes energy… energy is needed to perform magic… thus this form of attack wasn't beneficial. This is what she would think. But that's only if thought had crossed her mind. At the moment, there were no thoughts. Just actions.

"Die…" she breathed through clenched teeth. "Why won't you die?"

With a cry of frustration, she broke away from his strike range and took a new stance momentarily, before running at him full throttle.

Unfortunately, he had seen this method coming, and parried her blow, but at the same time brought her in closer. Without a break in the movement, he released the hold of his weapon and brought his hand to chest level. It was at this second, he flicked his fingers out. The touch of death.

However, Sakura in the unlikelihood of rationality knew this to be the case and was just barely able to escape and flip out of reach. Well… not exactly escape. From a freshly torn sleeve, a dark liquid seeped out and ran down her arm. Caught in the moment, she ignored it completely. Just as she ignored her present location…

Faski smiled. Shi had pushed her into just the right location. This was it. Game over.

Without a second's delay, he fired his final blast. And as the blast streaked towards its oblivious target, he could only watch and wonder. Was death at an instant all that painless?

"-DECEND!"

Suddenly, from nowhere a voice disrupted his thought process, and even as he watched dumbfounded… the massive blaze released from his weapon curved off its flawless path and into the ground five meters from Sakura feet. It missed. That couldn't be… it was impossible.

It was aided.

With an evil stare, he looked off to the side. There, with his sword held sideways and at chest level, was that brat from before. Beside him and off to the side was another one… though a little taller.

Shit. He'd forgotten all about them. Then he smiled. In his reasoning, at least things would be interesting once again.

Not to mention… killing them would definitely be more fun.

Sakura stood resolute, absolutely determined to strike him down. Though an immense amount of heat energy exploded just behind her, it meant nothing. In fact, the blazing fury of the hungry flames only helped to outline her internal fire.

From Shi's perspective, it must have been a discomforting sight. Even as the fire licked at her back, it looked less like Faski's blundered attempt and more like a violent aura, with the ambient light framing her body's edges, but tucking the rest of it in shadow. Her free blowing hair was out in volume to the side, and the fire's reflective lighting made it look all the more surreal. Even as the blood trickled down her arm, she showed nothing. There was no emotion in her anymore… only a dead stare that held her agenda.

An agenda of death…

"No more…" she stated in a deadpan voice. "I'll take no more. However…" she raised her sword as her adversary did nothing but look on, "I'll give instead… then take from you."

She brushed aside some of the hair blowing in her face with her free hand, then smiled. In that brief moment, she allowed her sword to drop slightly.

"NOW!"

She flung the sword at her opponent with deadly force. If all went planned… this would be great. She wondered if it would.

A moment later, she'd find that it had…

Just as the sword neared its intended target, Shi both attempted to block and step out of the way. However, just as his weapon made contact with hers she used the connecting wire to pull it back, effectively wrenching his weapon free… and that wasn't all. As her weapon returned and his went in a different direction, he stepped right into the next phase.

From the sky, a deadly rain of both crystal shards and black fire pummeled and burned him relentlessly. There was little he could do but futilely shield the onslaught from above as both Spinel and Yue descended from the skies mercilessly. Sakura, with her sword back in hand, also pushed forward. Even though there was a slight shred of rationality within her, it had no place in her heart.

The only thing that belonged there now… was a burning determination to destroy.

Not far from Sakura's dominating battle, but well far beyond reach of earshot, Faski had his first taste of humility since the night's start… and it was his own blood. To make matters all that more frustrating, that blood was visible to his opponents. With a deepening surge of hatred he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.

As he stood awaiting their next collective assault, he thought of nothing save for the various ways he would enjoy prolonging their individual sufferings. Furthermore… he was just to make those thoughts a reality when an unexpected sound filled his ears… accompanied by a sudden quell of heat and darkness. A wail of pain from his soundless companion and what looked to be the attack that inflicted such injury. When he had turned to look, he had caught just a glimpse before his own sight erupted in flames.

Furious, he swung his face from the blaze and stared right into its source.

"Where were you looking?" Syaoran stated with amusement as the fire from his sword danced back to nothingness. "Don't you remember? You were fighting us. Only us."

Faski put a hand to his face as if to feel for damage over his one eye. Apparently satisfied with his inspection, he lowered it and sneered. All the while, he managed to keep his disk spinning and on the ready, though at this time it had developed a slight lag that suggested a potential opening.

"Feh." Faski spat. "Only you… just as Shi was only fighting that girl." He looked around briefly, but never really took his eyes from them. "You can't just fool me like that."

"Like what?" Touya pondered aloud. "Just how many of do you think there are? Not to mention that you already killed one of our group when you collapsed the ceiling."

"Did I? You don't seem to care much if that was the case." Faski accused.

Touya shrugged. "I never really liked him much." He gave a small chuckled before going on. "He was just a stuffed animal after all. Not too smart, and ate all the snack foods in the house. To me, a nuisance that I'm glad to be rid of." He looked over to Syaoran. "Right, Syaoran?"

"Yeah…" Syaoran supported, though he never dropped his guard. "It was more of a service to me. But her…" he jerked his head in Sakura's direction. "She's just a bit more sensitive… so I'll have to take you down."

"Ha. So you're her bitch, eh?" Faski grinned. "An' here I thought better of you."

"Nah… you know… or maybe you don't… how women can be. They're responsive to such things." Syaoran smiled as he thought of how she'd kill him for this next statement. "It makes them easier… you know? The difficult ones."

Faski started laughing. "I like your style kid. It's just too bad I have to kill you too. I hope you go easy for me… no hard feelings and the like?"

"None." Syaoran agreed. "As long as the same holds true for you."

Faski sighed happily. "Of course. What are enemies for?"

At once, Syaoran closed his openings and went in at a feint. Just before he lashed out with his sword, he sidestepped the hunter and then flipped out of the way.

"NOW, Touya!"

Faski whipped around toward the direction Syaoran shouted, but when he had, it dawned on him that that was a ruse as well.

In that opening, Touya chose to strike. With the accuracy of a professional, he whipped out his hand, and the three throwing knifes hit their mark.

A howl of fury followed as Faski reacted to the blades deep in his shoulder muscle. With a movement of speed that matched his opponents, he jerked the blades free. The resulting agony made him reconsider his earlier thoughts.

When he caught them… they suffer pains worthy of a thousand deaths.

Sakura fought with a fury that few possessed. With a combined magical presence and a determination that surpassed her ancestors, she was a true inspiration. Truly, she would make the entire island of Japan proud. But all that was hearsay for the moment. Only the end mattered, and that's exactly what she fought for.

With a cry that tore the heavens, she came down upon the last vestige of Shi's defense. Her sword hit both hard and determined, and sent him reeling backwards into a mound of debris that came from the station's platform. All around her, the bodies and dead faces of the deceased seemed to cheer her onward, though she paid them no heed whatsoever.

Her only concern was Shi.

As she started toward him, both Yue and Spinel joined her. In the darkness ahead, Shi was not moving.

Touya lifted his sleeve to check his supply. Unfortunately, the last of his knives had not hit, and he had just about exhausted his supply. But on the plus side, Faski was injured and thus slower… and Touya was still far from defenseless.

From his shoulder, Faski felt the throb of the wounds with every beat of his heart. Though they bled profusely, he still smiled, despite his labored breathing. After all… he still had some tricks of his own.

Syaoran on the other hand, had stopped smiling. Even before their talk with Faski, his arm had begun to bother him again. Now, it just hurt… and in a while… if they were unable to resolve this skirmish, he might lose its function completely.

At best, Syaoran could only think of one thing. Get rid of his weapon… and then move in for the kill.

Shi's breathing had collapsed. It was well beyond labored at this time, and Sakura knew why. She knew instantly. And she only could know… by seeing him personally.

Sometime during their combined assault, half the hood and most of the tattered cloth on Shi's body had burned away. With his motley reddish brown suit and the affixed skeleton, he looked like a victim of third degree burns. Even on his face… the part not shrouded by the hood… had the suit's muscle-like covering up past his cheekbone, while his beady eye stared out with pure hatred. As for his hair, it was gone. Whether it had burned away, or had never existed, she couldn't tell.

Sakura looked down at him with disgust. Yue and Spinel also looked on, but with a brimming hatred. None of the three, however, could see well enough in the darkness to notice that Shi's free hand had grabbed a piece of the debris. At the moment, he was too busy keeping their attention to his eye.

"Well then…" he croaked in a raspy voice that sounded more like a death draw then a voice. "Are you going to kill me?"

If he intended to put them off by his voice, he failed. Because it was at that moment, Sakura had already decided. "Yes." She replied without emotion. "Tonight, you die."

"FASKI!"

Syaoran lifted his head in momentary shock as Touya with his normally calm nature let loose with an unnatural scream of fury. However, as Faski lunged at him, Syaoran found his opening. Finally.

With a desperate swing, one that took most of his last reserve of strength, he connected with the disk at last… and in that moment, was lost in an explosion. As he felt himself hit hard upon the street, debris and bodies alike being tossed aside, his eyes widened as Faski's weapon also flew from the explosion, and imbedded itself in the pavement. And all the more surprising was that of its true appearance. Not one of a disk at all… but that of a staff.

So that was his secret.

And that was the last Syaoran knew… because at that moment, the exhaustion overcame him and he was conscious no more.

"Tsk…" said a voice just up from where Syaoran lay. "I never show anyone that thing… and now you made me show everyone. At least I'll be relaxed knowing that you kept up your end of our bargain."

Without additional sound, Faski stooped low and hefted a large chunk of debris.

"Sorry kid…" he held the concrete above Syaoran and paused in solace. "It's not my style, but you left me no choice."

Sakura paused but a moment and hesitated. She wasn't sure why she did, but afterwards she'd think it as fate's call. Because just in that moment, it was all the man at her feet needed.

With the start of her vertical strike, he not only blocked the blade with a shield of ice, but knocked her off balance. In addition, he turned her situation to his advantage. In fact, it was lucky that she did fall, because it was at that moment that he detonated his shield, sending jagged pieces of ice shrapnel every direction.

As both Yue and Spinel had been forced to take cover, they had to shield their eyes in the process, while Shi slipped away. Before they knew it, their adversary was safely tucked away in the darkness. He was gone.

What done was done, though at the moment, her sword was less a help and now simply a burden. With less effort than what it would take to carry it otherwise, she returned it to its key form, and placed back on her necklace. This was already a longer night than she had asked for. She just hoped the others were ok.

Faski felt the weight in his hands. Though his decision was already made, he didn't like it. Not only was his opponent helpless, but he was just beginning to grow on him… plus, to hit him with a chunk of concrete… now that… that was brutal.

He smiled. Perfect.

With a savage cry, he pulled his arms back in preparation for the driving force. However, he never got the chance. From out of nowhere, a feral roar sounded from all around him, just as a great, wingless beast collided with his chest, sinking its teeth into his uninjured shoulder.

As he reeled backwards from the pain and the weight of the beast, the debris he was holding smashed to the ground just centimeters from Syaoran's head. Furious from the surprise and injury, he used what was left of his strength to hurl the monstrous Kerberos against one of the buildings to his side. Though his arms were sopped with blood, he was just about to land a finishing punch to Kero's midsection when a chain wrapped around his wrist, halting his momentum.

"Ka-sari!" he said with surprise as his eyes widened. With a feral growl those same eyes narrowed. "No… you!"

Touya's breathing was heavy, but he still managed a smile despite the situation. "Of course…" he smiled. "Who did you think it would be?" Without waiting for a reply he decided to taunt him more. "Oh… just so you know, I guess the animal isn't dead after all. Right, fuzz-ball?"

Kero shrugged off the insults as he righted himself. "Yeah…" he said in a low voice. "That's right."

"And since you are in such an agreeable state after your resurrection, make yourself useful and grab his weapon before he can."

"Sure… but…" Kero paused. "What weapon?"

At the moment Touya jerked his head up to look in the direction of the staff, it was Faski's turn to smile. With a delicate effort, he broke free of the chain's hold, just as his staff struck the ground between them. But this was different… and Faski was lost to the steam that it emitted, which with this lighting might just as well have been smoke.

"Shit!"

Touya could only watch as the great blackness expanded and moved toward a nearby alley. There was no way he could follow now. It was just best to find the others and regroup. After all… both sides had suffered enough damage that either wouldn't care to start once again.

Sakura stumbled slightly as she stepped down a pile of rubble that now cluttered the street in frequent piles. Though her eyesight was far superior to the others in her group, she knew that it was potential suicide to go towards the cloud that now surrounded the street area away from the station. And while the piles made it difficult to walk through, at least in helped burry the unfortunates… even if they had brought it upon themselves.

In a way, though the previous fight was unresolved, she was glad it had paused, as it let her catch her breath. Hopefully no one had sustained any further injury… Kero's injury was enough for one night. Despite herself she laughed. She should be one to talk about injury… not only from the wound on her arm, but on her head and legs as well. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't bleeding still elsewhere.

"Yue… Spinel… are you all right?" she asked as they trudged from the darkness.

"Ah… in a way, yes." Spinel replied honestly.

Yue on the other hand looked as though he was favoring one shoulder over the other, and at Sakura's kind eyes of concern, he quickly dismissed it. "It's nothing." He stated blandly as he looked away.

Sakura chuckled. He was a terrible liar.

"Ok, then… let's find the others."

"Actually, there's no finding required. We're already here."

Sakura looked up surprised, but happy. However, when all she saw was her brother, she faltered in her happiness. More than anything, she wanted to see Syaoran. After all, like many of the others… he was absent in her dream.

"Touya… what about Syaoran?"

"Actually," floated up a voice that helped calm her slightly, "He's with me."

"Kero? You're ok?"

"Sorta… but my wings have seen better days, in fact, as of now they'd only get in my way, what with my present task."

As Kero finished speaking, he switched from a light tone to a more sympathetic one. But that switch wasn't really needed, since Sakura was at his side before he finished. After she saw his back, there was nothing that could keep her.

"Syaoran…" She felt the last of the previous quell of rage dissipate. With an innate rekindling of tenderness, she reached out to touch his face as Touya and Yue slid him off Kero's back. Though he had been through a lot, his face did nothing to show for it. His face was as placid as Sakura ever remembered it.

With a concerned touch, she brushed aside one of the loose strands of his hair that hung low over his face. If only she had been there with him… Lost in the thought, she put her face in her hands. When expectantly, she felt moisture on her fingers, she wasn't surprised… but considering she hadn't began crying yet…

Sakura stared blankly at her hands a moment, before it dawn on her that the liquid was hers. Without dwelling on it a second longer, she wiped it away with her sleeve.

"Sakura? Are you…"

"I'm all right… but Syaoran?" she prompted.

"He's fine," Touya offered. "He's just unconscious. I'm sure he'll be up and about soon."

"Ok." Seemingly satisfied that it was nothing serious, she gently laid him down at her feet. She was just about to decide on something, when a soft glow from beyond the steam-bank caught her attention.

Something was burning.

As the light crept along eerily through the breaks within the cloud, Sakura's sense of anxiety was rising. There wasn't much that could burn anymore… also, a burning would mean Faski… and that would mean he was still around. Not only were they still around, they were setting in motion something horrendous. After all, the only things in that direction were residential buildings.

He was planning to burn them out in order to get their attention.

Once again, they were going to kill to lure them out.

Well then… if that's what they wanted… then that's what they'd get. And then some.

As the rich light permeated the surrounding darkness, Sakura felt her previously dissipated rage and apprehension make a comeback. Rage for the hunters… apprehension for the atrocities they were destined to create. As she was before, she reached a conclusion. Thoughts could wait… only actions were needed now… only results.

With care she left Syaoran with the others, and motioned for them to hang back. However, with the hunters, she would leave death. She would see to it personally.

"FASKI!"

Silence.

"FASKI!"

Still silence, though the voice rebounded off the walls and came back.

"FASKIIII!"

Just then, on her loudest cry, silence was not the reply. Instead, what she got was a deep and taunting chuckle that seemingly started from an inaudible level until it built to such a height that it began to hurt. It was the breaking point.

"Faski..." Sakura started low, which could probably not be heard over the laugh. Though, surprisingly enough… it did. "I'm sick of these games… of the cowardice. Are you not a hunter? If I hadn't fought you before, I'd think that it was us who were hunting… and you the prey."

There was a slight pause, but she did not have to wait long for the response.

"Games… why not? Games are fun to play. In fact, if you don't start ours… and soon, we'll play with everyone else. It's your choice though… step across our threshold. Meet us on the other side. Only then… only then, will you have our undivided attention. If you do not… then everyone dies."

"Heh… I think not." Sakura took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Windy." With the mere mention of the word, her hair tugged against gravity's pull as it started floating on the cylindrical vortices budding at her command. Let me pass… Windy!

With just the mere thought of the power, Windy, her first card ever to possess and wield was no more just a card… but an ability. As it was, she, and the rest of the cards, now served as extensions of her mind. And as any aspect of the mind… it was dreadfully accurate.

Without further instruction, the wall of steam before her was buffeted by the typhoon-force gales and pushed aside. In short, the entire barrier wrought so skillfully as the perfect curtain was defeated instantly. It ceased to be. However, though the curtain fell, this play was meant to continue… and to lead it on, Faski grinned.

"Gotcha."

As Sakura picked herself up from the ground, she cursed under her breath. What was wrong with her? That was the question of this entire week so far. Why did she behave in such ways with Syaoran at the start of it? Why was she so calm in some instances and so panicked in others? What were her reasons for doing what she had? Why the bloodlust, anger, and rage?

To all these questions, there repeated but one answer: I don't know.

It was foolishness… all of it. So blind… so arrogant… so stupid… it didn't make sense. It was as though she was suffering a mid-life crisis at an early age of nineteen. Or was all this because these were the actions one led when it was their turn to go? Again… to this she didn't know.

The only thing she did know, was that at this time, she played the fool.

Like an idiot, driving further to her point of confusion over herself, she waltzed right into the obvious… just because of her feelings. Feelings would do her no good if they only led to her death. But now, there was at least one thing that she definitely knew: that that really hurt.

It was only because of reflexes she honed so long ago that she was not dead already. She knew that in her much younger days, she would have fallen before she could even lift the first card. But that was then… this was now… and now took everything she had. And then some.

Focusing her mind, she snapped back into reality.

"I'm quite impressed you know…" rang Faski's voice in her ears, since she was still dazed, "not only did you managed to see through my plan of attack… but you also managed to block my fire stream with just your wind." He smiled and his teeth shone in the ambient light from a fire not blazing in the buildings, but from the end of his staff… which must have been that thing he had before. "Truly, I'm impressed."

"Impressed…" She wiped her mouth of the hint of blood that appeared at its corners. Looking back with her instincts, she was glad that the others were still leaving things to her… despite her injuries. "I was lucky."

He smiled. "I'd say. However, luck won't keep you forever." The fire from his staff dissipated as he grabbed it and took stance. "That I promise you. Oh… and by the by… I'm glad you chose to accept."

"Accept what?"

"Why the game of course. After all… you've crossed the threshold. Now then… catch!"

Without asking, Sakura ignored the protest in her limbs, just to vault away at the moment a lash of flame landed just where she'd been a second before. However, the attack didn't give her chance to rest. Instead, the minute flame gathered in itself and strengthened with renewed intensity. To make matters worse, it seemed to move…. or rather, follow her.

Wrapping the night with blazing heat, the flame did both cut and burn the surroundings as it tore through the earth on a collision course. There was little to do but avoid it. And avoid it she did.

Over the next few minutes, she found that the complexity of his attacks had risen to a new level. Though the first flame had dissipated quickly, there were others to replace it. A whole series of fire whips sent from the end of the staff.

These were just as bad or worse than the attacks before. Control of fire to new extremes… direction altering at whims of fury… and what's more, a new profound sense of open hostilities. Speaking frankly, she had had enough.

Just as the last of a series abated, Sakura let loose a tactical wind strike that would have done Shi's 'touch of death' proud. And so it was… for when she saw him next, the hunter of fire had several gashes across his chest. It was not something that Faski took lightly.

Despite her above-average hearing, even Sakura lost his words to the howl that escaped the staff. As the fires lashed out at everything within the strike radius, even unheard words echoed with certainty. In short, these rules have changed.

Touya gaped at the alley way with a certain mixture of horror and uncertainty. Somewhere nearby, he thought he heard the screams of his sister, but it took him a moment longer to realize that those weren't hers. It was someone in one of those buildings. They were on fire.
Whatever remaining harmony Sakura had remained, it dissolved as Faski's fire whip consumed the greater part of a building. Within moments, over fifty residents met with the fires of hell prematurely, whether that be their final destination or not. For some, they didn't even get to open their eyes… others still met their deaths on the outside, some by fire, and some by Shi's touch. In its entirety, it was a massacre.

It was her fault.

"What now, little girl?" Faski called out. "What would you have us do now?"

Sakura said nothing. All in all, it was safer that way. As before, of all her viable thoughts and answers, when in search of herself and the correct path, it all led back to one answer: I don't know.

If it was foolish to let go, then it was a fool's path she would take.

She stood there in silent, quaking rage. Because of her… because of her… She thought of the scores of innocents that had met their fate on this day or the one prior. It sickened her in her heart to know that she was the one. She was responsible. And as she stared into the face of one of the dead, she found her answer: that everything she had done before was the only correct method because this… this was war.

Knowing what she knew now, she hesitated no more. For in war, the one who hesitates is surely the one to fall. With the dream in mind, still fresh as the acrid smell of the fires in the wind, she would not see that become reality.

"Windy…" The winds began to dance around her as the fires to her sides threatened to consume the night. She smiled in a grim determination. "Fiery…" A burning accumulated, not only at her feet now, but in her heart. If the old saying had any truth at all, sometimes it was best to fight fire, with fire. In her mind she had the plan now. It was well established. But for this… this…

"Razor's edge, dull no more. As a protective screening, I implore. With powers mighty, you will grow.
Become thy raging INFERNO!"
Moments before the last release, both hunters had already retreated further into the depths of the alley to the darkness. However, whatever they hoped to accomplish with that move became dust the second she uttered the final word. For within that second, they were no more than deer, quelled by the burning of a pine grove saturated with fossil fuels.

There was nowhere to run.

As Sakura stood bathed in the light of a thousand suns, she smiled in spite of her deed. With all her fury, she had done it. She had released the power of the stars. She knew it.

And as the massive column of flame burned, it did so within the entire alley. Just as planned… but the thought was still of no comfort. With just the winds separating her and the inferno she had created, she could not suppress whatever this guilt was that claimed her. She could not deny the voice of her conscience council. She could not.

Instead, with a tear that wet her cheek, she watched. Watched the terror… watched the monster she had wrested. With increasing sorrow, watched as those bodies of the innocents disappeared forever, never to be seen again Never held… never to be recognized… never to have proper burial… instead, she knew, she knew… that it was her that would erase the evidence, and deny closure in the relatives still of the living.

Such things… such was her burden to bear.

For several long minutes, the fire continued to burn. When it was over, she dared not touch the ground, for though it was kept temperate from the wind that outlined the entire alley and the smells of battle gone, the air was dead. Anymore these days… it seemed everything was doomed to die.

Maybe… maybe even her.

A/C (9/13/05): Well... I'm behind schedule if I want to complete this thing in a timely manner. I had hoped by November... but it might take longer than that. Anyway, for those who wonder, I am over half way done with the chapters, but no number has been set. I hope this chapter wasn't too disfunctional for anyone...

Thanks again for all those who choose to review. It definitely accelerates the process.