"Sakura," she felt her voice chocking, "Um, you know what to do. When they are released, you have to seal them right away okay? No time for emotions." She looked at Syoaran. He nodded.

"Maya," Yelan spoke softly,

She looked up to her sister.

"It's time."

Maya sighed as she saw Leiyun step forward.

She pressed her lips together and went ahead. She felt a pit in her stomach as the protective shield closed behind her.

She turned and looked at Leiyun, but no words came out.

I have the five force sword.

That belongs to him.

She blinked at him.

What now? Are we frozen in time?

"Leiyun." She said, feeling shaky on the inside, though her voice had come out firm and unwavered.

He threw his sword to the side, and crossed his arms.

There was a gasp from Wutai and the rest.

"Leiyun…" she said, her voice slightly breaking, "What the hell are you doing?"

"If there's one person I can't fight, it's you Maya." He said, "I'd rather lose this war, I'd rather die, than fight you."

She felt her heart beat so fast. She was momentarily scared that if it beat any faster, her chest would explode.

She gulped. Finally, she placed the Five force sword beside his. There will be no duel.

And now ….

She looked up to him.

"I…." she began.

"I'm sorry," he cut her, "Look, I know what you're going to do, but just listen to me before you do. I know you can't forgo what you have to do. But,.."

She looked at him, stunned.

"You deserve to know what happened the day I left and why I lied."

"Why?" she whispered

"What is happening?" Meilin scoffed, "Is Leiyun reciting some cheesy love poem to her?"

"SSHHHH Meilin." Miho said, "They look kind of sad."

"Why are they not fighting?" Meilin scowled, "Think of it! Maya Zhang and Leiyun Li."

"Meilin," Kai said softly, "I don't think they're going to fight." They saw Maya place her sword next to his.

"I lived with Master Shun for a while." He began, "I tried to find a way to get rid of this without getting you involved."

She snorted, "But I was involved."

"I didn't want you to.."

"Suffer?" she offered, "Well, I'm doing so great now, Leiyun."

"I only stayed away because you know what would happen if they found out about you."

"Fuck the Li Clan." She said, "You should have bloody well fought them but you didn't."

"It's messed up, Maya." He continued, "I told Syaoran that, long ago. He's a brave guy."

"You could have just told me, Lei."

"I lived in Tibet before I came to Japan." He said, "Trying to undergo a process that Master Shun and I thought would work."

"But it didn't." she said softly. It was sinking to her, what he was actually doing, the last six years.

She looked into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Maya." He said, "You deserve way more than me, and the clan- they would destroy you being you. You deserve not to be caught up in a messed up place. It would kill your spirit."

There was a pause.

"I love you, Maya." He said finally. "I always will." He whispered.

"YOU INCORRRIGABLE BASTARD." She screamed. Her body was shaking and her eyes were angry. Yet Leiyun could just stare at her and think how beautiful she was.

From nowhere she stared punching him

"OW!"

"You could have just told me…"

"Ahhh!"

"Did you think I didn't have any magical powers? I was more focused at lessons that you were, you nincompoop…."

"OUCH!"

"HUH? AND RUNNING OFF TO MASTER SHUN?"

"SILENCE!" The Seal of Fate boomed

A red light cut across, clearly separating them.

"You know what do" the same voice said.

Maya nodded. She looked at Leiyun.

Leiyun bowed and closed his eyes.

He's trying to concentrate.

After what seemed like minutes to Maya, a bright yellow light engulfed around Leiyun and amalgamated into a ball-like light.

It's your turn.

Maya closed her eyes…

And let go.

A blue light surrounded her- suddenly she felt she was no longer in the forest but in another place.

She looked at a younger version of herself and Yelan.

Yelan was crying. Maya sat next to her.

She placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so weak, Maya." She said, "But, look at you. You are to be admired."

"No, Yelan." She said, "You're not."

"He never.."

"Sssh." Maya said, "It's gone now. Yelan." She squeezed her sister's arm. "It takes time, but every day it gets a little better. One day, you'll be fine. But, there will be this tiny part of your heart that will never forget. But never invoke that pain."

Yelan nodded. When did her baby sister grow up?

"Leiyun.." she began, "Well, yeah. I warned him of the risks, but I knew deep in my heart he would never listen to me." She lied.

"It doesn't mean we have to stop living Yelan."

Who am I kidding?

"The boy isn't dead, is he?"

Maya froze. She turned and looked at her father.

How did you know?

"Maya Hua Zhang." He said, "I've seen you, loved you and trained you right from the day you were born. Did you think I wouldn't be able to pick the fact that you are hiding something?"

"Who else knows?" she asked

"Just me," he shrugged "And Shun, of course."

"Please don't tell anybody."

He looked at her. "Is it worth it, Maya?"

She kept her eyes at level with her fathers' "I don't know. But, I love him. I can't help that, can I?"

"You know how I feel about this, Maya."

Li Ryurren and your first daughter. She nodded.

"He's not the same, though." He said,

She looked at him, surprised. What did he know that she didn't?

Maya looked at cackling fire.

To think I would live in a Li Mansion again.

"Anything wrong, Maya?"

She looked up and smiled at Wei. She was happy that he didn't refer to her as Miss. Zhang.

"Can't sleep, Wei."

"Looks like I have company." He smiled.

They sat in silence. "What's wrong Wei?" Maya asked,

He smiled sadly. "Love is a funny thing, right?"

He loves my sister.

"Wei," Maya began, "We don't have to stop living."

Wei looked at her with wide eyes

"Yelan said that you told her same thing years ago!"

She smirked, "I still am." She said, "Life's all about learning, Wei. And, most importantly, living. We're alive to live for us, for people who are alive and are breathing for us. We do not live for the dead."

He nodded. Maya got up.

"You have to tell her Wei." She said,

The blue ball had completely formed and placed itself right next to the yellow ball.

"Sakura!" Leiyun called, as the protective shield began to break

"Seal them now!"

Miho gave Sakura a push.

"No emotions."

"Ego, Sacrifice." Sakura's voice was wavering, but firm, "I command you to return to you power confined!"

With that, the yellow and the blue ball began to take the shape of rectangular cards. Sakura caught them as they landed on her hand.

"Convert them, Sakura!" Cereberous shouted

"I call upon the powers of the moon, ancient forces near and far, Clow Card discard all your might and draw your power from my light!"

The cards didn't transform.

They fell back into her hands.

What happened?

"You're using the wrong words, Sakura!" Meiling said,

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked,

"The Ego and the Sacrifice are the deciding cards! They will determine the authority of the power that the masters have over them. Remember what Kai said in one of the Alliance meetings?"

It struck Sakura, though Syaoran still seemed confused.

Meilin wanted to hit him for being so dense at a time like this.

"You jointly master the cards with her, Syoaran!" she shouted, "Because you gave her your powers, right? Both of you draw your magical powers from the moon! They cards are moon cards, which you control!"

"Sakura! Quick!" Kaho screamed,

Sakura nodded threw the cards into the air again.

"I call upon the powers of the moon, ancient forces near and far, Clow Cards discard all your might and draw your power from our light."

The cards paid heed and slowly lowered themselves towards Sakura's hands.

Why do I get the feeling that this isn't over yet?

"Syaoran!" Leiyun croaked from a corner still holding an unconscious Maya, "The protective cover will break now. Prepare for war."

"What?"

"The battle for the ownership of the cards! Don't tell me you didn't know that Wutai will be duelling the present master of the cards?"

Sure enough the protective enchantments were slowly cracking.

"That rat cannot be my son." Wutai boomed, "WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING? Since when was he in love with that lowly Zhang woman?"

He waited as the protective shield began to break. "Even if I have to kill them both, I will have the cards. They belong rightfully to the Li Clan and no other."

Maya slowly felt her head against something. Who was holding her? She felt a touch- Leiyun? What had happened?

She could barely keep her conscious going, the last few incidents fresh from replaying in her mind.

She barely opened her eyes, when she looked into amber ones that reflected her own blue ones.

"Take my heart with you." She whispered, before everything went black.