Some time of walking later,
Which started to sound really cliche...
...
-...Yue-san and Ruby-san still look so sad...-Sakura worriedly said, as she glanced at the moon guardians who were quietly walking in front of her. She found herself worried sick for their wellbeing, after seeing their reactions to the "nightmare relieving" spell. Which were a lot more heartbreaking than everyone else's...-...Syoran-kun, do you think they are going to be okay...?
There were a few seconds of silence,
Before Syoran sighed heavily...
-...It's hard to say...-He finally said, in an unreadable voice which was tinted with anguish. He had to stop thinking about Sakura dying, especially considering that she was walking by his right side this very moment! -...As long as they don't experience anything similar to their "nightmare", it shouldn't become worse...-He told her, speaking from experience. Even now, he could still vaguely remember the anguish he felt when his father died...-...But...If anything remotely similar happens...
He didn't continue,
As the implication was apparent...
-...He is going to get traumatized. Even more than he is now...-Touya said in a grave tone, as he wearily glanced at Yue's back. He knew that Yue won't take it well. He wondered how Yuki would take it, if that were to happen...-...And considering the current situation with Hiiragizawa...
He sighed heavily,
Thinking about what might actually happen...
...
Considering the situation,
As well as everyone's personalities...
...
...
It's going to be a long day...
...
An emotionally draining one at that...
...
For some more than for others'...
...
-So YoU mAnAgEd To SuRvIvE…? -An amused voice was suddenly heard, ominously vibrating throught the darkness. -...WhAt A sUrPrIsE iT iS~
Everyone stopped in surprise and shock,
And started looking around for the source of the voice...
...
Before finally spotting "Eriol"...
...
*Since it was already dark,
They had to focus hard to spot "him"...
...
"Eriol" was floating in place,
With a wide grin on "his" face...
...
-...It MuSt Be A lAtE cHrIsTmAs MiRaClE~ -"Eriol" sing-sang in highly insulting voice, before their expression shifted to that of rage. -ThOuGhT, iT wOn'T lAsT fOr LoNg!
They yelled while making the sun staff appear...
...
-This is it! This is the time to end this madness! -Yelan determinately yelled, as she ushered everyone to action. -Everyone, to positions! Just like we planned!
At her words everyone went into positions,
Knowing that they may not have another chance...
...
Sakura went to stand at the front,
Clutching the star staff in her hand,
Ready to use the hope card immediately...
...
Yue and Ruby Moon both stood on each side of her,
Yue's hand on her right shoulder and Ruby's on her left,
They were going to make sure that the magic flow was stabilized...
...
Kero and Spinel were in their fake forms,
Standing by both sides of Sakura's head...
...
Syoran stood behind Sakura,
Holding his hand on her back...
...
Behind him stood Touya, Yelan and Kaho,
With Yelan touching his back as the other two touched his shoulders...
...
They were about to transfer their magic to Sakura,
Which they readily did moments later...
-...Everything is going to be alright! -Sakura said in reassurance and determination, feeling their magic surge through her, as she threw the card into the air. -Help me dissipate the shadows that's possessing my friend! Help me save everyone from their evil clutches! Hope card!
She yelled while activating the card,
Which took the form of a young looking girl holding a winged heart...
...
The heart shone in a gentle pinkish-golden light,
Which then flowed out of it straight at "Eriol",
Promptly colliding with a smoke-like magic...
...
Which was how the final battle began...
At the same time,
Inside of Eriol's mind...
-...It finally started...-Eriol said in a thoughtful voice, as he felt the two powers collide against each other. -...I hope that it will turn out okay...
He worriedly added,
It had to work...
...
It had to...
...
...
If it didn't...
-...Then, it's over...-Eriol quietly said, as he sadly looked down. -...For everyone...
Back to the present,
Not much has changed...
...
Both powers were at a stalemate,
Neither one wielding to the other,
Neither one moving forth or back...
...
And while Sakura was using all her will in the fight,
Everyone else were mostly just standing around,
As their magic steadily entered her body...
...
Touya was looking at Yue in interest,
Long silver hair and wearing a long white robe...
...
For some reason he remembered him with pink hair,
And wearing a frilly tutu of all things...
...
...
There was probably something wrong with his brain,
That nighmare relieving spell must have affected him more than he thought...
...
Not as much as some of the others, though...
...
He wondered what they were thinking right now...
...
They probably felt conflicted...
...
He really hoped that the situation won't ge...
-Is ThIs ThE bEsT yOu CaN dO…? -"Eriol" suddenly asked, in a bored voice. ThEy KnEw ThAt ThEy WeRe InTeRrUpTiNg ToUyA's MuSiNgS, bUt ThEy DiDn'T cArE...ThEy DiDn'T gEt ThE cHaLlEnGe ThEy WeRe ExPeCtInG tO gEt, AfTeR aLl. -...EvEn WiTh AlL yOuR mAgIc FuSeD tOgEtHeR, yOu ArE sTiLl So WeAk. -Their voice turned annoyed, as they were looking at everyone in disgust. -ThIs Is So PiTiFuL tHaT iT's NoT eVeN fUnNy AnYmOrE!
Suddenly Sakura felt hope's magical light being pushed back,
And found herself having trouble in (DESPERATEly) opposing the sudden ASSAULT...
-You can do this, Sakura! -Syoran yelled in reassurance and determination, as he pushed more of his magic into Sakura. -I believe in you!
He tried to give her as much of his magic as he possibly could,
And he felt that the others were doing the same,
As the magic went through him to her...
...
But...
...
It didn't seem to help much,
As hope's light started to be pushed back more...
-...This doesn't look good...-Yelan quietly said, as she started to look concerned. -...The opposing magic got a lot stronger that it was before...
But she knew that they couldn't afford to give up now,
So she continued pushing her magic to Syoran,
Hoping that it would help Sakura to finally end this...
-DON'T GIVE UP, SAKURA! -Kero yelled in determination, as he kept pouring more magic into her. -WE HAVE TO WIN THIS! FOR EVERYONE'S SAKE!
-...I-I am trying...! I-I really do...! -Sakura shuttered out loud as he hands shook from overexertion, trying hard to not let hope's light attack be pushed back any more. -...B-but...I-it's not enough...-She said, as hope's light attack got pushed back even more than nefore. -...I-it's not...E-Enough...
She wasn't strong enough to...
...
Even with the help of her friends,
Even with their magic flowing into her...
...
She wasn't strong enough...!
-...I sUpPoSe ThAt I sHoUlD cOnGrAtUlAtE yOu On SuRvIvInG fOr ThIs LoNg...-"Eriol" begrudgingly said, as "he" continued to push hope's light attack back. -...YoU eVeN mAnAgEd To GeT rId Of MoSt Of Us...-Then "he" grinned evily. But, not all of them. -...BuT, iT sTiLl WaSn'T eNoUgH tO cOmPlEtElY eRaSe Us AnD "sAvE" yOuR "lOvEd OnEs"!
They said as they pushed hope's light attack back,
The force of it so strong that it pushed everyone to the "ground"...
...
Hard...
...
-...I-I am sorry...E-Eriol-kun…I-I am sorry...-Sakura apologized, as she wobbly sat up. -...I-I am sorry...I-I couldn't save you...-She continued, as tears started streaming down her face. -...A-and everyone else...T-those who had their souls taken...-She continued, getting absorbed in her self guilt and grief. -...T-Tomoyo-chan...O-Otou-san...M-Meiling-san...S-Sonomi-san...S-Syoran-kun's sisters...A-all my friends at school...N-nii-san's friends and classmates...O-otou-san's friends and associates...A-and...-She mumbled, as she started crying harder. -...T-those that are hurting...F-from the...N-nightmare relieving...S-spell...T-those that are going to...D-die...-She put her hands on her face in anguish. If only she was stronger, she would have been able to save them. -...B-because I couldn't...S-save them...B-Because even with everyone's help...I-I was too weak to stop this...M-madness...-And now, all of them were going to...-...I-I...I-If only I was...S-stronger...-She put her hands down, to reveal her grief striken face. -...I-I am sorry...I-I am sorry...I-I am so sorry...E-everyone...I-I failed you...I-I...I-I...
She continued apologizing over and over,
She was so absorbed in her anguish and regret,
That she became oblivious to everything around her...
...
She didn't notice as the cards were worriedly floating around her,
She didn't notice those around her telling her that it's not her fault and that she did all she could...
…
And she didn't notice the hope card's sudden turning into energy,
Which then swiftly flew to and disappeared inside of Eriol's body...