~Chapter 8: Peace Within Death~

Syaoran looked at Sakura with saddness. "It just keeps getting stronger off of my energy, and from everything you blast into it, 'cause I am the one who takes the hit. I am the problem here."

Sakura shook her head hard. "Syaoran! You aren't a problem!!! There is a way to stop it!!!!"

Syaoran didn't answer, but pulled out his sword. He threw some of his scroll-thingys (ofuda scrolls?) into the darkness.

"What are you planing?" It asked.

Syaoran smirked at it. "THUNDER GOD ANSWER MY CALL!"

Lighting flashed down into the blackness. Syaoran gritted his teeth as the pain from it hit him. The lightning kept up.

Syaoran walked to the edge of the roof.

"NO!!! You can't!! There has to be another way!" Sakura cried.

"Listen, with me gone, it will feel the pain and take the blows. With me gone, it can't get stronger! And if I become part of it while, attacking, then it should be even more weakened, and you can destroy it!" Syaoran shouted.

Sakura began to cry.

"Sakura quit crying! You have to be strong! In a few moments, I wont be here to give you strength!" Syaoran shouted.

Sakura nodded slowly, and dried her tears.

Syaoran put both hands on his sword and pointed it straight in front of him. he turned and looked back to Sakura. "Sakura...I love you." Then he jumped.

"He loves me......?" She whispered.

As Syaoran fell, he closed his eyes. After so long, I can finally get rid of it...the darkness. I can finally be at peace...

"THIS IS FOR THOSE YOU MADE ME HURT!" Syaoran screamed. He continued to scream a wordless battle cry.

The Darkness was baffled at what Syaoran was doing. It recovered and grabbed him.

Syaoran smiled as he was covered. His sword glew with his last burst of strength, and blasted into a million shimmering pieces that stuck into the blackness.

It screamed, and choked the life out of Syaoran. All the while, Syaoran smiled.

Sakura watched this scene with horror. "I didn't get to tell him how I feel...Syaoran..." Anger bubbled up inside of her. Anger at the shadow that had just killed her beloved.

She rose once again. "Just as Syaoran said, I will be strong!" she told herself.

Meanwhile, the darkness was recovering and began to spread more, and it came for Sakura.

She glared at it, and once again held the Star Wand high. She concentrated all of her energy into it. The star began to glow once again. The light grew blinding. Syaoran, looked so peaceful, so happy for once, as he died....and it won't be in vain.

She then pointed the top of the wand down at the Darkness, and flew to meet it.

The Darkness recognized this very well. This happened so long ago...and it is the same...only...she will live, where I died.

They met, and Sakura slashed through it, until she met the ground. She stood upon it, and watched the final moments of the evil.

The Darkness made an awful sound. It was screaming as light pored from it. It said one final thing. "Peace for me at last."

Sakura started as she recognized that voice. Syaoran.

With a final exploding sound, the Darkness dissapeared. Light washed across the destroyed part of the city. People that had died, were revived and were surprised to be there. The buildings rebuilt themselves and stopped decaying. Everything was normal.

Sakura looked up to the sky. The destroyed roof of Syaoran's apartment was the only thing that hadn't rebuilt itself. She then saw something falling.

She pushed off the ground and flew up there. Falling slowly, was Syaoran's body. Still in the ceramonial clothes of the Li clan. Sakura grabbed him and set him gently on the floor of the 'roof'

"Syaoran...wake up please!" Sakura cried.

He didn't move. His face was so pale, and there was blood oozing from a few places on his head and arms. But Sakura noticed that he looked so happy. That final smile was still plastered on his lips, even in death. So peaceful.

"Syaoran...I never even got to tell you how I felt about you...." Sakura wailed.

"Syaoran....I love you. I love you! Please...wake up...please...Syaoran...I don't care about what was hiding in you, what was destroying the forest or what hurt others..for it wasn't you. I love you! Just please wake up...don't die...Syaoran...please..." As Sakura aid this, tears had begun to stream down her face. She buried her head in her hands, dropping the Star Wand.

Her dream...Syaoran had dissapeared in it.

"Is this what that ment?! Is this what is supposed to happen?!"Sakura wailed.

"Syaoran.....please...."

Sakura cried for hours. Her wings dissapeared, and her pajamas reappeared. The Star Wand vanished also.

It was midnight, but it wasn't dark. Not really. The moon was full, so there was plenty of light. But there was also light coming from nowhere.

Syaoran stood looking across a feild of green grass. It was waving in the wind. His hair stirred with the grass.

"It worked. She saved the world..." he murmured.

"She did didn't she?" Syaoran heard his own voice murmur back.

He turned and saw himself for the second time. "You can't even leave me in peace when I am dead?!"

"So you know that you are dead?"

Syaoran nodded. "It wasn't that hard to figure out."

"I am evil...but not totally so-"

Syaoran snorted. "Then why were you doing what you were doing?"

"Anger. Hate...for what happened years ago. I have a question for you."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

"I am asking if you are ready to bond...to become one. You will be able to go back to her if you do...and you will have me inside of you again."

"Why would I? After what you did to me?!"

The double sighed. "There are more reasons for that than even I know. It was just...even I can't explain it."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is sometimes things happen that we can't explain. That is todays excuse for everything it appears."

Syaoran sighed. "Then what can we do?"

The double smiled. "You have to except me or you'll stay here forever, or if you DO go back to earth, you'll end up dying again really soon, for you won't be a whole."

We all have a dark side....I have to except mine. Syaoran nodded.

____________
Syaoran: I died. That sucks

Ryoko: Yeah, for you

Syaoran: *throws fire on Ryoko, the same way he did to Touya on "Sakura's Rival" *

Ryoko: Where is the authress.

Syaoran: She said she had to go to the bathroom, and left me with you.

Ryoko: *evil smile* Goody, I can tourture the little kid she likes.

Syaoran: *pulls out sword and repeats the lightining spell over and over*

Ryoko: Why me? Read on, for the exciting conclusion!