The young man kept his attack power up. The figure however easily took each attack like it's nothing, and the man's sword attacks were not making contact.

"I tire of this. The last time I killed the girl off. Let's see what happens when I kill the girl?" The figure said, as a dark sword is thrusted into the midsection of the young man. The figure rapidly pulled his sword out, forcing the man to fall forward.

The young woman yelled out the young man's name. She quickly knelt at his side, and laid him on his back. The young man lifted his arm, and gently touched her cheek. She quickly with one hand held his hand to her cheek.

"One day...I will meet with my angel again."

"Dont say that...please..."

"I...love you...ah..." With his dying breath, the young woman cried. After crying for abit, she picked up the young man's sword.

"You will pay for what you've done." The figure said, making the young woman flinch. "That was what you were going to say, wasnt it."

"Not at all! I was going to say that you are a low-life bastard!" The young woman yelled out.

"Is that so? Well, the low-life bastard killed your boyfriend." The figure simply said.

"He...wasnt my boyfriend...I never...but enough with that! I will defeat you...for him."

"I see...the poor girl didnt get to spill her feelings. Too bad. You are like all the others I have faced. I know every part of you, what you think, what action you will do, even your favorite color. That also means I know exactly every attack you will make before you even attempt it. I would suggest you leave...but you must die."

"Your wrong! You will die! I will not be defeated! I cant let you win..."

"Hmph. Your not even confident. So how will you like your death? Slow or Fast?"

"I should be the one who should ask that question." The woman replied, and very rapidly sliced though the figure...though all she got was a black cloak.

"Ahh...I wasnt expecting that. But how about this?" Suddenly, swarms of arrows flooded the room, arrows impaled the woman from everywhere. She fell on top of the boy, dying slowly....12 arrows sticking out of her body at various places.

-----------------

Facets
Opening the Door
By AnimeGamer

*Minor Note: Strider belongs to my fellow CCS fanfic author Epsilon.
-----------------

Sakura woke up tiredly. A hand on her shoulder, shouting is heard back and forth.

"Get out of here gaki! She's been crying about you for 5 hours straight, and she just went to sleep an hour ago."
"Look, im just as concerned as you are, and would you quiet down if she's sleeping?"

Slowly, Sakura opened her eyes to see Syaoran, his hand on her shoulder, facing toward the door.

"See, you had to wake her, didnt you!" Someone shouted from the door. Sakura looked from Syaoran to that someone. That someone was her brother, Touya. Syaoran knelt down next to Sakura's side.

"Hey...are you okay?" Syaoran asked. Sakura nearly leapted out of bed and into Syaoran's arms. Sakura cried on her shoulder, sobbing. Syaoran somehow managed to keep his balence and not topple over.

"Syaoran...dont leave me..." Sakura pleaded.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm here and I'll be by your side for as long as I live." Syaoran stated.

"The promise me, promise me right now, that you'll always be okay. That you'll never die."

"As long as you do too." Syaoran replied.

"Then I will too..."

"Umm...you guys, what is this all about? Are you two losing it?" Touya interupted.

"Oniichan!"

"Fine fine. I'll go away." Touya stated, but just before he left the room, he looked at Kero again. Of course, he didnt have his powers anymore, but he still wondered why his former powers were attracted to it. He simply shruged it off however, and closed the door.

Kero finally unfroze from his stuffed animal pose and flew toward the two.

"Kero, do you know why we got this awful dream?" Sakura asked, as she finally got rid of her tears.

"Remember? Didnt I tell you about the seal that holds down the evil being called the Dark Dragoon?" Kero reminded.

"The seal also keeps the dimensions seperate, right?" Syaoran asked.

"Yes. The seal is breaking. Did you two know that I had a dream too?" Kero stated.

"Leave it to the stuffed animal to forget a detail." Syaoran rolled his eyes. Kero just gave a quick death glare and continued.

"Well, in this dream, another me came up to me to give you two a mission. He said that the seal was starting the break, and that your dreams were actually in a alternate reality, but since the dimensions are getting screwed up, it was sucked and placed in this one."

"So where is this Dark Dragoon guy, so we can stop him from what he is doing?" Syaoran asked.

"The other Kero told me that he is located in the Etherial Dimension." Kero stated.

"Just how exactly are we going to get there?" Sakura asked.

"I'll take you there." A mysterious voice replied. Sakura and Syaoran looked to see outside the window a mysterious figure. "You are the ones destined to banish the Dark Dragoon forever. You shall come with me."

"Who are you?" Syaoran asked, moving himself to protect Sakura.

"My name, is Strider. It is not my place to state what I do, only that I travel the dimensions. Come with me, if you wish to face the Dark Dragoon." Strider stated and moved away from the door. Sakura and Syaoran looked out the window. On the ground was another Sakura and Syaoran, except that their clothes were ripped and ragged. Their skin, the look of the undead.

"My god...is that...us?" Sakura asked.
"I hope kami-sama not." Syaoran replied. Sakura quickly changed as Syaoran stood outside talking to their doubles. Sakura then leapted out her window and onto the tree outside, and then quickly got down, and faced her double.

"Hi!" The double greeted, bowing.

"Err...hi." Sakura greeted back, slightly afraid.

"Dont mind our look. We originally didnt look like this. An Angel named Radiant did this to us, we are undead, thus, we would easily die if a holy spell is cast on us." Syaoran's double replied.

"Let's get going. We have no time to waste." Strider interupted, as instantly the 5 were transported to another dimension.

--------------------

Hi...umm...anyone reading this besides Jenna-chan and Sailor Polarus? C'mon, one review. Ukyou, I know your reading, send in a review at least buddy. C'mon...I dont care what you write in the review. For all I care, it could say "cornflakes rule". The only time I'll mind is if it's being mean to some other person. I dont care if you hate my guts, send in something at least...Oh well.

Enough pleading for reviews. If you dont know about Strider yet, go find the FFN author Epsilon and read some of his stories. Just like to repeat Strider is his idea alone. Well, chapter 4 will be due in a few days. Also, dont forget about the Syaoran Version of this story, up at www.mediaminer.org. I'll put in a direct address to the story in the next chapter. Once again, please send in a review. Arigatou.

-AnimeGamer
-Silver (Ag+)