Chapter Seven... The Rescue

Arithon cursed slightly and he went to his desk and grabbed her Star Key. "I'll just keep this with me, so you don't somehow decide to take it and use it against me." he stated, putting it into his shirt pocket. She glared up at him as he left the room. Sakura sighed, at least happy to be away from his presence. She leaned up against the wall, when she noticed something familiar feeling getting closer and closer. Her mind tried to figure out what it was, but she couldn't bring it to the tip of her tongue.

Arithon strode out the door and down the hallway towards the location of the yell he had heard. He knew it was the guardian and his bratty little friend. "I'm going to kill them, I'm tired of playing this game... It's time to play it my way!" he said, almost running in the direction of Yue in the hall Lee had taken almost moments before. Lee came around the corner after he was sure the guy was gone out of site. He tiptoed up to the door and it squeaked open, Lee looked in to see Sakura's face wide eyed, and looking straight at him. "SAKURA!" he almost bellowed, coming in the doorway running over to her. "Oh Lee! I'm so glad to see you!" she yelled back, as he came up next to her attempting to get her shackles off. "I can't get it unlocked. "He said, pulling on the chain. Sakura nodded towards the desk. "I think he left them in his desk, go look in the drawers!" she said, awaiting his return with impatience.

Lee got up and ran to the desk, and after going through drawer after drawer, he finally found the key. He rushed back to her side and unlocked her wrists from them. "Oh dear, they were beginning to hurt really bad." she said, rubbing her wrists with her freed hands. Syaoran stood up as he pulled Sakura with him hugging her gently, stroking her hair. Sakura felt strange in his arms, and pulled away, covering her unease with a smile of gratitude. "Where's Yue?" was all she could ask. Lee frowned slightly. 'I save her life, and all she can think about is "where's Yue"...!' He thought to himself, looking down at her. Sakura waited with worried eyes. "He's back that way. He told me to go ahead and get you, while he kept the guy busy." Lee stated, as if nothing would be wrong. Sakura's eyes widened. "He's got my Star Key! If he uses it against Yue, he could die!" she cried, her face becoming red with worry. Sakura was out the door in moment's, Lee following behind her.

The Last Stand Off...

Yue recovered slower than usual this time, and stood up against the wall for support. 'I wish I knew what this draining power was. It would certainly seem likely that he was hurting Sakura, and her pain was passed on to me. I dislike the idea of being so sensitive to her... feelings and fears, but it is the only way I can protect her at any moments notice.' he thought. Yue started to walk out of the room, with these new thoughts in his head, when he noticed Arithon standing in the doorway. "Hmmm... so good to see you again, Yue was it? Well, there will be no need for you to correct me if I'm wrong, because you are going to die!" he said, coming in closer to where Yue was. The moon guardian noticed Sakura's Star Key hanging from his hand, and his eyes widened with a new fear. The fear that his existence with Sakura coming to an end. He couldn't let that happen, he had to stop this man. "You'll soon know that I don't go so easily, and I'll do anything for my mistress!" Yue rebooked, his hands starting to crackle with that fine moon energy he possessed. Arithon laughed hard. "Oh yes, your mistress. The one you love so much... but does she love you back? Does she share your wanting feelings?" he asked, grinning evilly. Yue's eyes widened. "That is none of your business!" Yue blurted back.

Arithon took this as a fine time to use the guardian's weakness for his mistress against him. With a whisper of words, Sakura's Star Key extended in his hand and he tapped in lightly on his shoulder. "Such a nice little device. From what I hear, I could easily destroy you with her wand." Arithon stated, pointing the wand in Yue's direction. The guardian froze, as if he was about to give up, but the thought of him hurting Sakura made him angry and he gave the man an icy glare to freeze the worst of hearts. Arithon spoke quickly and threw a few magic balls in Yue's direction. The guardian leapt out of the way and rolled to a crouching position. Arithon laughed heartily, and then threw another berage of fire at him. The last one he threw hit Yue square in the chest and he fell to the floor, covering his face from the heat. The fireball didn't hurt him much, but the front of his suit was tattered from the blast, a patch of white skin showing from his collarbone. Yue got back to his feet and looked over at him, and opened his palm to fire a group of crystals in Arithon's direction. He fazed into nothing and then appeared behind Yue.

The guardian looked about, as his attack of crystals smashed into the wall. Arithon laughed, and pushed Yue to the ground with painful force. He turned over and looked up at his attacker. "Why do you even try? You know deep down, that you are going to die. Why not make the inevitable come a little quicker and not fight it so much." he asked Yue, the star key glowing in his palm. Yue could feel the pull from its power, tugging at his life source. "I can't quit... I have to save Sakura." Yue whispered, almost inaudible. Arithon sneered at him and laughed. "I've had enough of your love for this girl. She's mine now! Just give her up, or she'll feel the consequences of your refusal!" he bellowed at the moon guardian. Yue's eyes opened wide in mute shock! "I can't let you do that!" he yelled back, and got up from the ground. Arithon could see the anger and pain in the guardian's face and laughed.

Yue took in a long deep breath and ran straight at him, his arms out to push the man over. Arithon pushed the wand out in front of him, and using the sword card he had changed from Sakura, used it to make the wand into Sakura's famous sword. Yue's eyes widened with mock surprise as it was impaled into his shoulder, and he slowly fell to the ground behind him.

Come To Late...

Sakura ran down the hallway, and into the room indicated by Lee. When the contents of the room came into view, she was horrified! Lee, following behind, ran smack into her back. "What's wrong?" he whispered. Before Sakura could speak, he saw what she had seen. Yue, being impaled by her Star Key sword. He gasped, regaining his balance next to her. Arithon glanced up to see them and narrowed his eyes at Lee and then looked to Sakura with some satisfaction in his eyes. She ran to Yue's side and laid him in her lap. "Sakura...leave me. You must escape." he choked, gasping in pain. Sakura brushed the hair from his face and framed a cheek with her palm. "I could never leave your side, as I requested that you never leave mine." she whispered back. Yue looked up at her and smiled briefly. Lee saw this and was shocked. 'Heh, look at that... he can smile!' he thought, coming to stand behind Sakura. She coddled the guardian's face with her arms and hugged him slightly. With the Star Key still wedged into his shoulder, Sakura took the opportunity to get it back in her hands. She slowly put her hand around the hilt of the sword and looked down at Yue, who nodded an agreement to pull it out.

She gripped the sword with her other hand and released it from his shoulder. Yue cried out loud and placed his hands over the wound in his shoulder. Lee came down beside him to help him up against the far wall, and out of dangers way. Sakura planted her feet firmly on the ground and brought the sword up and pointed the tip of it at Arithon. "You've hurt me and my friends for the last time! I will not let this go on any longer!" she growled, gripping the sword tighter. Arithon was slightly annoyed by how the events were turning out, but he was determined to be the victor. He pulled out his own wand from thin air and it landed into his hand. "You'll never win Sakura. I have all your cards." he said, as he pulled out her Sakura book. Sakura's eyes widened a moment, but then she regained her composer and ignored the book and its contents. "I don't need the book to help me defeat you." she said. "I have a power inside all of my own!" Sakura finished, as her sword began to glow with her beautiful Star Power.

Arithon took a step back and his eyes took on a worried look. "What's the matter tough guy? Getting a little scared?" Lee taunted from across the room. Arithon glanced to Lee and then back to Sakura. She closed her eyes and focused her power onto her sword. He pulled his wand out in front of him and it grew to staff size, hitting the ground with a large crack. She opened her eyes and raised her Star Key sword up above her head, ready to strike him down. She moved forward and swung her sword down in a large arc at him. Arithon countered and the sword hit his staff sending sparks flying from metal meshing with metal. The clangs of their weapons could be heard as they battled with each other, sparks flying here and there. Sakura summoned the air about her to push him back with the force of it. He stumbled back against the wall, but his staff helped him stay up right. He flung his staff out at her, going for the head. She ducked and brought her sword into contact with his staff yet again.

Calling the forces of fire, she threw a ball of flame hurtling towards him, but he stuck his staff out and with an unseen force field of some kind, he propelled it back at her. Sakura jumped out of the way and brought her sword back up, ready to fight him again. Arithon was beginning to tire Lee saw. Sakura saw this as well, and was going to use it to her advantage. She used the speed card to hasten herself, moving about the room to weaken him with her speed. He countered every one of her spells and moves. "You will not beat me, Sakura! Your destiny is to belong to me, ruling at my side." Arithon said, his exhaustion showing through his strong facade. Sakura grinned. "I'll never be yours Arithon... NEVER!" she shouted at him, her anger peaking. He chuckled. "Ahh yes, I forget. You love the poor guardian. Will he even live Sakura? He's slipping away as we fight. I could heal him just as quickly if you would just come with me quietly!" he growled, his anger getting the better of him. His strategy to make her weaker with thoughts of her guardian's safety was what he was trying to do. Sakura faltered a second and looked back over to Yue and Lee.

Lee was shocked upon hearing this. 'She loves him... how could I have been so blind. To think she might actually love me back...' he thought, still holding up the weakening guardian. Yue looked back at Sakura, his eyes becoming pale and clear. She began to panic, but was determined to not loose to this fool! Sakura sighed deeply and then firmly brought her sword up in a defensive position again. "You shall not sway me. I am intent on removing you from all our lives!" she replied calmly, stepping over towards him slowly. Arithon grinned and disappeared suddenly. Sakura's eyes widened, and she looked about the room frantically trying to see or sense him. She flung the sword about her, hoping to come into contact with him some how. Lee stood up from Yue's side and pulled out one of his wards. "Show me that who hides in the shadows of his own defeat!" Lee yelled out, throwing the ward out into the air. The power of the ward burst out all around the room, and Arithon came out of hiding. He was surprised at this unexpected turn, and before he could turn to move out of the way, Sakura slashed the sword down the front of him.

Arithon gasped in pain as he fell to the ground, gripping the town clothing and bleeding flesh from his chest. Sakura put down her sword and came to stand over him. Arithon laid flat on his back and stared up at her in hysteric shock. "You.....did..this....!" he said, stammering in-between words from the shock. Sakura looked down at him with sadness in her eyes. She knew what she was going to have to do, but somehow she didn't want to go on knowing she had taken someone's life. He writhed on the ground in pain and confusion, and for a moment Sakura saw something different in his eyes. "Do it.... before I loose control again." the wounded man whispered. Sakura's eyes widened and she leaned down closer to him. Lee stood up again, ready for Arithon to hurt her at any moment. Sakura got down next to him and looked into his eyes. They seemed very kind. "What...did you say?" she asked him, placing her sword on the ground next to her. Arithon looked up into her eyes, his clouded and murky. "Do it...what you started..... before it is too late... please Sakura..." he whispered again, blinking slowly to see her better. She couldn't believe her eyes and ears. "You... want me to kill you?" she asked, placing a hand over his.

Blood oozed out from under his hand and she could see that it was deep. "End my pain and suffering.... to long.... I have suffered. Do not worry.... Sakura.... you are so kind.... I'm sorry... that things had to... be this way." he said, begging for his death. Sakura smiled down at him, and something in her was freed. Her fear. With a small sigh she stood up and took hold of her sword, then poised it above Arithon's form. He looked up into her eyes and nodded to her, ready to see what destiny lies beyond this life. Sakura closed her eyes, and with one swift motion planted the sword straight through the center of his chest and into his dark heart. Arithon screamed out in pain and a bright light came from his body and flew up through the roof of the house and straight up into the heavens. Sakura stared in awe at the light shooting skyward. It was so beautiful. She turned her eyes back down towards the form lying beneath her sword and a tear trickled down her face and landed on the decayed ground at her feet. Lee watched her, as he held Yue close to keep him warm. Sakura bent down and removed her sword from his body and the light blinked out, leaving the room darkened again. "Farewell..." was all she could manage, as she got up and went over to them in the corner.

Lee looked up at her. "I don't know how long he's going to last Sakura. He's unconscious I think." he stated, pulling Yue into a sitting position. Sakura looked down at him and then back to Lee, a blush on her face. She was actually going to do this in front of Lee. As her friend watched her, Sakura held on to Yue as she brought her lips down onto his. With the power of this kiss, she was to send her Star Power from her body into his. A small light passed between their lips and went into him. Yue breathed in deeply as the power started to heal him and brought him back out of unconsciousness. His eyes fluttered open, as Sakura broke the kiss. "S... Sakura...?" he said, questioning whether she was or wasn't there. She placed her hand on his cheek and watched him sigh with contentment. "Yes Yue.. I'm here.. don't worry. I released him forever." she said, explaining the outcome to him. Yue looked from Sakura to Lee and then back again. He seemed to look embarrassed. Sakura only smiled and kissed him again, lingering this time to show him just how real she was. Yue smiled and brought his arms up around Sakura's back. Lee stood up and sighed. "Okay, come on we need to get out of here." he stated, annoyed at them slightly. Sakura and Yue looked at each other, their cheeks red with embarrassment. They nodded and she stood up and helped Yue to his feet, leaning on her shoulder for support. "We need to go home and let you get some rest Yue." she said as they slowly followed Lee out of the building. He gave her a tired look and smiled an agreement.

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So how's that for a big rescue. Yue got hurt... how mean of me..but I think him getting hurt helps Sakura know just how much she loves him, because when he got hurt she realized she could have lost him... and I think it made her love him even more then before. Reviews Please!!! Chapter Eight - Going Home..coming soon...

For any question's, comments, or flames... e-mail me at: sakura_blossom@hotmail.com!