Chapter 5
" Lovely Child..."
The demon must have known what I was planning to do and held on to Sakura even more tightly. When I was a satisfying distance away, I halted. I closed my eyes, flexed my wings, and all of the sudden all about me was bright light. I heard gasps, gasps of everyone around me. There was a shriek, and I opened my eyes to see the demon thrusting Sakura out of his arms, screaming in pain. Sakura ran to my side. I was her protection. Yue and I alone could harm the demons. The rest could only slow them.
The demon started for me, raising its sword. I raised my own. Our sword clashed, clink clink, and bright light flashed on the blade. It was a good fighter, the demon. I twirled around and kicked. The demon fell, but rolled to its feet. I twirled the sword and struck. He twisted, lashing at my head. I blocked. Blocked again, then struck. Slowly, a rhythm was forming in my mind. Block, block, clash, kick and block.
Now is the time to break it.
I flipped and struck with my sword. Right on its head. The demon screamed, and this time I did see blood. Blood covered my eyes. I saw red. The demon crumbled into dust.
I decided to end it right there. The last battle. My time for revenge. Sakura's time for triumph.
" Take out your staff, Sakura." I told her, moving her in front of me gently. " Draw out all the cards you have."
She did. The cards floated in front of her obediently, waiting for her command.
" Say what I say," I told her, and paused for a minute before beginning again.
" Cards of Stars,"
" Cards of stars,"
" Ancient's pride,"
" Ancient's pride,"
" Let the damned souls,"
" Let the damned souls,"
" Be cursed tonight,"
" Be cursed tonight,"
" And be sent to where,"
" And be sent to where,"
" There is no light,"
" There is no light,"
The cards began glowing, the pink aura of Sakura's.
I began to chant.
" Angels! I am Li Syaoran,
Heed my words. Let the moon and sun,
Witness my triumph!
Tonight we shall be free!
Tonight we shall be free!
Tonight we shall be free!"
Sakura's eyes shot open.
" Firey! Watery! Earthy! Windy! Release and Dispell!"
There was a bright glow and all of the sudden a huge explosion.
" Mirror! Illusion! Twin! Power!"
Another explosion, followed by the shaking of the ground. Four by four, Sakura named the cards, commanding them to release their energy.
At the end, when the Void card was named, all about were flames. But the flames were not bright red or orange. They were pale white, silver like the moon, hot as the many stars. Wails and cries. Dust burning. The demons were gone.
I looked down at the jar and opened it. The stench was no longer there. Instead, there was the shrunken face, with the dead eyes, rotten and soft and leaking water.
Sakura stepped back, horrified at it. I looked at her. Briefly I wondered what she would do if she had known this earlier. Would she had sought revenge? Would she do this to the demons, as horrifying as the flames were, for her love for me? Did she love me as much?
" Here." I held out the jar, its lid opened, the shrunken face staring at her. Kero and the others stared at me in surprise.
Still holding the jar I told her my story.
" Some time ago," I began, " These demons invaded my home in Hong Kong. My mother and sisters were killed."
Sakura blinked, shocked.
" Several years ago," I continued, " These same demons went to my home and tried to destroy my family. They succeeded, partly, in killing my father."
Silence, save for the cracking of flames and the wind hissing around us.
" Sakura-san." I began. " You see me this way. You see me as an Angel, as a warrior. Before, you saw me as a friend. As a rich boy. Do you know what they did to me? Some time ago they did this to me. They tore my body into tiny bits and left me to die. And I did. But they weren't just after me. They were after you too. And I knew this. So I came back. I came back because if I didn't you will end up like I did. In pieces. To be loathed by all."
" No one will give you a burial. Will you bury this corpse? Even now you revolt at it. And I don't blame you. It is a disgusting task. But I love you Sakura. I loved you when I first knew who you really were. When I first looked into your eyes and realized that you are one that I can trust. One that I can show my weakness."
Sakura stared at the dead eyes that looked up at her and I saw a tear trickle down her cheek. No, Syaoran. Do not wipe it away. It defeats the purpose.
" Sakura, I do not ask you to love me." I said. " But I do ask you to respect who I was. You can no longer bury this body. It is not fit to be in a coffin. It is beyond that now. I want you to throw it into those flames. Those flames were burning the corpses of my murderers. I want my body to burn with those who killed me as the fuel. Show the world that I won. Show the heavens and the earth, that I triumphed and they lost. They now burn as nameless corpses. And I want you to gather my ashes and bury them, for then they will be fit to bury."
Sakura trembled, and she was speechless. She closed her eyes.
" After that I want you to forget about me." I told her. " But for now, show me that my friendship with you is not in vain. That my love for you is not useless love or unreasonable love. Give me a reason to be proud of who I was and who you are. Show me that you care about me."
Sakura took the jar without hesitation. Wiping her eyes, she took the pieces out with her bare hands and tossed them into the flames. I stood behind her. I knew the others were too surprised to be disgusted with me. But Sakura understood. Sakura understood who I was. It didn't matter that she was the only one.
When the flames burnt out on the ground was pavement and ashes. My own,
for the demons were gone, as if they had never been. I stood beside Sakura as she
gathered the ashes. Then she picked up the beads that came from the bones. White
beads. With her magic she produced a magic urn. She put some of her aura in it.
She wrapped it with her cloak.
Dawn was coming.
" An urn burial! What honor! And she agreed to that?" Rachel laughed. " Good!
That shows that she does deserve you, Syaoran."
I didn't smile though. I was taking what had belonged to me. Today was the last day.
" You don't have to leave, you know." Tsu Yen said solemnly. Nadeshiko stood beside Rachel.
" Hai, you can stay with me." Rachel beamed. " Help keep me company as I take care of Eriol."
I smiled at her sadly. " That was your choice." I said to her. " This is mine."
" But why?" She asked.
" You'll see." I answered. " Take care of Eriol. And while you're at it, watch Sakura.
See how she changes."
Rachel paused, and a sad realization graced her features.
" Syaoran-kun."
" I still have work to do." I said after a pause. " After all, Yue needs to be separate
from Yukito to come with me. And as for the others, well, they all have wishes,
don't they?"
" Playing Dionysus, eh, for a bunch of King Midases?" Nadeshiko laughed. " What
fun! I think I'll enjoy this. Come along, let's see what the mortals want."
Outside Touya was reading. He leaped to his feet and ran towards me as I
approached. We stopped and looked at each other, this time not glaring.
After a long moment he finally spoke. " So you're leaving then."
" Hai."
" When?"
" Tonight."
" So..."
" I came to say goodbye." I answered his question. " And to use my power for
something you want. As my last gift."
Touya hesitated. " Me?"
" Why not? You're the brother of someone I loved." I answered quietly.
The wind blew. The day was sunny. Several cars drove by, and the birds
chattered noisily. It was a beautiful day, dry and warm.
" I want my sister to be happy."
" Don't wish for others." I told him. " They will have their own chance."
Touya hesitated.
" I want to be successful. At whatever I strive for."
I smiled.
Kero healed of his wound by my hand. His was a silly wish. A wish for
endless amounts of sweets and food. Spinel added something to that, books, many
many books, and sweets to go along with it. But when I told Kero that Yue was
leaving, he asked me if he could forget about Yue, so the pain would be less.
A good choice.
Nakuru wanted to die when Eriol dies.
Strange for a frivolous guardian as she. But she looked so tired when she said
it.
" When you live for several thousand years," She said sadly, a weary look in her
eyes, " With nothing but a far off hope, nothing to live for, nothing to love or be
happy for, death is more welcoming."
So I granted her mortality.
Eriol listened solemnly. I turned to him.
" Well, Eriol?" I waited. I knew he was pondering.
" I want...to be free."
I knew what he meant. Free from troubles, free from all despair. A wise choice. And I'm not the type to attach strings.
Eriol will die in peace.
I already knew what Tomoyo wanted, and granted it. She will be proud. She
will have something to be proud of. Her riches, her success, her Sakura.
But I did not ask Sakura for her wish. Mainly because I knew what was to come.
I went to Yukito. I closed my eyes and separated Yue from Yukito. I made Yue a solid form, not just magic. And Yukito, Yukito will be happy. He will have a wonderful life.
By this time, night had come. Tsu Yen and Rachel and Nadeshiko appeared out on the sidwalk to my building.
" Well, shall we?" Tsu Yen asked.
I clutched my lasin board and nodded.
We headed towards the woods. We talked. Mostly about me, actually, as I was the new one in the group. We talked about how I use to always practice martial arts and wrote poems. That time when I fetched the bird for Meiling. The power I will be having. The glory.
Then we talked about Yue. How he use to laugh a lot, and I teased Yue about how stoic he was now. Yue grew embarrassed. Typical of an angel.
The forest was green, mostly. It smelled of many leaves. The paths were covered with soft moss that was dark and rich green. However, there was little light, so it was hard to see. Several green moths with swallowtails passed as we walked leisurely. Above, the moonlight peered through the branches. The air was calm and cool, fresh like a day after a rain. Crickets chirped all around us. We could hear the shimmer of grass in a far distant meadow, and the gurgling of a small creek somewhere to the right of us.
The path stretched ahead pointing to a darkness that grew further and further away as we walked. More bushes and trees peered out of that darkness where we could see no light. Above, an owl fluttered from one true to the next. We heard stones toppling. Several petals of flowers drifted down.
We walked on.
" Syaoran-kun!"
I turned around. We were almost there. The gate was right there before us, golden and intricately embroidered with carving. Many jewels lined against the gate. It was not open yet.
" Syaoran-kun, matte!"
I looked at the running figure. Sakura came to me, panting. She stopped in front of me and paused to get her breath.
" Syaoran-kun, are you going to leave?" She asked, her green eyes pleading.
I hesitated. " Hai." I answered. " I'm leaving."
" Without a goodbye?" She sobbed.
" Isn't this one?" I asked. " I knew you will come."
The others were silent. Sakura stared at Yue. " You're leaving too." She whispered. This time she started to cry. In her silent way. The others were silent. Nadeshiko had left.
" Sakura." I said at last. " Gomen nasai."
Sakura looked at me, her eyes searching.
I told her that she could have one wish. One last wish from me.
" I want you to stay." She whispered. " I want Yue to stay. I want both of you to stay."
I looked at her steadily. " That is the only wish I cannot grant." I answered.
" Why?" She whispered. " I thought you loved me."
" I do love you." I answered steadily. " But it doesn't matter. It's fate, Sakura. You
and I will never be together. It will never work."
Sakura lowered her eyes. I looked at what was in her hand. She wiped her eyes and handed the teddy bear to me.
It was Sakura's work. She was the one that made it. It was soft and cuddly. A reminder of childhood. I took the teddy bear and stared at it. It had soft green eyes.
I held the teddy bear close to me and buried my face into it, raising my eyes to look at Sakura. She was no longer crying. She knew I was going to leave. It was inevitable.
" Farewell, Sakura."
" Farewell, Syaoran."
The gate opened. I turned to it. And without a look back, I stepped through. When the door closed I knew Sakura was still watching after me.