Aria chuckled evilly. Sakura stared at her suspiciously.

"What's so funny?" Sakura questioned.

"You are you and your silly little belief that you can beat me." Aria said triumphantly. "I may not be able to take over your mind again, but I'm still much stronger than you are!"

"It takes more than strength to win a fight." Sakura said calmly. "And if you think that you're going to win you are sadly mistaken, so why don't you stop holding back and hit me with everything you have!"

"If that's the way that you want it, then let it begin," Aria hissed as she issued another ball of magic and held it in her hand.

Ryo stared dumbly at the two fighting females. Aria wasn't fighting with all her strength? Ryo had always been confident in Sakura's fighting abilities, but Aria was defiantly prevailing. It looked like he might need to step in after all. As if reading his mind Sakura turned to Ryo.

"Ryo, don't you dare interfere with this fight." Sakura commanded.

"But, Sakura, you don't just intend to fight her alone do you?" Ryo asked incredulous.

"Yes, I do just intend to." Sakura said. "Please, let me do this," Sakura said firmly.

Giving a sigh Ryo stepped back. "I'm not going to be far," he warned as Sakura turned her full attention back to Aria. Sakura wasn't positive that she could really beat Aria in a battle of strength with just her magic. She might have to use her Armor, but she didn't want to unless it was absolutely necessary.

Aria threw another ball of magic at Sakura, who leapt out of the way and sent one at Aria. Aria blocked it and charged at Sakura grabbing her wrist and sending out a surge of magic. Sakura fought against it and managed to get away from Aria's grip. She then sent a beam of magic at Aria who used her barrier to block her attack. 'If I'm going to hit her with anything, I have to be sneaky so she can't use that barrier.' Sakura thought as she jumped into a tree so she was hidden by the leaves. Sakura formed a ball of magic and closed her hand around it creating a magic type of sword. Aria looked around trying to find her. Once Aria was in close range, Sakura jumped at her magic sword raised. Aria whirled around and grabbed Sakura's arm sending out another surge of magic. Sakura's sword disappeared as she screamed as the foreign magic flowed through her. She once again shook off Aria and stumbled to her feet. 'Why does she keep trying to take control of my mind again?' Sakura wondered. 'She already knows that she can't take control of me anymore' Sakura tried to form another magic orb but dodged another attack by Aria. This was getting serious. Aria kept dodging in and out of Sakura's attacks and grabbing her arm, wrist, what ever she could. Sakura stood up weakly from the last surge of magic Aria had given her. 'I don't get it,' Sakura thought. 'She keeps trying the same thing over and over, but she's never going to win that way.' Sakura opened her hand to form the sword again and gasped in shock when the magic appeared then disappeared almost as instantly as she had summoned it. "What!" she gasped in shock. Sakura's eyes widened on shock as she realized what Aria had been doing.

"Oh no!" she cried.

"What? What is it?" Ryo suddenly appeared next to her.

"I can't form my magic anymore!" Sakura said mournfully.

"What? Why not?" Ryo asked.

"Aria, when she touched me, she wasn't trying to control my mind, she was sucking my magic. That's why she keeps getting stronger and I keep getting weaker." Sakura said through clenched teeth.

Aria walked calmly in front of the two, "I was wondering when you would figure it out." She said. "I've been taking most of your magic this entire battle. I'm surprised you lasted this long. But now, I have almost all of your magic now, you probably don't even have enough for three more energy blasts; while I still have enough to annihilate you and your fiancé." Aria crowed.

But Sakura wasn't beaten yet; she had one last trick that would save her. She hated to use this attack, but since Aria had almost completely drained her, it looked like she didn't have a choice.