Yeah I'm working quicker with these chapters.  I know your all glad about that.  I've restored the need for reviews. I'm not getting as many as I used to.  Pout.  I want them back.  Yeah I know I left you all hanging and I deserve to suffer but I'm selfish. 

Thanks to everyone who is reading.  I have taken some advise from people over the last few months and about Nisha and Bahul.  Well.  If you knew who I based them on then you'd immediately know what would happen to them but I'll just be mysterious about that.

Lol.  OK whoever didn't get it?  No they didn't really do it.  It's astral.  They just had a taste of what they could have.  Lol and I'll repeat.  I was dared to do that.  If you guys want some more of that then just tell me.

Anyway.  On with the show.  (Starts fearing the wolves again)

***

"I think it's time I told you about the destroyers."  Eriol was sitting in his red chair with Sakura, Kero, Yue and his two guardians sitting around him like children. 

No one knew about the meeting.  Not even Tomoyo.  This was a matter for only them.

"First thing you have to understand.  Destroyers aren't just three demons.  They were a race in themselves.  A different breed all together."

Sakura sipped the tea in her hand and listened carefully.

"The most powerful of all demons and much more.  They choose only three destroyers at a time."

"Why is that?"  Sakura interrupted.

"Because they were not always 'destroyers'."  Everyone went silent and Eriol continued. 

"They were once warriors of balance.  The gods created them from angels and demons.  A balance of good and evil.  They would keep the earth balanced.  They created three.  Two males and one female."  Eriol took a deep breath.  "Legend has it that they kept peace on earth for many eons but they were lonely.  They went to earth to search of friendship."

"The female fell in love with a man.  She gave him powers.  He loved her and they consumed their love.  She had a child.  A boy.  The other two didn't have any offspring.  They only gave some of their blood to a person they cared for.  It gave them magical power and long life.  The dark forces found out about this and the three were taken away from their loved ones with dark magic and their physical bodies were taken away leaving only spirits."  (Listen to Eminem Sing for the moment and listen to the end.  You might understand.)

"So what happened?"  Kero asked.

"They took the baby and the two who possessed the powers.  They killed the baby's father.  They went against a treaty with the higher gods and trained the three to become warriors for the dark side.

They were made to forget their past and the blood that ran through them made them have long lives.  They bred with demons.  They didn't know any better and had children.  The masters themselves trained the boy.  It was proclaimed that any decedent from this child had to be trained by the masters because of his blood.  It possessed the strength and courage of his father and the holy powers of his mother.

The boy died many millennia's later.  He had his mother's gift of life.  Weather he knew it or not.  He had a child.  With a half demon.  It was a girl."

"What about the other two?"  Yue asked quietly.

"They had children too.  A lot of them.  But out of all of those children only one inherited their parent's power.  The others were either powerless or held demons power."

"So there were three."  Kero said now beginning to understand.

"So what does that all mean?"  Sakura asked a little worried.

"The two children of the blood tied ones have magical powers but not as strong as the direct descendant."  He paused for a long moment.  "The one who attacked us was an indirect descendant of the warrior of light.  The man with the tail is indirectly related to the shadow warrior."

He pulled out the book with the picture of the winged demoness. 

"This is Nisha.  She's the leader of the destroyers.  Sakura you have to listen to me very carefully and understand what I'm telling you.  Nisha is the direct descendant of the warrior of fate."

Sakura sat there trying to grasp what Eriol had just said.  It was a lot to take in.  These were not only demons with blood lust.  These were also holy creatures.  Being that did not understand who they had once been.  Worse they were part human.  With feelings and souls.

She sat and though of what had happened.  She remembered the anger and pain in the girl's eyes when she attacked.  Jealousy.  A human emotion.  They held feelings like she did.  Now that she knew this she could understand them a lot better.

"So what do we do?"  She asked quietly.

"I'll be honest Sakura.  I don't know.  We're not dealing with a normal evil.  We're dealing with something sacred but also something very human."

"They'll be hard to beat."  Kero said thinking all this over.

"Yes.  I believe extra training is in order."  Yue said from his place.  Eriol nodded.

"Sakura we are all going to have to train very hard.  This is very serious.  We have to be ready."  Eriol said very seriously.  Sakura nodded.  She understood and would do whatever it took.

***

Sakura walked home by herself after the meeting.  She didn't call Tomoyo to hook up.  She canceled her photo shoot.  She just needed to think. 

New training.  They would start soon with that.  Syaoran was already informed because she'd kept her link with him open during the meeting so he knew everything that was going on.  Eriol had also made a long distance call to Hong Kong and they had spoken on the phone.

Sakura was close to returning to school now that she was over her traumas.  She was already doing make up papers and was getting back on schedule.  She was returning to her old life and soon she would finish school for good.  What to do from there was still vague in her mind. 

"SAKURA!!"  A happy voice yelled from across the park.  Sakura groaned.  The last person she needed or wanted to see. 

"What do you want?"  She said calmly.

"Can't I just say hello to my favorite girl?"  Lun asked casually.  When she'd gotten back from Korea he'd been all over her.  When the greed card hit she didn't even worry about him.  He was nothing to her.  Now that she was recovered and back into routine he wouldn't leave her alone.

"Listen I'm not your girl.  I'm not interested and if you don't leave me alone I'm going to have to show you what my boyfriend taught me."  She said a little menacingly.  Syaoran's aura was around her protectively.  She wasn't' lying.  He'd taught her some of his training. 

"Look Sakura.  You can stop it about the whole boyfriend thing.  I already know.  Just go out with me and you'll forget about him." 

"Do you not get the concept?  Are you that blind?"  Sakura's normal good-natured ness was gone.  She'd been through too much these last two months. 

Even Lun was a little shocked at her attitude.  He'd never seen her this angry.

"Listen to me very closely Lun.  I'm tired.  I'm stressed.  I miss the love of my life and I have things that want me gone.  Believe it or not.  Things go bump in the night and I fight it.  So you go off and find yourself a girl who cares because I don't."

With that she walked off leaving him with a gaping mouth. 

She was mad.  It was no joke.  For a second she thought she was possessed again but she was just unsure on what to do.  The destroyers where turned and now they didn't know any better.  Her heart told her there was more than what was laid out on the table and her instincts told her to be ready.

Training started tomorrow.

***

Elsu sat in his throne watching the cherry blossom.  She'd become stronger and he felt displeased that he had no knowledge of these cards.  Apparently no one knew of them.  He hadn't sensed it at all.  With all his power he was unable to sense stupid cards. 

He got up and walked towards his chambers.  Sprawled out on the large table was Anuradha.  Her latest wounds were healing nicely and he wondered if to give her back to her mistress or continue torturing her.  The youngest destroyer's spirit was breaking.  He'd watched it in her eyes as she called for someone he had only heard of. 

'Ilo' it was the African name for light.  It was the name of the warrior of light.

How she had known to call his name he would not know.  Perhaps it was something this breed had in them.  She had been close to dying when she'd called it.  Maybe as a last prayer.

He'd never met the warriors.  He'd been too young when they'd been created and he'd inherited the three from his father. 

That had been before he'd killed him.  If he hadn't the old fool would still be ruling to this day.  Elsu had taken the destroyers under his care and had used the youngest for his earthly pleasures. 

Now she lay there lifeless.  Useless.  Still he would return her to Nisha.  Let her d as she please with her.

The name she had called out disturbed him though.  If she had known it wouldn't that mean his other two might know it?  Unlike most demons the destroyers liked to travel.  Like their parents had.  Like the warriors of balance had.  The destroyers carried Asian names while the warriors of balance each had a name from a different culture.

He could faintly remember their names.  Ilo the warrior of light, Cameo the shadow warrior and Damia the warrior of fate.  The powerful Damia.  Her name meant goddess of the forces of nature and that she was. 

Stories were told between demons of the times when the three protected the world.  They told of how Damia had control of the elements themselves.  How she used magic much like Nisha did.  How her two brothers were complete opposites but still very much alike.

He knew that Nisha believed this force still existed.  Though the demons and darkness had got rid of the three once Damia's child Ajax had been born.

He'd always hated them.  Especially Ajax.  Such power at such a young age.  Everyone believed that he died because of his human mortality but it was not so.  He had killed him.  After killing his father.  Nisha his only child had been too young to remember.  So after torturing her mother he took her under his command and trained her.  Made her forget her family.  Made her forget humanity.

If only he knew how wrong he was.

***

Syaoran sat with his best friend.  He'd just finished telling him about the destroyers and they were planning out the training schedule Eriol had sent them.

Fu-Shu looked it over carefully.  His brother would be over soon to look at this too. 

"This looks serious."  He said looking over the strict program.

"Yeah.  That's why no one with any magical power is to get involved.  Eriol said it would be safer if they thought everything was ok."  Syaoran said crossing his arms

"I don't' know about this Xiao Lang.  This look real serious.  We'll need all the help we can get." 

"I know but Eriol is right on one point.  They will have nothing to defend themselves with against these guys.  They would only be in more danger."

"Your right."

"I wish we could ask for there help.  At least to plan but we can't ask that of them.  They will see too much pain."

"You mean like the envy card?"

"Yeah like the envy card."  He answered quietly.  Syaoran still had thoughts of what had happened.  How close the card had come to break them.  To kill them.

"Hey you made it through.  You got better.  You're stronger now."  Fu tried to comfort.

"We were barely strong enough to beat it together.  I felt her slip from me Fu.  She was right next to me and I couldn't feel her.  Then when I woke up and I found myself in my room I felt like crying.  She was gone again but at least I could feel her.  She was badly bruised up but she was there."

"It's ok."

"I can't loose her.  I'll kill myself if I loose her.  This evil.  It's bigger than just her and me.  It's after her.  I felt it.  I saw it.  It wants her and then there are these destroyers.  I don't know what they want and I feel her fear and her pain.  There is nothing I can do because I feel the same pain and fear."

Fu sat there looking at his friend.  He looked tired and hurt.  Alone with only his cherry blossom.  He couldn't imagine what it was like.  Facing something that could have killed you if you were completely alone. 

"Hey man.  You're not alone now.  I'm here.  My brother's here.  We'll help.  As much as we can.  You can count on it."

With a rare smile Syaoran shook his friend's outstretched hand.  "Thanks Fu."

"ON a lighter subject.  Your birthday."  He said with a smirk.  "I heard lovely Sakura has been invited."

"Yeah she has.  What about it."

"Well aren't you going to propose?" 

"Fu.  Shut up." 

"You are aren't you?"

"Maybe."

"Oh you have the ring don't you."

Syaoran just started.  Then with a sigh.  "My mother took me out to every jeweler and we ended up having one custom made.  It's fine work.  I will say that."

"Plus a little magic."

"Yeah plus a little magic."

***

"Yes Li-sama all the preparations are made.  No.  No one knows about the plans.  Yes I'm going to speak with Sakura tonight."

"Tell me what?"  Sakura said walking into the living room.  Her father turned around and smiled brightly at her. 

"Li-sama.  She's here.  I will speak to you later.  All right.  Thank you.  Sayonara."

"Otou-san what's going on?"  Sakura asked sitting on the couch.

"Sakura Li-sama and I have been talking about this ever since we left Korea.  Sakura you are all grown up now.  I love you with all my heart but I know that your heart is with LI.  You should be with him.  What I'm trying to tell you is that when we go to Hong Kong for Li's birthday.  You will not return with us to Japan."

"But Otou-san what about everyone?"  Sakura asked in shock.

"Eriol knows and so does Yukito.  He said he would be able to come and go from here to Hong Kong whenever needed.  Kero knows also.  No one else is to know Sakura.  This was a hard decision.  Your brother must not know."

"Why can't anyone know?" 

"Mostly for your safety but also because of the media."

"My safety?"

"Sakura Li-sama told me something is coming.  Something big.  I want you to be safe.  As much as I would like to protect you I wouldn't know how to begin.  With the Li family you have more protection that we could ever offer you."

"Will I ever see everyone again?"  Sakura asked.  She was conflicted with two emotions.  Pure joy and pure sadness.

"Oh Sakura.  Of course.  We will go see you as many times as you want.  This is not forever.  We will always be together."

"Otou-san."  Sakura said with a smile.  She hugged her father tightly. 

"Remember Sakura the world is full of changes.  This is a step in your life for the better.  I want to see you happy.  Not sad.  Always remember that."

"I will."

***

Sakura sat in her room thinking.  Her thoughts all jumbled and confusing.  She would be with her love but could not tell her best friend.  She had to fight a great evil but could not ask her friends for help.  All this came so quickly.  Her life was changing again and she thought that life was racing ahead of her and she was barely keeping up.

She thought about the warriors. How the female had died and lost her child.  How they had taken him to the dark side. 

How could a mother go through that?

She thought back to the night she and Syaoran had shared in the astral planes.  How sacred it had been.  How passionate and perfect it had felt.

What they shared was on a spiritual level and a semi physical level.  They had shared something beautiful.  Something she would never forget.

Her stress and memories were taking its toll though.  She was tired and needed to sleep.  Tomorrow was a weekend and she had homework to do.

***

Bahul walked into his master's chamber once again.  He stared at his master who was staring at an image of Sakura.

"Master.  I'm here for Anuradha."  He said using her name for the first time in months. 

"Take her out of my sight."  Elsu said absently.  As if he was far off in thought.

"Yes my lord."  He took her gently in his arms and walked out of the room.  Maybe it was because Nisha had asked him to be careful with her.  Or maybe it was just the fact that he thought Elsu had done too much damage.

He walked down the halls till he reached Nisha's bedchamber.  He opened it and found Nisha fixing the bed for her.  Her eyes held a mix of regret and anguish when she saw her former pupil.

Like Bahul she had felt something.  Like a pain she'd never felt.  Ever since her father's death.

It was as if part of her was lost.  Anuradha had said something so agonizing the other day it had ripped through her body and magic.  Ever since she'd been having very vivid dreams.  She had not attacked the card mistress since.  It wasn't time.

She started to think back to everything of her past.  Everything she could remember.  She'd been but a child when her father died.  She'd been very young when her mother had been taken for treason.  It's what happened to half demons.  They tended to have more compassion. 

Perhaps that was what she felt.  Her mother's compassion.  A very big part of her life was missing.  Along with the two who now were in her room. 

Part of her reasons for having Elsu taken was for that reason.  To find her past.  To know who she was.  Something the master had never done.  Something her parents never had the chance to.

'Stop being fooling.  There is no time for this type of thought.  Do your duty for your student.'

Nisha started working on healing Anuradha.  Part of her was disgusted because of what she had dons.  For all the trouble she'd caused over the centuries but as many masters know.  You bond with your students.  Especially when you've raised them.  Their mistakes are your mistakes.

Even if it had been her own fault Nisha couldn't help but feel slightly responsible for her actions.  Maybe if she'd taught her more about emotions.

'No.  You taught her everything about her human half.  She did it on her own free will.  Emotions are a weakness.  She forgot that.'

Anuradha's eyes snapped open and she whimpered ever so slightly.  She looked up at her mistress and tried to talk.

"You will not get anything out of talking right now.  He's done a lot of damage to you."  Nisha said very calmly.

"Ilo."  She whispered.  "Ilo."

"What is she talking about?"  Bahul asked interested now.

"Ilo."  She said again.

"I don't know.  I've never heard the name." 

"ILO!"  She screamed in tears.  A mix of colors fell down her face till they turned blood read. 

"What are you talking about?"  Nisha screamed.  She hated it when she dint' know something.

It was as if the only thing she could say was that word.  She kept saying it over and over till she fell asleep.  Both destroyers were puzzled. 

Her body trembled and Nisha wondered how much damage Elsu had done.  More importantly though.  What had she seen in the other realm?

"What redemptions did she receive?"  Nisha whispered before walking out of the room towards the gates.

"Where are you going?"  Bahul cried after her.

"To find answers.  This can not go on."

***

CRASH

Eriol was awoken by a loud noise.  He ran down the stairs towards the library.  His two guardians had also joined him and he turned on the light.

He'd moved out of Tomoyo's place not so long ago after receiving all his things from England. 

"What happened here?"  Nakuru asked when she saw all the books scattered around the room.  Glass was now broken.  Chairs were all over the place and the window was open.

"Someone was looking for something."  Eriol said calmly. 

"What were they looking for?"   Spinel asked.

"I don't know but I think they found it." 

"Why do you say that master?"

"Because the books I was looking at earlier are gone."  Eriol said looking at his desks where many of his books were missing.

"What shall we do?"

"For now clean up.  Tomorrow we will call Sakura and see what is going on."

***

"Hi."  A girl with hair down to her ankles said to Sakura from above a tree.

"Hi.  Who are you?"  Sakura asked looking up.  She was in a deep forest with many trees and a beautiful waterfall.

"I live here."  She said cheerfully.

"It's very beautiful."  Sakura said walking closer to the tree.

"Thanks."  The girl jumped from the tree and landed on her feel right next to Sakura.  It was then that she noticed the girl looked at least twenty with beautiful hazel eyes.

"What's your name?"  Sakura asked.

"My name isn't important right now Sakura."  

"How did you…?"

"I've been watching you for a long time.  I'm impressed.  You've lived through a lot and you're stronger but you've still got a lot to see."

"How do you know all this?" 

"I've seen it.  Come with me."  The girl grabbed Sakura's arm and they started to run through the forest till they reached a clearing.  It was full of animals and life.

At the edge of the clearing were three statues in a great temple.  A statue of a scorpion, a snake and in the middle an immense dragon with glowing eyes.

A gentle tune started to play around Sakura and she tried to find the source of the music.

Morning smiles

Like the face of a newborn child

Innocent unknowing

Winter's end

Promises of a long lost friend

Speaks to me of comfort

"Where are we?"

"This is the temple of life."  It's where all come when they die.  Where they are judged."  She pointed towards two flames.  "Do you see them?"

"Yes.  What are they?"

"They're the flames of balance.  The black flame is stronger than the white.  The balance is gone.  You have to help."  She said in a child like voice.

But I fear

I have nothing to give

I have so much to lose

Here in this lonely place

Tangled up in our embrace

There's nothing I'd like

Better than to fall

But I fear I have nothing to give

"How can I help?"  Sakura asked helplessly holding up her arms.

"You have to fight.  Fight the battles that will come.  Be strong.  You have much pain to endure and you will face it alone with your warrior.  Most importantly you have to live.  You're going to loose something very dear to you in the future.  You have to be ready to handle that pain.  You also have to open your heart enough ob e able to forgive."

Wind in time

Rapes the flower trembling on the vine

Nothing yields to shelter it

From above

They say temptation will destroy our love

The never-ending hunger

"Forgive?"

"Yes.  Forgive.  If you can't forgive the things that will occur then you won't be able to save them.  You wont be able to help cure the wrong that was done."

"I.  I don't understand."

"Look inside your heart Sakura Kinomoto.  You have been chosen by the gods themselves to carry this task. It is a burden I know but you're the only one who can do it.  Save the people from the suffering.  Save them from themselves."

But I fear

I have nothing to give

I have so much to lose

Here in this lonely place

Tangled up in our embrace

There's nothing I'd like

Better than to fall

But I fear I have nothing to give

"How can I?"

"Forgive."

The girl began to walk away leaving Sakura with the music around her.  "Wait.  Who are you?"

But I fear

I have nothing to give

I have so much to lose

Here in this lonely place

Tangled up in our embrace

There's nothing I'd like

Better than to fall

But I fear

I have nothing to give

"I'm a friend."

"What is this all about?"  Sakura cried out desperately.

"It's not about hate.  It's not about love.  It's not about good or evil either."  She stopped and turned around to face the card mistress. 

"It's about fate."

I have so much to lose

I have nothing to give

We have so much to lose...

***

Sakura woke up with the music in her ears.  It was only dawn and she was fully awake.  Her mind kept going back to the way the girl's eyes had shone in the sun.  The way her pure soul had echoed through the forest.  One sentence stuck in her mind.

"It's not about hate.  It's not about love.  It's not about good or evil either."

"It's about fate."

"Fate."  Sakura repeated. 

***

Ok.  That's chapter twenty-four.  I kind of came up with this part recently.  If it doesn't make any sense tell me and I'll redo it.  I liked this chapter.  It's rare that I like a chapter I've done.  So I hope you guys like it.  So please review.  I get discouraged when I get only one or two reviews. 

So anyway.

Ja ne.

Kang