Prolouge







Voices whispered their secrets through the winds. The trees silently said their secrets, and the waters, roared with anger.

"Darkness will rein," the waters roared.

"Disaster will strike," the winds trailed off.

"Everything will die," whispered the trees.

"Who will save us?" cooed the birds.

"Will light shine?" The sun questioned.

"Or will darkness, once again rise?" the sky asked.

"What about the two chosen ones?" asked the land.

"Will they stop this darkness?" the mountain barked its question.

"Is their love even strong?" the grass hissed.

All their questions and remarks mixed with eachother, and it all just sounded like one loud voice, full of all sorts of questions, that ran all through the world.

"Chosen ones, save us," they all chanted. "Waken! Rise and destroy the evil that reins the world. Or will all be lost? Save us chosen ones, you are our last hope. WAKEN AND RISE!"

-

Emerald green eyes shot wide open, as a seventeen year old girl with auburn hair that touched her shoulders, sat up sharply in bed. Short, heavy, gasps escaped her lips. Sweat rolled down her pale face, and the moon blanketed her figure. She clasped her hand over her rapidly, and heavily, beating heart. That dream. What did it mean? Trees. Water. Wind. Sun. Sky. Land. Mountains. Birds. Grass. They all whispered their secrets. But what did they mean? What 'chosen ones'? She looked at the pale moon that shined through the darkness. Stars twinkled merrily. She could hear voices whispering in her ears. It seemed like the moon was telling her something. But what? She could not make out the words. Shivering lightly, she held herself in a hug as she pulled the covers off from her. Her bare feet gently touched the carpet and pushing herself up from bed, she walked to her door and slowly opened it, while tip-toeing downstairs, as not to wake her father and brother up. -A walk will do- She thought as she pulled her coat from the hanger and put it on, quietly opening the door and closing it.

Breathing in the fresh air of the night, she walked out the gates and down the streets of Tomoeodo. Silence was all she heard as her feet quietly touched the earth. For some reason, the cherry blossom trees, the solid earth, the sky, and the stars, the moon and the wind, seemed to be whispering something to her, but she couldn't make them out. Something deep down in her, a feeling, a feeling that something were to happen, suddenly leaked its way through her. She now felt nothing but coldness from it. She didn't know when it would happen, or what would happen, but all she knew was that something bad were to happen, something she knew she'd never forget, even if she tried to. Walking into King Penguin Park, she sat on one of the swings and gently began rocking her self, her gaze on the moon, hoping to find some kind of answer from it.

"Onegai kami-sama," she whispered. "Tell me, what's going to happen?" No reply. Then she repeated, "Tell me."

"Darkness," hissed a cold voice that sent shivers up her spine. "Death."

The girl turned her head and looked to see a figure, excpet it looked more like a shadow. "Who - who are you?" she asked in fear. "What do you want from me?"

"I am Shadow, and all I want is you, my dear Cherry Blossom," Shadow hissed again.

She stood up from the swing and began backing away as Shadow advanced towards her. "My Master awaits your presence, come with me, Sakura."

The girl known as Sakura shook with fear. She said in a shakey voice, "I will not go with you. . . Leave me alone."

Shadow seemed to smirk. "Then I will force you."

Sakura felt herself being lifted above the earth. She tried to scream for help, but her mouth would not obey her mind. -Someone help me!- she called mentally in her mind. That's when she noticed that Shadow held her by the neck, floating himself. Yet the only reason Sakura was floating, is because he held her. She held onto his wrists as she tried to gasp for air, but his grip tightened. "Let me go," she managed to choke out. He did not. With out a second thought, she kicked him in the stomach, making him loose his grip, as she fell and landed roughly on solid earth. Her back hurt painfully from the fall, and her throat was soar as she gasped in gulps of fresh air. She saw Shadow coming towards her and she quickly picked herself up as she ran, while stumbling, towards the woods.

The trees were all a blurr to her as branches scraped her arms and legs. She stopped once she came to the edge of a cliff. Looking down, she noticed it wasn't that steep, but at least two stories high. Taking a glance over her shoulder, she looked to see Shadow hot on her trail. Gathering all the courage she could, she jumped off the cliff. She landed heavily on her legs, making her twist her right ankle. Gritting her teeth in pain, she looked up to see Shadow floating down the cliff. Getting up, she limped as fast as she could, making her ankle hurt even worst, away from Shadow. Her left foot caught onto a rock and she fell face-forward on the flat, dirty, ground. She kept her eyes tightly shut as she heard Shadow's footsteps coming closer to her. -Oh kami-sama, I'm doomed for- She thought to herself as she shook in fear.

Sakura felt herself being picked up roughly by her right wrist. Opening her eyes, she saw Shadow, who was holding onto her right wrist in the air, making her dangle.

"What have I ever done to you?" Sakura sneered, not even knowing where she found the courage to say that. Her emerald green eyes gave Shadow a death glare. "Just leave me be."

"I can't do that," Shadow chuckled. "Master has sent for you, and what Master wants, Master gets."

She barred her teeth, and using her free hand, she clasped her star key, changing it to her star staff. She hit Shadow with the butt of her staff, making him loose his grip while holding his stomach. Sakura landed heavily on her feet, but ignored the pain in her ankle. Pulling out a card from her jacket, she called, "Fiery!"

Fiery spread its bat like wings, while making hissing noises as it fired a fire ball at Shadow. He just stood there, then aimed a finger at the fire. A dark mist crept towards the charging fire, and envoloped it in shadow. Waving his hand, and invisible force hit Fiery, making it fall to the ground and changing back to its card form. Shadow's gaze fell upon Sakura and he held out his hand and a sword appeared. Raising the sword, he charged at Sakura.

"Sword!"

Her staff changed into a sword and she narrowly blocked Shadow's sword that came down at her. Both were locked in a sword battle, and sweat rolled down Sakura's face as she gritted her teeth in determination. Shadow was a lot stronger, that's for sure. Every time their swords collided, it was hard for Sakura to keep a hold on her sword. Then, with one swift move of his sword, he knocked Sakura's sword from her grasp, then he gave her a deep gash in her right shoulder. Holding her shoulder to stop the bleeding, she dodged or duck, to avoid Shaodw's sharp sword from killing her. When Sakura ducked to avoid getting her head chopped off, Shadow hit her in the chin with his knee, making her fall back on the ground. Pointed his sword at her heart, she glared up at him. He smirked as an eerie grey glow formed at the tip of his staff. Sakura pushed herself backwards, feeling as if she should stay away from the eerie grey glow. At fast speed, the small grey ball of energy flew at her and went right into her chest. Her emerald green eyes turned grey as they widened and a pained gasped escaped her lips. The same eerie grey surrounded her. Sakura's face was pale, her grey eyes were lifeless, and her body was limp, yet her eyes stayed open as she was lifted above the earth and into the night time sky. -Someone. . . . . help me. . . . - she pleaded in her mind. That's when she heard it.

The stars. The moon. The land. The wind. They all seemed to be whispering something that her ears alone could only hear. At first, she could not make them out, then they became clearer and clearer.

"Trust in yourself," the wind hissed.

"Trust in your powers," the stars whispered.

"Be strong," the land said.

"We have faith in you," the stars chanted.

Sakura's grey eyes looked up at the star filled sky. Then whiteness covered up the grey, and the eerie grey that surrounded her turned into a yellow bright glow. Words that never came to mind slowly flowed from her lips:

"Powers of the Heaven

Light of the Stars

Hear my cry

And shed your might!

I, Goddess of the Light

Call you!

Power Sakura never felt before mixed with her star power. A white ball of energy slowly formed just inches from her chest. The star staff floated up to her and the white ball of energy went into where the star was. They both mixed and the star staff glowed brightly. It grew longer, but instead of being pink, it was white, the wings on her staff were longer, and the star went from yellow to a bright gold. The staff was just inches taller then her, and Sakura's eyes were still white. She subconsciously pointed her staff at a suprised Shadow, whos eyes were opened wide in horror.

"So. . . . I found her," Shadow whispered.

A golden light formed at the tip of her staff, and a laser like beam was fired at Shadow. The beam of light went through Shadow's chest, but he did not let out a scream of pain or agony, instead, he just stared up at Sakura in shock as he slowly turned to black dust. Then, the next thing Sakura remembered, was darkness.