Disclaimer: It's backwards day. CLAMP is mine.
Author's Note(s): Well. I'm updating this quickly, aren't I? I'm behaving like a good little author, aren't I? ^-~
Has anyone played Kingdom Hearts? I just beat the game and I'm positively beaming I'm so proud. I've never beaten a video game before. I normally suck at them. Walkthroughs are a girl's best friend.
Meinien: -wrathful glare- TYPOS?! LIAR! I checked. None. I was kinda surprised, actually, but yeah. NONE! -nice smile- Haha, JK!Sorry about the confusing-ness. If you need it, I reposted the last chapter along with an explanation at the end of it. Heh, I was going for kinda confusing. Lots of foreshadowing. Mmm, as for the kiss, it's not important. A village boy I'd suppose. I just wanted to give the impression of a sweet memory.
Oh, and BTW, I started reading your story. I got halfway through before my mom kicked me off the computer. I love it so far! I have to finish it and leave a very nice review soon. ^-~
****
As they traveled, Sakura noticed the subtle change in the terrain. They had left the forest behind for rolling hills. By the third day, they could spot the distant mountains that served as a boundary between the Li Kingdom and Alexandria, Sakura's own. Though many of the men rejoiced at the sight, Sakura's face bore nothing but a frown. Despite the apparent closeness, she was all too aware the flat land made it nothing more than an illusion.
By the fifth day, the men's hearts were drooping. The mountains were slowly growing closer, but at a rate that would sprout frustration in even the most patient of hearts. Sakura, who was not known for her patience, was seen frowning more often than not.
Slowly the days passed. The fifth turned into the sixth and the sixth into the seventh. By the tenth day, Sakura could spot the valley. Night was falling rapidly when she called for the halt. The men made camp grimly; all were aware of the importance the next day would hold.
As she was unsaddling her horse, Lanus, Keland, and Eneas approached her. Lanus reached forward and grabbed the saddle, dropping it neatly beside her as-yet-unrolled bedroll. Eneas's eyes were pinned nervously on Adara, watching the horse anxiously. Keland opened his mouth to speak.
"So, milady Champion, did we make good time?"
She smiled, nodding towards Eneas. "Well, being that our friend here only fell off three times, I'd say we did pretty well."
Eneas's face was stained with a dark crimson as he fought to avoid her teasing eyes. Keland and Lanus snorted with laughter.
A voice caught her from behind. "Not to mention milady only yelled at you nine times, Keland. A rarity indeed."
Sakura turned, a smile on her lips, to face Roan, a member of the Elite who was most often to be found with the horses. His light touch made him the first candidate for soothing the audacious warhorses.
He bowed to her and reached for Adara's reins, clucking lightly. Sakura let Roan pat her, jealousy biting her just a little at the fondness the mare displayed. She shoved it away quickly, in time to see Roan holding out his hand for the brush. She dropped it into his outstretched hand and watched as the man groomed her horse.
"You know, we're lucky you're as good with a sword as you are with a horse otherwise you might've chosen to be a handler instead," she said thoughtfully.
He smiled up at her, a teasing smile tainting his lips. "Sometimes I wonder which choice would've supplied me with better company."
Keland punched him lightly on the arm, a grin surfacing.
The five shared a friendly conversation before she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned, already knowing whom it was. She excused herself politely and left with Yue.
"The valley isn't far from here, Sakura," he said simply once they were out of earshot of the others.
"We need to know where the enemy is," she said slowly. She watched Yue carefully before putting forward her request. "Will you fly forward and report their location?"
He nodded slightly and threw himself into the air, leaving Sakura alone. She noticed soon the many pairs of eyes on her. She raised a hand, calling attention to her.
"Tonight the sentry duty will be more important than ever. While I might've forgiven the sleeping forms I've seen in the past, I won't forgive tonight. Neither will the enemy. I suggest, if you do not wish to wake with an arrow in your gut, you keep your eyes open on duty."
Though her voice was stern, many of the Elite hid smiles behind their hands. She heard a couple murmurs of "yes, mother". Making a face, she rattled off the sentry duties, stifling a yawn. Once again, she placed herself on the last watch.
'Even if I have to be a sentry, at least I can get the best time,' she thought, smiling wryly.
She headed back towards the four men she had left, only to find them bidding each other goodnight. She waved politely to them and watched them walk away, each heading to their beds.
Sakura bent down and began to unroll her cushion, fighting the urge to sink into its comfortable layers. She had to wait for Yue to return.
She stepped forward and stroked Adara, watching the sky and letting her thoughts roam free. They soon found their way back to the occurrence that had been plaguing her mind since it had happened: the dream.
'I know I should tell Yue, but I can't. He's straining himself by protecting me so much. I don't want him to waste more magic on protecting my dreams.'
Though the thought sounded perfectly reasonable, she had spent most of the past nights in fear. She had used much of her own magic as an attempt to shield herself from him, but she wasn't entirely sure she was doing it correctly. Though he hadn't reappeared in her dreams, she knew she couldn't afford a mistake. The next time, he would surely find a place far from a cliff.
A flurry of wings broke her from her thoughts. Guilt caused a silly smile to appear on her lips. Wiping it clean with a scowl, she turned to face Yue. His expression was masked, although she saw worry underneath.
"They're not far from the valley," he said, watching her reaction carefully. He knew the decision must come from her.
"Have they stopped for the night?" Her voice was sharp.
"Yes, but they're far closer to it than we are," he said, his eyes never leaving her face.
She cursed, turning from him.
'I wanted to make sure Master Panos got some rest before we had to do this. He's not used to the hard riding, and it must've taken a toll on his magic.'
She glanced over at his sleeping form. She sighed, already making up her mind.
****
Sakura watched as Keland, Lanus, Roan, Eneas, and a few of the other chosen Elite mounted their warhorses quietly. Master Panos was mounted beside her, his eyes intent upon her. She waited for Yue and Keroberos to join them. Once they did, Sakura gave the hand signal for them to leave.
Yue flew forward, leaving Keroberos to stride next to the horses. Talos didn't even cast a second glance his direction. He had long since conquered his fear of the lion guardian.
The darkness shrouded them like a warm blanket, reassuring in its own way. Sakura watched as the scenery passed beside her, eyes narrowed, trying to make out the landmarks they were working by. In a quiet flurry of wings, Yue joined her.
To any outside the mistress and her guardians it appeared that Yue was hovering next to Talos, staring at Sakura. Only the three could hear his words in her head.
"There is a small troop positioned on this side of the valley, undoubtedly to protect it from being closed up. Though they are a small number, they don't seem to expect a fight tonight. They are not very vigilant."
She had expected this. The army consisted of many supply wagons and could not move as fast as a small troop could. They had sent the troop as a protection not only of the valley, but of the army. Sakura made her mind up quickly, her face set. "We must get past them and seal up the valley."
When Yue nodded, she turned and spoke for the first time to her men. She didn't bother to count them, she knew there were fifteen with her, eighteen counting herself and the guardians. She knew the odds weren't in their favor, but perhaps surprise would help to even it out.
"There is a small troop of enemy soldiers about a mile ahead. We must get through them if we are to close the valley," she said shortly, hoping no one would ask the question she was expecting. Eneas did.
"How many, milady?" His voice was apologetic.
She breathed a sigh, noting the way her men leaned forward in their saddles. "Yue?"
Yue's face was carefully blank as he answered. "About twenty five."
A few of the men cursed; most grinned. Sakura's eyes narrowed. "This is not a simple battle, boys. We've got to beat them, and beat them fast. We can't have the rest of the army wake and attack us before we plug it up."
Immediately the grins fell from their faces and they nodded again, looking slightly bashful. She motioned forward and they set off again. Master Panos rode beside her, waiting for her to address him. She did so in a whisper.
"You must hang back. I won't have you hurt," she said simply, keeping her voice cold and commanding. When he opened his mouth to argue, she continued on, letting her voice take on a threatening air. "Do what you can from afar, but if I see you joining the fighting ranks, I will personally throw you into the dungeons upon our return."
He shut his mouth quickly and gave a weak smile. She fought to hide her wild grin as he fell back. She heard Kero's laughter in her head.
"Who knew sweet little Sakura could be so scary?"
She frowned at him. "Don't make me tell the cooks you're on a diet."
His eyes widened and he dropped the mind connection, muttering something about evil children.
****
Her eyes caught movement up ahead. She threw her hand up, motioning for her men to halt. She could only pray they would see it. She breathed out a sigh of relief when they did.
She motioned to Yue. He was beside her in a moment. "How many sentries, Yue?" she asked quietly.
"Three up ahead, two on the left and two on the right. No one guards the rear," he answered quickly.
'Of course they don't. They have a whole army at their backs,' she thought ruefully.
She nodded and motioned for her best archers. They stood next to Yue, eyes glinting in the darkness. Each held their bow and a full quiver of arrows in their hands. She nodded and repeated Yue's words. She watched as they disappeared from view. She heard the sound of the air as it was disturbed by the arrow's flight. The sound was accompanied by a heavy thud.
She motioned her hand again and the Elite rode forward. Their horses stepped over the fallen bodies carefully. Soon the camp came into view.
The archers mounted their horses again, waiting for her. She called for bows, keeping her voice soft. Each of the Elite responded in seconds, drawing the strings back.
Pulling her sword from her sheath, she took a deep breath before breaking the silence with a bellow. "NOW!"
****
It was like throwing a rock into a lake. Once the surface is disturbed, the ripples begin to get louder and louder. So the sound followed its course until Sakura thought the war sounds would be heard all the way to the Li's palace.
She spurred Talos forward, leading the charge. Many of the men were running from their tents, clearly surprised to find themselves attacked. Sakura dropped her sword down, neatly parting the first man's head from his body. She heard a scream as Talos trampled a man and winced.
She pulled her sword free from the first man and swung it into a second, leaving a large gash above his stomach. She hit him a second time, slitting his throat. He collapsed in a pile and she turned for her third victim.
She gasped as pain erupted in her leg. She whirled her sword around, striking the man roughly on his shoulder before he could strike again. More hands fought to pull her from the saddle. She kicked her legs to force them back. She winced as her injured one reminded her it was injured.
Sakura grabbed on just in time as Talos reared up, crushing two more under his mighty hooves. Sakura swung her sword at a man to her right. He pulled his axe up in time to block her sword. He pulled apart quickly, darting in to hit her ribs. She brought her sword down hastily, protecting herself at the last moment. This time she freed her weapon first, swinging it in a downward arc. He rolled to the side just in time and Sakura cursed as he backed away, waiting for her to attack him.
She didn't want to turn Talos toward him; the man might attack her horse. She threw herself angrily from the saddle before remembering her injured leg. It gave out beneath her and she collapsed weakly. Pushing herself up quickly, she rolled to avoid the man's heavy blow. She watched as it hit the ground instead and broke through the dirt. It was mere inches from when she had been a moment before. She threw herself to her feet, ignoring the pain from the injured on. As long as it held her up, it could hurt all it wanted.
Her eyes took in the man's shirt and she recognized the badge announcing him to be the commander.
'At least he's a worth opponent,' she thought wryly. 'Not that that makes me feel any less stupid.'
'You should've beaten him already,' quipped a voice. She shrugged it off, knowing it to be Yue's. If he was there, why didn't he help her?
'Because you would kill him if he did,' she answered herself.
The man threw himself forward, swinging his axe down. Sakura raised her sword quickly. The force of the blow jolted her senses and her ears rang. She scowled and disentangled her sword from the man's axe. She stepped forward, feinting left before hitting his right side. She pulled her sword out and swung it once more, cutting his stomach. The man crumpled in a heap.
She turned quickly, sword drawn, to greet the next opponent. To her relief, there was no one there. She caught Yue watching from nearby and ignored the disapproval written in his features.
She watched as the Elite finished their own smaller battles. She saw three bodies of men she recognized, but it was a small number for such great odds. To her left, there was a raised section of earth, shaped much like a wall. She smiled, recognizing Master Panos's work. She assumed he had shielded an Elite, giving them enough time to recover. Reminding herself to thank him later, she mounted Talos quickly, riding to the other men. By the time she got there, the rest of the enemy had surrendered.
The enemy were roughly tied and gagged to trees, to await their return. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she waved them towards their horses. The Elite threw themselves onto their mounts, some more gracefully than others. They set off at a trot to the top of the valley.
Master Panos was now beside her. She felt his eyes on her leg and hurried to shift his attention elsewhere. She didn't want him to worry about her.
"Will those rocks up there be enough?"
He frowned, looking to see the pile she was talking about. He nodded. "Yes, those will be fine," he said. He turned to her, his frown deepening with worry. "Are you sure you don't need to--"
She opened her mouth to cut him off, but Yue was already speaking. "The army is approaching, Sakura," he said in a monotone. His gaze flickered to her wound. Master Panos's eyes widened as he saw the wound close up.
Without another word, Yue flew off again, presumably checking for the army's position.
Once they were close enough, Sakura dropped from the saddle, throwing her reins toward Roan. He caught them and grabbed Master Panos's reins as well. The two mages raced forward, each calling upon their magic and summoning the rocks.
Many of the Elite hung back, watching the two in wonder as the rocks pulled themselves from their piles and began moving in an orderly line towards the top of the valley.
Sakura settled her rocks down neatly, laying the foundation. Master Panos dropped his load atop hers and called for the ground to hold them in place. The two were working so hard it took Yue three tries to get his mistress's attention.
"Sakura," he said, bellowing in her thoughts. She yelped and dropped the rocks before she could position them. Motioning for Panos to continue, she listened to her guardian.
"They are less than a mile away, Sakura," he said simply. He didn't apologize for scaring her.
She cursed. It would be hard to finish that quickly. They needed a distraction.
"Yue, please bring me my saddlebag," she said simply. He returned within minutes.
She grabbed it from his hand and fumbled inside it for a few moments before finally grasping them. She rustled through them, finally grasping the Card she wanted. She grabbed the pendant from her neck and wrenched it off, speaking the incantation hurriedly.
[Pardon me, I hate to use anything from the American version, but as I speak no other language, pero espanol, I'll have to ^-^;]
'Key of Clow
Power of Magic
Power of Light
Surrender the Wand
The Force Ignite
Release!'
As everyone watched, the pendant grew into a rod. Wasting no time, Sakura grabbed the card and flung it forward, striking it with the tip of her staff.
"Mist! Spread yourself on the other side of the boulders. Corrode their armor!" She grabbed another one quickly and threw it up. "Illusion! Block the enemy from seeing us!"
The cards both smiled and nodded before leaving. Sakura watched as they disappeared over the horizon before finally reaching for her third card. She fumbles through the stack, searching for Earthy, the card she had avoided using.
'I just wanted to prove I could handle something without the Cards for once,' she thought sadly. She had mastered her magic so she could use it without being so dependent on the cards. Though many of the people acknowledged her as the Champion, many of the conservatives liked to point out that, should her cards be stolen, she would be no good. She had spent a long time trying to distance herself from them.
'And yet I still have to use them to get anything done,' she thought angrily.
Pushing her self-pitying thoughts away, she put her full attention on the Cards in her hand.
'The Shield,' she read absently. Then she frowned. She'd already been past that one. Hurrying now, she went through all of the Cards before she went numb. She grabbed for her saddlebag, wrenching it open and dumping out all the contents. She felt her blood drain.
'I left the Earthy behind.'
****
Author's Note2: Okay, re-did the last scene. If you read it before, yes, I meant to put mist in. I wanted her to corrode stuff. The mistake was that I forgot to put Illusion in.
Author's Note(s): Well. I'm updating this quickly, aren't I? I'm behaving like a good little author, aren't I? ^-~
Has anyone played Kingdom Hearts? I just beat the game and I'm positively beaming I'm so proud. I've never beaten a video game before. I normally suck at them. Walkthroughs are a girl's best friend.
Meinien: -wrathful glare- TYPOS?! LIAR! I checked. None. I was kinda surprised, actually, but yeah. NONE! -nice smile- Haha, JK!Sorry about the confusing-ness. If you need it, I reposted the last chapter along with an explanation at the end of it. Heh, I was going for kinda confusing. Lots of foreshadowing. Mmm, as for the kiss, it's not important. A village boy I'd suppose. I just wanted to give the impression of a sweet memory.
Oh, and BTW, I started reading your story. I got halfway through before my mom kicked me off the computer. I love it so far! I have to finish it and leave a very nice review soon. ^-~
****
As they traveled, Sakura noticed the subtle change in the terrain. They had left the forest behind for rolling hills. By the third day, they could spot the distant mountains that served as a boundary between the Li Kingdom and Alexandria, Sakura's own. Though many of the men rejoiced at the sight, Sakura's face bore nothing but a frown. Despite the apparent closeness, she was all too aware the flat land made it nothing more than an illusion.
By the fifth day, the men's hearts were drooping. The mountains were slowly growing closer, but at a rate that would sprout frustration in even the most patient of hearts. Sakura, who was not known for her patience, was seen frowning more often than not.
Slowly the days passed. The fifth turned into the sixth and the sixth into the seventh. By the tenth day, Sakura could spot the valley. Night was falling rapidly when she called for the halt. The men made camp grimly; all were aware of the importance the next day would hold.
As she was unsaddling her horse, Lanus, Keland, and Eneas approached her. Lanus reached forward and grabbed the saddle, dropping it neatly beside her as-yet-unrolled bedroll. Eneas's eyes were pinned nervously on Adara, watching the horse anxiously. Keland opened his mouth to speak.
"So, milady Champion, did we make good time?"
She smiled, nodding towards Eneas. "Well, being that our friend here only fell off three times, I'd say we did pretty well."
Eneas's face was stained with a dark crimson as he fought to avoid her teasing eyes. Keland and Lanus snorted with laughter.
A voice caught her from behind. "Not to mention milady only yelled at you nine times, Keland. A rarity indeed."
Sakura turned, a smile on her lips, to face Roan, a member of the Elite who was most often to be found with the horses. His light touch made him the first candidate for soothing the audacious warhorses.
He bowed to her and reached for Adara's reins, clucking lightly. Sakura let Roan pat her, jealousy biting her just a little at the fondness the mare displayed. She shoved it away quickly, in time to see Roan holding out his hand for the brush. She dropped it into his outstretched hand and watched as the man groomed her horse.
"You know, we're lucky you're as good with a sword as you are with a horse otherwise you might've chosen to be a handler instead," she said thoughtfully.
He smiled up at her, a teasing smile tainting his lips. "Sometimes I wonder which choice would've supplied me with better company."
Keland punched him lightly on the arm, a grin surfacing.
The five shared a friendly conversation before she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned, already knowing whom it was. She excused herself politely and left with Yue.
"The valley isn't far from here, Sakura," he said simply once they were out of earshot of the others.
"We need to know where the enemy is," she said slowly. She watched Yue carefully before putting forward her request. "Will you fly forward and report their location?"
He nodded slightly and threw himself into the air, leaving Sakura alone. She noticed soon the many pairs of eyes on her. She raised a hand, calling attention to her.
"Tonight the sentry duty will be more important than ever. While I might've forgiven the sleeping forms I've seen in the past, I won't forgive tonight. Neither will the enemy. I suggest, if you do not wish to wake with an arrow in your gut, you keep your eyes open on duty."
Though her voice was stern, many of the Elite hid smiles behind their hands. She heard a couple murmurs of "yes, mother". Making a face, she rattled off the sentry duties, stifling a yawn. Once again, she placed herself on the last watch.
'Even if I have to be a sentry, at least I can get the best time,' she thought, smiling wryly.
She headed back towards the four men she had left, only to find them bidding each other goodnight. She waved politely to them and watched them walk away, each heading to their beds.
Sakura bent down and began to unroll her cushion, fighting the urge to sink into its comfortable layers. She had to wait for Yue to return.
She stepped forward and stroked Adara, watching the sky and letting her thoughts roam free. They soon found their way back to the occurrence that had been plaguing her mind since it had happened: the dream.
'I know I should tell Yue, but I can't. He's straining himself by protecting me so much. I don't want him to waste more magic on protecting my dreams.'
Though the thought sounded perfectly reasonable, she had spent most of the past nights in fear. She had used much of her own magic as an attempt to shield herself from him, but she wasn't entirely sure she was doing it correctly. Though he hadn't reappeared in her dreams, she knew she couldn't afford a mistake. The next time, he would surely find a place far from a cliff.
A flurry of wings broke her from her thoughts. Guilt caused a silly smile to appear on her lips. Wiping it clean with a scowl, she turned to face Yue. His expression was masked, although she saw worry underneath.
"They're not far from the valley," he said, watching her reaction carefully. He knew the decision must come from her.
"Have they stopped for the night?" Her voice was sharp.
"Yes, but they're far closer to it than we are," he said, his eyes never leaving her face.
She cursed, turning from him.
'I wanted to make sure Master Panos got some rest before we had to do this. He's not used to the hard riding, and it must've taken a toll on his magic.'
She glanced over at his sleeping form. She sighed, already making up her mind.
****
Sakura watched as Keland, Lanus, Roan, Eneas, and a few of the other chosen Elite mounted their warhorses quietly. Master Panos was mounted beside her, his eyes intent upon her. She waited for Yue and Keroberos to join them. Once they did, Sakura gave the hand signal for them to leave.
Yue flew forward, leaving Keroberos to stride next to the horses. Talos didn't even cast a second glance his direction. He had long since conquered his fear of the lion guardian.
The darkness shrouded them like a warm blanket, reassuring in its own way. Sakura watched as the scenery passed beside her, eyes narrowed, trying to make out the landmarks they were working by. In a quiet flurry of wings, Yue joined her.
To any outside the mistress and her guardians it appeared that Yue was hovering next to Talos, staring at Sakura. Only the three could hear his words in her head.
"There is a small troop positioned on this side of the valley, undoubtedly to protect it from being closed up. Though they are a small number, they don't seem to expect a fight tonight. They are not very vigilant."
She had expected this. The army consisted of many supply wagons and could not move as fast as a small troop could. They had sent the troop as a protection not only of the valley, but of the army. Sakura made her mind up quickly, her face set. "We must get past them and seal up the valley."
When Yue nodded, she turned and spoke for the first time to her men. She didn't bother to count them, she knew there were fifteen with her, eighteen counting herself and the guardians. She knew the odds weren't in their favor, but perhaps surprise would help to even it out.
"There is a small troop of enemy soldiers about a mile ahead. We must get through them if we are to close the valley," she said shortly, hoping no one would ask the question she was expecting. Eneas did.
"How many, milady?" His voice was apologetic.
She breathed a sigh, noting the way her men leaned forward in their saddles. "Yue?"
Yue's face was carefully blank as he answered. "About twenty five."
A few of the men cursed; most grinned. Sakura's eyes narrowed. "This is not a simple battle, boys. We've got to beat them, and beat them fast. We can't have the rest of the army wake and attack us before we plug it up."
Immediately the grins fell from their faces and they nodded again, looking slightly bashful. She motioned forward and they set off again. Master Panos rode beside her, waiting for her to address him. She did so in a whisper.
"You must hang back. I won't have you hurt," she said simply, keeping her voice cold and commanding. When he opened his mouth to argue, she continued on, letting her voice take on a threatening air. "Do what you can from afar, but if I see you joining the fighting ranks, I will personally throw you into the dungeons upon our return."
He shut his mouth quickly and gave a weak smile. She fought to hide her wild grin as he fell back. She heard Kero's laughter in her head.
"Who knew sweet little Sakura could be so scary?"
She frowned at him. "Don't make me tell the cooks you're on a diet."
His eyes widened and he dropped the mind connection, muttering something about evil children.
****
Her eyes caught movement up ahead. She threw her hand up, motioning for her men to halt. She could only pray they would see it. She breathed out a sigh of relief when they did.
She motioned to Yue. He was beside her in a moment. "How many sentries, Yue?" she asked quietly.
"Three up ahead, two on the left and two on the right. No one guards the rear," he answered quickly.
'Of course they don't. They have a whole army at their backs,' she thought ruefully.
She nodded and motioned for her best archers. They stood next to Yue, eyes glinting in the darkness. Each held their bow and a full quiver of arrows in their hands. She nodded and repeated Yue's words. She watched as they disappeared from view. She heard the sound of the air as it was disturbed by the arrow's flight. The sound was accompanied by a heavy thud.
She motioned her hand again and the Elite rode forward. Their horses stepped over the fallen bodies carefully. Soon the camp came into view.
The archers mounted their horses again, waiting for her. She called for bows, keeping her voice soft. Each of the Elite responded in seconds, drawing the strings back.
Pulling her sword from her sheath, she took a deep breath before breaking the silence with a bellow. "NOW!"
****
It was like throwing a rock into a lake. Once the surface is disturbed, the ripples begin to get louder and louder. So the sound followed its course until Sakura thought the war sounds would be heard all the way to the Li's palace.
She spurred Talos forward, leading the charge. Many of the men were running from their tents, clearly surprised to find themselves attacked. Sakura dropped her sword down, neatly parting the first man's head from his body. She heard a scream as Talos trampled a man and winced.
She pulled her sword free from the first man and swung it into a second, leaving a large gash above his stomach. She hit him a second time, slitting his throat. He collapsed in a pile and she turned for her third victim.
She gasped as pain erupted in her leg. She whirled her sword around, striking the man roughly on his shoulder before he could strike again. More hands fought to pull her from the saddle. She kicked her legs to force them back. She winced as her injured one reminded her it was injured.
Sakura grabbed on just in time as Talos reared up, crushing two more under his mighty hooves. Sakura swung her sword at a man to her right. He pulled his axe up in time to block her sword. He pulled apart quickly, darting in to hit her ribs. She brought her sword down hastily, protecting herself at the last moment. This time she freed her weapon first, swinging it in a downward arc. He rolled to the side just in time and Sakura cursed as he backed away, waiting for her to attack him.
She didn't want to turn Talos toward him; the man might attack her horse. She threw herself angrily from the saddle before remembering her injured leg. It gave out beneath her and she collapsed weakly. Pushing herself up quickly, she rolled to avoid the man's heavy blow. She watched as it hit the ground instead and broke through the dirt. It was mere inches from when she had been a moment before. She threw herself to her feet, ignoring the pain from the injured on. As long as it held her up, it could hurt all it wanted.
Her eyes took in the man's shirt and she recognized the badge announcing him to be the commander.
'At least he's a worth opponent,' she thought wryly. 'Not that that makes me feel any less stupid.'
'You should've beaten him already,' quipped a voice. She shrugged it off, knowing it to be Yue's. If he was there, why didn't he help her?
'Because you would kill him if he did,' she answered herself.
The man threw himself forward, swinging his axe down. Sakura raised her sword quickly. The force of the blow jolted her senses and her ears rang. She scowled and disentangled her sword from the man's axe. She stepped forward, feinting left before hitting his right side. She pulled her sword out and swung it once more, cutting his stomach. The man crumpled in a heap.
She turned quickly, sword drawn, to greet the next opponent. To her relief, there was no one there. She caught Yue watching from nearby and ignored the disapproval written in his features.
She watched as the Elite finished their own smaller battles. She saw three bodies of men she recognized, but it was a small number for such great odds. To her left, there was a raised section of earth, shaped much like a wall. She smiled, recognizing Master Panos's work. She assumed he had shielded an Elite, giving them enough time to recover. Reminding herself to thank him later, she mounted Talos quickly, riding to the other men. By the time she got there, the rest of the enemy had surrendered.
The enemy were roughly tied and gagged to trees, to await their return. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she waved them towards their horses. The Elite threw themselves onto their mounts, some more gracefully than others. They set off at a trot to the top of the valley.
Master Panos was now beside her. She felt his eyes on her leg and hurried to shift his attention elsewhere. She didn't want him to worry about her.
"Will those rocks up there be enough?"
He frowned, looking to see the pile she was talking about. He nodded. "Yes, those will be fine," he said. He turned to her, his frown deepening with worry. "Are you sure you don't need to--"
She opened her mouth to cut him off, but Yue was already speaking. "The army is approaching, Sakura," he said in a monotone. His gaze flickered to her wound. Master Panos's eyes widened as he saw the wound close up.
Without another word, Yue flew off again, presumably checking for the army's position.
Once they were close enough, Sakura dropped from the saddle, throwing her reins toward Roan. He caught them and grabbed Master Panos's reins as well. The two mages raced forward, each calling upon their magic and summoning the rocks.
Many of the Elite hung back, watching the two in wonder as the rocks pulled themselves from their piles and began moving in an orderly line towards the top of the valley.
Sakura settled her rocks down neatly, laying the foundation. Master Panos dropped his load atop hers and called for the ground to hold them in place. The two were working so hard it took Yue three tries to get his mistress's attention.
"Sakura," he said, bellowing in her thoughts. She yelped and dropped the rocks before she could position them. Motioning for Panos to continue, she listened to her guardian.
"They are less than a mile away, Sakura," he said simply. He didn't apologize for scaring her.
She cursed. It would be hard to finish that quickly. They needed a distraction.
"Yue, please bring me my saddlebag," she said simply. He returned within minutes.
She grabbed it from his hand and fumbled inside it for a few moments before finally grasping them. She rustled through them, finally grasping the Card she wanted. She grabbed the pendant from her neck and wrenched it off, speaking the incantation hurriedly.
[Pardon me, I hate to use anything from the American version, but as I speak no other language, pero espanol, I'll have to ^-^;]
'Key of Clow
Power of Magic
Power of Light
Surrender the Wand
The Force Ignite
Release!'
As everyone watched, the pendant grew into a rod. Wasting no time, Sakura grabbed the card and flung it forward, striking it with the tip of her staff.
"Mist! Spread yourself on the other side of the boulders. Corrode their armor!" She grabbed another one quickly and threw it up. "Illusion! Block the enemy from seeing us!"
The cards both smiled and nodded before leaving. Sakura watched as they disappeared over the horizon before finally reaching for her third card. She fumbles through the stack, searching for Earthy, the card she had avoided using.
'I just wanted to prove I could handle something without the Cards for once,' she thought sadly. She had mastered her magic so she could use it without being so dependent on the cards. Though many of the people acknowledged her as the Champion, many of the conservatives liked to point out that, should her cards be stolen, she would be no good. She had spent a long time trying to distance herself from them.
'And yet I still have to use them to get anything done,' she thought angrily.
Pushing her self-pitying thoughts away, she put her full attention on the Cards in her hand.
'The Shield,' she read absently. Then she frowned. She'd already been past that one. Hurrying now, she went through all of the Cards before she went numb. She grabbed for her saddlebag, wrenching it open and dumping out all the contents. She felt her blood drain.
'I left the Earthy behind.'
****
Author's Note2: Okay, re-did the last scene. If you read it before, yes, I meant to put mist in. I wanted her to corrode stuff. The mistake was that I forgot to put Illusion in.