Yer! Yer! I've hit the ten review mark! I finally have my 2 digits (90 more to go for the 3 digits!!!). Well…I kinda figured out why peeps don't reed this fic. It's because there isn't any romance yet (Yeah I figured it out alone. I should've started with a romance story to build my reputation…). Well neways lil-asian-cherry since I got my tenth review and I'm happy; I decided to introduce Sakura in this chapter. There won't be any fluff until a while though...But I'm planning to make to get it going sometime soon. I just don't like the idea of fluff without a plot. And thanks to all of the others who've reviewed so far especially, even if I'm repeating myself, Wolf-Jade (And thx!!! The funny thing is that on my b-day they started 16th season of the Simpsons and they were airing this new show called 6teen.I was like woaaa I'm special!)And to the people who read this story but don't review… (I know who you are so you better watch your backs. Just kidding lol! Ya thx for taking time to read my story at least.).For those who are wondering why I'm updating today, it's 'cause my teachers are on a strike this morning so…I have no school (Tche! they made me miss gym). Well…Ummm this is it R&R.

Disclaimer: I won't write any of these from now on…I already told you I don't own the thing.

Killing is Necessary

Li's P.O.V

"Greetings Li-sama, my name is Silver Fang." The voice still rang into my ears. Where in the world could it be coming from? Had I lost my mind?!

"Looks like you won this time Li-kun." I looked down to find Clow collapsed on the ground. He looked exhausted, His robes were torn and he was covered with dirt.

"You weren't kidding when you said you'd get revenge for the training! I barely managed to block this blast." He sat up and grinned cheekily.

"The bond between the sword and you is already that strong. You really surpassed me Li-kun. I have nothing left to teach you…" Clow nodded approvingly and looked back at our encampment.

So this was it…I still couldn't believe what was happening to me. This sword had talked to me… I looked at it. It gleamed in the sunlight.

"I am the spirit of the sword Silver Fang and this is the howling blade. Your wish is our command Li-sama."

"What are you exactly?!" It really could talk after all. At least I could still hear its voice ringing into my head.

"Ahem Sorry to interrupt you conversation but I'd like to show Li-kun one last thing." He was up now but still looked somewhat scruffy.

"Reed-sensei…"

"Don't worry it's nothing dangerous." He said catching the suspicious glint in my eyes.

I sighted dejected, he always had something unexpected up his sleeves. I wondered what it was this time. He wouldn't try something dirty would he…

"Are you coming or not?" He was already at the edge of the forest and he kept walking and soon disappeared between two bushes.

After deliberating for a couple of seconds I decided to run after him. Nothing bad could happen now, now could it? He wasn't too far ahead and I caught up to him easily. He seemed to be sulking for some reason and didn't even notice me coming next to him. We walked for what seemed to me like hours. The silence was unbearable. Why was he so silent all of a sudden? He said he'd be able to rest when he was done with us no? Why wasn't he at least a little happy? This man sure loved to take people on long walks. In a way, I knew that I'd miss this man. I had grown fond of him over the years. He was like my mentor and my guide throughout adversity. I hoped he'd be able to rest in peace.

"Here we are Li-kun…" I looked around me and gasped. The scenery was truly dazzling; flowers covered completely the fields before us. Butterflies roamed going from one flower to another. The view was almost heavenly; I had the impression of being in the garden of Eden. Yet, these fields seemed oddly familiar to me. It wasn't possible though for I was sure I would've remembered seeing such scenery. Yes, I had seen these hills and trees somewhere before…

"Don't you recognize it Li-kun? This was your training ground not too long ago. You laboured these fields for your physical training. This was an arid region before you worked here. Nothing could've possibly grown out of this soil without your hard work…"

"How…"

"Maybe it was thanks to your magic, maybe it wasn't. All I wanted to show is that in the end if you work hard enough, anything is possible. But watch out and expect the unexpected."

"Reed-sensei you're vanishing!" I screamed noticing that he was missing his feet.

"Ah…It's already happening…"

"How…"

"Listen to me Li-kun, I've already informed the others of your victory. They should be ready to go by now. You should be able to leave right away." He was almost gone now and only his face was visible.

"What about you Sensei?!" I hadn't expected him to leave so suddenly. Heck! I had even expected him to follow them to some extent.

"Don't worry, I'll be there if you need me. And don't forget expect the unexpected." With those last words he completely vanished. He was really gone now…I felt sad for some reason.

"Li-sama!!!"

I turned around to see my companions running my way. I noticed that they had bags slung over their shoulders. He was prepared everything even his departure… I sighed and made my way towards my travelling companions. There was nothing left here for us. We had to hurry back to the capital.

"Kensuke we'll be departing immediately. We'll cross the river bank and travel along the eastern frontier. We should save a week or so by doing so… Where are Yue and the pip-squeak?" They weren't with him and I wondered where they had gone off to.

"They said something about paying their respects to Reed-sensei. Where is he by the way? I didn't get a chance to thank him for his training,"

"He's gone. You won't be able to find him…" I said heading back to the first place that came to my mind, the shack.

"Unh? Wait up Li-sama!!" He shouted running after me.

Somewhere…Far Away…

"So they are on the move again…" The dark figure asked from its throne.

"Yes my lord! They're heading for the north. My sources say that they plan on following the northern frontier to the capital." Seki answered quickly.

"Is that so…" Seki looked up at his master. He watched puzzled as an evil smirk made its way on his dark features.

"I want you to take your troops in Ratae…You will take the main road and stop when you reach the Huan river. Tell them to wait there for a royal carriage. I want you to capture the occupants of that carriage and exterminate their escort. Watch out, the soldiers of the Kinomoto kingdom are fierce warriors. I want you to act quickly and efficiently, do not let any them escape! The death of the Cherry Blossom at the hand the Li's will surely fuel this war." He muttered grimly.

"What exactly are you trying to do my lord…"

"Why are you standing here like that, move it you idiot!" The dark figure hissed dangerously.

"Of course my lord, I will take flight if his Excellency allows it." Seki answered scrambling out of the room.

"Excellent! Every piece of the game is in place, Xiao-Lang, may the best win!"

Kingdom Of Ratae

Sakura looked outside the carriage at the scenery along the road. She had never gone out of the Kinomoto Kingdom before and she was excited to see all these new things. Still, she wondered why she was here in the first place. His father had said something about a diplomatic mission but she knew that the Kings were usually the ones taking care of such things. Something was fishy here…She had a feeling it had something to do with her marrying a certain Rataen prince. Her father had tried by all means to get her to marry that idiotic and arrogant man. She was really getting tired of it. Couldn't he understand that she wanted to marry her beloved? The mysterious amber-eyed man that haunted her dreams lately. Her brother made fun of her when she talked to him about the dreams. He said that maybe his father was right to marry her off after all; that she was desperate for love. They didn't understand her… It sounded serious this time though. Even Touya had decided to leave for Ratae. Speaking of him she wondered where he was at the moment, probably already in the capital waiting for her. He had left one week before her after all, to warn the Rataens of the arrival of the kaiiju he said.

"I just hope Father isn't trying to force me into marriage." She though gloomily.

FLASHBACK

Sakura walked in the halls of the Kinomoto Castle. She was looking for her father. She hadn't seen him or her brother that day and found it curious that no one wanted to tell her where they where and what they where up to. She had her little idea of what they where doing though. There was only one place left where she hadn't looked for them. She was heading on the way to her father's library now.

"This is the only place where they can be…I've looked everywhere else. I'll catch them scheming this time." Sakura carefully made her way in front of the library. She turned the doorknob slowly trying to be as silent as possible and tip toed in the room. She heard two familiar voices behind the bookshelves, she couldn't quite understand what they where saying but she nearly jumped when she heard her name. They were talking of her after all! Dread overtook her when she heard the name of the Rataen prince. She stumbled back and rammed into a nearby chair. The voices raised and she heard them making their way towards her.

"They will find me before I have the opportunity to spy on them…"

"Ah Sakura it's only you. You scared us Kaiiju we almost thought you where an assassin." Her brother said relieved.

"Mou! Touya stop calling me that! I'm not a child anymore" She said pouting.

"It's funny we where just talking about you Sakura-chan. I have something very important to tell you." Fujitaka, king of the Kinomotos stepped from behind his son to look at his daughter.

"Tou-san…?"

"I want you to leave for Taeguki.next week. Your brother will arrange that everything is ready for you there. He'll leave tonight." Sakura looked at her brother shocked. He was okay with this! She thought desperately, was there any hope for her? Her brother was her only ally when it came to the arrange marriage. She was sure she'd be forced into this now.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan it's only a diplomatic mission. I won't force you to marry the prince. You know that I only want what's best for you."

"I know Otou-san…" She said feeling miserable all of a sudden.

END FLASHBACK

Sakura woke up from her dream when she felt the carriage shake. She looked outside to find the source of the commotion. The sight that greeted her terrified her. She screamed when she saw her escorts pierced with arrows and swords. They hanged lifeless from their saddle blood gushing out of their wounds. She felt dizzy and darkness slowly took her over. The world around her slowly disappeared until all was left where those intense amber eyes. She fell asleep lured in these ochre pools.

North of the Huan river…

"Whoa what is it Ping…?" Li exclaimed feeling his horse's edginess.

"It can't be…." He turned to see Kero as blank as a sheet. He had never seen him so terrified something was really wrong…

"What's wrong with you two? You really are scaring me." I patted Ping's flank trying to calm him down. Seeing that he was starting to relax I looked up at the guardian beast to find out what was wrong. To my surprise, he had already flown off and was a couple of metres away from us.

"Hey! Wait up what about the others! We need to warn them before leaving like this!" Riding after him, I noticed that he was headed for Ratae. This was bad news, the Rataens had always wanted the Li Kingdom, and these barbaric folks could very well use their intrusion as an excuse to attack them. He knew that they would be the first to attack them if he ever declared war against the Kinomotos.

"Watch it baka! You're headed into unknown territory this isn't safe! The Rataens will skin us if they find us on their land!" I shouted trying to get the attention of the sun guardian but, to no avail. Either he was too preoccupied to hear me or he was just ignoring me. What was it that made him react this way?

"My mistress is in danger!" He exclaimed as if coming out of a trance.

"What…Your mistress is a Rataen!! Those apes barely know any magic!"

"No she's no Rataen…Still I wonder what she could be doing there. Kami-sama please protect Sakura!" He picked up the pace. He went at such speed that I was barely to keep up with him. I sighted and whistled Ping. He came up to my level almost instantly. I quickly jumped on the saddle and pried him to pick up the pace. Keroberos flew swiftly before us wheezing past the trees and bushes. We had already crossed the river separating the two kingdoms and luckily we hadn't run into any guards or patrol. I knew this region fairly well for my father always used to take me to Ratae when we where still friendly countries.

"Before the retreat of the barbarians and the dominion of the Kinomotos" I thought bitterly.

Why was he going straight for the main road of all places! He really wanted to get us killed! We where almost out of the forest.

"Wait!" he had stopped flying and he signalled me to stay low. I crawled up next to him to look at whatever he had seen. I felt my stomach churn when I saw the butchered bodies of soldiers dispersed on the road in the middle of the road. Who could've done such a thing!? The cadavers had been torn to shreds, arms and legs laid a little everywhere on the trail. I also noticed a wrecked carriage not too far from the bodies and from the looks of it; I could tell that it had carried someone really wealthy.

"Thiscould be the work of bandits…I heard the Rataen crooks were pretty ruthless"

"This carriage…She was here after all…Where is she!" He howled desperately.

"Don't worry they just left and since you didn't find your mistresses body around here, they must've taken her with them to have fun tonight…" The very taught frightened me…Who knows how traumatizing it would be for this girl…I suddenly felt concerned for her safety.

"H..how do you know they left not too long ago?!" He stuttered trying to regain his composure.

"The bodies of the soldiers are still warm and the tracks leaving this road are still fresh…"

"YOU TOUCHED THE BODIES…!!!"

"How else could if find out about this!?" I snapped back at him. It was also hard on me, I was sure now that I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight…Poor souls, maybe we should bury them…The very taught of retrieving their missing appendices dissuaded me from doing so. I wasn't familiar enough with death yet to touch these cadavers like that.

"We should run after them they shouldn't be too far ahead. Let me send a messaged to Kensuke first. Ping should be able to lead them to us…Who knows how many bandits there really are." I called Ping and quickly took out a feather and ink. I looked from the corner of my eye to see Keroberos sweatdropping.

"Well…I'm prepared for any eventuality…"

I wrote the note and sent Ping off. I watched him disappear in the woods and turned back to take a better look at the tracks.

"Hmmm…I was right, we probably arrived moments after their departure. They left for the woods but, they're not headed inland, they are travelling along the border and…This direction…It will lead them out of Ratae and in Asturia, the blue mage's Kingdom. Why would bandits come all the way here just to attack a noble…?"

"Unless they're not bandits…"

"Why wouldn't they be baka? Are you sure you mistress doesn't have any enemies?"

"Well except you I can't find anyone else" He snickered at the thought. Boy he'd be surprised if he where to find out who they where looking for…

"I'm serious! Why are you snickering like an idiot."

"We should go after them or we might lose them." Kero exclaimed remembering that his mistress was still missing

"I guess you're right but we'll need to stay low. Got it?"

"Let's go already"

"sigh there he goes again." I ran after him. We entered the forest. I hadn't been in these parts before and I wasn't familiar with my surroundings. I carefully examined our surroundings and mentally drew a map of the forest for later use. We followed the tracks up to a river. They hadn't walked too far away from the road before settling down to rest. Smoke rose in the sky a little further ahead. They where just metres away from us, I gestured the zealous bear to keep quiet, someone was coming our way.

"Why won't the general let us have some fun with the girl?" The two man where soldiers or at least dressed as soldiers. To his surprise, the prince noticed that they were wearing Kinomoto uniforms. Angered now coursed through his veins, he had only one idea in mind and that was to jump on these murderers and tear them apart. He forced himself to calm down and tried to focus on their conversation.

"Kinomoto soldiers! What in the world is happening here. Are they really Kinomotos? I knew something was fishy with this attack…" Keroberos peered at the prince, for some reason, he loathed the Kinomotos. He'd try to find out more about it later on. If there ever was a later on of course…

"You know him; he's so considerate that he'd prefer having her away from us. That sly dog just wants her for himself. Who wouldn't understand him; I've never seen such a beautiful girl before."

"Do you think he's going to kill her right away or after he's had his fun?"

"What kind of a man wouldn't want to deflower this beauty?" The two soldiers laugh noisily. That was enough for the young prince; they were just like in his nightmares. The Kinomotos were heartless beasts who took pleasure in seeing the others suffer. He drew Silver Fang out of its sheat. The blade shined dangerously as if trying to channel the raging emotions of its owner. Keroberos watched captivated as the boy leaped on the two surprised man, screaming like a barbarian.

"What the h…argh!" He barely had the time to realise what was happening to him that the sword was already deep in his throat. He fell with a thud on the ground choking in his own blood. His mate snarled and drew his blade. He charged the prince.

"Why you!" He swung his sword at the prince's head. Li used his blade to deflect the blow and he thrust himself right in front of the soldier.

"You will die bastard…" The soldier panicked, the prince's eyes were glowing harshly. That man is dangerous, he thought terrified! He turned his back on him and made a run for it.

"Face death like a man you coward!" Li dashed after him. He moved at an unreal speed and caught up to the soldier almost instantly. The man face scrunched up completely twisted by fear. He bent to his knees and begged for mercy. The prince stayed deaf to his pleas and slowly rose his weapon.

"No pity for the fiends." With those words he struck the man with his steel, stabbing him straight in the heart. He gave one last squeak and fell to the ground, dead.

"You didn't need to kill him ya know…" Keroberos whispered sadly.

"I didn't what! These men were monsters! Did they spare the women and children when they attacked the village! Did they listen to their pleas and screams? No! They only killed again, again and again! That's all they're able to do, wretched Kinomotos." Keroberos shrunked under the prince's icy glare, his eyes flashed; he radiated with magic.

"What did you want me to do?! If I'd let him go he would've warned his friends."

"That's not the poin..."

"Are you coming or not?" The prince asked already walking towards the camp.

"O well…There's no way through that boy sight" He quickly flew off after him. They moved silently between the trees, careful not to make any noise. The camp wasn't too far ahead so they managed to get there quickly enough. They circled the camp trying to find a good spying spot. They finally settled down on a hill not too far from the settlement. The watched silently trying to find out more about those soldiers.

In the Encampment

"Hmmm" Sakura woke up to find herself in a tent. She slowly got up trying to get a better view of her surroundings.

"You're finally awake I see." She turned around to see a red-eyed man standing in front of the tent's entrance. He held in his hand a bottle of water. He walked in the tent and headed for the table that was right next to her. The red-head poured some water in a glass and handed it to her.

"Aren't you thirsty?" She hesitated for moment and decided to take the water. She was parched, she gulped down the glass of water and muttered and "thank-you" to the man.

"Where am I? Who are you? Did you save me from the assassins? "

"Not quite Kinomoto-hime…My name is Seki, Garland." He fumbled with a couple of papers on the desk and turned his attention back to her.

"In fact I received the order to kill you."

Male Author

Born to be the champ, after the girls that is…

So how was it? Personally I really had fun writing this one. The battle scenes were a pain to write but I think I got it right. Sakura's in this now! And they'll meet in the next chappie! It completely changed the plot of that story but I guess it'll help me get new readers. I've been thinking of starting another story lately. A romance story to be exact but I'm scared to neglect this fic the other one works out better than this story. So maybe I won't start it yet…I don't have much to say except REVIEW NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!