Chapter Fourteen: Sousui
Sakura landed gently on the ground of the pixie city, letting go of Syaoran, her golden wings folding behind her. She felt sick, and her hands were shaking badly.
She didn't want to face Sousui. She would have much rather flown home and hidden in the safety of the city…
Though she knew, all too well, that if Sousui wasn't defeated, her city would never be safe again.
As quickly as they dared, Syaoran and Sakura darted across the pixie city, pressing up against buildings and the trunks of the huge trees to keep themselves hidden.
Until, they finally found him.
The large bat Sousui was standing in the center of the city, his nose high in the air, as if he were sniffing for something, his arm-like wings folded at his sides.
"We have to be insane to be doing this." Sakura breathed from beside Syaoran. "Bat's cant see, but they send out sound waves, so it's almost like it's better than seeing"
"Then let's not be seen." Syaoran smirked, grabbing her hand tightly in his, rushing forwards, careful to keep close to the buildings. They continued drifting close to him, careful to keep against the walls, until there were only a few feet away.
"Ugh, doesn't he know how to bathe?" Syaoran groaned, breathing in the bat's vial scent.
Sakura smirked. "Not really. Listen, you stay here and come up from behind, I'll come at him from the air"
"Is that a smart thing to do?" Syaoran asked.
Sakura smirked, her wings spreading, beating rapidly on her back. "In this case, nothing is a smart thing to do. Watch yourself Syaoran, and good luck"
Syaoran smiled and nodded, watching as Sakura shot into the air as quickly as she could, so as not to be seen by the bat leader.
Once out of sight, Syaoran unsheathed his sword, careful not to make any sudden movements and stepped forward, nearing the bat.
Just as Syaoran was about to leap out and attack, a voice, cold and deep, make him freeze in his tracks.
"So, you're here, Prince of Pixies"
Syaoran's heart began to beat rapidly in his chest as Sousui turned to face him, his dull eyes fixed on him. Though Syaoran knew that bats were pretty much blind, he knew that Sousui had caught and identified him.
"I am." Syaoran answered. Thankful that Sousui hadn't, so far, noticed Sakura, who was hidden in the emerald leaves high above them. "Sousui"
"Where is your mother?" Sousui asked.
"In the fairy city." Syaoran answered. "Waiting for me"
"So she was telling the truth then." Sousui smirked. "You have betrayed your people"
"I am trying to keep my people alive." Syaoran growled. "It is my mother who had betrayed us all"
Sousui laughed. "Not a very obedient son, are you?"
Syaoran glared at the bat, which seemed more like a demon to him, but said nothing.
"Tell me, prince," Sousui said, his dagger-like claws scratching loosely at the ground as he walked slowly towards Syaoran. "Where is the fairy?"
"What fairy? There are no fairies in this city." Syaoran said calmly.
"You're lying." Sousui growled, his voice booming around Syaoran like a drum. Already the leader of the bats was so close to the pixie prince that he was dizzy from the stench, his hand shaking slightly as he gripped his sword.
"Why would I lie to you?" Syaoran smirked, trying to gain defiance over the large creature, who was easily five times his size.
Sousui smirked, his sharp fangs glistening in the dim light of the forest. "Princes shouldn't lie"
Before Syaoran could even blink, Sousui lashed out with one of his wings and hit him, hard, sending him flying backwards into the trunk of a nearby tree.
"Tell me where the trapper is!" Sousui snarled, standing over Syaoran. "She was promised to me and I know it was you who freed her!"
"I don't know where she is." Syaoran said stubbornly, climbing to his feet, turning up his chin in defiance. "So I suggest you leave, Sousui."
Sousui smirked down at Syaoran, venom in his gaze. "I never knew a Prince could be so stupid. You'd best leave, before I feed you to my men"
"I dare you to try." Syaoran snapped. He knew he was pushing his luck, but he'd rather do that than keep the topic on Sakura.
With a short snarl, Sousui dove at Syaoran without warning, but Syaoran was faster than the bat had persisted, and dodged his attack, rolling along the ground, turning himself to he was standing upright again.
"You're going to have to be faster than that." Syaoran smirked, pulling a dagger from it's hiding place in his boot, holding it at ready.
"Will I?" Sousui smirked.
Syaoran gasped as the bat's large wing came shooting out of nowhere, sending him spiraling into a nearby tree, knocking him unconscious.
"Stupid Prince." Sousui growled, walking slowly towards the fallen pixie, his fangs gleaming in the dim light of the forest. "No one will care if you're dead"
"No!" a voice cried out suddenly, causing Sousui to turn and dive to the side to avoid being hit head on by a powerful blow of fire.
"Ah, so the witch has returned." Sousui smirked, turning to Sakura, who was hovering just in front of Syaoran, her hands glowing with hot flames, her gaze on the bat deadly. "Come to protect your Prince, I see"
"You leave him out of this." Sakura snarled, the ground beneath the bat suddenly beginning to shake violently. "This is between you and me"
Sousui growled. "Not smart, fairy. Facing me alone will surely mean your death"
"As long as he survives." Sakura snapped.
Sousui smirked and dove forward, his huge wings lifting him into the air, shooting towards the tiny fairy.
"Not this time." Sakura growled, feeling her power surging through her like the blood in her veins. Without warning, Sakura sent a wave of wind at the approaching bat, sending him flying backwards into a tree, thundering to the ground.
"You bitch!" Sousui screeched, flying again at her.
"Syaoran!" Sakura cried, lifting the unconscious pixie off the ground, her hands just under his arms, and darting off into the sky.
Sakura flew through the trees, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She could hear Sousui flying somewhere behind her, his great wings making the sound of pounding drums with each beat.
"Sa-Sakura…" Syaoran breathed. "Where are we?"
"Just hold on." Sakura ordered, her wings beating faster as she picked up speed. "Everything's going to be-"
"Gotcha!" Sousui snarled, appearing out of nowhere, his clawed feet lashing out and grabbing onto Sakura's arms, pulling her out of her flight with a violent jolt.
"No!" Sakura screamed as her grip on Syaoran loosened, and let go. "Syaoran!"
"Sakura!" Syaoran gasped as he plummeted from the air, down towards the ground.
"SYAORAN!" Sakura cried. "NO!"
"Oh, too bad, fairy." Sousui laughed. "There's no way he could have survived that fall. Don't worry though, once I'm finished with you, I'll take my men to scoop up his remains. Tasty, I bet"
"No…" Sakura whimpered, lowering her head, warm tears sliding down her cheeks. "Syaoran no"
She closed her eyes, her whole body shaking with locked up sobs. She barely noticed that Sousui was carrying her further and further away from both and fairy and pixie cities.
Where is he taking me? Sakura thought, lifting her head slightly. What will he do? He can't do anything more to me now…
They continued to fly through the darkening forest. Night was settling in, hardly a good thing.
"When dawn comes," Sousui smirked. "My armies will attack the fairy city. It'll be the end of your kind"
"And what of your pact with the pixies?"
"Stupid creatures. They will fall alongside you." Sousui said.
Sakura closed her eyes in anger. First Syaoran, and then her friends. She wouldn't let Sousui get away with this.
She felt her power surge through her yet again, so much that it engulfed her entire body, sending shocks through the bat that was holding her.
"Stop witch!" Sousui ordered. "Accept your fate with pride"
"Never!" Sakura shouted, unleashing a powerful blow on the bat leader, causing the creature to scream and writher in pain, dropping it's treasure…managing to scratch her wing in the process.
Unable to fly, Sakura plummeted towards the ground, a fairy unable to fly was as good as dead anyway.
Sakura without Syaoran was as good as dead anyway.
She closed her eyes, feeling the rush of the wind around her as she fell. She would gladly die to be with Syaoran again.
"I…love him." she whispered.
Suddenly, something caught Sakura's hand that made her eyes open in shock. When she turned to see who had grabbed her, she was shocked, and relieved, to catch familiar amber eyes.
"Syaoran!" she cried. "You're alive"
"Of course I am." Syaoran smirked. "Touya here makes a pretty good catch"
"Oh shut up." Touya growled. "Sakura you owe me, big time, for saving this kid"
"Don't call me kid!"
Sakura smiled faintly. "I-I can't fly Touya. He clipped my wing."
Touya nodded, turning to a figure who was flying at his side.
Eriol.
"Eriol!" Sakura gasped as the blue-haired teen grabbed her bridal-style and flew on with her. "What are you doing here?"
"Saving you, obviously." Eriol laughed. "I saw what you did to Sousui. Impressive"
"Do you think he's dead?" Sakura asked.
"Who knows." Touya shrugged. "We saw him fall"
Sakura nodded, smiling warmly at Syaoran. "They attack at dawn"
"We'll be ready." Syaoran nodded, giving her a short wink.
Little did the four know, that as they flew away, a figure lifted itself off the forest floor, it's body wounded badly…but he didn't notice, vengeance only runs so deep…
SORRY it was so short!
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Remember…no updates until after my finals are over! READ MY XANGA FOR DETAILS!