See, now wasn't that fast? Yes, well getting on with the story here we go! We're almost there people! Almost there! Hold on!
Recap!
Characters-
Syaoran: Guardian of Fire and Seeker (formerly known as Pyro in his other life as a God of Fire), has totally got it bad for Sakura.
Eriol: Guardian of Sky (Once called Ciel), seems to like Tomoyo. Is the future father of Gabriel.
Tomoyo: Guardian of Water (AKA Lady Cordelia in her former life). Is the future mother of Eriol's children Gabriel and Mina.
Sakura: Guardian of Earth (Whose name was always Sakura) Just transferred to Tomoeda. She collects the Clow Cards and is also the Guardian of Earth. Has been medically certified as blind but her overwhelmingly keen senses allow her to see the auras and shadows of those around her in accordance to magic and mood and shape. Only she has the power to unleash the entity that will save the world, Salvation. Is now the missing link to calling on Salvation.
Hiiragizawa Gabriel: Eriol's future son. Looks just like his father. Came to Tomoeda for a specific reason he refuses to discuss, but it is now clear that he will play a big role in the fate of the world. His future mother is Daidouji Tomoyo.
Ryou: A henchman of Chaos. Sicced four evil creatures on the Guardians in Ch11. Definitely evil. Is a young man whose past obviously haunts him. He kidnapped Sakura and fought with her on Yanagihara Hill before he ended up throwing her off.
Kotoko: Another henchman of Chaos. She tried to kill Tomoyo, but failed. Has the power of earth and water.
The TriArch: A secret organization of three people with very special abilities chosen by the Prophet to protect the Guardians and fight against any cohorts of Chaos during the Battle of the End (the prophesized day of Chaos' attack). Takana Emma, Skye (or Sukayo) and Meredith are the members of this organization. Both Emma and Ryou are classmates of the Guardians, while Meredith, a stoic 12-year old, has the ability to dream cast and is also telekinetic. Skye is well-known for his power with metal, which he brings fire to as well as for the tattoos on his arms, which increase pain. All the members of the TriArch seem to be a small, but closely knit gothic family. Emma was struck down as she came up Yanagihara Hill earlier on and has not been seen since.
Babysitter/ Chips: Messenger sent by the Prophet that is really annoying and seemed useless until he helped rescue Tomoyo. He actually has a serious, deadly side to him. Has not been seen or heard from for some time.
the Prophet: The Chief Messenger of God, in charge of guiding the Guardians and all other affairs pertaining to Chaos' attempt on the world. He/She usually sits in the dark on an eerie looking throne. He appears to look like a 10-year old boy with feathery white hair, glasses and almond shaped eyes that change color every few seconds wearing a large white cloak covered with holy sigils.
the Spirits/Sprites: Four mischievous beings, each made of their own element, that only those with magic can see. Fire: Pyro. Sky: Skye, Water: Aquia, Earth: Gaia.
The Story Thus Far:
Syaoran definitely had just work cut out for him when the divine being known as the Prophet ordered him to find the 4 Guardians who were destined to save the world from the power of Chaos. But even after finding the Guardians and even Hiiragizawa Eriol's son from the future, Gabriel, things weren't getting any better. Now Syaoran has come to find that Kinomoto Sakura is the "Bringer of Salvation" as the Guardian of Earth and the only person with the power to unleash Salvation, the one and only tool that can save the world, and finally bring Chaos' rampage to an end. Of course things don't go so smoothly and Syaoran's nightmares about Sakura seem to be coming true. Worried for her safety he, the other guardians, and the TriArch rush to protect her. It is there at Yanagihara Hill where Ryou manages to throw Sakura off the mountain and kill her. In a rage, Syaoran (and eventually Skye) attack Ryou until Ryou calls a swarm of winged black demons and flees the scene. The Battle of the End has definitely started!
-------------------------------
Reminder: The battle IS messy so perspectives in this chapter are going to be EVERYWHERE! There are so many different perspectives I had to jump from to tell the story that I eventually gave up separating them. Just think in the movies how everyone is yelling back and forth to their comrades on the battlefield as they fight against the enemy.
Well, onto the story! Read on people read on! And please review!
--------------------------------Hidden Power: Chapter 17...Tying Up Loose Ends
Syaoran groaned as the weight on his back doubled with each winged black creature that threw itself on his back. He'd meant to run after Ryou and finish the fight that he and Skye had started together, but hadn't expected to be dive-bombed by a swarm of the things at one time.
They were freakin HEAVY. But they couldn't hold him for long.
Then with a grunt Syaoran flung his hands outward and sent out a wave of power, temporarily stunning the black winged creatures clinging to him like a thick layer of tar.
They jabbered and chattered angrily when he sent them flying and toppling over each other. When the dizziness his power had caused wore off they zipped back into the fight, pecking, biting and ripping at anything on Syaoran that they could touch.
Skye seemed to have taken off after Ryou and was nowhere to be found, leaving Syaoran to scorch as many little demons as he could alone.
Meanwhile, Tomoyo and Eriol were locked in a battle of their own and were struggling not to let the winged creatures distract them, but were failing miserably.
"Come on Guardians, is that all you can do! How pathetic!" Kotoko drawled, sounding disappointed. Tomoyo was so preoccupied with the tiny black creatures around her that she didn't notice the thick green trunk that coiled itself around her waist until it squeezed her tightly and lifted her high into the air. The Guardian of Water screamed and thrashed in its grip.
Syaoran whipped around quickly when he heard his friend scream and thrust his palm forth.
"Ah ah ah!" Kotoko raised a finger to stop him. "You don't wanna burn your little friend to a crisp do you? You know what kind of wood they used to used in America when they wanted to give witches like her a long and painful death? Green wood." The same kind of wood that was holding onto Tomoyo.
The Guardian of Fire grit his teeth and unleashed the power onto the ground where it flared up, "Bitch," he spat. Then he sprang at her. She turned around and swatted him away like a fly.
Eriol yelled as another green trunk knocked him unconscious and sent him tumbling off the edge of Yanagihara Hill.
"ERIOL!" Tomoyo shrieked.
"STOP!" Gabriel seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He yelled and whipped his arm out. Kotoko wailed when the trunk that was twisted around Tomoyo pulsed dark blue and exploded.
Tomoyo let out a gasp for air and fell on her knees. Gabriel pulled his mother away from Kotoko. When he had dragged her farther, he pointed and called out a word of power.
"You—You shouldn't be…!" Tomoyo tried to chide him breathlessly while he continued to drag her away from Chaos' loyal follower with steadfast desperation.
Kotoko shrieked and dove to the side, "YOU LITTLE FREAK!" she shrieked. Tomoyo was even more desperate now to struggle to her feet, despite any injuries she had received (which was hard to tell because she was wearing long jeans and a blue blouse).
"Syaoran!" a tiny voice called out.
Syaoran jerked his head back in the flurry of winged creatures still looking to bite a chunk out of him (he already had at least 20 sores on his bodies from their stupid teeth anyway). His eyes nearly bugged out when he saw Skye waving his chubby little hands like windmills. Beside him Gaia was hovering silently watching the chaos around them anxiously.
"You aren't supposed to be here!" he snapped and tried to snatch the sprites out of the air before the black winged creature that had had its beady eyes on them could get to the sprites first.
"They are. All four spirits of the elements and all four Guardians must be here for Salvation to be possible," Meredith said in a monotone not too far behind him. Syaoran whirled around his eyes accusing. Then he realized that she was fending perfectly well by herself.
A sort of dark aura that reeked of death hung around Meredith and the ball she held in her dainty hands was levitating between her palms spinning faster and faster. Any winged creatures that got too close to her dropped dead instantly. She was a member of the TriArch and had been born to fight Chaos since the beginning.
Sakura and Eriol…
Syaoran's face crumpled in defeat, "Then Salvation is a lost cause. We're missing two Guardians!" then he remembered Tomoyo and turned to help. Meredith snatched his hand.
"No! You can't interfere. What happens must happen for Salvation to come. Everything is as it should be. Gabriel and the Guardian of Water are meant to fight alone, for now. We have to do what we can to prepare for the coming of Salvation." She pointed to an area high above the cave. "We have to go over there."
Syaoran was confused, "What? I don't think you heard me but…"
"I don't think you heard me. Salvation will come," she said softly.
He shook his head hard and glared at her, "You're freakin nuts! Can't you SEE? WE HAVE ONE GUARDIAN DEAD AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER ONE IS FREAKING MISSING IN ACTION!" he yelled at the young girl, not really caring if he would hurt her feelings. He was beyond caring after what was happening now.
"THEY'RE GONE! THAT MEANS OUR CHANCES OF SALVATION ARE UTTERLY SCREWED! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT? I NEED TO HELP MY FRIENDS IF I DON'T WANNA LOSE MORE! NOW GET. OUT. OF. MY. WAY. I can't just STAND here and watch anymore people DIE!"
He was so sick of it all. He was sick of people dying, and sick of having to play the hero. He wanted it all to just end, get Tomoyo and Gabriel out of here before anyone else got hurt! Why couldn't this little girl GET it? He thought angrily.
Meredith turned to glare at him, her eyes stony. She looked annoyed and maybe a little impatient. He felt fear hit him in the stomach. His body began to move forward of its own accord in the direction that she had pointed. The little bits of gravel on the ground around them began to lift off the terrain as if gravity had suddenly disappeared.
"I'm SORRY for your loss, Pyro. But we're talking about the end of civilization and plainly I couldn't give a crap if you're hurting. Fight it," she hissed. She was like a volcano ready to burst and she dealt with him in the cold but precise manner of a mature adult. She was talking business. "Now I will need your unquestioned cooperation if we're going to stop all this. Is that clear?"
She gave him a look that told Syaoran to refuse might just annoy her further.
At the steely look in her eyes he reluctantly nodded in resignation. He took one last look at where Eriol had fallen and then he took off in the direction that Meredith had pointed in, hastily climbing up a dirt path that led to the roof of the cave. There, Ryou was struggling to dodge a nasty looking metal pole with clawed ends that Skye was twirling in his hands.
"Ignore then and keep moving," Meredith demanded from somewhere behind him. He hesitated and then moved over the rock that was connecting the tiny cave to the top portion of an even larger section of the hill/mountain.
There, a wiggling mass of black bodies was attracted to a certain spot on the ground at the very center of the ground.
Syaoran raised his foot and dropped it with a thump. Immediately shrieks and whines of agony filled the air when a large column of fire erupted from the ground and scorched any of the winged creatures nearby. A couple of angry creatures dove for Syaoran's face with their claws outstretched. He raised his hand to cause further damage until they slammed into an invisible barrier. They screamed in pain.
He took a deep breath and turned to Meredith, whose face had for some reason, turned visibly depressed and tense.
"Soon Salvation will come," she croaked. "We have to stay here and watch to see that nothing comes to harm the ground up here." She pointed to the area that the little black creatures had recently vacated and Syaoran noticed there was a small hole there. Carved into the ground around it was a large circle.
The four sprites chirped in harmony and made a circle around him, spinning faster and faster until they were a blurred mess of the rainbow. Syaoran stood taller and diverted his attention below where the battle took place.
Closer to the edge of the hill, Kotoko was attempting to take out her anger on Gabriel and Tomoyo. There was not much time to react but Gabriel was quick to do so as Kotoko flung fistful after fistful of what looked to be sharp shards of wood and granite the size of her hands at them.
Gabriel's sapphire eyes were wide with panic as he frantically pointed and exploded each deadly object that Kotoko threw at them.
He pointed again.
And again.
And croaked a word of power.
Distressed, he pointed while he felt his strength start to fail him.
Pointed.
And finally lost track of the rhythm.
Finally he pointed at the wrong time.
In his haste to move backwards faster, Gabriel tripped on the hem of his jeans and fell. This time he was unable to avoid the large shard of wood as it was driven into his shoulder. He let out a cry of pain and struggled quickly to his feet, dragging Tomoyo up with him as he went.
He stumbled in front of her to shield her body with his own.
"You can't!" he spat with his chest heaving.
"Can't WHAT, you little brat! Kill your dear mommy?" she sneered. Tomoyo gasped softly.
Gabriel grit his teeth and stood his ground in front of Tomoyo. His father was not here to protect his okaa-san right now like he should be. Damnit.
Eriol was supposed to be here, Gabriel thought angrily. He SHOULD have been here!
But as usual, something always went horribly wrong whenever Chaos broke loose. Something different always changed every time in Chaos' favor during the Battle of the End that tipped the scales. Always.
A large gust of wind took up into the air and then something long and yellow whisked between Kotoko and Eriol to wrap around Kotoko and into the air. She shrieked as she went.
Gabriel gaped in awe. A big smile slid onto his face.
"Windy," he whispered.
There was a dull thud behind them and then Eriol was suddenly on the ground behind them. His face was a creased in a mask of pain.
At his side Sakura grunted and switched her wand to her other hand, very much alive.
From above, Syaoran's eyes widened in shock and he gasped with immense relief. "SAKURA!"
He would have totally jumped off the landing to meet her had Meredith not shot him a dirty look, daring him to try it. He stayed put.
The wand came crashing down, "SWORD!" Sakura cried and walked over to Kotoko while the cute pink staff in her hand grew longer, sharper, and more defined in her hands with each step. Anger was clearly written on her face and the earth trembled with each step she took. Tomoyo gripped her son to her in an effort to hold onto him.
Kotoko lashed out at the oncoming threat. Sakura's arm snapped out. The sword in her hands sang as it ripped through the blow that Kotoko had attempted to land like a knife through butter.
And then the next blow.
And the next.
Throughout it all her rhythm did not falter once. Instead Sakura drew dangerously closer to the vibrant aura she sensed before her, her emerald eyes flashing with anger. Her wide and slow strides became shorter but quicker bursts of speed. Finally she twisted around in a wide butterfly arch, taking off the two thick green trunks of wood attached to Kotoko's back in two clean strokes.
"No more," Sakura hissed and struck with her power. Kotoko went flying backwards.
Sakura drew closer still.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else," she raised her sword into the air.
The wind seemed to grow increasingly stronger and suddenly the sword grew pink once more with delicate gilded wings.
The wand came crashing down above Kotoko.
"WINDY! FORM A CHAIN THAT BINDS!"
In a last attempt to inflict some sort of damage Kotoko disappeared and lashed out one last time, with her hands.
Tomoyo caught a brief glance of silver behind Sakura and screamed, "SAKURA! LOOK—"
There was no time to think about it. Gabriel threw himself between Sakura and her attacker, his face grim and took the brunt of the attack.
"GABRIEL!" Tomoyo screamed. Her heart wrenched with pain. The boy crumpled to the ground with a look of shock on his face.
He didn't get up. Both his parents immediately flew over to his side as blood started to pool around his body.
Before Kotoko could do any more damage she was entrapped in something that looked like a large golden bubble. Yet this was anything but a fragile piece of water. She pounded her fists inside her prison and shrieked her rage.
"YOU BITCH YOU LET ME OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW! I SWEAR TO CHAOS I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL RIP YOU TO PIECES, DAMNIT!" she yelled, her eyes wild.
Sakura's wand arm dropped to her side. She stared ahead, blank and unseeing, "You just shut the hell up," she muttered and quickly navigated her way over to where Eriol's and Tomoyo's green auras were crouched beside Hiiragizawa Gabriel.
"Is he okay?" Sakura asked fearfully.
"I-I don't know!" Tomoyo trembled and gave his shoulders one last shake before turning the boy over. She gasped and blinked tears away.
Gabriel was a bloody mess.
The large and sharpened chunk of wood was still protruding from his chest. Blood blossomed from that wound and soaked his dark shirt. There was no doubt from the way his body was bent that he had broken a few ribs. His body was a mess of scratches, gashes, and bruises. The left side of his face was already starting to darken and swell up.
But what had taken the biggest toll on him was the small ornate silver dagger that was still lodged deeply in his gut.
Kotoko had stabbed him.
"What the hell did she do to you," Eriol growled and swept away a dark blue lock of hair that had become matted with blood on his son's forehead. He rested his hands on the hilt of the dagger and pulled it clean out of Gabriel's body.
Tomoyo gasped for air, tears pouring down her face, "S-She destroyed him. My…My son. She said that he was my-my son! And she killed him!" she wailed and held the boy to her chest.
Eriol only stared at her in shock. This was Gabriel's mother?
A groan from the person she clutched to her chest brought him back to his senses.
"Ow. Don-Don't do…that."
Tomoyo let out a cry and pulled him away so that she could better see his face. He winced and licked his parched lips.
"GABRIEL!" she cried.
"Ow…ow…Kami-sama it hurts," he rasped. "Please don't…Please don't hold me so tightly, 'kaa-san."
"So it IS true!" Sakura's hand flew to her mouth. He squinted up at her as best as he could from where he lay on the ground. But he was getting weaker and weaker with each breath and he had finally done the job he came to do.
He'd sacrificed himself to save Sakura, the Bringer of Salvation.
Now, he thought with a flicker of mischief in his eyes, he wanted to do more. His father in the future would definitely kick his ass for this but what the hell. He wanted Salvation to come as much as the last person didn't he? There wasn't anything wrong with a little motivation was there?
"Otou-san, 'kaa-san, Aunt Sakura, listen to me," he spoke as loud as he could but they still had to lean closer in order to hear him.. "You have to…summon Salvation as soon as you can. Have…no matter what happens," his voice was growing softer and softer as he struggled to hold onto consciousness. "No matter what you see…no matter… you can't stop what you're doing. Anything that happens today," he gasped, "is destiny."
Sakura nodded, "I will do my best."
He shook his head, "Not.. good… enough," he croaked. "Promise me."
Eriol looked on with a tortured expression as he realized that Gabriel was slowly dying right in front of him.
Sakura thought for a moment and then a frown creased her face, "Gabriel is something going to happen that we should know about?"
Gabriel didn't look at them and shook his head, "Don't…Don't…worry about it. Just promise…me. If you don't," he shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. God it was getting harder to breathe the more he talked and the pain from his wound was buzzing loudly throughout his whole body. " "You don't…play your part then we're all screwed. Just PROMISE!"
She paused before agreeing.
Immensely relieved that he didn't have to talk anymore he let his head fall back into Tomoyo.
"Gabriel?" Tomoyo trembled, stroking his hair, "Is true…that you're my son? And Eriol's son?"
It was a pointless question that she already knew the answer to. She didn't know what else to say. She knew he was dying. Her heart was breaking. She had always cared for him but never really realized it was in the way that a mother cared for her child. And now that she finally understood, he was on the brink of death. She had found something precious only to lose it in an instant.
He couldn't help it. He was too tired already. He only smiled.
"I didn't," she sobbed. "I didn't realize. I d-didn't kn-know! But I… I love you," she wanted him to know that she did care for him at least.
Eriol stared into space blankly, his heart pounding in his chest.
Gabriel was dying. His son…he was dying. This couldn't be happening. It shouldn't be happening. Why was this happening? Why did he have to lose him? It wasn't fair.
Gabriel smiled up at his dad weakly. His silence was scaring him, "Don't worry," then his eyes grew wide and he choked on his words. His body trembled with the effort, "We'll…We'll…" his voice trailed off.
"We'll wha…" Eriol looked down, quickly. Tomoyo let out a long wail. Gabriel's sapphire eyes grew dim and slowly fluttered shut for the last time.
"We'll what?" Eriol cried. "What will we do? What will we do without you?" he yelled.
Of course he would never answer.
Tomoyo's shoulder wracked with sobs and she rocked Gabriel back and forth gently. She whispered to him over and over again, "No, no, no, no!…No…come back…come back. Don't leave me. Come back…come back…Please please please..."
It was a long time that she just sat there holding his body in the midst of all the black winged creatures around them. Sakura had called upon the Silence card to subdue Kotoko's jeers and screams. She sat crouched next to Tomoyo and put an arm around the grieving young woman.
Eriol could only stare at Gabriel blankly, not daring to believe it.
When the tears began to weave down his cheeks silently, Eriol raised his face to the sky that had suddenly gone dim.
The rain started to fall upon the land heavily. He didn't make a sound as the rain masked the path of tears shed. At the same time it soaked the world with his sorrow and pain.
---------------------------
I figured that this was a good place as any to end for now (yes, Gabriel's dead. Originally it was the Guardian of Sky, but I felt this fit nicely too. I know there is definitely a number of fans out there that woulda killed me if I killed off eriol XD). I'm steadily making my way through here so im pretty sure that the story will be finished by the end of this month! Maybe in a week or two even. Yay! (pumps paw up in victory cheer) im glad to have completed this story (so LONG) and cant wait to start a new project!
As usual I ask, please review! Please please please? one reviewer yelled at me (well sorta) and I don't mind in the least! Really! I appreciate the enthusiasm of a reader who takes the time to pull up that little white box and write how he or she really felt about the story! Whether good or bad I appreciate the comments and I wont forget to say thank you if you message me or whatever either. (huggles reviews to chest) they are my preeeecioussssss.
Enough of the weirdness. Ill keep writing faster if you review! Til then!