Chapter 13. The Most Powerful Sorceress...
Light, bright light that blinded was the first thing her senses perceived. She wanted to draw up her hand and cover her face from it, but her body seemed to be just too heavy, almost like a rock. It even cost her some effort just to stay awake.
She wondered what could possibly be happening, had it been another movie shot for Tomoyo? No, those never left her this tired. It had to be something more. A true battle with a sorcerer? Maybe. Her foggy mind seemed to clear a bit, slowly, as she began recalling things, faces, spells, battles, an audience, victories, a bad looser, and the worst magic confrontation she had ever witnessed…and what was most incredible of all: she had participated in it!
And in that moment everything seemed to clicked in: the letter, the trip, Amelia, Lord Michel, Meiling, Eriol, Daeron, the magic, the duels, the new card, the terrible battle and…
"Shaoran!" she cried out, straightening up suddenly.
She regretted that immediately, a pain, like an electric bolt shot in her whole body, making her gasp in torment.
"Sakura! You're awake!" Yukito said smiling at her.
"The doctors said you should stay in your bed longer, it'll do no good to your body to move so fast." Kero added, in his stuffed-toy form.
"Shao…ran…" she barely could murmur. "Where's Shaoran?"
"Oh, come on." Kero complained. "She just returned from the land of the death and all she can do is ask for the brat, not even a hello to us first."
"What do you mean with coming back from the death?" Sakura asked.
But she received no answer as the door slowly opened and two concerned faces peeked inside.
"Sakura!" one of them wailed, running straight to her.
The other followed slowly.
"Calm down Tomoyo, I'm fine." Sakura assured her.
"I was so afraid…" Tomoyo sobbed as she hugged her dear cousin. "Everything happened so quickly... And when….it was….all d-done…I…I couldn't s…s-see you."
Between all the babble Sakura couldn't exactly understand what Tomoyo was trying to say to her.
"You lost consciousness after the last attack." Meiling explained calmly. "Woke up after a good time. The guys were already almost finished recovering, as we had never really used magic at such a high potential it was normal that we would take more time. But that was when we knew you hadn't awoken yet, and that no matter how many spells, or incantations, or elixirs they gave to you there seemed to be something keeping you out."
Sakura stayed silent, looking at Meiling's face, it held something that looked like a mix of past worry and newfound calm.
And she wondered: exactly how long was she out?
.---.
Shaoran was standing on the sand, finally breathing calmly after such a long time of pacing before a door, fearing his beloved wouldn't wake up. Because he knew now Sakura was what he loved the most in the whole world, and even if he had survived for so long without her, he didn't thought he could go on any longer. If anyone had told him Sakura would never wake up, he would have died right then and there.
'I just can't picture my future without you Sakura.' Shaoran thought with a sigh. 'It's just too dark and gloomy to even think about it.'
Just then, as if some kind of magic had taken his thoughts and made them real he saw what he was almost sure was an angel, walking nearby.
It had taken Sakura a great concentration and ability, and a push to her still weak body, to sneak out of her room; as it hadn't taken her long to notice that if for her guardians and friends be, she wouldn't leave her room in at least one week. But she knew she had to get out. She was a Sorceress, and as one she needed the Universe's energy to recover her power, and with it the strength: physically, magically, and mentally.
"Ah…the breeze…this is really tranquilizing…" she whispered to the wind. "Just what I needed."
As she gave each step, leaving the mark of her feet on the sand, she could feel the energy slowly returning to her. She was conscious that she wouldn't be doing any magic in at least a week, if she did sure enough she would end in bed again. But still with her powers at a minimum she could feel the presence of someone nearby. Just the person she had wished to see since the moment she opened her eyes.
"Shaoran…" she whispered.
Just then she lost her footing and was about to end on the sand when his hands caught her.
"What are you doing up?" he asked. "You should have stayed in bed."
"You know as well as I that I can't stay in bed, I need the energy of the Universe to recover, and even if I didn't I've been on bed too long already." Sakura said.
"I would have died if you hadn't woken up." He murmured, he was so lost in thought he didn't seem to notice he had talked out loud until he noticed her face change.
"Shaoran…" Sakura smiled. "You…"
"It is true." Shaoran assured her as he scooped her. "I can't live without you. I just love you too much."
"I love you too Shaoran, with all my heart."
.---.
Throughout the next two weeks Sakura, Shaoran, Eriol, Tomoyo, Daeron and Meiling continued with their recovery. Sakura specially was the weakest, but it didn't seem to matter much, as Shaoran treated her like a true princess, making sure she wouldn't wear herself out.
Tomoyo managed to get signal on her cellphone to call her mother, as well as Touya and Seika. Even when Touya had been deadly worried, between Seika and Tomoyo managed to convince him to calm down, they would be returning in a few more days.
All the guests, and most competitors had already left, leaving their best wishes for the un-official winner of the Tournament: Sorceress Cherry/Sakura, and her friends.
Even when the last duel hadn't taken place Yelan Li had declared Sakura as the most powerful Sorceress, saving Sakura from being in the predicament of fighting a woman she respected and whose son she loved more than anything else in the world.
.---.
Sakura, Shaoran, Kero, Yue, Eriol, Tomoyo, Daeron and Meiling were all together on the beach of the island, chatting about what had happened.
"So the rings were destroyed…" Sakura murmured. "I'm sorry, I know how much you wished to be able to do magic. Maybe if you wait some time, for my magic to be completely restored, I'll be able to create another pair of rings."
"You're more important than any pair of rings Sakura." Tomoyo assured her.
"We prefer to have you here than to have magic." Meiling added.
"And besides..." Tomoyo said with faint smile. "I believe that we may not be needing any rings now."
She raised her hand slowly, and made a swift movement, a whirl of water raised from the calm sea, twirled around and then returned to where it belonged.
"What?" Both Sakura and Shaoran seemed to be surprised at this.
"Seems than when the last attack hit you Tomoyo and Meiling unconsciously wished for their rings to save you." Eriol explained. "So the rings were destroyed, but the real essence dissolved into them."
"Some of the counselors have already tried to investigate what happened." Daeron added. "It seems like they don't exactly have Sorceresses' auras, at least not strong enough, but even then the magic can be felt in their hands."
"We believe that the mix of the magic in the rings you created and the magic that entered their bodies during the last battle provoked this." Yue explained seriously.
"You say it as if it is a terrible tragedy." Meiling said, the tip of her fingers seemed to lit up. "And I still believe it is wonderful."
They all laughed lightheartedly, it was good for them to be able to feel and act so freely and lightheartedly again, without having to worry about someone wanting to kill them, every step they gave. And even then, it seemed that not everything that had happened had been for the worse. Sakura could notice how Meiling and Daeron chatted and laughed together, smiling, treating each other as if they had known for all their life. And then another detail: Tomoyo laughed so hard she bent backwards, Eriol was behind her, and when she touched his chest he drew his arms around her, Tomoyo didn't seem to complain about it, in fact she nuzzled closer to him.
"Looks like some things have changed here." Sakura commented laying on Shaoran's side.
"Looks like it, yeah." Shaoran nodded looking at everyone around, and then getting one arm around Sakura's shoulders.
The guardians noticed this had become a private moment and decided to leave the place in silence. Even Kero had already accepted that Sakura and Shaoran loved each other, and nothing would be able to pull them apart.
.---.
One more week later they were finally ready to leave Almaren. Sakura was wearing around her right wrist a golden bracelet with runes engraved, it was the symbol that marked her as the champion of the Sorcerers' Tournament, and the Most Powerful Sorceress in the Universe.
Tomoyo had managed to reorganize her and Sakura's agendas, and as soon as they were back in Tokyo they had to do two photo-shots, model for a magazine and prepare the collection they would be presenting in a month.
Daeron had made some arrangements, so he now would be going to Tokyo too, with the excuse of getting a better preparation assisting to the best University. Meiling was gonna be there too obviously. It had all been arranged.
The plane was waiting for them to board. Eriol, Tomoyo, Meiling, and Daeron were already aboard. Sakura and Shaoran were the last ones, just finished checking in their luggage, were walking hand in hand to the plane, when somebody stopped them.
"Where do you think you're going, sire?" a man, one of the Elders, asked.
"I'm going to Tokyo, to finish my studies and pass some time with the woman I love." Shaoran replied calmly. "I've talked it out with my mother and everything is in order."
"But Mr. Li, you have your duties to the Council." The elder reminded him.
"I will take up on my duties once I've finished College." Shaoran replied.
"What about choosing a good bride?" the elder asked.
"Haven't you noticed? I've already chosen." Until then Shaoran hadn't turned to face the elder, never letting go of Sakura's hand. "I've chosen Sakura, she accepted me."
"How can you be sure the council will accept her?" the elder insisted.
"Anyone that has eyes in the face and saw her in the Tournament would be nuts not to accept her as the future Leader of the Eastern Council."
Still the elder didn't seem about to give up.
*This is annoying…* Shaoran thought.
*I'm getting tired of him too.* Sakura nodded.
*You think we could possibly, I don't know, scare him?* Shaoran asked.
*I don't know…* Sakura murmured, considering the options.
"But my lord…"
That was enough, Sakura raised her free hand behind her back and snapped her fingers, a light thunder was shot at the elder, it was small, just enough to scare him, and give Sakura and Shaoran time to get on the plane. As Sakura had just begun using magic again there wasn't much she could have done, but that was enough.
Shaoran couldn't help but laugh at what had happened, it had been so perfect, so hilarious! Sakura not only had a great power, but a great sense of humor too.
The elder still couldn't believe what had happened.
"She made fun of me!" he cried out annoyed. "That girl just made fun of me."
"After the battle she went through less than a month ago, she's had a miraculous recovery." Another elder commented, arriving. "Such a great power, and strong will."
"And a golden heart." A third one added, getting there too. "She's quite a unique person."
"You're quite right Lady Yelan." The second elder said. "I believe she will be a good wife for Xiao Lang, and a wonderful Leader for the Eastern Council and all the Magic Community." He nodded, as if reaffirming his own sentence. "Yes, all shall be good from now on."
The first elder didn't know what to say now. Even then there was nothing he could say or do. He did know how powerful that girl was, maybe his companion was right and everything would be better now.
"Be happy." Yelan commented, looking to the leaving plane. "All of you." A small smile made way into her face.
.---.
"3 years, 3 years have passed since you finally returned to me; after 7 long years of absence we were back together, and these three years I've enjoyed them, as the best in my whole life. To those who supported my feelings all along and those who thought me a fool for believing you would be back, I can now smile at them and know eternal love still exists. Because the love we share is eternal, we've proven nothing will ever pull us apart: nothing, no one, be it a human, or magic, we love each other too much to be separated. I'm also happy for Tomoyo, she deserved the happiness she's found next to Eriol; and Meiling and Daeron too make a sweet couple. And now, after three years of joy the most wonderful thing is about to happen, we're finally getting married…"
The End
So...that's it. This story has reached its end. This chapter was meant to act as an epilogue, wrapping up everything. I hope you liked how it went. I know some may have wanted to see a wedding, or maybe more of the ET or MD couples, but that just goes beyond the idea of this fic, which was mainly the tournament.
Some people commented on Daeron's power. Let me explain it this way: you all should remember the Void, the negative side of all the Cards, so strong Eriol couldn't destroy it, he had to seal it; later on, when Sakura came around she sealed it too, in a sense, by adding to it her strongest feeling, she changed it from a Void into Hope. But technically the same power is still there, behind the change Sakura made. Daeron was more-or less the same, he was the materialization of all the dark magic in the Universe, he couldn't be killed because as the light exist so shall the darkness; the Council of the Light is meant to keep him in line, make sure he doesn't destroy the balance like he tried to in this story, and since those who once formed the Council no longer have a body, they entered our main characters and acted through them, they could do it thanks to the spell Sakura and Shaoran did together as Heirs of Clow when they knew they just weren't strong enough. So the level of power showed in the last battle can only be achieved under those circumnstances; and Daern cannot be destroyed, but he can be kept in line.
Hope you like that explanation, as I hope you all liked this story, I certainly enjoyed writing it. See you in the future, in some other fic!