Chapter 11

The Secrets

Syaoran

Akiho Shinomoto's body had moved. We were all frozen in place as we saw Sakura do what we thought was impossible. She had created a card that had brought someone back to life, something that went against nature, something that had a heavy price to pay. As she did so, she collapsed and for a second I though she may had given her life in exchange for hers.

Akiho arose from her spot, the barrier surrounding the both of them disappearing slowly, her eyes gazing at Sakura next to her.

"Thank you" she told her "I shall pay the price too" we heard her tell her as everyone was silent, astonished by the scene. Yuna D. Kaito was by her side as soon as the barrier broke, took her in his arms and fled saying nothing more.

Nobody pursued him. I was running towards her as fear and anger overtook me, thinking the worst had happened.

"Sakura, don't leave me" I prayed as I got closer. I checked to see whether she was breathing detecting a slight pulse from her neck, my worst fears fading away. I placed her in my arms, not willing to let her go while asking the others for help.

"She will be fine" Hiragizawa spoke. "She is alive... but she has made a contract in exchange for a miracle"

"What is it she exchanged?" I asked in fear, unsure if he knew the answer.

"Her power, there is no other explanation I can see" He replied, his face stoic as if trying to solve a complicated problem.

"Does this mean she will no longer have magic?" I asked, scared for what that would mean for her.

"No, her guardians are still here" Hiragizawa pointed out and it was true, Keroberos and Yue were by their mistress' side where I was.

"I think she gave up most of her power, but not all of it just as Clow did when he gave me his power before passing away"

"Are you saying she will die?" I asked in disbelief, still trying to grasp the situation.

"I think it all depends on her, her battle has not ended yet" I looked back at her then, her body unmoving in my arms wondering if she still had a strong will to stay with us, to continue this fight. If there was a way I could help her get better, I will do the impossible to do so. As I was thinking along those lines an idea hit me.

"The cards..." I said to him and he knew what I wanted to ask.

"They shall remain the way they are for now. I will seal the new ones until she recovers" He replied simply.

"What are you talking about?" Keroberos asked in anger knowing something was wrong with our conversation.

"I am sorry, Keroberos, for keeping yet another secret from you and Yue. I guess it's time you know. The Sakura Cards are safe, Syaoran had sealed them in his compass while giving his magical energy in return to keep them alive." Hiragizawa told them calmly.

"Brat.. why the hell would you do that?" Keroberos roared in anger ready to attack.

"Sakura was cursed, her energy draining, we needed to help her use less magic so her powers didn't disappear. It made sense to seal the cards which were feeding of her energy until we destroyed the curse" I responded in an attempt to reason with the guardian.

"Yuna D. Kaito also knew of her, Yelan had foreseen him try to steal the cards to help him go into the past. We also needed to hide the cards to protect her and to ensure he will not use them." Hiragizawa added. "When he was unable to get the cards, his focus shifted to Sakura's power and her new cards so we hid her here under the protection of the Li family"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Yue asked, visibly upset at our explanations.

"Because she could not know. She would have never given her cards willingly... and her power needed to increase." Hiragizawa told him. "We just didn't expect for her to create her own cards and for her power to increase at the rate it did. She will become very powerful one day, maybe even more so that Clow Reed"

"She needs to rest" I heard my mother say a distance away, urging us to stop the conversation while we attended to her instead.

I took her inside the house, to her room while promising to myself I would not leave her side until I could see her emerald eyes looking back at me.

...

Sakura

I was walking through a forest, not able to find my way out, not really knowing where I was heading until I heard a soft melody play in the distance. Before I could understand what I was doing I was already moving forward, following the soothing sound.

When I reached the sound I was able to see her then, high above a tree, looking down at me, eyes that mirrored my own.

"Mom" I called for her, tears in my eyes "I miss you" I told her.

"I know and I do too" She told me as the melody stopped.

"Have I died?" I asked, wondering why I could see her.

"No... don't be afraid. Your body just couldn't handle it anymore, you pushed yourself too far"

"I am sorry" I lowered my gaze in embarrassment, knowing full well what I had done had been dangerous. Mom said nothing. I looked around us still not understanding what was happening so I asked another question "Where am I?"

"We are in the place you ought to be, under my protection, to heal your wounds."

"Are you an angel?" I asked her, noticing the beautiful wings adorning her frame, admiring her beauty and marveling at the sound of her voice, I had missed her very much.

"Not quite" She answered with a beautiful smile "It is true I left many years ago, but my power remains through you and Touya... and my desire to protect you"

"Can I stay with you?" I didn't want to leave, I wanted to carve this image of her in my mind forever, feel her warmth, her love. I asked that question as I tried to move closer but noticed I could not touch her no matter how hard I tried. It was as if she was a mirage playing with my emotions yet she seemed so real.

"You can, but you must know many others are waiting for you" She said to me in a loving voice. "I am no longer able to be touched Sakura, I only live in your heart".

I understood her words but I didn't want to go for fear I will never see her again. She sensed my distress and with a kind smile she warned me I needed to wake up when the right time came to live my life with everyone that loved me. She promised that in return she would continue to look after me from above.

I was crying, many emotions playing with my heart at the idea of leaving her but knowing full well I needed to get back. She descended from the tree then and made to deliver a kiss in my forehead before everything went black, yet again.

I tried to open my eyes as I felt the pain in my body. I immediately knew I was back and conscious. As soon as I was able to see, I saw Syaoran's eyes looking at me, a smile in his face.

"Welcome back Sakura" He told me while taking my hand in his and kissing it with adoration. I could see the relief in his face, how his tense muscles relaxed as he spoke to me.

"I am back" I agreed "How long have I been gone?"

It took him a few seconds to answer and when he did I could hardly believe his words. "One month..."

My eyes opened in disbelief, I looked to my surroundings and saw the machines that were in my room, the IV set in my arm probably providing food and keeping me hydrated. My muscles tense with the lack of movement.

"What happened?" I asked him, trying my best to remember, my memories were hazy.

"You fought Yuna D. Kaito, we were all there but Akiho got hurt and you saved her"

"Ahh... I remember now, my power must be gone isn't? I remember talking to the spirit..."

"Not quite but you did give most of your power to her. Your power should return in due time"

"I see... I am glad she is okay... where is she?" I asked with curiosity.

"She left with him shortly after you saved her but a few days later this letter arrived... for you" He told me and handed me an envelope with my name written in it. I opened it carefully and read it out loud.

"Sakura-san,

You have giving me more than I could ever repay you for. Thank you for saving me and for saving him from a mistake he most likely would not have been able to return from. I am sorry I couldn't stay to apologize and thank you myself. When the time is right I will return to do so and will repay my debt.

My curse has been broken thanks to you, the price being my death to destroy an object of such evil. Your curse destroyed as mine broke, no longer needing your magic to survive yet receiving your power to keep me alive. You must also know by now the Clock of Time is no longer in his possession, I advise you to destroy it as no good can come from the sin of changing the past.

Until we see each other again,.

Akiho"

"Sounds like we will see her again" Syaoran said as I finished reading the letter.

"Yes... I am glad she is okay. I wonder when that time will be...do you think she will be safe with him?"

"I think so, I think he was willing to give his life for her... surely that is what drove him to steal the Clock of Time and try to steal your cards and power..." Syaoran responded "He is quite cunning, to come up with such a plan... to curse you and seal you and Shinomoto-san in that book while she was under his spell. Touya told me you were able to break it Sakura, you are amazing!"

I blushed at the compliment "I could tell something wasn't right but I couldn't have broken free from that book without your mother and Touya"

"I am just glad it all worked out, and that you are safe" He told me as he kissed by hand once more as if he could not believe I was with him at this very second.

"So what happened to the Clock of Time?" I asked after a moment, now curious with what Akiho had mentioned in her letter"

"Hiragizawa has it. He has not been able to destroy it but is looking for a way to seal it. It is a very powerful object after all... Nobody knows he has it, we told the Clan Li that it had been destroyed during the battle."

"Good idea" I said, but the conversation had already drained me and I was slipping away again. I still had many questions but my energy was leaving me. "Cards?" I managed to ask groggily knowing he would understand.

"Everything is fine, just rest. I will tell you everything there is to know when you wake up again. I will stay by your side until then, I promise"

"Yes" I told him and I was gone, back to dreaming.