Chapter Thirteen

Battle on!

"Hoe!!" Sakura shouted as she shielded herself with her hands.

"Thurder! Come to my aids!" Shi shouted. Strike of lightning stroked down at the spider which caused it to retreat from Sakura. Shi ran towards Sakura.

"Are you alright?" Shi asked in concern.

"Hai!" Sakura replied.

"You have to finish that thing off before you can reach your next test," Shi told her.

"I have to finish it?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

"No choice, you died or it died," Shi sighed, "And I don't think you have time to decide as it had chosen you." She pointed to spider which was charging towards them.

"The key that holds the power of star, reveal your true form to me. I, Sakura, commend you. Release!" Sakura commended, "Jump!"

Both of them jumped out of the way from the spider. Sakura looked at the spider from above. How was she going to defeat such a beast when she was terribly terrified by it?! When Sakura landed softly on the ground, she just stood there. She didn't know what else to do except standing to her ground.

Shi looked at Sakura from afar. She can't give Sakura another aids. She had already broken her promise with the elders. The spider looked down angrily at Sakura and took a step towards her. Sakura held her wand tightly. She had to do something, anything. The spider charged at Sakura again which Sakura jumped again and released sword card.

"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized as she cast the sword down at the spider that created two paths of strong winds cutting through the spider's legs. The spider cried a dreadful cry and fell down in a pool of blood. Shi looked at Sakura emotionless. Sakura stood in front of the spider. She had done it. Just then the maze around them vanished. Sakura stared in surprised as she saw a row of people in front of her. There she saw Syaoran, Eriol and Tomoyo with them.

"Sakura-sama, let me introduce them to you," Shi started as she walked towards her and stood beside her, "They are the elders. They will give you the next test."

Sakura looked at the elders. Every one of them was studying her from head to toe.

"Shi, I don't think you should be here anymore. You promise us you will leave after the first test," One of the elders replied.

"Have you forgotten our promise?" Another asked.

"No, but I decided to stay through for the whole test," Shi replied, "I don't want Sakura to get kill in your little test."

"Why you..." Whispers were heard between the elders. They were angry with Shi's attitude. Sakura looked at Shi in worry. What was she doing this for? Shi glared at the elders. Yelan was there too. Their eyes met for a moment.

"Shi, you have already broken one of the promises you made with us but we never blamed you. Are you going to interfere even more?" The elders asked.

"I don't give a thing for that," Shi shouted back, "I will help Sakura at all cost."

"No Shi-san," Sakura told her, "You have help enough. I will do this alone."

"Never will I leave you to face a battle that is so unfair for you," Shi replied.

"Unfair? What is going on?" Syaoran asked. Eriol and Tomoyo looked at the elders as well to seek an answer.

"Even though you say there is the 'Multi-change' Maze, but you didn't say there is a 'Multi-year' Spider. If I didn't know you people less, you were trying to kill Sakura!" Shi shouted.

"'Multi-year' Spider?" they exclaimed together.

"Are you trying to kill her?" Yelan asked.

"She is the Clow Mistress and she had the clow cards which belong rightfully to us," the elders explained, "We will not allow such a disgraceful girl to be in the clan."

"Sakura is being chosen by Clow Reed himself. She had all the right to be the owner of the cards. And she isn't a disgraceful girl!! She loves Syaoran and Syaoran loves her too," Eriol shouted, "You and your stupid tests. No wonder I dislike you elders." Tomoyo looked worriedly at Sakura while trying to calm her husband-to-be down.

"Let me get down to business should I?" A voice said. Both Shi and Sakura looked at the shadow as it slowly came into sight. Shi's face couldn't hide the shocking expression she had. "Hi there, Clow Mistress. Shi." A smile crept onto his face. Sakura looked at the man in front of her and to Shi. She noticed Shi's face turning ghostly white. Did she happen to know who the man was?

"Too shock to see me? Don't have to," the man smiled evilly at Shi, "And I suggest Kinomoto gets herself prepared because I'm not that easy to be defeated."

"Rex..." Shi whispered, "Why?"

"I will make Syaoran suffer as well," Rex told her, "For making Mei suffer so much. He didn't deserve anyone to love."

"You make Shi suffer too!" Sakura shouted. She heard Shi called the man Rex. She was almost in shock. That guy was Shi's husband?! The man who was having an affair with Mei. The man who made Shi so upset!? She wanted to walk over to that man and killed him.

"So if you two are ready," Rex smiled, "We will get started."

Rex was challenging them on at the same time. Shi and Sakura looked at each other. This was their first time fighting together. At almost the same time, they nodded their heads and faced with Rex, releasing their auras.

"Woo... Your auras are scaring me," Rex told them lamely while releasing his aura, "You think I will say that?"

He took his first movement as he cast several blasts of fire towards them. Sakura immediately released shield card and protected Shi and herself. Shi cast strokes of wind arrows towards Rex who dodged it all. Sakura took the chance and released wood which held Rex which prevented him to escape from any attacks. Rex grimaced as he cast a spell and released himself from wood card.

"Not too bad, Clow Mistress," Rex complemented, "But too bad, my power is able to break Wood's spell."

"Don't underestimate me too," Sakura smiled as she released sword card again.

"Sword card? Why did you use that card for? You can't beat me with that," Rex told her as he summoned his sword.

"Shi-san, take a rest first," Sakura told Shi as she went into a dash. Shi looked at Sakura; she wanted to stop her. Why? Is it because of Rex?

Rex dodged the attack by jumping up into the sky and landing behind Sakura and gave her his attack which she managed to dodge narrowly. Sakura jumped away from Rex. She didn't know what to do to win this guy. He was good. Especially good.

'Never underestimate the elders.' Syaoran's words replayed in her mind. She had to win. For Syaoran. She dashed even quicker than before making Rex and Shi and everyone around to stare in amazement. Syaoran was more than amazed by Sakura's swift movement.

'She is going to win.' Syaoran thought happily. 'Then I will...'

Sakura knocked Rex's sword out of his hand and kicked it aside. Taken back by her attack, Rex ran towards his sword. Unfortunately for him. Sakura had tipped him off the ground and placed the sword at his throat. Rex looked at her with a terrified look. The sword was just inches away from him. Sakura had won the match.

"I win," Sakura told Rex. Rex looked at Sakura for a while before turning away. Sakura bent down and whispered into Rex's ear.

"Don't you dare hurt Shi. Or get near Mei," Sakura whispered so softly that only Rex could hear, "If you do, you know what will happen to you."

"I'm going to marry Mei even if Syaoran isn't going to," Rex told her.

"Oh... Well... I don't think Mei loves you. Because she loves my best friend, Zetsu," Sakura smiled down at him as she got herself up and walked away from him. Rex just lied there in shock. What the Clow Mistress said to him about Mei wasn't true right? (Damn him. It's true alright. And you deserved this. Who ask you to make Shi sad.)

"Sakura!" Syaoran shouted as he ran towards Sakura, "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Syaoran," Sakura smiled, "Shi protected me most of the time."

"Sakura-chan," Tomoyo shouted as she hugged her friend, "Thank god you are safe."

"Nice job, Sakura," Eriol told her. Sakura smiled even brighter at them. Shi walked over to Rex who was still in the same position and bent down beside him.

"So Sakura told you about Mei loving Sakura's best friend, Zetsu," Shi started.

"You knew about this?" Rex asked.

"I'm not the know-it-all girl for nothing you know," Shi smiled down at Rex. Rex looked at Shi and a strange feeling made his heart stopped. It was as if he missed her smile.

"Sakura Kinomoto," The elder called out unwillingly. Sakura and the group looked at the elders. "You have passed the exam. Even though I wanted to disqualify you."

"Yes, I passed!" Sakura shouted happily and hugged Syaoran.

"Congratulation, Kinomoto-san," A voice made Sakura turned around.

"Mei!" Sakura shouted.

"Hi there, Kinomoto-san," Mei greeted, "Good everning, Syaoran, Eriol, Rex, Elders."

"Mei, you come in time. You are to battle Kinomoto," before the elders could finished his sentence, Mei had stopped him from saying any further.

"I'm not fighting Kinomoto," Mei snapped at them, "I don't want to marry Syaoran. I am going to marry Zetsu."

"What?! Who's that?" a commotion erupted between the elders.

"And Sakura is the person Syaoran loves. I will not hurt her," Mei told them, "And I promised Zetsu."

"Mei..." Sakura was almost in tears.

"We can be friends right?" Mei asked as she walked over to Sakura.

"Always!" Sakura shouted as she gave Mei a hug.

Rex sat up and looked at them. He couldn't believe everything he heard.

"Now do you believe what Sakura-san said?" Shi asked.

"I can't believe it. I just gave up my extremely nice wife for a lady who never loves me," Rex cursed himself.

"It was your choice," Shi told him, "Not your fault. She is a good seducer."

"You said it," Rex made a face which Shi giggled.

"I know Sakura will be even happier with Syaoran and so will Syaoran," Shi told him.

"While I will be in a totally unbearable sadness," Rex complained.

"You know I will always be there for you if you need it," Shi whispered while blushing.

"You mean it?" Rex asked, "You will not blame me for doing all those horrible things to you?"

"You are my husband forever and I will follow you to the end," Shi told him. Rex just stared at Shi who smiled and walked over to Sakura and the others.

"Sakura," Syaoran asked, his face blushing.

"Yes, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked.

"There is something I want to ask, I have talk to your father earlier," Syaoran started.

"Yes?" Sakura asked, her emerald eyes studied Syaoran's nervous face.

"Will...Will..." Syaoran seek to find his words, "Will you marry me?"

Sakura looked at Syaoran in surprised at first. A smile appeared on her face as she hugged Syaoran.

"Of course, I will!" Sakura replied.

Everyone giggled at the couple who blushed. Everyone was happy. (Except the elders that is.) Sakura looked up into the sky and thought she saw her mother smiling down at her.

'This is the happiness time in my whole life. 10 days that changes my life!' Sakura thought.

The end

Sorry for the fast ending. Kinda want to finish this story. (Before my mental block get even worst.) Anyway, I managed to put Shi and Rex back. In all case, sorry about the terribly written ending.

Now I can focus on my exams... 3 weeks.... I really need a break.

Don't worry, I will continue my third story. 'When things come about.' I haven't started on the next chapter yet. But don't worry. I will write as soon as possible.

Sorry for the mistakes and quick ending. I truly apologized.

Signing off and loving you people,

Kit.