The Final Test

"Yes Torika, why have you called us here?" the voice shrouded in the shadows echoes, a mocking tone in his voice.

Darkness. It's very dark, pitch-black. Where is she?

Cold. The colds takes nips at her neck. It's freezing cold.

Soft. Her bed is soft. But it is not a real bed. Is it?

"Man, I just hope she wakes up before I disappear. I wouldn't want her to get up to find me gone." Someone's there. Maddy.

"Maddy!" Torika shouts as she sits up. Maddy sits down in the grassy plains, watching the stars. A blanket is draped over Torika, and she can tell that it is fashioned from magical cloth. She feels rejuvenated, healed. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Just a half-hour, I think. Don't worry, not a long time. I think you needed the rest." Maddy smiles as she looks at her friend. It's the exact opposite of the Maddy in the dream, the one who was ready to coldly abandon her friend. Torika sighs a breath of relief.

"I had that dream again. The one that's coming true, you know?" Torika follows Maddy's gaze and looks up into the stars.

"C'mon. We have to go find FIREY. We wouldn't want it to burn down the town, now would we?" Maddy asks as she smiles, beckoning Torika.

The girl nods, and gets up. It seems as if she has had a day's rest, that she can do anything. Her eyes twinkle with the starlight, and her hair blows with the wind. Freedom.

"We do, don't we? Come on, let's go." Torika begins to sprint across the field. She has a new energy; something has begun to burn inside her.

Maddy laughs. "Wait for me!" she calls, running after her friend. It is her first truly happy moment in a long time. They run around the field for a few minutes, letting all of their happiness run free, stags in an empty forest, and finally sit down to take a breath.

"I feel like I can do anything," Torika pants, looking up at her friend. A warm glow brightens the night, and Maddy knows it is coming from Torika. It is almost as if she is the source of all happiness, like she is some sort of generator. Spontaneously, Maddy leans over and hugs her.

Torika hugs back.

He flies through the air at speeds unknown, making it crackle and burn, just like everything else that surrounds him. Fire spits out, a trail behind him, and sparks fly as he flaps his wings. He smiles as the heat caresses him unwillingly. He has work to do, and judging by what he's seen, it's not going to be easy.

A familiar landmark passes under him. The scorch mark, a clue and a diversion. Surely they're not too far away. He smiles as he flips around, looking up into the stars. He remembers the day that Torika first found him, first released him. It wasn't her fault, but he's stuck by her side the whole while. He has never faced her in his life, and now he has to. He sighs, and turns back around.

There they are, sitting next to each other under the dark canopy of the sky. He stops, trying not to attract any attention to himself. A fireball lights in his hand, ready to be thrown at them. For a second he hesitates. This is the moment before battle, the second before anyone launches an attack. He needs to get a good look at her.

He fires.

Torika and Maddy jump away just in time. The fireball spirals into the ground, leaving a scorch mark similar to the one before, and everything is burning hot for a second. The two girls land on opposite sides of the scorch mark, looking up at FIREY for the first time.

"You're the last one. And then I'm done with this whole thing, and everything's going to go back to normal," Torika says as she grits her teeth. She tries to think of something to use against the Elemental. She wants to beat it quickly. She wants to get it over with.

"Oh, but Torika, it's only just begun. I am not the last of your worries," FIREY says in a playful tone, flashing an obnoxious smile. He summons another fireball to his hand, and locks eyes with her. "Trust me, if I were you, I'd be more worried about saving energy than using it to defeat me." He shoots and she jumps up, but he casually redirects it, and it heads straight for her.

"Don't even think about it!" Maddy screams, hurling a boomerang of smothering cloth over to stop the fireball. FIREY growls, and Torika lands safely on the ground, sighing in relief.

"We've got to run," she says, looking over at Maddy, "I have no idea what to use to defeat FIREY. If I need to save energy like he suggested, I'm not going to use WATERY, but I still need something to beat him."

"What about WAVE?" the black-haired girl asks, looking back at FIREY to see what he is doing. He seems to be concentrating on something, maybe a complicated attack.

"WAVE is no good unless there's water around, and do you see a lake or a river anywhere?" Torika responds, following Maddy's gaze and looking back at the Heart Card. "Come on, I can just use DASH and hold your hand, and we'll get away until I can think up something."

"I don't know. Something about that seems like a bad idea to me," Maddy warns her friend.

"Well, do you have anything better to suggest?" Torika snaps impatiently, and Maddy shrugs. Slowly, Torika goes back into her mind, again in an attempt to summon a Heart Card. She wills it to come, but it's not as easy as last time. It's like the ability has been blocked off. "I can't do it," she finally says.

"Torika!" Maddy screams, pushing her down. She ducks herself, and a dragon of fire passes over them. The heat coming from its flaming body is enough to make Torika consider passing out, but she gets up. Floating beside FIREY is the dragon.

"We have no time, we have to run," Torika says, grabbing Maddy's hand and pulling her away from FIREY. He notices this and flies after, the dragon close behind, and begins to assault them with fireballs. A few just barely miss, and Torika knows she has to do something.

"DASH!" she screams in anger, and all of a sudden she feels the tension of gravity lift for a second. "Well, FLY wasn't exactly what I asked for, but it works for me," she says as she lifts Maddy into a comfortable position.

The pursuit continues for a few more minutes. Maddy fires back, but her smothering cloth misses every time. "This isn't working. Come on Torika, you have to think of something."

"You could help, you know."

"I'm kind of tied up at the moment, if you haven't noticed. What's gotten into you, Torika? It's like you're a mean old man now, not the Torika I know." Maddy catches her cloth boomerang as it flies back to her, blocking another one of FIREY's fireballs.

"Well, you haven't really caught me at a good moment, have you?" the auburn-haired girl responds, lowering to the ground. "I don't think I can call on FLY much longer if I want to have the energy to fight FIREY. I'm sorry, I'm just going to have to land here."

"I understand, I mean I can't expect you to-" Maddy stops abruptly, and suddenly Torika's back feels a whole lot lighter.

Torika turns around immediately, just in time to watch Maddy fly away on the back of FIREY's dragon. "Why isn't she getting burnt?" FIREY hisses uncharacteristically, his eyes slanting at the captured girl.

"Fire-proof clothes, sir. They won't burn." The two girls are surprised to hear the dragon speak, but they accept it fairly quickly. There is a small moment of silence, one in which Torika is overwhelmed by grief. It could be over for her friend, and she knows it, but she has to stay strong. Something renders clear in the back of her mind. Maddy could disappear soon! All she has to do is protect her friend until she fades away into the darkness of the night.

"Oh well. I could use a little target practice." A malicious smirk creeps onto the Heart Card's face. "Bring her over to that tree over there. According to the results of five minutes ago, I can't aim for my life. Time to change that."

Torika's eyes widen. "That's absolutely cruel and abusive, you monster!" she shouts with rage, thinking of something to do. How is she supposed to put out the fire? The only two cards she can think of are WAVE and SAND, but both require the things their names refer to near them. What is she supposed to do?

The dragon brings Maddy over to a tall tree, and he becomes a string of fire, which wraps around her thin body. "And, here's the first pitch," FIREY calls in an announcer-like voice. A fireball forms in his hand, and he rears back, ready to throw it. Torika grits her teeth.

FIREY pitches.

"Let's go!" Torika shouts, thrusting her arm upward. Water comes out of nowhere, immediately quenching the fireball. Maddy looks at Torika in surprise and relief. "It's the dew," Torika explains, touching the grass and rubbing the drops of water between her fingers.

Maddy begins to fade.

"Why do you always have to make things so hard?" FIREY demands, shooting another fireball at Maddy. Torika reacts quickly, putting this one out too. It keeps going on. It seems to be taking Maddy much longer to disappear than anyone else, and Torika is getting tired.

"I don't think I can do this for much longer." She breathes hard. Her energy is gone now, it has left with the waters of WAVE. She can barely shoot the water up anymore. "Come on, disappear."

"Here we go; this is my last shot," FIREY whispers to himself. Maddy's outline is almost gone, and a familiar wind has started up around her. Torika is doubled over, out of energy.

"I don't know if I can protect you," Torika says helplessly, looking at her faded friend.

"Okay, FIREY winds up, ready to throw his fastball," FIREY announces, rearing back once more.

"I'll be okay, Torika. Remember, I'm always here for you," she comforts her friend, nodding to show her friend that she is sure this is true. Time stands still for a second, as Torika takes it all in. It's so calm, even for a moment that she is so desperate. It's almost as if Maddy knows what's going to happen next.

FIREY pitches. Maddy disappears.

Torika's eyes widen, sparkling with happiness. "I knew she would survive," she whispers, forgetting all about FIREY for a second, forgetting about everything, "I knew she would. I just knew it."

FIREY turns to face Torika, knowing that she is too tired to do anything now. He bites his lip, not knowing what to do. He is supposed to attack her, but can he? Can he attack his master when she is helpless like this?

Torika looks up in worry. "Please, no, don't," she requests calmly, standing up. "Don't you remember me, FIREY? I remember you. You were my first Sakura Card; you helped me through everything. Do you think I want you to be my murderer. Do you want me to die by your hands?" An undying bravery flares in her heart, and she knows that Maddy is with her, even if not physically or spiritually. She left a piece of herself in Torika's heart long ago.

"But I have to. The possession. I have to. If you cannot defend yourself, you have only yourself to blame. I have to kill you. I have to." FIREY glares at the girl before him, a fireball forming in his hands. "I have to do this master, please understand. It's for your good, it's for everyone's good."

"What good is it for anyone if I'm dead?" Torika says, wavering a little bit. "I mean, I remember you. You're not cruel. You have a bit of a temper, yes, but you're not cruel. You were the first one to talk, don't you remember? You said you loved me. If you love me, you won't kill me."

"It is for the good of the test. The good of the test." FIREY rears back. Torika is crying now, and the Heart Card hesitates. He watches the tears roll down her face, reflections of his own despair and unhappiness. Slowly, he retreats into his former position, fireball still flaring in his hand, and looking down. "I have to."

"Please, just return into card form. For me. Not for the test. For me." She is crying, almost hysterically. Her face is glowing with red, as are her eyes. She is on her knees, crying, begging.

"I…I don't know if I can," FIREY retorts weakly, looking down at the disheveled girl in front of him. "I don't know. I think I have to kill you. I can't return into card form, I can't just let you capture me. Can…I?"

"Sunlight at dusk casts a red light onto the plains, just like fire. I close my eyes and look inside my heart. Who am I waiting for?" Torika sings, despite the fact that she is crying.

FIREY falters.

"I am listening to a voice which comes from the other side of the horizon. A magic forbidden casts an undying spell, laced with gold. Your face appears in the setting sun, casting a red light onto the plains, a spell unbidden, laced with silver." FIREY is almost to tears now. The song on the first day they met. The song that brought them together.

"A star twinkles in the night-time sky, your eyes. The moon dances shadows across the streams. A dream of ten times past comes to haunt me," he sings as well, slowly fading into a rectangle.

And they sing together, into the night. They sing as he fades, as he disappears for her. "Your face appears in the rising sun, casting a yellow light onto the plains, a spell unbidden, laced with silver." He is gone now, his voice ringing even though he is in card form. Torika is crying, for there is nothing else to do.

And she cries while she fades. And she cries while a wind picks up around her, blowing broken dreams and a thousand wishes.

And she cries while she disappears.

To be continued…

"What do you have that is so valuable to us, Torika?" The cold voice breaks the silence that has surrounded them for the past few moments. It is like a knife, cutting through the butter, but it is not warm. It struggles, the friction mounting, until it breaks.

Torika sits down in the grass, admiring the beautiful day. However, she doesn't notice that there is still one person to admire it with her.

"What's this?" The girl rubs her head and stands up, trying to figure out where she is. It is darkness. Pure darkness. "My dream!" she shouts, breaking the silence. It feels the same. The air has the same cold chill that pervades the whole space, and there is an echoing silence that infiltrates her heart. The ground is hard and cold. There isn't a speck of light. "Where am I, exactly?"

"You are in a place that can neither be identified nor mistaken." A soft, soothing voice breaks the silence, and a familiar face appears, brightening everything a little. Torika can see she is in a stone hallway, covered with ancient dirt and rubble.

"LIGHT, what's going on? Why did everyone disappear? Where did everyone go? And, most importantly, what am I supposed to do now?" Torika looks around, touching the cold walls as if they will react in someway. She backs into the middle, scratching her head, "Am I just supposed to stand here? Did I lose?"

"You haven't lost yet, Torika. Let me ask you what you should be asking yourself: what do you do when there is nothing else to do?" the Heart Card asks, standing beside Torika.

Torika looks ahead, into the dark hallway. "Move forward, I guess," Torika answers, taking a step forward. She looks back at LIGHT, who nods her head to go in the same direction, and the girl keeps walking, the Heart Card tagging close behind. It is silent while they walk except for the two sets of footsteps that hit the ground.

"Where am I going?" Torika asks, stopping for a second. She has been walking for a few minutes, a million questions running through your mind.

"Isn't it more important to ask yourself where you've been?"

"I guess, but I still want to know where I'm going, so at least I know when I've gotten there." Torika stares ahead of her, confused even at what she's saying.

"Well, if you keep moving forward, you'll eventually get there," LIGHT points out, shrugging.

Torika walks on, but she does not really walk. Automatically her body forces her to, but she is lost within her own mind, a pit of confusion and distrust. It is almost as black as the corridor she follows, a place where things need to be discovered and sorted out. It's almost as if she's inside her own head. "Is that where I am? Inside my mind?" she asks, continuing to walk although she's focused on other things.

"Yes and no."

"What kind of answer is that? Doesn't anyone ever give black-and-white answers? I mean, there has to be someone who isn't mysterious."

"Nothing is black-and-white, Torika, you must understand that. There is nothing that is completely true, and yet, there is nothing that is completely false. Isn't it true that even though I, being the LIGHT card, am supposed to be flawlessly white, I have little specks of black? Isn't it true that even during the night-time, there is still the moon's light to guide us, and during the day time there is shade to cool us down? Nothing is black-and-white, Torika, and nothing ever will be."

Torika considers this, and continues walking. It has been a while since she realized anything, and it is true, really. But not completely.

"I have to go now, Torika, but you have to stay. You need to do this on your own," LIGHT says, breaking the silence yet again. The girl turns around and looks at the Heart Card in disbelief.

"But where am I supposed to go? And what am I supposed to do?"

"It will make sense soon, just like most things do. As to where you're going, it should be straight a head. Good luck, Torika. Your life, and the lives of those around you, depend on it."

LIGHT disappears, and it is pitch-black again.

"She will be here soon. I can sense it." His voice is excited and tense, even a bit anxious, as he sits down on the small chair. It is pitch-black now, contrary to what it was before. This place has changed a lot within the past few hours, that is for sure.

"I'm glad she made it, and with such stunning grace, too. I'm almost glad FIREY disobeyed. They are very loyal to her, that I can tell," another voice replies, looking out into the darkness.

"But still, something bothers me, little one. For starters, I don't like the state of this place. I mean, if it's really going to be like this, I don't think she has a very good chance at winning this thing. It's a long-shot." The voice has calmed down now, turning into a half-sigh. The breath travels through the walls, bouncing across every stone.

"It will change. You just watch. It will change."

"I hope you're right, because I sense she is almost here. Let us pray that she can do her best and win this thing, for all of us. If she loses…well, let's not go there. For now, I wish her the greatest of prosperity, and a whole lot of luck. I think…yes, here she comes now. Let the final battle begin."

Torika sprints down the hallway as fast as she can, puffing hard and pumping her arms and legs. She knows she heard something. She knows she did. "Clow, was that you?" she asks, arms outstretched.

And all of a sudden, she knows that she is at her destination.

"Ah, my little descendant has arrived," the sorcerer says in a much more serious tone. It's almost as if he has changed persona since their last meeting, and she can tell just from that little sentence. It's almost…worried.

"Where am I? What's going on?" Torika pants as she looks around, but it's still pitch black.

"You are in what you have created. You should have already figured out what's going on, what has been going on for a while. Sit down, child, let me explain things to you. I really do think you owe an explanation." He gives a light chuckle as a solitary footstep echoes across the floor.

"I'm in what? I created this? I've never even known about this place," Torika points out, looking around for anybody, anything. She feels like she is drowning in the darkness, that if she doesn't see light soon enough, she will cease to function.

"Yes. This place is very special Torika. It is special in that whatever your state of mind is, this place will reflect it. For example, because your mindset happens to be confused and a little hopeless, this place is pitch-black and cold as stone. As soon your mindset changes everything about this place will change. And what is going on, that is not as simple as explaining what this place is. It is a mix of a lot of things. We are testing your abilities, yes, but it's not exactly that."

Torika nods, but Clow can't see. Still, this is all so confusing, so overwhelming. "My friends. Where are they?"

"Well, I guess it depends. Where do you want them to be?" Clow flashes a witty smile and waits for the girl to respond. His robes fall to the floor, providing needed warmth in the cold place. Torika is glad Maddy didn't make her a skirt or a short-sleeved shirt.

"Very funny. I want to know about what's going on. Who is the person behind this. Is it you?" Torika is slightly amused, for talking to the sorcerer is a pleasant experience. Even in all seriousness, he seems to lift your worries from your chest, even if only for a second. She smiles like him, looking into the darkness. And then, it's not dark anymore.

"Ah, that's much better. Glad you're happy, my little descendent. Either way, you know who is behind this, you just don't know you know. Either way, the final battle is a test of all you've learned. It will be with someone you may not expect, or someone you've known all along. Either way, there is something at stake." She can see him now, his eyes slanted in a strange determination. He is not as loose as normal, he is much more uptight, and he shows it all in the aura around him.

"What's at stake?" she asks, knowing very well what it could be. It could be her friends, her family, anything.

"Your magic." The two words that slither out of Clow's mouth mean more than anything else in the conversation. Her magic has become her life, it has become all she has come to recognize, the common point of many of her friends. She can't imagine life without magic, without being able to control the Heart Cards, without being able to stay in contact with everything.

"So is that why we had the first part? To wear me out?" She looks to the ground, realizing how tired she is. The only thing keeping her going is the hopes of everything going back to normal, to have a nice, long rest and a day with her friends and family.

"No. You must realize that the cards were trying to help you. They battled in ways they thought would bring out your bond with the cards, your ability to summon them. And, according to the results we have here, it worked."

"That makes total sense!" she exclaims, before remembering the task ahead of her, "I have to do this, don't I? I can't just pass it up?" she asks hopefully, looking at Clow with wistful eyes. He shakes his head, but holds up his finger.

"Still, there is one more catch, but it's not bad. Remember, Torika, your mindset controls this very place. You have to use that to your advantage; you can't let it fall to the wayside. It may just be the most important thing to remember." The magician winks as he slowly sinks back into the shade. "Your opponent will be here soon, Torika. Prepare yourself the best you can, even though I know it's not easy. Nothing ever will be, Torika. Remember that too."

The girl nods to herself as she tries to control the millions of thoughts running through her heads. She tries to subdue her feelings, but they insist on running wild through her very existence. And for once, she lets them.

"I wish my friends were here. But they can be, if I want them to. They are here, what was I thinking? My friends are here!" Torika screams, and she is correct. Standing next to her are all of the people who disappeared. Natsume, Kero, Hana, Yue, Maddy, they all stand next to her, smiling and looking onto her.

"Torika, keep your guard up. And remember, there is more than one way to win, Torika," Kero instructs, smiling. It is almost like he never disappeared, that he was guiding her all along. And maybe he was.

Footsteps echo on the stony ground, and a shrouded figure enters the room. Torika is determined to beat him, whoever he is, and the setting changes. They are in a colosseum, as if in ancient times. In the daylight, Torika can see her opponent. It is all she knew and all she didn't expect. It is everything at once.

It is her father.

And then it comes to Torika, unexpectedly. The TIME card in her fortune, the one card she couldn't decipher, makes total sense. Father Time. She is battling her father. She lightly kicks herself.

"So, am I supposed to kill you? I can't do that!" Torika is surprisingly calm, keeping her cool under the immense pressure thrown upon her.

"No, you aren't. You're just supposed to win. Try your best, Torika. Remember, this is a test, so it will challenge you. I'm going to put you in situations where you could die. But, Torika, you must also remember that I don't want you to."

She smiles, remembering the Heart Cards, and how they were reluctant to kill her. Taking a step back, she surveys her father. This doesn't feel serious, it feels elating. She is fighting her father. Just the prospect of it shoots adrenaline into her very veins. "So, how am I supposed to win, then? Knock you out? Score points or something?"

"That's for you to figure out," he replies, drawing his sword from its hilt, "now, the final battle begins."

And it does. Torika immediately summons SWORD, almost instinctively, and rushes at her father. He retaliates, and they begin to fight. She strikes, pulls back, parries, does everything SWORD allows. It is an amazing sight to watch, but it only lasts for so long as her father knocks SWORD out of her hand.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Torika." He throws a punch, squaring her in the face. Her eyes widen, and saliva spills from her mouth. It is now that she realizes how serious this battle really is.

Clouds roll in. There is thunder in the distance.

Torika fights her hardest now, but does not land a single punch. Her father knows every move, because he taught it to her, he taught it all to her. Lightning strikes as Torika lands a blow on her father's arm, and thunder rumbles as he retaliates, throwing his fist into her chest. She stumbles back, wiping the bottom of her mouth. Li's lips curl slowly into a smile. He raises his sword and brings a charm out from a pouch at his back. "God of thunder, hear my call!" he shouts, and lightning comes from out of no where.

Torika falls back, but SHIELD protects her. She is awestruck. Nothing seems to be working. She has no idea how to win.

"Torika! Believe in yourself! The cards are with you to help you, not to wait on the sidelines!" It is Natsume, jumping up and down in the stands of the colosseum. She is spirited, her long hair bouncing up and down as she does.

The auburn-haired girl nods, and sends a jet of water at her father. It narrowly misses. "Now this is what I'm talking about," he whispers to himself.

Vines sprout from the ground below, but Li slashes through them with his sword, not showing the least bit of trouble. A gust of wind blows him back, but he jumps forward as soon as it lets up, sending a gale at Torika. She retaliates, sending multiple fireballs whirling towards her father, but he dodges them with ease. It's not working.

"I can't win. There's no way. I don't have enough energy for this."

"You may not have energy, but you have to have hope." A familiar voice. Torika smiles.

"Yes, you're right. There's nothing I can accomplish without a little hope in my heart. Thanks. Now, I think I know what to do. If cards alone can't beat him in individual respects, maybe it's time for a little unity. That's what my dream was telling me. It's no use doing things all by yourself, it's only good if you're able to work with someone else. With friends. Friends are the key to not failing." She says this as she breathes hard, looking up at her father. Sweat glistens on his brow, but other than that, he doesn't seem to be tired at all. "Time to get this over with!" she screams, a light forming around her.

"LITTLE, FLOWER, SHIELD and SWORD, come to me to end this war. FIREY, WATERY, DARK and LIGHT, all of the Heart Cards unite!" she chants, holding her staff in her hand.

They all appear around her, in a sort of huddle. They are in a perfect circle, and they hold something out, an ounce of their power. Slowly, each ounce floats to the middle of the circle, right in front of Torika, and it begins to form together. Her eyes sparkle. It's coming together.

Slowly, the balls conform into one rectangle. It floats down into Torika's hand, glowing a little bit. She peers down at it. The words inscribed on the bottom in gold make her heart flutter. It says The TORIKA.

"Once I use this card, I have won this battle. It's been by my rules all along. This is the winning ticket. Thank you, Heart Cards, for supporting me, and I have unmoving gratitude for my friends. Without you guys, I wouldn't be who I am today." She is tearing as she looks into the stands at all of her undying supporters.

"No problem!" Yue shouts.

"Okay, let's get this done with. To win this battle and to pass this test, I hereby call upon the powers of…TORIKA!" She hits her staff into the card, and something floats out, something that looks like all of the cards rolled into one, a majestic angel of some sorts. Torika watches it with awe, and she knows that this is it, that this is what everyone was aiming for. This is her true potential.

But, she has used up too much energy. She can't stay up for much longer, and she knows. Catching a last glimpse of the angel, her mind retreats into a state of true happiness, and she falls back into a field of grass, under the broken shade of a tall tree.

Torika sits with her mother under the shade of the tree, admiring the beautiful day. It is a miracle, a burst of sunshine to be there. It is almost a dream.

"Sunlight at dusk casts a red light onto the plains, just like fire. I close my eyes and look inside my heart. Who am I waiting for?"