Chapter 4

Ryan had found the outside of town, but it was a barren wasteland with great rocks jutting out every which way and trenches gouged out the land.

In the distance he could see a great castle. Ryan felt drawn to the castle, but at the same time he feared the very essence of the castle.

Darkness must have ruled there once, Ryan thought to himself. He turned away from the castle and started to walk back to town.

"I'll ask Leon about it," Ryan said to himself.

Ryan stopped. A small heartless stood in his way. It looked curiously at him.

Ryan knew he could defeat it without the keyblade; it was weak. Ryan turned and walked the other way, his back to the little heartless.

The heartless followed him, moving like a shadow. Ryan could feel the darkness within the creature, but if it did attack a swift kick would destroy it.

Ryan turned to attack the creature, but it had disappeared. Ryan felt an uneasiness fill his heart; something big was going to happen, right here and now.

Ryan spun around, thinking that maybe it was trying to ambush him from the sides or behind. But the little heartless was nowhere to be found.

A deep rumbling shook the ground. Ryan held out his arms for balance. Black spots appeared over the terrain, making the rocky ground appear like an ocean of black.

Ryan's breath caught in his throat. Darkness weighed down on him, causing an invisible pressure that made his knees shake and sweat form on his face and neck.

The blackness started to rise, forming a vast array of heartless. Ryan looked on, fear rising in his chest.

Ryan turned to run, but the heartless blocked his path. They closed in and formed a tight circle, eliminating any chance of escape.

"O.K.," Ryan said to himself, "It looks like I will have to fight."

Ryan slid his Right foot back and positioned himself into a fighting stance. He opened his right hand, waiting for the power to surge and form a keyblade.

"What!" Ryan said looking at his empty hand. "Why…"

The keyblade failed to come. Fear rose, and Ryan's breath quickened. He stood alone; hope seemed to vanish.

Ryan turned to the dark town of Hollow Bastion; it was to far away for anyone to hear him yell. But, Ryan judged the distance, and he figured that if he ran fast enough he could reach it and get Leon.

Ryan looked down at the heartless; he knew he would never make it through without a weapon.

No, Ryan thought desperately, I need to abandon fear and sorrow.

This was impossible; the heartless that swarmed around him fueled his fear and encouraged his sadness for the end.

The heartless could feel all Ryan's emotions; it gave them the desire to steal his heart.

The heartless sprang at Ryan all at the same time.

Ryan faced them; he would not close his eyes this time.

The heartless were almost on top of Ryan; they blotted out the sun, making themselves seem more immense.

A sword rang though the air, sending a deadly note though the mass of shadow. The heartless that lunged at Ryan were no more, just a mass of dissolving shadows.

A strawberry sent filled Ryan's lungs. Ryan turned around to see a girl standing with her back to him.

She had brown hair with various hot pink streaks running through it. She wore white Capri pants and a black short sleeved shirt. The thing that caught Ryan's eye was the pink claymore with darker pink butterflies foraged onto it that she held. It was as tall as she was but she wielded it with easy.

"Ryan, are you hurt?" she asked. Though he could not see her face, he knew she was worried.

"I-I am fine," Ryan said a little embarrassed.

She sighed, relieved. "You need to summon you keyblade."

"I tried," Ryan said, "I… I guess I'm not the master of the keyblade…"

"Not if you think like that," she snapped, "You can do it, I believe in you."

Ryan felt color rise in his cheeks. "O.K.," he said confidently. "I can do this."

Ryan opened his right hand once again. The power of the keyblade surged in his veins and lit his blood on fire.

"Lets go!" Ryan said holding his white keyblade proudly.

The girl gave a little giggle. "Yes!"

Ryan lunged at the swarm in fount of him. He easily defeated ten heartless in three swings.

Ryan glanced over at the girl. She stood motionless, back to him.

Ryan fought off a few heartless that tried to attack him, but he never took his eyes off the girl.

The heartless formed a circle around her, like they did to Ryan. Then, the heartless jumped.

Ryan was about to yell, but he saw the claymore glow in a soft pink light.

There was a streak of light, then the heartless disappeared. The girl stood there with small butterflies made of light fluttering around her. She stood without caring, like it was no big deal.

Ryan focused on the tasks at hand; now and again he saw a burst of light from the corner of his eye or maybe the wing of at butterfly pass by.

Soon the heartless were gone. Ryan was out of breath and sat down as soon as the heartless were gone.

Ryan marveled at the girl, not because of her fighting skills, but on how she always had her back to him.

"Wow," Ryan huffed. "You have some amazing sword skills."

"I have trained a lot," she said uninterested.

"Well, I just want to thank you," Ryan said not turning away from her. "This is the second time you have saved me…"

Ryan waited for her to answer, but she remained silent.

Ryan stood up and brushed his pants off. "Well that's all," Ryan said, a little disappointed that she failed to acknowledge his thank you.

Ryan looked towards Hollow Bastion and saw Leon, Yuffie and Cid running towards them.

"Hey!" Ryan yelled waving his hands in the air.

The girl stiffened. "I'd better be going." She put her huge sword in the stealth on her back and walked away.

"Wait," Ryan said.

She stopped and waited for Ryan to speak. The party moved closer and closer to the two worriers in the baron battlefield.

"Why are you so afraid to show your face to me?" Ryan asked slowly, unsure how she would react. "You tell me to not be afraid, but why are you?"

She laughed. "That's why your keyblade master and I am not," she said simply.

Ryan could tell she wanted to leave before Leon and the others get here.

"The past haunts us all," she said, she started to walk away.

"What is your name?" Ryan yelled.

She stopped and seemed to consider the question.

"I go by many names," she said, with a wave of her hand.

"How about Katie, the master assassin!" Yuffie said running up along side Ryan.

"Or do you prefer the Butterfly Assassin!" Leon said solemnly.

Cid followed; he was the only one out of breath.

The girl chuckled. "Either of those work."

The Butterfly Assassin grabbed the hilt of her claymore. Leon grabbed his gunblade and Yuffie pulled out daggers. Cid seemed lost but put up his fists.

"Don't worry," the Butterfly Assassin said with a laugh. "It would be a waste of my time and energy to fight you."

She turned to them, a smile upon her face.

Ryan gasped his eyes wide with surprise.

"Katie?" Ryan asked.

Leon, Yuffie, and Cid turned to him; confused looks set on their faces.

"In the flesh Ryan," Katie said with a sad smile.

Ryan felt tears rush to his eyes, but he held them back. He stepped forward, but Leon stepped in front of him.

"Leon?" Ryan looked up at him, confused.

"This girl has killed many people," Leon said with a glare. "She also sells her skills and kills for a job."

Ryan looked from Leon to Katie, then back to Leon. Ryan was speechless. This was all happening to fast and the world spun around Ryan.

Ryan's legs gave way and he fell to the ground.

Ryan could hear his name being shouted but darkness took him before he could figure out who it was.