Chapter 21! Kairi P.O.V.! Enjoy!

I gritted my teeth when she said only one will come out alive. It has to be me if I want to save the others. So I brought Destiny's Embrace up in a defensive position as she ran at me with her Keyblade, Fate's Embrace. I blocked her first combo but she swept her feet under, causing me to fall back but I caught myself and did a back flip to get back up, also kicking her right in the face, causing her to fall back onto the platform.

I ran for her but she went into the floor and appeared behind me. I quickly spun around and blocked her on going attacks. She just won't give up! I managed to strike her a few good times but she just laughed and came at me again. Why am I getting the idea she reminds me of Vanitas? Oh yeah, her attitude. I jumped away from her just as she shot Darkness at me and I flipped again, dodging her attack, making her annoyed that I wasn't an easy target. Aqua taught me to do the flip tricks. It really helps.

She came at me, shooting Darkness the whole way there and I dodged all of them by doing cartwheels around her and as soon as I was back on my feet I quickly raised my Keyblade and shot light at her, which hit dead on because I was behind her and she didn't spin around fast enough.

She yelled then came at me again and I gritted my teeth, holding my Keyblade up to stop her flow of attacks. "Just give up, Kairi!" she said angrily, "There's no way you can win against me! Your heart is too weak! Too filled with Light! Darkness brings you power! Power to become something for once!" "You're crazy if you think I'd give up or give in to the Darkness!" I shouted back, pushing back against her.

She growled and pushed back against me. Our Keyblades were locked and they way this is going neither of us can unlock unless we jump away from each other. and I know she won't. So I have to. I jump back only slightly, to free my Keyblade and she instantly comes at me again but I shoot light at her and she dodges it and knocks me down with a direct attack.

I cry out in pain and she attack me more now that I'm on the ground and can't protect myself. I bring Destiny's Embrace up to block and it works so I slowly get into a sitting position and push back enough for me to stand again then I go on the offensive and start to attack her ruthlessly with many combo attacks I learned from Riku and from Aqua.

I managed to push Ixakri to the edge of the platform, but I know pushing her off won't kill her so I don't bother, I just grab her coat and throw her past me and turn around and go at her again but she gets the upper hand now and attacks me instead of me attacking her and I have to fight hard just to keep her moves monitored and blocked. She's faster than I thought she was.

I get past her and shoot light at her and she falls back and I continue to shoot more light at her than I had before and it seemed to be working, until she disappeared into the floor again. I looked around, surveying everything, but I couldn't find a single trace of her. But I know she's here. I haven't injured her that badly, that's for sure.

I kept my eyes peeled and I watched everything until I saw her come up behind me and I instantly turned around and blocked her shot of Darkness with my Keyblade. "About time you showed yourself." I said, hatred filling my eyes. She smirks, "Is the Princess angry? You know anger leads to Darkness right?"

"Shut up!" I shouted, slashing across her with my Keyblade. She falls back and hit the platform, blood spilling from her huge open wound. A killing shot. "This isn't over, Kairi. The Darkness will win. You'll see, all your attempts at peace is all for nothing!" she laughs, blood spilling from her mouth. Darkness starts to swirl up around her and I walk away from her, knowing I had won this battle. "The Darkness will lose. I have learned to believe in my heart, and it tells me you're wrong." I said, looking at her with my head half turned.

"Your heart is weak, Kairi. It know nothing!" she spat. "My heart may be weak, and sometimes it may even give out, but deep down, there's a light that never goes out! No matter how much Darkness gets to me, my heart will never let it in! My faith is forever in the light!" I said, facing her again. "Then you are a fool." she says calmly, death finally getting to her.

"You're the fool, Ixakri. For actually believing Xehanort could do anything for you. He only wants to please himself. Don't you see? You were just another pawn to be disposed of for him. Just as the New Organization is. You meant nothing to him." I said, my eyes gental but my voice firm. "I'm the fool?" she asks, a smile on her face, "Then if I'm the fool, what does that make you? You, my Somebody?" "It makes me naive. But at least I know which side to fight for." I said calmly and evenly.

Ixakri disappeared after that and a portal of Darkness opened up in front of me. "Is that really the only way to get back? Go through the Darkness?" I asked in disgust. I sighed, Light protect me, and I went into the vortex of black and purple energy that I despised so much.

When I came out I was in the castle again, and Sora and now Riku were still fighting with Xehanort. When Xehanort spotted me he said, "It looks like she failed to kill you." "That's right." I said with confidence, "And now you have to look for a new member!" "I have a new member." he sneers. "Who?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"I will gladly show you, if you are willing to come with me." smiles Xehanort. I quickly summoned Destiny's Embrace and growled, "Not on your life, old man!" "Pity then." he shrugs, "I'm sure he'd love to see you and the others again." "What are you going on about?" Sora asked, angry now. Riku just glared at the old man before him.

Xehanort laughed, "If you want to meet the final member of the New Organization XIII then come with me." "Yeah, like we're stupid enough to do that." says Riku, rolling his eyes. "Yeah!" agrees Sora. I quick;y run up to my friends and join them, ready to fight this extremely powerful old man.

Xehanort smirks, "So be it. I'm sure you'll be happy to know someone did take me up on my offer, I'm sure you'd like to see him, right, Sora?" Sora's eyes widened, "Who do you have?" he growled, gripping his Keyblade very tightly. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." Xehanort laughed, disappearing in Darkness. "Come back you coward!" screams Sora angrily.

"Sora." says Riku, placing a hand on Sora's shoulder, "He's gone." "Damn it!" screams Sora. "Don't beat yourself up, Sora. We'll catch him." I said, trying to cheer the spunky brunette up. Soon after Aqua, Roxas, Axel, Xion, and Namine came in the room with us and I looked at them. "Did they all...?" I asked, leaving the end trailed because I know they know what I mean. They all nodded. "They all disappeared." says Roxas, "Gone."

Riku was still trying to calm Sora down so I took about everyone's injuries, giving them stuff to get their energy back up and casting cure on them all. Then I noticed the one person not in the group. I turned to Aqua, questions in my eyes. She looks back at me in a confused fashion. "Where's Ventus?" I asked. Sora immedietly turns towards us at the mention of Ventus's name. "What did you say?" he asks me. My eyes never left Aqua's. She didn't answer me, so I asked again, "Where's Ventus?" She said something I couldn't catch so I asked again, "Where's Ventus?"

"Gone." she said sadly, her eyes watering up now. I nodded, now realizing the meaning in Xehanort's words. He has Ventus. So now what? "What do you mean he's gone?" gasps Sora, "What happened?" "I'm not sure. He went into he castle to help you with the fight with Xehanort and he never came back. I thought he was here, but I realized he wasn't the minute I came in." she explained.

"Sow hen Xehanort said..." says Riku, coming to the same realization as I had. I nodded at him and he curses. "How could I have let this happen? I was supposed to watch out for everyone!" yells Riku. I put a hand on my best friend's shoulder and he looked at me. I pleaded with my eyes for him to calm down and he saw this and immedietly started to relax.

He swears again and walks away from me and looks around. I narrow my eyes in sadness and I go sit with Sora, to comfort him. "It's Ven isn't it?" he asks me, "That Xehanort has?" "Yes." I said, "But he isn't the thirteenth member." "Well then who is, Kairi?" he demanded, looking angry with himself. "I don't know, Sora." I sighed, "I just don't know."

Everyone seemed to be calming down now. That's good. They were actually chatting about. Well, deciding on battle strategies, but still chatting all the same. I sighed and watched as Namine comforted Roxas about his fractured shoulder he had received by getting hit by Lexaeus's hammer in the shoulder while protecting Namine.

I looked Sora over for injuries but he looked just fine. Though he was favoring his left wrist. "Are you okay?" I asked, "Were you injured during my absence?" "Yeah, just smashed my wrist is all. Riku says it should heal relatively fast since it's a clean break. It should be just fine." he says. "But can you fight with it?" I asked. "Probably not, I mean I can, just not very well." he sad. "Wellt hen that settles it." I said, "You won't be fighting until it heals. Understand me?"

"Yeah." smiles Sora. I looked around, to make sure no one was watching, then I looked back at Sora. "Kairi?" he asks in confusion, "You okay?" "I'm perfectly fine.' I smiled, "But you know, Sora. I love you." He blushes and smiles back saying, "I love you too, Kairi."

I leaned in, putting my hand on Sora's shoulder, and when our faces were inches apart, I closed my eyes and pressed my lips softly onto Sora's. For a second I was afraid he'd pull away, but he didn't. Instead, he kissed me back, softly at first, but then with feeling. Like he didn't want to ever let me go. "Yo, Romeo! Juliet!" laughs Riku, causing us to part, with beat red faces staring hatefully at our silver haired friend. "Aqua's got something to say." he says with a smile.

We got up and went over to the group she was in and once everyone was seated she looked us all over. She looked very serious, I wonder what's wrong? "I have very big news that I've just realized. " she said, "The only reason Ven would leave, and the only person Xehanort could use as the final Darkness; Xehanort has turned Terra into the thirteenth Darkness."