Chapter Thirty Three: Demons of the Past

The rain made it just a bit tough to see, but Xehanort's black coat stood out against the transient purple color of the sky. I stepped up the stairs slowly.

"So... Xehanort. Here we are again," I said to him. "Tell me... what are you really after?"

"Kingdom Hearts, what else?" Xehanort answered, turning around. "With the power of Kingdom Hearts, I could do whatever I want. With its power, I could end this pointless war."

"War... whatever you're talking about, it doesn't matter," I said, summoning Way to the Dawn. "It ends now."

"I still hold a place in your heart, regardless of what you believe," Xehanort said. "You believe you can defeat me when I control you?"

"You don't control me any longer," I said to him. "I took control of your darkness long ago. It's my weapon now."

"So... you're going to take me on," Xehanort muttered, summoning Aerial Blades from his palms. "I see. You're intent on this, even without support."

I could feel electricity crackling between us... our wills fought head on...

"Still... every light must fade. Every heart return to darkness!" Xehanort shouted. His Heartless guardian appeared behind him, and he began floating slightly. "This is the fundamental nature of existence: all things exist to fade."

"That's not true!" I shouted at him. "Sora and I defeated you and your darkness! That was years ago; now, I can do it myself!"

This is the way I want it to be: one on one. I wouldn't have it any other way... well, having Sora with me would be nice.

I smirked to myself.
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It thundered and rained as we stood there, looking at each other for a moment. We stood still, waiting for the other to make a move. I finally made the move, dashing around his side to get at Xehanort's back. I was blocked by his Guardian Heartless, then parried a blow from one of Xehanort's Aerial Blades.

I jumped back, then flowed darkness into Way to the Dawn to cut his Guardian Heartless a bit. It fell, but would soon reform itself; before that, I engaged Xehanort in a fierce round of strikes and parries. I was at a bit of a disadvantage; he had two Aerial Blades, though I had only my one Keyblade. He was incredibly strong... just a little weaker than Lexaeus... but his other skills made him a far more daunting opponent.

I had to jump back to block Aerial Lasers which were coming to blast me, and as I did, his Guardian Heartless got back to full strength. I grimaced.

He really is a lot stronger as a whole being...

I attacked Xehanort again, going as fast as I could. I managed to get around his back, but his Guardian Heartless soon intervened and tossed rounds of dark energy at me. I jumped over them, hit the Guardian Heartless in the head, then jumped on the Guardian Heartless to face Xehanort. We attacked again; he didn't want the protection of his Guardian Heartless, it seemed...

We clashed in a contest of strength. I was able to hold my ground, but for how much longer, I couldn't say.

I jumped back, avoiding the Guardian Heartless which shot out of the ground along with an energy field.

"Coward," I shot at Xehanort.

"How am I a coward?" he asked. "I am only trying to delay the inevitable. Even you should be thanking me."

"Shut it!" I shouted, dashing forward. His Guardian Heartless rose to protect him again, but I managed to cut it down once more. I knew I had limited time, so instead of pointless attacks, I used a Dark Break. After several hits got in, Xehanort began to shoot at me with Aerial Lasers, so I backed off. When I got back to my ready stance, Xehanort seemed to be unafflicted...

"You thought dark abilities would hurt me?" he taunted. "I use darkness as well. My guardian is a Heartless!"

"You... you bastard..." I muttered, breathing a little heavily.

Xehanort moved to strike me with more dark energy bursts from his Guardian Heartless, which had managed to reform itself. I blocked those energy bursts with Way to the Dawn, then parried blows from Xehanort's Aerial Blades... even though I was beginning to run out of steam...

I jumped back, focusing. Thanks to the rain, I wasn't too hot, but I...

"Running out of steam already, Riku?" Xehanort taunted. "I thought you were better than that after all these years."

I panted, then striaghtened out.

"I won't give up," I said to him. "You're nothing more than a demon of my past. My past... I put that behind me. I won't let my past defeat me!"

I gathered light energy.

"Light? Even a tainted person like you can..." Xehanort muttered, seemingly afraid. "I see... you've atoned."

I channeled the light energy into Way to the Dawn, making it take on a full-angelic appearance...

Dawn...

"Right... let's see you stand up to this!" I shouted as thunder rolled. I attacked his Guardian Heartless with Dawn, which slew it in a single strike, then made an appropriate pose.

"The light will defeat you... Xehanort," I said to him. "No matter what... I'll kill you."

"Oh? Then... let's tip the scales in my favor," he said. I could see something odd happening to him... as if he were beginning to fade into two...

He's splitting himself again into his Heartless and Nobody to gain the upper hand!

I rushed at him, just in time to be blocked by one of Xemnas' Aerial Blades.

Here's where it gets interesting...