Hey, guys! Everyone liked last chapter, so that's good! Shout outs:

Lucenthia: Thanks, and yeah I agree! Mine too. There'll be something else like that coming this chapter, too. Ha, I had already thought about that and yeah, Riku stated something similar earlier. "Who's it gonna be after Eclipse?" or something like that.

The Unknowing Herald: Haha, kinda! I'd say he's a strategist. If he knows there are already melee fighters in the battle, he's more likely to take a magical standpoint. 1000, just like we talked about.

Legionary Prime: Thanks, man! That means a lot!

13TheAce: Ha, you haven't seen anything yet! Yes it will, very much so!

T1M3: About time, haha! Thanks! Well, that's good that you feel bad for him, because I never intended him as the villain that everyone hated. I wanted him to be a likeable character who could still serve as the believable antagonist.

Celeron96: Well, something like that, haha! Thanks! Alright, cool I'll address that!

So Celeron has either already done so, or is about to post the Eternity Fang on his DA page. Please give him some feedback! Even if you(like me) don't have a DA account, PM him on this site and let him know! He works really hard at doing these things for me, and I appreciate him a lot.

So anyway, you guys know what I own, right?

Chapter 48: Justice and Vengeance

(Unbreakable Chains, Birth by Sleep)

Eclipse exploded with Corruption's energy and angrily stared at his opponent. Marek engulfed himself in his dark aura and readied the Eternity Fang. "This will be our final clash, Mary. No more shall we continue this dance. At the end of this day, one shall live. The other shall be reunited with Storm and await the arrival of the third." the possessed mercenary yelled. Marek narrowed himself and stood up, addressing the sentient other within his former friend.

"Corruption! You're a Divine Being, are you not? Why do you always have to act through someone else? Do you not have the strength to battle a human yourself?" he taunted. The thing within Eclipse growled as they began pacing around each other.

"Do not test me, Human. Today, the mighty Marek Rikkison shall lay slain at my feet, soon to be followed his pathetic family and friends." Corruption growled as he spread his essence out and sent Eclipse running toward the waiting Keyblader.

Their blades crashed against each other with an echoing ring, the power behind their swings such that it sent gusts of wind in all directions. "Get over yourself. I beat you when you had the LE under your thrall. Now you've got this fake? Losing your nerve, Corruption?" Marek taunted as he pushed against his former friend's sword. Corruption roared loudly and sent out a burst of gray energy from his palms. It had been what the Keyblader was waiting for, even though it knocked him back several feet.

He stopped and looked down at his hand, which had absorbed the energy. He then looked up at Eclipse with a smirk as he sent the energy flying back at him. The mercenary threw his electrified swords at the energy, causing a large explosion that left smoke in its wake. As it cleared, Marek saw his enemy walking through a gray portal, and he sprinted after him. He surged darkness out through his limbs, dashing across the plateau and tackling him into the portal.

A portal of Corruption's energy was unlike anything he had ever felt before. While the dark portals held shadows and subtle threats, there was always a path to be found, if one knew what to look for. But in this portal, he grappled with his opponent as they free-fell into nothingness. "Foolish Rikkison. Now you are in my domain!" Corruption yelled gleefully as he grabbed onto the man's shoulders and began leeching in his energy from all around them. Corruptive essence spewed into both of them, strengthening Eclipse, but causing Marek an insane amount of pain. His body began convulsing from it, and he didn't know how he was going to get out of this.

But then he realized. Who had Eclipse been working under for a year now, learning from him? Anetar, master of illusions. He smirked as he clenched his stomach and forced his inner darkness outward. Dark vapor poured out of his limbs, his mouth, and his eyes. It began to surround them, blinding Eclipse and making him back away. Marek then flexed his arms and suddenly, all of the dark vapor exploded around them, tearing away of the seams of this fake 'portal.'

As they stepped back onto the hard ground of their plateau, he looked over and watched Eclipse himself back up to his feet. That was when the mercenary's whole body glowed blue, and he flung his electric swords outward. They circled around him repeatedly, slashing the ground in countless places and going in their own little circles as they did. The electricity from his swords ran up his arms as he slowly ascended into the air, his legs crossed and his arms outstretched. The slashes in the plateau suddenly glowed with blinding light, catching Marek in the crossfire. Then, several pieces of rock came up out of the ground and began floating up toward Eclipse.

Marek quickly leaped up and planted his feet on one as Eclipse lowered himself onto another. Now they both stood on top of flying rocks, whilst surrounded by countless others that were idly floating. "I'm prepared to die today, Mary. Question is, are you too scared to join me?" Aaron asked his former friend as he reached out his hand to him. The former lord of darkness calmly shook his head.

"I've found something worth living for. Death is the easy way out. I will live with my actions, and make things right. And the best way to do that, is to start here!" he yelled as he flexed his hand and poured more dark vapor out of his hand, this time flowing it into his rock and attuning it to his mind. He mentally ordered it forward, and it soared toward Eclipse's floating rock.

They came up next to each other, and the two quickly began striking at each other again. Marek wielded the Eternity Fang possessed, and maybe he was possessed. But not by the Divine Beings, and not by vengeance. By a need to free his friend of this horrible menace he had opened his heart to. As much as he hated him, he didn't want to see Aaron turn into another Illusion. No one deserved that fate. And so he fought more furiously than he ever had before.

MEANWHILE, DOWN ON THE GROUND….

Jack quickly cut down a hooded Silhouette coming at him, just barely noticing Eraqus shoot another down with a light spell. He stopped and stared at what he was seeing.

In the heart of the Silhouette army, he saw Terra, Roxas, and Sora all dueling Anetar, the revealed face behind all of this. But, even with all three of them, they were losing. The Ancient was too quick. Every time one of them almost had him, he vanished and caught them off guard again. He quickly ran in their direction, swiftly bringing down any who stepped in his way.

He slowed to a stop as Lea charged across the area in front of him, pillars of darkness following in his wake as he dashed over to Xion, who was battling Ansem, Young Xehanort, and Lexaeus all at once.

He didn't see where Namine, Ven, Aqua, Rayne, and Riku were, but he knew Anetar was the big fish, and he wasn't to be taken lightly. He charged his fist with light as he leaped over a final wave of enemies barring his way and came crashing down out of the air. Anetar had turned away to dodge a strike from Sora, and saw the former Wanderer's fist at the very last second. Jack smirked as his knuckles connected to flesh, and made the Ancient stumble back momentarily. Now, the five of them circled him, coming at him from all sides, but Anetar didn't seem worried in the least.

BACK UP ON THE PLATEAU…..

Marek yelled furiously as he flew his rock up and under Eclipse, slashing it through and brandishing his blade. Eclipse leaped off of the remnants of his rock and threw his swords out as he back-flipped onto another one. The Rikkison batted them away, watching them soar away in opposite directions. He then watched with dismay as he called them back to his hand and floated facing him. "You will never understand why you fight, my friend. You are no lord of darkness, not anymore. And yet, neither are you a denizen of light." Eclipse told him calmly as their rocks circled each other. Marek shrugged his shoulders and twirled the Eternity Fang as he held it back over his head in a ready position.

"Think I care? I know what I am." he replied as he held out his palm and blasted the mercenary's rock to bits with dark energy. He looked up as Eclipse simply flew up into the air, now standing on his swords. He flew higher into the air and stared at the Rikkison with a sneer. (end Unbreakable Chains)

"You do care, Mary. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here." he replied casually as he yawned and placed his hands on his hips, waiting for Marek to make his move. The Keyblader glared up at him and sighed.

"I think now, I finally understand. This whole time, I was trying to figure out who I truly am, and now that I'm standing here at this moment, I know." he replied as he widened his feet and put the Eternity Fang down by his side as he stared up at his opponent. "I do not belong with the beings of darkness, but neither do I stand with the holy ones of light. You know what that makes me, Aaron?" he asked loudly as he prepared himself. (Marek's Theme 1{Archangel, Two Steps from Hell})

He began glow with even more darkness now, and Eclipse stared at him with wide eyes. "I'm something stronger, something far more powerful, and dangerous. I am…..an Archangel!" he roared as his wings exploded outward, extending along his back as he flew into the sky, gripping the Eternity Fang firmly as he neared his opponent.

"Well, come on, then!" Eclipse yelled to him as they clashed in the air. Standing on sword and fighting with the other, the mercenary was starting to accept that he was outmatched. Marek swung once and spun around, bringing his blade around to the side and swinging it low. Aaron blocked both strikes and soared away over the battlefield, but the Rikkison quickly gave chase.

Eclipse hovered high over the center of the army and waited for him, but Marek looked to the clouds overhead and yelled something unintelligible as he pointed his blade at his waiting opponent. A wide bolt of lightning soared downward toward him, but the mercenary didn't even blink. He grabbed onto both of his swords and channeled his own electricity up into it. It wasn't powerful enough to deflect it, but it sent it off course.

Lea was fighting down below when the lightning hit, incinerating everything around and blasting him onto his back. He smelled singed hair, and glared up as he stood back to his feet. "Hey, Dark Ricky! Watch it!" he yelled as he shook his fist at him. Marek glanced down and gave him the finger as he soared toward Eclipse, his wings flapping loudly behind him.

He came upon his enemy, swinging his blade furiously. When Eclipse blocked, the dark Rikkison spun upward, bringing his feet up and kicking him in the chin as hard as he could. Eclipse groaned as he fell back through the air, and then glared at him as he soared up into the clouds. "Really? Damn coward…" Marek muttered as he flew up after him. Normally, using his wings would have been draining on him already, but he was fine. Maybe it was his adrenaline. Or maybe it was just because he had let go of everything that was weighing him down.

He soared up through the clouds and looked around. Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing but cloud. He rolled his eyes as he spun around blocked Eclipse's strike. "Seriously? Now you're just getting predictable." he told him. Aaron glared at him and swung twice. Marek moved to block, but the mercenary spun around and kicked him across the face. As the white haired man stumbled back, Eclipse flew after him with the intent of driving his swords into the other man's eyes. But then, Marek looked up, letting go of the Eternity Fang and grabbing onto Eclipse's wrists. The other man struggled against him, trying to break free from his grasp.

"I made you, I turned you into the warrior you are today! And now you turn on me yet again." Eclipse muttered. Marek pulled him in close, their furious faces mere inches apart.

"Then, I guess I'm Frankenstein's monster." he replied coldly as he began spinning repeatedly in the air.

When he had built up enough momentum, he let out a loud yell and let go of his opponent. Eclipse went plummeting down through the air at breakneck speed, with Marek in pursuit.

Several moments later, the mercenary hit the ground with a nasty crunch, only for Marek to land on him a moment later. Eclipse let out an echoing scream of pain that could be heard across the entire valley. (end Archangel)

(Make Your Own Fate, Epic Score)

Marek stepped off of his beaten enemy and raised the Eternity Fang. He watched as Eclipse groaned in agony and gray vapor issued out of his body. Corruption was leaving him to find another host. He quickly slashed at the vapor, but all he heard was the Divine Being's echoing laugh as it disappeared. He then turned and stared at Eclipse as he prepared to end it, just like he had planned a year ago. "Go on, Mary. Finish it here. I guess this was the way it would always be, right? I'm left to be killed by a monster of my own making. Seems only fitting, my friend. Maybe….maybe things might have been different had I never brought you into the Agency." he murmured. Marek slightly lowered his blade and looked at him.

"Is that supposed to be an apology?" he asked. Eclipse laughed even though he was so badly hurt that it was aching in his chest.

"Oh, nay nay, Mary. Did you really think I would sit here and tell you how sorry I am for everything that happened? You've had such a harsh life, well boohoo. At least you had your chance at love. Mine deserted me for another man." he spat back at him. Marek sighed and held the Eternity Fang out.

"Then I mourn you, not as this. I mourn Aaron Drennan, my best friend in life until he died and left behind this shell of an assassin who's known only as Eclipse." he told him calmly. Eclipse angrily managed to lean up on his elbows.

"JUST KILL ME NOW!" he screamed, wanting it to be over. Marek readied his blade, knowing this was what he had wanted for so many years now.

But no. He shook his head as he stabbed the Eternity Fang into the ground. "Live with what you did here today. That will be your true penance. I'm not a reaper, and I'm no saint. I'm not gonna pass judgment on you. Kalanna wouldn't want that. Go, and be grateful for your life." he told him sadly, as if his friend really was dead. He then turned and walked away, setting his sights on Anetar. (end Make Your Own Fate)

Eclipse gasped for breath, and then looked over at where one of his swords lay on the ground. He furiously reached out to it, and it flew into his hand. He managed to stand to his feet, and he made one final charge toward the other man. Marek turned around and saw him coming, waiting calmly. "Aaron, no!" yelled a voice.

Both men stared as a transparent image of Kalanna appeared in between them. "He has given you life! Don't waste it! Aaron, you were always my friend, but I chose him. He did not turn me against you, and he didn't brainwash me or kidnap me. I'm telling you myself. I chose him. I need you to accept this, and let him go." she told him calmly.

At seeing her, Eclipse fell to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes. "Kal, I…I failed you. I'm sorry, I….I should have been a better man, a better friend, a better….." he trailed off, and she shook her head.

"Aaron, you failed no one, but yourself. We used to be a team. One day, we will be again. Until then, stay away from each other and let go of your hard feelings. Do this for me, please." she asked him sincerely. He slowly looked up at her and nodded.

"For you, anything." he replied. She smiled at him and turned, looking at Marek for a moment. He stared back at her and nodded, their words having already been said. She nodded back and vanished. It was then that Marek looked up on one rock that was still floating in the sky. He saw a transparent image of Bane. He said nothing. Instead, he looked to the sky and let out an echoing howl. Immediately, the clouds parted overhead, sunlight raining into the valley once more.

After that, Bane looked down at him and vanished. When he looked back over at Eclipse, he found the other man already gone. He exhaled deeply as he walked back to the plateau's edge and leaped off.

The LE was still fighting when he got there, but most of them were focusing on Anetar. He calmly walked through them, making his way in front of him as he held on to the Eternity Fang. Anetar laughed casually. "So now that you are surrounded by your betters, and you wield a weapon not your own, you are ready to truly battle me? Very well, let the games begin!" he yelled as he suddenly snapped his fingers. As the LE quickly turned and held the area behind him, he stared in front of him at the massive labyrinth that now took up the rest of the valley.

Anetar was inside. He knew that, and that was why he entered.

UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME LATER….

He had lost count of all the turns he had made, but he still saw no sign of Anetar. Every way he went, there was a straight path forward, which he took as a sign of this being the right way.

He stopped when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and looked, but that was when the hedges around him grew and closed together over his head, blotting out the sun and cutting out the light in the labyrinth. He calmly conjured a ball of flame in his free hand and attuned himself to his dark senses as he continued moving forward. He saw something move along the shadows to his right, but as he swung through the wall of hedges, something snaked up his arm and began coiling itself around him. He quickly pulled back, but it wasn't letting go. He then slammed his ball of fire onto the hedge, and it shrieked like something alive and released him.

"So don't touch the walls, now I know…" he muttered as he continued making his way forward.

But then he stopped and thought. Anetar was a master of illusions. That normally meant that nothing was as it seemed. What was the point of a labyrinth? To find one's way through to the other side? So what would be the opposite of that point? He suddenly realized, and he quickly began making his way back to the entrance.

He had to have gotten at least halfway back when he heard footsteps rapidly approaching. He stopped and readied his blade as he blasted the roof above him with dark fire, destroying part of it and letting light leak into the area.

He stopped in surprise as a battle weary Jack came running around the corner, Wanderer's Judgment in his hand. Marek sighed as he looked at his brother's clothing. It was torn in many places, and the younger brother was sporting many injuries from the battle. "There you are. I saw you come in here, and I've been trying to find you for almost an hour!" Jack sighed as he ran over and gave him a one armed hug. Marek nodded slightly as he glanced down at his clothes.

"Not like you to get sloppy during a battle." he retorted. Jack smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, what can I say? I was worried about my brother. Do you know the way out? Anetar's out there fighting everybody while you're lost in here with the only weapon that'll kill him." he explained. Marek nodded.

"Yeah, it's back that way." he pointed to the way his brother had come. Jack nodded.

"Well, you've been in here longer than I have. Lead the way, I've got your back." he replied. Marek nodded to his brother and walked past him a few steps. Then he stopped.

"Almost had me there." he thought as he whirled around and drove the Eternity Fang through Jack's chest.

Instantly, the labyrinth fell back into the ground and vanished. Jack morphed into Anetar while the real Jack and the rest of the LE made their way over to him. Marek glared at the Ancient as he jammed the blade even further into his body. Anetar's eyes went wide with pain. "This is no victory. This is….merely the beginning." he muttered. Marek leaned in close to him.

"Oh yeah? Well guess what. You won't be there for it. Buh-bye." he whispered as he pulled the blade out with a squelch. Anetar gasped and fell to the ground, no longer moving.

So the final battles are complete! Oh, but wait! There's still two more chapters left! Whatever could those be?! Stay tuned….*evil laugh*