NOTE: Sorry, this took so long, but my motivation to upload for this story wasn't there for a while and this chapter doesn't have my best energy put into it. However, it finishes the stuff that I wanted to get done and we can finally move to the final parts of this story overall.

Review and Enjoy!

Chapter 25: Empty

Nome continued to read his book; the observer's eyes trailed through the contents with a neutral expression. "Have you ever wondered what your fate is?" Nome asked suddenly. The observer held his book with one hand as he got up from his seat. He walked towards the bookshelf in the room, brushing his fingers against the spine of the books.

"To achieve your brightest of dreams, falling in love, and dying a death of no regrets. Or you could fail spectacularly, never find love, and die alone," Nome continued to talk. He closed the book in his hands once he found what he was searching for. He placed it on the table and pulled the other book off of the shelves and opened it.

"Fate and time are like a double helix, the two work in tandem to keep reality flowing in the correct direction. For the planets Cray and Earth, those helixes are interconnected. If one were to destabilize then the other would fall apart soon after, dooming all of life on both worlds," Nome explained. He flipped some pages in the book before continuing to talk.

"Certain individuals are capable of changing the fate of both worlds, the ones who share a deep bond with planet Cray. The cardfighters who possess Psyqualia have time and time again forced the fates of Cray to bend to their wills. Whether their intentions were pure of good or filled with the desire for destruction," He stared down at the darkened pages of the book. The contents once filled to the brim with text were now blank and crusty. As if something had deleted them from existence.

"The fate of Aichi Sendou after he had defeated the Reverse was to be cursed with the seed of Link Joker. To gather a group of knights from around the world who would forego their own lives to seal him away. For him to erase the memories of himself from the minds of his family and friends forever," Nome projected an image from his mind.

The picture was of Aichi Sendou dressed in a general coat schemed with red and black, wearing a white collared shirt underneath, and black pants. His eyes were lacking their usual warmth, now radiating a dull and cold aura. Around him were several other people, three males and two females.

"Olivier Gaillard, Raul Serra, Phillippe Neve, and Ratie Curti were all National Champions recruited by Aichi Sendou to form the Quatre Knights. Kourin Tatsunagi would also join them, having been drawn to Aichi by the depths of their love for one another. Stationed on their Moon Palace, Aichi would be fated to be sealed forever to keep Link Joker away," Nome explained. He dismissed the image and pulled up another.

"However, the bonds that Aichi Sendou had created would break that destined fate to pieces. The clan Royal Paladins and Aichi's avatar Blaster Blade would choose Toshiki Kai to defy fate. To remember Aichi and the bond the two had cultivated to rescue him from a life of solitude. By using his bond as mates to help several others remember Aichi Sendou, they would battle the Quatre Knights to rescue Aichi Sendou," Neve showed an image of Kai, Misaki, Miwa, Kamui, and Naoki battling against the Quatre Knights.

Nome once again dismissed the projection; he placed the book on the table and brushed his fingers against the now purple papers. "However, due to an unseen force, fate had once again been changed into an unpredictable direction. The contents of the book have been erased from existence, never to be seen again. The future that was supposed to come into fruition will never happen," He said.

"The lives of these Card fighters and the lives of the people of both worlds is hurtling down a path of ruin that cannot be stopped, no matter how much others try to rise up and stop it," Nome closed the book. He gazed over to the other end of the room, where his prisoner of fate lied.

Kourin Tatsunagi's limbs were now being held down by chains of a dark red color. The girl's complexion looked paler than normal, and her body twitched slightly. The idol's face was a constant mix of pain and pleasure as if she was unable to find the balance.

"The only solution to solve this problem is to use her lifeforce to bind the helix back together, before the rest of it can crumble to dust," Nome walked over to Kourin and tapped her forehead.

"The world will be saved with your death."

Kouji Ibuki couldn't feel anything.

No, that wasn't completely accurate. He could still feel the ground beneath his feet and the air blowing against his skin. But there was something missing inside of him, Ibuki placed a hand onto his chest.

His hatred…it was gone. As if it was never there to begin with.

The feeling of the sticky cold black in his heart had disappeared completely. It was a numb feeling if he was being honest, as if he's been liberated from all of the pain he's ever felt. It was just empty.

His heart was empty.

Ibuki looked down at the card below him. The Supreme Deletor, Okiszz was brimming with a black pulse. The chillingness from it should've sent chills down his spine…but there was nothing. He just couldn't feel it.

"Ibuki…"

Oh, right.

"...Kai…" Ibuki whispered.

"Ibuki, what is that card!? What's happening to you-"

"I activate Okiszz's skill."

"What!?" Kai gasped, shocked.

"By counter blasting(2) and soul blasting(3), I can delete all of your rear guards," Ibuki revealed.

"Delete all of my rear guards!?" Kai looked down at his side of the board, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Every unit on his field had disappeared completely.

Turned to dust and blown into the wind.

"My units…? Ibuki, how?" Kai's voice wavered, a complete contrast to the confidence he held earlier.

"I feel free, Kai," Ibuki said.

"Feel free?" Kai asked.

"As if all of the bothersome emotions and thoughts that have been plaguing me for years have finally gone silent," Ibuki stared down at his open palm. He moved his hand to his Vanguard then looked directly into Kai's eyes. "Imagine it, Kai."

The Kagero user felt his spirit be forced out of his body and be sent barreling into space. The next thing Kai could see was that he was on the planet Cray, watching his units and Ibuki's Deletors facing off against one another.

"Imagine yourself standing on the planet Cray as only just a spirit."

"What the!?" Kai turned around to see Oksizz looming over him, the intimidating black unit was oozing with corrupted energy. A black tendril shot out and stabbed itself through Kai's spirit. "GUAH!" Kai spat after being impaled.

Ibuki's spirit flew out of Oksizz, floating directly in front of Kai. The two childhood friends stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. At that moment the two viewed the memories of the other, learning each other for the final time.

Both of these young men walked down the path of self-destruction, once brimming with light, only to be shut down by the world around them.

At this moment Toshiki Kai no longer felt fear or despair.

He only felt pity for Kouji Ibuki.

On the other hand, Kouji Ibuki couldn't feel anything anymore. Everything he saw from within Kai's memories just continued to leave him feeling empty on the inside.

Ibuki turned to his childhood friend, raising his hand right into Kai's face. "Farewell, Kai."

Kai reached out for Ibuki one last time, his hand outstretched for Ibuki to take.

"Delete End."

Kai's spirit vanished into dust right before his eyes.

Kouji Ibuki stood alone just as he always had.

Blue eyes opened up slowly, staring at the ceiling of a van. Shion sat up in his seat and groaned, holding his head.

"Hey, take it easy now."

Shion's head snapped to his right to see a girl who looked to be a few years older than him. He looked down to see Chrono's head resting in her lap.

"It's okay, my name is Emi Sendou. We found you three collapsed in the park," Emi spoke gently.

"Three?" Shion asked.

"You, Chrono, and Kai," Emi answered. The blonde boy gazed around the van, he noticed the man with green hair who was driving and the teenager with lilac-colored hair. He looked behind their seat to see Kai staring out the window. The Kagero user's eyes looked dull as if the life had been zapped out of them.

"Why did you take me with you?" Shion asked.

"With the way you were holding onto Chrono, we figured you must've been like another person we recently met," Emi said.

"Another person?"

"A girl with green hair was acting very attached to Chrono even though the two had just met. Of course if you want us to call your family we will," Emi said.

"No, it's fine. I-I shouldn't leave Chrono's side. He needs me…no he needs us," Shion said, staring at Chrono.

Misaki turned her head to look at Emi. "Emi, what's the plan?" Shion noticed that her voice was a bit strained.

"We're going to regroup at Card Capital and come up with our next plan of action. Because there's so much that I have to tell all of you and we're running out of time," Emi told Misaki.

Chapter End

NOTE: I'm very happy to be done with this part of the story, because it was mainly meant for Ibuki's development. He's no longer to super angsty teen that he was in the movie/V. He's now just an empty shell of what he used to be.

For what is happening with Kai and Chrono will be brought up in the next chapter.

Happy New Year!