A/N:  Thanks JMC and starbright for sticking with me on this, and to everyone else who's reviewed and supported me. Love ya lots! And here's the first part of the finale…

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Chapter 17 – The Final Battle Part 1

Ansem laughed. Not in a normal way a person would laugh, but he laughed in such a twisted, creepy, psychotic and wacked-out way that it would give you goose-bumps and send chills down your back. He was at the End of the World preparing for the final step—his revenge…Not only on Sora, but also on the rest of the universe. He had never been accepted by anyone in life. His own parents didn't even love him, for his mind was so incredibly twisted and evil…

The room he was in was very strange…colored smoke could be seen in streams coming out of the ground and swirling up into the ceiling. The walls were painted in dark swirls and blotches of what looked like rich blood. The entire room was enveloped in a transparent purple light and there was a disgusting rotting odor in the air.

Ansem had taken almost complete control over Riku's mind. He placed the evil items on a long, shiny metal table that was located in the center of the room. There was the golden Magic Lamp that was filled with the Dust of Death incense and the ashes of the Demon's Heart. The Crimson Skull was elevated in the air over the lamp, as if held there by magic.

And there was a lighter in Riku's twisted hands. He was ready. But something stopped him. Riku was fighting, 'I won't let you do it. I want to live. To explore the new worlds out there—to fulfill my destiny. As long as you're in my body, I will not let you ruin my future, you evil son-of-a-'

CRASH! Suddenly the door to the eerie room was smashed down. Merlin, Sora, Kairi, Goofy, and Donald walked in with weapons in hand. Merlin waved his wand and the lighter in Riku's clawed hand was destroyed to pieces.

Ansem became furious. He snapped his fingers and Merlin got knocked unconscious. "Serves you right, old geezer. And the rest of you…" Riku glared angrily at the four fighters who were all ready to attack, "The rest of you shall feel my wrath!!!" Without warning, Ansem and the four fighters were transported into a pitch black dimension. They could see their bodies, but everything else was purely black. The floor vanished and they were all floating in mid-air.

Riku looked absolutely grotesque. His eyes were glowing blood red. He bared his hideous fangs and hissed. His green claws outspread and grew even longer—he carried his Deathblade in one hand. His body was incredibly muscular and was covered in a shiny silky satin black feminine dress with a cape that angrily waved behind him in the powerful gusts of wind. His feet were bare, toenails were long and sharp and full of venomous fungus. His silvery-white hair grew longer and it rippled behind him in the wind and long black horns grew out of his head.

"It's Showtime…"

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Meanwhile…

Leon, Yuffie, Cloud, Cid, Selphie, Tidus and Wakka entered the eerie room from before that contained the Crimson Skull and the Magic Lamp. Aeris went over to Merlin and cast a cure spell on him.

"Uhh…what happened?" Merlin sat up and looked at the eight characters standing before him, each holding one of the objects needed to send Ansem away. "Where are the others? Sora and Ansem?"

"I'm afraid they're not here," Aeris said as a look of worry spread across her face, "But maybe they will return? At any rate, we must get ready. Places, everyone!"

Everyone began to form a circle. Each carried a valuable item: Cloud carried the Gold Cup, Aeris held the lock of Tarzan's hair, Selphie had the fossil with the trident symbol, Tidus held the Queen of Hearts wand, Yuffie had the bottle of pixie dust, Leon had grabbed the Magic Lamp from Ansem's table and emptied the Dust of Death out of it, Cid had a bag half-filled with Deadly Nightshade, and Wakka also carried a half-filled bag of the drug.

A tense sigh escaped from Merlin as he waited patiently for the others to return. All they could do at this point; was pray.

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"You will pay for killing me once before. I will not let you live!" Ansem screamed as he rushed to Sora.

Goofy made a fast move, very unusual for him, and he got in front of Sora and raised his high-powered shield. Ansem struck at it, doing a little damage to Goofy in the process. Goofy yelped in pain.

Kairi took this chance and flew around to the back of Riku's gross body, while Donald and Sora ambushed him from the sides.

"Ahh…a strategy. Well we'll see about that." Riku grinned as Kairi started hacking at his back, only ripping a tiny amount of his life force.

Donald cast an impressive array of multiple spells: first a burst of flame shot out from his staff, and then came a sparkling icy blast, followed by a bolt of thunder, all damaging Riku's rotten form.

Goofy had been beating him with his shield and Sora had also done some mean hacking and slashing with his powerful Keyblade.

Riku ignored the beating and turned around to face Kairi. She backed off. The sight of his repulsive face was horrifying to look at for her. Donald cast an aero spell around her to shield her from whatever Ansem was plotting. Instead of attacking her, Riku made an unexpected lunge for Goofy and struck him with such a powerful force that it sent Goofy back a distance where a swarm of Heartless ambushed him. His health was nearly depleted, but Sora healed him in time with a cure spell.

"Thanks, Sora!" Goofy yelled and began to take care of business.

Then Riku slashed at Donald ignoring the beating he was now taking from Sora and Kairi's Keyblades. Donald was also pushed back like Goofy, and surrounded by a menacing hoard of Heartless. Donald had used up his magic power so he replenished it with an ether and healed himself then began to attack the enemies.

Riku turned to Sora. His eyes were such a wild shade of bright red—it was painful to stare into. He raised his Deathblade and made a wide slash at Sora, but Sora swiftly dodged the attack by flying underneath him. Then Sora hacked at Riku's legs. Riku kicked Sora's head hard, almost knocking him out. Pissed, Sora slashed at Riku's crotch, causing Riku to scream out in agony. The Deathblade glowed pitch black, and Riku moved in and slashed clean through Sora's body. "Aaargh! Damn you!" One more hit and Sora would've been a goner. Suddenly a refreshing, soothing feeling overcame his body as Kairi healed him.

Riku turned to face Kairi with a phony sad face. "You. You could've been mine. But you chose him instead. Why?! I loved you. But you broke my heart. And this is what you've turned me into."

Kairi backed further away from him.

Sora kept attacking Riku like crazy, until black blood started oozing from his wounds. "Don't listen to him, Kairi! He's trying to confuse you!" Sora cast an electrifying thunder spell that damaged every single enemy in the area.

Kairi shuddered. "Shut up! I'll kill you!" She spat at the monster.

"You'd kill me? Riku? One of your best friends? Ok, then. Kill me." Riku grinned evilly at her.

"Sora, HELP!" Goofy had run out of healing potions and was in serious trouble. Donald was no where in sight. Sora didn't want to leave Kairi alone, but Goofy and Donald needed him right now. He went to help them clear out the Heartless.

"Kairi? Come on, come here and kill me. Isn't that what you came here to do? Or are you afraid?" Riku was still grinning. He looked so terrible.

Kairi lowered her head. "Riku…I can't, I won't--"

Riku began cackling as he flew closer to Kairi, closing the distance between them…

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TBC – WHOA. That has to be the most intense fight scene I've ever written.

(It sucks…) -_-;;; What did you all think of it? Let me know…

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