Yes! My update is quite soon, eh? Anyway, here's Chapter 10, the battle between good and evil. Remember: I own no characters except Diego, Janus, Orion and Orchid. Now, here it is!

Chapter 10: The Final Battle

It seemed like so long since Rayman had left his home, and he had finally arrived at the object of his quest. Grimspire Keep, an immense mound of rock and hardened lava, stood before him defiantly, seeming to impale the sky itself. A black, poisonous fog rolled forth from the volcano's peak, enshrouding the sky above in darkness.

It was an imposing sight, but Rayman and his friends knew that they didn't have time to waste staring at it. In the distance, skeleton warriors trudged through the ashen plains in their relentless pursuit of blood. Rayman suddenly turned toward the volcano in puzzlement.

"Well, we're here." He said. "Now how do we get in?"

The friends broke up into a group, looking frantically for an entrance before the undead caught up to them. Suddenly, Simon let out a cry.

"I've found something! Come quickly!"

When the friends reached the gypsy, he frantically pointed out a slightly discolored segment of the wall. Giving the wall a quick eye, Rayman lifted his staff.

"Stand back." He said to his friends. "I'll take care of it." At that, his staff began to glow, illuminating the wall with a bright light. When the light dimmed, an entrance to the Keep had appeared. The friends quickly rushed into the volcano without any hesitation, wincing as the door slammed closed.

Inside the Keep, Rayman found it hard to see in the darkness without any form of light other than a dim glow that probably came from the lava. He could vaguely see an unusually smooth stairwell and motioned for his friends to follow him as he ascended it.

As he climbed the long stairwell, he began to wonder what had befallen Orchid. Had Janus killed her, or was she still alive and well? And what was the Evil One planning?

Suddenly, Rayman snapped out of his thoughts. Ahead of him was an Obsidian doorway with a bright glow emanating from it. With a low pain in his gut, Rayman knew instinctively who was behind the door and turned around to face his friends.

"You have all been good friends to me, and I appreciate your support, but this next part is too dangerous." He told them. "Janus is probably planning something, and I don't want any of you to be hurt. I'm sorry, but you need to stay here."

"Wait a minute." Diego said after his friend had finished speaking. "You want us to stay here and let you face Janus all by yourself? I most certainly will not!"

Rayman sighed, lifting his staff. "I admire your courage, but you can't go with me. I don't want to do this, but I'll stop you myself if I must. It's for your own good that you stay here."

Diego stood silently. "I understand." He said. "Come back in one piece."

"Thanks." Rayman smiled, approaching the door. "Open up, Janus! I know you're in here!"

All was silent for a while. Suddenly, the door began to open slowly with a loud grating noise. "Enter."

Inside of the door was the very center of the volcano. A large platform stood suspended above the lava with Orchid huddled in a stupor in one corner. In the center, Orion stood with his back to the hero who had entered. Finally, Orion turned around and Rayman gave a gasp as he gazed into the evil gray eyes he saw.

"I have been waiting for you, Rai' Muana."

*******

Janus savored the look of shock on his enemy's face. "Yes, I can see your shock. You are amazed that I live and thrive in a body other than the one you remember. Well, this body was the only one I could find, and I'm sure that Orion won't be needing it." At this, he laughed cruelly.

"Janus," Rayman said angrily, "I don't care what body you're in, I will not let you defile the world with your presence any longer. This ends here and now!"

Saying nothing, Janus pointed his hand at his adversary and watched in satisfaction as the energy emitted from his palm caused Rayman to write in pain. Janus was relentless in his barrage, sending bolt after bolt of energy after his foe. Suddenly, however, Rayman lifted his staff and used it to deflect his energy back at him. Janus yelled in surprise as his own energy knocked him to the ground.

Rising to his feet, Janus unsheathed his greatsword and charged at his enemy. Rayman used his sword to parry the blows Janus sent at him, but the Dark One slashed at his foe quickly and skillfully, the shock from Janus' sword slowly knocking him towards the lava. Rayman knew that he couldn't keep fighting like that for long, so he decided to try something risky. When Janus brought his sword down again, Rayman nimbly ducked around his legs and tripped him with his staff. Rayman then placed his staff at his opponent's back as he fell to the floor.

"Move and you die."

Janus didn't respond to that. Instead, his body began to shimmer like smoke and soon had disappeared completely. Before Rayman could react, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw the point of Janus' blade protruding through his chest and winced in pain.

"Now you die, Rai' Muana." Janus hissed.

Suddenly, the Dark One gasped in pain as two crystal daggers protruded through his back. As Janus fell to the ground, Rayman could see the grinning form of Diego across the room.

"Aren't you glad that I followed you?"

Rising slowly and painfully and still bleeding from his wound, Rayman tried to reciprocate his friend's grin. "Alright, I give up." He said feebly. "You come with me wherever I go from now on."

Diego was followed by Ly and Simon, both of whom congratulated Rayman on his victory and healed his wound. "Thank you, all of you." He told them. "But now I have something I must do alone." At that, he turned towards the amulet that lay on the floor and picked it up.

"Alright, Janus, tell me why I shouldn't just crush you now."

"Wait, please." A feeble voice from the amulet whispered. "I beg of you, don't destroy me."

"Why not?" Rayman asked. "Would you have shown me the same mercy if the situation were reversed."

"I was only using Orion." The Evil One said frantically. "I was using his body as a shell to accomplish my goals. But you… you're different! You're far stronger than he could ever be! Think of the possibilities if we joined forces! We could rule this world together, rule it in a Golden Age never before deemed possible! We could bring light to a world enshrouded in evil! Don't you understand?"

Rayman paused as all of Janus' promises rang through his head and allowed his mind to be clouded with indecisiveness. That was all that Janus needed.

*******

By this point, Orchid had awakened from her stupor and looked around her. Upon seeing her father, she gave a cry of delight.

"Father! Father, here I am!"

"Orchid?" Simon said, barely controlling his tears of joy. "My little Orchid! You're alive! I missed you so much!"

The father and daughter tearfully embraced as Simon told his daughter all that had happened.

"And he… he's okay?" Orchid asked apprehensively as her father finished his narrative.

"Rayman is fine, child." Simon said, smiling. "Why don't you greet him yourself? I know you two would like to be alone right now."

Turning to see Rayman, Orchid ran towards him and cried his name. "Rayman! Thank you for all that you've done for me!"

To her surprise, Rayman stood with his back turned to her, not making a sound.

"Rayman, are you alright?" She asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm alright." He replied in a voice that chilled her to her bones. Then he turned around, and Orchid screamed in horror. The creature that looked like Rayman laughed evilly as she stared into its dead gray eyes.