Meh: short chapter. I spent some time rereading the story. Thought it would help inspire me, but it didn't. I really just didn't have any cool ideas for the Malias fight. Damn, really gonna have to take a break between HB's end and the End of the World. Hmm...I hope I can make the next fight cool, or that'll be a real disappointment.


-

"The Grand Hall is just ahead" shouted Arc as they raced down the hallway. Suddenly he stopped. "What was that"
"What was what" asked Orchid as she and Montblanc caught up with him.

"That, over there" he said. pointing. Before them, the air warped like heat waves, but darker, then went back to normal.

"I don't know, kupo..." said Montblanc, peering at the space intently.

"Whatever it is..." said Orchid, watching as the air warped again"it can't be good."

The rift expanded, then everything was gone.

-

"Welcome to my realm, Keyblade Master."

There in the hellishly half-lit darkness, the rumbling voice came from a large, hunched over figure. It straightened before them, standing tall, roughly three times as high as Arc. It had twisted horns that stuck up from its head, and long, silky black hair. Its eyes were narrow and small, and its mouth was a snarling grin. Its naked body was white, though its limbs were darkest black. In the middle of its chest was an enormous eye, that stared and watched their every move. From its back sprouted two enormous double jointed wings. And in its hand it held a blade, long and thick, the color of blood. Behind it was large door, larger than the creature was, decorated with skeletal gatekeepers upon it. The thing stared at the trio with red flaring eyes.

"Who are you" asked Orchid nervously, keyblade held before her.

"I was once Elias" it said. "But now, I have been released from that prison of a body. I am Malias."

"I don't care who you are, just get out of our way" growled Arc.

"I think not" smiled the demon. "Behind me are the gates to Hell. Is that what you want"

The trio backed away a little, and Malias smiled. It was not a comforting sight.

"Now...die."

The demon charged forwards, swinging his enormous sword. Orchid and Arc dodged to the side, while Montblanc took cover as he prepared his spells. Dodging the second swing, Orchid charged forwards, then leapt into the air and struck at his arm with the Devil's Rose. Arc set upon the opposite leg, only to be swept back by a furious sideswipe of the sword, the flat of the blade knocking him away. Then, tiring of Orchid's assault on its arm, Malias turned and spewed fire at her, and she leapt back and landed on the ground.

"Fira" shouted Montblanc. Malias cried out in anguish as the fireball struck the giant eye at his center, stumbling back momentarily, limbs flailing wildly. Then he turned, and struck out at the moogle, who barely managed to dodge the gargantuan blade. "Go for the eye, kupo"

"Right" shouted Orchid, leaping up. "Shooting Star"

She swung the keyblade and let it fly out, striking and knocking away Malias's arm and flying back to her hand.

"Strike"

The blade struck his other arm away.

"Strike"

Malias roared in pain as they keyblade crashed into his face, sending him stumbling back.

"Strike! Strike! Strike"

Three more successive strikes blasted away at the flaring eye in the middle of his chest, and an unearthly cry of rage filled the cavern.

"Wish"

The keyblade fully charged, Orchid pointed it at the demon, and a violent beam of light shot out from it, striking him square in the chest, straight in the burning eye.

The girl suddenly found her self being swatted out of the air. She struck the ground hard, bouncing off the rock and slamming into the wall. As she groaned and turned, stumbling to her feet, she watched as the demon proceeded to scream in fury and knock away Montblanc and Arc. Then the eye, the great flaring eye, still smoldering from her attack, blinked. And when it opened, it was not an eye. It was a gaping maw, protruding sharp fangs from every angle.

"Abyss" roared Malias. Darkness swelled in the open mouth, then shot out like an avenging wave. Black engulfed the cavern, filling every bit of it, tearing at the trio harshly, shrieking in their ears and blinding their eyes. Wherever it touched, pain flared like burning flames. And no place was left untouched.

Arc heaved with labored breath as it ended, barely still on his feet. Montblanc was starting to stand, a barrier of air around him, while Orchid was struggling to rise. As those two cast Cura on themselves, Arc charged forwards, then leapt up.

"Planet Diver" he shouted. Unnatural flames burst out around him, then he slammed down, sword first, at Malias. He struck the demon in the shoulder, black blood spraying up around his sword and burning his skin where it touched. Screaming out in pain, Malias turned and struck out at him, sweeping him away with his arm.

"Halo" he shouted. A circle of light formed around Arc, spinning around him, then suddenly closing in on the warrior. Arc cried out in pain as it snapped in on him, exploding in a flash of blinding brilliance.

"Leave him alone" shouted Orchid. "Bio"

A cloud of green gas exploded in the gaping maw in the demon's chest, leaving gelatinous slime that sizzled and trailed down his body. Malias hissed in agony, backing away. The mouth closed, and when it opened, the eye was back.

"Curse you" he spat, raising his sword. Then he charged forwards.

"Thundara" cried Montblanc. Lightning crashed down from above, striking Malias, but it barely fazed him. "Deluge, Tornado, Blizzara, Fira"

Spells shrieked through the air, tearing the skin from the demon's muscles, but doing nothing to slow his charge. The little moogle squeaked pitifully as one clawed hand came down and smacked him away, and he crashed into the wall, crumpling to the floor pitifully. Malias charged on past, then swung down at Orchid with his giant blade.

The crash practically shattered the air as the sword and keyblade met. Orchid held the key above her, supporting it with both hands as Malias weighed down with his great blade. Then the giant eye flared, and fire exploded around the girl, and she went flying back. Malias leaped up and over, landing behind her, quickly turning and stricking out with his sword again. Orchid went flying through the air and crashed hard against the gates that had been behind Malias. The demon walked slowly over.

"Now, you die, Keyblade Master" he snarled.

"Not if I can help it" shouted Arc. He slammed into the demon's back, slicing savagely at him with his sword and beating mercilessly with his shield. Malias roared in anger and pain as he turned to face him.

"Crucifix" he hissed. A blindingly white cross slammed up from the ground behind Arc. Chains of light sprung out and bound his arms and body to it, burning him, searing his skin. He screamed out in agony as Malias smiled sadistically.

"Malias"

The demon turned to see Orchid standing, leaning against the gateway, keyblade in hand.

"You shouldn't be here" she said quietly. "Go to Hell."
She spun around and struck the keyblade into the door, then slowly turned it.

"No" screamed Malias. "What are you doing"
"Sending you home" she answered. Then there was a loud click, and the gates to Hell were opened.

-

After that, she couldn't remember anything until they woke up on the floor in front of the doors to the Great Hall. She vaguely recalled a blade, and chains, and some presence far beyond anything she could comprehend, but it was mostly a blank from the time she opened the door to the time the three of them stumbled to their feet back in Hollow Bastion.

"Kupopo...what happened" asked Montblanc, shaking his head.

"Ugh...I'm not...sure" said Arc.

"It doesn't matter" assured Orchid as she walked over to the doors. "What does matter is beyond these doors. The last keyhole is beyond these doors."

But that wasn't what she was thinking. Only one thing mattered to her.

Eriks was beyond those doors.