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Chapter Two
Fighting fate
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Darkness shown in Ansems eyes.
"Ansem, leave if you don't want to get hurt!" Riku said, stepping in front of Namine. Ansem said nothing; but held out a red sword, dripping with blood. Riku pulled out his keyblade, fear in his heart but determination as well. Ansem lept forward at Namine and her eyes widened in fear; but as Ansems arm shot foward, ready to pierce her heart, Riku struck upwards angrily, cutting off Ansems arm which fell to the floor. The arm still clutched the sword. But there was no blood... it was almost as if the arm had seperated itself from the body right before Rikus dark blade had made contact.
Riku felt this, and although Namine looked relieved, Riku was not. "Namine, stay on guard!" Riku yelled over to her, turning back to Ansem with fire in his eyes. Namine looked on, smiling. "You can do it Riku!" She said happily, not noticing the arm hovering behind her, pointing the blade straight at her back. Riku noticed something out of the corner of his eye and turned, viewing the blade and yelling instantly: "NAMINE MOVE!" Not asking any questions, Namine lept out of the way as the blade grazed her shoulder. The steel ripped through her shirt as a few drops of blood hit the dark ground silently. Riku ran back to her, looking worried. "Namine, stay near me." He said, wondering why he was so concerned for her safety. Namine nodded, gripping her blood stained shoulder. Riku shot out his hand and grabbed the hovering arm, squeezing it. As the arm burst from his grip, the remaining hand holding the sword seperated from its host and went for Namine again.
I have to kill the source... Riku thought, handing his blade to Namine. "Namine, protect yourself from that thing!" He yelled. Namine looked foward and saw the hand flying at her, clumsily gripping the sword and plummeting down at her with the blade pointed. She hit the hand away just as the blade neared her face, and Namine gasped heavily. Riku charged at Ansem as she did this, hitting him in the stomach. Ansem spat out blood, but he showed no emotion. "Ansem?" Riku asked, looking up at Ansem with a curious but cautious stare.
Suddenly, Ansem yelled out in pain as his arms and legs severed from his body... and his form dissentigrated in a wave of darkness which shot back up into the sky and vanished. The legs and arm now hovered in midair, spinning for a moment and then swiping back and forth at Riku, blindly trying to draw blood from its target. Namine was still stuggling with the hand from before- which was slowly getting more skilled with the sword. The legs hovered in midair and both kicked hard at Riku, knocking him backward. As Riku hit the ground in pain... the arm went forward as well, its fist clenched, ready to strike. Fire shined around the knuckles, making the entire area around them glow. Riku looked around. Namine had his sword so he was weaponless...but he couldn't take his sword back from her or she would be sliced mercilessly by her floating foe. What was there to do? Was there another weapon nearby? Desperately, Riku kicked the flying leg on his right and then flipped behind it, striking it hard with his fist. As Riku smiled, thinking he had won, the left leg spun around and the foot caught him straight in the jaw, knocking him over again.
The blood was rushing to Rikus head and his back hurt from hitting the cold, hard ground. Desperately Riku searched his mind for an answer, looking with wide eyes over at Namine who was barely warding off the attacks of the flying hand's sword. The sword...
Although he hated to use a sword dripping with the blood of who knew what, if he could get hold of that blade he would be able to win. He thought hard... the heartless had not attacked him before because they thought he was one of them, his dark heart had tricked them. The sword... if it was made of darkness, he might be able to draw it in, if only...
That's it! Riku thought, focusing all his darkness into his right hand. He held his arm out, leaping away from the hovering leg which was about to hit him. As Rikus hand grew darker and gathered energy, the floating hand carrying the sword lost grip on it and the blade flew over to Rikus outstretched arm. Riku clasped the blade firmly, sweat dripping down his forehead. He looked over at Namine. She was gazing at him intently. She smiled and gave a thumbs up. Riku smiled as well, but then saw something that made his heart stop. Behind Namine the hand was shaking, back and forth and glowing with energy. Namine was slapped in the face by it, then was struck from behind in the head. She staggered and dropped to her knees, the hand moving in for the kill. Riku gasped and struck both floating legs and the hovering hand near him easily, cutting them all in two as the blood dropped to the ground. The knuckle was hovering in midair, rising up to soon cut down the life of the girl before it. I don't have enough time to get there! Riku thought desperately. Without a second thought he leaped up and threw the sword at the remaining hand, the blade flew through the air and seemed to be drawn back to the hands darkness. As the fist slammed down, the sword struck straight into it, the blade cutting off some of Namines hair as it struck its mark. It had been close. But the hand now lay on the ground, Namine was safe.
