Chapter Thirty-Two: The Limits of Power

The inside of the door was familiar. I had seen it just a few minutes ago. It was Senka's throne room… dark and gloomy, save for the dim, green lanterns that hung from the wall. And another person was seated on the Throne of Darkness… someone I knew all too well…

"So, you finally made it to the truth," Amy said. "You know who you are now."

"I always knew who I was. That's why…" I said, "… that's why I rejected my destiny."

"Really? It seemed like you had lost yourself for a while… but I see it in your eyes," Amy replied. "You're… all of you."

"Yeah, yeah. Now, are we going to do this the easy way," I said, getting into an iaijutsu pose, "or the hard way? 'cause, ya know, it doesn't matter to me one way or the other."

"Of course it doesn't. So violent…" Amy began. I closed my eyes and got into the same calming pose I had used against Sora. I opened my eyes slowly to see Amy charging at me, ready for a running batto-jutsu. I easily blocked the attack from her red katana.

"If that's the best you've got…" I said, going to the edge of my True Form, "this fight is already over," I finished, fully ascending into the form. "I'm way stronger than you know."

"True Form, huh? Why aren't you taking me seriously?" Amy asked.

"I am… otherwise, I wouldn't even use a Form," I replied.

"Then take this seriously!" Amy shouted, going… into a True Form?

"What the hell? That's my form!" I shouted.

"A wound in destiny will spread until all things have been strayed from their chosen paths… isn't that right?" Amy said, looking at me with a sinister look. "This is my own True Form… the real me."

"It doesn't matter either way! I'm stronger than you, and I'm more skilled!" I shouted at her. I tried to attack with a thrust, but Amy pushed it aside, hitting me in the stomach with the opening move of an iaijutsu. I staggered back, grabbed her katana that was trying to hit me by the blade, and stood there.

"All right, fine," I said, looking down. "No more playing around!" I shouted, looking up and attempting a diagonal cut. Despite jumping back to avoid the attack, Amy was still nicked on the shoulder.

"No more fooling around, huh?" Amy asked, pulling out both her sakaboto and her katana. "Then I won't play either!"

"So be it," I said coldly. We charged at each other at sonic speeds, hearing the loud clang of our blades clashing. I jumped behind her, attempting a whirling slash after landing, but was blocked. Amy then jumped into the air and threw her sakaboto at me, but I knocked it back at her and gave pursuit. In the air, we attacked an parried countless times. We landed a minute or so later.

"You truly are… hitokiri…" Amy said, breathing heavily.

"You don't have as much experience with these powers," I said. "You can't beat me… not at that level, anyway."

"Nonsense!" Amy shouted, raising the same Dark Shield Senka had used. "I'm not trying hard enough, is all!"

"Only more to burden yourself with…" I said, placing my Light Crystal into my Phoenix Sword's hilt. "This will negate that aura, so you may as well drop it."

"That's ridiculous! Nothing can pierce pure darkness!" Amy shouted at me.

"Then… come," I said, doing a two-fingered 'bring it on' taunt. She charged at me, attempting to thrust me in the stomach. I arrogantly dodged the attack, parried the second attack, and held my blade to her throat for a moment.

"I have no desire to kill you. But if you won't give up, I'll break your arms and legs!" I shouted, blasting into my Aether Form. The outburst had sent Amy flying back a bit, but she held steady.

"Now it's Aether Form, eh?" she asked, that sinister look in her eyes again. I felt the ground beneath me begin to quake, so I wasn't too surprised when Amy blasted into an Aether Form of her own. It was different from mine, though… instead of white lightning, sparks of black lightning flowed off of her.

"Do you have any original moves?" I asked.

"Maybe, maybe not," Amy answered. "If you possess strength enough, you'll see."

"I'm stronger than you know," I said again. "These are my powers… my strengths. You're nothing more than a pale imitation!"

"A pale imitation, huh?" Amy asked. "Well, then, come see what an imitation can do."

I blazed at Amy, rending the ground beneath my feet. My blade clashed with both of her swords. I jumped back, and we did several parries and counterattacks, each one causing shockwaves that put out the lanterns. Moments later, we stood in absolute darkness; the only thing that illuminated our battleground was the lightning that surged off of us and our auras.

"Hitokiri Kensai… no, Roy Hartmut! You are truly strong, and for that, I will show you…" Amy began. "I will show you the ultimate power of darkness!"

A great tremor ran through the throne room, crumbling invisible pillars. I shielded my eyes from the debris, and after I opened them, Amy was totally different. Her skin was totally black, like my old Dark Form, and her dark aura had formed into two wings.

"Amy… you…" I said, looking down. "That darkness… was not meant for you. I had hoped that you would turn back from the darkness… save yourself… but now I see all that truly matters to you now is power..."

"What of it?" Amy asked with a severe distortion in her voice.

"So if you're pursuing the limits of power… allow me to show you… what lies beyond them!" I shouted, going into my full-powered Aether Form… and beyond…