Chapter 21: The End Begins
"Sir! She made it inside!" a masked subordinate called. A mist exited his mouth as he spoke, the black mask slightly frosted.
Glace walked behind the subordinate, "Excellent. It starts to get interesting," Glace turned to the masked underling, "Send word to my comrades, FrostBite." FrostBite nodded and left. "Breath now while you still can, keybearer."
Riza was in a large circular room with platforms littering the walls and floor. The lights were a pale white. On the other side was a second door. Riza huffed.
Riza felt a presences and moved just before a kunai struck her, scratching her left shoulder.
"Quick as ever Keyblade Mistress! But not quick enough I see," The feminine voice came from a above. Riza looked for the source until her eyes landed on Tonnerre, the shocking member of the group.
"Psycho bitch! Give me back my brother and friends!" Riza launched her self at the thunder wielder, leaping form one platform to another, forgetting about the small pain in her shoulder. She made it to Tonnerre's platform with in seconds, "Nine-Tail Slice!" The nine slashes all missed, scarring the wall in front of the ninja. Tonnerre appeared on a different platform this one lower to the ground, a few yards off of it exactly. She smirked as she threw five electrically-charged handless kunai; all aimed for the keybearer.
Riza deflected the small blades with a swift swing. Tonnerre threw her hands above her head, gathering a giant ball of electricity. Around her right bicep a small discharge of electricity was noticed by the keyblader, "Thunder Buster! " she hurled the ball, Riza jumped at it.
"Rebound...!" Her blade collided with the ball, "Blade!" She pushed and sent the ball back at Tonnerre. It was a weaker version of the Backlash Wave; from Ukaizr-Kyuubi style as well as Nine-Tail Slice. When Panlong said this new Keyblade will unlock all the Ukaizr-Kyuubi techniques, he wasn't kidding. Riza didn't know she could use these new found abilities.
"Oh, hell no!" Tonnerre held out her gloved hands, stopping the blast that doubled in strength. She was pushed back, her boots digging into the stone platform. "I won't be defeated by my own attack." Riza landed several feet from Tonnerre. Tonnerre shifted her hands and lifted the ball of thunderous energy up, the ball colliding with the roof, chunks of the said roof fell. Tonnerre dodged the falling debris all the while trying to relocate the keybearer. "If I can't find her, I'll fill this place with thunder! Lightning Rush!" Tonnerre threw her arms to her sides, outstretched, from the sky, lightning bellowed forth. The bolts blasted through the debris, striking the ground with monstrous strength. When the light show was done, Tonnerre stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily. "That should take care of her."
She readied a kunai and let it fly when she saw a shadow dash across the room, but in front of her appeared the keybearer, who knocked it away. Riza landed in front of the thunder psycho, dismissing her Keyblade, launching into hand-to-hand combat. Riza multi-punched Tonnere in the gut, then kneed her in the face when she doubled over. Riza did a back flip kick, sending Tonnerre high off the pillar. Riza jumped after her and rapidly punched the thunder wielder in the stomach then follwed that up with a multi-kick to the gut. Riza finished off the assault by forcing her foot into the gut of Tonnerre, forcing her to hit the ground with such force the girl created a small crater. Still in the air, falling at a slow pace, Riza launched a shuriken, striking Tonnerre in the right arm, but instead of it sticking her her flesh, a metal sound echoed softly, the shuriken bouncing off the arm.
Riza landed somewhat inside. "Give up?" Riza questioned, though it sounded more like a statement.
From the twitching body, Tonnerre voiced "Bite me." She disappeared and appeared behind Riza, sweeping the teen off her feet with a sudden sweep kick. Tonnerre stood in one fluid motion, slamming the heel of her boot into the gut of the keyblader. Riza tried to counter, but Tonnerre was gone.
Riza stood, gripping her stomach, and looked for Tonnerre.
Tonnerre stood, uncoordinated, then leaned against a pillar, hidden from the keybearer's sharp eyes. When she regained her balance she jumped onto the platform, but realized her mistake too late. A kunai bit deep into her chest, puncturing her right lung. "Damn it. Gotta end this, now," she panted. She held out her left hand, droplets of blood falling, a ball of thunderous energy accumulating within it, another discharge of thunder around her bicep. "I'm not done yet. Coupe De Grace: Final Lightning!" She shot the ball into the air, where the roof was gone. The ball disappeared but soon after, thunder boomed and a giant bolt of lightning crashed down, making a small crated and charred the ground around it. Moments later another followed, aimed for the keybearer; Riza dodged but the air around it was charged as well, still shocking her. She skidded across the ground, stray bolts running over her body. "Even if you dodge the blast, the shock wave around it will still get you." Tonnerre smirked, as she collapsed to her knees. Her energy was running low, this'll be the last strike. She coughed out blood, the crimson fluid filling her lung.
Riza got up, shaking her head, driving away the dizzy feeling. Riza used the Keyblade as a crutch to help her up. After a breath she was once again ready. She looked for the thunder psycho. She located her kneeling a good thirty yards away, she moved off the pillar to the ground. Riza ran toward her target, keeping an eye out for the lightning bolts. She was ten yards away when the next one struck, five feet away. Riza used Ninja Rush to dodge the shock wave. She was practically on top of her foe, Tonnerre looked up, and lightning bolt struck Riza full-force. She was thrown from her spot, ten feet away skidding another thirty, her Keyblade disappearing. Her body unmoving.
"That'll teach you to try and attack me." But was that a smirk I saw on her face before she was struck?
The maelstrom wouldn't let up even though Tonnerre was on her last rope. If anything, it only got stronger; the bolts more frequent and more powerful.
When things started to look bleak, Tonnerre sat up, more rigid and on edge. Her head scanned the area, but nothing was amiss, except when her eyes fell on the body of the keybearer, it turned into a stone. "What the...?" Something collided into her right arm, making her cry out in pain. When the item that slammed into her was gone she turned to see the Keyblader.
"Does it hurt?" Riza asked in a cold voice.
"But how did you know?" Tonnerre referring to the wound on her arm. Under her jacket's sleeve was a arm band that helped her control her thunderous power. The downside was it was spiked on the side of the flesh; it helped control the flow of electricity so her arm wouldn't explode if her let out too much at one time. It acted as a grounder to help release excess electricity; the holes the band made was where the extra energy left. However, if attacked head on, the spikes dug deeper into the flesh and its control of the power would be lessened as the band cracked. This would make the power unstabled.
"You favor your right arm in energy attacks. Mostly that arm is reserved for the weapons for a fighter like you. Also, I noticed small discharges around that area of your arm when you used your energy attacks," Riza explained, rearing her Keyblade for another strike. Tonnere couldn't dodge, weakened from her last attack and the crushing blow from the Keyblade. It was over in a second; the Keyblade sliced through the cracked arm band and the psycho's body. Riza jumped away as the arm band cracked and fell apart, energy seeping out of the the arm and wound she caused. When Riza made it to a safe enough distance, Tonnerre exploded. She was too weak to scream.
In a control room on the fourth floor was Glace. The frosty fighter watched as Tonnerre was defeated. "Damn it." Glace left the room as the keybearer left through the door.
Riza ran up the stairs that lead out of Tonnere's room. Not even a charred body remained after the explosion. Riza took out the guards at the bottom and top of the stairs. They were Marauder Heartless. The ninja was up the stairs, ready to face the next member of the dangerous Troup Grimm. She burst through the door, knocking it off its hinges, "Who's next?!" Riza called to the empty room. She had a pretty good guess with the giant pool in the middle of the room. The pool was lighted and the turning waters gave off that watery light on the dark room.
"Glad to see you again, Keyblade Mistress. But you're are too late. All seven princes have been gathered and we are just waiting for the ritual to begin. Give up now; you lost," Eau's accented voice filled the room, it came from above. He jumped, landing in the deep pool with a small splash. A geyser shot out with the water master on top, two smaller geysers to his sides, "Unless you rather die than live to see the end?"
Riza pointed her Keyblade at Eau, "I rather die. But rest assured, I'm not going alone. If I die, I'm taking you with me."
"Bold words for a teenager. Fine let's start this," Eau lifted his arms and the two smaller geysers grew to towering heights. Riza scanned for any signs of his weakness. She saw none at the moment. Instead she dodged the two geysers that shot at her. Riza was stopped by Eau stepping in front of her. With a powerful kick, she was in the air, right over the water. A flick of the wrist and a jet of high pressure water shot at her. She turned and just missed the bone-crushing water blast. Still as quick as I remember. Riza fell into the water, staying under for a second before the water seemed to wrap itself around her, squeezing her. She didn't dare cry out because she was still under water. Instead she remained calm, her mind running through the new and old techniques she had.
The it hit her; it was a new technique. Vulpes Pulse, it used some of her energy to make a small shock wave around her body. If she could just concentrate, it might break the water's grasp. Riza closed her eyes...
Above water, Eau had created several H2O Decoys as one held fast to the keybearer. "She'll drown in two minutes," he chuckled to himself. His left hand, the one that held Riza, began to shake. Slightly then it soon turned violent. "What the bloody hell?" In front of him, the water's surface began to ripple then wave. Underneath, Riza was just about to let out Vulpes Pulse; mostly a defensive technique.
Vulpes Pulse! her mind yelled the technique, the shock wave pushed the water back, breaking the hold. The water divided in a circle, the surface of the water open. The keybearer jumped out before the water could trap her again. The sudden shock made Eau lose his focus, the decoy he was presently making lost shape and fell as a puddle of water, followed by the others he created. On the other of the pool, Riza stood proud; damp but proud. "Try that again, son of a bitch," Riza challenged.
"Gladly!" Eau summoned a water fist from the pool, raising it up high, "Agua Style! Open Palm Wave!" The watery hand slammed on the pool's edge, just missing the ninja. She ran around the right side of the pool, "Not fast enough! Jetstream Pulse!" Eau jumped on the hand, firing large bullets of water at his swift foe. As fast as they were, they weren't fast enough to catch the keybearer. She jumped, and landed on the palm. She back flipped kicking him in the chin. As soon as Riza landed she shot after Eau, "Rage of the Vulpes!" Riza turned berserker, her muscles expanded slightly; the energy that went into the Keyblade, went into her arms and legs. She jumped at Eau, who turned around to see the keyblader attack him with several punches and kicks; she got behind him double-kicked him, sending him over the hard pavement instead of the blue water. As he began to fall, Riza appeared in front of him, watching him. Eau caught a glimpse of her eyes; what he saw was a berserk fighter, soulless eyes. The feel of falling hit him, as he tried to right himself to brace for impact, but it was no use. Just before hitting the pavement, Riza forced her shin into his gut, kicking him itn the wall across the pool. He fell limp after a second. Riza stood and shook her head, getting rid of the last of her berserker strength. She flickered toward from Eau.
She looked at his limp body, Now to find the item that kills him. Riza scanned his body. She leaned in close, but nothing out of the norm. Unknown to Riza, Eau's left hand twitched then moved as if summoning something. The water began to ripple and bubble. Seven small areas like this appeared. From them, the water moved up as if to form a being.
Riza was attacked from behind by a water copy. "Eau's H2O Decoys!" Riza tumbled to the ground. She quickly righted herself and took out the decoys with swift attacks. Only two got away. "Looks like you still have some spunk left," Riza casted smirk at Eau. Before the Decoys could attack, Riza casted Icy Daggers and they were frozen in place. "That's it!" Riza looked at Eau who was struggling to get up. She dashed over and just as he stood up, she threw a punch, hitting his face, in such an angle that she sent him into the pool.
A geyser erupted, launching Eau high, then he landed on the Open Palm Wave. The hand threw Eau at the keybearer.
Eau and Riza were locked in a heated hand-to-hand combat. Riza used all the martial art moves she knew, but she couldn't land a hit on the free flowing Eau. "Stand still, bastard!" Riza aimed a kick for his head and it connected. What surprised her was that Eau actually stood still for the hit. After that realization past, another took its place, Eau turned to water. "A decoy?" The water splashed the wall next to her.
"Hardly. I can manipulate the water in my body to make take the form of water," Eau stood, taking the human form. "Wanna try that again?" He stuck his chin out, insulting her more, saying 'I let you have a free shot.' Riza shot forth, her fists faster than Eau had expected; they hit every time, before Eau had time to change his body structure. Eau dodged a punch and attacked, the two trading punches. Eau threw a punch at the same time Riza did. They missed and each other's other hand caught the fist. In a stalemate, they pushed off. "Better than last time," Eau scoffed. Riza charged again, she jumped and threw a kick, which was blocked. Riza landed and tried with a fist, it grazed against Eau's cheek. Eau grabbed her arm and pulled her into a throw. He spun twice, "Agua Style! Tsunami Toss!" He let go after the fifth revolution. Riza was sent high into the air, tumbling over herself. The ninja righted herself and summoned her Keyblade.
"Spinning Shinobi Slam! Thunder!" The Keyblade's special ability was she was able to incorperate elemental magic into her normal attack. Eau was thrown off guard with this turn of events. He tried to dodge was the Keyblade neared him, but the thunder shot out, shocking the water user. The potent blast sent Eau from his spot, landing hard on the concrete floor, thirty feet from the pool, and ten feet from the damp, stone wall. When he stood he found Riza in front of him. She launched him into the wall with a powerful heel kick to the side of the head.
"Phantom Fox Claw!" The high-level attack utilizes the user's speed. This attack made it seem like the fighter had twenty arms. Riza attacked Eau but when the smoke cleared, it showed that she just attacked the wall, the wall was damaged greatly. She turned around and Eau was behind her. His hand shot out, grasping her throat, pinning her to the wall.
"Well, isn't this familiar?" Eau hissed. His lip was split and he had a black, swollen-shut eye, when attacked she was able to get a few shots in. "OK, this time I'll finish you. No monologue, no distractions, no nothing!" Eau's grasp got tighter each passing millisecond.
"Same trick, same counter!" Riza's knee shot up, striking Eau in a very sensitive spot. His grasp lightened considerably. She reared both legs when she had enough room and double-kicked Eau square in the chest. A sick, wet stab sound echoed through the room. He lied on the ground, grasping his chest. He turned over on all fours, and coughed out a sizable amount of blood.
"What the bloody hell?" He looked at the wet concrete now stained with his life force. "That kick. It must have broken a few ribs, making them puncture my lungs. I can't let it end this way. If I die, then so must her. Coup De Grace: Typhoon Force!" Eau lifted his hand, reaching out to the water. The water started to swirl, in a whirlpool. It then began to cone, growing higher and higher. The point of the cone, when it reached it's maximum height, spread into a wide circle. From the circle, water bullets shot out, the size of fists. Riza dodged the bullets the best she could. However, Riza was struck in the back and right thigh
"I gotta stop this," Riza muttered, blocking her face with her arms as the typhoon picked up momentum. She felt her self being dragged toward the monster.
"The second phase begins...Typhoon Force! Second Stage!" Eau roared, but coughed after, more blood appearing on the ground and his gloved hand.
"I can't lose here!" Riza called. She called her Keyblade and dug it deep into the ground, giving herself a sturdy item to hold on too. She was safe for now. The water bullets flew by.
"Damn...The third stage can't begin...Unless she is in the...typhoon. And I'm run...-ning out of time..." Eau coughed, more blood. He felt weak and heavy. Eau looked at the typhoon. The closer to death I become, the strong it'll be. The Coupe De Grace is only to be use as you're last attack. If not, it will kill you as well. Damn you Zakiasu. Eau's arms and legs gave out, he lied in his own blood as the typhoon grew to staggering power.
Riza looked at Eau, his earring glowing bright. "That's it!" Riza drew a shuriken and threw it, but as soon as it left her grasp, the typhoon ate it up. That's out of the question. She dislodged her weapon, Only one chance. "Ninja Rush!" Riza quickly closed in, she drew up her blade. She slashed but was take in by the typhoon. Her body lifted from the ground and was sucked in.
Fool, she is as good as dead. Eau lifted his right hand, "Third...Stage." The typhoon's spinning waters spun faster, slicing at the keyblader. She tried not to cry out, fear the water will drown her.
I'm not done just yet! Riza gripped her Keyblade tight, then threw it the best she could. The blade was tossed around like a ragdoll then was spit out. It lodged itself ten feet from Eau. Perfect! Riza held out her hand toward the Keyblade, Rain of Steel! The weapon exploded into kunai and shuriken. One of the kunai made contact with small a flesh colored object and the sound of breaking metal was lost under the roar of the typhoon. From where Riza was, it felt like the the typhoon was losing power. After ten seconds, it started to really die down. A minute passed and Riza fell into the pool. Her blood escaping form her slash marks. She swam to the edge and hoisted her damaged body over the edge. She turned her head to the right to see Eau's body starting to evaporate.
"Well...done...Keyblade Mistress..." Eau was gone, evaporating into thin air. Riza looked up and let out a breath. She fell asleep...darkness taking over.
Riza, wake up! In the darkness, Riza heard a familiar male voice.
C'mon sugar, you gotta wake-up. Another. She began to open her eyes, the lids fluttering open. She saw blurred images of two bodies.
"Josh. Charlie. You're ok," Riza smiled. But no one was there. "Damn it." She tried to stand, but stopped. The pain was a little too much. She lied back down.
"Ok, Let's go." Riza felt better after that nap. The teen continued down the hall to the next room. From what it looked like, it was just a plain four-wall room. "This must have been Terre's. Just gotta past through."
"Like, stop right there, Keyblade bitch," the preppy voice called out from above.
The teen looked up to see Vent hovering with a smug look on her young looking face. "So we meet again," Riza smirked, "Ready to get your ass beat again?" She drew her Keyblade.
"As if! Pillars!" From the ground, pillars erupted, varing in size. Riza was thrust into the air on the highest pillar, "Now, keybearer, you will not make it past this point. Now die peacefully!" Vent twirled her bo-staff in front of her, "Razor Wind Vortex!" The sharp winds bellowed forth at the keybearer.
Before they could strike, Riza dodged, landing on a lower to the ground pillar. Riza's eyes went wide for a second before she brought up her Keyblade. A clank sounded throughout the room, Riza blocked Vent's Still Wind. Vent was pushing down, the pillar beneath Riza's feet was cracking. Riza titled her blade down so the bo-staff slid off the keyblade. Riza swiftly moved before the bo-staff collided with the pillar, demolishing the stone structure. The ninja jumped off the falling debris to get to better hieghts.
Riza turned to see Vent hovering over the destroyed pillar, a sour look on her face. "Like, tell me keybearer. How good are you when faced with an overwhelming number of enemies?" Vent pulled down her goggles.
"I can handle my self."
"Sweet. Krazy Kazes! Appear!" Forty Krazy Kazes appeared high near the roof. "Attack the keybearer," Under her breath, "Let's see if she can hold off the Heartless and me." The Heartless flew toward their target in haste. Vent, waited until ten of the Heartless were destroyed before flying toward Riza. The two swapped blows with their weapons. Riza pushed back Vent was took out the rest of the Heartless with her Ninja Rush. Vent turned her head to see that her Heartless were destroyed so quickly and let her guard down for a second. That was all Riza needed to strike. The blade cut Vent deep in midsection. Riza then shoulder tackled the wind user, sending them both down to the ground off the pillar. Riza pushed off the Troup Grimm member then attacked with a flurry of kicks, ending it off with a powerful turn kick to the chest. This sent Vent five feet in to the ground. Riza landed a few feet away from the fallen girl. Riza smirked and walked away. "Key...Blade...Bitch." Riza half turned to see Vent struggling to get up.
"Don't get up, it's over."
"Not..yet," Vent lifted her hand, a ball of air gathered, "Spiral Winds!" the ball was launched and Riza, smirking, knocked it harmlessly into the air. Seconds later a crash rang out and parts of the roof fell around Vent. Riza rushed forth and appeared under the slouched wind user. With a quick kick, Riza sent Vent in to the air, slamming against falling rocks. Riza dodged the large rock that she knocked Vent into as the giant debris crashed into the ground. The dust from the ground and crushed rocks spread, fading away soon after. Riza walked away until the rock was launched skyward, falling in the path of the fighter. She turned to see Vent standing, hunched over and panting, but standing. Her jacket was torn to shreds, her clothes in the same state, blood trickled from her mouth and forehead, and her goggles were cracked and broken. The wind around her picked up, as if she was losing control over the element. "Don't turn your back on me," her high-school cheerleader attitude gone, replaced by that of a caged, starved animal whose caged has been open and the teen was its next meal.
Riza stood stunned, no one could survive being crushed by a one ton piece of roof. Then it hit her. Vent landed where she dented the ground. If she fell there, the piece of roof couldn't crush her. "I'm ending this!" Riza rushed forward, Keyblade drawn. Vent summoned her Still Wind, and deflected every attack Riza threw. Even when Riza tried tricking Vent with an decoy of her image, Vent saw threw it and struck her down. Vent struck Riza in the gut with her bo-staff, the knocked the girl away with a swipe of her staff. Riza was knocked into a pillar, sliding down. She tried to move, but her body protested
Vent stalked closer to Riza, just like a predator to its prey. Riza looked up through one opened eye. They both snapped open as her mind screamed move. Her body moved just in time before the Still Wind pierced the pillar behind Riza. The ninja kicked off the pillar and landed on a smaller one, then hoped onto a bigger one. She launched herself at Vent, kicking away the staff and slashed at the girl. The swipes all but niched or missed the wind wielder. Vent then let out a powerful gust, blowing Riza away.
Her blue-grey orbs fell on Vent, whose green eyes turned into something feral. Blood seeped through her open wounds. I gotta stop her before she unleashes her Coup De Grace. Riza disappeared and reappeared behind Vent. Keyblade reared for a horizontal strike, Riza attacked. Vent ducked at the last second and used her hands to give her pushing strength for her kick. The blow connected and Riza wasn't sent high but she did land on the pillar Vent pierced. Vent flew up and tried to strike Riza with her bo-staff. The attack failed as Riza dodged the oncoming blow. Riza landed on the ground as Vent stayed on the pillar, breathing heavily and grasping her free flowing wound. She dropped her staff and stood more erect, extending her arms to her side, as in a 't' shape. Riza sucked her teeth in frustration and sped forth. She appeared on the other side of the pillar, "Nine-Tail Slice." The attack sliced the pillar in pieces, sending Vent tumbling down. Riza then threw her blade in the air over Vent, "Rain of Steel! Fire!" The firestorm of steel rained down, the smoke becoming dark.
As the storm ceased and the smoke fades away, Riza walked away. From the ground a mighty wind picked up, sending Riza across the room. "Don't. Turn. Your back. On. Me!!!" The wind around Vent picked up to frighting speeds. Riza, when she got up, took notice that Vent's goggles were practically destroyed. Riza rushed forward again but leapt on a low pillar before the wind could strike out. "Coupe De Grace: Tornado Finally!" The wind picked up to dangerous speeds.
"Damn it. She used her final attack." Vent seemed in a daze, not quite paying attention. Riza leapt form pillar to pillar, dodging the striking winds. She threw two shuriken, which were both knocked away from Vent. "So the wind is acting on it's own. She seems too...dead to know what's going on. Maybe..." Riza stood a moment to formulate a battle plan. The wind seemed to be at a standstill as well, awaiting the keybearer to make her move.
The ninja moved, jumping toward the wind. The tornado acted swallowing up the girl, she was twirled in the outer exterior of the tornado, whipping around as blinding speeds.
Inside, Riza was whipped around like a ragdoll. She was able to get out six kunai, three in each hand. When Riza saw her chance she threw the weapons. The six kunai exited, all striking Vent. One in the arm, two in the body, one in the shoulder, one passing her head, then finally, one striking her in the head, right between the eyes. Vent fell, her goggles falling off and her body disappearing in a small whirlwind. The Tornado Finally disappearing, Riza falling a great height. With the last of her strength, she summoned Pegasus. The flying steed caught her then landed safely on the ground. Riza dismounted, "Thanks Pegasus, you saved my butt." The white steed chirped. Riza looked at he horse, "Body of a horse, brain of a bird," she chuckled. Pegasus put his wings and chirped happily.
Riza turned her head, "Did I get her?" Pegasus followed her gaze and nodded. The kunai lied were she was struck. Riza picked up the weapons and dismissed Pegasus. She sliced through the stone blocking her path, and ran down the hall. Halfway she stopped, the hallway was getting hotter.
She jogged down, the air to hot to run. She made it to the door, it opened before she could touch it. On the other side was Hell.
TBC
Three grueling battles. How could Riza have the strength to keep going? The will to survive and protect those she loves.
Reviews are great.