Chapter 22: The Last Three
Riza looked at the towering inferno coming out of the center of the stone room. The flame died down to reveal Feu standing on a pillar int he middle of the gaping hole.
"Welcome, Keyblade Mistress to Hell. Ready to be burned alive?" Feu launched a fireball at Riza, who launched it back.Feu leaped, the flames erupting behind him while he was mid-air; from the flames he pulled a different pole weapon then the one he used in the dream world this one was a glaive, the blade large and had a hook on the reverse side. The blade crashed against Riza's Keyblade, forcing the ninja to a knee. Feu landed, still forcing the glaive against Riza's Keyblade. The ninja thought fast and forced her way up just a little, to free her down leg. She swiftly seeped kicked, sending Feu off balance. As he fell, Riza turned, using the same leg to sweep kick to knock Feu twenty feet away. Feu stood up and held out his right hand, his left holding his glaive. A small ember sparked to life in his hand, shortly turning into a crackling fire-ball. "Pyro Blaster!" The flames shot forth, Riza jumping over it, landing to the side, dashing next to the fire. She was next to Feu in a second, her Keyblade already slashing the air. Feu disappeared in a blast of flame.
He appeared on the pillar center of the room. "So Keybearer, are you afraid of the flame?" Feu pointed his glaive at Riza, a devilish grin spreading across his face.
"I'm not afraid of anything. Especially some element," Riza took on an offensive stance, showing no fear.
"Fine, have it your way." Feu summoned the flames from below, the tower rising again. Put her arms up to block any sparks and embers coming from the tower. Feu appeared to her right, his glaive ablaze. Riza caught a glimpse of him and jumped just to miss the glaive. Feu turned and went for a downward swing. Riza quickly brought her Keyblade and met it, knocking her back on her feet. Feu let up, withdrawing his glaive and attacked with a rapid thrust. Riza could only dodge. After several thrusts, Riza hit the glaive with her Keyblade, lodging it in the ground. She then kicked him in the chest, sending him backwards.
She then grasped the glaive, and the weapons gained a red glow, "Tell me Feu. Are you afraid of death?" Riza looked up, matching his devilish grin. She charged forth and leapt, "Brink of Despair!" Fey dodged the unrelenting strikes only to fall victim of a sneak attack from behind. Riza disappeared in front of him, appearing to his back, glaive gone, instead a kunai was grasped in her left hand. Before Feu could react, the kunai was lodged deep within his right shoulder, making his right arm next to useless. riza jumped and kicked him int he head, slamming him against the wall. Feu landed against his back, pushing the kunai deeper, the tip protruding through his jacket in the front. Small flames were sparking to life around his body before dieing soon after. Riza took notice that his head band was slightly torn. There is his weakness. Feu lifted up his left arm and large fireball appearing.
"Starburst!" the ball shot forth and Riza went to dodge, but it exploded before she could get away.She was knocked back, tumbling over her self, almost falling over the edge into the fiery pits. She stood, defiantly looking at the fire user. Feu surprised her an ran at her full speed, his glaive grinding against the ground, erupting in flames. Riza dodged the flaming blade, moving to his back, slicing his back from left shoulder to his right hip. He fell forwards. Feu struggled to get up but with the use of only one hand, it found it rather difficult. He finally got up and looked the keybearer. His blade's flames dieing down, he breathed life into it, literally. With a small breath into it, Feu brought the flame back. He held his blade out, then up; on top of the blade, a ball of fire gathered. Feu leaped up as the ball grew. "Sunburst!" A more powerful version of his earlier attack, the Starburst. The ball flew toward Riza, death its purpose. Riza Ran toward the wall, and leapt, landing her feet firmly on the wall and ran up. The Sunburst struck the wall, exploding. Riza just missing it, was caught in the shockwave. She was thrown from the wall, and landed on the other side of the room. Feu landed on the pillar int he middle of the rom. For safety measures, he summoned the flames to shield himself from the keyblader. He put his glaive on the ground and tried to reach the kunai. Unfortunately he couldn't reach it, only cause himself more pain.
Riza layed on the ground, her eyes closed and her grip on her Keyblade weak. After several seconds, she opened her eyes and gripped her Keyblade tightly. She stood up, her face warm. She looked and saw the flames were up. As soon as they die down, I'll attack. The flames dies down seconds later, revealing that Feu was gone.
Feuy appeared behind her, slashing his glaive, aiming for her neck. Riza ducked and turned to kick him in the gut, the kick connected. She then launched another, sending Feu off the ground. She body slammed him, driving her shoulder into his gut, driving him into the wall. Riza, still pushing Feu into the wall, drew a kunai. "This ends it!" Riza put the blade to Fue's forehead, cutting the headband at the forehead.
"Not likely!" As the headband tore, flames erupted from Feu, forcing Riza back. "Coupe De Grace: Hell Flame Dragon!" Feu began to glow and the flames from the pit shot up, taking the form of a mighty, western dragon. It roared, shaking the room.
"Not good," Riza looked up at the flame dragon, its eyes a bright orange-yellow. The dragon lashed out, embers coming off the claw, nearly catching Riza. She dodged and jumped over the fast-paced strikes. She lured the dragon on the other side of the room, Feu falling to his knees on the opposite side. Riza launched an Icy Dagger spell, temporally bliniding the beast. She jumped over it, and took aim, firing a shuriken at Feu's head, severing the rest oft he headband; too drained from the strain from the energy he couldn't dodge. The dragon exploded, as Feu's body burned to oblivion.
Not wasting anytime, Riza made her way out, racing toward the ice master's lair. She stumbled a bit, the intense battles taking their tole on the warrior. I got to keep going. So many people are counting on me! On my survival! On my victory!
"Glace! Riza is making her way toward the room! Feu has been..." FrostBite trailed off.
Glace stood frozen for a moment before turning to FrostBite, "Get my blade ready, sheath as well, and a watch. This'll be a quick fight." Glace walked out to go greet the approaching keybearer, a death glare cracked across the pale face, soon shadowed by the leather hood.
Riza made her way to the Freezer Room, nicknamed by the nefarious group. Inside, it was a simple, large, square room, filled with a chilling light fog. "Show yourself!" Riza called to the seemingly empty room.
A feminine chuckle floated through the fog, more chilling than the fog itself, "Welcome to your grave."
The fog cleared around Riza and the origin of the voice. A thin figure, dressed in the black coat of the Troupe, hood pulled over, hiding the figure's face, but the difference between this member and others was that this one wore black leather gloves up to the elbow. "Who are you?"
"The person sending you to Hell," the figure disappeared and reemerged behind the ninja. The shadow threw a punch, but Riza dodged, grabbing the arm and hurling the hooded attacker far from her. The body fell and skidded to a stop, staying down for a few tense moments before it stood, brushing off whatever on was the jacket. "Not bad. Didn't expect you to counter so quickly," the body pulled back the hood to reveal ice blue hair, lined with black highlights bangs coming of the left eye, black as well. Thick black marking over the small cold eyes, making the pale skin seem a ghostly white. A ice blue scarf was pulled out of the jacket, a blaring contrast to the dark and gothic look. "You look like your brother. Ren will be happy to see you, until he realizes your are no longer living." A smirk played on the pale face."Ren? Where is he? Where are my friends?"
"Ah, the sage and warrior? They're safe. Actually, they're treated like VIP guests here. Maybe they don't want to be saved," The smirk grew into a grin. "Hell, if I were treated like them, I wouldn't want to go."
"I'll rescue my friends and end this battle!"
"FrostBite, my sword." Frostbite appeared in a icy fog, holding out his superior's weapon, still sheathed. "Thank you. I think I'll leave it in its sheath for now," the member gripped the bottom of the sheath, the gloved hand glowing a pale blue, ice covering the base of the blade's sheath, locking the sheath in place. A test swing, the sheath stayed in place.
"What about the watch, Glace?"
"You mock me?! After I slain your comrades, you mock me?" Riza yelled, swinging her Keyblade to intimidate the ice user.
Not even paying attention, ignoring the keybearer's shout, "Set the time for five minutes, FrostBite. After that's up, I'll finish her off." Riza sneered. "OK, keybearer, come at me." Glace gestured with a gloved hand.
Without a second thought, Riza charged like an enraged bull, looking to impale the matador with it's horns. The two weapons slammed against each other as Glace deftly dodged the keyblader's strokes after a few seconds of energy-wasting grappling. Glace quickly covered the the floor in a sheet of clear ice, just under Riza's feet. Not noticing, Riza stepped into the trap; her right foot slipped on the ice, flinging backwards sending her face first into the ground. However, Glace's knee caught her face before the ground did. Glace's free hand was encased in ice in less than a second, next in her stomach, sending her against the wall with a satisfying thud. She slid down, slightly slumped, her Keyblade lied just a few short feet way. Riza looked up, her vision blurred. She felt her lips slightly damp. Blood? Her mind frantically thought, fearing internal bleeding. Her fingertips ran across her bottom lip, but only saliva showed. She sighed as she stood, staggering a bit. She reached out, the Keyblade teleporting into her hand once more.
"Handy trick, you got there. I would like to call my weapon to my hand at will," Glace disappeared, reappearing behind FrostBite. The ice around the left hand gone, as the frosty flirt traced the gloved hand across FrostBite's chin then down his neck, "But I guess FrostBite has to do," Glace purred in the subordinate's ear, making the latter blush profusely. Glace next appeared in front of the keyblader with unnatural speed. The sheathed blade pointed to her heart. "That too. I would like that. The organ that makes you alive, that makes you an actual living being. Right under your breast." Glace looked at her with a demonic face, the cold eyes seemingly growing smaller and yet, full of some hunger; hunger to be part of existence and not just a host body.
Riza sidestepped, flanking Glace, "Well, you can't have it!" She attacked with a flurry of strikes, Glace once again dodging them. Glace leapt away and held up the swordless hand.
"Glacier Strike!" Pillars of sharpened ice jet out from the ground, targeting the agile ninja. Riza used the pillars to her advantage, leaping off one just before another conected with it, shattering both, making her way closer to the creator of the icy death spikes. "Fool," Glace swings the hand that called the Glacier Strike, summoning up the ice shards that Riza indirectly created. The small pieces aimed for Riza were sharp and stronger than diamond. The keyblader tried to use her Ember Buster to counter the shard, but in vain. The ice either froze the flame or cut right through it. "As you have noticed, Mistress of the Key, my ice is cold enouhg to freeze even ice's natural enemy: fire. So I wouldn't waste my energy using that tactic." Taking those cold, demonic eyes of the 'blader for a second, Glace asked the recovering FrostBite for the time.
"Three minutes, my liege." FrostBite ogt out in a surprising straight tone.
"Good. I'll play with her for a bit more. Tight schedule and all." The ice wielder summoned forth a small spear of ice, "Arctic Weapon," the spear was hurled through the chilled air. Riza reacted in time, slicing the spear in half, the two pieces flying to her sides, embedding themselves into the ice pillars. "Oh, she's good." Glace smiled.
Riza was busy dodging death spikes from the ground and small shards of pain too notice Glace chatting away wiht FrostBite Like this was a social event. Maybe this my chance. Riza withdrew a shuirken, "Fly, little buddy!" The small steel weapon flew through the air, slicing Glace's left shoulder. The member drops the sheathed sword and grips the wounded shoulder. The ice slows down, then comes to a halt. Riza, Keyblade dismissed, was gripping the point of one spike from behind, another in front, as her right foot kicked a point off another, finally a shard stops mid air in front of her throat, too close for comfort. The shard drops as she jumps away from the spikes. A minute and a half of dodging killer ice. Riza gripped her Keyblade and dashed to Glace, who picked up the dropped sword, gripping it tightly. Glace deflected the blade strike, kicking Riza in the stomach, the ninja smacking against a pillar of ice and hard as concrete. Small chunks fall off and the pillar was slightly dented. Glace flicked the left wrist, the pillar of ice trapping the keybearer in a hold. "Damn it, so close," she mumbled under her breath.
"Time FrostBite," Glace growled.
"Just over a minute."
"Good," Glace held up ice shards, possibly fifty, maybe hundred. "OK, Mistress of the Key, your life ends in one minute. Too bad. Letting your friends and your brother down, hell, the whole universe down at the home stretch. Gotta suck, right? But hey, if we meet in the next life, I'll tell you all about the innocent scream that yelled for a savior before I slew them. Their loved ones taken away, just like you taken away mine."
Riza looked confused. "Confused? Good! Just because we're vessels doesn't mean we can feel. We were once human, too. We might not have a heart now, but we know what it was like to have one. To feel sorrow, love...grief." Glace paused. "Yes, you took away the one member I actually liked in this damn place!" Riza had to think, seeing as Glace showed traits for both genders, she couldn't tell who the pale ice user was talking about. "Don't know the name of...the person?" Glace hesitated before finishing the sentence. "Let me give you a clue, name starts with and 'F'." Realization quickly hit the trapped ninja. "Yeah, the pyro was the one I fancied. You know how I feel. To have a loved one ripped away." Glace looked away. Then looked back, "But enough about me. You should be praying for your friends, your family, for the people you failed to save." Glace aimed the sword toward thee keybearer. "Time?"
"Ten seconds."
"Goodbye."
Before the time was up, Riza shattered the ice holding her with a powerful Vulpes Pulse, she was gathering energy during Glace's monologue. The ice flying everywhere, a large chunk hitting FrostBite, caught off-guard by the move. He landed, blood flowing from his head wound, the watch shattering. Glace was sliced and scratched as the shards flew by. "Let's get serious now, Glace." Riza energized by a new strength, knowing she can't fail her gave her new strength. Glace melted the ice around the base of the sword, unsheathing it. Steel glistened in the icy fog. The pillars withdrew by command of the ice user; the true battle was about to begin.
The two stood in a stare-down for a few long seconds, seizing each other up. Glace was the first to strike, the blade lashing out like a snakes tongue, quick and frequent. Riza dodged and blocked the blade, although she still got nicked by the razor-sharp blade. Blocked a thrust, sliding it against the Keyblade. She turned, drawing the Keyblade away from the double-edged blade, swinging for Glace's throat. She missed, but slashed the scarf. A gust of cold air hit Riza, instinctively drawing up her arms to block against it. Glace looked at the loud scarf, a new cut on it, then scowled at the keybearer. Riza was the first to attack this time, their blades clashing, just inches from the skin. Riza blocked a downward swing, making Glace off-balanced.
"Ember Buster!" A fireball shot form the Keyblade, hitting Glace in the center, sending the surprised fighter back, tumbling head over heels. The frosty fighter got up soon after, not wasting anytime, headed straight for Riza.
While running toward the keybearer, Glace let out a thick, winter fog, shielding everything from view. Riza couldn't see the tip of the Keyblade, even though the tip was three feet in front of her. Everything was silent for several tense seconds. Riza relied on her hearing to help out, as for her eyes were near useless. Behind her, the fog shifted. She dodged just in time the blade could cut along her back. She turned, drawing a shuriken and throwing it in the direction where the blade came from. The shuriken landed in flesh, groan of pain floated on the fog.
"Blizzard Dopplegangers!" Riza felt the appearing bodies. The fog cleared to reveal ten clones of Glace.
Father, help me! The Keyblade pulsed, as if her father answering her. A new power surged through her as her body learned a new technique. Kitsune Claw? That was Dad's favorite technique. Able to make the user look like a nine-tail fox, a mere illusion, as the weapon was used looking like the claws of the fox. This it'll be perfect! "OK Glace, get ready, I'm ending this fight!" Riza crouched down, left hand outstretched, curved like a claw as her right and held the Keyblade, the sharp blade facing Glace. "Kitsune Claw: Rapid Slash!" She dashed forward, her body flickering and changing to that of the nine-tailed fox of lore. Glace was stunned, watching as the ten dopplegangers stood no chance against the transformed keybearer. With in seconds, the ice clones were destroyed. The fox looked at Glace before the keyblader's form returned to normal.
"What the hell was that?"
"A special move. I'll show you another one! Kitsune Claw: Steel Breaker!" Riza took her stance, her form changing. The kitsune charged forth, leaping up then slamming the right claw against Glace's sword. With the force of the blow with gravity adding power to it, the steel of the sword snapped like a weak twig. The blade broke in half, the top half flying somewhere behind them. The fox landed in front of Glace, reverting back to Riza. The Keyblade shot up, slicing open Glace's jacket from the right hip and through the blue scarf.
Glace jumped back, discarding the useless blade, " Coup De Grace: Tundra Storm!" The room's temperature dropped hundred degrees below zero, snow forming rapidly.
"I gotta end this! Kitsune Claw: Final Strike!" The kitsune returned and growled out, "Fire!" The paws erupted in flame. The fox leapt up and dashed over the snow, melting the white cover instantly. Glace was confident that the ninja couldn't find her way through the blanket of white. So why put up a defense, when your enemy can't find you? Glace had little time to realize what happened before a claw engulfed in flame was through the pale body. It was pulled out then turned back into the Keyblade that quickly sliced off the tattered scarf. Glace flew to the ground, top body still erect.
"How was I defeated?" The dying ice user grasped out.
Riza walked in front of the fallen Troupe Grimm member, "Simple, you relied to much on your Tundra Storm to properly defend yourself."
"You...Bitch..." Glace fell face first on the ground, the ice slowly took hold of the body, living the ice statue of Glace.
Riza walked away and notice a body by the door. A closer look showed that it was FrostBite, Glace's subordinate. He died of loss of blood from his large head wound. Next to him was a large chunk of bloody ice, melting slowly.
Riza made it to the next room quickly. Upon entering it, the room was in total darkness. The room slowly began to gain some light, revealing the room, twenty feet high, fifty feet across, was made of total steel. Except, the roof was slowly opening, letting in the moonlight. On the other side, the door opened to Acier. He tapped the floor with his foot, a thud rung out, and the steel rose up and twisted into a word: Welcome.
Riza didn't know to smile and say hello or start slashing at the steel manipulator. She summoned her Keyblade, and took her stance. Acier smirked as he drew his hands from behind his back and his right arm transformed into a grappling dagger. The welcome sign returned to the steel floor, Acier bending his knees slightly, pointing the dagger at Riza. Riza, being impatient, attacked first. leaping up, swinging her weapon at Acier's head, as well as throiwng in some well-aimed kicks; all attacks missed and were blocked. Riza made a distance between them, and took up a defensive stance. Acier stood erect, then smirked, as he began to sink into the floor, the steel around his decending form rippling like water. Riza watched stunned as Acier became completely submerged in the steel. Riza felt a shift in the floor, like something swimming by or under her. She jumped before a steel spike shot out. Riza flipped and landed safely away form the spike, now sinking back into the floor. Acier appeared out of the floor a few feet in front of Riza. She actually got a good look at his face. Next to the noticable scar across his throat and smaller ones just above and below the scar also two scars on his left cheek coming from his jaw to under his eye and under his right eye. Those scars were either form recent battles or before he became Acier.
Riza only took a few seconds to observe the scars before she attacked, her Keyblade aimed for his chest, his large chain necklace with an upside down heart. The Keyblade missed as Acier sidestepped the thrust, and swung his dagger at Riza. Mid-trust Riza jumped away but the dagger bit her left cheek, drawing a small line of blood. They faced each other, Acier changing the dagger back to his hand and forming a long double-edge sword. Acier then lifted his left hand, a handle-less kunai flew out. Riza dodged the small blade as the larger one came crashing down. Sparks flew at Acier's sword connected with the floor, Riza bring her arms up to protect her face. She opened an eye to see Acier's sword coming at her in a diagonal swing. She brought the Keyblade in front of her, the sword catching the Keyblade, launching Riza into the air. With the roof opened, the Keyblade holder flew with no injury. Acier jumped after her, sword changing into a giant battle ax. Riza used a kunai to block the ax and flipping over it. She kicked Acier in the back then turned in the air bringing her heel down on his shoulder. Acier landed on the floor like a diver that messed up a dive; hard and sinking into the surface, the floor rippling violently.
Riza summoned Pegasus to keep off the floor, knowing Acier is just below the surface. The white, winged, steed came out of the Keyblade and hovered under Riza as she landed on his back. He chirped excitedly, looking at the slowly churning floor. The floor stopped moving, but one of the walls started to liquify as Acier appeared out of it, stopping when he was still knee deep in the steel. He drew up his arm, aiming at Riza. A tip of a blade poked out, then shot out. Riza deflected it with her Keyblade, and urged Pegasus down. The horse obeyed and neighed loudly, as if it was a battle cry. They swooped in, Riza leaping off Pegasus's back as the horse made a right angle turn upwards. Riza's attack was quick and Acier had little time to retreat back to the safety of the steel; the Keyblade dug deep into his left shoulder, the sound of his collar bone being slashed through and flesh being severed. The mute let out a silent scream, his face stretching in pain. Riza drew out her bloody blade and jumped away. Acier lost hold over the steel and fell out, landing on the floor with a wet thump. Riza swung the blade, freeing it of Acier's blood, Pegasus returning to a white light and retreating back to the Keyblade. Acier struggled to stand, pain shooting through every part of his body. His left arm hung useless as he slouched over. He fell to his knees,the major loss of blood effecting him immediately. He placed his right hand on the floor and four bars appeared around Riza. Walls formed around the bars, looking Riza in. on the wall in front of her, words appeared: Coup De Grace: Steel Trap Impale.
Small points appeared all over the walls and a roof slowly covered her, points appearing there once the roof sealed her off to the rest of the world. Acier sat and watched, his vision becoming blurry. A small smirk appeared as he lift his right hand and brought it down with a slap, a small wave came away from his hand and slamming the box. It shook for a second as the spikes jutted out at blinding speeds. After the small tremor, Acier fell face first, feeling the blood just pour out of him. But he didn't care, his jobs were done: Collect the princes and kill the keybearer. He could care less if he got a heart. Like he needed it, he was a killer. A human heart would just give him a conscious, feelings would get in the way of killing an innocent. Just as he was about to close his eyes, the floor shook. He pushed his upper body up with his good arm and looked toward the steel trap. Standing on top was a nine-tailed fox, growling and baring the white teeth, saliva dripping from its maw.
Acier blinked, delusions filling his mind, the keybearer appeared where the demon was. She jumped off the box, the roof ripped open from the inside. She stalked toward the half-dead mute. The ninja snaked the Keyblade under the chain necklace and brought it up swiftly, slicing though it. The links flew to the ground with a clatter. Riza twirled the keyblade and thrusted it into the heart, destroying the pendent. Acier left the world with his cocky grin plastered on his face.
TBC
With this journey coming to an end, how will Riza find the strength to push on?