Chapter XVIII: Thorn of Darkness

"No way...Kai?" Kai stared at them emotionlessly. Reyna noticed something about his eyes. They seemed vacant, like he was in a daze or something. They also had a faint hue of purple in them.

"So you've come, huh? I guess this will be my chance to test the darkness."

"What, no hello?" said Tyson sarcastically.

Kai pulled out Soul Eater and smirked. In a flash he was behind Tyson. He kicked Tyson in the back, who went sprawling to the floor. Namé cast a reflect spell as he slashed at Fayt.

"Lightning Blast!"

Fayt used his Lightning Blast symbol to throw back Kai with bolts of electricity. Kai teleported up and elbowed him in the stomach, then blasted him with Dark Aura. Reyna stood still unsure of what to do.

"I have to help them, but...I-I can't hurt Kai..."

Tyson jumped up and ran at Kai. He hit his keyblade at Kai, who blocked it with his sword, but Tyson quickly pulled his keyblade down and swiped at his legs. Kai was tripped to the ground, but as Tyson brought his keyblade down, Kai rolled out of the way, and slashed at him, cutting him in the stomach. Then he grabbed Tyson's arm, twisted him around his back, then threw him to the ground. Fayt ran and slashed at him, but Kai jumped on his shoulder, then kicked the back of his head, knocking him to the ground. Namé ran over and brought her staff down at Kai.

"Spell Impact!"

But Kai charged his sword with darkness and clashed with her staff. Kai's dark power was stronger than Namé's magic, and she was thrown back against the wall. He grinned and brought Soul Eater to Tyson's neck.

"Time to plunge your heart into darkness. Wah-"

Reyna suddenly lashed at him with her whip, but he blocked it with his Dark Shield.

"Faith!"

She blew him back with a shockwave of pure light. He staggered up from the steps and glared at them.

"This isn't over. I'll be back."

"Kai, wait!"

Kai disappeared into a dark portal, leaving Reyna hanging. She sighed and ran over to help Namé. The they went and healed Tyson and Fayt.

"Ugh, no joke. Kai is way good," said Tyson.

"What's happened to him?" said Namé sadly. Reyna looked to where he was standing before.

"Oh, Kai..."

Kai teleported back to his room.

"What happened? You were supposed to defeat the Angel of Heart and the keyblade master," said Vanessa.

"I had some complications. It won't happen again."

"You're right. It won't. I'll see to that."

The four approached the next door.

"Ready?" asked Reyna.

"Ready," the three replied. They opened the door, and in a flash of light they found that they had come out of the door to Beast's room.

"We're in Beast's Castle," said Namé.

"The Darkness is probably in the ballroom," said Fayt. They ran down the hall when Gargoyle Knights came to life. Namé cast Graviga to crush the statues, then Reyna finished off the released spirits. They left the dimly lit hall and entered the wing. More statues came to life, which the four easily overcame. As they passed the suits of armor, Lancer Heartless emerged. One flew at Tyson, who grabbed onto it. As it flew around, he pulled it downward and threw most of the other Heartless before crashing it into the ground. Then Fayt used his Earth Glaive symbol to finish the rest. They passed through the door and ran down the steps when Defender Heartless appeared before the door. Reyna lashed her whip out, slicing right through the shield of one and destroying it. Namé used Spell Impact to smash the other shield, then Tyson ran and finished it off.

"Well, this is it," said Reyna. They opened the door of the ballroom, which suddenly turned black with a Heartless decor. They heard a horrible roar, and a Dark Thorn emerged from the darkness. He lunged at the four, but Namé cast Magnega to the wall behind it, pulling the Dark Thorn into it. Tyson threw his keyblade using Strike Raid, cutting across its chest. It roared and lunged forward, grabbing Tyson in its claw, and slammed him into the ground. Namé cast Firaga to blast it back. It shot a ball of darkness from its mouth at Namé. She dodged, but the explosion threw her backwards.

"Wind Stepper!"

Fayt used his Wind Stepper symbol and flew up to the ceiling. He cut the chains of the chandelier, dropping it down on the Dark Thorn. As it was pinned down, Tyson took his keyblade and stabbed it in the head. It roared and threw off the chandelier. Reyna then lashed at its torso with her whip. It grabbed her with its claw and would have bit her head off if Tyson hadn't used Strike Raid on its arm, causing the Dark Thorn to drop Reyna.

"Faith!"

She blew back the Dark Thorn into the wall, then used Binding Halo to pin its arms to its torso. With the Dark Thorn unable to move, she ran up and struck it in the heart. It roared, then vanished in a flash of light. They turned around and saw that the door leading out of the ballroom had turned white. When they opened it, they found themselves back in the castle.

"Another world down!" said Reyna.

"So, how far have our heros made it," asked Albel, teleporting into the room.

"Farther than they should have," snapped Bankotsu. "Maybe if you had listened to my orders and finished them off-"

"I don't take orders from brats like you," Albel said with a glare.

Bankotsu's eyes burned with rage. "don't think you can play around with me. Worthless scum, you're only here because the Superior couldn't figure out where else to hide you away. So don't play with me or I'll kill you before you can blink."

"Now, now, brother. Let's not be so rash," said Renkotsu.

"Renkotsu, dearest brother, if I wanted your opinion, I'd have asked for it!"

Lerena laid a hand on his shoulder. "Please, don't snap at your brother. He only has your best interests at heart."

"Oh, you're going to lecture me too?"

She gave him a hug and said sweetly to him, "No, I'm only caring for you."

His expression softened, and he wrapped his arms around her. "C'mon, let's go somewhere else. I'm sick of their faces."

They teleported from the room, leaving Renkotsu and Albel alone.

"You hate him, don't you?" asked Renkotsu, staring at the ceiling.

"Heh, what was your first clue?" said Albel. A sly smile crept onto Renkotsu's face.

"Then I suppose you wouldn't argue to having someone more capable in charge."

"I don't suppose I would."

"And how far would you be willing to go for it?"

"Anything to get at that little bastard. Why? Just what are you getting at?"

"An overthrow."

Dark Thorn-

A Heartless that appeared in Beast's Castle on Xaldin's command. It returned as the incarnation of the darkness in Beast's Castle.

Nightshroud: Hehe, interesting. So all's not well within the Organization's ranks...And our heros are venturing farther into the castle, but what awaits them? And what about Kai? What's going on with him? Bwahahaha I love to keep you guessing! Drop a review and some love for the hard working author!

Next chapter: The Mistress of the Four Winds and the Beast of the Sands