Chapter XXV: The Dark Depths

Nightshroud: I'm glad you guys like the new POV. Actually, Mr. Fipp, that was my original idea, but I decided to change it a bit. And I found All's End!! I'm going to go read it. And I'm glad I made you happy, LauraCroft55. I highly appreciate all those who review my stories. And that's good to hear. I definitely want to keep writing with my free time in college. Well, enough blabbering, let's get going!

Reyna, Tyson, and Fayt found themselves in the Castle Chapel of Hollow Bastion.

"The darkness...it's inside the keyhole we locked before," said Reyna.

"Then let's get going!" said Tyson. As they ran forward, Defender and Wizard Heartless emerged. Fayt jumped back and used his symbology.

"Ice Needles!"

He shot a blast of ice needles at one of the Defenders, but it blocked with its shield. Then it shot its arm out to hit him, but he knocked the shield to the side and threw his sword through it.

Reyna ran forward and jumped on the Defender's shield as it tried to hit her. Then she jumped off and slashed through it. She then ducked to the side as a Wizard cast a thunder spell at her. As she moved to the side, Tyson's keyblade flew by and cut through the Wizard. Then he kicked off the wall as a Defender shot a fire blast from its shield and cut through more Wizards. Reyna ran over and cut through the Defender's shield, then Fayt ran past her and stabbed it.

"Nice work!" said Tyson.

Yeah, you were okay," said Fayt smugly. Tyson only glared. Reyna rolled her eyes and pushed them both forward. They ran through the passage to the Grand Hall. Neoshadows and Armored Knights appeared.

"Earth Glaive!"

Fayt's earth symbol shattered through the Heartless, killing a good deal of them. Reyna ran at the Neoshadows and sliced through a few, dodged a swipe from one, then blasted them with Faith.

Tyson ran at the Armored Soldiers. He stabbed through one, dodged a blade, cut through another, and flipped over one as it slashed at him. Then he stabbed it backwards, then sliced through the one in front before using Stun Impact to stun the few remaining.

"Thunder Raid!"

Then he threw his lightning charged keyblade through the rest, finishing them off.

"Great job!" said Fayt.

"Yeah, you were okay," said Tyson with a grin, using Fayt's own words against him. Fayt only shook his head and walked off.

They ran over to the keyhole, glowing green and red in front of them. With a nod, they all stepped through it. In a moment they found themselves in a strange distortion of space. If you looked too long, you would probably get sick. Suddenly the heard a deafening roar, and a Behemoth appeared.

"We have to fight that!" said Tyson in awe. Then they all had to jump back as it put its horn up and a circle of lightning struck all around it. They ran forward, then quickly dived for their lives as it jumped forward and landed by them. Fayt ran through its legs, then reached its tail and jumped onto its back. Meanwhile, Reyna was slicing at the Behemoth's legs, jumping about to avoid its kicks.

"Tyson, go help Fayt on its back. I think the horn is the source of its power."

"Right."

He ran through and made it to the back as the Behemoth roared and shot an energy blast from its horn that rained down homing energy balls. Reyna hid under its body while Fayt hid behind its horn. Tyson was completely vulnerable though. He put up his keyblade to block a blast, but it threw him backward under the impact.

"The idiot's going to get himself killed!" said Fayt.

Another blast homed in on Tyson and flew at him.

"Reflega!"

A reflect spell came around Tyson as the blast hit. Everyone blinked in shock until the caster came into view.

"Namé!" said Reyna happily.

"Hey, sorry I'm late!" she said with a smile. The Behemoth roared and turned its attention to her. She frowned and lifted her staff up.

"Thundaga!"

She hit its horn with a bolt of lightning, causing it to step back. Fayt caught on, and began hacking at its horn. Just as he was breaking through the tough shell to get to the inside, it roared and threw him off its back. Then he quickly rolled as its foot stomped by him. It bit down on the three, but Namé put up a shield for them.

"Tyson, quick! Get on its back and destroy the horn!" said Fayt. Tyson nodded and jumped on its back. To hold its attention, Reyna ran at it and slashed at its chest. It knocked her to the side with a blast of energy, as Tyson made it to its head.

"Ars Arcanum!"

Tyson hacked and slashed its horn with rapid speed. It broke under the final attack, and Tyson punched at the air.

"All right!"

The Behemoth roared and shook threw him off. Namé cast a gravity spell underneath him to slow the descent as the Behemoth vanished in a flash of light.

"Thanks, sis."

She smiled sweetly. "No prob."

They turned and walked back towards the portal that they came from. As they walked through, they found themselves back in the castle.

"So, what happened to that Kurama guy? I thought you were with him."

"I was. But he said you guys were in trouble so I should come help you. I saw that scorch mark in the last hallway. What happened?"

Reyna said sadly, "We fought Kai and my dark 'twin' Vanessa. But Kai turned against her and protected me. I don't know what happened after that."

"Oh," Namé said quietly.

"I'll bet that Kurama guy was using that as an excuse to get away," said Fayt.

"Yeah, I don't trust him," his said Tyson.

"Stop it. He's a good person."

"Uh huh..." said Tyson before continuing down the hall. Namé sighed and followed, with Reyna and Fayt close by.

"Now what?" asked Haru. Albel frowned.

"They're getting to close. We're going to have to make our move."

"But what about Renkotsu's plan?"

"We have to look after ourselves now. If they managed to get to the last floor and kill Bankotsu, and the rest of us survive, it'll be pretty suspicious. So we're going to have to get rid of them."

"I see. Should we tell Renkotsu."

"No. We're taking matters into our own hands."

The four walked up the stairs till the next door came into view. Suddenly two figures teleported into the room. They recognized the first as Albel, but the other wasn't familiar.

"So, we meet again," said Albel with a grin. "But this is going to be different from the last fight. This is to the death!"

He pulled out his large sword and scraped it across the polished floor with a smirk. The masked figure concentrated, and began to breath out. Suddenly the air began to grow cold.

"What's going on?" said Reyna as she rubbed her arms. Suddenly a visible aura appeared around Haru. It began to expand and filled the room.

"Devil Region Ice Field!"

They knew they were in trouble.

Kurama sighed as he propped himself up.

"I hope she's all right."

Suddenly his eyes widened and he got a bad feeling.

"That aura...it's Albel, and his apprentice Haru. Are they good enough to stop both of them?"

He thought for a moment, then his eyes became resolute.

"Well, I'm no help here."

Tyson stared down Albel while Fayt stood against Haru.

"To make things even."

Haru put up his hand and icicles grew up around Namé and Reyna and encased them up to their necks.

"Now, we will begin."

Fayt was shocked when Haru kicked him from the side. As he caught himself, he saw icicles forming in between Haru's fingers (that maes six in all).

"Crystal Ice Needles!"

He threw the ice needles at Fayt. He tried to block, but they stuck him in the legs and arms.

"Fayt!" said Tyson.

"Better watch yourself."

Tyson turned around to see Albel swipe his sword at him. He ducked down to avoid its deadly arc, but was quickly thrown back by a swift kick from Albel.

Meanwhile, Haru kept throwing ice needles at Fayt, who kept trying to avoid them, somewhat unsuccessfully. He was thrown to the ground as a few lodged in his leg. Haru laughed and held at his arm, his fingers out and tightly together. Ice began to creep up his hand and extended outward, creating an ice blade around his hand.

"Crystal Ice Sword!"

Haru rushed at Fayt and kicked him in the face, causing him to tumble back. Then he leaped into the air and stabbed downward at him.

"Time to die!"

"Oh no!"

"Fayt!"

Suddenly Haru stopped and looked with confusion as Kurama stood in front of him (and over Fayt), a vine extended around the blade to hold it in place. Haru tried to pull lose, but Kurama's vine held the blade firmly in place.

"Kurama!" said Namé happily while Reyna smiled to her.

Kurama smiled slightly over at them, then turned back with fierce determination to Haru.

"Pick on someone your own size."

Kurama blew Haru backwards with his Rose Cloud, slicing him with sharp rose petals. Kurama looked down at Fayt and said, "Go help Tyson. I'll deal with him."

Fayt nodded and ran over to Tyson. Haru got up and laughed.

"You think this will make ammends for all you've done?"

Kurama smiled with determination. "No, but it's a start."

Nightshroud: Yay! Kurama joins the fight! I know you're all very excited for this fight, but just to build up the excitement (I'm so evil hehe) we're going to switch over to Kai next chapter. But, it's still going to be good. And now you can look forward to the titanic clash! Review and tell me how you liked it!

Next chapter: Darkness in Turmoil: Voldo is Born