Chapter XXVII: Sub Zero: The Two Faces of Water

Nightshroud: Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately, Lauracroft55, wind is already Lerena's, and Renkotsu and Bankotsu both have fire. So I will use Mr. Fipp's idea. Sound! Perfect! Thanks again to both of you. Now, to the awaited fight!

Theme song for this chapter: I Gotta Get Through This by Daniel Bedingfield. Listen to it while you read this. Awesome combo!

"You think this will make ammends for all you've done?" said Haru with a cynical laugh.

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

Haru's humor went away as he summoned more ice needles to his left hand (since the right had the ice sword now).

"Think again. Crystal Ice Needles!"

Kurama jumped gracefully out of the way as the ice needles lodged into the floor. Then he flung his whip outward, but Haru dived to the side as the whip tore through the floor. Haru ran forward and lashed with his Crystal Ice Sword, but wrapped his whip around it and threw Haru to the side.

"Rose Cloud!"

Kurama threw Haru with back with a blast of wind and sharp rose petals. Kurama ran at him when he suddenly put his hands to the ground and said "Crystal Ice Glaive!"

Giant ice columns emerged from the ground in front of Kurama.

"Rose Whiplash!"

Kurama sliced through all the ice columns with his rose whip, shattering them into pieces. Haru was shocked to see Kurama jump at him and kick him in the face, hurling backward to the ground.

Meanwhile, Albel grabbed his large sword and threw it at Fayt and Tyson. They moved apart to avoid the blade, but when they turned back Albel kneed Tyson in the stomach, then punched Fayt to the side. Tyson clutched his stomach as Albel walked over and elbowed him into the ground.

"Tyson!" the girls screamed.

Fayt ran at Albel and swung his sword off to the right. The attack missed, leaving Albel clueless. The blade stuck into the ground, and Fayt, holding onto the hilt, cartwheeled into the air, kicking Albel in the head. Albel caught himself and retrieved his sword.

"Water Geyser!"

He swung his sword down on the ground, cracking it. Suddenly geysers errupted out of the ground. Tyson and Fat kept jumping as geysers errupted around them. Suddenly out of one the geysers Abel emerged, sending off a blast of water at Fayt, throwing him into the wall. Tyson ran and hurled his keyblade at Albel, shouting, "Fire Raid!"

The keyblade collided into Albel, knocking him back.

"Not bad, kid," he said with a grin. He suddenly pulled out a familiar stone.

"The Kronos Stone!" said Tyson. Albel laughed and put his hand forward. The seal emerged and began to spread out. Fayt quickly ran in as the barrier went up around the seal. They were now trapped inside until someone lost their heart.

Haru ran at Kurama and sliced at him with his sword. Kurama dodged to the side and lashed at Haru's back, who turned and threw ice needles that stuck in his arms and legs. Haru laughed and pulled out a shard of the Kronos Stone.

"Ready for the real test, Kurama? Can you take another heart?"

Kurama's eyes widened in shock as the Kronos Seal encircled the two of them.

"Can I do this? Can I face banishing another heart into the shadows?"

Haru could see in Kurama's eyes that his mind game was working. Haru hurled more ice needles at Kurama, who barely had time to defend his vital spots before they hit him, embedding in his arms and legs. He stumbled back to one knee, then looked up to see Haru stab his sword at him. He jumped to the side and distanced himself from Haru. Haru laughed as he pulled his ice sword out of the ground. Then he turned and ran at Kurama.

"It's time for you to pay for your actions!"

Kurama hung his head in submission until he heard Namé call out, "Kurama! Don't fall for his mind game! I believe in you!"

Kurama snapped, and as Haru slashed at him, he moved with incredible speed past Haru, wrapping Haru in his whip. Haru struggled to free himself, but Kurama tightened the whip around him. Then he suddenly unraveled it, raking the sharp thorns into Haru's flesh as it came loose. Haru collapsed to the ground, holding his bleedings wounds.

"I have you have a fall-back plan," said Kurama slyly. Haru growled and hurled ice needles at Kurama's back. Kurama jumped to the side and lashed him with his rosewhip, hitting him into the barrier. Then he pulled out three pointed rose petals and threw them at Haru.

"Rose Darts!"

Haru put his hands up and said, "Crystal Ice Mirror!"

From his hands grew a shieldlike mirror made of ice. As Kurama's rose darts hit it, there was a flash of light, and when Kurama looked back, he was surprised to see his own rose darts hit him. He stumbled back, and hunched over. The mirror shattered, and Haru ran at Kurama, ready to deal the death blow. Kurama quickly put his hand to the ground.

"Dance of the Eightfold Vines!"

Vines shot out of the ground in front of Kurama and pinned Haru against the barrier.

"Finished yet?"

Albel summoned spheres of water into each hand. Then he hurled them into the air.

"Water Bombs!"

The spheres of water crashed into the ground, sending off explosions of water. Fayt and Tyson were bombarded on all sides by the explosions. Albel charged at them at swung, but Fayt ducked and knocked his feet out. He rolled back, and swiped his sword along the water, sending off a slicing shockwave along the ground. Tyson avoided the attack and swung down, but Albel guarded with his sword, then knocked him away.

"Water Dragon Bullets!"

He put his hands together, and a giant water dragon head emerged from the pool in front of him. It roared and opened its mouth, then began firing bullet-like raindrops at the two.

"Wind Stepper!"

Fayt took to the air, taking Tyson with him. He flew with impressive skill, avoiding the water bullets as the dragon head followed their path.

"Water Dragon Missile!"

The water dragon emerged from the pool and shot after them. Fayt dodged its bite, but it slammed into the barrier, sending off a huge explosion of water. Fayt and Tyson were knocked to the ground senseless.

Haru struggled against the vines, but Kurama only shook his head.

"Why must you struggle in vain? It's useless."

"Don't you get it? Neither of us can leave the seal until it acquires a soul. So...I'll just have to give it one of your friends!"

He managed to hold his hand out towards the girls. The ice around them began to creep up their necks. Haru laughed viciously.

"The ice will completely encase them, and once it does, it will shatter, killing them!"

"No!"

With Kurama's attention distracted, his hold on the vines loosened. Haru managed to cut through, and lunged at Kurama for the killing blow. Kurama turned on him, his eyes flashing with fierceness. He lifted his whip into the air and said:

"Rose Hurricane!"

Haru looked down as the ground as the ground in a huge area around him suddenly exploded upward in a violent updraft of razor sharp rose petals. The girls were shocked by the beauty and ferocity of the attack. When the storm died down, the rose petals drifted down and covered Haru's body.

"As awful as he was in life, at least he could find some beauty in death. Pity."

The seal retracted around Haru and took his heart. The ice around Reyna and Namé cracked and shattered, freeing them. Namé ran to Kurama and steadied him while she used a cure spell.

"Thank you," he said softly. She smiled at him as Reyna ran came over. The three then turned their attention to the other fight.

Tyson and Fayt weakly struggled up as Albel laughed at them.

"I'm going to kill you now."

He ran at Tyson and swung his sword, knocking away the keyblade. Then he slammed Tyson up against the barrier, pressing his sword to Tyson's neck.

"Hehe, you're helpless without the keyblade."

"Not exactly," said Tyson with a smirk. The keyblade reappeared in his hand and he stabbed Albel in the stomach. Then he swung the keyblade and swiped him away. As Albel stumbled back, he summoned a Water Bomb to his hand and hurled it at Tyson, blasting him into the barrier. Then he fell to the ground unconscious.

"Tyson!" Fayt called.

"Your turn," said Albel wickedly. He ran at Fayt, his sword poised to slice Fayt in half. Fayt grinded his teeth angrily and charged up one of his most powerful symbols.

"Lightning Strike!"

An orb of static electricity shot appeared in the air. Albel stopped and looked up as a huge bolt of lightning shot down and struck him. Everyone covered their eyes till the flash died down. Albel was lying in a heap on the floor. Fayt sank to his knees, his arms supporting him as the seal retracted around Albel, claiming his heart. Namé ran up and cast cure spells on Fayt and Tyson.

"Great job you guys! Two more Organization members down!"

Both of them nodded and didn't say anything. Reyna looked at them curiously.

"What's wrong with you two?" she asked. Namé smirked and crossed her arms.

"What? Finally realized you're wrong?"

They both grumbled and said "thanks" to Kurama before walking away. Namé turned to Kurama and smiled shyly.

"Thanks for all your help."

"I should be thanking you. If it weren't for your words, I would have been killed by Haru."

She blushed as he brushed the hair away from her face. Then he gently placed his lips on hers. She wrapped her arms around his kneck as she returned the kiss. After a few moments, he broke away.

"I need to follow my own path. But we will meet again soon. Until then, you'll always be in my heart."

He kissed her hand before disappearing in a burst of rose petals. Namé sighed happily before running after the other three. They made it to the next and final world. They opened the doors, and stepped in.

Albel-

Number XIV in the Org. He fought Reyna and Co. with hopes of taking them out so they wouldn't stop their plans for killing Bankotsu, but he met his end at the combined efforts of Tyson and Fayt. He wielded a large sword and the element of water on battle.

Haru-

Number XV in the Org. He fought Kurama and tried to play mind games with him in order to tilt the odds in his favor, but his cold and cruel ways backfired on him. He wielded the element of ice in battle.

Nightshroud: As much as I love Kurama, I couldn't put him into the party. But fear not, he will keep his promise and reappear, along with a few other people...oh, don't want to give anything away! Anyway, we must now return to Kai and see what he's been up to. Leave a comment and some love for the hard working author!

Next chapter: Renkotsu's Test of Will