Chapter 20

All right, if I'm presuming correctly my power of shadow's movement is almost instant, if this is true then I should be able to get to Rikku and remove those blades before he can do anything. "Hey, me thing, whatever the hell you are," I said as he approached again ready to strike me, "you a gambling man?" "Hmm, what you got in mind," he replied lowering his guard. I stuck out my tounge as I sunk beneath whatever floor there was here. I poped up right in front of Rikku as planned, gotta move fast, I thought jumping up and pulling the blades away from Rikku's neck. "Move, NOW," I said sternly to Rikku. I felt the blades pushing against my hands. Rikku slid down and away from the invisible wall behind her. I let go and the blades smashed through the wall spraying blood from hands around a bit too. "Rikku... I," I started but she tried to interject. "Chris I'm sorry I should have," I stopped her now. "Ha, I'm the one who should be sorry, I can just feel it, I didn't give you a chance to explain, and then I ran off before you could even try," I said keeping my eye on my foe the whole time. "Well, yea, me and Gippal were just deciding that we should only just be friends, and..." CRACK, came the sound of my opponents face as I gave him a strong right hook when he lunged at me and Rikku.

"That's gotta smart," I just barely heard Yuna mumble. "We ready to fight this guy," Rikku asked me with a smile a quick kiss. Stunned for hlaf a moment I simply nodded then shook it off. "You fools, you honestly believe you are even a worthy fight for me, I will crush you," the evil me said jumping at me. "Bring it," I yelled suddenly having all my powers activate. He lunged at me, showing off his newest power, creating swords out of thin air. Each blade he swung I broke with mighty bolts of fire and lightning. "Fine, then feel the powers of "heroes" past," he said curling into a ball and doing what looked similar to multiplying like a single-celled organism. "What now," Paine asked exasperated. "Not sure, I'm about as clueless to his powers as you are," I said suddenly remembering that this was all a cycle, "oh no." "Yes, that's correct, these are past inhabitants of Earth who were sent here much like you and I, and if we can bring you down I can absorb you too, then I will be powerful enough to take over Spira," he said cakling as more "heroes" emerged and continued to show off their powers and fancy weapons. "Rikku, I'm gunna need all three of you girls to help me out on this one," I whispered back to her.

"Oooh, I just love men with power, and more so if they plan on killing that wretch Chris," I heard a voice moan from behind the evil me, who I also noticed looked slightly less like me now. "Who..." Rikku started to ask. "Stella, get lost, if you stay here you'll end up dead, and it won't be me that kills you either," I said. "Oh, I just came to watch him devour you and your little girlfriend there," she cackled, "I'm betting it takes him less then five minutes." We were now completely surrounded by the "heroes" of old. "Watch your back guys," I said jumping out and swiping away at them. Almost twenty minutes later we had only destroyed about half of them. "(pant) What the hell (pant) how many are there, they just seem (pant) to keep going on foever," I said almost completely worn out. "About 500, since I've been here roughly over 1000 years and someone new shows up once every two years or so," he stated, " but no time for conversation, its time I finish off all of you!" Suddenly his now demonic looking scales began to crack apart, and evil red light shone forth. "I will shatter this final shell, and the pieces will bring an end to all of Spira, and from it's ashes shall arise my new kingdom," he laughed maniacly. "Rikku, stay back, I can stop this, I'm pretty sure," I said rushing forward, but stopped by Rikku grabbing my arm. She gave me a look that she didn't want me doing anything stupid, "He, I'm certain it'll work," I assured her and she nodded and let go.

The demon continued to laugh like a crazy man, I jumped right up next to him. Thiss iss the dumbesst thing you've ever thought of kid, but itsss brave so I'll give you credit for that. Yea, it's dumb and reckless but I'll do anything to save Rikku, and all she cares about. Including yourself. If I have to die to save her, so be it. I used the power of shadow to create a bubble around me and the demon, catching a few of the "heroes" along with him. "What is this, you fool, you'll die long before my attack is finished," he yelled exploding with bright red light. All the past "heroes" were destroyed in an instant. The bubble was working though, his shards were bouncing off and hitting each other or in a few cases me. Even when they hit each other it burned, they were exploding with a huge amount of force. The last piece bounced for a while until I could no longer hold the shield. It evaporated and I instantly noticed the destination of the last shard, Rikku. "No," I yelled jumping at it and wraping my body around it. It detonated and blew me back over fifty feet at least. I was lying on the ground panting. "Chris," Rikku sobbed running to my side. Fool, that was idotic but again, I feel you did what wasss right by you, but he iss not ssslain, for if he were you would turn to him, beware, you must both perish at the same time in order to eliminate him.

I pushed myself to my feet. "Chris, lay down, you killed him, now just calm," but her voice went silent, in fact all seemed silent. all except one small noise coming from bhind me, no behind Rikku. I moved quickly into the path and saw what it was long before it reached me, it looked like a slug, or a leech. I stuck out my hand intent on crushing it. The instant it touched my hand however it felt as though it bit me, HARD. "Ow, you little son of, AAAAHH," I screamed as I felt something hot pulsing into my veins. "Chris, what is it," Rikku asked. I opened my hand to see the leech skin shrivled, I crushed it. (Evil me/ demon) HAHAHA looks like if I can't absorb you we'll just become a new entity all together, you see we are to evenly matched so if we fuse neither of us will gain control. "Rikku... ugh, cack," I gagged falling onto my back. Chrisss, you mussst tell her to sstab you through the heart but only once "he" reachess it. "Rikku," I started again looking at my arm which was now begining to be coated in scales that were closer to spikes, "in order to save, yourself, your friends, all of Spira, and me too, you have to stab me, through the heart but only once "it" reaches my heart." Rikku's eyes began watering, "No, Chris, no I can't kill you, I love you to much!" (demon) This disgusts me, "AAAHH," I screamed as it pushed its way towards my heart faster now. "Once there is a hole just around my heart with no scales you must stab me, if you don't all will be lost," I said weakly, "your daggers however may not pierce my heart, so use this." I summoned forth all my remaining power and channeled it through the little bit of power of the demon's I held. My old long katan style blade sudenly shot upward out of my shoulder.

Rikku grabbed the sword as the demon closed in on my heart. "You don't have long, you have to stab me," I said fighting it as much I could. "But," she tried to protest. "NOW," I yelled and Rikku began to cry as she drove the sword through my heart. Black smoke fumed out of my chest and the spikes receeded. "Good, thank you Rikku for everything," I said grasping the sword and pulling it out. "Tidus, he's nearby, Yuna should go see him, Rikku, you, I want you to move on after I leave this world, don't hang on to old memories any longer then you feel you have to, find someone who makes you happy and who will protect you as well, no better then I have." I said as Rikku and Paine helped me to my feet. Yuna had run off at the mention of Tidus. "You're going to be okay Chris just hang on, please," Rikku sobbed.

"No, even if I wanted to I should not, I will simply turn into what he was, there would be no way of avoiding... it," I sighed. "I feel sleepy, Paine, would you mind if I had a, probably my last moment with Rikku alone?" She nodded and let Rikku take the full weight of hwoever much of myselfI couldn't lift. "You know, if I remember this if I return to my own world, no one will believe me," I laughed a bit but it hurt so I stopped. I still clasped the sword in my hand. "Rikku, here," I said placing the hilt in her hand and as I did so it changed shape into a dagger, perfectly suited for Rikku. "That was the last thing my powers granted me to do here, I will dissappear within the next three minutes, ah it's only when we wish we had more time that we can't get it." Rikku was begining to cry harder then I'd ever seen her cry before. "Rikku," I said and rubbed my hand on her cheek, it felt so warm, or maybe I was getting cold. Rikku stared at me for a second then bent her head over and put her lips to my own. They felt soft and warm just as her cheek had. Suddenly I could not move, Rikku stopped, "Good... bye, Rikku... I will always, remember you," I said feeling myself go limp. It was odd, even as I watched my arm vanish before my very eyes, I felt as though wherever I was going, my quest was not over.

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