Chapter Fifty Six: A Toccata into Blood-Soaked Darkness

The first thing I noticed about Amy's inner sanctum was the stench. The floor seemed wet too... because when I stepped in, I was up to my ankles in some liquid. I didn't want to know what it was, though...

I could faintly see a two long rows of obelisks with gaps in between them. At the end, I could faintly see two lit torches, and the one who had started all of this...

"Amy..." I muttered.

"Ew! What the hell is this stuff?" Sereinity asked, shuffling into the dark sanctum. Everyone else followed, and everyone else put up protests to the stench. It was a familiar stench... something I'd smelled fairly recently, but I just couldn't figure out what it was.

"Let's go," I said, stepping forward. We all shuffled through the noxious liquid until we were at the base of Amy's throne. She was looking down, but lifted her head when we approached.

"So, Roy... we meet again," she said. " How do you like my sanctum? I modeled it after your soul... but I expected you to be alone. I suppose I've always underestimated your destiny shifting powers, though."

"It wasn't Roy's powers that saved us!" Sora shouted, summoning his Keyblade. "It was our hearts!"

"Your hearts... right..." Amy said doubtfully. "Regardless, I'm afraid all your efforts have been for naught. You have no hope of defeating me, and even if you did, there's no light left."

"The light... we'll make new light!" Riku shouted, summoning his Keyblade. "Not only will the new light save everything, we're going to restore the True Light!"

"Ah, yes... the True Light," Amy sneered. "That fading glimmer of hope is gone. You have no way of restoring the True Light without Kingdom Hearts, which I destroyed!"

Amy tilted her head back and cackled evilly.

"What's so funny?" Serenity asked. "You're the insane psychopath! We'll save the light! As long as some piece of it's left, we can restore the True Light!"

"That's right!" Kairi said. "We've come this far. We've strengthened our wills and made tough decisions. We can defeat you... rather, the darkness you represent!"

"Well... if you have any hope of defeating the darkness, you'll need the help of a self-doubting killer!" Amy shouted, standing up and pointing at me. "Do you know what you're standing in, Roy?"

"Blood..." I said, looking down.

Everyone else gasped.

"That's right. This is the blood of everyone you've ever killed. Can you all face me, knowing the scope of Roy's sins... can you yourself face me, Roy?" Amy asked fiendishly.

"You guys..." I said, looking up at Amy, "leave. Now."

"Roy! You can't take her on alone!" Riku said.

"This... is my fight. It's against my inner darkness..." I muttered, transforming into my Demon Form, "so leave before you get hurt. I'm sure this won't be a short fight... you'll get to fight later. I promise."

"Roy... you're..." Serenity stuttered.

"Ah, yes... the result of a being becoming complete," Amy said. "You're a full demon now..."

"What are you waiting for? Go!" I shouted. Everyone dashed for the door, wading through the sea of blood and closed the door behind them.

"So... it's just you and me, demon," Amy taunted.

"Shut up, Akuma. You're more a demon than I am," I said, brandishing my Judgment Blade.

"So I am," she said, pulling out her katana. "Well... shall we?"

I furrowed my brow, blocking a lightning swift stroke from Amy. I returned with a thrust to her stomach, which went through. Amy simply jumped back, and in the blink of an eye, the damage was repaired.

"You see...? No mortal wound can kill me. I have the power of the infinite darkness!" Amy shouted.

I blazed at her again, blocking and parrying all the blows she threw at me. I was knocked back into the sea of blood, but threw an aura sphere off of my sword at her, crumbling a couple of the obelisks on its way and rippling the blood sea. I landed, skidding, and used one of my hands to slow down. Looking up, I was immediatley forced to block and parry blows from Amy, seemingly unharmed from my aura sphere.

I moved at high speeds, blocking as fast as I could. Even transformed into a demon, Amy was ridiculously fast, and almost stronger than I could handle. We clashed our blades as we jumped up, down, and across the obelisks, each time releasing so much force the blood sea beneath us parted for a moment. I eventually started throwing aura waves at her, crumbling a few of the obelisks. We came to a stop atop the crags.

"Why? I still don't get it... why do you fight a hopeless battle?" Amy asked me.

"I'm not sure," I replied. "If anything, I'm fighting to atone for my sins. If someone like me is seeking atonement, maybe our fight isn't so hopeless!"

"You may as well give in to the darkness," Amy taunted. "Your defiant stance is a wasted effort."

"Sh... shut up!"

I blazed across the air at supersonic speeds, clashing blades with Amy. A huge burst of energy parted the blood sea beneath me, and I then used the power of my Demon form to flash step behind Amy. Just when it seemed I was about to impale her again, a wall of solid darkness appeared just in front of my sword. I jumped back onto a ruined obelisk.

"Didn't you know the darkness works like an auto guard for me?" Amy asked without turning around.

So, I guess I'll have to use it...

Illumina...

I split Illumina from my Judgment Blade, leaving behind my Phoenix Sword and Illumina. Fortunately, my hand wraps stopped it from touching me.

Even if I did get touched by Illumina, I think my soul's pure like this...

I blazed over to her, making several lightning-swift strokes. Either her blade or the darkness rose to protect her, but I had one last trick up my sleeve: an aura chain.

Using Illumina, the Sacred Sword of Light, I unleashed a continuous blast of aura waves that chained together. Not only did the holy energy burn through Amy's auto guard, but it sliced her sword to ribbons, and her along with it.

Amy's body fell into the blood sea in huge chunks as I recombined my two swords into the Judgment Blade. I sheathed it, even though I knew this battle was far from over. This... was only the beginning.

Seconds later, a huge spire of darkness flowed out of the blood sea; darkness so thick even my Demon Form enhanced vision couldn't pierce it. I braced myself as the darkness swallowed me...