Chapter 7: Light and Darkness Part 2
Last time the heroes discovered Christain's plan to revive the evil Nix the Dark who was once destroyed by Rage five years ago. Rage rejoins them after time in the hospital from his battle with Dark Gaia and Mephilies both still with Christain somewhere. With the discovery of another Dark Emerald location the heroes head for the mountain caves to the north of and outpost run by Rage's old ally Kaiden who is the son of Nix. However as they climb they discover Nix appears weather he is fully revived or not is not known however time runs short can the heroes find the Dark Emeralds? Will Rage find the strength to access his most powerful Chaos abilities? Or will Nix cover the worlds in darkness and end everything?
The group looks at the cave not sure about what was within but without warning Rage runs at it and enters. Soon he comes back out before the others could enter. "Guys stay here this is the cave Kaiden told us about. I can sense it the Dark Emeralds are inside…. All of them."
"Rage we can't let you go at it alone!" Icezer yells "Who knows what could be in there!"
"I will be fine Icezer." Rage says "I have my guiding light."
"Rage…" Tales says "Are you sure?"
"Kids gotta point bro." Jackson says "You should let us tag along."
"I am afraid that is not an option." Kaiden sighs "Rage is right remember if we step foot in there we will either die or become one one of Nix's followers. Only Rage can go in there."
"However I am afraid I cannot allow that…" A voice says as a beam of energy hits Rage in the chest and Obsidian Prime drops from the peak of the mountain "That hedgehog is coming with me."
"Rage!" Icezer yells as Rage collapses
"Don't worry, he not dead…yet." Obsidian chuckles
"I am fine…" Rage says unable to move "I just…can't move…"
"Heh, heh." Obsidian smiles walking over to him but Sonic runs in front of him. "Step aside."
"No." Sonic says
"Very well." Obsidian says reaching into Sonic's chest and pulling out the blue hedgehog's heart
"SONIC!" Shadow yells his eyes glowing red "Damn you!" he screams a dark force surrounding him as he runs at Obsidian but Chritstain appears
"Well this is an unexpected turn of events." He smiles tapping Shadow and he stops before turning to the others. "I will gladly take him for Lord Nix."
"Dad!" Shadaze yells
"Stay…strong…" Sonic pants before he is somehow healed. Obsidian and Christain look to Icezer who was stepping up.
"You…" Christain says "What did you do?"
"If Rage cannot do anything then I will." Icezer says gathering all the bravado he could muster as he forms a sword out of ice.
"Icezer…" Rage says "…don't."
"Kill him." Christain snaps as Dark Spawns appear out of nowhere and Icezer backs up all his bravado vanishing "As a matter of fact kill them all." He laughs. The group backs up to the ledge…nowhere to run… nowhere to hide no fighting chance it was over! Obsidian then walks up to Rage
"I have gone through a lot of trouble for you…" he says but before he could pick the crimson hedgehog up a blast of energy flies by knocking him away. "Who did that?" he yells as he looks around. Christain curious as well scans the area himself next thing they knew Christian was hit by a dropping dark green hedgehog. He had on a black T-shirt with a red X on it. His pants were cargo shorts, his shoes white and his hands wrapped in grey hand wraps.
"Sorry Christain but I am afraid I can't let you do that." He says
"Who are you?" the dark hedgehog yells at the stranger
"I am rather ashamed you forgot who I am." The hedgehog chuckles "I am Xage Chaotic…Rage' other brother."
"Die!" Christain yells firing a beam at him but he puts up a barrier of energy blocking it and sending it back hitting Christain out of the air. By now Rage stood up and grabbed the dark hedgehog.
"Got ya." Rage chuckles holding him
"You may have won this one but when Nix regains his full power you will all die!" Christain chuckles vanishing Obsidian not far behind. Rage without saying anything ran ahead into the cave
"Rage!" Icezer yells reaching out but he was gone,
"We need to let him go." Sonic says "I get the feeling he would rather do this alone."
"But we are going to help him still. We just can't follow him inside." Icezer says but then Xage runs in
"Xage?!" Kaiden says
Inside the cave Rage was wandering the dark passages only the light from his Chaos Emerald to guide him. He was alert ready for anything. Soon he heard something behind him and he swings around and finds his sword at the neck of Xage. "Xage…what are you doing in here?!"
"I am going to help you." He replies
"No, go back." Rage says "It is too dangerous for you."
"Rage you can't keep pushing your friends away." Xage says "Especially your brothers."
"This is my duty Xage and mine alone! I would like to get it done without some team of yahoos following me everywhere! In the end it won't matter! Nix and I face off one on one that's that Xage. Go back and wait with them. I have to find those Dark Emeralds and destroy them!"
"Very well…" Xage sighs turning back "But don't come crying to us if you get hurt."
"Don't worry about me." Rage sighs to himself following the trace of the Dark Emeralds soon he arrives in a room with the remaining Dark Emeralds within. "All of them?" Rage smirks "That's like taking candy from a baby." He chuckles walking forward but a blast of dark energy is shot at him and he leaps back. 'Damn I thought it looked to easy…" he thinks
"I am surprised you made it down here Rage the Hedgehog." Christina's voice chuckles as she steps out of the shadows
"Christina…" Rage says feeling a lump in his throat "Give me the Dark Emeralds!"
"If you want them you will have to take them!" she smiles
"Look Christina I don't want to fight you!" Rage yells "I need those Emeralds to stop Nix! I can't let him take over Mobius!" Christina did not care as she leaps for him and he is forced to summon his sword to block the attack
[Music: The Other Promise—Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix]
"Well too bad for you." Christina smirks as she leaps back
"Why can't I get through to you?" Rage asks "There has to be some light left!"
"Shut up!" Christina yells leaping for him slicing his arm
"Fine…" Rage sighs "I am sorry it has to be this way."
"Rage…" Christina says softly "Please…just put an end to me." She begs
"Huh?" Rage asks looking in shock her red eyes had returned to the deep purple that he was used to. Christina appeared to be struggling for control!
"While I still have control just strike me down…" she begs
"Christina…." Rage says softly as her purple eyes return to the blood red from before.
"Shut up you goody two shoes bitch." She says "We kill this bastard now!
"I was right…" Rage says "There is light still inside her."
"Of course there is you stupid twit! Even you have some darkness within you it just lies over powered by your light. A light that is too bright…I figured you would know as a Chaos Guardian that everything has to have light and darkness or it cannot exist!" Christina replies
"You may be right Christina…" Rage sighs feeling his energy level rise… he was ready. "I do have darkness deep down inside of me where I cannot reach it but I don't want to either. I know what can become of those who do so. And you are my friend no matter what. Evil or good I cannot harm you, please just understand siding with Nix is a lost cause."
"What do you mean?!" Christina yells mad he would dis Nix like that "What do you know about Lord Nix?! When he and I are done we will rule all of the universes!"
"Nix would never let you." Rage says "He wants it all for himself once you have played the part he wants he will throw you away! He did the same thing with Christain but the used him again! You want what is best for the Dark Realm do you not?"
"Yeah so what? That is getting rid of you!" Christina yells shooting energy at Rage who puts up an energy barrier
"Nix is a tyrant." Rage says "The people hate him. Look you know from when you were good I am telling the truth I have never lied to you."
"Perhaps you have a point Rage." She says "But I will not defy Lord Nix you must die!"
"Fine…" Rage sighs putting the energy barrier down "I do not want to do this… but you leave me no other choice…forgive me…"
[Music: It Has to be this Way—Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance]
Christina lunges for Rage who flash steps out of the way and appears behind her hitting her with a Chaos Spear as she turns she fires darkness blasts at a high rate putting the crimson hedgehog on the defensive as he ran as fast as he could to avoid the blasts. Rage was focusing when he calls "Burn! Bureinjingukaosu!" as he ran releasing his sword then he stops and blocks them.
"Ah ha ha ha ha!" Christina laughs as she continues to fire on the barrier Rage had put up. "There is no escape for you Rage!" What she did not know was Rage had warped behind her and he slices her with his sword cutting her back and making her hit the ground at the same time.
"Do not underestimate your opponent Christina." He says as she gets up glowing with energy.
"You are going to die!" she yells leaping head on and the two begin clashing swords before Christina kicks him down. As Rage was down she leaps do deliver a the final blow with a stab but Rage rolls out of the way and leaps into the air
"Holy Chaos Strike!" he yells diving and hitting Christina with a light infused blade. This made the dark part of her separate into its own being to Rage's surprise. It should have killed her! "Wh-what?" he asks
"Impossible what have you done!" she yells at him
"I separated you and the real Christina!" Rage says as if he meant for that to happen although he knew he didn't expect that at all.
"You idiot I am the real Christina! And besides the real name is actually Ren Christina is the name that dumb goody two shoes light side came up with!" she yells
"You may think that but to me the read Christina is the one who cares for me you are but a spawn of the darkness that needs to be removed!" Rage replies all of the restraint he had been doing could now be removed as this was no longer the Christina he knew but just a spawn of darkness that looked like Christina.
"I will kill you for this Rage!" she yells leaping at him
"I'd like to see your try!" Rage taunts blocking the attack. Ren then uses her other arm to punch Rage back but it didn't do as much as she had hoped as he leaps back some to create a distance.
"You were holding back weren't you?" she asks
"Didn't think it would take you that long to figure it out. Truth be told I still am." Rage says "But talk is cheap I would like to get going. I have wasted enough time with you." He says glowing 'I hope I am ready to use this…' he thinks as a fire surrounds him and he turns into Burning Rage "Ryuu Saishu Bureijingukaosu!" he says
[music end]
"What is this?" Christina asks shocked by the power increase of the hedgehog.
"I am…Final Rage." Rage replies "This is my most powerful form." He says and in the bling of an eye he was on the other side of Ren and blood spewed out of her. "No one has survived to tell about it…" he says before morphing back surprised he was able to use it without the damage from the last time. Rage then walks over and grabs Christina and the Dark Emeralds before turning to leave the caverns and return to his friends.
To be continued…