Milo and the group burst into the volcanic chamber, the hot, oppressive air thickening around them. Their Atlantean flying machines hummed steadily, illuminating the vast, dark expanse ahead. Milo scanned the cavern desperately, eyes landing on Rourke, whose transformation was completing itself in a horrifying spectacle.
The Heart of Atlantis had warped Rourke's form into a monstrous Heartless being, his body elongated and shadowy, with patches of corrupted crystal protruding from his torso, arms, and head. Eyes glowing with sinister crimson light, Rourke stood atop a massive ledge, a terrible grin splitting his now-ashen face.
"Well now," Rourke's distorted voice resonated through the cavern, echoing with a chilling, hollow quality, "it seems we have company."
Before Milo could react, Rourke lifted a hand pulsing with corrupted energy, aiming it directly at the incoming crafts. Dark energy coalesced rapidly, preparing to unleash destruction.
"Scatter!" Milo shouted urgently, veering sharply aside as the others followed suit, narrowly avoiding a searing blast of darkness that exploded the rock wall behind them.
"He's too powerful!" Audrey called out, guiding her craft swiftly to safety. "We can't get close enough!"
Rourke laughed cruelly, reveling in the chaos he created, drawing forth another surge of darkness. The entire cavern trembled as shadowy tendrils erupted from his form, ready to unleash a wave of devastation upon them.
Skuld landed with explosive force, conjuring a massive gust that sent a shockwave ripping through the volcanic chamber. Rourke, now transformed into a grotesque and towering Heartless, staggered back, his elongated claws scraping against the volcanic rock. Milo and his allies were hurled safely aside by Skuld's controlled gale, skidding into cover.
"What are you!?" Milo called out, worry evident in his tone.
"Trust me! Go back, I'll keep Kida safe!" she replied fiercely, determination radiating from her small, resolute form.
Milo hesitated, but a reassuring look from Skuld spurred him to nod and wave the others back, retreating to a safe vantage point. He figured she must have faced dangers far beyond what they could comprehend to be so calm in a situation like this.
Rourke growled, his monstrous form flexing in rage. "You again? I should've finished you earlier."
Skuld narrowed her eyes, a cool confidence settling over her as she shifted into an agile stance. "Probably, but you'll find I'm not so easy to kill."
Rourke's form twisted and writhed, a monstrous blend of darkness and his former self. He had grown taller and gaunter, shadowy tendrils whipping wildly around him. His face was obscured beneath a terrifying mask of blackness, with two crimson eyes glowing menacingly, burning with pure malice. Each movement he made seemed to drain the warmth from the air.
Without hesitation, Rourke released a bestial roar and lunged forward, his massive clawed hands swiping viciously at Skuld. She moved in a blur, Zephyr Talons igniting with streaks of electric-blue energy as she met his attack head-on. Hurricane Rend exploded from her talons, creating a vortex of slicing wind that crashed into Rourke, shredding parts of his shadowy form and forcing him backward.
Rourke roared, a sound like metal scraping stone, and retaliated fiercely. His shadow tendrils shot forward, whipping through the air, aiming to ensnare Skuld. Her Phantom Wings took shape instantly, dual blades glowing with intense storm energy as she effortlessly evaded, vanishing into afterimages. She reappeared above, arcing gracefully downward with Razor's Fang, her wind-infused blades sending crescent arcs toward Rourke.
The arcs sliced into him, tearing chunks from his corrupted form. But Rourke absorbed the darkness around him, rapidly regenerating. His eyes flashed, and he hurled bolts of condensed darkness, each exploding violently upon impact.
Skuld was a blur of evasive action, weaving through the dark explosions. She felt the heat graze her skin, her breaths shallow but controlled, adrenaline sharpening every sense. This was a battle of endurance and speed, and she would not falter.
With a vicious snarl, Rourke summoned pillars of obsidian spikes erupting from the volcanic floor, attempting to trap her. Skuld, with Skybound Phantom, dashed rapidly midair, platforms of air beneath her feet materializing and vanishing instantly as she dodged through the perilous maze. She descended rapidly, slashing fiercely at Rourke's limbs with Stormfang Execution, her movements so rapid they seemed to merge into a single fluid strike.
"Enough!" Rourke bellowed, slamming his clawed hands together. The cavern trembled violently, shadows coalescing around him, forming an impenetrable shield. Dark spikes exploded outward, forcing Skuld into a desperate retreat.
She skid to a halt, breathing heavily, eyes locked fiercely on Rourke. Behind his monstrous façade, she could sense his relentless, twisted urge to kill and destroy so that he could take it all. The darkness had amplified his rage and ambition into something far more sinister.
"You can't protect them all," Rourke growled, his voice distorted and chilling. "Atlantis, your friends—they'll all fall. I'll be rich after I kill you all."
Skuld glared defiantly. "Not while I still stand."
In response, Rourke surged forward once more, his shadows reaching outward greedily, eager to consume her.
Skuld channeled all her focus, summoning a wind clone equipped with the Zephyr Talons while she held the Phantom Wings. Her form and the clone's blurred as they combined Hurricane Rend and Razor's Fang into a relentless assault, striking repeatedly, their speed increasing until their forms were nearly invisible, a tempest given human shape.
Yet, for all her speed, Rourke's strength and resilience allowed him to endure the storm of attacks. With a chilling, guttural laugh, he swung his arms wide, unleashing a devastating wave of darkness. Skuld was thrown violently back and the clone destroyed, slamming into a rocky wall, her breath leaving her lungs in a painful gasp.
She steadied herself, muscles trembling from exertion. Her vision blurred momentarily before snapping back into focus as she cast a Curaga spell on herself, healing her wounds. This battle was far from over, and she would not yield.