A cascade of spears fell from the sky, points embedding in the ground. Above, shouting a challenge to the heavens, Xaldin plummeted after them, a lance in his hands seeking the heart of the fool who had dared challenge him.
In the thrill of battle, the Nobody's blood raced, filling him with an electric energy that hummed and throbbed through his entire body. This was living! Nothing but the battlefield, and this, a worthy opponent.
As Sora watched Xaldin's dive, he twisted his wrist and let loose a challenge of his own, flinging the keyblade he held into the air and leaping after it. The Nobody dodged it, much the way one of his Dragoons would have, with a seemingly impossible twist of his body. In doing so, he lost his aim on Sora... and in that instant, he was lost.
The strike raid's momentum spent, Sora recalled the keyblade and met Xaldin's aerial charge, swinging the keyblade with all his might, his own slash rotating him in mid-air. He kept swinging all the way through impact, felt something crack under the force of the blow, and knew that the battle was won.
Xaldin fell hard to the flagstones below, his spears fading into wisps of nothingness. Even in defeat, Xaldin seemed exultant. A feeling that was almost musical coursed through his body, even as his shell faded. And light, bright light, brighter than any he had yet seen. A place, a time, a memory. In the heat of battle, the nobody had regained his heart, only to lose it again as he met his end. It was a good end. Good enough.
Sora landed not far away, keyblade set and ready to meet a foe who would never again challenge him. He felt uplifted, much the same way Xaldin had; his blood raced, his heart pounded, and there was a resonance in the air that told him that what he was doing was right. A smile touched his face briefly as he lowered the keyblade.
Minutes later, he was parting with Beast and Belle, and he felt sure that their love would bloom just as the enchanted rose Beast held so dear. His friends were within sight again; Riku and Kairi were just around the bend, and Donald and Goofy were right there with him. With their help, and the King's too, he felt sure that he could win through, even with the rest of the Organization in his path.
In the thrill of battle, the Nobody's blood raced, filling him with an electric energy that hummed and throbbed through his entire body. This was living! Nothing but the battlefield, and this, a worthy opponent.
As Sora watched Xaldin's dive, he twisted his wrist and let loose a challenge of his own, flinging the keyblade he held into the air and leaping after it. The Nobody dodged it, much the way one of his Dragoons would have, with a seemingly impossible twist of his body. In doing so, he lost his aim on Sora... and in that instant, he was lost.
The strike raid's momentum spent, Sora recalled the keyblade and met Xaldin's aerial charge, swinging the keyblade with all his might, his own slash rotating him in mid-air. He kept swinging all the way through impact, felt something crack under the force of the blow, and knew that the battle was won.
Xaldin fell hard to the flagstones below, his spears fading into wisps of nothingness. Even in defeat, Xaldin seemed exultant. A feeling that was almost musical coursed through his body, even as his shell faded. And light, bright light, brighter than any he had yet seen. A place, a time, a memory. In the heat of battle, the nobody had regained his heart, only to lose it again as he met his end. It was a good end. Good enough.
Sora landed not far away, keyblade set and ready to meet a foe who would never again challenge him. He felt uplifted, much the same way Xaldin had; his blood raced, his heart pounded, and there was a resonance in the air that told him that what he was doing was right. A smile touched his face briefly as he lowered the keyblade.
Minutes later, he was parting with Beast and Belle, and he felt sure that their love would bloom just as the enchanted rose Beast held so dear. His friends were within sight again; Riku and Kairi were just around the bend, and Donald and Goofy were right there with him. With their help, and the King's too, he felt sure that he could win through, even with the rest of the Organization in his path.