The heartless had him surrounded. No matter which direction he turned to he was trapped. It seemed he was going to have to fight his way out after all. He had hoped to avoid such a confrontation but he was to have no such luck. He was growing tired; he had been fighting for what he thought was three hours now, and yet still they kept coming. He had searched for the keyhole but it was no where around that he could find.
A heartless jumped for him; swinging his Way To Dawn in an arc angle it soundlessly connected with the heartless head. Before it was destroyed he flung the dark creature toward two more coming for him and watched as it impacted with the other two, taking them down with it.
They were getting more daring. At first they would wait to attack him by coming in large groups and jump him at once, they had kept this up for little more than an hour before the groups started getting smaller. Why one group would attack another would hold back, waiting for his moment of weakness when they would attack. Unfortunately for them, Riku allowed no such moment. Now they started coming at him separately, from behind, the side, the front, any direction they could find. Their plan was to wear him out, and as much as it pained him to admit, it was working.
Another heartless jumped to action, attacking his blind side. Sometime during the fight one of them had surprisingly managed to get passed his defense and tired to decapitate him, Riku was able to dodge the attack but not before the creature's claws connected below his right eye; now another had gotten passed him. Riku swung back, trying to block the heartless's attack, but found he was unsuccessful when he felt its claw dig into his left side. He stumbled forward, gripping his side to fight off the searing pain. When he removed his hand he was thankful to find only little traces of blood forming. He couldn't afford any series injuries right now, blood lost would only slow him down.
A dark portal opened up twenty feet in front of him with heartless poured out at the dozen; Riku figured there had to be at least two hundred making their way over to his direction. He cursed. He didn't need this.
Riku would fight for as long as was needed in order to buy time for Diz and the King to find the keyhole, but he prayed they hurried. Even he had his limits.
//://
"I found it my friend." King Mickey's head jerked from the bookshelf, relief overwhelming him as he moved to stand by his old friend Diz. They had been searching for the keyhole for almost two days now and finally they had found it.
King Mickey watched anxiously as Diz's fingers danced over the keys of the computer, activating their latest invention. Diz and he had been working tirelessly on a machine that would have the same power as Sora's keyblade possessed when closing the keyholes. They had hoped that with this they would finally be able to keep the heartless abbey. Now they could finally use it.
It was about time too, the King wasn't so sure Riku could hold out much longer. For the past two days they had been sending him in and out to battle, having him hold off the heartless as long as possible. Sometimes the King would go with him, but they had all agreed that it would be better if he stayed here with Diz in case there was trouble.
"Let's keep our fingers crossed my friend. If this works then we have succeeded in finding a new way to fight off the heartless." The King watched as Diz started up the machine, the camera they had installed in the room with the machine showing them all that was happening. A faint humming could be heard; it reminded the King of bee's buzzing. "Here we go."
A bright light of energy shot from the machine, flowing toward the keyhole. The keyhole began glowing as large amounts of energy of pure light poured into it. With a building excitement the King and Diz watched as the keyhole began closing tell nothing remained on the cliff but stone.
King Mickey jumped up happily, laughing in triumph why Diz leaned back in his chair letting a heavy relieved sigh escape him. This was truly an amazing accomplishment for them, for everyone.
Behind them a dark portal formed; King Mickey turned around, a big foolish smile covering his face, ready to jump to his friend Riku and hug him to celebrate their accomplishment. Diz turned in his chair, a slight grin making its way upon his face. He didn't show it like his small friend, but inside he was just as proud and happy.
A figure stepped through dropping the King's and Diz's smiles to panicked frowns. It was Riku.
He leaned back against the wall, seeking support, his left hand plastered against the tiles to help hold him up, why his right arm was wrapped around his torso. His hand gripped his left side, blood soaking through his fingers. He was covered with cuts and bruises, his clothes sticked to his body through dry blood mixed with dirt and sweat. He breathed as lightly as the dead.
"Riku." King Mickey spoke softly; he took a step toward him but was afraid to move any closer. It seemed as if the vibrations of his footsteps would send his young friend crashing to the floor.
Riku removed his eyes from the floor where they had been resting and looked up to the two of them, surprising them both with a small crooked smile before his eyes rolled back into his head.
Diz jumped from his chair, sending it flying to the other end of the room, cetching the boy before he crumpled. He slowly eased him to the floor, sitting him against the wall. King Mickey moved to stand next to them; his fear and concern played a game of shadows across his face. Gently he placed his hand on Riku's shoulder; needing to know for himself he was still with them.
Diz knew his friend was distraught over the boy; the two of them had become close friends through their travels together. Riku had come to be a close friend to the both of them. He was strong, loyal and a true friend they could count on in tough times. And Diz blamed himself for pushing the boy to far this time.
"Don't worry my friend," Diz reashered. "He just needs some healing and rest and then I'm sure he'll be fine." He lifted Riku up in his arms and walked him upstairs, down the hall, and over to a room that the boy had claimed as his own.
King Mickey followed them into the room; needing to help somehow he got a blanket from the small closet to put over him. For some reason Riku never left the blanket to his bed on his bed, he always ended up putting it in the closet. He tucked the blanket up to his shoulder, wanting him to be warm. Before stepping back he lightly patted Riku's shoulder, as if to tell him that everything was going to be alright. He wasn't sure which one of them he was trying to convince.