61. Fairytale
iOnce upon a time, in the Kingdom of Twilight, there lived a girl and a boy. They hadn't quite seen seven years, and they were childhood sweethearts. One day, the Royal Council sent soldiers to take away the prettiest young female in the land, that she may become a living doll, The Queen of the Kingdom, cursed until the day she dies. Right in front of the boy's eyes, they snatched her up and threw her in a carriage, where the two would forever be separated./i
"Ah, finally out of that rat hole that is Fort Radiance," the young man began, then adding a sarcastic laugh, "Radiant, definitely. That place had the worst conditions that make a pig pen look like a palace."
"Ah, but didn't you love the home cooked porridge? Lumpier than our grandmother's cooking!" the other male, said. The two were walking side by side, gathering what little provisions they had before setting out on the road back home. The dark stone walls rose high above them, making the young man feel trapped yet protected at the same time. The only good it did was protect against the elements, which he did appreciate.
"I think it compares to her cooking, Ventus," his identical twin laughed. "All I'm saying is, I'm glad that we're finally free men again. No longer forced to fight in the Royal army without any pay whatsoever. What does the Royal Council think? They can just pick peasants off the streets and force them to fight their wars? And with no thanks in the process." For the past century, the Kingdom of Twilight had been at war with all of its border countries, starting battle after battle. With little volunteers, the Council started picking young men off the streets at a young age, forcing them into training and fighting many battles for a decade before releasing them.
"Quite the contrary, Roxas," Ventus said, flipping a gold coin in hand, "we just had to work our tail ends off for ten years before we ever get a 'thank you'."
"I wish we didn't have to wait ten years before we get anything out of it." Roxas, the older twin ran a calloused hand through his sweaty blonde locks of hair, feeling the heat of the summer sun beat down on him. It didn't help any that he and Ventus were both wearing heavy armor the color of onyx. It was the official armor for the Royal army. He had heard legends that the knights wore bronze and gold, according to rank, to signify the golden kingdom and the once eternal sunset. Ever since the Council had been kidnapping girls to make them Queens, the land seemed much darker, and the Council changed armor colors for various reasons. Roxas assumed it was because they wanted to make the world seem darker. But he didn't care much anymore, since they were finally able to get out of the chain mail and into more comfortable clothes now, with nothing to worry about besides his parents' orchard.
"So, are you going back to mother and father's orchard?" the younger brother asked, his blue eyes gleaming in curiosity of his brother's plans for the future.
"I plan on doing so. What about you, Ven? I assume you are, too?"
"Not exactly. A few companions of mine from the Fort have also been released, and I was going to spend a few months to a year with them on the western coastline. I've been there several times while patrolling back in my early knighthood days. It's a lovely place, with a little city near the beach. A little part of that extends to this island a mile or so off the coast. Oh, Roxas! You should visit there sometime! It's extravagant, I tell you!"
"If I could, I would go, but I already sent a letter to father saying that I'd be helping him out for the rest of the season. Besides," the young man turned his head up to the sky, watching the wispy cirrus clouds drift slowly, "I have to admit that I miss them dearly. It's been since we were thirteen that we've seen them."
"I understand why you feel this way, and when you explain it, it makes me want to join you. But I can't right now. I already promised Terra and Aqua that I'd spend the rest of the year with them. When spring comes again, I will return back to our parents' cottage."
The two brothers were far from the fort by now and came to a crossroads. "I guess this is where we separate, isn't it, Ven? Well then, I wish you luck in whatever life brings you this year."
Ventus smiled, "As I do you." The twins embraced each other before going their own ways. Ventus to the west, and Roxas to the east.
The tall emerald grass rolled gently as the breeze picked up, cooling the summer air. After traveling over a few hills, Roxas found a little farm, with a stable full of horses. He walked up to the stable, where a man with a large straw hat greeted him and gratefully handed over a grey dappled horse in exchange for a couple gold coins. The young blonde man thanked him, and traveled rather quickly eastward, until he came to a valley between two mountains, tucked behind the hills he had just come from. Several rows of trees ornamented with bright red apples stood before him, and with just one look, Roxas knew he was home.
He stepped off his horse, took the reigns and led her through the trees, through the orchard where his parents' house was comfortable nestled between both sides of the orchard. He picked an apple from the tree and bit into it, the sweet juices filled his mouth, bringing memories of his younger years, when he would run through the trees, playing with his dear friend. His heart panged in remembrance of not being able to save her as unfamiliar men pulled her away, her screams echoing in the still summer evening. Some sort of magic had froze him in place, and no matter how hard he tried to move his feet, to reach out for her, he couldn't, and she disappeared from his sight, leaving an emptiness in his heart that still remained there today.
He shook his head, clearing his mind of all thoughts. He wouldn't think of her, not right now. It was supposed to be joyous, returning home to his family. As much as he worried about her, he had to focus on other things.
Roxas made his way to the door and was about to knock, when the door burst open and his mother ran out, smothering him in hugs and kisses. His father walked out slower, smiled, and put a comforting hand on his right shoulder. "Welcome home, son," his father's deep voice said quietly. Roxas felt his mother's tears spill onto his shoulder.
"We didn't think you'd still be alive," his mother murmured, choking back more tears. "Where's Ventus? Please tell me he's still alive, too."
"He's alive, mother," he said, hearing her sigh with relief.
"Well then, where is he?" his father asked, looking around for his other son.
"He said there was something he needed to do with a few of his friends westward in Port Departure on Traverse Island. Ven mentioned it taking roughly a year or so. He hopes you understand," Roxas explained, readying himself for his mother or father (or both) to explode in a fit of rage, complaining that he and Ven were gone for ten years, and instead of returning to his family, he chooses to go elsewhere. Instead, they said nothing of the sort.
His father sighed, "I guess I understand. I wonder if he may find a wife there."
Roxas pondered the thought. Maybe, one of the reasons Ventus wanted to go to Traverse Island in the first place. If there was a maiden he fancied there, he finally had the freedom to visit her as he wished.
He sighed. It wasn't the same for him. The location of the castle that the Queens reside in has been left unknown to the general public. But the Council's castle, everyone knew where that was. He'd heard tales of townsfolk raiding the Council's castle in search of their lost daughters, but have never found them. They ended up being caught by the Council and slaughtered on spot, without any consideration. If several people were unable to find where the young girls were taken, then they had to be located elsewhere.
"You okay, Roxas? You seem lost in thought." His father's large hands shook him back into reality.
"Oh… I'm sorry. I'm fine," he said, shaking his head to clear his thoughts once again. If this was going to happen to him often, he wouldn't enjoy it.
"Let's go inside, and we can get yourself situated into your room. It hasn't changed much in the past decade you'll see, but we made sure nothing in there collected dust or anything," his mother rambled on, leading the family inside.
Roxas picked up the lid to a box of possessions he has kept over the years. His mother was right, there was no dust whatsoever on the box. It was as if he had opened it up yesterday. The box was wooden, a medium brown in color, with swirls, leaves, and apples carved into the sides of it. It once belonged to his father, who crafted it when he was young. There were many figurines of knights and princesses placed neatly in the box. They once belonged to his mother, but he had taken an interest in them, so she passed them down to him. In the bottom of the box was a folded piece of yellow parchment. Roxas gasped softly, picking it up and unfolding it, revealing a drawn picture of him and a young girl with blonde hair. She was dressed as a princess, stuck in a tower, and Roxas was drawn as a knight in shining armor, riding his noble steed up to the tower to save her.
"Naminé…" he sighed, running his fingers over the paper with her illustration on it. How dearly he missed her. If only there was hope for saving her…
"You know, Roxas, there is hope for Naminé," an old man's voice said behind him.
The young man jumped, craned his neck around, and saw an elderly man dressed in a long blue robe and tall, triangular hat. His skin was a pale white, and he wore a long beard going to his mid-torso. He wore spectacles and had gleaming dark eyes. This man was obviously a wizard, or a sorcerer, that was for sure. But he didn't know at all who this man was.
"Who are you?" he asked cautiously, standing up to meet eye to eye with the wizard.
"I am Merlin," the elderly wizard replied.
Merlin? The great wizard from the Old Court back when the Kingdom of Twilight was in its golden years? This couldn't be happening! "Why are you here, Merlin?"
"There is still time to save Naminé. She hasn't been put on the throne yet, and is locked in the dungeon in the Queen's Castle, for Queen Althea is currently reigning.
"How am I supposed to find the Queen's Castle? Several people have tried discovering it, but it has never been located."
"It is in the lands of the Far North, in a region called Oblivion. It is a very dangerous journey, and only the Council, with their magic, have been able to cross such cold and mountainous terrain."
"But I can still save Naminé if I'm able to cross the lands of the Far North?"
"Yes. But you must hurry." Merlin conjured up a map of the Kingdom of Twilight. "You are right here," he pointed to the southeast corner of the map, next to a mountain range and a short stretch of plains. "You want to travel north in a westerly sort of manner. Follow the Paopu River and it should take you to the northern border of the Kingdom. Along the way, you should stop in the towns, but be careful; the Council patrols the areas often, so you want to make sure that you keep as low of a profile as possible. If they find out about your quest, you will be put to death on the spot. After the river ends, the terrain gets much rockier and dangerous, and several different kinds of monsters lurk. Your encounters with them will become more frequent the closer you get to the Queen's Castle. When you reach the region of Oblivion, you must follow the mountains north. Tucked between two mountains in the very north of this range lies the Queen's Castle. Keep a watchful eye; it is difficult to spot and is heavily guarded by hidden soldiers serving the Council."
"How am I supposed to remember all of that?" Roxas asked, pacing the floor as he attempted to memorize the directions.
Merlin handed him the map. "This map is magical. It'll help guide you to your destination."
Roxas nodded. This was his one chance to bring Naminé back. He could finally see her again, something his heart yearned for. "I will save Naminé, and bring down the Council."
Merlin nodded gravely. "I know you will. I have faith in you." He took out his wand. "Now, I really must be going, but before I leave, there's something you must know."
The young man looked at him quizzically. "What is that?"
The wizard gave him a serious look, "Never stray from the path." And with that, he dematerialized in a cloud of grey smoke.
Roxas looked once more at the maps. It sounded easy enough, and with his ten years of training in the royal army, he seemed confident in his abilities to rescue his childhood friend. So he left a note on his bed for his parents. It read:
iDear Mother and Father,
I am delighted to be back at home once again, but I was visited by a certain wise wizard, and he told me my childhood friend of long ago still has hope to be rescued. I plan to do just that. I don't know how long I'll be gone, or if I'll ever return, but I have to do this. She is extremely important to me, and I will be regretful the rest of my life if I do not save her. I love you both, and I hope you understand.
Your son,
Roxas/i
After packing a few provisions and mounting his horse, the young man felt as if he were ready to leave. It was about eleven o'clock in the night, and the moon was full and bright. The tiny twinkling stars illuminated the sky, and combined with the moon, it gave Roxas enough light to see where he was going. Roxas hated leaving his parents with only a goodbye through a note, but he didn't know how long this journey could take him, and knowing that Naminé was nearing her time on the throne, he didn't want to dawdle very long. He had to make haste, especially if he wanted to make sure no harm comes to Naminé. He had no time to lose, that was for sure.
Roxas pulled out the map. The map was definitely magical; other than Merlin's guarantee on it's magical abilities, one could obviously see it was, due to the fact that a red path was traced on the map to help guide him through the Kingdom of Twilight. A little blue dot moved every time he did, making the knight assume it represented him. This was a wonderful item to have. It was probably the most beneficial thing he could possibly ever have with him. He pondered the thought of what might happen if he ever lost the map. Not wanting to think of the consequences of losing it, he shook his head, clearing his mind of the negative thoughts, and glanced at where his first stop was.
"Let's see here, if I go straight north, I should find myself in a town called Brightcrest. Seems friendly enough," Roxas said to himself, tracing his finger along the path. He estimated the distance to be only a couple of miles, which pleased him. He could probably pick up some information in Brightcrest.
As he rode his horse into the town, it seemed eerily quiet. No one was out on the roads, and only a few lanterns lit the path into Brightcrest. He could only hear the clap-clap of the horse's hooves and his breathing. Something wasn't right…
"Halt! Who goes there at such a late hour?" a voice projected from behind, nearly startling Roxas of his horse. "I want a name, got it memorized?" the voice said again aggressively.
"My name is Roger," he lied, but continued holding his ground. "I'm just riding through to… meet some relatives."
"At this hour? Highly unlikely," the man's voice said. He stepped forward, letting the lanternlight shine its pale light on him, revealing a figure in a long hooded black coat. It almost looked sinister. "Don't you know that the Council demands all civilians off the streets by sundown? Now tell me, iRoger,/i what is your true reason for passing at this hour?"
Roxas didn't reply.
"How about this? I notice you are carrying a quality sword on you. How about we duel to get an answer out of you? If you win, I'll believe what you said. If I win, I demand the answer I'm looking for out of you, then I have you tried false testimony."
Roxas stifled a sigh. He nodded, knowing there was no other way to get out of this predicament.
He could feel the man smile as he pulled out his sword. Roxas did the same, climbed off his horse, and got into his fighting stance. It shouldn't be too hard right? He had been in the Royal army for ten years. He certainly knew what he was doing. But this man, did he have more experience? How was he supposed to know how long the man was a part of the Council, let alone how the Council trains its men?
The mysterious man's first attack got Roxas by surprise. "Come on, Roger, don't make it easy on me."
The knight gritted his teeth and ran straight forward hacking and slashing at the man. The cloaked man dodged quite a bit of his hits, but after a blow to his shoulder, he fell to the ground, releasing the sword from his grasp.
"Of course I wouldn't make it easy for you. That wouldn't be any fun, would it?"
The man laughed, then proceeded to stand up and pull the hood off his head. He had a long, spiky, red mane and piercing green eyes. "You're better than I thought you'd be, Roger. Guess I have no choice but to believe what you say." He gave a smart smile. "Though someone like you wouldn't have put up such a great fight just to see some grandmother. I believe you have a greater quest in your hands."
"You're right, I do," Roxas nodded seriously, secretly surprised he revealed the truth to a Council member.
"You are an interesting person, aren't you?" the man said. "Now that you have admitted to lying about your reason for being here, how about your real name?"
Roxas lowered his eyebrows for a second, then relaxed, "It's Roxas."
"Ahh, I see. My name's Axel, commit it to memory," the redhead said, turning around and raising an arm.
"Why should I need to commit your name to memory?" he shouted over to Axel, who was pulling another horse into sight.
"Because I'm coming with you. I like a guy that has his heart in the right place," Axel said, climbing on his horse.
"Wait! How can I trust a Council member like you?" Roxas asked, quickening his horse's pace to meet Axel's.
The Council member laughed like a hyena. "You think I would be loyal to a bunch of creeps like them? As if! I've been working to overthrow them for years, and something tells me that your odyssey has something to do with that."
Roxas was surprised by the amount of information Axel knew just by looking at him. Was he that much of an open book? "Well, we best be headed if we want to reach my destination-"
"Which is..?" Axel interrupted.
"North. To the far reaches of Oblivion."
"Ahh, I take it you're looking for the Queen's Castle up north?"
"Yes. Have you been there before that you may know the way there?" Roxas asked, hopeful that he would have a guide if he would ever lose the map Merlin bestowed upon him.
"Nope. I've only been in these southern lands. I've only heard bits and pieces of information from eavesdropping on other Council members," Axel explained.
"Oh… I see."iThat's unfortunate./i "Anyway, if we keep following the Paopu River in a northwest direction, we should reach our next city, Oath Keeper City. From there, we could choose to stop in the towns following Oath Keeper City, or just bypass them as a whole and travel along the mountains all the way up until we hit the region of Oblivion. What do you think, Axel?"
"Travel along the mountains. With the towns all heavily guarded, we'll make it a lot easier and faster if we skip them as a whole, other than the city. We should gather supplies there."
Roxas nodded. "Now that we've chosen our path, we mustn't stray from it. Merlin's words. He says bad things happen if we stray from the path." He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the negative thoughts. "Anyway, shall we get started?"
Oath Keeper City was overflowing with people; it was obvious that it was the most populous settlement in the Kingdom of Twilight. It rested on the side of the hill, and determining from the styles of houses, the richer lived higher up the hill, and the social classes descended along with the hill from there. At the corner of the city was a mysterious tower, peeking above the other houses and churches in the area.
Roxas and Axel rode into the slums, where poor peasants lived, with skeletons that seemed to peak through what little meat they had on their bodies. As they galloped through the filthy, grimy streets, the peasants crawled out from their homes, staring hungrily at the fully fed horses the two men rode upon. iThis is absolutely preposterous. Nobody should live this way./i
They traveled out of the slums and to the middle-class area, the center of the city, where the marketplace was. "Follow my lead, Axel," Roxas whispered, and with that, he got off his horse and proceeded to steal bread and fruit from a man's cart. Axel caught the hint immediately and proceeded to chase the blonde through the market, yelling harsh words as he "attempted" to catch the thief. Roxas quickly climbed up on his horse, and rode away from the market, while the Council member followed him out of the market. After they were far enough away, the two laughed and celebrated in their plunders. They now had enough food to last them the journey.
"Hey, Axel, look at that tower in the distance," Roxas pointed west to the tallest building in Oath Keeper City.
Axel squinted his eyes against the sun and noticed what was pointed out. "Looks like an interesting enough of a place. Let's go there, see if anything, or anyone, is there."
When they reached the tower, Roxas noticed something strange about it. It didn't stand up straight. Part of it was crooked, which struck him as quite odd. Shrugging his shoulders, he put the eccentricity past him and opened the door. Immediately before the two men, there was a spiral staircase, leading up to who-knows-where.
At the top, a man that had a similar, but more serious, appearance as Merlin. He sat at a desk with books piling on the surface. Surrounding the elderly man were windows that were carved to look like the moon and stars. It was simply amazing.
"Come here," the man said monotonously.
Axel and Roxas felt nothing else but to obey his command.
"Roxas and Axel. You come here to seek wisdom and power, do you not?" he asked.
Roxas was the one to speak up. "Actually, sir, we just found this tower out of mere curiosity."
The man shook his head. "You may not know it, but the true reason for coming upon my tower was because you sought power and wisdom, something I may be able to grant to you."
The knight and the Council member remained silent.
"I am Master Yen Sid, one of the highest wizards from the Old Court. I possess magic that can benefit you young travelers." He looked at the younger of the two. "Roxas, approach."
Roxas obeyed.
Yen Sid summoned a weapon that resembled a giant key with a crown silhouette carved into the blade. "This is a weapon of the elders, used by great people with strong hearts back in the Golden Age." He handed the key to Roxas. "It is called the Keyblade, and its powers shall help you through even the greatest of troubles."
He proceeded to look at the redhead. "Axel, step forward," to which he obeyed. "You are like fire, strong, yet quick to temper." He summoned up a pair of fiery chakrams. "These should be able to channel your inner powers as you go on your journey with Roxas."
Axel spoke, "That was the power part of it, right, Master Yen Sid? So what wisdom do you have that you may grant us?"
Master Yen Sid crossed his arms. "The journey you two are going on will have a great effect on the fate of our kingdom. There will be times when you doubt even your own strength. But remember this: your hearts are capable of producing a light that could illuminate the entire world a thousand times over. Strength of heart is your most important weapon." He took a deep breath, giving a pause in his speech. "Now go, you destiny awaits you, Roxas; Axel."
The two young men nodded and left the tower, heading past the towns and toward the Destiny Mountains. There, the climate grew frigid and cold, and food was growing scarce. Thankfully for Axel's new fiery powers channeled, they were able to easily conjure up a fire to warm the both of them. Night was approaching, and before the two fell into a slumber, they had one last chat.
"So Roxas, what exactly is your business up in the reaches of Oblivion?"
Roxas warmed his nearly-chapped hands by the fire, "The person I care about most is there. She was taken away from me when we were young."
"You mean Naminé, the next Queen?"
He nodded.
"What was she like?"
"Well, she was always shorter than I was, with light blonde hair and blue eyes that could light up a room. She was always seen drawing something, and we would run through my father's apple orchard, playing a bunch of games. She was understanding and kindhearted, like an angel." Roxas felt his heart tug when he remembered sweet, gentle Naminé. He hoped and prayed with all his heart that she was still safe, that there was still time.
"She sounds like a perfect match for you. It's a shame they had to take her away from you." Axel lay down, folding his arms behind his head to act as a pillow.
"But we'll get her back, I just know it," Roxas said drowsily, and he closed his eyes as sleep washed over him and his surroundings faded around him.
"Roxas!" Axel's faint shouting rang in his ears. "Roxas! Get up! The map! Where's the map?"
Roxas groggily awoke, rubbing his eyes and stretched, "The what?" he asked drowsily.
"The m-a-p. Got it memorized?!" a frantic Axel yelled, scrambling to find it.
"We lost it?" he asked, worried and feeling his heart leap into his mouth while his stomach did acrobatics.
"What do you think I've been saying for the past two minutes?!" Axel yelled at him, fire blazing in his eyes.
After searching for what seemed to be an hour, they stopped and concluded that the wind must have taken it, and there was no way to find it without wasting any more time than they already did.
"Guess we have to go without one, don't we," Roxas huffed, feeling the negative thoughts cloud his mind like an oncoming storm. No matter how much he shook his head, they wouldn't clear out.
After traveling in the direction the guessed would be the right way, they concluded that the region of Oblivion was practically impossible to navigate; with it's thicker-than-porridge foggy horizons and occasional snow storm. In the background, they heard hissing and other strange noises they've never heard in their lives.
iI wonder if that's the monsters that Merlin warned me of?/i he thought. It must have been, because dark creatures with glowing yellow eyes emerged from the fog, flanking them at all sides. Some were larger than Axel and Roxas combined, bearing huge teeth. It was unlike anything either of them had ever encountered in their lifetimes.
"Heartless!" Axel shouted over to Roxas. "I've only heard legends about these creatures. Looks like they're more than just legends after all. I've been dying to fight these things for years!" He gave a sinister smile and charged at the Heartless, summoning his chakrams and channeling his inner powers, eliminating the creatures on spot, but more continued appearing. Roxas did the same, and it seemed as if forever and an eternity passed until the army of Heartless stopped appearing.
Both men were badly beaten and covered with blood. Axel pulled a couple potions out of their supplies and handed one over to Roxas. "It might taste a little strange at first, but you'll get used to it."
He nodded and drank the green liquid. The aftertaste reminded him of the medical concoctions his mother forced him to drink when he was ill. But after drinking it, the pain was lifted and his battle wounds healed over as if they were never there. It was amazing, the strength of the potion. Now, both of them were healed enough to continue traveling to the Queen's Castle.
Peaking from behind the Destiny Mountains was an almost transparent-like building hard at first to spot, but Roxas' eyes could soon easily see where the castle started and ended. For others, though, it wouldn't have been so easily spotted.
"Do you see it?" Roxas whispered to Axel, lifting a finger in the direction of the castle.
"Barely. But I know that the castle is heavily guarded. We can't just waltz into the front entrance like we belong there. We'd have to find a different way around. Do you see a secret passage or anything?"
He squinted his eyes, but could see a small cave-like opening in a nearby mountain close by the Queen's Castle. If his observations were correct, that cave could hold the passageway to the interior of the castle. But the guards were probably nearby that, too… Still, it was their only option at the moment.
Once Roxas threw out the idea, Axel nodded and agreed. "I'll distract the Council guards for you, and you just focus on saving Naminé. Don't worry about me. I'll find a way into the castle and help you finish the mission."
Roxas nodded and quietly stalked over to the cave opening, waiting for the cue. Axel then loudly shouted, "Aye! Council members! A revolution is about to happen that's going to send you men up in flames," he smiled mischievously, forming a flame in his hands as he walked toward the guards.
The blonde knight crawled into the tight hole. Darkness crept over him, and he felt himself become more claustrophobic by the second. If Naminé wasn't in need of saving, he would have found the quickest route out of the twisting turning tunnels. Suddenly, the cave started opening up, and a grotesque-looking dungeon was in sight. And the weak, filthy, blonde girl chained to the ground was looking right at him.
"Naminé!" Roxas shouted, running up to her and grabbing her weak, shaking hands. Her eyes still had life to them, but the glow in them was faint. "Naminé, it's me, Roxas. Your childhood friend," he told her with desperation in his voice.
Tears filled her eyes, "Roxas…" she spoke faintly. There was remembrance in her voice, he could tell that, and as a muddy tear fell from her face, he knew she recalled him. They embraced, feeling the faint warmth their frozen bodies gave each other.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the distance, growing ever so louder with each step, sending shockwaves of alarm through Naminé's body. "Roxas, you have to help me. They're going to put me on the throne any minute…!" She attempted to move, to get up and run with him, but the chain on her ankle sent a shock of electricity up her body, making her scream in pain. It was unbearable for Roxas to watch, but he didn't know what to do. If he attempted to break the chain, would the motion send more bolts of electricity up her leg? Would a possible booby trap go off? The possibilities were endless.
Before he could figure out a plan to free her, a man with blue eyes and pink hair came down to the dungeon, smirking evilly. "Looks like our little Queen has a visitor. Would he like to watch the coronation? It's definitely quite a show!" he laughed, binding Roxas' hands with a vine he had created out of thin air. The man released Naminé from her chains and kept a tight grip on her wrist as he led the two up to the throne room.
Every room they passed through was blindingly white, like sunshine reflecting on freshly fallen snow. In the throne room, a few Council members dressed Naminé into a giant, poofy, white dress that would have looked stunning on her if not for the condition she was in. Then, they forced her into the crystal white throne and bound her there with chains of the same material, entwined with red roses.
She looked so helpless, so much in pain, that Roxas didn't know what to do. (copy-paste here!) Something in Roxas' heart started burning inside of him, as if it were on fire. Then, a blinding light illuminated the room, making the Council members fall unconscious and the chains on Naminé's arms and legs to be broken.
Just then, Axel comes bursting into the room, chakrams on fire. "I see I came in the right time, didn't I? Didn't steal Naminé's heart did they?" When Roxas shook his head he smiled. "Let's finish these villains off for good."
Roxas nodded, and summoned his Keyblade, finishing their lives and ending the evil time period in the Kingdom of Twilight for good.
Roxas pulled away from Naminé's kiss, signifying they were now husband and wife. As they ran off from the cathedral, hand in hand, Roxas brought up something. "You know, this kingdom still needs a king and a queen. Will you be my queen?"
Naminé handed him a folded piece of paper as an answer. He opened it up, and inside was a drawing of her and him, dressed as king and queen, happily ruling over the kingdom.
"I'll take that as a yes."
And so Roxas and Naminé were crowned king and queen, the Council was eliminated completely, and a new golden era was once again established for the Kingdom of Twilight.
And they all lived happily ever after~