Prologue

The blade swung at him. Closer and closer it came, unwilling to stop.

Is this the end? Am I really going to die? Why? How did this happen? The Darkness has really gotten to me, hasn't it? What's happening to me? Is the Darkness really starting to take over? I can feel the pain and hurt that I brought my friends. The Darkness made me strike down my best friend, raise my Keyblade at my loved ones. Hurt who's important to me. Maybe. . . I deserve to die. . .

Day 1

Departure

Darkness poured out of the world's Keyhole and shrouded the small island. The dark wind whipped, sucking down everything in it's path. He quickly ducked to the ground as a palm tree flew overhead. "Kiari!" he shouted, hastily glancing around the area.

"Sora! Help!" a girl's voice cried in reply.

Sora spun around. "Kiari?" When he saw her being dragged away, he didn't hesitate to race towards her. "Hold on! I'm coming!" Her hand reached towards him as he came closer and closer. Just before he went to grab it, a green-haired boy appeared in front of him. Sora clashed his Keyblade in the boy's dagger but it didn't do any good. The boy lifted his leg and kicked Sora in the jaw, the impact knocking him clean off the ground. Sora collapsed to the ground. His jaw felt like it had been broken.

Knowing that he wasn't going to make it in time, he hoped that Riku was closer to Kiari than he was. His hope shattered when he saw Riku to his left. He was gritting his teeth and covering both of his ears as a girl in front of him sang a song.

"Sora! Please, help me! Please!" Kiari's screams echoed through Sora's head. He forced himself to get up. He stumbled forward almost falling flat on his face. He saw a dark portal rise up behind the people who were taking Kiari away.

"Damn this," a boy with ebony black hair cursed. He looked even younger than Sora, but his eyes were piercing with Darkness. "Make haste or he will catch up to us. Faster!"

Kiari wasn't finished yet. She elbowed a girl that was dragging her in the face and then pulled away from the other two boys. "Sora!" she continued to scream. She stumbled over her own feet and then fell to the ground. She reached out her hand. Sora stretched his arm out as far as it would go, reaching back to Kiari, desperately waiting for the moment when he would grasp her hand.

But he never did.

The moment when Sora was about to take Kiari's hand in his own, the green-haired boy appeared between the two of them. He punched Sora in the face, knocking him back, and as for Kiari, he gave her a shove back into another boy's arms and she was carried through the black portal.

Sora sat up, clutching the side of his face that had been punched. "Stop!" he yelled. "Give Kiari back!"

The green-haired boy was the last to step into the portal. Just before he disappeared with his companions, he said, "If you want Kiari back, come get her," and with that, he vanished into the portal of Darkness.

"Wait. . ." Sora's pleads soon turned into a mixture of anger and rage. "Wait! Come back! I'll take you all on!"

"Sora. . ." It was Riku. "Sora. . . They're gone. They've disappeared."

"No. . ." Sora shook his head. "No. . . KIARI!"

Sora jumped up. His whole body was drenched in sweat. He looked around. "Where. . ?"

"You're at Disney Castle."

"Gawrsh, are you all right, Sora?"

Sora turned and smiled at the two familiar faces. "Donald! Goofy!" The three of them locked each other in an embrace. "It's been so long!"

"Sora, it's so great to see you again," Donald said happily.

"A-Hyuck, we've missed ya, Sora," Goofy added.

"I missed you guys too," Sora replied, finally pulling away from them. "But, what am I doing here? How did I get here?"

"Welp, that's kinda a long story."

Sora turned his attention to he doorway. "Oh, your Majesty!" Sora quickly jumped to his feet and bowed as did Donald and Goofy. After Sora stood back up erect, he continued, "Well? Can you tell me what happened?"

King Mickey sighed. "The Darkness has begun to manipulate again. Sadly, it's destroyed your island. . . Everything was sucked away into the Darkness."

Sora lowered his head. "Why? Why does this always happen? Why can't the Darkness just disappear for once!?"

"Darkness and Light are connected," King Mickey stated. "You can't have one without the other."

Sora sighed. "I know that. . . I'm just so mad right now. . . Every time I think the Darkness is gone, it always comes back to haunt me. Wait. . . What about Riku?"

"Oh, about Riku~" King Mickey began.

Sora cut him off. "Where is he?! Is he okay?! What happened to him?!"

"Nothing, Riku's fine," King Mickey told him, surprised by Sora's sudden outburst. The news that Riku was okay made Sora sigh in relief. "He's down in the Gummi Hanger helping Chip and Dale out with the ship. You'll be needing it for where you're going."

"Where are we going?" Sora asked.

"There's a place where the Darkness seems to manipulating. I'm not sure we know the place, but Riku said that he wanted to check it out. He didn't leave because he knew that you would want to go with him."

Sora smiled. At least Riku and I will be together this time. . . We've been separated from each other for too long. It would be nice to have him with me this time in case I need help. Sora glanced at Donald and Goofy. "Are you two coming along?"

"I'm afraid that this is a task for the two Keyblade Masters," King Mickey answered. "The Darkness is just too strong this time. You two are the only ones who may have a chance at exceeding it's power."

Sora gave King Mickey a thumbs up. "Don't worry, your Majesty. If anyone can defeat the Darkness, Riku and I can." The large smile on Sora's face began to minimize into a look of horror. He quietly whispered to himself, "Kiari. . . Oh no. . ."

"What's the matter?" Donald asked.

"Kiari!" Sora realized. "She was taken away! Just before the island was destroyed, a group of people kidnapped Kiari and escaped with her!"

"Gawrsh, that's terrible! Any idea who took her?" Goofy asked.

Sora shook his head. "Your Majesty, may I ask, how did we get here?"

"Welp, you and Riku just appeared out in the Courtyard. We figured that the force from the world's destruction sent you all the way here. The Darkness didn't swallow you because you both have so much Light in your hearts," King Mickey explained.

"You didn't find Kiari here, did you?"

King Mickey shook his head.

Sora lowered his head. "I have to find her and save her. Any idea where she could have been taken?"

"Well, she could be at the place where you're going to search," Donald said.

Sora nodded. "She could be. . . Then that's where Riku and I will start out. When do we leave?"

"Welp, the Gummi Ship should be ready by now," King Mickey said. "Like I said, Riku's down there so it might be best to go and tell him that you're okay."

Sora smiled. "Right. Thanks for letting us borrow one of your ships. Don't worry, your Majesty, Riku and I will put an end to the Darkness. I promise." And with that said, Sora walked out of the room. He paced down the corridors, through the Courtyard, and then finally down the stairs which led to the Gummi Hanger.

"Riku!" he shouted happily when he saw his friend. He raced over to him and hugged him.

Riku smiled. "So I guess that this means you're okay."

"Are you kidding? It'll take a lot more than Darkness to take me down!"

"So I've noticed."

"Did you hear about everything? About heading to that new place?" Sora was hesitant and then finally added, "What about Kiari?"

Riku nodded. "Don't worry, Sora." He put his hands on Sora's shoulders. "We'll find her. I promise you that we will. I won't rest until she's safe."

"I'm just worried. . . I swear, if those people hurt her. . ."

"If they do, then we'll show them who's boss," Riku stated.

"Yeah! When the two of us are together, we're unbeatable!" Sora nodded. He summoned his Keyblade and pointed it to the ship. "Now let's get going!"

Riku sighed and followed Sora towards the Gummi Ship. He just learned that the Darkness is about to take over and that Kiari was kidnapped yet he can still smile and be cheerful? Well, that's Sora for you.

Sora hopped in the front seat of the ship where the control panel was. Riku took the passenger seat. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Of course," Sora told him. "I've driven these loads of times. I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Aye, aye," Riku muttered, trying to hide the doubt in his voice.

Sora pressed a button and the engine flickered to life. When the ship began to hover into the air, Sora pushed on the control stick and began to drive the ship into the universe. Once again, they were on their way towards an adventure that would change their lives.