Hello everyone. As promised, I have this story uploaded by the end of the month of March. As a prerequisite to reading this, you should have a) read my story When All the Battles Have Ended, and b) played Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (or at least watched the epic fight video about it).
Much of this story revolves around the prequel, so I encourage you to hurry up and read it (and, for God's sake, REVIEW! I have 2k hits, and over 1.5k visits, but only 4 stinkin' reviews!). This story does require some recollection of what happened in WATBHE. For those of you too lazy to read my story, here's basically what's up with each character.
Rytex - In Sora's heart, recovering. His body has been stolen by Ganondorf.
Link and co. (you'll see) - Currently in Cryonia, seeking advice from Bahamut about the matter.
You - Sitting at your computer (or with your mobile device), reading this story, not giving a care about what I have to say about reviewing. Hell, you probably aren't even reading this. If you are, CONGRATULATIONS! YOU GOT NOTHING BUT SOME CHEAP HUMOR!
Me - Sitting here, claiming that I do not own Zelda. I really wish it were the opposite.
Shigeru Miyamoto - What the? He's not a character! But he DOES own Zelda. Damn, I wish I were him, the lucky man.
Octorock - About to be eaten by CD-I Link.
King of Hyrule - Currently wondering what is for dinner.
Anyway, enjoy the story. Now, this story is not meant to be as long as WATBHE. In fact, it's WAAAYYYY shorter. There are 4 chapters that are short also, so just bear with me until I get the last story out, and I'll be posting it one chapter a week, starting probably in the summer.
For now, enjoy A Light, Even in the Ultimate Darkness.
Chapter 1: Keyblade
Link jolted awake in his bed in Pravoka.
Nightmares of what had transpired weeks ago had plagued him. He saw Rytex's spirit be pulled into the abyss, Ganondorf laughing at him in Rytex's body, and above all, the knowledge that he had failed his friend.
He closed his eyes as a solitary tear trickled down the curve between the left side of his face and his nose.
He wiped it off quickly, then yawned. Today was the day they would meet Bahamut on the topic of what had happened to Rytex.
He got up, started to put on a green tunic, then saw the cloak he had worn during his brief stay in Hyrule when he had wanted to stay hidden from King Rolynd, who had wanted to steal his Triforce of Courage. Only a week and a half ago, he had fought the king to realize that it was actually Ganondorf, who had been after his usual goal. But he had another plan in mind. The Sages were due to execute Ganondorf at the time, and if that came to pass, the spirit that lived on inside King Rolynd that had corrupted him, which was a portion of Ganondorf's spirit, would vanish. So he invaded Rytex's body, forced out Rytex's spirit, and then banished Rytex's spirit to what he called the "Ultimate Darkness."
Lost in memory, he shook himself out of it, and then donned the black cloak.
He exited the house after kissing the sleeping Malon lightly on the cheek.
Exsan, with his black and silver hair arranged haphazardly and grey eyes with a deep apprehension behind them, and Rega, with his black hair neat and green eyes calm.
"Shall we?" he asked them.
They nodded.
They began to leave town when they were joined by Rytex's wife Xemyli, with brown hair and brown eyes, as well as Axel and Demyx, two friends of theirs. Another friend, Sean, joined up.
They left town and began to trudge up Draco Peak slowly. When they neared the top, they heard a deep rumble as Bahamut granted them entry.
Link and the others stepped into the large room. In front of them stood the great blue old dragon king Bahamut.
Bahamut looked at them, and then uttered a growl as they heard his voice in their heads.
"As I said yesterday, I would help shed light on what happened to Rytex. Now, tell me what has happened."
Link began to relate everything that happened after they had left Pravoka three weeks ago."
He found it difficult to relate the parts he so hated and was haunted by, but he forced himself to do it. Bahamut considered the matter for a long while.
"Hmm... So Ganondorf has possessed him. However, it is not a traditional possession. I know little on the topic personally. Also, there is the matter of that key. Do you know anything about it?"
"No." said Link. Everyone else shook their heads except Axel.
"Well, I have heard a supposed legend about a Keyblade or something..." he said.
"A Keyblade?" asked Demyx incredulously.
"That's a fairy tale, Axel." said Sean.
"Yeah, well, Cryonia's a fairy tale to the whole kingdom of Hyrule." he countered.
"He has a point." said Link.
"They say that the Keyblades are objects that choose masters in order that they may be used to combat darkness. But most Keyblades are created artificially and imbued with power. Real Keyblades are supposedly ethereal and more powerful than any artificial Keyblade. Then there's this one Keyblade that's more powerful than any normal real one. It's a physical, tangible blade and it's called the χ-blade."
"Another Keyblade?" asked Link, confused.
"No." said Bahamut.
A holographic X-shape appeared in the air in front of Bahamut's face.
"Chi. An ancient letter used by civilizations long before yours. Some people pronounce it as 'kye,' but the meaning remains the same."
"So what's the difference between a Keyblade and the χ-Blade?" asked Link.
"Aside from the fact that normal Keyblades are ethereal when the χ-Blade is tangible, Keyblades can lock or unlock the spirits of people. However, the χ-Blade can unlock not just the souls of people, but the Door to the Ultimate Darkness. Then there's supposedly a second blade that can close the Door. It is referred to in legend as the ω-Blade."
"The Omega-Blade?" asked Sean.
"Precisely. It is called that because it is supposedly a fusion of Keyblades to combat the χ-Blade. It and the χ-Blade are equal in strength, and therefore, the wielders' skill is what is required to win the battle. If the ω-Blade defeats the χ-Blade, the Door to the Ultimate Darkness will close and be sealed again."
"What is the Ultimate Darkness?" asked Exsan.
"I know not what it is exactly. Only legends or stories of it."
"At least tell us those." said Link.
Bahamut snorted.
"Your courage and determination to save your friend is admirable. The Ultimate Darkness supposedly is a realm of pure darkness that exists opposite the Realm of Light that we are in. There is a Realm of Nothingness in between the two, and it is called the Dark Meridian. The Dark Meridian is also sometimes referred to as the Realm of the In-Between. In the Realm of Light, the Dark Meridian was accessible through different portals in days long gone, but now only one such portal remains. It exists within the depths of this mountain. Strange things often happen in it that affect both realms, because it houses two gates to these realms."
"So we can save Rytex by going through this Dark Meridian to the gate to the Realm of Darkness?" asked Link
"No. The gate was sealed shut by Keyblade Masters long ago. The legends say one Keyblade Master had attempted to release the darkness upon the Realm of Light. He was defeated, then the gate was sealed shut."
"Why did he try to release Darkness upon the Light?" asked Exsan.
"Because the world was created when Darkness and Light collided. The Darkness blanketed the land once, but the Three Golden Goddesses, filled with the Light, created the land. Ever since, Darkness and Light have been in perfect balance. Whenever someone threatens that balance, someone full of the opposite stops him. If someone were to become too powerful and defeat the one trying to stop him, the Darkness would blanket the Light and destroy it all. If Light is destroyed, Darkness will vanish as well. However, with both gone, Nothingness will cover the land, give birth to darkness, and restart the cycle."
"So this man wanted to recreate the world?" asked Link.
"And with the great power of Darkness on his side, he would be given power by this Nothingness and would become like a God. He would've ruled over the new world."
Everyone looked at Link, and they all thought the same thing.
"It seems that what you have just said is Ganondorf's goal. He wants to rebuild the world and rule it as a God." Link said.
Bahamut nodded.
"However, the Door to the Ultimate Darkness was sealed. The only thing that can open that Door now is the χ-Blade. To create the χ-Blade, he needs a soul of pure Light and a soul of pure Darkness to fight. The souls must have equal power when they battle, and when they do, the χ-Blade will be forged. When it is forged, Ganondorf will then go to unseal the Door."
"One more question: Who can stop Ganondorf before he gets the χ-Blade?" asked Link.
"Ganondorf has possessed Rytex's body and he has forced out the light in his soul. He has become a being of pure darkness. That means, if Ganondorf gains control over the χ-Blade, and he has emerged victorious over the one whose soul is pure light, only one with a heart in balance with Light and Darkness will have to fight him. Otherwise, the resulting person would cause an imbalance of power in Ganondorf's soul, having absorbed the light from another, and possibly cause another Ruin and Creation."
"Another Ruin?"
Bahamut opened his mouth to say more, but before he could, a corridor of darkness appeared and Rytex stepped out of it. He laughed evilly in Ganondorf's voice.
"I let you teach them about my plan, but no teaching them how to stop it now." he said, wagging a finger at the dragon.
The dragon snarled as everyone else drew weapons.
"If you want to find the only person who can find me, you have to go find the person Rytex is residing in, for it is Rytex himself who can stop me." Ganondorf said, laughing at the end.
"What?" asked Link.
"I had originally intended to send him into someone a little weaker than myself so that I could overpower him physically and take the χ-Blade for myself, but when I went to search for his soul within the Ultimate Darkness, he wasn't there. I fear he found a host. If you want to stop me, you'll have to find him and whoever he's with. That person, though, is the heart of pure Light, because Rytex's soul is now pure Light, which means he can only associate with one like him."
Ganondorf laughed.
"And I'll be right there when it happens to fight the person and claim the χ-Blade for myself!"
Bahamut roared and opened his maw. A great ball of blue flame appeared and shot at Ganondorf.
Ganondorf smiled evilly and vanished from sight.
Link gasped when he saw Ganondorf again.
Ganondorf had stabbed Bahamut in the heart with the Blood Sword.
"Hahahahaha! No one shall stand in my way!"
The dragon roared, but instead of dying, black flames appeared around it and Bahamut vanished, much the same way King Rolynd had.
Instantly, Link knew what had happened. Ganondorf had used the Blood Sword to steal Bahamut's power. Bahamut would now vanish into darkness.
Bahamut let out one last roar of anger before he vanished completely into Darkness.
Ganondorf laughed as he flourished the Blood Sword.
"Too easy." said Ganondorf.
Link lunged at Ganondorf with the Master Sword, intending to impale him, but Ganondorf vanished into another corridor of darkness.
Link shook with anger.
"AAAUUUGGGHHH!" he shouted.
He noticed everyone look at him, concerned, but then he felt the power leave him suddenly.
He looked around wildly while the others gasped and pointed.
Link looked.
There, in his hands, was an ethereal Keyblade.
How did you enjoy Chapter 1? PLEASE REVIEW!1!