Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

The Imbalance of Reality

By

Daniel Wood

Chapter 2: Riku

So much has changed.

The world we once knew…it no longer exists.

I had it all.

Only to lose it forever.

That which once was…can never be again.

Survival demands it.

My name is Riku.

Formally, I was the master of the powerful weapon known as the Keyblade.

Currently, I am embarking on the twilit road to dawn.

How I went from one situation to another is a big story to tell, but it's important that you hear it.

See, once upon a time, there was this place called the Destiny Islands. I was born there; it was my home for nearly all my life. My best friends were this girl, Kairi, and another boy, who was also my biggest rival, Sora.

We talked for so long about visiting so many other worlds out there, if there were any that existed. Being the adolescents that we still are, we wanted to see the countless wonders that went beyond our home. For me, however, I wanted to get off the islands SO badly. I was tired of living out the same old day, EVERYday. I wanted…NEEDED to getaway from my home. Like so many others, I craved for something NEW and FRESH.

And I let that craving consume me. I was more than a fool. I was a traitor. I opened the door to darkness, the door that was hidden in the Secret Place. By doing so…I broke down the walls that surrounded my island, preventing me from crossing over to other worlds. But my actions resulted in the Heartless, creatures born from the darkness in people's hearts, running amuck on the islands and feeding on the heart of my world.

My actions destroyed my home. I threw away my family and friends because I put myself before everyone else.

After the Destiny Islands fell to darkness, I was exiled to Hollow Bastion; a ruination of what I can only imagine must have been a great, beautiful castle, and supposedly the Heartless' birth place…or is it Rebirth place? I…I'm not sure anymore.

Anyway, my dreams of seeing other worlds were finally realised. But not the way I wanted them to be. Kairi and Sora were nowhere in sight. I was my own.

Truly alone.

I soon found new company, though. But it was company I would eventually regret meeting. A sorceress of great power, Maleficent, welcomed me to the castle that she had usurped. It was here that she and her allies planned to conquer all worlds with the Heartless and by taking the heart of all worlds, Kingdom Hearts. And to do that, they needed the seven Princesses of Heart, which included Kairi, and the Keyblade, which was wielded by Sora.

Without knowing it, I was being played by Maleficent's hand. Seeing how I was close to both Kairi and Sora, she knew how invaluable I'd be in doing her dirty work for her. Also, because the darkness in my heart was growing, my competitiveness with Sora for Kairi's affections became easily exploited. I reunited with Sora in a place called Traverse Town, to discover that he had obtained the Keyblade and befriended the followers of King Mickey. I really didn't take that as well as I should have. In fact, seeing Sora play the hero, journey other worlds with new friends, and make a difference only made me more bitter. Despite the fact that we had been best friends all our lives, a rivalry always existed, and Maleficent made it grow fiercer to her advantage.

After a long and eventful journey, I took the Keyblade from Sora, revealing myself to be the true Keybearer all along. When Maleficent helped me learn the truth and when I discovered it for myself, at last, I felt…vindication. I felt as though I was in every way better than Sora, that I and I alone was the one, true hero, and the only one good enough for Kairi.

At least, that's what I felt at the time.

Before my disillusionment came to light.

Sora wasn't a quitter. His friends had left him to join me. More specifically, to follow the key, as per their king's instructions. Weaponless, friendless, he refused to be discouraged by what he had lost. He proved how much he cared for Kairi by fighting on, ignoring all the odds that were against him. He regained his friends and the Keyblade, shocking me greatly to say the least.

The defeat that followed was almost too much to bear.

And that's when Ansem, the seeker of darkness, and who you could say masterminded the whole thing, possessed me, claiming my body for his own. Because I had let the darkness consume me, I had destroyed my life.

Afterward, I ended up being inside the heart of all worlds, Kingdom Hearts, the birthplace of all hearts. I was trapped behind the doors, unable to pass because I had now forsaken the darkness.

Fortunately, I wasn't alone. King Mickey, the one Sora's companions, Donald and Goofy, had been looking for, had obtained another Keyblade, so he and Sora could close the door and seal it. Mickey reassured us all that there would always be a door to the light for me and him to escape to.

After that…well one thing I definitely remember after that was I ended up in this place called Castle Oblivion. The darkness in my heart still existed. So did Ansem. He had become my biggest, most personal demon, constantly threatening to consume me. Cutting a long story short, Mickey and I reunited, and I was able to defeat Ansem. Along the way, I encountered new faces, most of them enemies. Although in a way, I suppose I should be thankful. The whole experience did allow me to wield darkness in a way others can only dream of.

Near the end of my ordeal, I encountered DiZ, a true masked man of mystery who guided me, for reasons I don't yet understand. He gave me choices. Choices that led me to this road that the king and I are currently walking down.

The twilit road to dawn.

Also, I met Naminé, a young witch, with a strange similarity to Kairi. She showed me Sora fast asleep, and explained that like me, he'd had his own ordeal to cope with in Castle Oblivion. Apparently, the Organization, a gang of cryptic lowlifes, had been at war with one another, using me and Sora to try and take over the group. Naminé had been used to sort of 'rewrite' Sora's memory so that she was the love of his life, not Kairi. Anyway, Sora took out a handful of the Organization guys, rescued Naminé, sealed the Keyhole and opted to get his old memories back, relinquishing the false ones that had been implanted in his consciousness.

Naminé had given me a choice. Lock my heart so that Ansem could never threaten me again…and forget everything. Or face Ansem myself, take care of him once and for all. You know the choice I made. Well, it was obvious what decision I HAD to make, really. No way was I gonna do a Sora and take a nap. Someone had to do all the work and remember the really important stuff. And if it wasn't gonna be Sora, it was definitely gonna be me.

Seriously, though, we all have our choices to make. Sora made his, just as I made mine. I know Naminé will take good care of him. When he awakens, only time will tell what's gonna happen. But whatever happens, it's gonna be big. And it'll be good to see him again.

Just like it'll be good to see Kairi again.

Anyway, me and Mickey continued walking down the road yesterday, when something totally unexpected happened. We'd been gone from Castle Oblivion for over a day when all of a sudden…

They'd been walking for hours. Along the middle road, the twilit road to dawn.

Neither Riku or King Mickey was certain where it would lead.

Or when it would end.

It had been over a day since the events of Castle Oblivion. Both adventurers had been weary after their epic ordeal, yet neither had been interested that much in sleep. Not that they needed it yet.

It was like the adrenaline had completely taken over the both of them. Nothing else mattered but to complete their quest.

And both of them were determined not to let anything…or anyone stop them.

Riku's pace slowed and then stopped. His nostrils flared, acknowledging the scent he'd picked up.

Mickey didn't fail to notice this.

"Riku? What is it?"

Riku's face showed absolute disgust. Then confusion. And then remembrance.

"Riku?" Mickey asked again, obviously concerned.

"It's…darkness," the fifteen-year-old explained. "I can smell it, it's moving closer towards us. It…it smells…fouler…more suffocating than any darkness known. And yet…I can't…help but feel as though I…know it from somewhere. Though…I don't know how."

Mickey's eyes widened with shock. He shouldn't have been surprised. He knew this would happen. Ever since he'd been forced into…correcting things, he knew it was only a matter of time before he would arrive.

Yet it was impossible to not be prepared for this.

Not now, the king dreaded. Please not now.

Riku noticed the king's fear. And then realised that he knew what was approaching them.

"Mickey? What's going on?"

Mickey turned to his friend, realising that he had a lot to explain. More than Riku realised.

"Riku, there's something you need to know."

"Don't bother to tell him, rodent."

Riku and the king both swung round to see Sharak standing before them.

"Let the dear lad find out the truth for himself," the creature advised evilly, speaking in its plural, echoic tone. "After all…he has grown so much. Even though he has shrunk at the same time."

Needless to say, Sharak's words confused Riku even more. The haunting image of the creature, however, outweighed the mystique in the words. Riku knew that he and Sharak had met before.

"I know you…don't I?"

"You should," replied the monster, its eyes glowing redder and redder. "Look deeper."

Riku's eyes narrowed in concentration.

Riku tried to get back up only for Sharak to leap down on him, pin him down and choke him with his remaining arm. Riku gasped for air as he looked up at the heavily damaged and enormously grotesque face of the creature that had been driven totally over the edge.

"DIE!!!"

Riku gasped in horror as his mind flashed back to the moment when he and Sora had battled Sharak in his castle. The monster had gone completely insane, thanks to his losses to Sora, the return of Riku and the king, and being unable to utilise the power of the darkness he had retrieved from Kingdom Hearts.

Riku struggled desperately to comprehend the situation. He remembered all that had happened at Castle Sharak. He remembered that Sharak had been destroyed by Sora, how Sora and Riku had finally made peace with each other and how six months after Sharak had been destroyed, and darkness had been erased from the universe, Riku, Kairi and Sora had received a letter from the king, inviting them to Disney Castle.

And then…

Riku couldn't remember what happened next. And needless to say, it confused him greatly. He'd have been seventeen at that time. That whole affair had taken place two years after Ansem was defeated. But that also meant that he would've been trapped behind Kingdom Hearts for two years along with the king.

And yet…when he'd ended up at Castle Oblivion, he was fifteen, with no memory whatsoever of that business with Sharak. Throughout the whole ordeal there, he didn't remember anything about being trapped behind Kingdom Hearts for two years. It was like Sharak had never existed at all, that the only thing that had happened was that DiZ had given Riku the choice to stay in the realm of sleep or leave to embark on the quest for truth.

Riku angrily shook his head, struggling greatly to make sense of it all, of all the contradictions in the story. Mickey was obviously anxious. He knew what had happened, but he'd been so worried about Riku, so determined to get to Castle Oblivion in time to help him, that when he'd finally arrived, and both of them had been happily reunited with a new sense of purpose, that Mickey had found it harder to tell Riku the truth. Both of them had been so caught up in the events of Castle Oblivion.

Sharak chuckled evilly; delighted that Riku's confusion was turning into stress. Unfocused, Riku would be easy prey for the creature.

Riku looked up at Sharak, obviously ticked off by the seven-foot monstrosity's laughter. And even more enraged by the creature itself.

"You're not supposed to be here," sneered the teenager, certain about what he had just said.

"I'm always supposed to be here, Riku," retorted the creature. "Darkness is always meant to be here as a counterforce to balance the universe, to ensure survival. I would have thought that you of all people had proved that."

"Then that means you can't win, Sharak."

"Don't be so sure of that, impudent child. Just because light and dark need one another to survive, doesn't necessarily determine which is the greater power. What force is ultimately destined to win."

"The force of good," spoke Riku with confidence. "I think that's been proven on plenty of occasions."

"You can win as many times as you like," stated Sharak. "I only have to win once."

"I seriously doubt that," smirked Riku, shaking his head.

"I do not. Because I believe that losing is not an option."

"That's the only thing we have in common, Sharak."

"Are you so sure about that, boy?" The monster's eyes changed position to indicate that he was smiling, even though he didn't have a mouth. "We are both creatures of the dark. We live only for destruction and to prove our superiority over those that are clearly our lesser."

"Speak for yourself, monster," Riku was calm and focused. His time at Castle Oblivion had hardened him, made him not afraid of darkness anymore. It would take much more than words to break him.

"You live only for conquest and destruction. I live for much more."

"You live for redemption," insinuated Sharak. "You live to be rid of Ansem. You live to rid yourself of all your problems. You live for…perfection. As do I."

Riku's eyes, now locked on Sharak's own eyes, narrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean?" The teenager looked deep into the monstrosity's eyes, wondering why he was here.

"Riku…" spoke Mickey, fearing that the worst would happen. He didn't know what to do. For the first time in recent memory, the king felt powerless. How could he handle it? How would Riku react when he knew what Sharak knew? Surely the boy would be greatly affected by the king's secret. And there's no telling what Sharak would do to him.

"Riku, wait!"

"Don't listen to the king, Riku," said Sharak, darkly. "You can't believe anything he says."

"And I can believe anything you say?!" spat the teenager angrily. "You're pathetic!"

"On the contrary. It is you who are pathetic. Just like you once refused to believe that Sora hadn't betrayed you, that Maleficent never loved you and just used you for her own plans…" Sharak's tone had evolved into a disrespectful one that mocked Riku. "…you refuse to believe that the legendary Mickey Mouse…helped DiZ and the Organization…bring – me – back."

"What?!" Riku was in absolute disbelief. The horror took over him completely. He immediately turned his attention away from his enemy and to his friend, wondering whether this was true, yet greatly hoping it wasn't.

The king's eyes shouted out loud that he was ashamed. But at the same time, the expression on his face displayed the ability to defend his actions. His face also displayed anger. The king knew that Sharak was bending the truth.

"That's a lie!" protested Mickey angrily. "I never helped DiZ or the Organization to revive you! I never encountered either of them after you were destroyed!"

"Oh, but you did help them," taunted Sharak. "You played a major part in my resurrection. Do you deny it, your highness?" The creature was mocking the king with absolute contempt…and was revelling in it.

Mickey turned to Riku, knowing that he had to face him and tell him the truth. It was difficult to do so. Riku was at a loss for worlds, wanting answers, feeling as though he deserved them. Mickey knew that he did and cursed himself for not telling Riku what had happened sooner.

Mickey took a deep breath and shamefully confessed, "Yes, Riku. I did help bring Sharak back. I had to."

Riku's eyes widened in disbelief. He didn't want to believe that the king, one of the kindest, strongest, most lovable people he had ever had the honour and pleasure of meeting, had aided in the resurrection of arguably the most insidious, most lethal beast in all creation.

But as he looked deep into Mickey's eyes, then back at Sharak, Riku was forced to accept the painful fact that it was true.

Sharak chuckled sinisterly. The plan was working. Confusion had already turned into shock. Shock would turn into anger. The darkness would consume Riku again. Easy prey for Sharak to kill.

And then to feed.

To grow stronger.

Riku just stared at Mickey long and hard. He should have been in rage. He should have lashed out at the king for not telling him about Sharak. It was the only logical thing to do.

Instead, the fifteen-year-old seemed to relax, his expression showing understanding yet frustration at the king.

"When were you going to tell me?"

Mickey scratched his head and sighed, obviously afraid of breaking the bond that existed between him and Riku.

"I was going to tell you the whole story as soon as I caught up with you," confessed the king. "But after time reversed, and we ended up being separated, I was so determined to find you, worrying if you were alright, that I forgot all about it. When I finally managed to find you, I was so relieved and caught up in all that stuff with DiZ and Ansem, that it made me forget about it even more."

"That I can understand," nodded Riku, seemingly content.

"I can't defend what I did, Riku. But you have to understand. I had no choice."

"Yes you did, Mickey. You chose to save us all. That's something to be admired."

Now it was time for Sharak to fall in disbelief. This wasn't supposed to happen. Riku was supposed to succumb to rage, be infuriated by the dark secret Mickey had kept. Not shrug it off in acceptance and comprehension.

Sharak's fury was starting to build. None of this made sense. Why had he been dethroned like this? Why had he been made redundant and inferior?

Why was this happening?

"No…NO! You're not supposed to…!!!"

Sharak screamed in agony. Clutching his chest, he fell to his knees. The pain was torturous, and his howls were obviously indicating this.

Riku and Mickey turned to see Sharak experiencing a bizarre transformation. Both of them were taken completely by surprise. Shock ruled them yet again.

A bright light burst out in Sharak's chest, almost blinding. A mouth opened wide across Sharak's face, a red light burning inside. His body mass became skinnier, like disease was rapidly eating away at him.

The pitch-black that the monster's body was coloured in faded to a dark grey, getting lighter and lighter. Sharak's face showed extreme stress and determination as he tried to bring himself back under control.

Seconds later, Sharak resumed his normal form, yet remained on all fours, trying to recover from the pain. He looked up at his bewildered enemies, with fury still etched on his face.

"What…what in the universe has happened to you?!" exclaimed Riku.

"I've become…tainted," seethed Sharak. "My resurrection obviously had ramifications for everyone, but I did not expect myself to suffer the consequences. My condition is the result of being destroyed by Sora. It takes great concentration and effort to sustain myself these days. If I lose control, my powers increase rapidly, yet greatly hastens my demise. And all the darkness in the universe cannot cure me."

Sharak stood up to his feet, still shuddering in pain.

"I suppose I should be blaming myself in a way," furthered the creature. "By attempting to consume all light…to bury it deep inside me by locking it away in a door…one for Sora to unlock, I have been forever condemned to disease."

"Things have gone bad for the 'superior of all', haven't they?" smiled Riku, feigning sympathy.

"Haven't things gone bad for everyone?" asked Sharak. "Sora's memories tampered and played around with by a little forgettable witch. One that was used and abused by self-serving losers that came to their end. And then there's you, boy. Ansem, long thought dead, who managed to survive by escaping into your heart. Patiently waiting for the moment when you succumb to weakness, and he takes over you once again."

"I don't think so, Sharak," glared the teenager, coldly.

"Oh, but he will. It's just a matter…of time."

Riku just stared at the creature, ignoring his chuckles, refusing to let Sharak win this mind game.

"What do you want from me?"

"Because time has been reversed," ventured the monster, "several, senseless anomalies have been created. The biggest is that history has been rewritten, so some things may have remained as you knew them, but some things have definitely been altered in irreversible ways."

"Such as?"

"ME…obviously. I am no longer the source of all darkness…no longer the superior of all. Even my children, the Heartless…no longer recognise me as their father…their master. Change has scourged everything."

Sharak took a few steps towards Riku and the King, who both readied themselves for battle.

"I cannot survive like this for much longer. A few weeks, at best. My only chance of survival is to learn how to control both the light and the dark, to learn what other anomalies know."

Sharak stopped and then 'smiled'.

"You remember Adam, don't you?"

The name repeated itself in Riku's mind. Adam. Yes, he remembered him. He was the one who fought alongside him to defeat Sharak. He then later assumed his place as ruler of his homeworld, Castle Mahanah.

"Yes," stated Riku, his muscles tensed and ready for battle. The teenager knew that Sharak was going to say something to ignite the conflict.

"He has returned. And evolved into a level very similar to yours. How he has managed to control his darkness is remarkably uncanny. Unfortunately, he has gone. I'd find him eventually, but I am living on borrowed time, so locating him is not optional."

"So you want me to help you?!" Riku burst out into laughter, much to Sharak's anger. "You really must be desperate!"

"I want to assimilate you, fool!"

Mickey brought out his Keyblade and stepped between Riku and Sharak. The king had made a lot of mistakes. Big ones. And he was going to make it up to Riku for the secret he'd kept.

There was no chance he was going to let Sharak consume Riku.

"I won't let you," Mickey challenged.

"MICKEY," assured Riku as he put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'll be fine."

"Hear me out," the creature explained, ignoring the king as if he meant nothing to him. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that not everything has to be resolved with violence. We can help each other."

Riku wasn't buying any of this. Sharak only helped those that were almost as evil and as sadistic as he was. Underlings and allies that he knew he could control. And yet…Sharak had now gone from attempting manipulation and psychological warfare to bargaining as a last resort.

Could it hurt to hear what he had to offer?

"What are you proposing?" Riku asked after a momentary pause.

"An exchange. You transfer all your darkness into me, I transfer all my light to you."

"That simple, huh?"

"I can rid you of Ansem. Once and for all. He may have been reduced to a pathetic cripple, but he still lives on in you. I can devour him and his power will fuel me, along with all your darkness. I will regain control. And in turn, all your demons will be exorcised. You can become more powerful than you've ever been. All the damage done to your heart will be repaired. Your heart will be made stronger than it's ever been. We will both be cured."

"And then?"

"You leave, I leave. Our paths cross to fight again."

Riku sighed in indecision. Sharak was doing this to help himself. He didn't care for anything about Riku. He was doing this to take the first steps to dominating all life again. Riku would gladly die before he played a part in helping Sharak regain his position of power.

And yet…this could be Riku's only chance to be rid of his biggest demon once and for all. With Ansem gone, Riku could go home at long last, with nothing to fear ever again.

The teenager was torn between the problem of choice.

"How do I know you won't just consume me and have done with it?" Riku doubted the creature's bargain greatly.

"Have you not been paying attention to what I have said?" asked Sharak, painfully irritated by the boy's blatant defiance. "Why would I want your light? My obsession to consume all light is what got me into this situation in the first place. Merely consuming you would accomplish nothing."

Riku's eyes narrowed in contempt at his enemy.

"Think about it," Sharak reminded sweetly. "Ansem. GONE."

Mickey knew that this was all wrong. He knew that Sharak would benefit more from this than Riku would. The king wanted to shout out his protests, but he trusted Riku to make his own decisions.

Riku contemplated it all. He thought back to his experience in Castle Oblivion. How he had to confront his fears about the darkness. How his fears had nearly destroyed him, and made him grow stronger because of it. He had accepted the darkness as his ally and his attitude had changed for the better.

Would throwing it away again be the answer to all my problems? thought Riku deeply. Would I be able to live with myself knowing that I helped Sharak? That I turned my back on everything that I stand for? That I believe in?

Riku looked up at Sharak, smiling and certain of himself.

"NO."

Mickey grinned and breathed a sigh of laughter, proud of Riku and the choice he had made. Sharak was obviously enraged, and it looked as though he would lose it again. Shaking his head slowly, keeping his temper in check, the creature's eyes lit up again.

"You don't seem to grasp the enormity of what I'm offering you, child."

"Ansem's my problem, Sharak. NOT yours. I'll deal with him myself because I don't need your help. Whereas you obviously need mine. Sorry, but I don't do favours for scum."

Riku turned his back on Sharak, laughing at him as he walked away.

"Thanks, but no thanks, anyways. C'mon, your majesty. Let's go."

Sharak's eyes went as red as they possibly could. His mouth reopened, the light exploded in his chest, his body mass greatly decreased and his inhuman roars echoed throughout the fields as he lunged for Riku.

"GIVE ME YOUR DARKNESS!!!"

The creature's agony intensified tenfold. Riku turned round in surprise to see the king strike at the creature in the chest with his Keyblade. The powerful blow intensified the light inside the darkness, ravaging it greatly.

Sharak, unable to battle, could only back away in torment, hands over his chest, with light ravaging his body like sizzling electricity, like some critical mass getting ready to explode. Riku and the king watched on in silence and contempt.

The creature, knowing that there was nothing he could do but retreat, cried out his parting words.

"Next time…I – WILL – WIN!!!"

A bright light engulfed both Mickey and Riku, temporarily blinding the two. Both on the ground, the two friends shook off the cobwebs, rubbing their eyes to try and get their vision back. When the blurriness subsided, they surveyed their surroundings.

Both were still on the twilit path to dawn, still in the fields. And it was still night.

But Sharak had gone.

"Riku?"

"He's gone," answered the teenager. "Not destroyed, but I can't smell him. Which means he got away. Still…he won't be bothering US for a while, at least."

Mickey lowered his head again in shame.

"Riku…I'm sorry I didn't tell you…"

"Just tell me what I need to know, Mickey," said Riku, not angry but still wanting to hear the king's side of the story, "and we'll leave it at that."

With that, Mickey began to explain.

Riku was absolutely amazed.

Mickey simply said, "That's it."

Riku shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, trying to comprehend what the king had just said.

"So…when the stars started going out one by one, rapidly…you knew that we had been responsible for this?"

"When Sharak gathered all the darkness in the universe into himself," furthered Mickey, "all the despair and evil was there to be erased. And that's what we did. As I told you before, I thought darkness was nothing but bad. When all that was left was peace, and nothing bad could ever happen to anyone ever again, life became too perfect."

"And that's when you learned things have to be balanced in order for stuff to survive?"

"That's right. Without darkness, the universe started to crumble. When I noticed the stars goin' out, I learned of a terrible maelstrom, a rift in time and space that was ravaging all worlds. Me, Donald and Goofy did all we could to try and stop it, but we were only delaying the inevitable. So we had to bring back the darkness."

"But how did you manage to bring the dark back? It…it sounds impossible."

"That's what Terron is."

The name was new to Riku. Immediately, it grabbed his attention and interest.

"Terron?"

"A great and powerful anomaly, with abilities that go beyond our way of understanding. Originally, the Council of Light charged him with the responsibility of peacekeeper. It was his job to make sure that war never broke out between wars. He was able to effortlessly control light and dark in whatever way he saw fit."

"Sounds too good to be true," said Riku cynically, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, yes and no," explained the king, scratching his head. "Although in control for a time, he grew unstable and unreliable. Such power is too much for any man to wield. Unable to be destroyed, the council had no choice but to remove him from his duties, and place him under their protection."

"So after the council were destroyed," deducted Riku, "Terron vanished. Then you learnt of his existence, sought him out and asked for his help to…roll back time."

"You got it," smiled Mickey, obviously impressed by the boy's great understanding. "It was the only way to bring back the darkness, by reversing time to the point when Ansem was defeated, history could be rewritten in a way that Sharak would not and could not ruin everything."

"And you sent me, Sora and Kairi that letter asking us to come to Disney Castle. To let us know what was going on."

"You three had every right to know what was happening. I thought it best that you hear it from me personally."

"Sharak didn't know what he was on about, then."

"What do you mean?"

"You've got nothing to be sorry for, Mickey," smiled Riku. "You were going to tell me the truth all along. It was just things kept popping up all the time. I'm sorry for doubting you."

"What are you talking about?" laughed the king. "You reacted just fine to the whole situation. I'm sorry to say this but I expected you to blow your top!"

"It's like I told Ansem. I'm not like that anymore."

"You're telling me," smiled Mickey. "I'm very proud of you!"

"Wow…" Riku was at a loss for words. The king had complimented him in a way that he hadn't expected.

The teenager smiled and humbly replied, "Thank you, your majesty. And thank you, for saving my life. When Sharak made a leap at me…I wasn't expecting it."

"Hey, no problem! What are friends for?"

Riku and Mickey smiled as they shook hands. When they'd finished, Riku became serious and looked up to the starry, night sky.

"So…other than us and Sharak, who else remembers?"

"The Organization, I'll bet. I think DiZ and Ansem would be a safe assumption, too."

"And Sora? And the others?"

"If Sora and the others haven't remembered yet, I reckon they will in due time. The memory is in their hearts somewhere, buried deep, ready to come to light. Only those of the strongest heart, those most affected by Sharak, will carry those scars inflicted by him."

"What about that Terron guy? Do you know what's happened to him?"

"After I found him…well, that's the thing. I can't remember what happened after that. After I found him, I found myself back in the realm of darkness, trying to find you."

"So you don't know for sure if he's still alive?"

"He looked really ill when I found him," sighed Mickey sadly. "Like I said, his powers were too much for anyone to wield. It was killing him. If he's not dead now, then the odds are he soon will be."

Riku looked back at his friend.

"So, Mickey…what do we do now? Carry on walking?"

"Your call, Riku."

We were both tired and weary after our ordeal in Castle Oblivion.

We were even more so after our encounter with Sharak.

Logically, we should have rested.

Yet we didn't.

We carried on walking on the road to nowhere.

Where will it lead? We'll know when we get there.

Needless to say, it was a very exhausting night. Far more mentally than physically. It…the whole thing…it really has affected me more than it shows.

I mean…I had it all. Darkness was gone for good, no longer around to threaten us ever again. I was happy, reunited with my best friends with nothing to look forward to but a bright, positive future.

And all that was taken away from me. It HAD to be to make everything…'alright' again. And the worst thing about it is not that Mickey didn't tell me at first…it's that I forgot the whole thing. It was like it never ever happened. And then when I remembered it all, remembered Sharak, remembered the violence, the carnage…the beautiful peace that followed…it haunted me. Everything worked out the way I wanted it to, only for it to all fall apart and be put back together in a way I didn't want.

I'm right back to square one, having to face the arduous journey to redemption and peace all over again.

Can I do it again? Will I ever be able to find peace again?

That's for me to decide. I'm not running anymore and I'm damn sure not being a coward anymore. Or on my way to being an unforgiving monster like Sharak.

I may have had my happiness taken away from me. I may be fifteen again and still have Ansem to contend with, but I'll find a way to deal with all this.

I know I will.

I have Mickey to thank for that.

When I asked him about Sharak's remarks about him helping DiZ and the Organisation, he said he never personally helped them resurrect the darkness. Maybe he had UNWILLINGLY and unknowingly aided them and I believe him. Sharak's return has obviously caused countless ramifications that we'll have to face in time.

But the king and I WILL face them…and TRIUMPH over them. As will all our friends.

Although my confidence has been restored, my fear remains. Although conquered, my demons are not exorcised. Ansem still remains in my heart. My encounter with Sharak made me question myself.

The way the light burst out of him, empowering him yet eating away at him. Darkness and light constantly warring with each other for dominance…

I could have ended up like that.

Yet I've managed to embrace both and unite them in harmony.

And thinking of how Sharak ended up…just makes this all the more frightening.

Mickey turns to me and asks, "What are you thinking of, pal?"

We stop and I reply, "You mean in general?"

"Of course."

I look far ahead. The road is still long. The answer is the most dominant thought in my mind.

"The future."