Kingdom Hearts Chapter 4 Return to radiance
Disclaimer : I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters
After leaving Castle Oblivion the group found themselves in a world they knew all to well. It was where Sora had first battled Maleficent and Xehanort's Heartless, where Aqua had fell into Darkness and Kairi's place of birth Radiant Garden.
"Wow!" Donald said amazed at how far the Restoration Committee had come in restoring Radiant Garden to its former glory.
"Garsh Leon and the others sure are doing a good job around here." Said Goofy looking at scenery.
"Yeah the town looks almost brand new." Said Sora.
"It almost looks like how I remember it." Said Kairi remembering this as her home world.
"So you remember living here now Kairi?" Sora asked.
"I do, it's strange to be back now that I remember so much about this place." Kairi expressed how she felt about returning.
"Aqua Ven are you both sure Terra is here?" Asked Riku.
"We're sure, I can feel his heart but it's shrouded in Darkness." Said Aqua.
"That right finding Terra means finding Xehanort." Mickey explained grimly.
"That is a problem." Said Riku.
"Then maybe Leon and the others can help us." Suggested Sora.
"Sora's right we'll need their help for this." Said Mickey.
"Where can we find them?" Aqua asked wanting to get moving.
"Last I heard from Leon The Restoration committee moved to the Castle." Answered Mickey.
"Then that's where we need to go." Riku said setting his sights on the castle.
As the group was leaving Aqua continued to stare out at the town. "I won't let you down this time Terra, I promise." Aqua said before joining the others.
As they made their way through the town the only sound that could be heard was the wind.
"It sure is quite out." Goofy stated.
"It is and that worries me." Said the King as he looked around exspecting an attack.
"Its unsettling, there is Darkness at work in this world." Riku added.
"Lets just keep moving." Donald said not wanting to be around if something bad happened.
"I hate to think of this beautiful place being taken by Darkness." Aqua said.
"We've seen that and we don't want to see it again." Sora said remembering the first time they had come to Radiant Garden, when it was still known as Hollow Bastion.
Climbing a large staircase they finally reached the castle.
"Aqua this is where we first met isn't it?" Kairi asked trying to confirm her restored memories.
"That's right." Aqua said with a smile remembering meeting Kairi as one of the happier memories from her past journey.
"How did you two meet?" Sora asked curiously.
"When I was little I came to the castle to pick flowers one day and was attack by these monsters but Aqua and The King saved me." Kairi enlighten her friends.
"That was a day I will always remember and the day you received the Keyblade inheritance ceremony." Aqua added.
As they where about to reach the castle doors Donald ran ahead but collided with something large and round sending him backwards.
"Donald are you alright?" Mickey asked rushing to his friend's side.
"Yeah but what did I hit?" Donald quacked fearfully seeing a Large Body appear in front of the doors.
"Heartless!" Shouted Goofy.
In a matter of seconds more Heartless began to appear. "There's more of them!" Said Ventus.
"They have us surrounded!" Donald said were now facing Large Bodies, Soldiers, Red Nocturnes, Blue Rhapsodies and shadows. The group formed a circle inside the Heartless crowd to guard all sides.
"What do we do?" Kairi asked as the group backed into one another.
Sora noticed there was no means of escaping and gave the only answer he knew. "We take them on!" Sora summoned his Keyblade and readied himself for battle. The others followed by summoning their own weapons. seeing this a soldiers charged in to stop them but was met by Sora's Keyblade defeating the heartless and causing the others to attack.
A mix of Shadows and Soldiers attacked Riku who dealt each heartless a lethal blow with his Keyblade. Suddenly a swarm of Blue Rhapsodies and Red Nocturnes bombarded Riku with fire and ice. The smoke from the attacks cleared reveling Riku to have raised his dark shield to defend himself. Leaping into the air Riku cut down the tiny heartless with a single swing of his Way to the Dawn.
Aqua had swatted a number of Red Nocturnes when she saw a Large body charge at her with its stomach out. At the last second Aqua cart-wheeled out of its path. The Heartless had slowed to a halt and looked around itself trying to find Aqua. Aqua thought quickly of the Heartless Sora and the others a told her and remembered that this Heartless was vulnerable to attacks from behind. Aqua raised her Rainfell and became encased in a giant bubble then dozens of smaller bubbles flew from the larger one hitting the Large body in its back. The big bellied Heartless began to lift off the ground from the force of the attack and the flurry of bubbles continued until the Large body was destroyed.
Shadows began to approach Kairi who had grown more confident in her magic abilities and decided to try a stronger spell. Kairi raised her Keyblade to the sky and shouted. "Thunder!" Bolts of lightning were summoned from above and struck the Shadows but Kairi did not have full control of the spell and one stray lightning bolt was heading for a new target.
Donald was surrounded by Soldiers, Red Nocturnes and Blue Rhapsodies. Razing his staff to the sky Donald said. "Thundaaaaaaaah!" Kairi's stray lightning spell had been attracted by Donald's magic and struck his staff electrocuting him while at the same time due to Donald using his magic just before he was hit the lightning struck the Heartless around him. When the lightning stopped the heartless were gone and Donald stood frozen still with his beak open was fried to a crisp and smoking. Kairi saw what happened and ran over. "Oh no, sorry Donald!" Kairi said feeling awful about barbecuing her feathered friend. Donald's only reply was to fall back with a thud.
Goofy charged a group of soldiers then hopped on his shield and smashed through the Heartless like bowling pins sending them to Sora and Ven who swatted them out of the air. More Heartless attacked Ven and Sora as they continued to defeat each coming enemy. "Magnet!" Ventus and Sora said in unison and a large orb appeared above them and began drawing in Heartless. Sora and Ventus jumped and cut through the large clump of heartless destroying them. Two Large Bodies had jumped high into the air and were about to drop down on Sora and Ven. Just before the Heartless crushed them both Mickey sprang up and defeated the two large heartless and landed between Ven and Sora. "Thanks your Majesty." said Sora.
"Yeah we owe you one" Said Ven.
"No problem fellas." Said Mickey.
The group rejoined each other to take on the remaining Heartless while high on the Castle balcony a man in a black coat with fire-red hair watched the fight below.
"What does it take to get rid of these guys?" Ven asked rhetorically.
"It doesn't matter they spring up we knock them down!" Said Donald about to cast a spell when two wheels of fire cut through the remaining Heartless all around them.
What was that? Aqua asked confused. The figure from the balcony jumped down landing in front of Sora and the others then caught the two wheels as the flames died down reveling them to be chakrams.
Sora and Riku recognized the weapon and the wild red hair. "Axel!"
"Nope, the name's Lea now, got it memorised?" Axel or rather Lea asked turning to the group.
Everyone was confused by what they were seeing Donald, Goofy and Aqua had never seen this person before and wondered why he had helped them Kairi became worried when she saw he was the same person who had kidnapped her. Mickey Riku and Sora wondered how Axel was standing before them now when he sacrificed himself to save Sora. Ventus wondered if this was the same Lea he had befriended the last time he came to Radiant Garden.
"You all look like you've seen a ghost." Lea said referring to the shocked looks on everyone's faces when he noticed Ventus. "Hey Ven long time no see how you been."
"Wait Lea, it is you." Ven said.
"Who else would I be?" Lea asked.
How do you know him Ven? Sora asked confused.
"He's a friend I met him the last time I came here." Ven explained.
"That was back before I became a Nobody."
"Well we know you as Axel a member Organization XIII." Riku said sternly.
"Relax I'm not a nobody anymore so I'm a new man, free to do as I please."
"How do we know that's true?" Riku asked still wary.
"Hey I helped you guys didn't I, would someone who is your enemy do that?" Lea asked to prove his point.
"Why did you help us?" Kairi asked.
"It's the job of the Restoration committee members to protect the town and the people in it."
"You're part of the Restoration committee." Goofy said surprised.
"Sure am, I let Leon and his pals use the castle as their new base so they made me a member."
"What were you doing in the castle?" Mickey asked.
"I woke up in the castle and I was my old self again, but how I got there and what changed me back are a mystery." Axel explained. "Anyway not that I don't enjoy playing twenty questions but I think we should head inside before another Heartless welcoming party shows up."
"Good idea." Sora agreed as they followed Lea into the castle.
Lea lead the group to the main control room of the Castle that looked to be a larger version of Merlin's house, Cid was typing away at the Computer consul with Yuffie looking over his shoulder watching him work on something, Leon was leaning against a wall talking to Tifa and Aerith while Cloud just kept to himself.
"I'm back and look who I found." Lea announced to everyone.
"Hey there heroes." Yuffie said waving to everyone.
"You all made it." Aerith said cheerfully.
"Splendid you have all arrived safely." Said Merlin.
"Hey everybody!" Said Sora and began to introduce his friends to each other.
"Can you all tell us what his going on here?" Mickey asked.
"The short answer is Heartless have attacked the town and they are getting more relentless each time." Yuffie answered.
"Who is the one commanding them." Riku asked.
"We're not sure, all we know is that whoever is behind this is stronger than anyone else we have faced." Leon explained with a grim tone.
"He even managed to disable the town defence system, I been trying to get it running again but no luck." Cid added
"Then Ven and Aqua were right it has to be Xehanort." Said Sora.
"Do you know where he is now?" Aqua asked hoping to have a lead on where Terra was.
"No we think he is planning for one last attack to take over." Cloud said leaning against the wall next to Aqua.
"Well if he's getting ready for a fight then that's what we're gonna give him." Sora said confidence in his voice.
"There's the hero we know!" Cheered Yuffie.
"Sora's right, we need to face him head on." Riku agreed clenching his fist.
"Yeah!" Donald swung his staff. "You can count on us Leon." Said the King.
A smile spread across Leon's face. "That's what I like to hear."
"Now don't all of you go rushing off before I have a chance to prepare you." Merlin said. "What do you mean?" Sora asked confused. "To face a dark force such as this your powers of light will have to be near perfection." The wizard explained.
"That's no problem, all of us are pros at that." Sora said confidently.
"Not quite all of you." Merlin said looking to Riku and Kairi.
Sora saw that he was looking to his to best friends and was almost at a loss for words, almost. "You can't be serious, Riku and Kairi are just as strong as I am if not stronger."
"No Sora he's right, I still use a small part of the power of darkness I can't risk Xehanort using that against us."
"And I can't control my magic very well, I could end up hurting someone, I zapped Donald pretty bad outside." Kairi said feeling bad about her lack of control.
"I belive I can help the both of you." Merlin stepped in.
"How?" Riku and Kairi asked.
"Allow me to show you." Merlin snapped his fingers and everyone was enveloped in a blue cloud of smoke.
Once the smoke cleared the group was now in a large chamber with a high ceiling. "Where are we now?" Asked Goofy.
"We use this room to have sparing matches." Yuffie answered.
"So why are we here?" Said Riku.
"We are here so that the two of you can practice the skills you need." Merlin explained.
"How do we do that?" Kairi asked. "
First we will begin with this." Merlin said waving his wand creating two small orbs of light. "Take the orbs."
Kairi and Riku looked at each other and gave a nod then each took hold of an orb then became covered in light that quickly faded. "What was that?" Asked Riku.
"You now have the power to use the drive forms."
"How is the drive form going to help." Asked Kairi.
"Very simple, the drive form is one of the most powerful forms of magic, the user must balance their inner light with magic while maintaining constant control of the two, by using this form you both shall strengthen your power and control." Merlin elaborated.
"If you think it will help then I'll try it." said Riku.
"Me to." Agreed Kairi.
"Excellent now all you need are training partners." Said Merlin.
"That would be us." Yuffie said as she and Leon stepped up.
"Alright let's get started." Riku said as he and Kairi faced Leon and Yuffie.
"Now you only have the use of the valor form and the wisdom form the other two will come once you have grown stronger." Merlin enlightened.
"Goofy, Donald we'll need your help then." Riku called to the sidelines. "OK." Said both Donald and Goofy as they join their friends in the center of the chamber.
"Let give this a try." Riku said as he and Kairi prepared to change forms.
Riku envisioned the valor symbol the red fleur-de-lis, an image of utilizing his strength flowed into Riku's mind, Riku infused himself with the power of courage and strength. "Light!" Riku called as Goofy became an orb of light and fused with Riku and engulfed him in light. When the light faded his clothes were bright red with a fleur-de-lis on his pant legs and in his hands were the Way to the Dawn and Star Seeker Keyblades.
Kairi envisioned the wisdom symbol the blue flame, an image of utilizing her magic flowed into Kairi's mind, Kairi infused herself with the power wisdom and magic. "Light!" Kairi called as Donald became an orb of light and fused with Kairi and engulfed her in light. When the light faded her clothes were blue with blue flames on the rim of her dress and in her hand was the Destiny"s Embrace Keyblade.
"Now that you two are ready let's get down business." Leon said drawing his Gunblade and Yuffie her shuriken.
Riku and Leon charged forward their blades colliding.
Yuffie jumped into the air and through several shuriken at Kairi who responded by firing burst of magic at them knocking them down, Kairi glided across the ground getting behind Yuffie when landed and fired several more shots at her. With a quick back hand spring Yuffie had avoided the attack and threw two larger shuriken this time. Kairi slid out-of-the-way in time to see the two shuriken stick in the wall behind her.
Riku ducked under Leon's Gunblade and swung at his legs with The way to Dawn, Leon jump back just dodging Riku's attack then moved in to strike again. Riku quickly spun and blocked Leon with the Star Seeker then gave another swing with the Way to the Dawn which Leon dodged. "Your good, your first time using two Keyblades and you already have it down to muscle memoire." Leon complimented.
"Sora has been my sparring partner for years so I learned to always stay in top form." replied Riku.
"Fire!" Kairi became surrounded by the fire spell and charged Yuffie who at the last moment disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kairi scanned around the chamber for the ninja girl and found nothing until she turned around to see Yuffie rushing her with great speed. Kairi quickly thought of spell to stop her. "Force!" A black sphere appeared above Yuffie then dropped down stopping her causing her to drop to her knees. Kairi tapped Yuffie on the shoulder with her Keyblade showing she had won. A smile appeared on Yuffie's face. "Great job Kairi, you could give Sora a run for his money."
"Thanks, but Sora and Riku taught me how to do magic and use my Keyblade." Kairi said helping Yuffie up.
"Well you beat me all on your own."
"I still think it will be a while before I can fight like the others." Kairi looked to Leon and Riku still trading blows.
Riku weaved between Leon's slashes and caught Leon's Gunblade in an X block with his Keyblades and pulled it from Leon's grip leaving him open, Riku swung his Way to the Dawn stopping a Leon's neck. "Well done." Leon said calmly taking moving the Keyblade away.
"Thanks you pretty good yourself." said Riku.
"Splendid job all of you." Said Merlin.
"By using the drive form both of you have become stronger and gain greater control over your magic." Riku and Kairi reverted back to their normal forms return Donald and Goofy to normal. "That was great you guys." Sora congratulated his friends.
"You both showed amazing skill." Said Aqua.
"You're both getting stronger." Said Mickey.
"Now were all ready to face anything that comes are way." Said Sora see Riku and Kairi had gain new skills and new confidence in themselves. Suddenly everyone felt a dark force pass over them.
Leon look to Sora seriously. "And not a moment to soon he's here, it Xehanort."
I knew after Dream Drop Distance I would have been chewed out if I did not have Lea in the story and I like his character so I decided to make him part of the Restoration committee. And what happens before someone uses a drive form is just my way of making it a little move interesting then just saying light and then they change. So please let me know what you think so far I am always happy to hear it. Read and Review.