Chapter 7
Days before Lyra found herself on the World that Never was, on the other side of the Universe, the events that would send her there were coming to a head.
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The Islands weren't as quiet as Sora and he had expected. It seemed the initial plan that his optimistic friend once had of returning the Worlds back to their solitary existence was gone. Because of their adventures, Sora attracted a lot of attention and with that came routine visits. At least, that's how it started out.
Over the years Destiny Islands had become sort of a tourist spot, especially now that Gummi technology was becoming more popular. Even worlds like Agrabah—which Riku thought would never drift towards inner-dimensional exploration—now had some commerce off world.
The Worlds were aware of each other now and there was no going back. Even new ways of transportation were being found. While Gummi ships remained the dominate means of transportation, some Worlds were going so far as to harnessing magic similar to the gates Darkness offered and were using that to go places.
Naturally, this expansion caused its fair share of concerns and arguments. Riku could often be caught swearing under his breath every time a conversation came up prophesying imperialism and war. To him, although he could see these people's fears, the claims were weak at best and nothing more than paranoia. That was the thing though, while a good many people embraced this open door policy, a great deal more feared it.
The way Sora saw things, and Riku shared this belief, was that the biggest threats to the Worlds were gone now. Organization XIII was dead, Kingdom Hearts was shut—not just shut, completely inaccessible, and the Heartless numbers were so far dwindled it was as if they'd never existed.
Riku spared himself a small smile as he sank into his hammock. For the moment he put his musings aside to in order to enjoy the evening. Days like this didn't come often enough for him. The island he lived on—the very one he had "conquered" as a child—was comfortingly serene; an unusual treat for him lately. The sun was blanketed in just the right places with generous white clouds and a soft wind blew up from the ocean, fragrant and fresh.
With a stretch, the silver haired man adjusted himself so that he could look into the kitchen window of his home. The house itself stood where once a part of the old club house had. Most of the motley jungle-gym still remained intact for sentimental values but this reinforced settlement held more promise of happiness than the dry-rotted playhouse ever had. Two bedrooms, a living-room, dining-room, full bath and a white wash finish with tan trim. It was simple, but it was home.
It hadn't taken Riku much to legally claim the land for his house, and it took even less to furnish it thanks to Sora and the bevy of friends he had made on his journeys. However, there was one piece of this happy picture he had had to work for. She was currently walking towards him, light caramel skin glowing in the sun and ebony hair blowing in the salt-kissed breeze.
Yanna graced him with a soft smile as she filled glasses for the two of them with a fruit blend native from her World. Riku brought the sweet drink to his lips but swiftly decided that they wanted something else. Before his wife could sit herself down beside him, he wrapped an arm around her supple waist and guided her lie against him. He smiled at her blush, a thing that appeared often and sometimes threatened to become redder than the symbol of marriage she insisted on wearing atop her brow as was custom of her culture.
Riku took full advantage of her proximity to seize her lips, a prize he had won just two years prior. Technically, that's how her people saw it anyway. Riku was still trying break her from the view that she was slightly subservient to him.
He had met Yanna about four years ago while on a trip with Sora and Aladdin to test out one of the recently developed unconventional doors to a "new" World. The place they had stumbled into was called Ayodha and from there, the daughter of one of the men of Court, Yanna, had volunteered to be their guide shortly after their arrival. It wasn't love at first sight but Riku had been forced to make many return visits to that remote country—namely because it was a nexus for five other Worlds, and travel outside of warping was slow. Each trip he would make the two of them always seemed to chance upon one other. A friendship grew and soon, it was a little more.
At first, Riku had wondered if she was simply curious. Ayodha was, after all, just recently opened to other Worlds so foreigners were far and few between, and still quite the oddity. But, apparently it was their personalities that drew them together.
"What are you thinking about?" Yanna interrupted his reminiscing with a deeply accented, husky whisper. Her hazel-green eyes found his turquoise ones and held them.
He struggled within the confines of the netted hammock and the weight of the extra body to shrug. "Just about how we met."
"Ah." Was her simple response, but she didn't look completely satisfied. "How about I phrase it like this then. What were you thinking about?"
Riku forced out another shrug, "Politics."
Yanna smiled and tugged at his loosely bound hair, "You are much too serious. Sora can handle most of that."
Riku let out a light chuckle. "Oh no, the fact is, he can't. That light-hearted goon knows nothing about actual political affairs. In the past it's just been his cheerful personality and luck that's prevented trouble."
"That, and perhaps his formidable weapon," Yanna pointed out with a smile. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck, enjoying the time to have him all to herself.
"Yes, but even the keyblade wouldn't save him if an entire nation decided he was a threat. I'm lucky to have you, because I'll not lie, not even I am a good diplomat. You were raised in politics."
"You dramatize," she replied playfully. It was true, though, she had been in semi-high standing on her own World and had grown up within sight of the Palace. Marrying her had seemed like a problem, but Riku wasn't above pulling the Universal Hero and Great Warrior cards to gain a little favor on his behalf.
Riku sighed and let his light eyes drift away from his wife towards a far point on the horizon: the mainland. Riku knew Sora wasn't there, but that was always the direction he turned when he thought of the other man. Sora was at Radiant Garden and the week before that Disney Castle. Next week, chances were good that he would be on the other side of the universe. Riku sighed, 'I'm not sure how I come off as the busy one.'
"You okay?" His wife questioned affectionately, pulling his attention once again to the present.
"Mmhm." He replied halfheartedly. Riku closed his eyes and sank further into the hammock, bringing his feet up to balance on the ropes and running his fingers through Yanna's onyx hair. His fingers got tangled a few times thanks to the persistent sea breeze but then the task of successfully navigating them back out again without pulling hard soon became a pastime all its own, giving his restlessness something to do while his mind wondered.
With the warm sun over head and her husband's steady heartbeat as a mantra to get lost to, it wasn't long before Yanna's breathing slowed, a tell-tale sign of slumber, and Riku too was thinking about a nap. He slung his left leg down from its perch and began to gently rock his netted swing. The rhythm his swaying took on soon seemed to sync up with that of the distant waves, the slow steady breathing of his wife, as well as the rustle of the wind through the leaves above them.
And then there was a baby's scream.
Yanna jerked but was slow to move. Riku had tensed as soon as he heard his daughter and he could swear he discerned a note of despair in her infant cries, more than just a call for mamma's attention.
Before Yanna had even taken two steps Riku was up and passing her at a run. "Hey!" He caught his wife's yell of surprise before tearing open the door and rushing towards the back of the house. His weapon was in his hand in a blink and in the next his eyes were glaring at the figure slouching over the baby's crib.
Yanna rushed after him, her maternal instincts as well on high, but it turned out that he wouldn't be the only one to leave her in the wake. "Move!" She heard a familiar voice yell before she was pushed aside by a messy haired brunette.
Strong hands caught her from where Sora had knocked into her. "Sorry," came the gruff monotone voice as another male barreled past. "Hey! Try not to kill it!" Cid called ahead of him. Suddenly more worried, Yanna tried to pick up her pace again but was cut short due to the pilot's hulking figure in the door. "Best you wait out here, Mrs. Wakaouji."
"My baby's in there!" The woman protested, quickly becoming frantic. She didn't know what was wrong, but anyone could see something was. She heard a gruff shout from Riku and her spine went rigid.
"And so's your husband. He and Sora ain't pushovers, ya know." Cid replied, remaining calm and keeping a guarding, calloused hand on the woman's shoulder to keep her from entering the house.
Resigned to being held back, but not completely compliant, Yanna twisted her way in front of the blonde to get a better view, albeit not much could be observed from the kitchen. In almost the same second she managed to step into the house, Sora was already backing out from around the corner that led down the hall and to the bedrooms. Riku soon emerged after him, his arm extended and bloody, holding a still thrashing creature that seemed bright enough to be made wholly from fire. The creature was about the size of a Terrier dog with a flattened, startlingly human looking face and a body covered in shimmering gold and red fur.
Wordlessly, Riku slew the thing. Its body dusted and faded away, disappearing as though dispersed by a sudden wind. Just like a Heartless would.
"Damn," Cid swore. His comment covered both his disappointment in not getting a live specimen and at his sympathy towards the cuts Riku now sported. The blue-eyed pilot sighed and shook his head, still trying to catch his breath from running earlier.
The slashes were already vanishing as a swirl of green light engulfed the extended appendage as Riku cast a cure spell. Once that was done the silver haired man acknowledged his guests. To their surprise his first question wasn't 'what was that thing?' but rather, "What are you two doing here?"
Cid gave a smile at him and it was at this point he let go of Yanna, who in turn ran down the short hall to retrieve the still crying Eva. "Still lacking Sora's directness, eh?" Cid pointed out with a chuckle.
"I've always found it useful to not act too much like him. Besides, my way works just as well." Riku said, defending his need to be thorough and starting at the beginning, "I'll still get what I need to know regardless of if I just come out right and demand 'what the hell was that' or start a little before that." He raised an eyebrow as if expecting a challenge.
Despite his calm demeanor, both Cid and Sora could see that Riku was shaken. Sora admired his friend even more for his bravado and so instead of pointing out the tremors in the other man's body he simply answered the question asked of him, "We left the Bastion at Radiant Garden yesterday because Merlin had contacted us about some trouble with the Cornerstone of Light. That thing you just killed? Disney Castle is swamped with them. Yen Sid—who was there too—said he thinks they might spread just like before. It looks like the Darkness isn't as finished as we thought." Sora ran a hand through his medium length hair which he had taken to wearing a little straighter. It didn't fall to his shoulders limply, but it was no longer styled to stick up. "When we landed here, three of those monsters jumped out form the storage compartment of our ship and we killed two on the mainland. The one you got? We had lost sight of it after chasing it here- those buggers swim fast, but when we heard little Eva, we knew it had to be it."
Riku listened to this obviously watered down tale and let it sink it. But Sora wasn't done rambling, "On the way here, we stopped at a few other worlds-"
"Which was only three." Cid interrupted before looking around and pulling one of the stools away from the half bar-counter to take for himself.
"-to see if they were having any problems too. Only one had any weird reports. Hercules said the people in Olympia are calling them Nephilim: children of fallen angels, he explained." Sora went on breathlessly, deciding breathing was secondary at this point.
Riku understood that his friend was excited but that was about the only thing he got out of the speedy summary. Everything else refused to make much sense. He watched as Sora paced back and forth across the hardwood floor of his kitchen and continued to speak at a rapid fire speed with Cid cutting in every other sentence to add in some detail he felt was left out.
"Yen Sid and Mickey want to talk to you." Finally, Sora had said something that was immediately comprehensible. But it wasn't something that Riku really wanted to hear.
"I can't leave," he replied swiftly. After what had just happened, he wasn't looking forward to going anywhere and leaving his family defenseless. Upon thinking about them he leaned back and careened his neck around the corner to look down the hall for Yanna to be coming back. She wasn't so he turned his attention back to the other men.
Cid nodded knowingly. "That thing stowed aboard our ship. I don't think you got to be worryin' about any more making it here to trouble your home just yet. Best to try and stomp these bastards out now so that it never comes to that, though." The older man said sagely.
Reluctantly, Riku admitted that Cid had a point. "Give me till tomorrow." He said at last after debating it over in his mind.
"Done." The graying blonde conceded before Sora could protest; despite that Sora was one of the Keyblade Masters, Cid had senority, which meant his word was law. Shortly after that the two men left, heading back to the mainland to restock and wait for Riku to join them so they could set out.
Riku saw them off but as soon as they were gone he saw nothing but the back of his eye lids as he closed them in thought. Wheeling around, he pressed his back to the hardwood doorway and slowly zoned out. This was too much too soon and he now had a headache.
Gentle hands soon tempted him to open his eyes again. "Come lie down," Yanna said sternly. "And you will tell me all that is going on."
"I don't think I know." Riku replied wearily, but he allowed himself to be led away from the kitchen and into the living room where Yanna softly encouraged him to the couch. As he sat down he pulled her with him and they resumed closely the position they were in before Sora and the headache had arrived.
"Is Eva okay?" Riku asked needlessly. He knew Yanna wouldn't be there if she wasn't.
"I got her back to sleep," was the simple answer he got. "Now tell," she demanded in a gentle but firm manner as she ran her hands over his arms that hugged her around the middle.
"Sora wants me to come with him." He said instead. "I might be gone for a while." He added, his voice remorseful.
"Why? Stop avoiding my question." She pressed, rising above her usual demeanor. "It has something to do with that rakshasa you killed?"
Context told him what she meant although the term from her home that slipped into the sentence eluded him. "Yes. Cid and Sora say there are more of them and that they need my help. These things are endangering the Worlds."
"And I am sure that's true. What, then, is the problem?" Yanna's World was one saturated in lore, legends, and heroes. Her mind didn't question the concept that the world needed saving, although it was a little surprising that her Riku would be among those out to save it.
"I don't want Eva and you unprotected…I also don't know what exactly we're going up against. If I can judge them all just from one, I don't think I've encountered their kind before."
Yanna pecked his lips, "I'm sure that won't be a problem long."
Riku sighed, "Maybe." He suddenly took on a look of dubious amusement. "Why are you so calm about all of this. You seem very confident, almost chipper in your words." He was noticing her complete confidence in him.
"What do you mean?" She wasn't being coy, she was honestly confused.
Riku didn't feel like pursuing the matter so he dropped it with a smirk and a shake of his head. "I really don't want you isolated here while I'm gone. Would you mind staying on the mainland till I've looked into matters? You could stay with Kairi."
Yanna allowed the topic change. "Okay." She consented easily. She liked Kairi, and often noticed how out of place the other woman seemed to feel when left on her own. They would make lovely roommates.
"They want me to leave tomorrow," he commented remorsefully. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead to the top of her hair.
"Understandable. Where will you be going? Do you have any kind of guesses made ready?" She asked while working her way around so that the back of her head and shoulders were rested against his stomach.
"I'm going to see an old friend."
The next day wasn't as hectic as Riku feared it would be. Kairi was happy for the company, Sora was pepped and ready to go, and Cid looked like he was on his fourth cigarette.
The newly added Gummi hanger was empty except for the six of them and the morning air was still cool despite the island's normal humidity. None of the building's lights were on but none were needed due to the ample supply coming from the high placed windows that lined the walls. The hangger was on the south end of the main island, and even though it was a relatively new addition, the usually constant flow of traffic had done it's part to make it look like it had been around for decades.
"Don't know how long this will take…" Sora was saying, his voice echoing off the metallic walls.
Kairi looked a little upset, probably because her longtime boyfriend was off yet again. Riku sympathized with her, because like him she just wanted a bit of normality. Unfortunately, it didn't look like her heart's obsession was ready for that yet. Perhaps Yanna would talk with Kairi during her stay and help with her restlessness. If time permitted, he might just try to do the same with Sora.
Eva squirmed in his arms, demanding attention. Her blue eyes were bright and alertly starring up at him. With a warmth growing in his chest he smiled down at her and infectiously she returned him the favor, cheeks pouching out from behind the purple and white pacifier. Playfully, while waiting for Cid to finish up preparations, he made faces at the bundled infant greedily taking up his arms.
Eva's gurgling laughter was no longer inhibited as her pacifier dropped to her chest, dragging a trail of drool with it.
"Aww!" Kairi cooed in delight. Riku looked up from his antics and noticed he and his daughter were now the center of attention.
Yanna was studying him knowingly, Kairi's face was taught with repressed giggles and longing, while Sora and Cid traded childish smirks and winks.
Riku felt his cheeks redden from the sudden group interest in what he was doing. However, he simply smiled and hugged his child closer, "What?" He chuckled lightly, interrupting the brief silence that had fallen.
"Nothin'," Cid replied, still grinning toothily despite the ashing butt in his mouth. "Anyway, sorry to ruin your moment, Daddy, but it's time to go," the aging pilot said while coming to stand beside the other man. He wiped his hands on his blue button-up but that did little to clean them, resigned he used the cleaner back end of his hand to accomplish his goal. He rubbed the baby's head gently. It was a rare moment to see this side of the man and there was an unspoken understanding between him and the young father.
"Time to make things safe for little Eva again!" Sora said impatiently making his way over to the ship. He spun on his heels mid step and added, "And you too." If Riku hadn't quickly and subtly stepped in, he feared his friend might have actually forgotten to hug Kairi goodbye. It wasn't that didn't care, Riku was sure' on the contrary he was sure the brunette cared quite alot. So a quick urgent shifting of his aqua eyes had saved the day, or at least his friend. Which one he had done the bigger favor for was still up for debate.
As for himself, he embraced his wife and kissed her passionately and come away with empty arms as she took the blanketed bundle of wriggling energy.
Minutes later, they were off. Riku rested back into the seat and closed his eyes. They'd be warping so the trip would be ten minutes and twenty two seconds. He'd timed it once. This was a route both he and Sora had journeyed often.
"I wonder what the King and Yen Sid have found out about these things," Sora mused out loud. "You think it'll be just like old times?"
"I hope not," Cid said from his seat in front of them. "I know it might not have seemed like I was involved as much as you two, but Radiant Garden had it pretty bad even a few years after we reclaimed it."
Sora nodded, quick to show he understood. "Yeah, from what Leon told me, you guys had it rough."
"Did that thing look like any kind of Heartless to either of you?" Riku asked, disregarding the current track of the conversation.
Sora let out a dramatic whoosh of breath and rolled his eyes, "I've seen a lot of heartless in my time." He kicked his legs over the red upholstered arm of his chair and sat long ways across it with a pondering look on his face.
Cid happened to look back, "Boy!" He barked, "that chair ain't meant to be sat in like that. Now act right before you break it." The pilot didn't get touchy often, but when it came to his ships, one didn't cross him. Sora corrected his posture and the older man turned back around.
Sora flushed at the reprimand and tried to shrug it off with a nervous laugh. "Um… yeah, anyway Riku, I guess the closest one I can think of to the one that got aboard our ship were the monkey Power Whirls from the Deep Jungle."
Riku thought about this but didn't think the comparison very accurate. "I don't know how plausible this might sound but...do you think we might be dealing with something new?"
"New like how?" Sora asked slightly confused.
"Well what does the definition of the word usually mean?" Riku asked sarcastically. Then with less of a bite, "Like neither Heartless or Nobody." He explained his musings further.
"Well it most certainly didn't look or behave like a nobody," Cid commented.
"I don't know, it kind of acted like all the other basic heartless." Sora said.
"But it didn't look like the others." Riku persisted.
"How would you tell?! There were so many different kinds." He said rubbing his head at the memories. "And every world pretty much had its own variation."
Riku sighed and let his argument drop. They'd find out soon enough.
When the ship landed Mickey was already walking across the green pasture to greet them. Due to the condition of the place, Cid was forced to land the ship some ways away from the Castle. The mouse king looked tired but he presented them with a smile nonetheless. "Nice to see you again, Riku." He said while extending a hand to him.
"Same" He returned pleasantly. "So, tell me what ya know." He and his two companions followed him across the sunny landscape, headed for a small village. The castle could be seen glowing beyond the red roofed cottages.
"Well, they're certainly as bad as the things we fought in the past," the mouse began, "but this time it's not Darkness. Something's really wrong here, fellas. It's Light."
'That makes sense!' Riku thought to himself, a minute feeling of victory rising in his chest. He had been right, something was different.
"Light?" Sora asked looking confused.
"It appears so." Came a deep voice from in front of them. Yen Sid had the door open for them as the four reached the stoop of the farthest white bricked abodes. The aged wizard seemed out of place with his imposing tower not in the scene, but still he maintained an air of authority.
The small company joined the elder man in this borrowed establishment and were greeted with a cheerful fire in the hearth and bright blue walls and too small furniture. Over the mantle was a portrait of a family of ducks, one of which Riku recognized as Sora's companion, Donald. So that's where they were.
"It seems there is yet another imbalance in the universe."
"And what are we going to do about it?" Cid asked gruffly. He pulled a toothpick out of his blue shirt pocket and chewed it idly while he waited to hear the answer.
Riku shared the pilot's impatience and shifted from foot to foot restlessly, anxious for action.
"We believe they can be dealt with in the same fashion as the Heartless," the solemn man replied coolly. He made no comment on the young aqua eyed man's eagerness, nor that of his companions. "Your previous battles should have you ready for this new enemy."
"Nephilim are what th-"
"Where are Sora's buddies?" Cid interrupted the brunette mid-retelling to ask about Donald and Goofy.
"They're at the castle. I'm about to join them." Mickey answered. As he spoke he summoned his keyblade. "I hope you fellas don't mind me askin' for some back up?" He asked cheerfully, knowing full well what the answer would be.
"I'd have to run back to The Shera for my weapon." Cid nodded, kicking himself for leaving it in the first place.
"What's next after we reclaim your castle?" Riku asked. "Is your plan to do like before, just going from world to world?"
"Right now, yeah." Mickey replied although his face remained optimistic.
Riku hid his doubt. Something about that just didn't sit well with him. They'd done things that way twice and it was never really as easy as that simple concept.
"They just keep coming don't they!? And damn, if they ain't creepy! Not even nobodies looked like that!" Cid yelled, flinging one of the Nephilim away with his spear and impaling another in that same motion. Upon their death, the creatures exploded in a flare of light.
Riku didn't comment as he slew more of the animalistic monsters, ignoring their wide, vacant eyes and human faces as he attacked. The hallway was crowded with them, and the area that would normally be viewed as overly spacious was feeling rather claustrophobic. 'Slash, slash, guard. Jump!'
He, Cid, and Mickey were barreling through hordes of the Nephilim on route to the chamber room. Sora had met up with Donald and Goofy and were doing the same, working from the opposite end of the massive building.
Riku did a sliding slash and while he was leaned forward felt a pressure on his back; Mickey had used him as a spring board to propel himself further into the melee. The mission was to get to the Cornerstone of Light and seal it. Yen Sid had determined that, given the nature of these creatures, they were being drawn to it.
"Almost there!" He heard his small companion yelling from up ahead. But Mickey was lost from sight in the field of burnt orange and gold furred fangs. The red carpet beneath them seemed alive like lava, for with every death, it shimmered in the remains.
From this limited view, Riku was inspired. Something in his memory rang and with new determination to clear his path he reached within himself, his hands working on automatic to fend off the Nephilim lunging at him. 'A piece of Xehanort will always be there.' With one final fluid movement of his blade to make room, Riku lowered the Road to Dawn and raised his free hand to level off a blast of darkness. From his fingers the cool power of that hidden part of himself burst forward, in long tendrils at first, then in a rushing wave of dark ebony and purple as far as his energy would stretch.
The effect of his Darkness on the things was similar to what one would expect from a Gravity spell. Their bodies flattened and a squeal went up as a vast number of them died.
"Hehe, nice work Riku!" the King called over his shoulder, not halting in his pace nor commenting on the sheer amount of darkness the young man hand managed to seemingly pull out of nowhere.
"Nifty trick," Cid said as he jogged to keep pace with the mouse king.
"Hn," was Riku's only response as he continued forward, following the black and red blur that was Mickey speeding around a corner.
When they reached the chamber room they found Sora and his companions already there. Despite the moment, the shaggy haired brunette spared the time to comment with a cocky smile, "What took you so long?"
"Shut it." Cid said, but the grin on his face gave him away.
"We had the long way," Riku gave forth a feeble excuse with a shrug.
"Mmhm," Sora nodded humoring him. "Anyway, we've already moved the platform, Your Majesty. It's all up to you now." Sora turned his attention to the back of the cavernous room where the stairs were located, beyond the many towering columns.
The king wasted no time and the others followed. "You sure it's right ta turn off the Cornerstone?" Goofy suddenly voiced a concern.
"For now, it's safer." Mickey said, hopping down the stairs two at a time. He paused a moment to look back at his trusty knight. "It's only temporary," he added.
A few seconds later and they were standing in front of the Cornerstone of Light, the massive stone that functioned as a fall back protection for this World. Riku had expected this place to be filled with the Nephilim, but luckily it was surprisingly vacant. Most likely guarded by heavy shield magic, he decided.
Mickey raised his keyblade at the glowing, reflective sphere without hesitation. A beam shot from his weapon and was met half way to its target by a glowing emblem of a keyhole. There was a flash and then the light from within the Cornerstone faded and was gone.
"Now what?" Sora asked, blindly feeling for one or more of his friends in the now palpable darkness. Why wasn't there secondary illumination down here anyway?
"So, where are we going first?" Donald asked before quacking in anger as one of his clumsy friends—there was no telling which—stepped on his foot.
"Well, first things first, we should get back to Yen Sid. He'll want to know if we've succeeded." Mickey replied, his footsteps already pattering in the darkness back in the direction they'd come from.
"You'd think he could just sense that or something." Cid said off handedly, his own footsteps hesitant as he tried not to confuse his path in the blackness. An idea struck him mid step and he pulled a matchbook from his blue jean pocket and lit one of the thin sticks to help him see his companions.
"I propose we split up." Riku spoke, coming into the small circle of light offered by Cid. Ahead he saw Sora's silhouette stiffen then whirl around to face him.
"What? Why?" He asked, waiting for the two other humans to reach him. Now at Sora's back, Mickey and his friends stopped too.
"I feel it will help things move faster." His mind made up he prepared to try something he hadn't attempted since their fight with Xemnas. Slowly, he raised his hand to open a dark portal.
"Riku…"
And just as before, when he'd reached for that cool energy within him, it came up willingly. The desired results came forth without struggle. "Don't worry about me. We'll cross paths again soon enough, I'm sure." And with a self satisfied grin, he entered the gate. He knew that if he had waited Sora would have fought to keep him from going solo.
"Ugh! He's always doing that!" Sora raised his voice in frustration. "Just like Riku, always a loner."
"Ah, he'll be fine." Goofy said, coming up and putting a reassuring hand on his younger friend's shoulder.
"Ah, ah! Shit!" Cid called out and dropped his flame as the stick had burnt up and bit at his flesh. The light was out before it hit the concrete, leaving them again in the dark.
Sora chuckled, "Here allow me." He told the pilot cheerfully, summoning a low fire spell between his outstretched palms.
"Show off," the older man grumbled. Why hadn't he done that earlier?! The others shared a laugh before turning and continuing towards the stairs.
