Keys of Destiny

Chapter 10: A Smile In A Memory

Namine rubbed her eyes, trying to push away the sleepiness. Meanwhile, her right hand was drawing restlessly on her sketchbook. It surprised her that the cramps hadn't come yet. After all, she had been drawing for a long time without stopping to rest even once.

After she was separated from the others, Namine found herself brought back to the lobby floor. Instead of going down again to look for her friends, Namine decided there was something more important she must do. That was to fix up Sora's memories. Much like Roxas, her existence was unstable. Namine didn't want leave Sora with fragmented memories in case anything happened to her. She found herself a bright enough spot to draw her pictures under the moonlight.

The thought of vanishing out of existence made her shudder. Namine felt somewhat silly. It happened to her before; it shouldn't scare her now. Is it fine for you to just disappear? Riku's words echoed in her ears.

Flashback

It was the day before Roxas was scheduled to be returned to Sora. Namine was dragged back from the virtual world by DiZ for telling Roxas information that was considered excessive. She glared fiercely at the bandaged man as he threw her back into the white room in mansion. DiZ seemed to be accustomed to being hated. That man had a talent in repelling all kinds of scowls and glares directed to him. Namine pitied DiZ. The only force that drove him to live was hatred and the desire to seek revenge.

In a grumpy mood, Namine yanked out her sketchbook and crayons. The door swung open and in walked a hooded figure.

"Riku," said Namine. Without lowering his hood, Riku walked past her and stopped in front of the only window of the pure white room they were in. Not that she minded anyway.

"It is tomorrow, isn't it," asked Riku, looking outside. It wasn't really a question, more like a confirmation.

"Yes. Sora will wake up tomorrow," answered Namine gravely. At last, their hard work would be fruitful. She supposed she should be happier, but she couldn't be. It had cost each of them way too dearly. She felt that Roxas and Riku were the ones who suffered most in their selfish act.

"Is it ok to let Roxas go like that? He is now a friend to you, isn't he?"

Namine opened her sketchbook to a clean page. It was strange to hear that coming out of Riku, when he was the one who wanted Sora to wake up most no matter what it cost him. Sorrow filled her azure eyes. She spoke softly. "He'll hate me for what I'm doing to him. I doubt he'll still see me in the same light when he finds out. It's the fate of Nobody like Roxas and me to fuse back with our other half. It's…inevitable."

"What about you?" asked Riku. "Is it fine for you to just disappear?"

Flashback ends

Looking down to her sketchbook, Namine realised she had been doodling unconsciously while she was occupied by her memories. It was a picture of Riku; the first time they met face to face. He smiled at her when he found out she was the one who guided him out of darkness in the battle against Zexion in Castle Oblivion.

A noise came from nowhere caused Namine to jolt up. She scanned the place around her. There was no one. If she had a heart, it would be pouncing madly. She rose up from her sitting position, taking small steps forward. Unaware to Namine, a pair of aqua eyes behind her blinked.

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Putting all his hopes on Sora, Roxas listened attentively. If Sora was unable to sense the connection between them in time, what they were doing could turn out fatal. One of the Mirrors came from his left and another appeared on the right. Though Roxas couldn't see, he knew they each pointed a very large shard of glass at him. Roxas swang his keyblades, missing his enemies but cut their weapons into two. As he wielded Oathkeeper with his left hand, short sharp pain throbbed his wounded shoulder like small knifes. A third one crept up behind Sora stealthily that Roxas only just noticed. "Sora, behind you!"

To everyone's amazement, Sora stepped to the side, causing the Mirror behind him to pierce into empty space. His expression appeared content and relaxed. Roxas continued to call out the positions of the enemies to Sora while he busily evaded three others that were hot on his heels. With movements smooth and liquid-like, Sora dodged all the attacks directed at him. It almost looked he was playing hide-and-seek while blindfolded.

Enchanted by his marvellous motion, the Disney trio watched as Sora lifted his keyblade naturally, cutting through the first Mirror and immediately slipped past the second one charging towards him. While Sora handled half of the lot, Roxas had much more freedom in his action. Ducking under to evade a swipe from a mirror shard, Roxas straightened, turned around swiftly and dove Oathkeeper into the third Mirror's from its back. The next instant, Sora struck the fourth one that happened was beside Roxas. The Ultima Weapon whooshed past at lethal speed Roxas but avoided him skilfully. Three keyblades of white, black and silverish white were wielded in such flawless and continuous fashion it was like an arranged performance.

Though wield by different hands, the keyblades never made contact. The fifth and sixth Mirrors screeched and leaped into the air, targeting Sora. Jumping up into the air, Sora met the fifth one in mid air, taking it out before it had the opportunity to make its move. Whilst he dealt with that, he left his back to the last Mirror. Donald and Goofy cried out warnings to him, but there was not a sign of worry on Sora's face. Roxas appeared behind the last one, impaling both his keyblades into its body. It broke into quarters before exploding into dust.

Landing lightly, Sora and Roxas opened their eyes at the same time, staring into each other's cerulean blue with tranquillity. Donald rushed Sora's side and healed him with cure. Goofy and King Mickey joined them.

"Good one, Sora," complimented Roxas, grinning.

Sora returned an almost identical grin. "Piece of cake." He suddenly wished he had a brother like Roxas.

While everyone tended their injuries, King Mickey spoke up. "Everyone, there is something very important I need to tell you." The King told them the existence that the last page of the Omega Project was suppose to save the world, provided they retrieve it in time. King Mickey looked up at four hopeful faces. "That is not all to it," the King continued glumly. "We are currently at what I believe to be the last stages of the project. Omega had been programmed to carry out stages of the plan. The appearance of those Mirrors indicates we are now in its third last stage. In less than two hours, it will reach the last stage."

As Sora listened, he had to resist the urge to complain. The King had a bad habit of hiding information until the last minute that he wasn't exactly thrilled of.

"What happens in the last stage, my king?" Goofy asked worriedly.

King Mickey looked at him sternly. "Very little information had been given about that. In the document, it wrote that Omega would depart at the final stage, spreading massive number of NeoNobody to other worlds. After that, the clones of Organisation XIII will be complete and functional. I do not know what depart means, but it does not change the fact we must stop Omega at all cost. Right now there are still few NeoNobody that made it outside this world. If an army of them go to worlds such as Radiant Garden where everyone is practically defenceless against the soul shatter, they would be turned into Heartless and Nobody within minutes."

"Is there a relation between Riku's Nobody and the NeoNobody? Does he command them?" asked Sora.

The King turned to Roxas. "What do you think, Roxas?"

Roxas folded his arms and considered for a moment. "No, I don't think so. If the NeoNobody wouldn't listen to me, I doubt they'll take his orders. Besides, their actions should be programmed by Omega's computer. I think they only take orders from Omega and no one else. Unless he somehow edited the programme, which I don't think he can because Xemnas would certainly have passwords, firewalls and other things guarding it."

"Roxas?!" cried Sora in distress. All eyes went to him. For a brief moment, Roxas flickered like a television with poor reception.

"Was it from back then?" asked King Mickey, concerned.

Roxas forced a weak smile. "Kurix was quite something," he admitted. He blinked in surprise as Donald called forth the cure magic on him.

"Give it up, healing magic wouldn't stop it," said Roxas. Donald ignored him and yelled cure again.

"What will happen to you?" asked Sora with a slightly shaky voice, fearing the answer.

His Nobody stared at him calmly. "I only gained physical form by borrowing a body of a NeoNobody you defeated, Sora. I'm just half of your soul. Without a form, I can't exist," said Roxas stiffly.

"But there has to be a way!" Sora shook his head vigorously. He tried to think of something, anything that might help. There was none. He knew nothing of the Nobody.

"Anyhow, you won't be rid of me just yet. I can hold up a while longer. We still need have your annoying friend's Nobody to take care of," said Roxas brightly, more so than Sora thought he could.

Donald, who had been shouting healing spells for the entire time, fell on the ground and landed his bottom from exhaustion. Sora was proud of his friends' determination and stubbornness, even though it didn't seem to help Roxas at all. Face tinted red by frustration, Donald yelled cure one last time. The almost faded protection from the Light suddenly brightened. Roxas sensed the distortion within him slowed down a little. King Mickey patted on Donald's back for his effort and recovered him with one of his valuable elixirs.

"We seem to be missing something important," said Goofy. Arms crossed, he tilted his head, thinking hard with all his might. What made it strange was that everyone else had the same feeling.

"Oh shoot!" cried out Roxas. Sora and Roxas looked at each other, wide-eyed. "Namine!" They said on the same beat.

Sora was almost shocked when King Mickey said they would press on without Namine. The King stressed the need to take care of Omega before anything else, for that they have no time to spare. It took King Mickey some time to convince the others that Namine was a sensible girl and she would be hiding just like she had been before help arrived. The others eventually complied. Sora was not so convinced, but the King's authority made Sora difficult to rebut.

They made haste travelling downwards. They moved swiftly through floors and corridors, compromising their safety. On around the seventeenth floor, just as they entered another room, Sora saw someone sitting in a corner. His first reaction was to halt and told the others to stop. The light was dim so he couldn't see that person's face. When he noticed that the figure was not moving, Sora cautiously walked closer to see who it was.

It was Riku.

"Riku!" Sora rushed to his friend's side. Appeared to be unconscious, Riku slumped on the floor, using the corner to support him. Everyone bent down to see how Riku was, encircling him in the middle. They all grimaced as they examined his injuries. Besides his blood-streaked face, both of his lower arms looked terrible. The skin around his wrist was raw and bleeding like they were scraped on a grater. Blood gushed out from the arteries of his left wrist.

Those who could use healing magic, which were Donald, Mickey and Sora, cast curaga at Riku repeatedly until their magic ran out. Goofy and Roxas threw Riku all the potions they had in stock, which weren't many. Then they applied ethers to the magic users so they could continue the healing. They repeated and rinse until Riku's injuries were almost fully healed. Faces brightened when they saw Riku began to stir.

Riku turned his head around and looked at everyone with a sleepy look. "Sora, your majesty, Donald, Goofy and…" He paused when his eyes stopped on Roxas. "Roxas." Sora thought he saw Riku's expression hardened as he said the name.

Too eager to wait another moment, Sora blurted out. "What happened to you, Riku?"

The King joined in. "We heard about your Nobody from Namine. Did you have another fight with him?"

Relief spread over Riku's face. "Well, not really. Let's just say I made a desperate attempt to escape. Don't worry, I've made a mental note not to try ripping my hands out of chains again," he chuckled.

Sora crossed his arms and examined Riku. "Wait a minute Riku," he said, frowning. "You left Kairi back there?"

"If you're worried about her, you don't have to be. She's a hostage so she won't be kill," said Riku plainly. He didn't see the blond hair girl he was looking for amongst the heads. "Where is Namine?"

"You mean you just left Kairi with your murderous Nobody?" Sora demanded heatedly.

Roxas cut in. "He calls himself Kurix."

Riku stood up angrily, towering over Sora by a head. King Mickey stepped between them when he was about to yell back. "Stop it you two, I will not allow this." Sora and Riku stepped back reluctantly, glowering at each other. "Kairi might have been a hostage, but she is no longer one. Riku's- I mean, Kurix doesn't need her anymore. The last page of Omega Project is all he needs to blackmail us."

As he spoke, a soft rattling sound was heard from a distance, drawing everyone's attention. It then grew louder within seconds, coming from both doors. The party drew out their weapons. Goofy and Donald gulped. Sora looked at his friends nervously. King Mickey, Riku and Roxas narrowed their eyes, trying to figure out what was making the noise.

Then the noise stopped. Utter silence loomed over, making Sora feel wary.

All of a sudden, numerous white NeoNobody of all shapes of sizes came flooding into the room from the opened doors on both sides. Startled, Sora and his friends frantically confronted the nearby enemies. Fortunately, none of the NeoNobody were the Mirrors they faced a while ago. They weren't in luck either. Waves of enemies came back as they destroy them. They tried to force their way out but they couldn't even step out of the room. They were trapped in a pool of white.

"There are too many of them!" Sora yelled to the King. He could hardly move without bumping into a friend or enemy. He couldn't even see all of his friends with the NeoNobody blocking the way.

More flocks of white emerge from thin air, but they didn't attack Sora. Looking closely, Sora discovered they were actually Nobody. The twenty or so Dusks and other assorted Nobody teamed up to destroy all the NeoNobody near the door, forging a path for them. Sora was glad to see they had allies. He felt a tang of irony. The Nobody that caused him so much trouble were now helping them.

Roxas said something to the Dusks that Sora didn't hear. The Dusks paid him respect and daunted the remaining NeoNobody. Roxas beckoned to Sora hurriedly. "Leave it to them. The NeoNobody will be taken care of."

All the colours were drained from the King's face. "This is terrible," he shook his head in apprehension. "I shouldn't have underestimate Omega. We're already in the second last stage. There isn't a couple of hours, we may be down to minutes."

More enemies appeared in their way but they were all stopped by the Nobody. With the new alley hindering the NeoNobody, the six continued downwards. Sora felt like they had been running forever, bringing them closer to core of the planet with each step. When they were all exhausted from running, Donald yelped in delight. At last, they reached the bottommost floor.

Author's rambling: I hope I didn't go overboard with the action. I have put conversations in between the cool it down. Goofy can't use magic...right?

I finally got Sora's final form!!! I was showing my friend KHII at his place and it must've been because of his lucky PS2. Before I had been driving until the kangaroos go home and I still couldn't get it. Talk about frustrating.

And guys, please drop a line in the review box -points below-. Especially if you have me on favourites or alert list. It doesn't take a minute to write a short comment. I spend days on a single chapter so writing something back would show you care too. It makes the author me very, very happy and keep me writing. Thank you.