The square was only lit by the barely rising sun and baleful flickering of torches. There was hushed rumors of injustice, but injustice had to be spoken of in quiet voices these days.
"Let me go!" Sora yelled at the guardsmen outside his cage. He shook it in anger, then paced angrily when he realized they weren't listening. He grasped the bars of his miniature prison, and gazed fearfully at Kairi.
Kairi watched as fuel for her death was placed at her feet. Oh how had it come to this? She wondered. Xehanort approached her, holding a lit torch. "Here you are, at the brink of the abyss." He whispered. Kairi shrank back. "I can save you from eternal torment. Choose me," he then held the torch closer to her "Or the fire."
Infuriated, Kairi spat in his face. Xehanort, furiously wiping away the spittle on his face, turned back to the crowd, ranting about how Kairi was "unable to repent" and other lies. Kairi kept one eye on Xehanort, the other worriedly on the bell tower. Could Riku save her?
No, not at the moment.
He was bound to one of Notre Dame's pillars by tight iron chains, arms pinned uselessly at his side. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were making a group effort to free their friend.
"C'mon Riku!" Goofy tugged at the heavy chain.
"Your friends are down there!" Mickey squeaked, adding his strength, however little it was.
"Kairi's down there!" Donald squawked, pulling with all his might.
"You can't let them die!"
"You can't let Xehanort win!"
Riku suddenly snapped at them
"HE ALREADY HAS!"
The stone trio dropped the chain abruptly, eyes bugging out in shock. Riku lowered his head and voice in defeat "He's already won..."
Donald was the first to leave. He marched over to the edge, nodding sadly "We get it... we'll leave you alone..." He turned to stone, watching the atrocities in the square with a mournful gaze.
Goofy joined his friend's silent vigil, sighing "We're just stone..."
"We just figured," Mickey said, reluctantly joining his stone brethren, "You were made of something stronger..."
Riku was left in silence.
"...Let us send this witch back to where she belongs!" Xehanort yelled, and he lit the kindling at Kairi's feet.
"No!" Sora cried, reaching a hand through the bars to Kairi.
And those cries seemed to instill something in Riku. He raised his head, the dim lighting turning the determination and fury on his face into a terrifying grimace. He started straining against the chains, somehow finding the strength to bend the links of iron. With a mighty bellow, the chain flew apart, strewing shrapnel all over the bell tower. He grabbed a rope, ensure it was secure, and leaped off of Notre Dame.
With a cold determination, Riku swung onto the platform the held Kairi. He quickly undid her ropes, and grabbed a burning log to fend off the guards coming to stop him.
"GO RIKU!" Sora yelled triumphantly.
"Riku! Stop this at once!" Xehanort yelled.
Riku coldly glared at him, not uttering a word. He grabbed his rope, and, with Kairi on his shoulder, flew into the square and began climbing back.
The square was starting to become chaotic. Who was this mysterious young man? Why was he doing this?
Riku clambered onto the railing in front of one of Notre Dame's stained glass windows and lifted Kairi's limp body to the heavens, yelling at the top of his lungs
"SANCTUARY! SANCTUARY! SANCTUARY!"
Then, panting slightly from the sheer exertion of it all, left to place Kairi somewhere safe. He brushed Kairi's red hair, saying softly "Don't worry, you'll be safe here."
He then ran out the door to the small chamber, his efforts still focused on keeping Kairi safe. He quickly got himself to the floor below, grabbed a large plank of wood, and hurtled it over the side of the cathedral. People scattered seeing the projectile falling towards them, which crushed Xehanort's carriage.
Xehanort, absolutely furious, rushed past the wreckage, seized a sword from one of the guardsman, and yelled "Cowards! Get to the cathedral!"
Sora, noting it was now just him and one guard, chuckled "Alone at last!" and banged him unconscious, snatching the keys to his tiny prison. He unlocked Roxas, then the two climbed to the top of the cage, and to the sounds of bells and thumps from men trying to break down Notre Dame's door, Roxas yelled
"Xehanort has persecuted our people!-"
"-Ransacked our towns!" Sora added, then the duo's voices melded together as one,
"And now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself! WILL WE ALLOW IT?"
"NO!" the gypsies and townsfolk alike bellowed, and soon everyone was rushing towards the attackers of Notre Dame cathedral,yelling and brandishing anything that could be a weapon.
"Hey hey hey! The cavalry has arrived!" Donald squawked, giving Riku a small nudge. "Yeah," Riku said, "But it won't be enough. Be right back!"
"Hey wait! Who's that? 'Zora' was it-?"
"Sora!" Riku cried gleefully as he saw the spiky-brown-haired young man barrel his way through the guards.
He then stopped, realizing the intruders were now using ladders and ropes. He shoved over a stone tile, breaking one ladder. Goofy reluctantly dropped a small brick, which hit one guard straight in the head.
"Sorry! Sorry!" he called down.
Donald crunched up a few bit of stone, made a few airplane noises, then spat almost molten rock at the guards below, who scrambled at the hot bullets. He then joined Goofy, who seemed to be making some contraption out of the spare wood, metal, wax, and rope while Riku continued to throw off pursuit.
"HEY!" Axel yelled, finding himself once more trapped. "Come on! SOMEONE HELP ME!" it was then a stray blow undid the lock that held him in his stockades, and he marched off, gleefully yelling "I'm free! I'm fre-AGH!"
and landed directly into a sewer. There was a very echoy
"GODDAMMIT!"
"1...2...3!" Goofy yelled, throwing the newly-made catapult off of the cathedral's roof. He then scratched his head, muttering "Ya sure that's how it works, Donald?" Donald whacked Goofy's shin replying "Of course that's how it works, you big palooka!" There was a outcry of pain as the spring-loaded device launched, smacking a guard into the ground. "See? It worked perfectly."
Meanwhile, Riku had the greatest idea ever. He began melting any scrap metal he could find, Donald and Goofy joining moments later to help. When the metal inside was watery enough, he poured the cauldron's contents out to the other gargoyles, which rained molten metal down to the square.
Satisfied with this, Riku rushed back to Kairi's chamber.
"We've done it Kairi! We've beaten them back!" Riku joyfully yelled. He then sat next to her still body, shaking it gently "Kairi? Come on, wake up!" no response. Riku grabbed a pitcher of water and a ladle, then scooped some water "Here, I bet you need a drink." Riku felt his world come crashing to a stop when the water dribbled down Kairi's chin.
"Oh no..."
Xehanort pressed himself against the door, narrowly avoiding the fiery death. He then hacked off more of the door with his sword, and made his way inside.
"Xehanort! Have you gone mad?" Eraqus yelled, making his way down the steps leading to the bell tower. He then firmly pushed Xehanort to a stop, "I WILL NOT tolerate this assault on the house of God!" Xehanort grabbed Eraqus's robes and tossed him down the stairs
"Stand aside you old fool! Me and the bell ringer have unfinished business to attend to!" he slammed the door behind him, muttering "This time you won't interfere!" he locked it. He then found Riku, sobbing over Kairi's body. He held his dagger behind his back.
"Oh my poor Riku..." he sighed, gently placing his hand on Riku's shoulder.
"You killed her." he spat.
"I did what I had to do, terrible as it was. The world is a cruel place, but I can end your suffering." Xehanort raised his knife. "Forever." Riku glanced up at the wall, and quickly turned around to defend himself from Xehanort. After throwing the elderly fiend against the wall, Riku felt himself snap.
"Now now, R-Riku, listen here-"
"NO! You listen!" he yelled, never imagining he possessed such fury "All my life you've told me the world is a dark, cruel place, but now I see the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like YOU!"
there was a soft whisper "Ri...Riku..."
"Kairi!" Riku quickly brought Kairi into his arms, relieved beyond measure.
"She lives!" Xehanort hissed, drawing his sword.
"No!" Riku yelled back, dashing out of the small room.
Xehanort pursued, and gazed confusedly at the empty walkway. "You have to be here somewhere, Riku..." he crooned "Come out, come out where ever you are..." after finding the turn was empty as well, Xehanort looked over the balcony-
Riku and Kairi stared back at him, terrified.
Xehanort smiled "Leaving so soon?" he swung at the stone gargoyle, Riku leaping to another at the last possible moment.
"Hang on!" Riku told Kairi. She nodded, tightening her grip. Xehanort followed the two, swinging his blade with no mercy, actually cutting a few gargoyles off. Riku was about to set Kairi down so she could run, but ended up shoving her onto the walkway when Xehanort swung again.
"I don't understand why you have to save that insolent witch!" Xehanort spat "I should have killed her, just like your mother."
"What?" Riku gasped, caught off guard.
But Xehanort only raised his blade "Allow me to FINISH WHAT I SHOULD HAVE 16 YEARS AGO!" Riku dodged Xehanort's sword, the two falling off the balcony and hanging onto the architecture. Kairi ran over and grabbed Riku's hand, trying to pull him up.
Riku, feeling more exhausted than he had ever been, closed his eyes, his grip loosening.
Xehanort scrambled onto another gargoyle, stood, and raised his blade.
"And he shall smite the wicked and-" Xehanort suddenly cried out in surprise as he lost his footing. He clutched the gargoyle, then screamed as it plunged him into the fiery plaza below.
"Riku! Come on Riku hold on!" Kairi grunted "Riku, don't you dare let go- RIKU!"
The pale hero started falling-
but was caught by a pair of lanky, but strong, arms. "Ugh, lose a few pounds, bud." Sora groaned as he pulled Riku into the cathedral. Riku blinked, surprised that it was Sora who had saved him, then tackled his friend in an embrace of thanks. Sora stiffened, and returned the hug with a small pat on the back.
He looked over to find Kairi approaching them both. Kairi's smile grew wider, then she dashed over and held Riku close. "Oh, I was so worried..." she whispered in his ear softly. But Riku wasn't paying attention: he was returning the hug, his eyes closed and seeping tears.
When Sora approached, he grabbed their hands and placed them together. He then backed away, a sad smile on his face. Kairi and Sora stared at their hands, then each other. They kissed.
Outside, they greeted the roaring crowd. Holding hands, smiling, waving. Kairi, then reached her hand to Riku.
"We'll go together." she told him softly.
Riku nodded, and accepted her hand.