Chapter 12: Darkness unleashed

Flynn and I flew towards a tower that was hidden in the middle of the forest. I was surprised that I never noticed such a gigantic tower when we first crash landed into this world. We could see an open window on the top of the tower, meaning we have a way to enter.

"Okay. We can get in from there." I told Flynn as we got closer.

"Max, wait!" Flynn yelled. "Drop me down on the ground. I'll climb up the tower."

"What? Why?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. "Wouldn't it be much easier for both of us to just bust through the window?"

"Something just doesn't feel right. Just drop me off and go help the others." He stared at me, and I could tell that he wouldn't take "no" for an answer, just like somebody else I know...

"Fine... But I'll be back to get you guys."

"All right." We dove to the ground and I let go of Flynn on top of a patch of grass near the tower.

"Flynn!" I yelled before I took of. "Be careful."

Flynn's stared at me with his jaw almost touching the floor, which soon turned into a smile. "Thanks. You too..." We both nodded to each other and went our separate ways.


Flynn stared at the gigantic tower that stood in his way. He tried to grab the stones, but he couldn't get his grip on any of them. He looked at the top and thought of a way to reach up there. He couldn't climb, he couldn't fly...

"Maybe I should've let Max leave me up there..." He sighed as he thought. Then he remembered something so obvious. He stared up to the open window, hoping...wishing... "Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

He stared at the open window, waiting for what felt like hours. He wondered if things are worse than what he thought originally. He prayed that nothing like that happened to her.

His hopes skyrocketed when he saw hair that was 70 feet long fall towards him. He grabbed hold of the wild hair and started to climb to the top. Saving Rapunzel was the only thing that was running through his mind. Nothing could stop him. Nothing will stop him!

He reached the windowsill and went through it. "Rapunzel! Thank god. I thought I would never see you again!" He searched around the room to see something he didn't want to. Rapunzel was tied to the door and a cloth wrapped around her mouth. Flynn dashed to her and took of the cloth. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

"Flynn!" Rapunzel yelled as tears started to form under her eyes. "You have to get out of here!"

"Not without you!" Flynn yelled as he tried to untie Rapunzel.

"No... It's a trap!"

"What are you talking abou-" Flynn felt something go through his side. He looked behind him to see Gothel, holding a bloody knife. He felt his blood leave his body. Flynn's body crashed to the floor as a pool of blood started to surround him.

"FLYNN!" Rapunzel choked as Flynn lost consciousness. She tried to reach Flynn, but she was still tied up. "Flynn..." She whispered as she stared at her loved one slowly dying right before her eyes.

"Now look what you made me do, Rapunzel." Gothel said as she made her way back to Rapunzel. "Don't worry, our secret will die with him." She untied Rapunzel, who was still in complete shock. "And as for us, we are going where no one will ever find you again!" At this point, Rapunzel pulled herself together and started to fight back. "Rapunzel! Seriously! Stop struggling!"

"No!" Rapunzel yelled. "I won't stop! For the rest of my life, I will keep on fighting! I will never stop trying to get away from you!" She yelled so loud that she could even hear her echoes ringing outside.

"That's right Rapunzel!" She heard a voice coming from outside. "You should never give up!"

Suddenly a figure flew through the window and kicked Gothel in the face, sending her flying through the trapdoor. Rapunzel heard her falling and eventually heard a big "thud!" once she hit the bottom. Rapunzel looked at the figure's back. She watched as the giant brown wings compress into the figure's back. Rapunzel beamed with relief as the figure turned around.

"Max!" She cheered as Max gave her a big smirk.


"Do these guys ever give up?" Kairi asked as she destroyed four heartless with a swing of her keyblade.

"Firaga!" Sora screamed as flames shot out from his keyblade. "I don't know... But we have to wait for Max and Flynn!"

The ground beneath his feet started to shake. A giant crack started to form right under their feet. A giant claw made it's way out of the hole. Castle guards started to run away from the gigantic creature climbing out.

"This might be trouble..." Riku sighed as a purple creature jumped out of the hole. The body was the shape of an elephant, but it's tusks were up instead of down. There was the usual heartless emblem on it's chest.

"It's a Behemoth!" Sora yelled as he remembered fighting the gigantic beasts before.

The Behemoth jumped towards the three heroes, which they successfully dodged by jumping out of the way.

"How are we suppose to beat something so gigantic?" Kairi asked as she landed.

"We have to attack that horn on it's head!" Sora answered as he started running behind the heartless. He made it to it's rear and started to climb. "Like this!" He announced once he made it to the top. Sora started slashing the shining horn. The heartless screeched in pain as it fell to it's knees. "Now attack!" Kairi and Riku nodded as they charged towards the Behemoth.


"Max!" Rapunzel called my name as I untied her hands.

"No time for a reunion." I said once her hands were free. "Go and help Flynn." Rapunzel nodded as she dashed towards Flynn.

She wrapped her hair around his wound. I could tell how bad it was, because her hair started to turn red from the blood really quickly. Rapunzel started to sing a song that I could barely understand because of all her tears. As she sang, her hair began to glow. This was my first time seeing this and I was just simply amazed at the sight.

"You stop this right now!" Someone screamed from under the trapdoor. I turned around and saw the woman who was faking to be Rapunzel's mother floating over the door. There was a dark aura surrounding her as her hair went in every direction. "You will not take her away from me again!"

She extended her arm and something shot out, heading right towards me. I dove to the ground, barely dodging the attack, which got stuck in the wall, giving me time to look at it. It seemed like her arm turned into a black blade and she can stretch it as far as she wants.

"I should've killed you when I had the chance!" She yelled. Now I can tell that she is pissed...which I wouldn't have it any other way.

"You wouldn't believe how many times I heard that one." I said as I cracked a smile.

Fake momma growled, giving off a hint that she was losing her sense of humanity. "You're dead brat!" Yep...heard that one too.


Kairi jumped in the air and flames came out of her keyblade and attacked the horn. The Behemoth didn't take it kindly. Once Kairi landed, the Behemoth roared and a ray of light shot out from it's tusks and aimed for Kairi. Sora dove and got Kairi out of the way as the light touched the ground and it exploded.

"That was close..." Sora gasped as soon as they landed. He looked down and checked on Kairi. "Are you okay?"

Kairi's face flushed as she stared at the person who was lying right on top of her. She soon came to her senses and nodded.

"Can you two have your romantic moment later?" Riku yelled as he dodged the Behemoth's giant foot.

Sora jumped to his feet and reached out his hand. "Let's go finish this!" He said with his lovable grin.

Kairi couldn't help but smile back as she grabbed his hand. "Yeah!" She yelled as Sora helped her to her feet.

Sora began running, with Kairi behind him. "Riku! Let's do a Trinity!" He suggested. He saw Riku nodding and getting his keyblade ready. "Alright! BREAK!" The three wielders jumped in the air and attacked the giant horn all at once. The beast was left defenseless with all the attacks.

"MAJOR DRIVE!" Riku yelled as they jumped backwards and shot out Drive Orbs towards the heartless.

"ULTIMA!" Kairi yelled as the trio unleashed a barrage of fireworks, created by magic, at the Behemoth, making it fall. It was on it's last breath.

"Now! TRINITY FINISH!" They all yelled as they crossed their keyblades, concentrating their power. They created a massive ball of energy. They aimed it at the Behemoth. "FIRE!" They released the ball and it exploded once it made contact. Once the dust settled, the Behemoth was nowhere to be found.

"We did it!" Sora and Kairi jumped in the air, cheering for victory, as Riku only raised his fist.

When Kairi landed, she immediately fell to her knees. "That was exhausting..." She sighed.

Sora knelt in front of her. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked.

Kairi felt her temperature rise. "Ye-yeah!" She answered dodging Sora's eyes. "I-I'm fine..." She thought of a way to change the subject. "Hey! Max and Flynn haven't made it back yet!"

"You're right..." Riku said. "Something must've happened..."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sora yelled. "Problem is...how?"

The sound of horses could be heard from behind them. The trio looked at each other and smiled.


"Why are you trying to steal my daughter!" The creepy darkness lady yelled as her blade/hand extended towards me. I barely dodged it by diving forward. When I got to my feet I could feel blood rushing out of my arm.

"She is not your daughter and you know it!" I ran towards her at lightning speed. My fist connected to her face, sending her back a few feet. As she recovered, I jumped in the air and went for a flying kick.

She saw the attack coming, grabbed my foot, and threw me against the wall. Before my body and the wall separated, that witch extended her arm again. I quickly stopped the attack before it stabbed through my stomach. I put the blade through the wall. As she tried to pull it out, I flew towards her and continuously punch her in the face.

"You're just using Rapunzel for your own selfish reasons!" I yelled as I punched her face as it turned black and blue. Normally I wouldn't recommend punching your elders, but this one deserves it!

Fake momma grabbed me by the neck and pinned me to the floor. "You've pissed me off for the last time." She yelled at me. Her blade/arm came back. She positioned it right in front of my face. "Now die!" She started to move her arm forward.

"Stop!" We heard a yell coming from the other side of the room. Rapunzel was standing in front of an injured Flynn. "Stop doing this to them!"

"If I don't stop them here, they're going to steal you away from me again!" The fake mother yelled as her fist clenched around my throat.

"You don't have to do this!" Rapunzel responded. "If you let them live, I'll go with you."

"Rapunzel..." I managed to cough out. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'll never run," She continued, completely ignoring what I just said. "I'll never try to escape, but if you do kill them..." She got to her feet and walk towards the window. "I'll jump and we can both die..." I felt fake momma's grip loosen up and tremble with Rapunzel's deal. "So what's it going to be? Kill them and we all die? Or letting them live and you and I living together forever."

"Rapunzel..." Another voice came out of the previously unconscious Flynn Rider got to his feet. Holding his bloody stomach, he walked towards Rapunzel. "You don't have to do this..." He started to fall. Rapunzel dashed and caught him just before he fell. "You don't have to do this..." He repeated himself.

"Shhh... it's alright..." Rapunzel held Flynn as she started to tear up.

"Rapunzel..." Flynn whispered. He got closer to Rapunzel face. They continued to get closer. Flynn even put his hand on her head...wait... He pushed Rapunzel's head behind him and showed his knife. "I'm sorry!" He yelled as his knife ran through Rapunzel's hair, cutting it short.

"NO!" Fake momma screeched, finally letting go of my neck.

Rapunzel's hair started turning from brightly blonde to darkish brown. Even the hair on the floor started turning brown. The fake mother frantically picked up the hair surrounding her, trying to salvage any of the magic power left. I noticed that her arms started to get wrinkly and her hair started going to go white. She then turned to Flynn, getting her darkened blade ready.

"Die!" She yelled as she extended her arm forward.

"No you don't!" I screamed as I tackled her, sending both of us out of the window. During our little struggle, I noticed that her hands started to turn into dust. I quickly spread my wings and stopped falling. The fake mother, on the other hand, crashed to the ground, but not how you expect it to be. Once the cloth made it to the ground, a cloud of dust surrounded it. As the dust floated away, I could hear horses in the distance.

"Max!" Kairi yelled once she became visible. Her, Sora, and Riku came out of the forest on horseback. Kairi looked at my bloody arm. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'll explain later!" I yelled loud enough so they could hear me. "Just climb up the tower. Flynn's in trouble!"

I dashed back through the window to find Rapunzel, with her new short brown hair, holding Flynn, who wasn't moving. She had his hand on her head and started to sing...but nothing happened. Her hair didn't glow, Flynn's eyes didn't open, his wound didn't disappear... Kairi and the others made it to the to the room and quickly took the atmosphere.

"No..." Kairi whispered as she stared.

"Damn..." Sora cursed under his breath, while Riku looked away.

"Flynn..." Rapunzel whispered his name one more time. I placed my hand on top of her elbow. Our eyes met.

"I'm sorry..." I apologized. "He told me to leave it to him. If I went with him..." I didn't notice at first, but at this point I was crying my eyes out.

I could feel Rapunzel's hand touching mine. "It's okay." She whimpered. I could hear her voice shaking. "It wasn't your fault. If only I stayed in this tower, none of this would've happened." She looked back at Flynn. "I'm sorry." She connected her forehead to Flynn's. I could see a single tear run down her face and landed on Flynn's face. The mood was quiet and depressing.

Until Flynn's started to glow.

Rays of light shot out from his wounds and surrounded the room. The lights made a picture of a flower and his wound started to close. He started to look less pale. And soon, his eyes began to open.

"Rapunzel..." He whispered. Rapunzel couldn't hold back the tears as Flynn stared into her eyes. "Have I ever told you I've got a thing for brunettes?"

Rapunzel couldn't hold herself any longer. She wrapped her arms around him and attached her lips to his. No one in the room could keep a dry eye. I could see even Riku shedding a tear or two.

Suddenly, something above the fireplace started to glow. In the center of a painting was something that looked like a keyhole. I turned to see Sora, Kairi, and Riku smiling as they summoned their keyblades. They aimed at the mysterious keyhole and a beam of light shot out of it. I could hear something lock up as the keyhole slowly disintegrated.

"What was that?" I asked as I made my way towards the three.

"It was the keyhole to the world." Sora answered. "It's the gateway to the heart of the world."

"We have to lock it so the heartless can't destroy it." Kairi added.

"This was why Master Yen Sid sent us on this mission." Riku finished off my little lesson.

"So this was what you three were talking about before..." I whispered. I turned my attention to the two lovebirds who finally finished kissing. "Hey Rapunzel!" I yelled to get their attention. "Let's take you home..."


The king and queen ran down the stairs. They just received news. The news that they were waiting for years to hear. The news that their daughter has finally returned to them.

They opened the door to find six young people standing in front of them. The one with short brown hair walked towards them. The queen stared into her eyes. She had the same big green eyes her daughter has. She touched her face and she knew it was her daughter. She might have a different hair color, but a mother never forgets her child's face.

They wrapped their arms around each other and eventually the king joined in as well. This was their first time in eighteen years that they were together as a family.

They looked the five other companions and opened their arms. The girl with the pink hair forced the other three to join in on this magical moment.


The party continued on as the kingdom rejoiced of the return of the lost princess. The four of us were on our way out of the town before anyone noticed.

"So you're leaving?" Someone behind us asked. We turned around to see Flynn (or Eugene, as is his real name) and Rapunzel. Oh crap... I'm not good at goodbyes.

"Yeah." Sora answered. "It's been fun, but we have to go."

"Will we ever see you again?" Rapunzel asked as tears started to appear under her eyes. It's about to make me cry.

Kairi was ahead of me. She was crying her eyes out already! "Of course!"

"We'll come back and visit." Riku added.

Flynn stared into my eyes, which were holding back the tears. "Thank you... for everything..."

"I barely did anything. I should be the one thanking you." I said with a big smile on my face. "Now you better take care of her. Okay?"

Flynn nodded. "Of course."

"Where are you going?" Rapunzel asked.

"Very far from here." Sora answered. "But we'll always be connected within our hearts." Points for the cheesy speech. "We'll see you again!" He yelled as we started running into the forest. We all waved them goodbye to them and to this world as he head out for a new adventure...

To be continued...

FIRST WORLD COMPLETE! *enter final fantasy victory music here* I'm so excited that I actually made it this far. It was thanks to support of friends, family, and from you guys. Thank you all very much. Expect more chapters soon. Very soon.