They went to Traverse Town and gathered with Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie in the Small House in the Third District.
"Tell me what happened." Leon said.
They recounted the events of Hollow Bastion.
"So the darkness is flowing out of that Keyhole..." Leon said.
"No wonder there are more and more Heartless everywhere. The only way to stop them is—" Aerith was cut off.
"Seal the Keyhole, right?" Sora asked.
"Maybe. But no one knows what will happen once it's sealed." Leon said.
"Well, we can't just stay here. We have to do something. I've got a friend back there." Sora said.
"That's right. You have one more friend to worry about. Riku's Keyblade must have been born of the captive princesses' hearts—just like that Keyhole you saw." Leon said. He looked up at Kairi. "Of course, without Kairi's heart, it remained incomplete. Once that Keyblade was destroyed, the princesses' hearts should have been freed. Don't worry, Sora. If anyone can save your friend, you can."
"Not sure why, but the Heartless are getting stronger. New types of Heartless are popping up all over the place! If anything happens to us, I know we can count on you, Sora." Yuffie said.
"Even in your Heartless form, I knew it was you." Kairi said.
"I thought the Keyhole would strength the darkness. I mean the darkness is strong, but still... It's almost as if someone is holding the darkness back." Aerith said.
"It seems the other princesses have been freed as well. Jasmine apparently hasn't returned to Agrabah. I suspect the others are still in the castle, too." Leon said.
Sora spoke to Aerith.
"Do you remember seeing a man with spiky hair at the coliseum?" Aerith asked.
"Yup." Sora replied.
"I wonder if he's still searching for his friend? Sora. If you see him, please tell him to be careful. He's not that friendly, but we all care about him dearly." Aerith said.
They found Cid in the First District.
"Cid, we need to go back to Hollow Bastion." Sora said.
"I don't think I can let you do that, kid. The Heartless there are multiplying by the minute. They'd eat your ship up." Cid said.
"Then what can we do?" Ethan asked.
"Simple. Go around 'em instead of through. Install a new navigation gummi and take a new route." Cid replie.d
"A new gummi? From where?" Sora asked.
"The secret waterway. When I came here 9 years ago, I stored it there in case I ever needed it. Never thought a group of kid would be the one to use it!"
Sora, Ethan, Chilled, Fate, Donald, and Goofy entered the Secret Waterway, seeing Kairi there. She stared down the cave to a painting of the sun.
"What a mysterious mural... It's almost hypnotizing." Kairi said. Sora walked up to the mural, which started to glow. It changed into a crescent moon and a small gummi block floated out of it, landing in Sora's hands. Sora returned to Kairi.
"Let's go back and join the others. We should rest up." Sora said.
"Okay." Kairi stared at the mural of the moon as Ethan, Chilled, Fate, Donald and Goofy left the 2 alone. "A light at the end of the tunnel..."
"Oh, your grandma's story, right?" Sora asked.
"That's right. We were together." Kairi replied.
"You know what's funny? I looked everywhere for you, but you were with me all along. Finally, we're together, Kairi." Sora said. He walked closer to her. "Now, it's time to get Riku back."
"You think it'll ever be the same again between us? I overheard about Ethan, Chilled and Fate being from not only another world, but a whole other dimension. Not to mention, Riku's lost his..."
"When I turned into a Heartless, you saved me, remember? I was lost in the darkness. I couldn't find my way. As I stumbled through the dark, I started forgetting things—my friends, who I was. The darkness almost swallowed me. But then I heard a voice—your voice. You brought me back."
"I didn't want to just forget about you, Sora. I couldn't."
"That's it! Our hearts are connected." Sora put a hand to his chest. "And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness. I saw that light. I think that's what saved me. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it's more than just a fairy tale."
"Well, let's go."
"You can't go."
"Why not?"
"Because it's way too dangerous."
Kairi stood with her hands behind her back.
"Come on, Sora. We made it this far by sticking together. You can't go alone." Kairi said.
"Kairi, even if we're apart, we're not alone anymore. Right?" Sora asked.
"I can't help?"
"You'd kind of be in my way." Sora chuckled. Kairi giggled.
"Okay. You win." She grabbed his hand and gave him something. "Take this." He looked down, seeing a star-shaped keychain made of seashells. "It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me."
"Don't worry. I will." Sora said.
"Promise?" Kairi asked.
"Promise."
"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."
Words echoed down a dark and lonely road.
"Sora... Kairi... I'm sorry..." Riku walked alone in the darkness. "Is this the afterworld?" He stumbled forward and his form shimmered. "I'm not ready. Not yet. Not until I see Sora and Kairi one last time... And... I want to see Ethan, Chilled and Fate..."
He heard a voice in the abyss.
"Riku, can you hear me? We'll be there soon."
He whirled around.
"Who is that?" Riku asked.
"We have the other Keyblade—the one that belongs to this world."
Riku looked around, confused.
"We've been trying to get through to you, but the darkness in your heart kept us away."
"Who are you? What's happened to me?"
"Your heart won the battle against the darkness, but it was too late for your body. That's why you're here—in this place of darkness where hearts are gathered."
"So what do I do?" He looked ahead down the winding road.
"The Door of Darkness will open soon, but it's a door we can't enter. It has to be closed from both sides. To do this, you need two keys and two hearts. Maybe you're here for the same reason we are. Maybe it was fate."
"Fate, huh? You seem to know everything, don't you? Then tell me: Are Sora and Kairi okay? And Ethan, Chilled and the Fate I know?"
"We know that Fate, too!" A female voice yelled, although it seemed a little distant.
An image of Sora ran toward him out of the darkness.
"Don't you feel the echoes of their hearts? You already know the answer. Look inside your own heart." The first voice replied. Riku opened his eyes.
"Okay."
Sora, Ethan, Chilled, Fate, Donald, and Goofy returned to the First District and gave Cid the navigation gummi.
"You found it? All right, I'll go fix up your ship."
"All set! You can get going any time. Kids, I gotta say, I wish you didn't have to face all this danger. Don't get cocky just 'cause you've been there before. That castle's probably crawling with 'em now..." Cid said.
"Would you watch over Fate for me?" Ethan asked. Fate turned to him.
"Oh, NO! We are not playing this game, Ethan! I'm going with you!" Fate said firmly.
"But..." Ethan trailed off.
"No excuses! What am I supposed to do, sit around? Forget it. I'm going, and that's final!"
"You can't fight against that." Chilled reminded. Ethan sighed, looking down at Fate, who had her arms crossed.
"You said it yourself, we're partners." Fate said.
"Fine! You're so stubborn, it makes me wonder..." Ethan said. They smiled at each other.
Sora, Ethan, Chilled, Fate, Donald, and Goofy traveled to the Olympus Coliseum to compete in the Hades Cup, just to get some training in. They fought in 39 seeds of the tournament, when Hades appeared in the arena.
"Yo, hey, how're you doin' everybody, yeah. Got a minute? Hades, Lord of the Dead. Nice to see you. Hey, guess what? I got a place for you down under!"
Hades hovered around the arena, shooting fireballs at Sora, Ethan, Chilled,Fate, Donald, and Goofy. Donald responded with Blizzaga spells, which knocked him back.
"Feel the heat..."
He turned red, stretching his arms out and sending large torrents of flame out from them. He spun around, trying to hit them. Sora casted an Aero spell on everyone and dodge rolled through the flame. Goofy held his shield in front of him as Hades slammed his arms down sending fire onto him. Sora sent another Blizzaga spell at Hades and he reeled back.
"That all you've got?"
Hades sent another stream of fire out from his hands, knocking out Donald. Fate responded by using a wide-range healing spell to heal her team. Goofy threw his shield, hitting Hades in the head.
"That's it!"
He threw another fireball at Goofy, but Sora dashed in front of him, blocking it with his Keyblade, which sent the fireball straight back at Hades. The god of the Underworld fell unconscious and Sora delivered a string of blows with his Keyblade, followed by Ethan and Chilled using their own attacks as Hades regained consciousness. Hades was sent flying back into the hypogeum. He stood up and shook in fear.
"Oh! Hey, kid, wh-what are you doing?" He struggled in the darkness as something was set loose on him. "Stop! Hey, guys! G-Get away from me! Come on! Come on!" The gates of the hypogeum clamp shut as roars were heard from beyond.
Later, the final match of the Hades Cup began as a large stone creature, the Rock Titan, smashed into the arena. It's 2 heads looked down on them with one objective. It moved towards Sora, Ethan, Chilled, Fate, Donald, and Goofy, towering over them, sending shockwaves through the arena floor. Sora sent his Keyblade through the air, attacking the titan's feet. Eventually, it fell on it's back, it's heads vulnerable to attack. Sora climbed on top of the titan and striked them with Graviga spells. They tried to swing at him and he dodged backward. The Rock Titan stood back up, lifting it's arms. It slammed them down into the ground, creating an enormous shockwave through the earth. Sora stumbled under the titan as it lifted it's strong rocky leg.
"Sora!"
Donald sent a Cura spell, healing Sora, and Goofy charged forward at full speed, knocking Sora out of the way of the titan's foot as it came crashing down. Goofy fell unconscious as the Rock Titan roared into the air. Sora glared at the creature and felt energy welling up inside him. He striked it's leg, knocking it over once again as Donald and Fate both pulled Goofy to safety. Sora jumped on top of it and sent out a flurry of attacks, followed by Ethan and Chilled, until the Rock Titan crumbles. Sora covered his eyes as dust blew everywhere as Goofy was healed. Sora looked around, hearing a rumbling sound as the air grew cold. A large icy hand smashed onto the wall of the arena, shortly followed by another, before the towering Ice Titan reared it's ugly head over the wall. Sora backed away slowly and the titan slammed it's foot down onto the floor of the arena, spreading it's icy power along the floor. It roared at them, staring at them through emotionless eyes, blowing icy wind through the air. It began shooting ice shards at the group, causing Donald to send back Fira spells. Goofy deflected the ice with his shield, forcing the titan to fall to it's knees. Sora moved in and delivered a string of blows to the titan's head. It roared again and sent a flurry of ice shards at everyone. Donald casted Aerora on the group and Sora sent Fira spells at the monster. It hissed as the ice shards expanded larger when hitting the shields of wind surrounding them. An icy mist surrounded Sora and before he could move, he was frozen on the spot. The Ice Titan stomped on the ground, moving closer to him, sending shockwaves through it's feet.
"Karyūnohōkō!"
Chilled sent a fire roar at Sora, breaking him out of the ice in time to slam his Keyblade into the foot of the Ice Titan. It clamped it's hands onto it's head, slowly shrinking, surrounded by a dense cold air. It punched it's foot into the ground, but it's leg broke and the ice in the ground dissipated. It stared confused, hearing a set of rumbling sounds. It looked up, seeing Sora towering over him, and reeled back in fear. Sora moved to step on it, but it fell over just in time to miss his giant foot. The creature ran away, trailing dust, and jumped through the gate at the end of the arena. The 6 celebrated as Hades grumbled behind the gate of the hypogeum. Donald jumped up, sending a Blizzaga spell at Hades's hair, blowing out the flame much to the god's surprise.
Sora held the Hades Cup trophy and looked over to a smiling Hercules as Phil laughed proudly.