Chapter 25: The True Prophecy
Kairi was a mess. She held the sides of Sora's head, still placed in her lap, and her body was hunched forward with her forehead on his chest crying uncontrollable. "Oh Sora… please… come back, wake up… I-I need you… I lo-love you," Kairi said between her sobs.
It all happened at once, or at least, seemed that way to the bystanders. In truth it happened at twice, that is, two instances. The first was Sora and Kairi admitted their love for each other for the first time at the same time, and each having done so to themselves only. The second instant was the one that everyone saw, so the only one they could go by.
Sora's body moved, but not in the slight twitch of a hand that would show him still alive, or the flutter of an eyelid saying he was awake again, his whole body convulsed. His back arched so that he was supported entirely on his heals and the top of his head, which was still on Kairi's lap. Sora's arms were out to the sides at odd angles, flailing slightly and his legs would move digging his heals into the ground. His eyes were wide open and looking straight ahead, seeing nothing, his mouth stretched wide in a never ending silent scream.
Kairi let out a small "eep" when she felt Sora move and was now leaning back, her legs where they were, still supporting Sora's head, her arms were behind her, elbows locked straight and palms on the ground. She was looking at Sora with wide eyes, not believing what she was seeing, was he coming back to her… or was it the last burst of pain before death?
---X---
In the same moment that Sora's vision went black his body convulsed, moving in mirror to he real one with Kairi. His others were quick to stand and get out of his way, and even though his eyes were wide, the only thing he could see was still blackness. Then, as quickly as it all started, it ended and Sora crumpled to the floor.
"Ah! Damn that hurt!" Sora yelled grabbing the back of his head and rolling on the ground slightly.
"Yeah, it looked painful," Truth said.
"Huh? What me hitting my head?" Sora asked getting up.
"Hey! You're standing!" Friendship exclaimed pointing at Sora.
"Wha? Oh yeah!" Sora yelled looking down at himself then at Knowledge.
"No, I don't know what's going on. It's all very confusion," Knowledge said folding his arms.
"No it's not, it's very simple," a voice said from behind Sora, the same one that had just asked him the questions.
Sora spun to see a figure in a brown cloak, "figures," he muttered to himself before asking, "Who are you? And what happened?"
"Oh come now, you still don't know me?" the man sighed, "where do you think you are? Look at the floor," the man said pointing at Sora's feet.
Sora looked down expecting to see the young girl in the white dress, but his eyebrows rose in surprise at what he saw, it was a stain-glass he hadn't seen before, the background was a deep purple and woman in the center had flowing red hair and calm blue eyes. She wore a white dress similar to the little girls in the other stain-glass. Around the edge of the glass were light purple circles with a dark purple image in the center. The images were a pattern of a heart, a key, and a paopu fruit. The woman's hands were folded over her chest and a small chain hung from them, at the end of the chain was the lucky charm Kairi had given Sora which he had returned to her.
Sora moved to stand at her feet so that she was right side up in his view, "Kairi," he said slowly.
"She looks a bit different though," Courage said scratching the back of his head.
"Older," Truth said.
"Yes, she's a full grown woman in the image, the real one's still growing," Knowledge said.
"Beautiful," was all Sora said.
"Yes I know," the man said.
Sora turned to face him, "You're my last other then," Sora said slowly.
"That's right. And I'm the only one who can give you easy hints as to who I am. Lucky thing you came here then huh?" the man asked.
"What's that mean?" Sora asked.
"Whenever you come here involuntarily you arrive at a random platform. We can't go to the same platform as you if you haven't embraced us yet, unless you come to our own," Knowledge said.
"Now, prey tell, do you know my name?" the man asked.
Sora looked at him, then at the image on the floor, "Love… you're name is Love," he said slowly looking back at the man.
"Bravo," the man exclaimed pulling his hood back he looked exactly like Sora. All the others had slight differences, or as in the case of Anger, major ones, but Love looked exactly as Sora did.
Sora had a grim grin on his face, "Perfect timing huh? I figure out I love Kairi at my moment of death," Sora said bleakly.
"It could be no other way," Love said.
"What color you wearing?" Sora asked giving Love a sideways glance.
"Ah, I'll let you know when you cone back," Love said looking up.
"Come back?" Friendship asked completely confused, Sora was in the same boat.
"Yeah, someone seems to be trying to wake you up… a final farewell I suppose," Love said with a slight grin that only Knowledge caught. "You should go back up, while you can… you'll be back again before you die," Love said.
Sora looked at the others, Knowledge nodded at him and Sora returned it before looking back at Love who was still looking up. "I'll definitely be able to come back?" he asked.
Love looked at him, "Why does it matter? I could give you a thousand guesses as to who it is trying to wake you, but you'll only need one. I think she matters more to you that finding out more about me or the others," Love said.
Sora's eyes widened slightly in realization, he nodded and ran past Love, jumping off the platform and headed back to consciousness.
---X---
Mere seconds after Sora's body started its arching convulsion beams of pure white light started to glow from him. Four on his front, four on his back, each beam started at either the entry or exit wound of one of Jack's spikes. Then without any warning the beams stopped and Sora fell back to how he was, Kairi still staring at him wide-eyed.
Slowly she leaned forward again, looking at his face more closely, it was no longer a pale white, his color had returned. Kairi's eyes wandered to the wound nearest where she sat, the blood still wet on his shirt, but she could see the skin underneath was clean and whole.
The tears returned to her eyes, not because of fear or sorrow, but for hope as Kairi slowly reached our and felt for a pulse on Sora's neck. It was there, and it was strong, as if he was just sleeping. Kairi's heart skipped a beat as she pulled her hand away quickly. Taking a deep breath she placed a hand on Sora's shoulder and shook it slightly, "Sora? Sora wake up," she whispered.
Although Kairi barely heard herself it seemed to be loud enough, Sora's eyes fluttered open and he looked up into Kairi's face. "Kairi…KAIRI!" Sora yelled shooting upright and spinning around to face her, his right hand holding hers, his left tentatively touching her face, "Are you okay, where were you hit?" Sora asked, his eyes searching her face?"
"Hit? What are you talking about?" Kairi asked, completely forgetting that moments ago she thought she saw him die.
"There's blood covering your face," Sora said still looking for the wound.
"Oh, it's yours, I'm fine," Kairi said breathing a sight of relief, "and you're alive!" she yelled falling back slightly.
Sora looked down at himself, his entire front was covered in blood, but there were no wounds, "Hey… yeah… how'd you heal me?" Sora asked.
"I…I didn't, you just convulsed then white beams came from the wounds…" Kairi trailed off looking into Sora's eyes.
"Are you sure you're not hurt?" Sora asked cupping her cheek in his hand.
Kairi blushed deeply but the blood covered it, "Yeah, I'm fine, you wouldn't let us fight the Black King remember?" Kairi asked looking down.
"Black King… Jack! Is John still fighting him?" Sora shouted shooting to his feet and turning slightly to look at Jack and John still fighting each other.
Kairi got to her feet behind Sora, "Sora, I-I can't believe… I was so worried… I…"
"I know," Sora said not looking at Kairi.
"Know what?" Kairi asked confused.
"I could hear you… everything but the beginning and end… I heard you pleading," Sora said looking at the ground.
Kairi's heard stopped when he said he heard her, but it started again and she let out a sigh when he said he missed the ending, 'good, he didn't hear me say I loved him,' she thought with a sigh.
"I heard what you said about me fighting and I'm sorry, I really am," Sora said before looking Kairi in the eyes, "But, I already started this one… and once I finished it, I promise you, I wont go out looking for any more," Sora said, there was an odd look to his eyes, a look Kairi had never seen before…could it, no, it couldn't be…love.
Kairi smiled weakly, "Yeah, go on you lazy bum, show 'em what the light's made of."
Sora smiled back, "I'll need to borrow you're keyblade," he said pointing at Kairi's right hand, when he did Destiny's Promise appeared in a white light.
Kairi's smile spread and she handed Sora her keyblade, "I'll just go back to the sidelines then," she said meekly turning to head back to the crater edge.
"Hey Kairi…" Sora called and Kairi turned to see a flash of light fly past her and Way to the Dawn appear in Sora's left hand, "I don't care what anyone says, even the mages… I know what it was that saved me just now," Sora said with a grin.
"You do? What was it?" Kairi asked taking a step towards him.
Sora's grin widened as he raised both keyblades to the sky as he always did to summon a Form. But what Sora said wasn't anything Kairi expected, it wasn't the incantation to any of his forms, she heard them all during their years in training. What Sora said he did so just loud enough so that Kairi could hear him, he didn't care if anyone else did and he shouted, "love."
When Sora shouted a white light came and enveloped him, and when it was gone he stood there before Kairi in a form she had never seen before. The first thing Kairi noticed was the color, it was a deep purple. The blood and holes caused by Jack's spikes were also gone. He still held Riku and Kairi's keyblades, but they weren't the only ones, there were also a few on his back, but Kairi could see which ones or how many, but there were at least four.
Sora looked at Kairi and smiled before turning around, the keyblades on his back reacting to some nonverbal command and instantly spread out. There were six of them, all sticking at a slight upward angle, three on his left, and three on his right. Hovering with its handle just behind Sora's right shoulder was Oathkeeper, and with its handle above Oathkeeper's teeth was Ultima Weapon, and with its handle above Ultima Weapon's teeth was Master Lock. The left side was the same, Oblivion mirroring Oathkeeper, Fenrir mirroring Ultima Weapon and Skeleton Key mirroring Master Lock.
Kairi and everyone at the crater edge watched with wide eyes as Sora transformed and as the keyblades took their place at his back. They folded again and Sora started walking towards Jack, determination etched in his face, "Kairi, hurry up and get back to the others, I don't want you hurt," Sora called back as he walked.
Kairi nodded feebly as she watched Sora walk away, and after a moment started back to the others.
---X---
"He's alive…" Vaxer said.
"Yeah, we've already come to the conclusion, and we've even gotten over that particular hurtle, thanks for joining us in present conversation," Bruxeus said.
"That was a mouthful," Xexox said looking at Bruxeus.
"Yup," was the response Bruxeus gave.
"Of all the colors to have… why purple?" Riku asked with a raised eyebrow.
"What did you expect? Pure white?" a voice called out behind the group.
All heads turned to see who had spoke only to see an old man in white wizard robes. His white hair was down his back and his beard down his chest, his blue eyes looked as though they could show through any darkness. His left hand was clasped around a white walking stick with an intricate carved out design at the top. On the man's right was a beautiful woman in a flowing white dress. Her eyes seemed to glow green and here brown hair reached her shoulders.
"Who're you?" Logan asked.
The white king," Xexox said in slight shock, all four mages were silent and bowing their heads before the newcomers.
"Please dear friends, raise your heads," the woman spoke, a pleasant smile on her face, and at her words all four mages raised their heads.
"You're the white king? You're supposed to be his equal in power?" Spawn asked jabbing a thumb towards the Black King.
"No, I am his equal in authority, in ability. He is more powerful than I, and that is why the boy is fighting," the white king said.
"Why are you here?" Riku asked.
"Ah, we would like to wait until the young lady arrives before we begin explaining," the woman said.
"You're her aren't you?" Bruxeus asked slowly, pointing at the woman.
"Her who?" the woman asked her pleasant smile never fading.
"The…the white queen…" Kairi said form just inside the crater; she had stopped walking once she got a good look at the two.
"Ah, you're here," the woman said with her arms extended towards Kairi as if offering a warm embrace, "come, let me look at you daughter," she said waving her hands towards herself.
"Daughter?!" Riku exclaimed looking back and forth between Kairi and the woman.
But all the woman did was waver her hands towards herself and saying "Come, Come," until Kairi finally started to slowly walk towards her. Kairi stopped in front of the woman, a fearful look on her face, but the woman just kept on smiling, "hmm, not as beautiful as they say…" the woman said as her smile vanished and her face took a focused look as she stared at Kairi, "But this might help," she said touching a finger to Kairi's forehead.
In an instant all the blood and dried tears were gone from Kairi's face, she blinked a few times in reaction to the disappearing. "Wha...do…" she said in confusion looking at the woman.
"There, all better," she said with her smile but it quickly vanished and her face looked focused, "and…" her smile came back, "even more beautiful that they say, though, just as beautiful as he says," the woman said.
"What do yo-you mean daughter?" Kairi finally asked the question she had been trying to get out.
"Oh, nothing literal my dear, you are as much my daughter as any princess of heart, you are all my children," the woman said patting Kairi's hand.
"So… you are the white queen," Kairi said.
"Yes, my name is Sakura, and I am the white queen," the woman said smiling.
"Yes, and I am the white king, my name is Gandalf," the man beside her said.
"Okay and why are you here?" Riku asked again.
"There is only one way to heal someone who received a death blow. And it can only be done at the moment before actually dying, if they are seen as worthy," Vaxer said.
"How does that answer my question?" Riku asked.
"I am the only one who can heal the wound, and I am the one who decides if they are worthy," Sakura said.
"Is that why Sora had to lie there suffering, 'cause it hat to wait 'til the last second?" Riku asked in slight anger.
"No, the boy was not worthy until that last second. And what made him worthy is for him to tell," Gandalf said.
"Is that all you came for?" Bruxeus asked.
"No, I could have done it from the castle… I did… but I wanted to come here, to see my youngest child," Sakura said smiling at Kairi who weakly returned it.
"And I am here because John has entered the fray… and I fear the outcome because of it," Gandalf said.
"What, you mean he is breaking the prophecy? Damn it, I thought he knew something special 'cause he was there when it was given," Xexox said spinning to watch the fight, Jack and John were still evenly matched and were moving away from Sora who was nearly within attack range, neither noticed him.
"No, he is not breaking the prophecy. He was there as you say, and he knows it is not true," Gandalf said grimly.
"What? What do you mean?" Merlin demanded.
"I gave the prophecy, and it has no foreboding features to it at all," Sakura said her smile falling.
"What? Why then?" Yen Sid asked.
"Our reason was to give us time, time to find a way to be sure the next warrior would be able to beat Darkness. It was time we first spent forging the keyblade, then designating destined people to wield it, none could master it…" Sakura said.
"Darkness agreed because it gave him more time to sink his claws into the worlds, to spread out and weaken the light. He personally could never get stronger, and he expected this prophecy to cost us everything, giving too much time, enough for him to siphon us into nothing," Gandalf said somberly.
"Then, if it's all a lie, why are you worried about John?" Kairi asked.
"John… John was the one we thought could destroy Darkness before anything happened. The worlds were still sealed off, it was their battle that broke the seals, and Darkness had just stared forming his minions, the heartless, in his own castle. He was the predecessor to the keyblade bearers; he was the predecessor to the keyblades themselves.
"But he couldn't do it. Either John wasn't strong enough or Darkness was too strong, but the fight ended in a draw. It was after that when the four of us gathered for the prophecy to be given. We didn't know of the heartless until afterwards, and we made sure the keyblade could destroy them. But before that, before the prophecy was given, rather, before Darkness arrived so the prophecy could be given…" Gandalf stopped and looked at Sakura who nodded.
"There was a real prophecy given that day, and only we three heard it, and only we three were to ever know of it… we can tell you all now, because this is the end, win or lose. If all of us charge now we will lose, because we will all get in each others way, if John and the boy fail, we all are not enough to stop Darkness.
"I told John that… Darkness will not, and can never be defeated as long as he, John, is able to fight him. It is why John went into that room and pit, to escape being able to fight. But all along there was another way out. I even sent Gilgamesh there to be sure John wouldn't leave, though, I could never tell him why. That is what we fear… because those words were not false, I do not know how they came to me, I've never given a true prophecy before or since… but that was one," Sakura said looking at Kairi the whole time she spoke.
"Why did he come then?" Tim finally asked.
"He didn't enter his seclusion until after the keyblade was finished, he knew about it in completeness. He knew you would send the boy to fight, ready or not, and he knew it was in following the prophecy, which he knew was a lie. And he knew Darkness would act on it regardless, meaning that when the boy died I would fall at his hands soon after…" Gandalf said.
"So, he left in hopes that his time spent training others made him better too, and that maybe he could take out the Black King," Riku said.
"No, he knew he couldn't, he left in hopes of weakening Darkness enough for the boy to finish it," Gandalf said.
If you'd all turn and look, that epic battle you're all placing the fate of everything on is about to end," Logan said pointing in the crater. All eyes turned to watched the conclusion of the fight, some angry with themselves for missing it up until then.
Riku's eyes widened as he realized what he saw, "You can save him right? At the last moment before death, he's worthy isn't he?" Riku demanded looking back at Sakura.
Sakura's face was somber as she slowly shook her head, "No… no matter how worthy someone is, I can not save them twice," she said as a tear escaped her eyes.
---X---
AN: YES the battle with Sora in his new form will happen, in its entirety (or very close to it) in the next chapter. And sorry about that cliff hanger… but not really...
And the new comers:
Gandalf - Lord of the Ring
Sakura - you'll have to wait a bit longer, though some of you may have figured it out.
Just so you know, Gandalf was the last of the suggested people, thanks again to all who contributed.
A side note, I do have the possibility for a sequel, it happening will be completely left up to you readers. If I do it the lead off for it will happen at the end of the last chapter here, so you have all that time to vote, I'll keep the reminders up.
Happy readings-