Chapter 36: Remnant vs Nobody
Hey everyone I'm back. Two chapters finished in one day I'm on a roll. Roxas and the team learn a big lesson in how strong they really are as well as what the difference between him and an experienced Keyblade wielder is. This idea came to me by DARKPHANTOM13, I hope you like it. Please review and enjoy.
At Yen Sid's tower Yen Sid and Mickey were looking at the reports Roxas and Namine have been sending.
"Mickey what is the progress with the others?" Yen Sid asks.
"Lea and Kairi are training hard under the supervision of Merlin and Riku and Sora are getting stronger as well." Mickey said.
"Excellent." Yen Sid said as Mickey looks at the report from Roxas and Namine.
"Roxas and his team from Ever After are doing good as well each one of them is getting stronger and Roxas is showing Namine, Ashlynn and Alistair how to use a keyblade." Mickey said impressed.
"Yes, but I'm afraid even with their progress they have barely scratched the surface of the powers of the keyblade even with Roxas' ability to dual wield." Yen Sid said.
"But Master Yen Sid what can we do the only other keyblade wielders are elsewhere?" Mickey asks worried.
Yen Sid's hands start to glow, and an image of the Keyblade Graveyard appears.
"I assume you remember this place Mickey." Yen Sid said.
Mickey nods sadly. "How could I possibly forget."
"Yes, but what you don't know is Sora went there once and found something." Yen Sid said.
"He did? But what?" Mickey asks surprised.
"Something that can give not just Roxas, but all the students of Ever After High the drive to get stronger than they ever thought. Something that we thought was lost to us forever." Yen Sid said touching the image of the Graveyard.
On the Tempest the map was showing the exact spot where Yen Sid touched, and everyone was shocked.
"The Keyblade Graveyard? What in the name of fairy godmother could Yen Sid want us to go there for?" Apple said.
"I don't know, but he wouldn't tell us to go there if it wasn't important." Namine said.
"He said it would help all of us, but he wanted me, Namine, Alistair, and Ashlynn to really pay attention." Roxas said.
"Well maybe it's like a history lesson, maybe he wants you understand more about the keyblade." Dexter suggests.
"Well whatever it is I hope we can find it." Cerise said.
"Don't worry when it comes to Hide and Seek I'm the best." Maddie smiles.
"What if we have to fight something?" Darling asks.
"So, what? If we do, we'll beat it easy like everything else we've faced." Daring said.
"Don't worry Roxas whatever is at this place we have got your back." Raven said.
"Yeah we got this." Roxas smiles.
"Here we are we're about to land." Ginger said.
Walking out everyone saw barren lands and cliffs all around them.
"Wow this place looks like it's seen better days." Briar said as a cloud of dust flew by them.
"Let's just keep our eyes open for anything." Roxas said putting his hood over his head to shield him from the dust.
Walking along the cliffs everyone looked around for anything that might help them.
"I think anything that ever lived here is long gone." Ramona said.
"You all might want to see this." Holly points.
They all look to see a large clump of something in the distance.
"What are those?" Lizzie asks.
"They look like weapons." Kitty said.
"Not weapons…keyblades." Roxas said.
Arriving they find rows upon thousands maybe millions of rusted old keyblades all around them.
"Sweet Fairy Tale." Rosabella said.
"Look at all of them." Apple said.
"Did all these keyblades belong to people?" Poppy said shocked.
Daring walks up to one. "These certainly don't look like the ones you four use."
"It's cause their original wielders are gone, they have no powers left in them at all." Namine said.
"Keyblades of light and darkness." Roxas said looking around remembering the memory he saw of Terra, Ventus and Aqua facing Vanitas and Xehanort. "I wonder what happened to them?" Roxas asks looking around.
Dexter looks towards the cliffs and notices something. "Hey guys I think I see someone."
Everyone turns to Dexter curious.
"Where?" Hunter asks.
"Over there." Dexter points.
Walking ahead Roxas, Ashlynn, Alistair and Namine walk up to what Dexter saw with everyone else right behind them.
As a cloud of dust appears in front of them. When it goes away they see it was a suit of armor. Kneeling against a keyblade that has a textured, dark brown color, with brass edges. The hand guard is blue and forms a wing-like shape. The armor itself was orange, gold and black with two red prongs on both sides of the helmet.
"Who's that?" Bunny asks.
"And what's he doing just kneeling down in a place like this?" Cupid asks as Roxas, Alistair, Ashlynn and Namine approach him.
"Look at that armor." Holly said.
"Uh hello?" Ashlynn said.
"Aqua…Ven." It said getting Roxas' attention.
"How do you know them?" Roxas asks summoning Flames of Union.
"A Keyblade? You seem familiar why is that?" The armor said as Namine, Alistair and Ashlynn ready their keyblades.
"Who are you? Are you with Xehanort?" Namine asks.
"Xe…hanort. Xehanort!" It roars standing up. Picking up its Keyblade the Lingering Will readies itself.
"Let's go!" Roxas said determined to win.
Throwing his Keyblade at them a flash of light appears, and everyone sees the Lingering Will charging on a bike like vehicle.
"Where did that come from?!" Cedar asks as the 4 keyblade wielders jumped out of the way.
Turning around they see the bike turn back into a keyblade.
"Wait? Keyblades can turn into vehicles?!" Ashlynn said surprised.
"How is that possible?" Namine asks.
"What is this thing?" Alistair asks as the Lingering Will slams his keyblade into the ground shooting pillars of rocks sending Roxas flying backwards.
"Roxas!" Apple panics.
Turning to face him Namine, Alistair and Ashlynn charge ready to strike it down.
Coming at it from three different angles the Lingering Will holds his own blocking their attacks with ease.
Jumping into the air the Lingering Will swoops in and slashes Namine reputedly sending her falling to the ground.
"Namine! You'll pay for that!" Ashlynn and Alistiar charge but the Lingering Will turns his Keyblade into the bike form again and rams into them sending them crashing to the ground.
"Ashlynn!" Hunter said horrified.
"Come on! We gotta help!" Daring draws his sword as he, Hunter, Sparrow, Cerise and Ramona charged.
Looking up the Lingering Will looks to see Cerise jumping down to deliver a powerful kick, but it grabbed her leg and throws her backwards sending her crashing into some boulders.
Seeing this Ramona growls in anger. "Oh, you are dead!" Ramona charges with her claws out about to slash the armor to pieces but the Lingering Will raises his Keyblade and from it blasts of light shoot out. Ramona runs to dodge them, but the Lingering Will used them as a distraction giving him the opening to swing his keyblade into Ramona sending her flying backwards.
Hunter and Sparrow fire multiple arrows, but they all bounce off its armor dealing little to no damage.
"What the heck is that thing made of?" Hunter said as the Lingering Will jumps into the air and dashes towards them both delivering powerful strikes to them.
Daring charges with his sword, but the Lingering Will swings his Keyblade shattering Daring's sword before delivering a powerful hit to the gut knocking the wind out of him.
Running to Roxas Apple and Briar takes out her staff. "Cura!" A green light surrounds Roxas as he slowly gets back up.
"Apple, Briar? What's going on?" Roxas groans.
"Roxas you have to do something; this guy is going to kill us." Apple said in fear.
"That thing is a monster!" Briar yells.
Looking over he sees Raven, Lizzie, Melody and Cupid firing Magic, croquet balls, Music notes and arrows.
"Bladecharge." The Lingering Will's Keyblade glows bright as long blade of light extends from it. With one powerful swing it cuts through the attacks and sends a blast of light knocking the four girls unconscious.
Seeing most of his friends on the ground in pain Roxas slowly gets back up. "Get Dexter, tell him to have Ginger bring the Tempest over then get everyone inside." He groans.
"What about you?" Apple asks worried.
Summoning the Flames of Union and the Hand of Fate a serious expression appears on his face.
"I'm going to knock that tin can down a peg!" Roxas yells charging.
"Roxas no!" Briar calls out in fear.
As the Lingering Will was approaching the others Roxas jumps in and delivers a powerful strike knocking it back.
"Dexter call Ginger!" Roxas yells.
"R-Right!" Dexter said reaching for his Mirror Phone.
"Alright time to get serious, Heat Drive!" Roxas yells as his clothes turn to the color of flames.
Throwing Flames of Union, it surrounds itself with flames. Holding up his Keyblade the Lingering Will takes the attack and skids backwards.
Roxas yells as he charges swinging both Keyblades aggressively trying to take him down.
As they fought Ginger landed the Tempest behind them and run out.
"Hurry everyone get inside!" Ginger yells.
"Come on we got to help everyone inside!" Darling said as they all ran towards their friends and began helping them into the ship.
"Firaga!" Roxas fires a giant ball of fire, but the Lingering Will counters with wave of rocks resulting in the two attacks destroying each other.
Charging at him Roxas swings Hand of Fate hitting the Lingering Will stunning it with his Keybalde's effect.
"Gotcha!" Roxas yells using this opening to slam both his keyblades into the Lingering Will sending it flying back into a cliff.
Recovering the Lingering Will looks to see Roxas charging at him.
"Zantetsuken." It said moving faster than the eye could see delivering a powerful strike to Roxas stopping Heat Drive and causing Roxas to fall to the ground.
The Lingering Will turns to finish him off but stops in place. Seeing him with his hood down the Lingering Will sees his face. "Ven…" It said sounding shocked.
Walking towards him Roxas tries to summon any of his keyblades but was too tired. Fear engulfs Roxas thinking this might be the end.
Holding up his keyblade to his face the Lingering Will summons a ball of light that goes towards Roxas.
It approaches him and Roxas sees something from it.
From the light Roxas sees Terra facing Xehanort at the top of the cliffs. The two of them battled fiercely until Terra gaining the upper hand knocks Xehanort to his knees.
Terra approaches Xehanort to finish him off when a flash of light shoots into the sky causing the ground to shake.
"There, you see?" Xehanort points causing Terra to turn around. "The X-Blade has been forged!"
"Ven!" Terra said horrified when Xehanort stands back up.
"And now, Terra, it is time for the final union!" Xehanort said pointing his own keyblade at his heart.
"What?" Terra said turning around.
"At last our moment is here. Out with the old and brittle vessel, and in with a younger, stronger, new one!" Xehanort said as an orb forms in front of him.
Terra looks in shock at what was happening.
"I swore I would survive and be there to see what awaited beyond the Keyblade War! And now it is your darkness that shall be the arc that sustains me!" Xehanort said shooting the orb at Terra.
Terra reaches towards his shoulder changing into the Lingering Will as the orb hits him.
The armor falls to the ground in pieces as Xehanort succeded in taking Terra's body changing his hair to Silver and his skin changed to bright tan mimicking Xehanorts.
"This heart once again belongs to darkness. All worlds begin in darkness and also end. The heart is no different. Darkness sprouts within it, it grows it consumes. In the end, every heart returns to the darkness from whence it came." Terra-Xehanort grins summoning his keyblade and walking away.
Roxas snaps out of the memory and looks to the Lingering Will. "Terra? You're Terra." Roxas said as it nods its head. "I don't believe this…Xehanort took your body, he took everything from you so he could live on he's…he's a monster how could he do such a thing?"
"Ven." It said putting his hand on Roxas' shoulder.
"Terra...I'm not Ventus, but I promise you I'm going to find a way to get you back your body. Xehanort is going to pay." Roxas vows.
"I sense your power in all of them, don't give up." It said before putting his Keyblade into the ground and back into his kneeling position.
Roxas slowly gets up. "I promise Terra I'll get stronger no matter what."
Back at the Tempest everyone was looking around for Roxas so they could leave.
"Roxas! Roxas!" Maddie yells.
"Roxas where are you?!" Poppy yells.
Looking over Apple sees Roxas slowly limping in pain towards them.
"Roxas!" Apple runs over to him just as he was about to fall to the ground. "Please, please be okay." Apple begged.
Looking at him Apple saw bruises all over him causing Apple to gasp in horror. "Hang on Roxas I'll get you inside." Apple said wrapping his arm around his shoulder as they made their way inside.
Putting him down on one of the beds Roxas turns to see most of his friends in almost as much pain as he was.
"Oh man that hurts." Sparrow groans holding his shoulder.
"Anything fatal?" Namine asks as Briar used Cura on her.
"No, just in a lot of pain." Holly said wrapping bandages around Hunter.
"Roxas what was that thing?" Poppy asks.
"That…was a real Keyblade wielder." Roxas said sitting up.
"But so are you." Maddie said.
"Are you kidding? That thing nearly killed us all. It's on a totally different level." Raven groaned.
"We all better get some rest this has not been a good day for us." Darling sighs.
Laying in bed Roxas looks at all his friends. "Everyone I'm sorry."
"For what?" Melody asks.
"I brought you all on this adventure and I almost got you all killed today." Roxas said.
"Look Roxas nobody is perfect, so we had a bad day big deal." Cerise said.
"I'm just sorry we all got beaten so easily." Namine said.
"Yeah that thing really knew how to use a keyblade." Alistair said.
"I thought all of us were really strong when we worked together, but I guess we have a long way to go." Ashlynn said.
"Does anyone know who that guy in the armor was?" Briar asks.
Roxas nods. "I did…it was Terra or what's left of him."
"Left of him?" Dexter asks curiously.
Roxas reaches into his pocket and pulls up the communicator so he could reach Yen Sid.
As it glowed a projection of Yen Sid appeared in the room.
"I take it you all found what was waiting in the Graveyard." Yen Sid said noticing the condition of most of them.
"Master why did you send us all there? We didn't stand a chance." Namine asks.
"Yes, and that is why I sent you all there." Yen Sid said surprising them.
"Wait why would you send us to a battle we would lose?" Rosabella asks.
"All of you have made good progress helping Roxas, but I'm afraid compared to Sora and the others it is not enough. The enemy grows stronger and you all need to do the same. You all have barely scratched the surface of your true potential." Yen Sid said.
"True Potential?" Roxas asks.
"Roxas in your battle did you notice the things your enemy was able to do with his keyblade?" Yen Sid asks.
"Yeah, he turned his keyblade into a bike and in the memory, I saw he was able to create that armor, not to mention lots of powerful attacks." Roxas said.
"Yes, Keyblade Warriors have the power to unlock all those things, but you must get stronger you need the drive that makes someone a true keyblade wielder." Yen Sid said.
Roxas looks towards Yen Sid with a serious expression. "If that's the case I'll train harder than I've ever trained before."
Hearing this everyone in the room even Yen Sid smiled.
"Well you're not doing this alone." Raven said.
"Yeah we can't let the fact that we lost to a suit of armor hang over our heads." Ramona said.
"Roxas I recorded everything that happened, maybe by studying how it fought we can figure out how you can unlock it." Blondie said.
"As soon as I get myself a new sword Roxas I'll be up and ready." Daring said holding up the broken sword handle.
"I wish you all the best of luck, but for now return to Ever After and heal your wounds." Yen Sid said disappearing.
Looking out the window Roxas sees the Keyblade Graveyard fading away as they flew farther and farther from it.
'Hang on Terra once I get stronger I'm going to get you back your body even if I have to battle Xehanort himself for it.' Roxas thought.
Yes they all got their butts kicked big time, but people learn a lot more from failure than success. This is going to give everyone the drive to become stronger than ever, but don't think the worlds stop cause Roxas will be going to another school soon. It's what lots of you have been asking for.
Here's a hint: We are Monsters! We are Proud! We are Monsters! Sing it loud!