A/N: Living Nightmare is mysterious all right. I wonder if Ventus knows anything about it since the boy feels some kind of connection. The Keyblade War would be quite an interesting tournament wouldn't you all agree? If you guys wonder what's going to be the 50th round, you will soon find out.
World: Mirage Arena/Radiant Garden
After my battle against Living Nightmare, the rest of the tournament returns to normal. The next nine rounds are pretty difficult. Rounds 41-44 are a tough horde of Heartless, Nobodies and Unversed. There is no boss fight on round 45, but on rounds 45-49, are countless enemies. Endless waves of the dark forces. Each round more difficult then the last.
It's no wonder no one was able to defeat this round, and they haven't reached the real difficult ones, even though Skull Reaper was pretty intense.
The nine rounds lasts for two hours. Leon and the gang are getting on the edge of their seats with every round I conquer. I have finally reached to the final match. Round fifty.
"It's about time! I was getting edgy!" Cid says.
"I'm actually surprised he made it this far." Leon says.
"So am I. Seems just yesterday he can barely make a strike. Now look at him." Aqua says.
Right now, I'm all alone on the field. I just stand there in silence. I close my eyes and looks down, releasing a sign through my nose. I grab my Wayfinder. I think about Aqua. The very image of her in a coma on a hospital bed plagues my mind. A tear slides down my eye.
Aqua catches that and slightly gasps. "Is...he okay?"
Serah gets a close look as well. "I think he's probably thinking about you." Serah turns her attention to Aqua. "He doesn't know you're awake."
After a moment, I shake my head. "No...I must focus." I say. I summon my Keyblades, Royal Heart first then Black Angel second.
Serah is surprise. "Oh my. He's going dual-wielding on this round. Without even using his Wayfinder magic or that Twilight's Dawn power."
"My, my. Sounds like the boy's getting serious." Merlin says.
I position myself. So far, there's nothing, then something appears. There's a χ-blade, Royal HeartX, in the middle. I raise an eyebrow and humphed in question. Then an armored man with the cross LeiShen shield appears. This man is in the same armor as my father, even its head and face is protected. The man grabs the χ-blade by the hilt and pulls it out of the ground, positions itself. Weather it's a mirage or not, I'm facing my own father.
Heart's Champion.
I'm surprised. I did not except to see this. Leon and the others are taking notice. "I've never seen anything like that." Cloud says.
"This guy is even wielding a χ-blade." Ventus says.
Noel crosses his arms. "Nothing less I except for a final round in the impossible tournament."
We stand frozen in position, after a while, I start charging at Heart's Champion. I make the first strike, only to be blocked by the shield. I keep striking at my opponent, each attack blocked. After my seventh strike, it counter attacks, but I avoiding by leaping back.
We both rush towards to each other. The second I'm in range, Heart's Champion strikes me right in the stomach, with its shield. That kicked some air right out of my lungs. I even earned some 'Oohs' from everyone at Merlin's. Even Riku said "That's gotta hurt."
I fall back from the attack, laying on the ground struggling to breath. When I recover, I start to get up. "He...attacks with his shield?" I ask.
I get back on my feet, then we both charge at each other at high speed. We're on a locked combat, constantly attacking, parrying, dodging and blocking each others attacks. I start attacking faster, when I do, Heart's Champion attacks becoming less likely to happen and starts focusing on blocking with its shield.
Leon and the others are watching closely. To them, I'm attacking so fast they can't see my Keyblades. Serah clinches her fists and they shake. "Come on, big brother! This is the final round!"
"Finish him!" Terra cheers.
"Show us your guts!" Tifa shouts.
My attacks start to be able to hit Heart's Champion. The battle goes on the next half hour. I'm even start to reach my limits and the fight is barely over. Heart's Champion starts to weaken as well. That's when it starts to become stronger. Heart's Champion comes at me with a burst of speed, striking at me. I do swift dodges and deflect parrying.
Heart's Champion enhances his χ-blade with light and does powerful strikes. I get hit with most of them. Heart's Champion sends me in the air, jumps high. I recover midair and parry each of its attacks, up to the tenth strike when it starts hitting me hard.
Heart's Champion impales his weapon into my shoulder, which earns gasps from everyone, then tosses me straight to the ground. I scream then I slam hard the ground I land shatters and seeps in.
I lay on the ground, beaten down. I struggle to get up, only to shortly collapse back to the ground. "Come on, man! You're tougher then that!" Cid shouts.
I look up. Heart's Champion draws its χ-blade back, enhancing and charge in radiant light. I just look down then lay my head, a sign of giving up.
"No...he can't give up." Serah says.
Aqua is most surprised. She should know me well for me to not give up. Aqua takes out her Wayfinder, looking down at it. She slowly closes it in her hands and closes her eyes.
My side of the fight is not too bright either either. Even after all Serah and Aqua said to me, I am still Hopeless. I'm not drowning in despair over my family and people anymore, but I still mourning over Aqua's coma.
Heart's Champion is fully charged on its attack then does Radiant Crash, diving hard towards me.
I accept my defeat on this tournament. Just then, my Wayfinder glows. I gasp in surprise and it feels like everything around me is frozen. I know this feeling from the Wayfinder. I've felt it enough times in the Realm of Darkness to realize it. Usually, I'm calling to it, but instead...it's called to me.
"Aqua...she's...she's awake." I whisper.
She's awake...and she's probably watching my fight right now. Heart's Champion draws closer and closer, until it smashes and unleashes a blast of light and smoke. Everyone is on their feet, gasping. They glue their eyes onto the screen.
The light and smoke starts to clear, to their surprise, even Heart's Champion, the attack missed my head by a few inches. I look serious and offfensive at my opponent, then kick him hard knocking him back.
I get back on my feet, glaring at Heart's Champion. Leon and the others are surprise to see this. I point Royal Heart on my opponent. "I will not give up...I won't back down!" I shout. "Not while she's watching...Not Aqua!"
Aqua, Terra, Ventus and Serah are all shocked to hear that. "He...he knows?" Terra asks.
"Apparently." Ventus says.
I start powering up, much like how I did back in the Realm of Darkness against Ragnarok, then unleash it all, entering Twilight's Dawn. Aqua is amazed at the sight of this. "Whoa!"
I rush towards Heart's Champion. Heart's Champion rushes towards me as well. When we're close, we start attacking swift and powerful. Heart's Champion blocks every attack I place on him. With each attack, I strike faster. Eventually, Heart's Champion ends up with only blocking.
For my final blow, my Keyblades are enhanced in Twilight Energy, then unleash Starburst Stream. Each attack is blocked, and the final X strike drills hard on the shield. An intense force is unleashed from the impact. The shield holds it well until it cracks and shatters. Heart's Champion is knocked back when the shield broke.
Everyone at Merlin's is shocked. "He...destroyed that shield?"
I forge my two Keyblades into a χ-blade. We are both positioned and then attack. Heart's Champion can only parry and strike now. My attacks grows vicious. I plant my attacks on my opponent. For my final strike, I sent the χ-blade flying from Heart's Champion's hand.
The χ-blade flies down and I grab it. Now I'm dual-wielding two χ-blade's, and Heart's Champion is defenseless. I shout in rage and deliver an endless amount of strikes. I give an uppercut strike, sending Heart's Champion into the area. I burst into the air going after the armored warrior.
I split into the light and dark forms and do the next rush and dash attacks. After them, my two images soars directly at Heart's Champion, draw the two χ-blades back then unleash a hard impact X strike. My two forms merge back from the impact. When I stop going up, I hold the two χ-blade's together then dive towards Heart's Champion.
The second I hit him, a sudden burst of twilight energy happens. We her greatly enhanced in it and fall like a meteor. We crash, unleashing a massive explosion in the process. For a while, there's gray nothingness from the smoke. When it clears, it reveals Heart's Champion is dead on the ground, with its Royal HeartX impaled right through his chest. I stand in triumph in front of my opponent. Even behind all the cuts and bruises, I stand with pride.
Everyone is completely speechless, mouth open, shocked expressions and, all of them at once, dropped their glass cups. After a while, they cheer with glee and victory. In my arena, fireworks are going off, and I look up to see them. On the screen, the footage of the Mirage Arena shrinks to reveal the reporter.
"For the first time ever! Someone has actually win the Keyblade War tournament! Can you all say 'UNBELIEVABLE!'."
After the celebration fireworks, I was sent back to the Mirage Arena registration area. After collecting my things, I make my way back to Radiant Garden.
"So, how does this work?" Noel asks.
Everyone at Merlins is setting up a little party, celebrating my victory of achieving being the first ever out-worlder to conquer the Keyblade War tournament at the Mirage Arena. Everything's all set up, now they're just waiting for my arrival.
Terra, Ventus and Aqua are trying to teach everyone how to play the Command Board. "It's simple. Just roll the dice, make your move. And if you land on a free space, claim it." Ventus says.
"Just whatever you do, don't play with Aqua. She can be a sore loser sometimes." Terra says.
Aqua seems offended, she slaps her hands on the armrests of her wheelchair. "I am NOT!"
Aqua's outfit is a black long-sleeve, legless one-piece suit with shoulders exposed, black fingerless gloves, light-violet sleeveless vest, light-violet bell-sleeves with white lines, gray waist. (Similar to the outfit on "KH Aqua Outfit Redesign" by jinternet in DeviantART, but currently without the stockings and sandles.) But her legs are still wrapped in bandages.
"Are you kidding? The last time we played, we were both four steps away to victory, and I beat you cause you got that 3 ones on a three dice." Terra says.
"Then you casted Mega Flame on us. I still have the burnt marks." Ventus says.
Aqua looks down in shame hearing that. "She did, didn't she? Well I wouldn't blame her after that happened." Yuffie says with a laugh.
Meanwhile, I arrive at the Central Square of Radiant Garden. On my left forearm, I hold on the plaque I earn from the Mirage Arena. It's a brown and gold plaque with a Keyblade engraving, and above it states my victory in the tournament. When I entered Radiant Garden, I rush towards the hospital to see Aqua. But she wasn't there. I was told as soon as she awoken, she checked out. I know this was probably Serah's doing. My next choice is I return to Merlin's house.
I now just stand in front of the door. It's the only thing that separates me from Aqua. It's been 15 years since we last seen each other, ever. What will happen? What will she say and think? I take a deep breath and open the door.
I walk right into the dark, closing the door behind me. When I do, I was caught by surprise what happens next.
"SURPRISE!"
The lights turn on and everyone shouted. I was certainly surprised, I'll give them that. Everyone gathers around, congratulating me, offering hand shakes, pat on the back, a hug from Serah.
"I knew you could do it, big brother!" Serah says.
"You were pretty amazing out there. I'm speechless." Terra says.
"Yeah. Being the first to actually beat the impossible tournament. Guess someone's going to be pretty popular." Rinoa says. It probably wouldn't be called the 'impossible' anymore now that I beaten it.
Yuffie stands uncomfortably close to me. "Did I ever tell yea you're my favorite?"
I just give a doubtful look. "Of course. The name 'Hammerhead' was speaking volumes." I say sarcastically.
Yuffie just laughs, pulls me close as she wraps an arm around me. "Oh, Patrick. You are quite the jokester."
I put a hand on Yuffie's face then shover her away. "Big brother." I turn to Serah. "There's someone here who wants to meet you." Serah takes me hand as she guides me through the crowd. She takes me all the way to the dining room, where Aqua awaits on the wheelchair, with Ventus and Terra at her sides.
Just like back in the Realm of Darkness, I can't believe at what I'm seeing. My hand is over my mouth and my eyes are overwhelming in tears. Even with a blurry vision, I can still see Aqua's smile. I slowly approach to the girl, until I'm inches away. I kneel down to her level then hug her, head over her shoulder softly sobbing.
Aqua looks a bit surprised. Everyone else seems awkward, except for Serah and Aerith. "Never...I never even dreamed...of seeing you again. I've looked everywhere...I thought...I..."
I couldn't say anything else. Aqua softly smiles and returns her hug. "I'm sorry for worrying you so much." Aqua moves a hand to my head, gently stroking my hair. "I'm just glad you are safe." When the hug ends, she looks at me with her smile then wipes the tears from my eyes. "Come now, dry those tears. We're together again, that's all the matters."
I offer a smile then nod. "Does anyone else find this weird?" Cid whispers.
"I think it would have been better if he was a kid." Cloud says.
"I think it's sweet." Aerith says.
I get back on my feet, then look down. I'm surprised to see her legs are in bandages. "Aqua...your legs. What happened?"
That's when everyone tells me what the doctor said about Aqua's condition. I was horrified to hear that, but mostly guilty. "No...This is...horrible." I look down in shame. "This is...all my fault. If I had gotten you out sooner..."
Aqua grabs my hand and shook her head when I look at her. "No. It's not your fault. I brought this upon myself."
"Maybe so. One thing is for sure, it's defiantly not good." Leon says. "I've never seen anything like this."
"Don't worry about it, guys. I'm all right." Aqua says.
"Yeah. You heard the girl. Let's celebrate." Yuffie says.
We now have a party here at Merlins. Tifa is working behind the corner of her bar in the kitchen, making drinks. I'm playing the Command Board with Ventus, Terra, Kairi and Leon. I am also learning how to play this game. I've never really seen it back in Land of Departure. Terra did tell me they decided to stop playing it while I was around cause they didn't want me to see Aqua being a sore loser.
I don't blame them.
Whenever it's someone else's turn, I look over my shoulder to Aqua. She's having a friendly conversation with Serah and Aerith. They're probably talking about me. Aqua seems to get along very well with everyone. It's no surprise really. I makes me feel happy, but I frown suddenly realizing something:
Rasputin is still out there, and he'll do whatever it takes to get me dead. If I want to keep Aqua safe, I'll have to stop Rasputin once and for all.
"Hey, Patrick!" Hearing Leon returns my attention to the game. "Your move."
"Oh...right." I say.
The party went on for hours. At night, everyone was pretty excited and went to sleep. Right now, it's five in the morning. Dawn starts to arrive at the horizon of Radiant Garden. I just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking. Once I've had enough, I got up and go out for a walk.
I start walking on the walls of the city. Instead of climbing the wall like before, I took the stairs next to the Bailey entrance in the Borough. When I walk, I'm caught by surprise.
Aqua is sitting on the bench, and next the bench is where her wheelchair rests. She just looks straight ahead, probably at the dawning orange trying to seep through the dark skies. She's in nothing but a blue rope.
"What are you doing here?" Aqua flinches and turns to see me. "You shouldn't be here by yourself. You need to rest."
"I know...I just couldn't get some sleep." Aqua says.
I walk past her from behind the bench and set on the empty seat next to her. "Is something bothering you?" I ask.
"I don't know...it's just..." Aqua looks down in silence, then looks back at the view. "I can't believe how long I've been gone. So much as happened...it's really hard to take it all in."
"Wasn't easy for Ventus and Terra either." I say. "You should have seen Ventus when he first saw me. He was so overwhelmed, he fainted."
Aqua gives a small chuckle. "I'm not surprised. He can be a little squeamish sometimes."
"I can hardly call that a squeamish moment really." I say. "You know, I was really upset about losing you. All these years, I thought you were dead. I have given up everything, all hope that you would return."
"I am sorry for al that. I didn't mean to make you worry." Aqua says.
I No give a slow nod, then I look at her legs then her face. "How are you feeling?"
"Still a little shaken from my injures." Aqua looks at her legs. "Still can't feel anything below my waist, but." She looks at me with a smile. "I'm fine." Aqua frowns a little. "I just hope I'll be able to walk again. I can't move on my own, do some cooking, or even make my bed."
I feel bed for Aqua. "Well...I can do all that for you." Aqua looks at me astonished. "You have done so much for me when I was a kid, it's the last I can do."
Aqua smiles. "Thank you." We are silent afterwards, looking back at the view. Shortly afterwards, Aqua looks and speaks. "By the way, you were really good out there." I look at Aqua. At first, she's smiling, then the smile disappears. "However, I was surprised you were wielding the power of darkness. You do know the darkness is our enemy."
"I'm well aware of that, but it's not entirely true." I say. "Sure, the light is our friend. But the light alone can be dark too." Aqua seems surprise to hear that.
"What are you...saying?" Aqua asks.
I sigh, standing up. "Well, it's like this:" I start walking around at the edges of the wall. Aqua traces her eyes on me. "There is darkness inside everybody. We can't get rid of it. But if we use it right, the darkness can be your ally. Everyone believes in the light, and we all trust it. But if you lost control over it, you will become blinded. The power of darkness can be used to serve and protect the light. The power of light can be used to succumb to the darkness without even noticing." I stop when I'm in front of Aqua. "How else can I put this..." I turn you Aqua. "You heard about what Eraqus did before he died?"
Aqua slowly nods. "I have. He tried to hurt Ven."
"Indeed. Eraqus succumbed to the light. Because of that, it blinded him from the truth. He tried to destroy Ventus just to prevent the χ-blade." I say. "You should have seen Eraqus. Under all that light, there was nothing but Anger. Arrogance. Judgment. A heart clouded in the light that is truly darkness."
Aqua just seems a little lost. "Well...you have a point about what the master did was a mistake. But I'm not sure about the rest. If anything, he was probably just lost."
"That's probably true. But trust me, if you were there, you would have seen it too." I say. "But it's no matter. If there's anything I have learned, only relaying on one, wither it's either light or darkness, can leave you astray. With both light and darkness in equal power, you can become strong, be able to see through the brightest of light and the blackest of dark."
"Well, the way you fought with your...Twilight powers. It does prove your point about its strength." Aqua says. I nod then sit right back on the bench next to Aqua. "I was told you got back your memories."
"Yeah..." I look at Aqua. "You knew all along, didn't you? Who I really was."
She is quiet at first, then answers. "I did...The master and Yen Sid found out, and they told me. I never really told you because I was trying to protect you...If word got around about you were the LeiShen, I just know trouble would come."
"Well, that didn't stop Rasputin. He did found out after all." I say. "It's probably for the best anyways, since I was affected by the Voidful Mind." Aqua looks confused. "Long story. Just know it's a dangerous darkness inside my mind that was preventing me from remembering my past. But it's done now."
Aqua nods. "I see." Aqua looks back at the view. "You know, I've been in the darkness so long, I never dreamed I would return to the light. I'm just glad it's all over."
I'm not convinced. It's true that Aqua's imprisonment is over, but this is only the beginning. "No." I stand as Aqua looks at me confused. "Rasputin is still out there. He'll stop at nothing until he has me dead. As long as he still exists...it's not over." I turn to Aqua, looking down at her. "Well no more. I'm done playing with these games. If Rasputin wants the last LeiShen, he'll get it."
Aqua seems worried. "What are you...saying?"
"I'm going back into the darkness and put an end to Rasputin." I say.
We said nothing else for the rest of the morning. When we were done, I carry Aqua back on her wheelchair then push her back to Merlin's. It's not early in the morning. I'm about to make my leave. In front of Merlins out, I bid a final good-bye to Terra, Ventus, Aqua and Serah.
"Are you sure about this?" Terra asks.
"I'm positive. there's no other way." I say.
"At least let us help you." Ventus offers.
I shook my head. "No. This is my fight. I have to do this alone. Besides, in case I don't return, you guys need to stay and watch over Aqua. You will all she have left when I am gone."
"I guess that's true." Ventus says.
"Just please be careful and return home safely." Serah says.
I nod to Serah. I turn to Aqua, who is the only one that's quiet. "You know I have to do this. If I don't...who knows what will happen."
Aqua gives a slow nod. "I know you do, and I understand." I lean in and Aqua and I hug. "I believe in you." She whispers into my ear. After the hug, Aqua reaches into her pocket, holding out an Aqua Charm. "Here. I found this when I was wondering in the darkness. I felt the light within it. I know it'll be good use for you."
I nod and accept the charm. "Don't worry. I'll destroy Rasputin and then I'll come home." I get a good final look at everyone. They wish me luck, but are still worried for me. I then turn. "See yea." Then walk away.
Now the final journey is about to begin.
