Everyone keeps staring down at Twilight Town. Worrying and stressing over how the final confrontation was going to go. Each one looking at one another with similar expressions conveying how they all felt; fear. The fear of never returning. The fear of losing one to the darkness. Even a fear of coming back without one or two of the party. Neither of the four stood for the longest time. It was only when Sora finally stood up and proceeded to the door; did they stand and follow. Vanitas held Moraze and Saria in his arms. Allowing the two girls to tell their parents that they would indeed see them later. Making Roxas, Axel and Sora hug their kids for two full minutes. Only then did he let Ventus lead them off the ship and into Twilight Town below.
Entering The World That Never Was
Chapter 93
Once in Twilight Town, they all saw how quiet it was. The sun was beginning to set as the moon preparing to rise. The streets only had a few people heading home or to other plans. Many eyeing them as they walk by. The four understood why the people eyed them. Each one wasn't there and now they were just randomly in the middle of the usually busy street. Even as group began to walk down the hill towards the business District. Kids and adults alike watch them, muttering opinions about them. The comments are ignored though. They knew where the entrance to the fake Twilight Town was. All four knew it would be empty but the entrance to the enemy base was there. The trip there is silent, right up to the front of the mansion. Ventus, Roxas and Axel keep going but Sora stops and looks at the building before him.
His gut feeling early said something bad was going to happen. Even as the ship had made a quick trip to Twilight Town, it lingered. Now, it felt as if he let a wound fester longer than it should. His enter body just felt on edge. It was sending a message that something just didn't feel right. There was no doubt a worse fate in store for one of them but he knew it wasn't gonna be him this time. No, this feeling got aimed at Roxas and Axel. One of them would have a fate he didn't wish for them to go through. Whatever the fates had in store, Sora didn't want either to continue into the mansion. Hell, the doors shouldn't be opened at all.
"Sora?" Axel's hand waving in his face makes him jump. "You okay? You have gone pale."
The brunet shook of his scare, "I'm...fine. I just have a bad feeling." He breathes. "We can't linger though. I'll get over it. Promise."
The redhead gently grabs his arm, "I promise. No one is going to get hurt Sora. We are all coming back home. In one piece."
"Don't make a promise you can't keep." Sora argues back. "We are heading into enemy territory Axel. Who knows what is beyond those doors. They could have set traps for us and we are walking right into them."
"Then we will get out of them. Don't assume we are going to roll critical 1s right at the end of our long journey." Axel jokes.
"Did you really just make a DnD dice joke at me?" The brunet pulls his arm free.
"I did. It was meant to make a nerd like you smile but it didn't work. I guess you aren't a DnD fan."
"I am a fan. Just...not a fan of those making light of an already stressful situation." He takes a step forward but stops. "However, the effort is appreciated."
Roxas and Ventus had stopped at the door ahead of them. Both leaving it shut and letting Sora walk between them. They weren't going to rush the process after clearly hearing how the brunet had been feeling. Slow and steady always won the race after all. The brunet grabs both doors by the handles. Carefully turning them and pushing the double doors open. The mansion was empty, as it had been the first time he had walked through to leave. Ventus follows him inside with Roxas right behind him. Axel was last to walk in and shut the door behind them. When he turned, he sees both blondes following Sora towards the right staircase. He jogs to catch up and does so easily. Seeing the brunet taking his time made it clear. This place brought his feeling of dread to the front.
"It's okay Sora. Nothing will go wrong." Ven says, touching his shoulder. "We won't get hurt and you won't get hurt."
They get a nod, but it isn't what they wanted. A voice response, a smile...anything but a quiet nod. The three follow him into the room where the staircase still remained. Exposing the metal room beneath the floor with the door open to another staircase going down. The four keep going and see an intact computer. The chair soon had Sora in it and already at work hacking into it. Ventus stood on the right with Roxas and Axel on the left. The security just made Sora laugh when it made an attempt to block him out. Ven could only laugh when his brother got in and activated the way into the fake Twilight Town.
"There we go. Such a simple password too." Sora got up. "Sea Salt Ice Cream. Owner got to up his game."
"Considering factors of you being a hacker, it would never be enough even to begin with." Roxas jokes. "After all, you break through them without any trouble."
He shrugs with a laugh, backing into the beam of light, "Yes but it is only because they don't upgrade their security."
Before anyone could say anything, they see him enter the fake town and follow. Landing in the same computer room but this time, the computer is in pieces. Sliced up chunks with wires and parts exposed and the room dark. No doubt due to the power loss.
"Someone threw a fit it seems," Sora looks at Roxas, a warm smile pointed at him.
"Yeah well...I...lost my temper." He crossed his arms and looks away. "Leave me to my anger and I'll leave you to yours."
The brunet kissed his cheek and heads towards the open door passed by the computer. Axel went by with Ventus next to him. Roxas took a moment to glance at the computer he opened with the old sword Sora once wielded. Eventually, he follows and sees the three waiting for him. The portal they were going to go through still open. With a nod, the four go through. Expecting to reach the base but instead see a long colorful, corridor. It has small symbols going around them with a thin clear barrier. Like a thick funnel with lining between it with them at the center of it. Roxas didn't know how this stayed open but Axel began to walk towards the center.
"We gotta keep going. The darkness in this area can overtake us." He said. "Well...most of us." He blows a kiss to Sora.
"Thank you." The brunet blushes, accepting the affection a little.
As soon as they try to move forward though, Dusk Nobodies appeared around all of them. More kept appearing and surrounding them at the center of a group. All four looking for a way out but seeing no way around this large horde of Nobodies. Sora looks at them.
"What do we do now?" He says, looking at them. "How can we get by them?"
"Only one way to do that." Ven summons the keyblade after he says that.
Roxas summoned his own keyblades, "Fight our way through and hope to get a path clear or the area clear."
"Sounds like a good plan to me," Sora summons his bow, his quiver appearing on his back full of arrows.
They see a headset appear over his ears. Music clearly being played as he began to knock arrows and shoot them into the mass. The two head in the direction close to where he was shooting with Axel covering for Sora so he could shoot. They all had to move away from one another though slowly. The brunet kept shooting any kind of arrow into the crowd that would deal damage or just take them out. When he ran out of the arrows that were useful though, the bow was gone in seconds. He pulled the mirror and his wand out. Using it as an extension for his magic and the dragons' own attacks. That alone began to clear the entire area and help defend anyone with a natural shield. Venice and Regal did their best to help Roxas out by breathing flames at any enemy closing in on him at any angle. It never ended though. More kept coming from nowhere. Some even taking different forms and attacking more frantically than the normal Dusk.
Ventus and Roxas got cornered and began to try and defend one another as best as possible with Axel and Sora far from them.
"We can't keep this up." The brunet gasps, using the mirror to block another attack. "There must be something we can do."
Axel let an exhausted laugh out, "I kinda miss having these guys on my side now. That bad?"
"No, just means you have the feeling of regret." Sora glanced back at him. "I am sorry I couldn't do more."
"Don't worry. I got an idea." He picks the brunet up and lets him sit on his arms, like normal. "You and Roxas won't like what happens after."
The light mage shook his head, "No…" He sees Death lingering close by in the corner of his eye. "No, no no no, don't do this. Please. There must be another way. I could…"
"Do nothing. You have done enough. Roxas has done enough. I had fun being at your side but seems the only to save the two I love is by doing this." Axel kissed him then. "You two are gonna raise Moraze right, I know it."
"You are gonna raise her with us!" He yells, getting Roxas to look their way. "You can't...you can't leave us. You can't. I forbid it! We forbid it!"
"For once, I won't allow you to forbid it."
The redhead simply threw him into the air then. The dragons' caught him and flew away as Axel brought his weapons to his side. Roxas fought as fast as he could when he saw the power being gathered into both. It had every Nobody turn their attention from them to Axel. Slithering over to attack as fast as they could. Stardust and Goldust drop Sora in time for him to activate a barrier. Blocking a large explosion of fire magic. Blinding them all for a moment but after, they see the area is all clear with Axel on the ground. His body fading away, yet that redhead has the smuggest smile on his face. Even as they run over.
"You...are an idiot! What were you thinking?" Roxas yells. "Why did you do that!"
They got a weak laugh, "hey, it worked. Who knew putting one's entire being into an attack would result in that much power?" He laughs again. "Best way to get you three a chance to leave."
"You can't leave us." Roxas argues. "We forbid it. You have Moraze, you need to have a second kid. You can't just...go."
Sora sees Death float over to Axel and stand there, eyes on him.
'I have to take him.' He hears.
'I won't let you! I'll break our contract. I'll fight you tooth and nail! You aren't taking him from me!' Sora mentally yells back.
'I see…' Death floats closer to him. 'Pay my price and I won't just save him but make him full and mortal.'
'What...what price…' Sora looks away. 'I have given all I could give you. I have nothing else to pay you with.'
Death shook his head, 'You can make me a promise. To finally learn to cherish your own life. I watched you care for others. Put others above your own. Your final payment to me will be that. Take care of you. Stop caring about other opinions except for the ones that matter. Promise to do that and I'll bring him back, heart, soul and body.'
Sora breathes out, 'I can only promise to try and do that. Will that work?'
Death floats back to Axel, never looking away from him; 'That will do. With this, our contract is complete.'
With a slow lean and touch, Axel's body stopped fading all together. It reformed the parts that the darkness took. It became solid and he didn't pass on either. Instead, Axel shot up and looks around.
"What the...how…" He touches himself all over. "My heart…" He looks at a confused yet happy blond. "it...I feel...it isn't...it…"
The pair look at Sora and see him smiling and very relieved. Axel is up on his feet and in seconds, hugging the brunet in his arms. Screaming as he felt real joy and relief after years of being incomplete. The darkness could no longer hold his body from him. It could no longer take his soul and his heart, it wasn't gone. He was complete!
"Thank you! I don't know what you did…" Axel has Sora lean back. "But thank you! Thank you so much! I can feel my heart...I can feel my emotions again! They aren't just a memory! They are here!"
"How did you do that?" Roxas sighs, wiping what looked to be tears forming.
"I completed my contract. In return for Death's help in saving you, I promised to try and live my best life." He says. "Our family is now bound to death by me though. He'll guard all of us but I have to help him find a way to pass his magic down now and make his first born the next death."
"Is that all you have to do next?" Ventus crossed his arms.
Sora nods, "I find him a family and he guards mine forever." He gives them all a smile.
They see a portal open then. With a final glance, the four see no enemies. They run through into a dark, moonlighted city. The portal closed right behind them. A sign saying they would only have one path now.
"Only one way to go now." Roxas sighed, staying close to Axel.
"To the final four members of this organization," Ventus breathes out. "Let's stock up at that station and then, hope we can go home after."