Chapter 60: The Heart of the Matter
Kairi was grateful she still wore the helmet. While Riku kept his eyes firmly ahead on the smoldering site where the ice castle once stood, Kairi found herself torn between speaking and silence.
Kristoff looked to her, gesturing to Riku with his free hand while he clutched that frozen arm close to his chest. The implication wasn't lost on her. With the air clear and no Heartless or snowstorms in sight, this was probably the most optimal chance she'd get to say something to him…
But then Goofy bear-hugged her from behind and shouted, "YER OKAY!" Right in her ear, too. Ouch. Still, he meant no harm.
Sven and Olaf seemed to catch Kristoff equally off-guard, and Anna spread her arms over both as Donald plopped last into the celebratory mass, and that, Kairi hoped, was the end of the hug-shaped projectiles. For Riku's sake, at least, as he was caught somewhere in the middle and the bottom of the group hug.
Hans stayed behind, hovering over Elsa's unconscious body with one hand resting on the pommel of his sword. He smiled affectionately at the group all the same.
Riku, Kairi, and Kristoff all stared dumbfounded for a few seconds before awkwardly returning the hug with whatever arms they had available. Kristoff had one extra. Xaldin's. Ew. "Uh…good to see you all too," Kristoff said, patting Sven's back with Xaldin's frozen arm.
Still, so much for Kairi's time to talk things out with Riku. But she couldn't blame their friends. They'd all endured so much in so little time. Any one of them could've died…
Just like Anna said before. And so Kairi's eyes wandered back to Riku, and, as the group hug's intensity gradually lessened, she removed her helmet and tucked it under her arm. She looked to Riku, silent as she searched for the right thing to say. The right thing to do …
Kristoff bought her some time by picking the wrong thing to say and do. He took a whiff, scrunched his face, and said, "Oof. Wow! Escaping a monster-infested lava castle sure does horrors for your BO."
Anna pulled away from Kristoff and slapped her hands on her hips. " That's all you have to say? After the first five minutes, I was starting to worry, you know! I mean, sure, Kairi's a super magic Key-slinging hero, and she's got Captain Dark and Brooding over there—"
Riku cut in, "Hey. The name's Princess Sourpuss."
Kairi muttered, "Sovereign of darkness and ditching your friends in a blizzard…" She rolled her eyes, though her tone was light. More teasing than anything. And…you know what? The battle was over, anyway, so she offered a small smile to hopefully soften that blow to his ego.
But Anna carried on. "But, Kristoff, there was lava back there! And falling ice-ceilings! And breaking floors, and a whole lot of doom that could've killed us at any time! So, yeah. Can you really blame me?"
Off to the side, Donald grumbled to Goofy. "Sheesh, if I didn't know better, I'd think they were the married couple."
Goofy frowned, eying Hans. "But, ain't he her fiancé?"
Hans cut in with fake concern, "I thought I was her fiancé. I thought I was doing a pretty good job."
Donald scowled. "You know what I mean!"
Riku shook his head and chuckled, but opted not to comment. Hans took that better than he expected.
And then, to Kairi's surprise, Riku stepped down from his Glider and extended his hand. …Right. They were still. Technically floating. …Which made the group hug so much weirder in hindsight. Sighing softly, she took Riku's offer and stepped down to the snow.
Once the Glider vanished, Riku brought a hand to his neck and tittered uncomfortably. "So. About that statue…"
Oh. Right. The distinctly Riku-like statue. The statue she beheaded. And exploded. Hoo boy.
Kairi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, sighing to herself and moving closer to him. "Riku…look. A lot's happened. And, I get it, okay? Being tracked…it's gotta be terrifying, especially when you never know when they're watching, or where they'll strike next. And maybe if we're being super pragmatic, it does make sense for you to run away—"
"I wasn't cheating," Riku blurted awkwardly.
Kairi flushed and frowned. "I didn't think you were!" Plus, Elsa was… how much older than him? …Wait, how old were she and Riku now? She honestly forgot how many birthdays it'd been, and that wasn't even considering how time flowed differently for every world.
Riku grimaced, looking off at the spot in the lava field where the castle met its end. "S…sorry."
Kairi forced the momentary frustration to melt away. She pressed on, grabbing Riku's cheek and turning his attention back to her. "But every time you do run away, it feels like you're punishing yourself for something outside your control. It's always, 'This is my fault. I deserve this.' And you know what? No! You don't deserve this."
"I—"
She leaned in closer, looking him dead-on. "I'm serious, Riku. I know you, and I bet you think what happened to Elsa is your fault, too."
Judging by the way he flinched at her words, she was right on the munny. So, Kairi kept up the momentum, dropping her helmet onto the grass, moving her hand from his cheek, and placing both on his pauldrons. "And that's the problem. You act like everything has to be on your shoulders…but it's not, and it hasn't been for almost two years." Two years. That sounded about right.
Two…years.
"TWO YEARS?!" Anna had exclaimed back in the cave. She'd clarified later that same conversation, "You say that you're waiting until the Organization's gone, but when will that ever happen? It's been two years, and it doesn't sound like you're winning. So, don't you think you should tell Riku while you still can?"
Off to the side, as if reading her mind, Anna flashed Kairi a thumbs up and waggled her eyebrows.
Everyone had gone silent, making Donald's whisper louder than it should've been. "Are they…?"
Hans shushed him. Goofy suppressed a chuckle. And it was only then that Kairi realized how close hers and Riku's faces were. Kairi's cheeks reddened at the sudden pressure. Terrified. Now it was like an invisible spotlight shone over the two…
Riku must've felt it too, because he gulped and glanced the other way. "Kairi…I, uh…"
Heh. Well. Everyone was watching. Might as well make it count. And so Kairi, despite the prying eyes, moved her hands from Riku's shoulders and slipped her arms around his neck in the most intimate hug they'd ever shared. Their breastplates clinked together. Riku's eyes went buggy at the sudden contact, and his cheeks burned bright red.
But he didn't fight it. Their faces naturally drew closer. Their eyes began to close…
…and then Kairi saw Elsa stirring back into consciousness, black veins and red eyes already flaring, and Kairi yelped and drew her Keyblade, her arms still around Riku, and she fired a panicked sleeping spell that made everyone jump back and dropped Elsa stone cold on impact.
A very loud BAA-AA-AA echoed from the slumbering queen, and Anna shrieked, "WHAT JUST HAPPENED? WHY IS MY SISTER A SHEEP?"
Elsa was not a sheep. The sound was just an unfortunate side effect of the spell that completely killed the mood.
And so, with the mood killed and the darkness-possessed elephant in the room asleep for now, Riku and Kairi pulled apart, and all eyes were back on the sleeping Elsa.
Hans broke the silence. "We need to get her back to the palace. With the Keyblade's magic, we may be able to fortify a prison cell to contain her until we've found a cure for her condition."
Anna protested, "You—you can't lock up my sister!"
Kairi approached. "And you won't need to. If Elsa's darkness is anything like Riku's was, my heart's light should bring her back to normal."
Hans' eyes flew open. "You're a Princess of Heart?"
Kairi nodded. "I am."
Hans stepped between her and Elsa. "Then, I'll have to ask you to keep your distance." Everyone blinked or did a double take in surprise. Hans explained, "Elsa's case is not natural. In my travels, I've witnessed the Princesses and other champions of light restoring corrupted hearts from darkness, but only those that fell naturally. If what Riku said is true and Elsa was perfectly fine when he left her, then Dilan must have exacerbated her condition artificially. No Emblem Heartless has ever survived direct contact with light."
The silence came back, heavier than ever.
Until Riku broke it. "Dilan. Xaldin. Your advisor."
That recontextualized the silence.
But Kairi caught something else. She remembered what Hans said back in the meeting room before they left the palace.
Every other world my family ruled has fallen to darkness. And, every time, Dilan was there for us.
Kairi said gently, "Hans…all those worlds your family's lost, and Dilan was always there… Haven't you ever wondered why?"
Hans glared in understanding. "I assure you, the man will find himself unemployed within the hour. Assuming Elsa hasn't already destroyed him." At that, his gaze sharpened toward the frozen arm in Kristoff's grasp. "I take it there's a reason for the souvenir?"
Kristoff opened his mouth to speak, but shut it when two googly eyes popped open at the tip of Olaf's nose, shaking the tip—the 'head'—in a desperate 'no.' Why didn't Morph want him to talk about the arm in Hans' presence? Did he know something they didn't? Whatever the reason, Kristoff rolled with it anyway. "Got some friends who might be interested."
Hans' lip curled in disgust. "A black market for frozen limbs? I shouldn't be surprised."
Kristoff shrugged. "Selling ice ain't exactly the most lucrative gig. You learn to look the other way and get your pay where you can."
…Whatever the truth was, Kairi hoped it wasn't worse than the lie. Anna especially was horrified. "That's…not legal, is it?"
Hans crossed his arms, his expression dark and hardened. "I'll overlook it this once. Call it triage for the queen's condition. But don't expect any laxity for a second offense."
Kristoff gulped. "Uh…yeah. Thanks, Your Highness."
Goofy spoke up, "So, uh, how much time we got before Elsa wakes up?"
Only something as twisted as Kristoff's lie could make the grim subject-change a relief.
Kairi almost answered, but Hans cut her off. "Not long. Riku, I need you to open one of those corridors back to the palace. And, I strongly advise that our groups split apart here. I know you all mean well, but we cannot regroup until Elsa is contained and the Keyhole is sealed. And, should the worse come to pass…" He turned to Anna. "You would be the last living heiress to the throne."
"…If, though. Only if." Anna's uneven tone spoke volumes. This was hardly an easy subject. "And, if we're splitting up, I'm going back with Elsa."
"Just in case…" Kairi drew her Keyblade again, just long enough to flick a second blast of magic toward Elsa.
BAA-AA-AA!
Anna screamed, "ENOUGH WITH THE SHEEP ALREADY!" She stomped her foot. "That's it, you're going with the Keyhole group!"
Hans stroked his chin. "Not a bad idea. Riku will come with Anna and me to secure Elsa, while the rest of you continue your search for the Keyhole."
Donald protested, "Oh come on! We just got Riku back!"
"The Organization's still spying on me, Donald." Riku lowered his head, and his gaze wandered back to Elsa on the snowy grass. "I somehow forgot that for a few hours, and look what they did to Elsa because of it. The Organization's not playing around anymore. They're watching every move I make and everyone I'm with."
Hans shook his head. "Oh, I don't think you'll have to worry about that at the palace."
Riku raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"
To that, Hans chuckled. "Maybe because I'm in the Organization, and you're not as interesting as you think."
"Ha. Sure." Hans' quip at least got a little laugh out of Riku. He raised his arm to open a corridor, but paused before even the tiniest sliver of darkness appeared. "Wait a sec. I've never even seen the palace. How am I supposed to open a corridor there?"
Breaking away from Elsa, Hans stopped behind Riku and placed a hand against his back. "Just…have some faith in yourself. Picture, to the best of your ability, a palace dusted with snow in the middle of a frozen fjord."
Riku asked, "What's a fjord?"
Anna answered, "It's like if the sea had an armpit and that armpit had mountains for pit hair. But it's frozen."
Everyone looked at her. Silent. And very… very …something. They all clearly felt something at that description.
But, whatever they felt, Riku seemed to get it. He closed his eyes. Shadowy wisps crept up from the snowy ground, twisting and rising into a corridor.
Hans' hand stayed on his shoulder. "Good, good. Just keep focused, and…" Armpit. He must've thought of it. Kairi caught his wince.
All the same, the corridor stabilized. Riku opened his eyes and smiled, surely disbelieving he could create a portal to someplace he'd never seen. With that, Hans returned to Elsa, taking her in his arms. Once she was secure, he called to Anna, "All right, darling. We should really hurry."
Anna lingered, peering back at Kristoff until he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Hey, we'll catch up with you later. I got that…'business' to take care of, anyway."
Judging by their expressions, Kristoff regretted sticking to that lie, and Anna wished she hadn't heard it. Still, she cracked a small smile and said, "Well…I'll see you soon. And, I swear, I will get you that sled ASAP."
With that, she and Hans strode toward the writhing darkness. While Hans marched in without a second glance and with Elsa in his arms, Anna lingered a moment, grabbing Riku's arm to signal him to wait with her.
She whispered something to him. Kairi couldn't hear what, but Anna's expression seemed sincere, and Riku appeared a bit flustered at whatever she'd said. Before he could retort, Anna disappeared into the dark.
Riku stayed facing the swirling portal. He only glanced furtively back at his friends, torn between saying something and moving on. Riku stared at Kairi, Donald, and Goofy for several seconds, as if searching for the right words. But soon, he opened his mouth to speak—
"Gah!" He bent over, clutching his chest and clenching his teeth.
That…wasn't a good sign. "Riku, hold on!" Kairi drew her Keyblade again. "I can heal—"
He already cloaked his body with green light. Kairi and Donald stood with their weapons drawn uselessly. Riku tried to assure them, "No need. I'm…fine." Steadying his breathing, he stood up straight again. "Anyway…take care, all right? And…we'll talk later."
Donald crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "You mean it this time?"
"…Yeah. This time." With that, he turned his back and strode through the corridor, leaving Kairi and the others alone on the cliff.
The last wisp of shadow curled and vanished, and Kairi somehow felt the same happen to her breath as it did. He said he would be back. They knew where to find him. But…
"I think he means it, fellers," Goofy said, arms crossed. "Didn't he look awful tired to ya? I think Riku's finally learned his lesson."
Kairi grimaced and looked away. "It sure doesn't feel that way."
Olaf waddled to her side. "Oh, you don't gotta worry about him. He's with Anna now, and Anna's got really bad attachment issues. He's not going anywhere."
Kairi's lips sputtered in a quasi-laugh. "I didn't think about it that way."
Olaf's nose—Morph—glanced back and forth between the two, no doubt wondering what sort of company they kept.
Kristoff spoke up, "In any case, we've got a Keyhole to seal and answers to find about the glass in Xaldin's arm. I know where we can do both." He and Sven walked past the rest, motioning for them to follow.
"WAK!" Donald ran to catch up to him. "You know where the Keyhole is?!"
"Yup. My family's been keeping it safe for years."
Kari, Donald, Goofy, and Morph all went wide-eyed at the news, and the former three rushed to meet his stride. Only Olaf, with Morph still as his nose, seemed unsurprised by the casual revelation and was just happy to tag along. "Honestly, all this talk about keys and keyholes, am I the only one who's more excited about the door it's attached to?"
"This one's not on a door," Kristoff said. "It's more of a metaphysical thing."
Raising an index finger, Goofy said, "Well, sometimes they're on doors! And sometimes, those doors even talk to ya. Gawrsh, I still remember—"
Donald yanked on his pant leg, huffing. "Goofy! This isn't the time!"
"Yes it is" said Olaf, tugging at Donald's collar and unintentionally choking him. Hopefully unintentionally. "Tell me about the talking door people!"
Groaning, Kristoff shook his head. "Look, I'm all for cutting to the chase, but first…" He knelt down, locking eyes with the buggy-eyed carrot on Olaf's face. "I've got a few questions for that nose of yours. Namely," he held up Xaldin's arm, "why you wanted me to lie to everyone about this."
Morph shifted in place, prompting Olaf to clutch the little carrot. Then said carrot liquified and slipped between his twiggy fingers and bonked the back of Donald's head.
"No! My poor nose! You were too young…"
Kristoff immediately shoved a new carrot into Olaf's face, cutting his tears short.
As Morph rematerialized, he rolled his eyes and sighed. His frustration was short-lived, though, as he popped into the shape of an all-too-familiar glass shard.
Kairi inched closer, one hand below her lips. The glass shard shimmered, then blackened, then stretched into an unmistakable hooded shape. A member of the Organization.
Then the hood came down. Beneath it? Hans' face.
x.x.x
Hans was…right. The portal worked. An open courtyard greeted Riku as he burst from the corridor's darkness. A blanket of snow cloaked everything from what he assumed were cobblestone walkways to the bases of flag poles, the rooftops of towers, stone walls and rails… Everything sank beneath Elsa's frigid fury. Only now, all was still, save for the gathered citizens shivering beneath cloaks and blankets or huddled around flickering fires. All eyes popped wide-open the moment Hans emerged from the portal, Riku and Anna beside him and Elsa in his arms.
"Prince Hans!"
"Is that the queen…?"
"Is she dead?"
"Princess Anna! Are you all right?"
In mere moments, the crowd became a mob, encircling them. Constricting them. Some human, others furred, feathered, or scaled. A frog man clutched a sword and shield, bowing before the prince. As he moved, a little brown bear cub grinned and tried mimicking his gestures, receiving a pat on the head from the blonde girl beside him.
But the frog seemed too focused to notice. He cleared his throat and raised his shield to the masses.
"At ease! It is clear that His Highness has just endured an arduous trial. Give them room to breathe."
The girl beside him turned to Anna. "You too, Princess. This couldn't have been easy…"
Anna winced, turning the other way. "It…wasn't. But Elsa's going to be fine! You'll see."
Her words silenced the crowd, but maybe not for the reasons she hoped. Several bystanders exchanged uneasy glances. Others kept their eyes glued to Elsa's unconscious form in Hans' arms. They probably only saw the 'monster' that buried this kingdom in a blizzard…
But one look from Hans was enough to finally drive them back. Good.
Maybe now they could figure out what to do with Els—
"AGH!" Pain. Stabbing. Piercing. Gnawing. Hot and cold all at once. Riku fell to his knees. Everything became a blur.
"Riku!" Anna's voice. She put a hand on his back. Riku sucked a sharp breath in through clenched teeth.
"I'm…fine." He forced himself back on his feet, each breath leaving a puff of dense mist. "Sorry. It's just…been a rough day. Guess that fight at the castle took more outta me than I thought."
Huffing, Anna closed into his personal space and draped her arm over his shoulder. "Riku. That tough guy act might work with your friends—"
"It really doesn't."
"Yeah? Well, it's definitely not gonna work with me! You need rest. And probably a bath." She whiffed the air. "…Definitely a bath."
"Worry about me later." Riku waved a hand at the castle. "C'mon. We should get your sister inside before…" Another twinge. He grimaced. "Look. Let's just…go."
Nodding, Hans silently pushed ahead, while Anna remained glued to Riku's side, supporting his armored body as he limped through the snow. Along the way, the frogman, his human friend, and the little bear cub matched Hans' footsteps.
"My Liege," said the frog, "I fear that your absence has brought…unexpected consequences."
A scowl crept across Hans' face. "How severe?"
"Well…" The frog stopped, sighing, and gestured toward another crowd of civilians. It was tough to make out between the shuffling forms, but they appeared to be gathered around…something shrouded in a blanket.
The blonde girl continued for him, "That creepy duke tried to take over. Even the castle guards were on his side!"
"Aye. How and why are still lost to me, but what's done is done, and now…" He pointed his sword up at a nearby tower and, more importantly, toward a shattered window.
The crowd parted, providing a perfect view of two guards at the base of the tower hoisting the cloth-coated lump onto a gurney. The duke's gloved hand fell out of the shroud and hung limply over the side.
"If justice were kind, he'd be the only casualty, but alas…"
"N—no!" Anna shrieked, face paling and body teetering. Riku couldn't blame her, but his body grew stiff and his gaze drifted to the broken window.
It was one thing to watch someone lose themselves to darkness. But that was no Heartless—just a lifeless husk. What words of encouragement could he even offer?
At least with Elsa, Riku had common ground. Here, though, in a courtyard of strangers, in the aftermath of so many casualties so soon after Elsa's descent into darkness… He wasn't a hero. No beacon of hope. Even if he drew his Keyblade, it wouldn't erase the damage done or provide some grand answer.
And yet, as he stared at the window, two figures passed by. Even from afar, Amelia's pointed ears and blue uniform stood in stark contrast to the colorless landscape. She gazed down, not at Riku, not at Anna, but…Hans. And not just her; seconds later, Delbert poked his head into view. The two shared a look, then ducked out of sight. But why?
Maybe it was Elsa? Yeah. Had to be. She was still in Hans' arms, after all.
He could've, and probably should've asked Hans then and there, but another surge of pain squeezed a gasp from his lungs. Anna tightened her hold.
"Riku, are you sure you'll be okay?"
"…Nothing an Elixir can't fix." He waved it off with an airy laugh.
"Consider it done," said Hans. "Assuming we've any provisions left from the coup."
"We salvaged what we could," the frog said. "And Marle and I will gladly assist if need be."
"Why wait?" The blond girl, Marle, clasped her hands over her chest, as if in prayer. Glittering lights swirled into the air, striking Riku and masking him in a warm, soothing glow not unlike a Curaga spell. "There! Does that help at all?"
It should've, but Riku's chest still heaved. Chills crept down his spine, despite his insulated armor. Beads of sweat still trickled despite the cold, but Riku answered through a strained smile, "Yup."
Anna blurted, "You liar!" still stuck under the weight of Riku's armor with his arm slung over her shoulder. If it wasn't for her, Riku would've hit the snow by now.
But Riku deflected and said, "Look, shouldn't we worry about Elsa right now—"
He was cut short by a tug at the back of his armored collar, and he realized mid-pull that it was Hans one-handedly dragging him away from Anna and tossing him into the frog's arms, catching both by surprise. More surprising still, Hans never dropped Elsa. Just how strong was he?
"The Keybearer is right," Hans said. Time isn't a luxury we can afford right now." He called over another guard and handed Elsa to him. "I need you, Riku, Glenn, and Marle to escort Queen Elsa to the dungeon." Anna prepared to object, but Hans cut her off, "The finest cell, naturally. No one is to harm the queen. Riku will seal it with his Keyblade, ensuring she cannot escape until we find a cure for her condition."
There was an unspoken 'if,' Riku could tell, just by the look in Hans' eyes, so he turned to Anna and added, "And I swear, we'll save her. I won't rest until Elsa's safe."
Both the frog and the girl—Glenn and Marle, apparently—frowned at one another, but neither raised their voices in protest. Perhaps for Anna's sake.
"Well, come along, Keybearer," said Glenn. "We must make haste."
And so Riku, despite the continued throbbing of his heart, hobbled right behind them. He only stopped once, to glance back at Anna, and he found her gazing back, as if silently pleading with him to make sure Elsa would be unharmed. And, as if that wasn't enough, she started forward, attempting to follow them.
Only Hans' grip on her shoulder prevented her from going any further. "Anna," he said quietly, masking some unknown urgency. "We need to discuss…"
And that was all Riku heard before Glenn helped him limp out of earshot. They passed through the palace doors, cut off from the outside light, and already the world seemed so much darker.
x.x.x
Shadows exploded in the snow as beams of lightning burst from Xion's Keyblade and slugs of plasma erupted from Jim's blaster. Pureblood and Emblem Heartless had joined in the ambush led by Zexion's horse-mounted Nobodies disguised as palace guards.
They'd chased the pair deep into the frozen woods, and the superior riders had dismounted Jim and Xion and sent their horses bolting away in a wild panic. They had to fight and flee on foot until the Nobody cavalry and their Heartless reinforcements cornered them at the base of a great oak tree, its sprawling web of log-thick roots and branches twisting along and above the ground and drowned in sharp, dense layers of pale ice.
As Jim and Xion dodged and weaved, fired and struck in every direction, several limbs and layers of the overlapping ice tree seemed like glistening tunnels or gnarled walls around them, providing an escape one moment and a murder hole the next. The Heartless crawled down the gaps in the branch-made ceilings, leapt from the roots and limbs and, in the case of the smaller monsters, burst directly from the ground-level snow itself.
"Jim, look out!" Xion screamed as a Heartless reindeer charged him from behind.
His reflexes were too slow, as he was still reeling from a somersault to avoid a Heartless troll's attack—and so Xion, in a fraction of a second, hurled her Keyblade in a Strike Raid coated with Aeroga straight at him. The edge of the wind spell blasted him away before the Keyblade made contact, and as he skidded across the snow, the Heartless reindeer plowed straight through the empty air, and the spinning Keyblade cut straight through its crystalline neck.
But the enormous troll that Jim battled took advantage of Xion's opening.
It leapt over the Keyblade as it sailed away from her, fists raised and ready to crush her before her weapon ever came back—and a frenzied plasma bolt struck its face, sending it spinning out of the air in a crash of shadows and snow. Xion caught her glitched Kingdom Key as it came back, and she spared a glance for Jim, still on his side and shakily clutching his smoking blaster.
She hurried over and took his hand, yanking him up with arm strength she couldn't help but self-consciously twinge at for the reminder of what she was becoming, and it seemed that even Jim was surprised by how effortlessly she hoisted him back on his feet. He had to hold onto her hand as he landed past her to keep his balance, but he'd barely touched the ground when he aimed his blaster again for something ahead of him—behind Xion.
And Xion snapped her gaze back ahead of her—behind Jim—and found the wolf-head shield of a red-armored Eliminator opening its jaws wide and unleashing a torrent of fire straight at them. Xion raised her Keyblade and a surge of crackling, dark energy swelled before her, forming a domed shield of glassy shadow that stopped the flames in their flight.
But since when could she project barriers? Crackling, dark barriers… The sort of ability she'd expect from—
Riku.
But this was no time to panic. She needed to keep a cool head, for Jim's sake, if not for her own.
The Wyvern that Jim shot down crashed beside them, exploding into beads of shadow that crashed in the snow, and Xion turned on a heel away from the Eliminator, dragging Jim by the hand, and they ran back through the ice-melded walls and roofs of high-rising roots and low-hanging branches of the gargantuan, frozen oak tree.
"How many of them are there?!" Jim shrieked for what couldn't have been the first time, passing by squirming shadows and golden eyes.
"I'm not sure," Xion called over all the noise. "But I'm starting to think—"
A massive laser bolt crashed through the ice-layered root wall. Xion released Jim's hand just as the blast passed through the narrow space between them and left a smouldering crater in the side of the frozen oak's trunk. The bolt wasn't unlike the kind that Xigbar used, serving as a stark reminder of the calibre of hitmen Zexion had sent after them.
Two Nobody cavalrymen, both spindly and skeletal and abnormally tall, each made of varying shades of monochrome grey with the Organization's insignia blazing white on their twisted, featureless heads. One of them aimed the crossbow. The other carried a large, laser-rimmed lance.
And that was just the riders.
The horses were a far more terrifying breed of monster. Larger than any natural breed and reminiscent of monochrome cadavers just the same, but it was the heads of the horses that scared Xion the most. Hollow, empty eyes and zipper-formed mouths that opened alarmingly wider than a horse should've been capable of—more like rabid dogs with dislocated jaws.
Just the sight of them had distracted Xion from their riders and the surrounding Heartless, and if it wasn't for Jim's sharp cry, she might never have snapped out of it in time to raise another barrier around them to block the Eliminator's next fire wave from the left. And then the Nobody's second bolt from the front. And the Heartless troll's swinging fist from the right.
Xion continued her line of thought as the barrier held, "I think it's them that's calling more Heartless here."
The Nobodies. She was ashamed to admit it, but just the sight of them, of those horses … She'd wanted to delay a direct attack as long as possible, and this sprawling oak tree seemed the perfect cover. And not just that, but the area was littered with all these rocks. All of them round and about knee-high, scattered everywhere around the unreal tree—they'd been the perfect deterrent to stop the horsemen from following them. The terrain was impossible for any horse to maneuver through.
Jim frantically reloaded his pistol. "That so? Then, open me a portal." His voice stayed surprisingly level even as his body twitched from the visible fear. Xion nearly asked where to, but Jim elaborated, "Right above them," as he aimed his pistol forward.
…That was oddly specific. Just what was he trying to do?
Instead of questioning him, Xion silently complied, tearing open a shadowy corridor in Jim's line of fire, hardly a foot away from the barrel. The corresponding portal spread horizontally over the two horsemen, mounted side by side. Jim squeezed the trigger. A flurry of plasma shots sailed through the dark before them, then reappeared ahead, crashing down over the Nobodies like a rainstorm of laserfire. The shots were wild and scattered, but they hit their marks. One of the Nobody horsemen collapsed off its madly braying horse, its body pierced with smoldering, smoking holes while its blazing crossbow fell uselessly to the snowy ground.
Its comrade's steed gave an unholy shriek as the lasers cleaved through its spindly body. The lancer riding it somersaulted to the ground as the horrific horse dissolved into thorny, grey-and-white mist.
Two down. Two to go.
But the dismounted rider and the riderless mount had steered away from the airborne corridor's line of sight, and the echoing crash of lucid glass cracking made Jim and Xion jump in place. The Eliminator's wolf-faced shield had sunk its fangs through the dark barrier's final layer, and the troll on the other side did an alarming amount of damage with a followup punch.
And a dozen more Heartless were closing in. They'd never survive like this.
…Unless she unleashed her new powers.
The same powers that rattled the palace grounds. Could've crushed innocent civilians. Could've—
"Xion! C'mon. We gotta focus!"
Right. No civilians here. Just her, Jim, a horde of hungry Heartless…
And a sea of stones all around. …Earth. Of course!
Seizing Jim's waist with one hand and raising her Keyblade with the other, Xion said, "Brace yourself!" and, in one swift motion…
The Keyblade's tip blazed bright, and the field of rocks ahead trembled where they sat…
Xion spun her Keyblade back, and the knee-high stones came blasting toward them and the dozen Heartless like a volley of cannonballs…
And Xion, holding tight to Jim by the waist, sprinted straight through the corridor she'd left open just ahead of them. They passed into the shadows as the volley of cannon-rocks obliterated the thicket of ice, tree limbs, and what remained of her dark barrier.
They re-emerged several feet in the air, between the straggling Nobodies, and as they fell, they caught a perfect view of the stone flood that tore the Heartless and much of the tree to shreds. By the time they hit the snow—Xion on her feet and Jim in her arms to spare him a painful landing—little remained of the oak tree's "maze" of roots and branches save for the dust clouds and shreds of bursting ice and shadow. The tree's higher branches shook as well from the cannonade, spilling torrents of snow like a self-contained avalanche over the doomed Heartless by the gargantuan oak.
It…really was a sight to behold. Xion couldn't help but stare at her horrific handiwork, grateful that there were no civilians in harm's way this time. Even Jim stared in complete silence, likely too distracted to be embarrassed at being held in a girl's arms. For a brief, sickening twinge of a second, Xion wondered if Jim even saw her as a girl anymore, or if he ever had.
Then the Nobodies thrashed and returned to their feet on either side of them, and all senses of awe and self-doubt were gone in an instant.
The spearman dashed from one side, the nightmare horse on the other.
And so, in another burst of panic and adrenaline, Xion set Jim down—more like dropped him down—on the lancer's side while she spun around to face the charging horse. In her turn, she saw the lancer leap in the air and Jim raise his blaster as he stumbled back onto his feet. And Xion, with her back pressed against Jim's, thrust her Keyblade forward, toward the Nobody horse, and unleashed a torrent of dark fire.
The lancer and the stallion both exploded mid-flight. Wisps and limbs of nothingness crashed like twin tidal waves around Jim and Xion, intermingled with the gunsmoke of plasma and dark fire as the Nobodies' remains hit the snow.
Jim and Xion still stood back to back, weapons raised and breathing heavily and…
That's when it hit her. Judging by Jim's slackening posture, that's when it hit him too.
It was quiet. They were alone.
All the Heartless, the Nobodies—the utterly desperate fight and flight for their lives, lost in these unknown woods…
Jim breathed raggedly. "Is…is that it?"
Xion scanned the area, using her powers of geomancy to check for any non-rock-based entities. It really was just them. "Yeah…that's all of them." Only then did her trembling legs register. What was meant to be a step became a stumble, and she barely caught herself on the way down before settling on top of one of the scattered stones. One of several that she'd neglected to launch.
Dusting himself off, Jim rummaged through his pockets. "Well, now we just gotta…" His shoulders jumped up. His posture stiffened. Gulping, he turned around, eyes darting left and right. "The map! Xion, where's—"
Oh. Oh no.
Too tired to stand just yet, she pressed her palms firmly on the stone, glancing all around, but…realistically? If the map was here at all, it'd likely been trampled at best and incinerated at worst. And that was assuming they'd lost it recently. And now, far from Arendelle and left without horses and only minimal energy, a wave of realization washed over her.
"…It's over, isn't it? Without the map, how are we ever going to find those trolls?"
"Yer sittin' on one."
The sudden voice jolted her from her perch, and she staggered back as the once-motionless rock popped off the ground, sprouting arms, legs, and…a big-nosed, big-eared face.
It wasn't the only one either. The dozens of stones around them twitched and burst to life.
Some large, some small.
Some squat, some tall.
Some wore muddy shirts.
Others donned grassy skirts.
Some near, some far,
All of them bizarre!
Buggy eyes and giant grins,
Stocky, stiff, and rocky limbs,
Messy hair and gems on strings,
Twiggy hats and not-quite-nameable things.
They popped out from the snow and from the tree.
There were just so many, so many, you see!
She saw them here and there—
Why, she saw them everywhere!
And she saw Jim lean in with a concerned face
And snap his fingers and say, "Xion, stop mumbling rhymes!"
She snapped out of it. And that was how she learned that spontaneous poetry was one of her defense mechanisms. She blushed in embarrassment, but also wondered if this was yet another trait taken from Riku. What a strange secret for him to have.
"Say! You like singin'?" asked one of the trolls.
Jim said, "NO—"
"WE LIKE SINGIN' TOO!"
"XION, WHY—"
He was cut off by the strumming of a guitar. It was held by one of the smaller, buggier-eyed trolls. It stared at them very intensely and would not blink. Then all the trolls behind that one suddenly had trumpets and tubas and bassoons and bongos and mandolins and maracas and—
🎵 MYYYY, WHAT A HAPPY DAY
🎵 WHAT A SUNNY SKY
🎵 KIND OF MAKES YOU SIGH IN A HAPPY WAY
Okay…that was. Very loud, but…sensible enough? But then, another troll bumped the first singer outta the way and blurted out a completely different song.
🎵 GONNA SHOUT IT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS
🎵 A STAR IS BORN
🎵 IT'S A TIME FOR PULLING OUT THE STOPS—
The musicians adapted…surprisingly fast, with only a moment of panicked flailing, and then another troll cut in with—
🎵 EVERYBOOODY, EVERYBOOOODY
🎵 EVERYBOOOODY WANTS TO BE A CAT!
🎵 OH, HALLELUJAH!
What…and more importantly, why? What did cats have to do with any of this?!
Xion tipped to the side a little at a sudden weight latching onto her Keyblade. She lifted it up and found a screeching troll-child swinging on it like a tree branch. "'CAUSEEVERYBODYDIGSASWINGINGCAT," the swinging not-cat sang horribly out of tune.
But then the troll-child stopped swinging. And all the others stopped singing. And Jim stopped reaching for his ammo pouch as it finally clicked with the two of them what had stolen the trolls' attention.
"Say…" said the nearest troll, buggy eyes shaking as she pointed at the Keyblade. "…That's one 'a them Lockswords!"
"Keyblade," Jim and Xion monotoned in unison.
When they set off on this quest to thwart the Organization, Xion…definitely didn't expect this. Was this even real? Maybe she'd hit her head in the skirmish, and she'd wake up any second now…
She nearly pinched herself when another one of the trolls tumbled closer. "My stars," the troll said…in a femine voice. "You're awfully small for one of those Key-slingers."
"Who cares?!" came a gruffer voice from the crowd. "You've seen all those nasty monsters! Give the rest of us trolls a bad name."
The troll-child let go of Xion's Keyblade and tugged on her skirt. "Yeah! And now you can fix everything! ...You did come here to fix everything, right? Like the Sacred Oak Tree that you smashed us against?"
Several gigantic tree branches—each the size of an ordinary tree—broke off from the Sacred Oak and crashed really loudly into the ground.
"Um…" Shoot. That tree was sacred? Xion winced, then ducked her head. "Well, we can seal the Keyhole?"
"We already got Eustace for that!" said another troll.
The troll beside her, presumably Eustace, complained, "And I wish you'd all quit stuffing me inside it! I'm already turnin' Keyhole-shaped!"
Jim grimaced, inching closer to Xion and whispering, "You know, I'm starting to have second thoughts."
Tittering, she whispered right back, "They're…definitely strange, but what choice do we have? They knew the Keyhole's location, and more importantly…" She raised her voice, "Look. It's not just the Keyhole. Arendelle's in serious danger right now, and we really need your help to fix it!"
Jim said, "Yeah, your leader can see into people's hearts, right?"
"Why, 'course he can, sweetheart!" said the lady troll. She turned around and called, "HEY, PABBIE! WHERE YOU AT?"
Silence fell over the trolls as dozens of rocky faces glanced all around, waiting for this 'Grand Pabbie' to show up.
One of the trolls coughed. Another tapped their fingers together. A third sent a pointed look across the crowd.
"Eustace…"
"What?!"
"Did you forget to wake Grand Pabbie again?! "
A gulp and a wince seemed to confirm the trolls' suspicions…all while raising several concerning questions. Such as…
"How could you forget to wake up Grand Pabbie when the Heartless are ransackin' our homes?"
"He looked so peaceful! I didn't wanna disturb him!"
Before Xion could comment—and she really wanted to—the lady troll heaved a heavy sigh. "Well, if we're lucky, he'll be counting sheep back at the village." She turned around, waving a hand. "C'mon, everybody. Might as well show 'em the way…" She took two steps, then sent another sharp glance at Eustace. "But that is the last time we're leaving you on watch duty!"
"Well, let's see you handle watch duty when you're all Keyhole-shaped!"
Jim cut them off. "Hey! You can discuss this after we dethrone that wannabe prince."
To his credit, that seemed to shut them up. For now. Maybe it was the glare. Whatever the case, the trolls all huddled together.
"C'mon, fellas! You heard the kid!"
With that, they all curled back into their rock-like appearances and… rolled through the wreckage without another word.
And though Xion and Jim trailed after the stony mob, and though they finally had their lead, neither one of them smiled, nor laughed, nor quipped along the way.
Even with this small step forward, a mountain of obstacles still lingered on the horizon.
x.x.x
Anna stood petrified, watching Riku limp through the palace doors. Was he really okay? She had half a mind to storm after him, pull him aside, and…
And then what? She didn't have magical healing powers. She barely even knew him, let alone the rest of her own world. And now…now there was a chance she'd take the crown?
Her eyes squeezed shut, and she seized her head in both hands. No. No! This was no time for doubts! Elsa would be fine. Riku…he was okay. Maybe just exhausted. That was all. Everything was going to be hunky-dory! Except…as she looked around the courtyard, she lost herself in the ocean of eyes. Peasants, passing soldiers, talking cats and strangers with brightly-colored hair all gawked, murmured, and carried with them unspoken expectations.
A firm grasp on her shoulder pulled her focus back to Hans. "Anna, we need to discuss—"
But the mere touch sent her right into his arms, and she clung to him. Tight. Maybe too tight, given his startled grunt. But soon, he wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin atop her head. Anna's eyes stung. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She clamped her lips together, trying to hold back a sob as reality came crashing down.
Because no matter what she told herself, this wasn't okay. Her absence enabled a coup. People had died. All because they weren't satisfied with their leaders. So, what did that mean for Anna, who knew nothing of leadership, let alone politics, diplomacy, and decorum?
She could hope with all her heart that Elsa would return to them, but…
Footsteps. A man cleared his throat. "Prince Hans, in light of recent events, we believe it pertinent to transfer the burden of leadership back to its rightful place."
Rightful place as in Anna, or…Hans? The guard had addressed him, after all. Anna kept such thoughts to herself, just barely turning her head as Hans pulled away and approached the guardsman.
With his gaze sharp and his tone resolute, Hans said, "I agree wholeheartedly. And, frankly, I owe Captain Amelia my sincerest apologies for thrusting her into such a volatile situation."
Captain Amelia? There was a name Anna hadn't heard before. Whoever she was, her name made the guardsman grimace with quiet disgust.
"…Captain Amelia, yes. …Then, shall I escort you two inside?"
Anna winced, wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to think?
As if sensing her dread, Hans returned to her side, draping an arm over her. "No, that's all right. You can tell the captain that we've returned, but…I need to discuss something in private with my fiancée."
His words brought a smile, albeit a small one, to Anna's face, and she heaved a soft sigh. The guard, thankfully, raised no objections. He just bowed, then strode toward the passing civilians. One less pair of prying eyes to drill into the back of her head…
And once Hans nudged her toward the doors, she trotted along without a second thought. The hallways became a blur. She kept her head low to avoid losing herself to the faces of the castle: servants and refugees, all of them cold and anxious for answers. Anna's walk soon became a jog, then a sprint, until a familiar doorway greeted her. Eager for some privacy, she latched onto the handles and shoved the doors wide open.
The orange glimmers of a crackling fireplace cast their glow on the otherwise dark parlor. A few stray armchairs, a couch, and small tables were clustered in the room's center. The perfect place to escape the daunting crowds and dread hovering over her.
But in her haste, what about Hans? Anna turned around just in time to spot him standing in the doorway.
"Whoa, Anna. I know I said it was important, but slow down!"
"Oh! Sorry." She tittered and blushed. Maybe she did get a little carried away. "I swear I'm usually better around other people."
Hans didn't return her strained smile. He must've seen right through her brand of awkward levity…and she was so grateful that he did.
"I understand," he said, closing the distance between them. Anna let the forced quirkiness fade away, exhaling and shuddering and almost crying when Hans placed a hand beneath her chin. Only then did he smile back, soft and soothing, while he lifted her gaze to meet his. "But that doesn't matter now. It's just you and me…"
…It really was. And that was all Anna really wanted. Someone who understood. She stared so deeply into his green eyes, so warm, so accepting, so…
x.x.x
Vulnerable.
But she always was. From the moment they met, out at the docks, she was so bright. So cheery. So…clueless. A perfect stepping stone on the path to power, too blinded by notions of love to consider ulterior motives. And so, bathed in the firelight, Nahxs guided her onto the couch. He sat beside her, resting a hand tenderly over hers. The kind of gesture that no doubt sent her heart aflutter, even in the aftermath of tragedy…
Because women like Anna were all the same. Bleeding hearts, desperate for that one person to 'complete' them, regardless of rational thought. When she leaned against him, nestling her head on his shoulder, he feigned a tender smile. Because it was what she wanted to see. What she wanted him to be. And, when you gave people their heart's desire, it was amazing how quickly they complied.
Why the rest of the Organization seldom tried this was anyone's guess. No wonder they had so many enemies…
But regardless of his peers' questionable choices, Nahxs waited and listened. His free hand brushed through Anna's hair, and she finally broke the silence between them.
"So…what'd you want to talk about?"
The question of the hour. There were so many ways to spin the story and place him in an…advantageous position. If guilt and fear ensnared her heart, then who was he to ignore it? When he spoke, he did so slowly, cautiously, easing her into every word.
"Darling, I know this has been a lot to take in, but we can't ignore what happened in our absence. Like it or not, a coup nearly took Arendelle from us…and I think I know why."
Anna gulped, jolting upright. "Y—you do?"
His grip on her hand tightened. When he spoke, he did so with a sorrowful edge, voice low and tentative. "The Organization. I suspect they arranged the coup in order to oust Captain Amelia and her cohorts from power. It would seem...Amelia uncovered the truth about my identity and saw fit to expose me."
Some of his peers may have scoffed at his transparency here...but so long as he revealed it himself, he controlled the narrative. And control was crucial, now more than ever.
It seemed the implications remained lost to Anna. She missed the 'my identity' part and said only, "What do you mean she ' uncovered the truth?'"
Placing his free hand over his chest, Nahxs continued, "Anna…I'm afraid I'm not who you think I am. The truth is…I'm a Nobody."
Predictable as ever, Anna gawked at the revelation…before lightly swatting his hand. "Hans, if that's supposed to be a joke, you might need to brush up on your humor."
How adorable. How malleable. And how fortunate the confession came from him, her dear, trusted fiancé. He'd quipped and jested just enough times that of course she'd play it off as a joke.
He replied as predictably as solemnity required, "It's no joke. I…lost my heart many years ago, just as I lost my homeland. A lesser man would have surrendered to the apathy that heartlessness brings, but I refused to submit or to allow others to suffer as I have." He punctuated his words with a soft, calculated sigh, even averting his eyes. For a moment. Just as cliché demanded. "And yet…when I'm with you, Anna, I don't feel so empty. You've given me a reason to care. A spark I thought I'd lost…"
At first, Anna remained quiet. No surprises there. It wasn't every day your 'beloved' confessed to being a hollow-hearted monster in human's clothing. And so, as expected, a thick crease formed in her brow, and a frown pulled at her lips. "Wait! But you have to have a heart! That's, like, the bare minimum to love someone!"
…So it was. And there came the first hurdle. By professing his lack of heart, that threw their entire engagement into question. Anna yearned for love above all else, so to learn that he could not reciprocate…
Of course she'd deny it.
Well, best to prove his point, lest one of the others do so for him. "Ah, but you see…" Nahxs took her hand, guiding it to his neck. Doubtless she'd notice his lack of pulse. His lack of a heart. Just a matter of time, and…
She drew her hand back, gasping. Nahxs allowed her this, then cut in, gently, before she could draw too many unfortunate assumptions. Careful not to underestimate her this time.
"I still remember what love felt like. That's what we Nobodies show. The memories of emotion. And yet, when I'm with you, Anna, it feels like so much more than just a memory. It's…like the love in your heart fills the hollow void in my chest." One benefit to heartlessness was a lack of disgust at his words, saccharine as they were. "Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but...even then, we Nobodies are far from lost causes."
Anna still held her breath. "What…what do you mean?"
He had to rein her back in. For as friendly and hopeful as he pretended to be, he faced the point of no return. "However frightening Elsa's condition seems now, this is not the end. Even if the darkness claims her, her Nobody will live on."
Anna opened her mouth to speak, no doubt to protest, but Nahxs carried on before she could get a word in. This next part was crucial.
"Anna, I know what you're thinking. You don't want Elsa to lose herself. You don't want her to spend one minute without her heart. But if all goes well, and it will go well, she won't be empty for long. The Organization's sole purpose is to bestow hearts upon those claimed by the darkness, and we are closer than ever to achieving that goal."
"But how?" Her voice carried a slight edge, but no sharper than a butter knife. "I want to trust you, Hans, but you're being really cryptic!"
A fair point. Perhaps mere sentiment wasn't enough. Well, selective truths had worked thus far. What did it matter if he sprinkled a little confidential information?
"Kingdom Hearts, of course. The Organization wants nothing more than to free the hearts corroded by those infernal Heartless and grant us all a second chance. They'll purify those hearts, freeing them of anguish, and grant all Heartless and Nobodies a fresh start. We'll be human again…"
"But…" Ah, hesitance. Of course. This was so new to her. "Even if what you say is true…how come Kairi never mentioned this?"
"Kairi is a Keybearer, and everything I have gathered through travel and experience has taught me one crucial thing: wielders of the Keyblade are bound by antiquated teachings and fragmented truths." Once more, his words carried a gentle, sympathetic tone. "They believe the Organization to be a force of evil, yet the Organization rescued me after I'd nearly lost myself, lifted me up, and gave me renewed purpose. Whatever mistakes they have made, it's only due to the lack of trust and compassion from those more fortunate than themselves."
"But that doesn't add up! Kairi told me all about the Organization. All the people they've used and all the worlds they've destroyed. Plus! They've been tracking her boyfriend for months, Hans."
Ha. All apt points. Now, how to dismantle them…
"Did she tell you about Twilight Town?"
Anna nodded worriedly.
"Did she tell you why it happened?"
"Because…because you wanted them to use their Keyblades again. And—and they weren't for a long time?"
"Do you understand what that means?"
She shook her head.
"The only way the Heartless can be destroyed for good is if they're slain by a Keyblade. But, because the Keybearers refused to uphold their sacred duty, they allowed the Heartless to reform and prosper and destroy countless worlds in the interim. We tried time and time again to reason with Kairi and the others, but every time, they saw only in black-and-white and spilled first blood. Twilight Town was a warning after they nearly murdered my Superior. And, even then, we called off the attack the moment they swore to use their Keyblades again."
Anna paused to absorb everything. Her thoughts were so easy to read. Could Kairi and all her friends really be so shortsighted? Were they truly willing to let the worlds die out of spite? It was delicious watching Anna writhe under the inception of such unwelcome thoughts—thoughts that Nahxs practically controlled.
Predictably, Anna tried to shove the unpleasantness away by changing the subject to an earlier question. "And Riku? Why are you spying on him?"
"Marked by a madman, if my Superior's word is any indication. The Organization might take advantage of the situation, but ours is not the first side to employ espionage. There was a time when one of Kairi's friends repeatedly infiltrated the Organization's stronghold to subvert our plans and murder us in cold blood. Couple that with the Keybearers' growing numbers and the abandonment of their duty to the worlds, and I think turning a scar into a spyglass is more than fair play."
A strained whimper followed. Ah, but not to worry. Nahxs had an answer to her woes. "Anna…your friends are good people. They mean well, and I'm sure they told you what they believe is the truth. They're just too…idealistic. They can't save a universe made of greys when all they see is black and white."
A long, drawn out silence washed over the room. For about a minute, Anna stared listlessly into the fire.
Nahxs waited, opting to let the words sink in.
Eventually, she said, "So, you really are one of them."
Patience, Nahxs. He'd just thrown her into a terrifying new world. Repeating the basics was only a survival skill. He hid his annoyance and answered, "I am. I almost told you sooner, but the moment your sister left, everything became so…complicated."
"And…" She inhaled, holding her breath for several seconds before letting it escape. "Okay. New question. Are you the Nobody who attacked Kairi?"
"…Yes. At the time, I'd feared she was a threat to our kingdom. Heartless tend to follow the Keyblade like moths to a flame, and I couldn't let them ruin what little peace we had left…" He paused for effect. "But, once I saw Kairi defending the refugees from Weselton's firing squad, when she offered to find you… Well. I think that's more than enough proof of her good nature, don't you?"
"Of course! But that's what makes this so complicated. She says the Organization's bad, but you're, like, the polar opposite of bad. And if the Organization's really out there to help people, then of course I'll do everything I can to help you, Hans! But…" Ah, more hesitance. "Look. I just don't know. I still want to believe we can save Elsa…"
More doubts. Not good. He couldn't let her slip just yet, so he slid closer. Leaned in. "So do I. But you saw her. She could have dragged us all into a sea of lava. She's beyond reason…for now. Allowing her to peacefully succumb to darkness and reform as a Nobody is the most merciful gift we can grant her."
"And…what then?"
"Fledgling Nobodies can be incredibly volatile. We may need the Organization's guiding hand to ensure a swift return to sanity. But I doubt Kairi and her friends would take kindly if they knew. They already believe that Xaldin sought to turn Elsa into a Heartless, when in truth, she was already on her way. We wanted to subdue her so that we could rehabilitate her…but Riku only encouraged her darkness to fester, however pure his intentions, and once he left her side, he condemned her to her fate."
Anna's face paled. Her hands quivered. Subtle things, signs of fear. Anguish. Perfect.
A firm squeeze of those shaking hands would surely show Nahxs' support once more. "If we were as monstrous as they think we are, we would have used that raw power against them…but, no. I fought just as hard as you to save Elsa in that falling castle of hers. Frankly, this 'war' between Keyblade and Nobody has gone on long enough. Right now, all that matters to me is you and preserving this kingdom's peace and stability."
And now, one last nudge…
He turned his focus to the fire, posture slumped. "But I fear this peace won't last. Once the Keybearers learn of my identity, I'm sure they'll draw their blades in outrage. They won't consider the nuances. They'll try to strike down the Nobody 'villain,' regardless of the anarchy it would bring…"
"…What if I talk to them?" Ah, there she was, finally choosing the right words from a list he'd narrowed significantly. Nahxs fought to repress a smirk as she spoke again, "Arendelle needs you, Hans! I need you! …And, if Elsa doesn't…" Anna's tone wavered. "I mean, it'll probably take time for her to recover, right? Even with Kingdom Hearts? Which means she won't be able to lead everyone."
"You're right. Arendelle needs its monarch, and I believe the line of succession makes it abundantly clear who would rise in your sister's stead." Anna paled. He knew she would. "Anna, you may lack experience, but I know you'll make a fine queen." A fine figurehead, at any rate.
"Hans… I—I don't know…" Her hunched posture spoke volumes. She looked oh so small, shrinking back into the arm of the couch. "I don't know anything about leading a country. But you do! Everyone loves you. When you're here, they feel safe…" To Nahxs' surprise, Anna slid from the couch, standing tall. Her words burned with a blazing passion he thought he'd subdued. "If the others can't see that, then I'll make them understand!"
What a quick turnaround. Then again, Anna always was a bleeding heart. Nonetheless, Nahxs feigned confusion. Or, he told himself he feigned it. "But, how do you plan to do that?" Could she really have reached the conclusion he'd meant to guide her to—so soon and with far less maneuvering than he'd planned for?
"Well," she started, "we're already engaged, so…why wait? Let's get married, Hans! Today! If we do that, it'll send a message to the whole kingdom! Kairi and the others, too! The Organization doesn't have to hide in the shadows anymore, and if my friends want to hurt you, they'll have to go through me."
…Incredible. He'd done so much to guide her toward accepting the unacceptable, only for her to embrace it ahead of schedule and drag him to the finish line. But it was perfect. The final move to put those would-be heroes in check. Naturally, Nahxs glided up to Anna, pulling her close in an ironclad embrace. "Anna…you're a genius. If there's anything that can save the worlds from this needless war…it's you. It's love." He wanted to puke. And, knowing Anna, she'd want something big. Bold. Flashy.
Time consuming.
Best to expedite things. "But…let's be pragmatic here. A ceremony takes time and preparation. We're better off saving it for when Elsa's recovery is complete. I think, for now, we should simply exchange our vows."
"Oh! Vows. Right. That's…a thing. That you do." She nodded, but the uneven laughter that followed made her true feelings all too clear. Stage fright. "Um. …Maybe you should go first."
…Indeed. Nahxs chuckled, partially out of pity, before cupping her chin in hand. "Anna, my love, you are the shining light in an otherwise dark, bleak world. With you, I can move mountains. I can be the man and the king I was always destined to be…for you fill the empty hole within my chest. Until the day I am whole, you… are my heart."
A deep, rosy flush overtook Anna's face. " Wow …" Then she must have remembered it took two to tango. "O—oh… Well…" She trailed off, fidgeting with one of her braids.
Nahxs exhaled a small laugh through his nose as he released his gentle hold on her. Had he overdone it?
No. Anna's crooked smile confirmed the cold feet were temporary. "Hans. I'm not really good at these kinds of things…I've kinda never gotten married before, but…your love really is an open door. Even if things haven't turned out the way we hoped, it's thanks to you that I got to get out and see the world beyond this castle. And even when I was lost and way in over my head, you were right behind me, ready to keep me outta trouble. So…I guess what I'm trying to say is, you make me whole, too. And…I'll do everything I can to be a queen worthy of you. And Arendelle."
That was…clumsy. Incredibly sentimental with very little finesse, and yet…she'd done her part. What more could he ask for? After all these years, overshadowed by the twelve who preceded him… After plunging himself into the deepest darkness and crawling back from its depths… After trying time and time again to find his own place, his own palace, he'd risen so far and taken a kingdom, a world, a bride all for his own.
And this time, he wouldn't lose them to the dark.
Now there was only one thing left to say…
"In that case, shall I…kiss the bride?"
Rather than respond with words, Anna threw her arms around his neck and…
He half expected her to steal the kiss, but she faltered. Stared. Hesitated.
But of course. This was her first kiss, wasn't it? Very well. Nahxs cupped a hand behind her head, the other around the small of her back, and brought her in closer. She gulped. She squeaked…and then, finally, she closed the distance between their lips.
He'd let her savor this, and maybe he reveled in it too, pressing tenderly into the embrace while their fingers traced through their hair, exploring deeper and deeper.
But she could never go deep enough. No matter how far she searched, there was no light at the end of this abyss. She had surrendered everything to empty gestures from an empty man.
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: Five months later… To keep a long story short, I injured my wrists, then was harassed by a user here in my reviews and PMs and that frustrated me so much I needed a break. And then Inverted Fate came off hiatus. It's been… a crazy few months to cap off a crazy year. That being said, actual reviews would be appreciated if anyone has the time. My reviews page is a MESS because of the unwanted spam and site support have yet to do anything despite me reporting so many of them. Don't feel pressured, tho!
At any rate, we are back! Finally. But this is a bittersweet return, as chickenscrews is stepping down as editor after this chapter. Special thanks to him for helping out, along with Guest Isa and Lucky Koneko for input.
"Princess Sourpuss" is a callback to the revised Olympus climax in this fic. The songs the trolls sang came from Mickey and the Beanstalk, Hercules, and... The Aristocats.
As a final note, I think I may eventually go back and retcon Huey/Dewey/Louie to be their 2017 selves so I can have more variety with their characterization. This would require some revamping of their previous appearances, so it's not a priority, but I am curious what people think. I do think it'd bring some fun new dynamics to Xiruk's arc way back in The Year Between.
