Author's Note: Thank you for your amazing reviews, and I know many of you are looking forward for the epic clash. However, we're still chapters away before that happens as there are more perperations to do.
Until then, brace yourselves for tensions and shock values in this chapter(well, as shocking and tensed as I can make it anyway. :P)
I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or Final Fantasy.
CH52: Ruins of Daybreak Town.
To say that Aced was furious was definitely an understatement. Not only he had lost Shelke and Shalua who had been captured by those new generations of the Keyblade who were still just making things worse and had the Rai sisters on their side, now Lamuria and Arlene not only betrayed him by leaving him behind, but as he discovered in the now fading Oracle of World-Sight which is what he was using to keep on eye on the events that was happening, they had been captured a Keyblade Wielder of Darkness as well as Ardyn Izunia, a dangerous man along side the Guardian of the Unseen Realm, Caius Ballad.
Now just as he was about to discover what else was happening, the Oracle of World-Sight how faded completely, which was rendered useless. How can this be possible? Why did everything had to come to this!? The Foreteller growled angrily that he ended up punching the crystal orb without thinking, smashing it off it's pedestal where it rolled while cracking before falling off the table and smashed into pieces on the floor. He panted heavily to try and calm down before sighing. He was on his own, and he had to do something about this. All Aced had were his prisoners who still provided very little information on what they knew.
However, no one was a match against him. He can handle the prisoners later. Because despite having no clue what Sora and his friends intend to do next, he knew one thing; they were coming, for his three prisoners. A waste of time yet the perfect chance to show them how wrong they were.
"Fine. I'll take care of this myself." Aced muttered to himself, beginning to leave the stone chambers as he summons his Keyblade to head out and prepare for the battle, quoting to himself the same words the Master of Master once told him and his fellow Foretellers years before. "May my heart be my guiding key."
Meanwhile, in Chaos's dominion, the being of Discord himself and Ardyn were listening in on Blaine's latest report in capturing Lauriam and Arlene who now both hanged from chains encrusted on the stone wall alongside the unconscious forms of Even, Aeleus and Dilan. Nearby the unconscious five were the capsules that held Cinderella, Aurora, Alice, Snow White, Belle and now Jasmine who Ardyn had captured just recently.
"The pieces are coming together along nicely. Soon I will be able to conjour and destroy Kingdom Hearts and return everything into pure Darkness." Chaos spoke once Blaine finished his report, before adding with a growl. "However, it is still far too early to enter a full scale attack as we still are yet to aqquire the aid of the gods of darkness."
"Which includes retrieving the light from the Keyblade Princess of Heart, yet Sora will not allow her to die so easily. Now that he is aware of his actions in a time-line where he and Roxas failed to save Axel on time and everything went along Xehanort's way." Ardyn continued, smirking as he did.
"Yeah, but the thing is, there's something inside Sora that can help." Blaine pointed out with a smirk, asking Ardyn. "You said you couldn't find Vanitas, right?"
"At first, but when Xehanort was destroyed, all those pieces faded except one as they returned to their timelines. Now I know where Vanitas is, and it's all linked to that Keyblade wielder. Then again, there are other problems that will clash, so we must do what we can. However, Aced will no doubt learn his lesson." Ardyn replied.
Chaos considered this for a moment, and then smirked cruely as he knew what needed to be done as he came to the same conclusion as his two servants. "Then you know what you must do. This will work to our advantage. Go forth, Ardyn, Blaine. Bring me the light and dark."
Ardyn and Blaine both bowed while saying in unison, "Yes, Lord Chaos."
Yet even they were unaware of the events that were about to unfold. Because watching them from a hiding place of the corner was the figure of Caius Ballad who grunted silently and angrily at Ardyn's direction.
'I knew it...I have been tricked. Fine, I will handle Ardyn Izunia myself.' He thought to himself, before silently leaving to avoid in getting caught.
After spending a day in Twilight Town yet now concerned that Blaine could return to capture Namine if she stayed here or in Radiant Garden, Cloud suggested that Midgar may be the next best thing and that Tifa will take care of her. So when it was decided what to do, Cloud, Zack, Vincent, Lightning and Serah decided to team up to take Namine to Midgar with Shelke and Shalua joining them to face their actions and hopes to atone while Strelitzia and Ephemer were now joining Sora, Kairi, Riku, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Roxas, Lea, Xion, Isa, Ven, Skuld, Myde, Terra and Aqua towards their destination to the Keyblade Graveyard and agreed to wait for Cloud's group before they would venture through the ruins of Daybreak Town.
So after saying goodbye to Hayner, Pence and Olette and promising they will return to visit, the worldly travellers set off once more, more determined to rescue Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis while hoping to get through Aced and make him realize his mistakes before figuring out how to stop Chaos and the other villains that threatened to destroy the Realm of Light. Yet as they travelled while following the directions Mickey, Terra, Aqua and Ven were instructing, Sora's mind returned to what Blaine had told him and everyone else earlier yesterday. On top of that, he was certain that Strelitzia was having difficulty in grasping the situation and he couldn't blame her.
Everything was upside down and back to front. Which left one more question; why was Blaine doing all of this? What in the Realm of Light was going on?
Groaning as he was flying the Gummiship this time, Sora leaned back in his seat with his hands behind his head. "Everything's so messed up!"
"Yeah, darkness isn't really making things easier for us, is it?" Lea grumbled in agreement. "Seriously, I really thought that once Xehanort is ancient history and everybody's saved we could all finally have peaceful and fun lives. Just goes to show you that reality doesn't work like that."
"Gawrsh, nobody ever knew Chaos was gonna just poof outta nowhere." Goofy pointed out with a shrug, adding in realization. "But I guess that's 'cause not everyone's heard of 'im much either."
"Or Bhunivelze." Strelitzia spoke up, "Until recently."
"Yeah. But...then again no one really knew about about what was happening in the past. Why did the Foretellers fight?" Ven asked, still feeling the dullness of the sudden memories that came back to him. "What did the Master of Masters really want?"
Ephemer sighed as he studied the Book of Prophecies, before shaking his head. "Well, I read this book back to front, but most of it just doesn't make any sense. Apart from the line 'Darkness will Prevail and Light will Expire', I don't know what else to make of it apart from it telling future events."
"What else does it say?" Roxas asked, not certain if he wanted to know or not.
"Well, from what I can tell, it says here that a Keyblade War will begin and tear the world apart, but then lights of children will restore it into a new form. But the dangers will not end there. What really creeps me out is that...it kinda feels imcomplete; like there's a page missing or something." The white-haired young man muttered.
That made Sora and the rest of the Worldly Travellers apart from Strelitzia gasp softly before sharing a glance; a missing page-they had of that one before. Their minds immediately went back to what Milo told them back in Atlantis on what happened to the Shepards Journal.
"Hey, didn't Rourke rip out the part where the Heart of Atlantis lies the eyes of the king on the page he wanted to use to steal that Crystal?" Myde asked.
"Yes, and when Milo said there was a missing page, he couldn't figure it out either until Rourke admitted his crimes." Aqua nodded, frowning as she and soon everyone else who knew began to form on conclusion.
Skuld's brows narrowed as she said, "Perhaps what had happened to the Journal is the same way that has happened to the Book of Prophecies; a page was ripped out to make things more difficult."
"And lead everyone on an endless search to find answers." Isa continued for her as Skuld nodded at him.
"Huh?" Ephemer asked as he and Strelitzia gazed at the rest of the group in confusion.
"When we were in a world called Atlantis, where was this journal that was a map to lead to the lost city itself. But before our friend Milo retrieved it, the enemy Rourke ripped out a page because he wanted to steal the Heart's world which was a giant powerful crystal for money. He kept it to himself until we reached Atlantis." Riku explained.
"So what you're saying is, what happened with this Journal..." Strelitzia trailed off as horrifized realization dawned onto her and Ephemer.
"Is the same thing that happened with the book." Terra confirmed.
"But, the Book of Prophecies isn't a journal about a crystal or anything." Ephemer pointed out, gazing at the book again. "Besides, who could've ripped out a page that was so important?"
"The Master of Masters?" Sora guessed, causing his friends to look at him.
"Whaddya mean, Sora?" Mickey asked.
"It's just a feeling I have." The spiky haired teen shrugged with a concerned expression. "That guy is suspicious and weird and while he did help us out a little in Agrabah...I just don't trust him. Plus, with what those other Foreteller guys told me in my dream earlier, there's something unusual about it."
"But...what if the Foretellers are trying to catch us off-guard?" Kairi asked, uneasily. "Who's to say that they're trying to trick you into slowing down?"
"Hmmm...Good point." Sora muttered, realizing that she was right. What if the Foretellers were trying to trick him? What if they lied even though they were telling the truth about the other Time-line, like Vanitas did-
His thoughts came a halt as Sora's eyes widened in realization...
"Vanitas..." He muttered, his voice shaking which caused everyone else to gaze at him worriedly when they heard him actually beginning to quiver and that was quickly making them all worry and scared.
"Sora?" Donald asked, worriedly.
"Maybe it's Vanitas who's messing with my head. With the foretellers and showing me things that's happened in the alternate universe, I think he's...trying to take over my heart and is getting stronger!" Sora said.
"Oh no!" Mickey exclaimed as everyone else except for Ephemer gasped in horror.
"Hold on. Who's Vanitas?" Ephemer asked, the only one being confused.
Ven glanced at him uncomfortably, and answered. "My darkness. Xehanort extracted the darkness from my heart sixteen years ago which created Vanitas out of pure darkness. That masked guy became Xehanort's apprentice to try and use him and me to create the X-Blade."
"What!?" Ephemer exclaimed in shock, before asking in disbelief. "But, why is Vanitas inside Sora's heart now if he was supposed to have been your darkness, Ven?"
"I guess it happened when Sora and Riku woke me up and returned my heart to my body a while back, before we were attacked by Aced for the first time. Somehow Vanitas entered Sora's heart or something." Ven shrugged helplessly.
"Worse part is," Sora continued to explain for Ven. "I can actually hear that guy and sometimes see him when he feels like it like a ghost."
Lea's expresssion turned to anger as he stated, "Well, if that punk really is messing with your head even further, then we have to do something to get him out of you without hurtin' you. Got it memorized?"
He then tapped Sora's head slightly and continued, this time attempting to commuciate with the dark embodiment. "Yeah, we're talkin' about ya', Vanitas! I know you can hear me! Quit messin' with him, will ya!?"
"Like I have anything else to do. What do you want me do to, hand him over an imaginary birthday cake?" Vanitas snorted in Sora's mind in response to Lea's attempts to talk to him.
"He says he doesn't anything else to do." Sora informed while translating, before taking his turn in talking to Vanitas now that he was aware what was happening. "And would you quit being sarcastic, Vanitas? You keep showing me things that didn't happen to us yet and if this your other way in taking over my body, that's not gonna happen!"
"You tell him, Sora!" Donald encouraged, and Goofy, Kairi, Riku and Mickey nodded in agreement with their own expressions of encouragement.
Sora heard Vanitas laugh insanely which made him cringe and making his ears ring. The dark embodiment then snarled, "You're the one who keeps ignoring my advice and avoiding the truth, idiot. Just so you know, I have nothing to do with those Foretellers appearing out of nowhere. The only reason I came into that conversation is to have a little bit of fun in helping you admit that you're scared. As for Luxu...well...he's not who he originally was."
"You're expecting me to believe that?" Sora asked incredulously to Vanitas.
By then, Ven had approached and angrily but calmly tried his turn to talk to his former darkness, "Get real, Vanitas. Whatever you're telling Sora is not gonna work!"
To his shock and unaware to Sora, Ven could actually hear what Vanitas was saying next. "Oh, so now you finally decided to join in the conversation, Venty-Wenty? What'm I gonna do with you?"
"...No way..." Ven whispered in shock and horror, which by now made Sora and the others gaze at him worriedly.
"Ven?" Sora, Aqua, Mickey and Terra asked, worriedly.
"Ven, what's wrong?" Skuld asked worriedly as she and Ephemer stood from their seats and joined everyone else.
"...I think I heard him. I heard what he said." Ven gasped.
"What!?" Sora exclaimed, "No way! You mean you just heard him say..."
Goofy looked at Donald in confusion and worry, saying. "I didn't hear Vanitas. Did you?"
"Uh uh." Donald shook his head with a shrug.
"Well, this is a surprise. Looks like I can talk to my brother now. Isn't that thrilling?" Vanitas grinned, and Sora shut his eyes while holding his head as Kairi, Riku and everyone else cried out the latter's name in worry and fear.
"Vanitas! J-just go away!" Sora yelled desperately.
"All right, all right. No need to shout. Geez, ruin a guy's fun why don'tcha? But be warned, Sora, Ventus...I'll be back...but not the way you both and everyone else are expecting the next time around." Vanitas grumbled, before his voice faded away, and Sora was breathing hard as he couldn't hear Ven's darkness anymore...for now at least.
"Sora?" Kairi asked, gently resting a hand onto Sora's shoulder which was hesitant. The way how Sora reacted terrified her, especially since Vanitas was now being able to speak with Ven.
Despite that Sora was calming down and the knowledge that Kairi was there that seemed to have soothed him from the traumatic experience that he was going through, he couldn't help but feel guilty for scaring her and everyone else through that episode and if that was happening, it meant that Vanitas was getting stronger. Problem is at the same time, he didn't feel any different...at least he thought he didn't.
"...I'm sorry." Sora muttered, panting hard after a moment or two. He then looked at his friends with a worried expression, asking, "Am I...being more different lately?"
"No. I think because of what's happening that it's really getting to you. I know, because I was so scared when I saw Ven's memories in my nightmares; the ones that where Xehanort told him about the X-Blade when he went to rescue the King." Xion ensured him. She sensed that he was scared, because the entire situation was really scarying her too.
"Xion's right." Aqua nodded in agreement. "We're all feeling the effects of what's been happening and it's really starting to get to us."
Everyone else nodded in agreement, before Mickey ensured the troubled spiky-haired teen. "Don't worry, Sora. We'll figure this out together. You're not alone in any of this. Because when one of our own gets hurt, it hurts us too. We're all a team."
"Besides, you never listened to what that guy was saying, right? So just keep ignoring that jerk in your head. Got it memorized?" Lea grinned in agreement.
"And if anything does happen, we'll be right here." Kairi added warmly.
Even though Sora felt the lingering fear of losing everyone which he tried to ignore, the comforting words and nods from his friends did make him feel better. As long as they had each other, they can do anything, right?
"Thanks, guys." He replied, just as the alarm went off and alerted them to gaze at the panel once more. There floated a barren mountain world ahead of them that looked like a giant floating rock in space. The worldly travellers narrowed their eyes as each and every one of them realized that they had made it; the destination where everything ended and began.
"The Keyblade Graveyard." Ven muttered as he, Aqua and Terra gazed hard at the world where they and Mickey had fought against Master Xehanort and Vanitas twelve years ago.
"The Ruins of Daybreak Town has gotta be on the other side of this world. We'd better be careful and land at close we can." Mickey informed everyone. This was it; this is where they would be able to find and very likely fight Aced and hopefully save Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis.
His companions all nodded in agreement and while Sora was steering the Gummiship to as far other side of the world as possible, Mickey kept his eyes firmly on the place where everything changed.
'Please hold on, Master Yen Sid. We're almost there.' The King thought, hoping his thoughts would reach his teacher and old friend. His heart was hammering in anxiety and dread, yet with hope that his mentor was still alive. But...what if they were too late? Mickey tried not to think about the worse outcome, but he couldn't completely forget about it either. He was terrified to find out, but he knew that they made it this far.
Now it was time to find out for sure.
{KEYBLADE GRAVEYARD}
Not long as they stopped the Gummiship over the spot as close as they can get near the Ruins of Daybreak Town, the seventeen beams rained down onto the dirt soils of the Keyblade Graveyard which faded to reveal the worldly travellers who looked around their surroundings. They all gasped in shock at where they landed; they were in the middle of a fork in the road of four pathways created by hundreds-no, thousands of discarded Keyblades as far as the eye could see. So many of them that most of them had trouble in keeping count. To Terra, Ven, Aqua and Mickey, they found that the platform that Master Xehanort created twelve years ago was absent. To Ephemer and Skuld, their hearts ached as they recognized this very spot.
"This is where we first met Ven, Blaine and Lauriam." Skuld whispered in sorrow.
"Yeah, and the last time we saw Haruo before that." Ephemer added.
"Gawrsh, there's so many Keyblades." Goofy muttered in fear.
Mickey took a couple steps forward before stopping, and looked around in sadness and still disbelief. "So many died here, and how everything went from bad to worse."
"Hold on." Lea blinked, turning to Ephemer and Skuld, asking as he heard what they said. "You came here after the War ended?"
"Yeah, just afterwards. Haruo was offered to join the Dandelions to try and rebuild the world. But he didn't..." Ephemer answered.
Skuld nodded, "He didn't want to leave everyone who were gonna fight in the war behind. So he stayed...and was the only survivor to have entered the war. Ephemer and I found him and saved him from dying, and sent him into a Realm where everybody who survived the war would forget all about it. But...well, that didn't turn out too well."
"Blaine, right?" Terra guessed.
"Yeah, pretty much. Still not sure what happened, but if my guess is right...he somehow turned into a Darkling and disappeared...until recently." Ephemer nodded.
"I didn't even get the chance to fight in the war or even avoid it as a Dandelion. This is just so horrible." Strelitzia muttered.
Sora nodded in agreement, "Yeah. This is where Xehanort talked about the X-Blade to Ven, Terra and Aqua."
"How did you know?" Riku asked, surprised.
"I saw it in a dream during the Mark of Mastery, when Genesis put me into sleep. That was before I fought against the Darkside and saved Ven's heart and your voice called out to me, Riku. Xehanort said that...that everybody who fought here gave up their lives to get the X-Blade." Sora explained.
"He's right." Ven nodded. "The three of us gathered here not long after Xehanort struck down Master Eraqus. It was here that...I was willing to sacrifice myself to try and stop the X-Blade from being formed."
Aqua and Terra both looked away at the pain of having remembered that, and Sora gazed at the three of them, knowing that he saw that in his dream too.
Flash-Back: During the events of "Second Life"...
Terra and Aqua both went up to their youngest friend, and the former said in a normal tone, "Relax, Ven. We're here and we're gonna take care of you." and Aqua nodded in agreement.
But Ven wasn't convinced, as he looked like he was about to cry, knowing that there was only one thing to do, though Sora felt more pain than ever. "I may have to fight Vanitas after all. If I do, guys... I want you to-"
"The three of us can never be torn apart, all right?" Terra cuts him off, gently squeezing his hold on Ven's shoulder, "I'll always find a way." while Aqua cupped Ven's cheek with her hand. Seeing this made Sora think about Lea, Roxas, Xion, Namine, Kairi, Riku and himself.
Gently pushing away his friends' hands, Ven requested in a heart-broken tone, having made his final decision, "I'm asking you, as a friend... Just...put an end to me."
End of Flash-Back:
Sora and everyone gazed sadly at Ven over everything that he went through, and the time he'd been willing to put an end to his life to try and avoid in having Xehanort get what he wanted. In the end, it didn't work. It still happened, yet Aqua, Ven within his heart, and Mickey did manage to delay Xehanort's plot as much as possible while Terra in his Lingering Will fought him as hard as he could.
"Um..." Myde spoke up awkwardly. "Hate to butt in here, but, don't you think we should get a move on and find that crazy Bear-masked guy and Yen Sid and those other two guys?"
Realizing that the mullet-haired young man was right, the others nodded in agreement.
"We better let Serah and the others know that we're here and to meet them in the Ruins." Strelitzia suggested.
"Right. I'll call Cloud." Sora nodded, pulling his new Gummiphone out of his pockets and, while it was fiddily and tricky at first, he found Cloud's name after scrolling through the list and mumured to himself, "Um...just press it and let it ring?"
Thankfully it did what he hoped it would do and it rang a few times before Cloud's image appeared as the older spiky-haired man responded, "Hey, Sora."
"Hey, Cloud. We're at the Keyblade Graveyard." Sora reported as his friends gathered around.
"All right. I think we're almost there. Just passing Atlantic now. Which way do we have to turn?"
Aqua spoke this time, instructing. "Take a turn to the left and you'll find a world that's mostly barren. It should be easy to spot."
"Okay. We'll be there soon." Cloud understood.
"Right. We'll meet you guys at Daybreak Town." Sora nodded, and the two of them said their goodbyes before Cloud hung up first and Sora replaced the Gummiphone back into his pockets.
"Daybreak Town isn't too far from here. It'll take at least an hour and a half an hour but I'm sure it'll be fine." Skuld told the group, and Ephemer and Strelitzia nodded in agreement.
"We have to careful. Who knows what we'll find besides the Heartless and Aced." Riku cautioned the group who nodded, taking the warning to heart.
Sora cletched his fist, determined to set things right. Still, to think that if Xehanort was still alive, then this would most likely be where the second Keyblade War would've taken place. Where else could the 'destined' place be but here?
"Let's go." Sora told his friends.
It took a bit longer than Skuld anticipated due to the Heartless appearing each time they turned around a corner after leaving the cross-road behind them. But it was nothing that she and everyone else couldn't handle. Making sure they had enough magic, potions and Elixirs with them, the worldly travellers passed hills via whatever memory Skuld, Ephemer and Strelitzia had of this place and the more they ventured through, the more Ven felt this place becoming more and more familiar.
But as they finally reached the clearing, the sight before them was horrifying.
"No way...!" Sora softly exclaimed in shock and horror.
It was unlike anything Sora had ever seen. He knew that the Ruins of Daybreak Town would be hard, but he never expected it to be in this bad. It was worse than in his nightmares that Vanitas had shown him. The buildings were like made of dust and cracked, and unrecognisable. The fountain was dried up and missing several pieces. Flowers had died out centuries ago wiltered and dry. He could hear the faint gasps of shock and horror from Kairi, Aqua, Xion, and Skuld and he couldn't blame them. Even Riku, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Lea, Isa, Myde, Roxas, Terra, Ven, Myde, Ephemer and Strelitzia gasped in shock and horror as they looked around.
"This is...this is what's left of Daybreak Town?" Strelitzia asked, horrified beyond belief and her heart aching at the devastation. She had known that there wouldn't be anything much left, but this sight of her former home was far worse than she could ever imagine.
Myde let out a low whistle. "Man, the Keyblade War really did a number on this place, didn't it?"
"This is so awful. I knew it was bad but...this is...so terrible." Mickey muttered, shakily. If this is what the first Keyblade War had caused, he was scared to think of what would've happened if Xehanort had still been alive and gotten the War that he wanted.
"I didn't think...it would be this bad. I just hope we'll be able to stop Chaos and Bhunivelze before everything gets worse than it is here." Sora muttered, shaking his head, and he could've sworn his heart was shaking up. He really hoped Bhunivelze wouldn't wake up, but somehow he felt that it was going to happen.
"It was like this when the first war ended. But it's much worse now than it was all those years ago." Ephemer muttered, shaking his head in dismay. "How could've all this happen!?"
Skuld and Ven both gazed at their former fellow Dandelion Leader with sympathized looks and feelings of understanding. They knew what he was saying, but at the same time, it hurt them that their friend was blaming himself for what had happened in the past.
"It wasn't anyone but the Master of Master's fault." Kairi pointed out gently to him. "He knew it would happen and he just let it happen instead of making a difference like Sora did."
"Yeah, that guy sure messed up, much like how Xehanort almost killed us to get what he wanted." Lea nodded in agreement. Something about this place made his heart beat wildly in the intense fear and his stomach dropping at the very thought; had he not been revived a lot sooner, then things would've been different.
"Well, the important thing now is that we gotta find and stop Aced and save Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis. Cloud and the others shouldn't be too far from us." Sora reminded firmly. He knew that they couldn't stand around to gaze at the horrific scenary. Right now, a crazed Keyblade Master needs to be stopped, and Mickey and Zack's Mentors and Genesis need to be saved before Blaine, Ardyn, Caius and Chaos attacked, and before Bhunivelze awakens from his sleep.
But as Sora took a step, he suddenly felt a painful and powerful jolt that not only hit him in his mind, but also seizing his heart that made him cry out in agony. It was making him disorintated and dizzy, his vision becoming blurry.
"Wh-what's happening to me?" Sora grunted, feeling like he's about to pass out.
Apparently he wasn't the only one, because just as Kairi and the others were about to approach him when they saw this happen, she, Riku, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Myde, Lea, Isa, Roxas, Xion, Terra, Ven and Aqua were all feeling the effects as well as they all held onto their heads, their eyes shut and they were unable to handle the agony. Not only that, Sora and those who were suffering this could hear faints of ringing in their ears, the sounds of weapons clashing, the faints of a familiar evil laughter, screams and agony.
Then a new image filled their senses and when they looked up, Skuld, Ephemer and Strelitzia had vanished, but what they saw filled their hearts with pure horror.
They saw themselves, but with Sora, Riku, Kairi and Mickey wearing different clothes, Lea still wearing Axel's Organization Coat, Donald, Goofy, Aqua and Ven, all standing together...and to the real group's horror, was Terra still in possession of Xehanort's heart. None of the worldly travellers heard what the other Terra was saying but judging the look on the man's face, and how everyone else were looking...beginning to lose hope, Sora's group knew it was bad. Which was why no one, not even the real group saw it coming, as Terra-Xehanort summoned the dark evil Keyblade and before anyone could stop him...he struck both Ven and Aqua down in an instant.
The real Terra gasped in complete horror, eyes widening at the sight while Ven and Aqua stood frozen of seeing their other selves just...die by Xehanort's heart within Terra's body.
It seemed the torture didn't end here, because Xehanort began to laugh manically before he began to burst into pure darkness that spread all, through out the area and before anyone knew it, hundreds, thousands, if not millions of Heartless began to rain down and swarm. Mickey was frozen in fear, as were Sora and the rest of the real group. This was exactly what happened in their nightmares. Though Myde, Isa, Roxas, and Xion were absent, it didn't really matter.
The rest of the group's otherselves charged forward to attack the Heartless...
But it was no use. No matter how hard they tried, it wasn't enough. One Heartless Tide Swarm made to attack Sora, Kairi, Mickey and Goofy. But Donald, as though making up his mind, suddenly stepped in and held up his Staff which burst into golden light that drove it away. But as he just stood there, the staff just simply vanished while Donald himself just collapsed onto the ground, fading away in particles of light as everyone else stood in pure horror and agonized sorrow and loss.
"WAAAAKK!" The real Donald screamed in horror at seeing himself just sacrifice his own life to save the others, while Goofy, seeing his other self scream in agonized sorrow, gently laid his hands on his friend's shoulders as though afraid Donald would just disappear. Mickey stood by them with tears beginning to form in his eyes, his heart aching at the sight.
It only got worse as the other Goofy was quickly taken himself.
"GAWRSH!" The real Goofy gasped in fear.
Everyone was getting killed by the barrade of Heartless right in front of the real group...and that included Mickey's other self who was swallowed up despite Riku trying to save him and Sora being thrown back and losing hope. Kairi pushed Lea out of the way, but the latter hit his head on the rock and was soon engulfed and swallowed by the Heartless which had both the real Kairi and the real Lea struck in pure horror as were Isa, Roxas and Xion.
The Princess of Heart began to cry as did Sora. It wasn't long before Kairi was soon eaten herself by the swarm as she screamed out Sora's name before she too was gone, leaving only Sora and Riku who was fighting the Heartless and Sora fell to his knees, screaming and crying.
The real group then gasped as Riku, giving Sora final parting and encouraging words, calmly walked up to face the Heartless but it all but naught, as the silver haired teen was soon quickly gone as well.
At last Sora, in despair and fear and on his own, was the final victum as he let out a terrified and agonized scream before was struck and swallowed alive by the Heartless. Soon enough the darkness spread everywhere so quickly that the real group, struck in fear and horror, quickly tried to summon their Keyblades and weapons, but being trapped in a vision, they couldn't. They could only brace themselves and each other as they screamed while squeezing their eyes shut.
But they felt nothing. As soon as it started, the vision had ended, and the real Sora and his friends, including those he had managed to save with the help of everyone else, felt the pain of the vision end, but it left them panting, shaken, horrified and traumatized. Each of them were panting as the pain began to dull.
"Was that...was that the other dimension that's happening right now?" Sora asked, more to himself than to anyone else. This was about the Foretellers in his dreams were telling him; that what could have happened was happening in one of the many alternate timelines that was going on at this moment. What he'd just seen, and he was certain the others had seen it too...
That was the other reality; the tragic reality.
"What did we...just see?" Myde asked in horrified disbelief. He'd come to believe that alternate universes were impossible, but what he just saw horrified him, more than anything. Unlike the others, he saw himself within the Organization with yellow eyes as Demyx, talking to Vexen who was in the similar situation, talking about something before having taken a replica body and brought it to Ienzo in Radiant Garden, before Demyx somehow vanished.
"It's...the other reality that is happening. One of the time-lines split ever since Sora and Xehanort traveled through time." Aqua muttered in horror and dismay. She placed a hand to her heart, feeling it beating far too quickly and she felt it ache.
Lea was shakingly running a hand through his hair, his breathing quivering as he tried to come to the grips of the vision; in the other dimension, he died. Everyone did.
"Does that mean...no matter what we do, the Realm of Light will be lost?" Roxas muttered, in disbelief and dismay. If none of them are able to stop Xehanort in the other dimension, then would that mean all hope was lost here too? Sure they defeated Xehanort here, but that came with a price.
Chaos and Bhunivelze.
"No...it can't be true!" Mickey shook his head quickly in denial, tears beginning to form in his eyes. It was bad enough that he failed in the past, and that Master Yen Sid's life was on the line. But what he had seen...his other self and the other selves of everyone here...were gone, just like that and Xehanort had won. Much like in his nightmare a couple of days ago.
"Guys? What happened?" Ephemer asked, as he, Skuld and Strelizia, who'd been very worried about their friends, approached in great concern.
"...Our other selves have lost." Isa muttered grimly, clutching his fist tightly. "Xehanort has won and now darkness has taken over."
"'Thus the Darkness prevailed and the Light expired'..." Terra muttered in lost hope and realization. "That's what happened in that alternate dimension."
"Even the other me is gone." Sora muttered, having fallen to his knees and...his heart was aching badly, tears were forming in his eyes. He didn't know what to do. He'd known that the loss would be devastating here, but...for him to lose everyone he loved in all dimensions in either outcome was even worse.
It was hopeless. Everything was hopeless. No matter what they did, whether it was Xehanort or Bhunivelze or Chaos or whoever else, the results will be the same except for only one. Sora would lose everyone he loved. The Realm of Light is finished in most dimensions except the one where he himself sacrificed himself to bring back Kairi.
"It's...just like in my nightmares, only without Bhunivelze and Chaos." Kairi muttered, sorrowfully, unconsciously holding Lea's hand as though afraid he would die here too.
"Sora?" Riku muttered, noticing his best friend's still kneeling position.
"It's all my fault...no matter what I do...I can't save the Realm of Light." Sora choaked back a sob, which shocked all of his companions. "How can everyone be saved if everything will be destroyed and we're no match for Xehanort's Keyblade or the gods!?"
Caius and Ardyn were right. Aced was right; it was over.
"Aced's right. We just make things worse. I just make things worse..." Sora continued feverishly. "Everyone will be gone and it'll be because of me!"
"Sora, what're you-?" Skuld began, only to gasp as Sora quickly stood up and ran off blindlessly into the ruins of Daybreak Town.
"Sora! Wait!" Kairi cried out, and without second thought, she hurried to follow him.
"Wait, Sora!" Mickey cried out, as he and the others made to follow, but Ephemer stood in front of them and firmly shook his head.
"Let him go. Sora needs to try and figure this out, and while I don't know Kairi as much as you guys do, I think she's the only one who can talk sense into him." The young man told them.
"But what if he ends up falling into darkness the way I had?" Terra pointed out. "I stormed off from Ven and Aqua in Radiant Garden and I didn't listen. If anything, all of this is my fault. If I hadn't been tricked, I would've stopped Xehanort sooner and no one else had to suffer and Sora wouldn't have to go through this or other scenarios which in the end...we lost the war before it even started."
"We don't know if we lost the war here in this time-line." Skuld pointed out firmly. "I don't know what you all saw, but Xehanort is gone, and things are different. Yes, there is that risk that we will not survive, but that doesn't meant we lost to Chaos and Bhunivelze and it's not Sora's fault and it's not your fault either, Terra."
"But what if we still fail to save the Realm of Light? Everyone will be gone." Xion said with tears of hopelessness.
Strelitzia sighed, before facing the group as well and began to explain, "That's the same hopeless Noel felt when Caius stabbed himself since he had the heart of Etro. But even when Serah died and her and Lightning's world had merged with the Unseen Realm and the world had to be rebuild, Serah was still revived and she and everyone else she met were still able to be together through rebirth. Bhunivelze was powerful, but he underestimated the power of Humanity. We can do the same thing again, and save the Realm of Light."
"Just because Xehanort won the war in the other dimension doesn't mean Bhunivelze and Chaos had won here. The only thing we can do is prepare ourselves and work together. We all knew the risks, but I don't want a repeat of what happened in the first Keyblade War." Skuld added.
Mickey and the others shared gloomy expressions, though new hope began to rise, but none of them were certain.
Plus, Sora was disheartened with what he'd seen. They can only hope that Kairi will be able to talk sense into him.
Otherwise things here in their dimension will be much, much worse than in the other dimension where everything is lost and it's all over.
Sora had stopped running and found himself in a small garden, or what it used to be a garden, once again on his knees as he cried. He knew better, though, that his other self, and Sora was certain it was the same one as he spoke too in Disney Castle, traveled back in time after somehow reviving himself and save everyone's hearts by using the power of Waking, which in the end after Kairi in that dimension died again, the other Sora sacrificed his own life to bring her back.
Still...no matter what outcome would result, Sora had lost all hope in protecting everyone and keeping them safe without using the power of waking. It wasn't fair! Vanitas and the Foretellers were right, and even though all six of them were suspicious and trying to get to him, Sora knew that he wasn't ever going to be with his friends again once this was over. He wouldn't be able to race against Riku just for fun, go on adventures with Donald and Goofy, or hang out with anyone else, or even get further along with King Mickey.
Not even share anymore moments with Kairi. His Kairi. But...maybe it was for the best. Sora began to think that his very existance is what's causing the Time and reality to become such a mess. Problem is, Sora didn't know what to do now.
"Sora?"
Blinking with tears still falling, his heart somehow warming up a bit more, Sora looked behind him to see Kairi standing there with a sorrowed yet concerned look on her beautiful face. Sora's heart ached even further and he tried not to break down into tears again, but it was becoming more difficult. There was the girl he was in love with, and there was a chance he could very well lose her forever.
"...It's all my fault. Everything I do...I just don't know how to fix it." Sora muttered, turning away, unable to gaze at Kairi who approached him and knelt beside him.
"It's not your fault, Sora." Kairi tried to ensure him, even though she was still horrified and shaken on what was seen.
The spiky-haired young man shook his head. "No. I'm useless. When I'm with everyone, even you, all you give me the strength to fight. But on my own, I'm useless! I can't do anything by myself!"
"You don't believe that!" Kairi pointed out, tears beginning to fall of her own. "I know you don't! The Sora I know never gives up! You kept my heart safe inside you, you saved Riku and others, including Donald and Goofy! You sacrificed yourself to save me and-and I didn't want to give you up! You saved Ven's heart within you!"
Now crying herself, Kairi threw her arms around his shoulders which stunned Sora who was shocked by her outburst, never having heard her do that before. So, without anything else to think about, he gently wrapped his arms around her and held her close. They stayed like that for about ten or seven minutes before calming down and reluctantly released each other, gazing at one another.
"...You don't have to do this alone, Sora...even if something were to happen to everyone...happen to me...we're always with you. I know you can bring us back, one way or another." Kairi continued. "I believe in you. I always have, because I know you wouldn't give up."
"Kairi..." Sora didn't know what to really say. Her encouragement really soothed him, and made him feel...well, Sora wasn't certain how he was feeling. Except that he knew there was a way to bring everyone back if things went into the direction that happened in the alternate universe. Her belief in him made him feel stronger.
Sighing, he knew that he should tell her about the outcome. "I know there is a way. It's just...I don't want to lose you and everyone else. Even if I do bring everyone back...Before we...before we left Disney Castle, and I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I met...I met an alternate version of myself; the one we all just saw."
He then told her everything on what the other Sora had told him, about how it happened, about changing history by first using the power of waking to bring everyone back, and everything. When Sora concluded on how his alternate self sacrificed himself to bring back Kairi's alternate self, Kairi gasped in horror and looked ready to hug him again. He couldn't blame her for being so scared of that outcome.
"Sora...I don't want to lose you again. I wish I knew sooner...I'm sorry. That just makes me feel so...useless and weak." Kairi muttered, feeling guilty more than anything else. It was no wonder Sora couldn't say anything or was scared of using the power of waking.
"You're not useless or weak, Kairi. That's why...that's why I'm wanna do everything I can to prevent what happened to us in the alternate universe from happening here. You're right; I shouldn't give up." Sora pointed out to her, with a warm smile as he continued, "I feel strong with you, Kairi. Because I..."
He trailed off, and ended up blushing. Seeing Kairi look bashful and flushed pink on her cheeks made him blush even harder. One thing was certain though, Riku was right; Sora had to tell her his feelings. Now would be a good time to do so, just in case something happened here today.
Swallowing nervously, and finding his voice again, Sora finally forced himself to listen to his heart and tell Kairi his true feelings. "What I mean to say is...I...I love you."
"Sora..." Kairi whispered, feelings tears form in her eyes which one leaked free with a smile as she placed a hand onto his cheek as her face heated up even more. "I love you too. I wanted to tell you that for a while now but, I just didn't know it and I guess I was scared. But not anymore."
"Same here, Kai'." Sora admitted, his heart leaping in happiness as the last bit of doubt and fear faded away. Before he and Kairi knew what they were doing, their lips once again met with another kiss that was blissful and sweet and warm.
"Oough. Get a room, you two." Vanitas groaned in disgust, and sounding like he was really going to throw up. But Sora ignored him and focused on being with Kairi.
Until they heard snickering which had both Sora and Kairi flinch before stopping what they were doing and turned in the same direction even as the snickering was cut off...much too late. Because it came from Donald who had his bill covered up at the last second by Goofy, Mickey and Lea as they, Riku, Xion, Roxas, Isa, Myde, Terra, Ven, Aqua, Skuld, Ephemer and Strelitzia had just arrived, only to have caught the two of them kissing. Sora and Kairi gasped before they both blushed even more heavily as the latter covered her face with her hands and the former looking awkwardly back and forth before facepalming himself.
"I-it's not what it looks like!" Sora quickly stuttered.
"Um...what doesn't look like?" Mickey innocently asked, feeling embarrassed as though trying to deny that he saw what he'd just seen.
"Gawrsh, I thought they were just cheerin' each other up." Goofy thought, shrugging. Mickey responded by shushing him and giving Donald a glare when the mage threatened to burst out laughing.
"About time you two admitted your feelings." Myde on the other hand snickered, giving Sora and Kairi a thumbs up. "Way to go."
That only made Sora and Kairi even more embarrassed, and the worst part was that while Roxas and Xion were very surprised yet the former replica looked ready to squeal happily, everyone else just smiled despite not wanting to make the two even more even though Lea gave the two new lovers a wink. Isa in the meantime tugged Myde's ear hard which made the mullet-haired man yelp in pain...again.
"You okay, Sora?" Ven asked, more about how his friend was feeling from earlier rather than the embarrassing scene that just happened.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Sora replied, both he and Kairi relieved that at least Ven and Mickey were trying to avoid in making them even more awkward. The spiky-haired teen then rubbed the back of his head and said, feeling bad for running off like he did. "Sorry about earlier."
"Aw, it's okay, Sora. We were all pretty much scared on what just saw. But as Skuld and Strelitzia just told us, just because what we saw happened in the other time-line doesn't mean it'll happen to us. Not only that, but I kinda have a feeling that maybe somewhere out there in another timeline you manage to save us and change the future." Mickey ensured, much to Sora's surprise. Did the King know already?
"Uh, I thought you can't change the future." Lea pointed out, confused himself.
Mickey shrugged, "Maybe not in a safest way. But gosh, Master Yen Sid once told me that "every possiblities and outcomes exists in different realms and dimensions. Yet most share the same or similar pasts and presents." Like how Sora and Roxas saved you a year ago, Lea."
Realizing that the King was right, Lea ruffled through his own hair thinking about it before replying. "Good point. It's like how everybody else thought Nobodies couldn't have feelings of their own, but due to Roxas, Xion, Isa and me when the four of us were Nobodies, that ruled out that speculation."
"And like how both Sora and I managed to exist at the same time when it didn't usually happen, because Sora returned to normal after becoming a Heartless." Roxas added.
"You're right. A lot of things that were impossible were possible." Sora nodded in agreement, and even though he knew he should tell the others about what he told Kairi, he glanced at her as she shrugged a little and while he felt a bit of an unease, he saw in her eyes that she understood his decision. He'll tell them when he was ready.
He turned back to the others and continued, "We made it this far, and if we're really careful, we can do this! No way we're gonna back down now."
"Of course!" Donald replied in agreement.
"Let's go rescue Master Yen Sid and those other guys!" Goofy declared.
Sora nodded, his determination renewed as were everyone else's when they all nodded as well. As they were now leaving the area to head over to the large tower which Skuld and Ephemer remembered, Sora paused long enough to smile sheepishly at Riku who smiled ensuringly and proudly at his younger friend. It was clear that the older teen knew what happened between Sora and Kairi and it hadn't taken him long to figure out that his two best friends had finally admitted their feelings to one another.
'Great job.' Riku mouthed.
'Thanks, Riku.' Sora mouthed back, smiling sincererly.
With a nod, the two long time friends hurried to catch up to their friends who were waiting for them. The seventeen travellers hurried back to the fountain area where to their surprise and relief, Cloud, Zack, Vincent, Lightning, Serah, Shalua, Shelke and even Tifa were there waiting as they had just arrived.
"Cloud! Guys!" Sora greeted in relief.
"Sorry for the wait. Took us a while to get here." Cloud greeted in return.
"Yeah, we were nearly ambushed by a bunch of Heartless. It was crazy!" Zack sheepishly explained, scratching the back of his head. "So um, were you trying to find Aced's hideout or something?"
Sora's group looked nervous and embarrassed, awkwardly sharing looks before gazing back at their friends with Sora saying, "It's a long story. But we think we have an idea where Aced could be."
"Where?" Serah asked, curiously.
"In the Tower up ahead." Skuld answered, as she and everyone else gazed at the tallest building of Daybreak Town. "The Master of Masters and the Foretellers used to live there and the only room Ephemer and I are aware of is the Meeting room where the two of us, Ven, Lauriam and Blaine used after the Keyblade War. I'm certain somewhere in there is Master Aced where he is hiding Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis."
"It is. There are several chambers within the tower, reshaped since long after the Keyblade War. Master Aced did what he could to restore it as much as possible." Shelke explained, with Shalua nodding in agreement. "We best proceed with caution."
Despite the unease from trusting the Rai sisters, everyone else nodded in agreement on the less, and began to follow Shelke and her older sister up towards the path.
"Never thought we'd be back here so soon. Even after we fought against Garland." Serah said to Strelitzia who nodded in agreement, remembering their battle against the dark large knight.
"I guess some things always bring us back to places we never thought to see again. But at least we're all in this together." Strelitzia thought.
"Yeah." The youngest Farron nodded.
The group followed Shelke, Shalua, Ephemer and Skuld on the old bridge that once had a river and man-made waterfalls but were now all dried up like the rest of this world when the four of them and everyone else gasped softly before stopping, glaring as a figure began to emerge from a dust of cloud and shadows from the building. That figure was Master Aced who was approaching the worldly travellers and their friends with a deep frown. He paused half-way to them and both sides were silent for a moment.
"I knew you would all come, you fools. You had some nerve in appearing here in Daybreak Town." Aced growled in greeting, turning his gaze to the Rai sisters, adding, "Yet I made a mistake to trust you two. You dare to betray your master?"
"We had reasons to turn your back, Master Aced." Shalua stated.
"Your goals in domination is no longer an option. What Sora and his friends are doing, is the only way to save the Realm of Light. They have a stronger power than ever thought possible." Shelke added coldly.
Aced's frown deepened into a scowl, before turning his gaze back to Sora's group and inquiring, "Tell me. Why are you here?"
"We want Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis back." Mickey answered, taking a couple of steps forward with a determined look and angry frown of his own.
"Tell us where they are, if you know what's good for you." Zack demanded, taking a step forward himself.
"That is your reason? To rescue your friends?" Aced asked, sounding even more furious. "You keep on wasting your time on such foolish goals in rescuing others when the world is the true one needing to be saved! I told you before; you are all disqualified as Keyblade Wielders!"
"Stop it, Master Aced, please! This isn't like back a long time ago! The rules and order has changed!" Skuld cried out, pleadingly. "Sora and everyone else had saved the Realm of Light more times than any of us can count! They know what they're doing and one way or another, Chaos will be defeated!"
Aced eyed her in disgust and distaste, and behind his mask his eyes widened in shock; he knew who this girl was. The young face, the look of innocence. He'd seen her before the Keyblade War began eons ago.
"You...!" He muttered in disbelief. "You are the Keyblade bearer with the one who foolishly tried to fight me before; the boy who you call Haruo. Why are you here?"
"Similar way as you and Ven." Skuld replied.
"Similar how?"
"I was lost in the Realm of Darkness after Blaine betrayed us. Me, and Ven and Ephemer. It was only recently that I found a way out and joined my new friends Sora and the others, and reunited with Ven. Time does not exist in the Realm of Darkness."
"So you, as a Dandelion remained suspended in time. Yet you still wish for a foolish goal." Aced growled.
"You're wrong." Ephemer spoke up this time. "What you're doing is a bad idea, Master Aced. Everything that's happened is what the Master of Masters saw and just allowed it to happen."
"Don't you dare speak of the master's name!" Aced growled, even more furious now that to everyone else's shock, darkness began to form around his body as he gave out a roar of anger which spread on the bridge that made the group quicky summon their weapons. To make things more shocking, a bunch of Heartless of all kinds began to appear all around them.
"He's controlling the Heartless!?" Terra exclaimed in disbelief. "He let the darkness enter his heart!"
"You let the darkness take over your heart!?" Aqua exclaimed to Acd in shock.
The bear-masked man panted, before summoning his Keyblade and took a fighting stance. "I had no choice. With only myself, I had to create an army to destroy you all and once I do that, I will destroy the darkness in my heart along with the heartless! I will save and rebuild the world!"
"You're crazy!" Lea shouted, shouldering his Keyblade as he and his friends prepared to fight. "You can't get rid of the darkness by getting rid of us! If you end up destroying everyone in your path, you'll just destroy yourself!"
"Hate to break to you, Axel, but I don't think he's gonna listen to reason!" Myde pointed out as he began to panic at the sight of the large number of the Heartless surrounding them.
"Then how can we get to Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis? There's too many of 'em!" Goofy cried out worriedly, trying to hide behind his shield.
Aced wasted no more time as he gave out an angry battle cry before launching hismelf towards the group who stood ready to try and block his attack. But before Sora could even attempt to block the crazed Keyblade Master's strike, Riku, Terra, Ven, Aqua, Ephemer and Skuld stood in front of him and blocked Aced's attack with their Keyblades, while Roxas, Xion, Lea, Isa, Myde, Strelitzia, Lightning, Cloud, Serah, Tifa, Zack, Shelke and Shalua began to strike and attack the Heartless.
Vincent, with very little choice and at Riku's nod, suddenly morphed into his red cape and scooped up Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy who all cried out in alarm before flying over above the shocked Aced and the horde of Heartless before landing and returning to his normal form, releasing the said five and then shot several Heartless that attempted to get to them before rejoining the group.
"Go! Find Master Yen Sid and the others!" Riku called out, struggling against Aced's attack.
"Riku, no!" Sora and Kairi both exclaimed in horror, realizing what just happened as did the Disney Trio.
"We're not leaving without any of you!" Mickey added, his heart dreading another possible loss.
"Just go! We'll be fine!" Aqua shouted, quickly using her free hand to flick her wrist which by her magic, created a large barrier that trapped herself and everyone else and even the Heartless while keeping Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy out. The five of them pressed their hands onto the barrier's walls in dismay and horror, calling out to their friends.
"There's not much time! Go!" Cloud shouted, slashing at three more Heartless.
"Sora, Kairi, your Majesty. Follow the path at the entrance; Turn right and follow the corridors leading down into the staircase and then turn left. There is will you will find the dungeon halls. Follow your hearts and they will lead you to Yen Sid, Angeal Hewley and Genesis." Shelke instructed, creating her own barrier to block another Heartless attack while her sister punched and whacked another.
Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy were torn between going to rescue Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis and staying to save their friends who were risking their lives to fight the Heartless and Aced. But at the looks from their friends as Aced was about to shove back the ones he was struggling against, the five of them knew they had no choice. They would have to trust the others to defeat the Heartless and keep Aced busy until they got back.
"Get goin'! Move it before the darkness overtakes you! Got it memorized?" Lea instructed.
"Sora! We're in this as a team! You helped us, now it's our turn to help you!" Roxas concluded.
Despite not wanting to leave his friends, Sora knew that they were right. So he nodded and turned to the others with him who knew that this was their only chance.
"We'll regroup later!" Mickey said firmly.
"Right! Let's go!" Sora commanded.
With that in mind, Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy hurried down towards the tower as fast as they could in hopes in locating Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis. As for the rest of the group, they faced both Aced and the Heartless, the crazed Keyblade Master leaping back from Riku, Terra, Ven, Aqua, Ephemer and Skuld who stood ready along with Lea, Isa, Roxas, Xion, Myde, Cloud, Tifa, Zack, Vincent who joined his friends, Lightning, Serah, Strelitzia, Shelke and Shalua who all stood ready.
"Sora..." Strelitzia began in a whisper. "May your heart be your guiding key."
The worldly travellers then began their battle against Aced and the Heartless.
Sora felt terrible in leaving their friends behind, but Riku must've thought about it and that's why he had secretly instructed Vincent to have him, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy avoid the battle that would've prevented them from saving Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis who were somewhere in the tower. He tried to remember the directions Shelke gave him, but he couldn't stop thinking about the worse possible scenario of everyone getting killed while the five of them searched. But Sora forced himself to believe in them. They had to be okay.
He, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy finally reached the large doors that was the entrance to the tallest building in Daybreak Town which, up close and far away reminded them of the Clock Tower in Twilight Town. With a nod in unison, the five friends pushed hard together on the heavy door, stepping inside the dark, stone and empty entrance hall which had different paths as far as the eye could see. There were two flights of stairs on either side, a large tunnel in front, and two hallways on both sides.
"Shelke said to turn right and follow the corridors leading down into the staircase and then turn left." Kairi remembered, turning her gaze to the right corridor.
"Yeah. C'mon!" Sora nodded, taking the lead along with the others who followed him.
"Hold on, Master! We're comin'!" Mickey whispered, hoping they were not too late and that his mentor would hear his voice with his heart. They were so close, he could feel it.
It took a couple of awkward pauses to figure out which way they were going, down the stairs and through more corridors that were only lit by flaming torches on the walls in the dark chambers, and fighting more Heartless that appeared which Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy took care of. But they kept going, following their hearts to find the dungeon halls. Finally after what seemed like forever, the five of them found the halls itself with several doors lined up on both sides.
"Gawrsh, how do we know which one to look?" Goofy asked. "I know Shelke said to follow our hearts, but there's so many of 'em."
Donald gazed at Sora, Kairi and even the King before sighing hopelessly and impatiently. This wasn't getting them anywhere at all and their friends outside of this creepy tower needed them right now.
Mickey, as though figuring out how to do that, closed his eyes and focused hard while muttering aloud. "May our hearts be our guiding key."
As though somehow granting that power, Mickey's pocket began to glow which caught his and the others' attention. Remembering that Master Yen Sid's hat was there, the King pulled it out and realized that it was glowing it's familiar warm magic, one that he felt flow into his veins and heart when he first tried it on during his first days as an apprentice. Since his mentor's disappearance, the hat had seemingly lost it's magic due to being worlds away from it's owner. Now, it was coming back to life and glowing quite brightly.
Mickey then turned his gaze to the fifth door on the right side of the halls and felt not one but three hearts within; one he was all too familiar with and his own heart leaped with growing hope.
"There!" He exclaimed. Following his heart, Yen Sid's powers via the Sorcerer's Hat, and instincts, Mickey lead Sora, Kairi, Donald and Goofy towards the door before stopping in front of it. Donald immediately tried to open it, but it was shut tight.
"Nuts! It's locked!" Donald grumbled.
"Hold on. I've got an idea." Sora spoke up, summoning his Keyblade and held it out towards the small lock on the dungeon door. A beam of light shot out from the Kingdom Key and almost instantly unlocked the door's lock which then disappeared and the door opened slightly. With a nod, Sora and his friends pushed the door open while bracing themselves to face the possible worst and hoping for the best.
In the far end of the dark stone room, their stomachs dropped at the sight of the familiar three men they had been searching for since the start of their new journey, chained against the wall while suspended in the air. Horrified beyond belief, Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald and Goofy, while careful and checking if this was a trick or not, hurried over towards the figures of Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis. Once they were certain it was real, Sora, Kairi and Mickey made work into unlocking the chains that held the three older men before they, Donald and Goofy carefully lowered them to the ground and the four who could use magic worked on healing them.
"Master Yen Sid?" Mickey asked as his mentor, teacher and close friend seated on the ground, his heart pounding. The old Sorcerer looked exhausted and a bit slightly torn up which terrified the former apprentice. The king had never seen his mentor in such a state before and he was so scared that they may already be too late.
Hearing his apprentice's voice, Yen Sid gave a soft groan as he began to awaken from an uncomfortable sleep which wasn't much at all even though he was surprised he had lost consciousness at some point. He then slowly opened his eyes, as the blurry sight of a very worried and tearful familiar young mouse was gazing up at him and becoming more clear.
"Master? Are you okay?" Mickey asked again, pleading. "Please say something...!"
"...Mickey." Yen Sid finally spoke, for once very relieved to have a visitor that wasn't someone to torture him or Angeal and Genesis who were both awakening themselves.
Seeing his mentor open his eyes and speak his name, Mickey's heart leaped in happiness and overwhelming relief. His tears fell free and he didn't even bother to stop them. They made it! They saved Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis! They were okay!
"Master Yen Sid!" Mickey cried emotionally, enthuastically hugging his mentor as he began to cry on the Sorcerer's chest. Normally they weren't even this close around public, but at the moment the King didn't care. The important thing was that Yen Sid was alive. "I thought I'd never see you again! I was so scared we lost ya'!"
"Mickey...thank goodness you're alright." Yen Sid smiled, embracing his young former apprentice which was a surprise to Sora, Kairi, and especially Donald and Goofy who both had their eyes widened in shock and disbelief as they never saw their king and his mentor this close before. Once again they were reminded that the old man was full of surprises. "Now, now. Settle down, I am fine...all things considered."
"And I thought Zack was restless." Angeal teasingly commented, chuckling at the heart-warming scene.
"It seems that the Realm of Light is full of cheerfulness." Genesis smirked in agreement, despite feeling sore before quoting. "The Wandering Soul knows no rest."
"We're so glad you, Angeal and Geneis are okay, Master!" Kairi cheered in relief, wiping away her own tears as the sight of Mickey and Yen Sid finally reunited made her want to join in but she held herself back. She felt that the King's mentor felt somewhat embarrassed and decided to show respect.
"We made it! They're okay!" Goofy cheered happily.
"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" Donald bounced up and down happily.
Sora cheered happily, "We did it! You're okay, Master Yen Sid! Oh, and you guys too, Angeal, Genesis."
"You have my gratitude, Mickey, Sora, Kairi, Donald and Goofy." Yen Sid nodded with a smile as Mickey finally calmed down, wiping away his tears but still smiled happily for the first time in weeks.
"And you have our thanks as well, Sora." Genesis added, with Angeal nodding in agreement. The crimson man's smile then faded as he continued, "However, the situation is not yet over."
At the words from Genesis, Sora and the others then quickly remembered that everyone else were still fighting Aced and the Heartless.
"Oh, right! Riku and the others! We gotta get back to them!" Sora remembered, as Mickey and Yen Sid released each other and the younger warriors helped the Sorcerer and the other two men stand. "Aced's controlling the Heartless and has gone totally crazy!"
"His heart has led him astray, for he believes our generation of the Realm of Light is falling into darkness." Yen Sid nodded, saying to the group with a look of guilt in his eyes. "I am deeply sorry for putting you all into this trial and having you go through your quest without my guidence."
"Aw, it's not your fault, Master." Mickey ensured him. "I don't think anybody knew that Aced would do what he did. Gosh, there's so many villains out there that we were tryin' hard to figure out what's going on. But we can't explain it here; Our friends need us!"
His mentor nodded in firm agreement. "Yes. Aced must come to his senses." He turned to Sora who stood in attention along with Donald and Goofy while Kairi stood as formerally as she could. "If anyone can show Aced the truth, it is you, Sora."
"Right. I'll do my best!" Sora promised with determination. "We came this far, and we're not gonna give up now."
"Be warned; he is a powerful Keyblade Master." Yen Sid warned.
"Don't worry, Master. We're not gonna let Aced win! No matter what happens, we're all in this together." Mickey promised.
"Then let's not waste anymore time. Better get moving." Angeal instructed.
Everyone else nodded in agreement, and began to leave the room. Mickey then paused as he remembered something and sheepishly turned back to Yen Sid who eyed him curiously.
"Oh, that reminds me. This belongs to you." Mickey remembered, pulling out the still in good condition hat and somewhat nervously gave it to it's original owner. "This was left behind after Aced kidnapped you, so I took good care of it."
Yen Sid nodded and took the hat while Mickey quickly added, "And I didn't wear it! Wasn't gonna make that mistake again."
The old sorcerer just smirked in amusement at that memory while placing his hat back on his head after being without it for so long. It was a good thing his former apprentice had learned his lesson and was grateful for Mickey for taking good care of it. His smirk grew as the young king held his hands behind his back in an embarrassed stance.
"You have done well, Mickey. I knew that you would be able to go on a journey with Sora and everyone else, but I am fully aware it was not easy." Yen Sid told him.
"It wasn't the same without you." Mickey shook his head. "I knew you were still alive, but I was so afraid that...that you were gone for good...I missed ya so much."
"I know, and I must admit that I missed you as well." Yen Sid nodded, before returning to the main objective. "Now then, we must make haste."
"Right!" Mickey nodded, knowing that Yen Sid was right and for the first time since finding his mentor missing, he felt encouraged and guided once more. While he knew it wouldn't last forever, he was so glad to finally have his mentor back.
Without further delay, the two rejoined Sora and the others to hurry back to rejoin their friends...with a little bit of a magical help to make things quicker and easier. However, none of them or their friends who were fighting Aced and the Heartless knew that despite the rescue mission was finally complete, this adventure was far from over.
A/N: Yay! Master Yen Sid, Angeal and Genesis are saved! However, that doesn't mean things will be fully alright straight away because we're still a bit of a far way to go before the final battle which won't be for...uh, maybe five or seven chapters. Maybe a bit more.
Until then, see you in the next chapter!