Chapter LIX: Rising

What once were flower filled fields and gentle hills gave way to more jutting terrain. Larger outcroppings started to bottleneck a path leading further into the moonlit world. Ushio continued down the path as the walls left her in a state of proceeding or retreat.

As she walked the path, a wider area opened up to her. Yet, here she wasn't alone. Four familiar people stood around the crevice.

"Ushio!" Sora and Kairi called out.

"Hey!" she ran to the quartet.

"You've made it here too." Aqua spoke up. "Looks like you ran into trouble, though."

"Yeah. I encountered and fought several members of the Neo Seekers." Ushio said. "I also saw Uncle Riku and Aunt Naminé. They'd said they'd be a bit."

"We'll wait for them." Mickey stated. "Once everyone's here, we'll proceed ahead. There's not much ahead, so their leader has to be there."

—

Time passes as the five caught up. They told of the enemies they'd encountered and healed their wounds. At long last, Riku appeared.

"There you are." Sora said.

"Hey, where's Naminé?" Kairi asked.

"I had her leave to safety. After we finished what we came here to do, I couldn't subject her to the danger ahead."

"Alright everyone, are we ready?" Mickey asked. All around, everyone nodded in agreement. "Then let's go."

—

"To think you all made it this far." Aster spoke.

The six stepped out of the crevice to find themselves on a cliff side. Aster stood towards the edge, facing them. Behind him, a large, dark abyss laid below.

"This ends here. All your allies have been defeated." Aqua spoke.

"You honestly believe that. There are others waiting in the wings." Aster proclaimed.

"Our other friends are out there, fighting them even now." Sora chimed in.

"Hmph, so that's why they couldn't make it. That was a possibility I considered. But it matters not. Here in this place, our final stage, our goal shall be revealed. If I need to eliminate a few oppositions, so be it."

With a snap of his fingers, bursts of darkness spawned behind him.

"Everyone, be on guard." Mickey said.

Everyone present summoned their keyblades as they assembled in their fighting positions.

"Your light versus my darkness. As these two forces collide, you shall guide me closer to my goal. Heh, to think that every move you can do is futile from your point of view."

"We'll see about that!" Ushio shouted as she charged him.

"Ushio, don't!" Kairi shouted after her.

Yet, her cry proved fruitless as Ushio pushed on. Aster smiles as the bursts of darkness began swirling in a circle. They shot up higher, cutting Ushio and Aster off from the rest of the group.

"What!?" Ushio looked around as the darkness enclosed them into a sphere.

"You should have listened to the others." Aster spoke. "To think you, the young, hotheaded girl defeated Genex, Kizuna, Kyra, and Iwa. Yet, here you are, rushing headlong into battle. A shame. Nonetheless, your strength will provide a chance to lead me further."

"You keep wanting everyone to fight. Just what is it that you believe will result from it?" Ushio asked.

"As history will tell you, when the forces of light and dark clash, many things have happened. While I searched worlds for something, I was taught this and what I could obtain from it. See, this place, a garden full of life, yet far in the darkness hold a secret. We Neo Seekers have been gathering the energy from our activities here, hoping to unlock it. With everything that has happened and all the Heartless destroyed, the birth of our pseudo Kingdom Hearts should appear."

"A pseudo…Kingdom…Hearts?" Ushio muttered.

"Indeed. And the time is nearly nigh. I anticipated we would have to stand in your way one last time. So come, face me and bring me closer to its birth."

"You think after hearing that that I'd just fall into place and do as you want."

"I explained before that you can't fight this. Even now, you're trapped here, unable to escape." Before Ushio's eyes, Aster disappeared before reappearing beside her. "Let us have the fight you wanted."

Black fire swirled to life at his fingertips as he launched it at the girl. Ushio barely had to moment to respond as the flames licked at her. Even with her reflexes to block, parts of the fire still managed to harm her.

"At last, the final struggle shall begin."