Chapter 12
My One True Love
"Homura, I am sorry. But I want to be a magical girl," Madoka said as the battle between Walpurgisnacht and the Warriors of Light continued.
"And I too am sorry, Homura. But this time, I'm gonna have to support Madoka's claim to be her own kind of magical girl that defies destiny," agreed Sora.
"Wait a minute. Defy destiny?" Homura asked in shock and surprise, catching everyone else by surprise.
"That's right, Homura. It took Madoka a little while to decide the one wish that she wants most of all, and it's the one thing she wants most of all. To be part of Sora's family, even if it means signing the contract of the trickster Kyubey, without any regrets. And I know that even though you don't want that at all, it's because Big Brother Sora knew that you were hurting. He sensed that if you saw that happen once more, everything you'd done was all for nothing, but the future is never truly set in stone," explained Yui.
"I don't believe it! How can you understand what I'm going through, despite how I fear losing Madoka to the darkness?" sobbed the dark-haired time traveler.
"Because Madoka believes in a new kind of hope. A hope where light and darkness can coexist with each other in harmony, even if someone tries to disrupt it. After realizing that you tried to be her guardian angel, I can tell you that she's very grateful to have someone like you, who's both her best friend, as well as like a sister to her. After all, she and I share that belief in fighting for family, just like you fight for her, because she's all you have left. But, I'm truly sorry that it's come to this, Homura Akemi. But I can promise you this. From now on, Madoka will work hard to be strong in the light. She wants to make sure that nobody dies or becomes entrapped in darkness, where the witches within them break free, after the hatch from the grief seeds within. But Madoka will neither die nor become a witch, I can assure you. And we'll never allow your efforts to ever be in vain, after everything you did. Because, you've not only earned Madoka's respect, but you've earned our's as well," Sora explained.
"But why?" questioned Homura.
"You have to believe," he answered.
"Believe?" she asked.
"Exactly. Believe. Hotaru Tomoe once said that the future must always be a blank page, no matter what. That's something I choose to believe in. And you can do that too. Mami, Kyoko, and Sayaka, are helping our friends out in this final confrontation, so we'd never let them down, just as we won't let you down," said Sora.
But as Madoka slowly stood up and turned to face Kyubey, a dark cruel chuckle sounded near them, and Kurai Izunia appeared, right as Roxas and Sora removed the debris that pinned Homura down by her right leg, and used their Keyblade Magic to heal her wounds and gave her an elixir that would restore her full power, which functioned similarly like any grief seed, but without the ramifications.
"So sorry, Kyubey, but I'm afraid the moment Madoka said those words, she signed her own death sentence in blood, rather than your contract. In other words, your usefulness has already run its course, and both you and your Incubator Brethren shall be erased forever, along with your pathetic world," smirked Kurai when he appeared behind Madoka.
He was about to raise his sword, the Blade of Ruin over his head and bring it swishing down towards Madoka's right shoulder so that he'd kill her, right after Sora and Roxas dislodged the debris that pinned Homura's right foot to the ground, used Curaja to heal her wounds thus restoring her to full strength, as well as purifying her soul gem with their Keyblades. The dark haired girl now stood enraged at what she heard, as her eyes burned with angry tears that streamed down her cheeks.
"We had a deal, Kurai!" gasped Kyubey.
"We did, Kyubey. But I've changed my mind. Your search for true entropy is now ended. Sephiroth shall claim that power for himself, and share it with those that have inherited his power, after I slay Madoka before she becomes a magical girl," remarked the imperial warlord.
"You will leave my very best friend alone!" Homura snapped angrily, after she stood up.
Kurai wheeled on her, his eyes brimming with wicked pride, as Homura's being was surrounded by light.
"I will not…let you kill Madoka! I refuse to let you or anyone be her killer, Kurai Izunia! And you will pay for manipulating everything to make Madoka be destroyed by the darkness, because like Sora, I will never let anyone I cherish die!" she declared loudly.
"Oh, so you don't want Madoka to die, do you? Well then, I'll grant you a warrior's death, Homura Akemi, and when you die, Madoka's spirits will be broken, when she sees your blood spilled, and your soul gem crushed into dust in my hands, so that I can reforge it as a grief seed, and release Homulily from within, while you're cold corpse fades into nothingness," sneered the other man, as he stood with his sword pointed towards her.
"If I do become Homulily, the Nutcracker Witch, so be it. I'll accept my demise. Anything, to protect her, until my last breath is drawn," Homura remarked defiantly, as she stood her ground, and readied her desert eagles.
Kurai, however, chuckled malevolently.
"And so it shall be, Homura. For once you become Homulily, and Madoka becomes Krimhilde Gretchin, all that you've done was truly for nothing, and this world will be destroyed by both you, her, and Walpurgisnacht, along with the people of Mitakihara, and all the other cities the other Magical Girls are in," he grinned.
Shocked and enraged at what he heard, Sora was about to step up and fight him, when Homura stopped him by placing her hand in front of him.
"No! Leave him to me, Sora. You stay here and protect Madoka in my place," she said firmly.
"Wait, you don't mind?" questioned Sora.
"I don't, Sora. Because you've told me that Madoka is going to change her destiny with her own two hands, as well as follow her heart. I was wrong to try and dissuade her from that truth. I allowed fear to try to force me into stopping her, but no more. Now, I'll fight for the one who's both my very best friend, and is also like a sister to me. Also, I want to thank you for that dance, Sora. It actually made me realize that you truly remind me of her, even though you're a boy," Homura replied, after giving him a friendly hug.
Then she turned and faced Kurai and They disappeared into a different dimension, leaving Madoka growing worried, while Sora and all of his other friends fought off Walpurgisnacht, in order to try and keep the people of Mitakihara in the shelter safe from being destroyed by her power, as well as protected the pinkette from death.
"We have to hold the line, you guys! Don't worry! Madoka's the last resort we need to defeat this witch after we weaken her just enough!" he called, taking full authority of the Warriors of Light.
"FOR MADOKA!" they cried out as one, and they all charged at Walpurgisnacht.
"You will never hurt my very best friend, Madoka, or anyone else, as long as I continue drawing breath and never give up on this crusade, because you and Sora have given me something that I never knew I had in my life, and that something is motivation to keep the fire of hope burning, Kurai! You've motivated me to ensure that Madoka will not die or become a witch, whether or not she becomes a magical girl, even though it's set in stone by the gods you so despise! So I'll do it through the best laid plans of my own making, and place my whole being on the line!" Homura explained, then charged at Kurai, firing her guns rapidly at him.
"Very well, Homura. In that case… I'll force you to go back and prevent Madoka's birth!" cried Kurai, as he charged right back at him.
"Never!" countered the dark-haired girl, and she charged at him also.
(Uh oh, looks like a battle between the son of the Daemon King and the Fallen Sailor Guardian is about to face off against Homura in a fierce battle, so play A Fool's Paradise by Symphony X, from the album V: The New Mythology Suite, and imagine this fight being intense but epic, while Sora and the others protect Madoka from Walpurgisnacht)
"What's become of the world
The colors unfurl
Revealing a blackened haze
Conditioned to fear
The voice that we hear
Calling the end of days
Millions of souls under control
Like pawns to a king
Led by a string
To the final hour
Oh, Empire of the Sea
Lords of technology that fell into the void
Oh shall it be (oh shall it be) as it was before
Tragedy on every shore
Is this the end of all we know
Innocence lost so long ago
Woven in dreams
The darkest of schemes now takes hold of our destiny
Decades of greed, plague, famine and war
We can't go on like this anymore
Living like fools
Chaos will rule this eternal paradise
Death by design
Altering birth
Trends of the modern age
The wisdom of life erased from the earth
In a mindless rampage
Oh, Empire of the Sea
Lords of technology bring death onto the earth
Oh shall it be (oh shall it be) as it was before
Tragedy on every shore
Is this the end of all we know
Innocence lost so long ago
Woven in dreams
The darkest of schemes now takes hold of our destiny
Decades of greed, plague, famine and war
We can't go on like this anymore
Living like fools
Chaos will rule this eternal paradise
Dies Irae
Dies Illa
Solvet Saeclum
In favilla
(Instrumental Break starting with a Guitar Solo, then a keyboard solo, then another Guitar Solo, and several instances of classical pieces playing in the piece as Homura and Kurai continue their battle, while outside, Sora and the Warriors of Light fight Walpurgisnacht off, with Madoka watching in awe at how he's truly brave, despite his fear of losing the people he cherishes with all his heart, much like Homura is)
"Decades of greed, plague, famine and war
We can't go on like this anymore
Living like fools
Chaos will rule eternal paradise
Is this the end of all we know
Innocence lost so long ago
Woven in dreams
The darkest of schemes now takes hold of our destiny
Decades of greed, plague, famine and war
We can't go on like this anymore
Lost in the night, fading from sight
Is this the final setting sun?
OH!
OH!
OH!
OH!
OH!
OH!
Oh!"
(And the song ends with Homura, exhausted and beaten, but triumphing over Kurai who is standing barely fazed, despite withstanding that young woman's fighting spirit and unyielding desire to keep Madoka from dying, as he prepares to leave Madoka's weary friend behind through the dark corridor, after Sora and the others manage to drive Walpurgisnacht back, just long enough for them to come to Homura's side when they sense her weakened presence.)
Battered, beaten, and critically wounded, Homura collapsed to the ground in defeat, after she used all the magic in her being to try and defeat Kurai in battle, as the dimensional rift collapsed around them, returning them to reality.
"'The best laid plans,' eh? It may have eluded me for now, but rest assured: Father will have his revenge," sneered Kurai, and he vanished into the dark corridor, just as Homura collapsed onto, battered, weary, and beaten from the fierce battle.
"Homura!" cried Madoka, as she, Sora, and all of their friends rushed to the wounded dark-haired girl's side.
Without wasting a single second, Madoka quickly ran up to her friend's side, and saw that she was badly ruffled up all over, making her weep for her one true friend, which drew the others to her side.
"...Madoka? But how…?" Homura asked in a hoarse voice.
"Some of Sora's friends came by and lent us a hand, if you can believe it," replied Sayaka.
"Yes, we're very grateful to them, but I'm truly grateful to Sora's brother, Roxas," agreed Mami.
Then suddenly, Kyoko began to have her first emotional breakdown, which surprised everyone.
"...What the hell were you thinking!?" she howled.
"How could we let this happen?" the bluette asked, now feeling truly sorry for Homura.
"How could I let this happen? This is all my fault," Madoka said in anguish, as she gazed at her dying friend.
"Madoka…" gasped Homura, as she lay on the ground, barely alive, due to her soul gem's light almost going dark.
"If I really am karmically destined to save this world, then why can't I make the right decisions?" she asked herself.
Then her tears fell on Homura's face.
"I'm so sorry. You tried to find a way to make sure that I'd survive this whole time…and all it's done is caused you pain and suffering, Homura," she whimpered.
Taking hold of her friend's hand, she saw that her soul gem was slowly turning black again, then she shook her head in defiance as she gripped it tightly in both her hands, just as she felt something within her heart purge Homura's darkness from within. To Sora's shock, Madoka Kaname was revealed to be one of the seven new hearts that Xehanort had been searching for, after the previous six passed their power onto those who would become their successors.
"Not anymore. All that ends now!" declared Madoka, as she stood up, after Terra gave Homura an elixir to fully restore her to full strength.
Then she turned towards Kyubey, her tear stricken eyes brimming with an uncanny determination, the likes of which no one had ever seen before.
"Hear me, Kyubey! I've decided on my wish! Please, grant me the power to protect the people I cherish, like my boyfriend, Sora!" She cried out in a loud clear voice that echoed through time and space, which the other versions of herself who lived, died, and became Krimhilde Gretchin from many different timelines heard, then merged with her being, making her truly strong in the light.
Surprised by what she heard Madoka say, Homura saw for the first time that Sora was right all along about how her desire to save her friend might have been impossible to avert, and knew that this destiny had suddenly changed, even as the pinkette nodded to the others, as she took hold of Sora's hand.
"Sora, I'm so sorry. But, it looks like I've truly failed to stop Madoka from becoming that which would end up destroying her," she murmured.
"You haven't failed, Homura. In fact, you've helped Madoka discover a new kind of strength that she's never known before. The power to become a different kind of Magical Girl that defies any false destiny that Kyubey foretold, because she's also one of the New Seven Hearts we've been searching for the whole time," assured Sora.
"So you're saying, Madoka's a princess!?" Homura asked in surprise.
"That's right. After all, he told us that nothing is ever truly set in stone at all. The gods that created Kingdom Hearts and all the other worlds have spoken that Madoka is indeed the Chosen Magical Girl among Magical Girls, who will help us decide a new kind of destiny, and is also one of the seven new Princesses of Heart, even though Kairi hasn't yet passed her power to a successor," agreed Mami.
"But Madoka said that we're family to her, and that's the way it's gonna be," added Nagisa, who's spirit came down from Kingdom Hearts.
Madoka turned back to the others, and looked solemnly at them, as her body slowly began to radiate with power.
"Take care of Homura for me, you guys. But also know that I'm not alone, as long as you're with me in spirit. But I also know that Sora is indeed, my one true love," she said to the other magical girls.
"Listen well. A king cannot lead by standing still. A king pushes on always, accepting the consequences, and never looking back," King Regis told a young Sora.
"Madoka's wish seems similar to the previous versions of her, but at the same time, she truly sees all of you as family, just like Sora does. Perhaps we've greatly underestimated her heart after all, since every version of Madoka that lived, lives within her now," admitted Kyubey.
"You have, Kyubey. However, your usefulness has now come to an end, and so the souls of both yourself, and your Incubator brethren shall become a part of me, while your world crumbles into dust. Now, I shall take all that entropy and make it become part of my power, thus gaining the knowledge that you all have, along with the darkness of every witch that broke free, or has yet to break free, once a magical girl truly fell into darkness," grinned Sephiroth, and in an instant, the One-Winged Angel, absorbed their souls into himself, and attained their knowledge and power, as well as all the other witches that were still grief seeds, or had yet to break free.
Although Madoka did agree to accept Kyubey's offer to be a Magical Girl, by deciding on a different wish, which was to honor the previous magical girls who fought against the darkness, and to ensure that both she and her friends continue to fight for a better tomorrow, rather than a dark tomorrow. The wind howled, and to Sora it sounded like the cheering of thousands of magical girls who lived, fought, and passed on into legend, since the beginning of the Puella Magi Wars. The time seemed quite ripe for the final battle to end, as he and everyone else walked up towards Walpurgisnacht, who hung high up in the sky, even after she managed to defeat Homura and almost make her succumb to darkness to unleash the witch, Homulily, from within, as they were joined by Team KRYYSTAAL, Team SKYYLAR, Weiss, Blake, the Sailor Guardians, and all the other girls that refused to let darkness win, even after agreeing to be part of his family, including all of his other friends, the Warriors of Light, who heard his heart calling out to them so that they would stand with him. But something seemed wrong. The moment she was about to reach Walpurgisnacht and fire her arrow of light on the weakened witch, something stopped her. Looking up at the falling black feathers, she and Sora noticed the same dark cloaked man with silver-hair, Sephiroth, descending downwards with Kyubey in his right hand, then landed between the two foes and gave them all a sadistic smile, which only fueled Sora's motivation to avenge Nehelenia even further, as Kyubey and his Incubator Brethren became part of him, by being absorbed into his being.
"Okay, Jerkface, let's-" the bluette was about to say, only for Kyoko to raise her arm in front of her rival.
"Don't," warned the redhead.
Everyone else soon readied their weapons, as well as got into a battle stance, which made Sora remember the time when he and his friends saw Nehelenia's death, which made them hate Sephiroth, as Kyoko slowly stood her ground and glared at her.
"And you… You're wrong," she said threateningly.
"Every Magical Girl that became a witch was destroyed by another," remarked Sephiroth.
"Everything that you are is wrong!" countered the rogue, as she pointed her spear at the One-Winged Angel.
But although Sephiroth didn't flinch, Sora nodded in agreement with Kyoko's words as he glared at his hated enemy.
"Walpurgisnacht will end Madoka. If she becomes Krimhilde Gretchin, her power will be mine, Ophelia," he said.
"Madoka will never be a part of you, and she will neither die… nor become a witch!" Sora remarked as he summoned his Keyblade.
"I agree," added Homura, who stood beside him and Madoka.
Suddenly, the sky began to rumble with thunder and lightning once more, as the black clouds swirled above the sky in an eerily huge mass of darkness, until Walpurgishnacht's demented laughter was heard once more.
"Listen," Sephiroth said to them.
Then she unleashed a mighty scream that echoed everywhere, just as the Arbiters of Destiny screamed after the fall of Nehelenia and Vassago, forcing everyone to cover their ears, as darkness enveloped Mitakihara, making it seem like it had been erased from the map.
"The end has come," he added proudly.
A mighty thunderclap erupted near Sora, as he began to experience a vision of the past, where he saw the same group of Keyblade Wielders standing near the slowly being built Mitakihara with a handful of other magical girls he'd never seen before, as they were near the entrance of a labyrinth where the witch lay in wait.
"We drag our behinds all this way…and this witch we're about to fight is taunting us," said Skuld.
They soon marched into the labyrinth, one by one, Skuld, Ephemer, The Keyblade Wielder who was reborn as Xehanort, Ventus, Laurium, Elrena, and Brain, along with one generation of magical girls that came before Madoka and her friends were born, as they saw the familiars standing with the intent to strike them all down, and make their presence be viewed as a mysterious disappearance to the public eye, as the Arbiters whooshed past them.
"Boy, oh boy… The price of being a Magical Girl is heavy," one of the magical girls said, accepting the harsh reality.
Though Skuld and Elrena weren't magical girls, they had to agree with her, as everyone readied their weapons for battle against the familiars and Heartless that were lying in wait, until Laurium stood with his Keyblade in hand.
"Strelitzia, my sister. Wherever you are, I'll continue to fight…in your honor!" he said, and he charged forward with Divine Rose in hand, with everyone else following him.
"Come and get some!" cried Ventus.
Back in reality, everyone looked in shock and horror at what Walpurgisnacht had shown them, but Madoka shook those memories aside, and furrowed her brow with determination, only to see Sephiroth turn his back on them, which left Sora confused. Then he saw Sephiroth swing his blade at the black fogbank, and a dark cold wind blew at them, after Riku took hold of Homura's left hand, and used his light to purify it, while absorbing some of the darkness within, which in turn made him stronger, but he quickly did the same with Kyoko, Mami, and Sayaka, while Madoka's still had it's shine, even as she stood with the boy who reminded her of herself, when Sephiroth turned to face them.
"I'm waiting, Sora," he said menacingly.
Thinking that it was a taunt, Sora watched as Sephiroth walked into the darkness, then disappeared without a trace. Allowing his Keyblade to vanish, Sora decided to pursue him, only for Madoka to take hold of his arm and stop him, making him look at her in confusion.
"This is the point of no return," she said.
Releasing his arm, Madoka slowly stepped towards the portal, with Homura watching in awe, as she saw her friend raise her gloved hand towards the sky, and a shimmering light appeared on it, rather than her bow. The dark portal soon changed into a light portal, and she turned to face everyone that was assembled.
"We stand at Destiny's crossroads," Madoka announced.
"Why'd you stop me from going after Sephiroth?" Sora asked.
"I…I'm not really sure," she replied.
"What will we find beyond this portal, Madoka?" Homura asked, even though she was saddened that her very best friend became a Magical Girl.
"Freedom. Boundless, terrifying freedom. Beneath one destined sky," replied Madoka.
Then she turned towards her friends, and looked solemnly at them.
"What we heard just now were the voices of previous magical girls. Those born into this world. Who lived and who died. Who are resting in peace. They're howling in pain," explained the pinkette.
"Because Sephiroth has absorbed the power of entropy?" Sora asked.
"They… Their words…they don't reach him. All these moments and memories, precious and fleeting…they're like rain rolling off his back… And once they've gone, he won't feel sorrow…or anger…or anything. All he'd say is that he wishes for everyone to accept him as their god. That he'd do everything he desires to have this Kingdom Hearts become part of his power. But this isn't the way that I wanted things to be. He's even more dangerous than any witch you've faced. Sephiroth has to be killed. He has to be. And that's why… I'm asking you to help me. I know that, together, we can do this. But if we do… We'll be rewriting more than fate itself. If we succeed…if we win…we'll be changing ourselves… I guess…maybe, that's why I became a magical girl," Madoka said.
Then came another scream from Walpurgisnacht and the spirits of magical girls past, that burst from behind the portal of light, forcing everyone to cover their ears again. But they relaxed a bit, as the screams died down, and even recovered from the horrendous screams of the other side.
"Hearing what you said. You're absolutely right, Madoka. And frankly, Sephiroth's madness must end now," declared Sora, and the others nodded in agreement with his words, including a reluctant Homura.
He turned to the other Magical Girls that were standing amongst each other.
"Is it really in a magical girl's nature to defy destiny?" questioned Sayaka.
"That's actually a good question, Sayaka. So the answer to that is yes," replied Mami.
"Will there be more of those Arbiters on the other side?" she asked.
"Yeah, but, once we step through that portal, there won't be any turning back," replied Kyoko.
But she furrowed her brow as Madoka did and shook her head.
"I don't know what kind of freedom we're buying…but I know the price will be even heavier," she said.
"Sora, we should go. If we wait any longer, I don't know what'll happen next," Homura said,
"Thank you, Sora. Whatever happens, we'll be okay…as long as we stand together," assured Madoka.
Nodding towards her, Sora knew that this would indeed be their final battle in this dark yet twisted world, then he turned towards the portal.
"This will be our final battle, everyone. I know some of you are scared of dying, just like how I'm scared of letting you die for either mine or Madoka's sake, but we can't allow fear to control us any longer. So if Walpurgisnacht wants to try and take us all down, then let's go down fighting together, as Warriors of Light. We are the spark that'll light the fire and keep the hope in our hearts alive," he said.
To Madoka, it seemed like Sora was making a speech to the assembled troops or protestors at a huge rally, with the prospect of making a change for the betterment of all worlds.
"Magical Girls like me, Kyoko, Mami, Homura, and now Madoka have never thought about trying to challenge destiny before," admitted Sayaka.
"Walpurgisnacht is indeed the last witch. It's not gonna be easy," said Kyoko.
Sora and Madoka both turned and looked at each other, just as everyone else nodded in agreement with the redhead's statement.
"Let's march forth…together," Sora announced.
Then all the assembled Warriors of Light marched forth, stepping through the portal one by one, except for Homura, who was both surprised, but at the same time, happy that Madoka had at last found someone who was very much like her, then she looked at her timeshield.
"This wouldn't be the first time Madoka would choose to spit in the face of destiny, but whether she could see the seams of time or not, it never changed the fact that she'd want a world of light," she told herself.
Then she looked back at the evac shelter where Madoka's mother, father, and brother were staying, with the other citizens of Mitakihara, and clenched her fist.
"Madoka's coming back to you safe and sound. I swear!" Homura said quietly towards it.
Then she slowly marched into the light and vanished, only to end up with everyone else who looked as if they had just stepped through the mirror, as another version of Alice once did, but found that there were no people in what Yui called a singularity.
"I don't know about you, guys. But it seems normal at most," she said.
"Not quite, Homura. I'm detecting a powerful surge of darkness… ahead of us!" called Ami, who was now Sailor Mercury.
Huge black clouds swirled and danced, followed by purple lightning, and claps of thunder rumbling in the sky. The Arbiters were now swirling about Walpurgisnacht, as if they were surrounding her, just as they surrounded Mitakihara. Sora looked at it with a gleam of pure hatred in his eyes, as he sensed the heart of the magical girl within that witch fade away into the darkness, never to be seen again, until a massive tornado struck the ground and came towards them.
"Okay, that's not good!" admitted Sailor Mars.
"Run!" cried Artemis.
Nodding at his word, Sora motioned for everyone to try and flee, as the tornado ripped up the city within that very reflection they were in. But they saw another tornado appear before them, as Sailor Moon clung to Tuxedo Mask, and was about to panic, when…
"Don't worry. Whatever happens, we're always in each other's hearts, as Sora told you," he assured her.
And he was right, because the minute both tornadoes merged together and became a massive cyclone of darkness, all the Warriors of Light were dragged up above it, including Sora himself. As he struggled against the pull, more bolts of purple lightning struck the ground below, until he fell into unconsciousness. But suddenly, his heartbeat rang in his ears, and his powers soon activated, causing him to wake up in shock. Taking advantage of the low gravity, Sora assumed his Equestrian form, his blue Pegasus wings appearing from his shoulder blades, only to see that they turned bright crimson, just like his eyes did when they activated for the first time, thanks to his brush with death at the hands of Hyena R. Droid. Below, was Mitakihara, but then his gaze shifted to the spectral Whispers spiraling around him, until they swirled and danced about Walpurgisnacht, transforming her into something much worse then before. The witch was no longer the same witch that Homura spoke of to her companions from before, it was now something much darker, more ominous, and truly terrifying to look upon, as Sora saw that it had now become the Harbinger of Destiny, which looked strikingly similar to the one he and his friends fought against, before their final confrontation with Sephiroth. Sora watched as it unleashed a powerful burst of darkness, followed by streams of green life energy that trickled from its being, only to fade away into nothingness. Then he saw it gather up the scattered remains of the city into a dark void,and sent it all towards Sora who summoned his Keyblade once more, only for him to start dodging and weaving about, as well as cutting through the debris, until he landed on a roadway, that used to belong to an expressway.
"I have to find the others," he said.
Breaking into a run, Sora knew that he had to find them as the whispers spiraled around the roadway, but he maintained that same sense of vigilance as he continued to run, then slid down another roadway, until he came to a metal walkway, where he almost staggered at the sight of falling debris. He broke into a run once more, then jumped down towards Homura and Sayaka who were back to back with each other, as the specters surrounded them.
"Homura! Sayaka!" he called, as he landed in a crouch, then unleashed a mighty blow with his Keyblade, scattering them in all directions.
"You're here!" Homura replied.
"What? Happy to see me?" questioned Sora.
"I wouldn't go that far," she said.
"Then Walpurgisnacht…has become a Whisper as well, huh?" he said.
"Worse. She's become an Arbiter of Destiny, thanks to those specters," the dark-haired girl remarked.
"We'll stop 'em," assured Sayaka.
"I'm with Sayaka, Homura. We must defeat them," agreed Sora, as he saw it summoning the familiar Whispers that he knew so well.
"Rubram, Croceas, and Viridi. Or rather, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz, in Whisper form," he quipped.
"All right, bring it on!" agreed the bluette, as she readied her swords.
Sora and Homura nodded in agreement, then began engaging the three Whispers in a fierce clash of blades, fisticuffs,and heavy cannon fire, as well as making sure to better protect themselves, even against a new adversary. Sometimes, Sayaka would be pushed into a corner, when Viridi was about to deliver the final blow. Sometimes, Homura would lay down cover fire, by unloading a full volley of ammunition from one of her assault rifles. But whatever the case, both girls knew that this truly a fight for survival, and for helping each other out, regardless of the many differences they had in the past. Reacting on instinct, Homura soon fired several RPGs at Croceas hoping to subdue him, while Sora and Sayaka clashed with Rubrum and Viridi, until they quickly disappeared, which meant that the Whisper Walpurgisnacht was about to unleash the full power of darkness. The shockwave she produced sent the three of them about in separate directions.
"Come on, that's not fair!" Sayaka snapped at the Whisperfied witch.
"Just run!" called Homura.
"She's right! We gotta go!" agreed Sora, and they ran up a causeway which began to crumble around them, even as the Azure Knight of Mitakihara told them to be careful, but to also keep running.
When the makeshift bridge began to fall, Sora made a daring leap, but as he was about to fall, Sayaka took hold of his hand, and Homura did the same.
"It's like you told me, Sora! We're not alone!" she said.
The three Whispers appeared again, but the spiky brunette and the two magical girls soon rushed into the battlefield, ready to continue the battle.
"Pick your opponent and take 'em down!" cried Sora.
Croceas unleashed several golden beams at them, while Rubrum and Viridi fought furiously against Sora and Sayaka, while Homura sent a deadly barrage of gunfire at her opponent. They fought even more furiously than before, until Croceas quickly retreated, which signaled the Harbinger of Destiny to bring down its right hand, sending them sprawling. Sayaka cursed the Whisper angrily, but was extra careful in not allowing Oktavia to burst out again.
"We've gotta move it!" Homura called to them, as she blasted a car out of the way with her grenade launcher.
Sora nodded towards her, and burst into a run. But as they were running, the Whisper Walpurgisnacht tried to stop them, but they evaded her attacks with some careful maneuvering, even though Sayaka still wanted to fight the larger Whisper. At last they came to what they hoped would be an even larger arena, so that they'd fight any of the three whispers that they fought, only to see Rubrum again. Homura fired everything she had at it with all the guns that she carried, and even tossed some of the makeshift pipe bombs that she carried from the second timeline, before realizing that the Sayaka of the third timeline didn't like explosives going off in her face.
"Take this, ugly!" Sayaka cried out, as she battled the Rubrum sword to sword, until Sora jumped in and attacked with his Keyblade.
Whisper Rubrum truly was a dangerous opponent, and it began working its way between both the swordswoman and the Keyblade Master, swinging its flaming sword this way and that to try and kill them.
"This one's special," Homura said, and head shot the whisper with her desert eagle.
"Heal!" the bluette called, casting Curaga on both Homura and Sora.
"Let's crank it up into overdrive!" Sora said to them.
But as he spoke, Whisper Walpurgisnacht soon began using a deadly barrage of fire attacks on Sora, which would've scared all of his friends to death, but he bravely endured it with his being. At last they staggered the Whisper, and began damaging the Harbinger from above, by continuing to strike at it.
"Your luck has run out!" he snapped at the red whisper, and performed a cross-slash on it.
This managed to wound Whisper Walpurgisnacht, as its demonic cry echoed everywhere, as more of the specters whooshed past them.
"Did we beat her?" Sayaka asked worriedly.
"Wait a minute!" called Madoka, when she arrived with Kyoko, Mami, and the rest of Sora's friends.
Homura was relieved to see her again, but she knew that now wasn't the time to hug each other.
Suddenly, the Whisperfied witch reached out to them, and showed them visions of what would have come. They saw Homura, walking alone on the ravaged landscape, with the spirit of Madoka urging her to keep going.
"Could someone tell me what the hell we saw?" Kyoko asked.
"A glimpse of tomorrow if we fail here today," replied Yuna Yuki, the Hero of the Shinju-sama.
"Heads up!" cried Ruby, when she saw the whisper attempting to strike them down, only for the large group to be split in half.
"Madoka!" Sora called towards the pink-haired magical girl.
"They'll be alright, Sora. Don't lose yourself to fear," assured Ami, just as the Whisper regenerated its arm.
The ground shook beneath them and the wind howled, but Croceas and Viridi returned to fight, while Rubrum stayed to fight against Madoka and the other half of Sora's friends and family.
"Dammit! How do we stop these freaks!?" snapped the red-haired rogue.
"Well, the big one is way over there. However…" Mami said.
"We'll take out the small fry," added Riku.
"Yeah, Riku's right. So, let's take 'em on!" agreed Compa, as the two Whispers powered up.
It took the combined might of Sora's group to deal some powerful killing shots against the two whispers, even as the spiky brunette continued to hammer into Viridi with every strike of his Keyblade, even as he allowed the power within him to give him even greater strength, along with the encouragement of his family. He was able to stagger it, just as Compa fired several poison darts from her syringe, which managed to wound the witch even further.
"Uh, guys, I think we made Croceas angry!" called Blake.
"Blake's right, everyone. Mami, you're with me," said Roxas.
"I'm right behind you, Roxas!" replied Mami.
They attacked the golden whisper without even thinking of holding back, because Mami knew that Madoka truly did love Sora, while the SAO players held back the Heartless that tried to ambush them, even as Rubrum was being held back by Terra, who was leading the charge against it. Finally, Croceas was subdued, until the damage it sustained was fed directly to Whisper Walpurgisnacht, who felt the damaging effects of the weapons, and the ever-evolving unknown power that Sora had within him. Suddenly, it began to show them another vision, where they saw Homura and Mami locked in fierce yet intense gunfight, causing Sayaka to reel in shock.
"Is this what our future should've been?" she questioned.
Rubrum was about to strike her down, when Sora stopped the killing blow with his Keyblade, and forced it back, just as everyone came to their side.
"Every future must stay a blank page," said Madoka.
But the desperate Whisper Walpurgisnacht, quickly called back the three whispers, as they all glared at them.
"I'm getting sick of these guys. They really should give us a little breather!" quipped Kyoko.
"Kyoko's right, everyone. It's better if we split up. That'll provide us with a greater advantage," agreed Tuxedo Mask.
"Fair enough. Some of the ranged attackers will stall Whisper Walpurgisnacht together," replied Sailor Neptune.
"Okay, then the rest of us will help Sora protect Madoka so that she can deliver the final blow," said Sailor Jupiter.
"Better make it quick. We don't have much time," warned Asuka.
When Rubrum saw Homura, Mami, and three of the Outer Guardians rush off to fight the larger foe, Rubrum attempted to follow them, only for Sora to stop him with a mighty swing of his Keyblade.
"Your fight is with us, jerk!" he cried out.
Croceas and Viridi soon joined with their ally, as everyone else prepared themselves for the final confrontation.
"Everyone fights. Nobody quits or dies," Sora said to his friends.
"ROGER!" replied the Warriors of Light.
"Give 'em one from me, guys!' called Madoka.
"With pleasure, Madoka!" replied Sailor Moon.
The battle was on once more, as they engaged the three whispers in a deadly yet fierce clash of weapons, kicks, punches, and chokeholds.
"They're about to merge into Whisper Bahamut! Be careful!" called Twilight Sparkle.
And she was right. Whisper Bahamut emerged before them, knowing that this battle would be even more difficult than before, but they were prepared. Most of the Sailor Guardians, including Saturn, and all of Sora's family continued the fierce battle, regardless of the hardships they endured in their previous battles together.
"I summon forth the Lord of Flame, Ifrit! Don't hold anything back! Set their world on fire and watch it burn!" called Kairi.
Ifrit, the Lord of Flame, stood before Whisper Bahamut. Even as Sailor Venus fired several crescent beams at the dragon, Sailor Mercury made sure to set up several fogbanks to help buy them time to heal and restore the magical girl's light with their Keyblade magic, which seemed to be very similar to the approach with the Grief Seed idea, as the dragon lay subdued from the pressure that was building up. But as it recovered, it struck back against Sora with two mighty umbral strikes.
"Nobody hurts Sora!" snapped Yumi.
She assumed her Ice Queen form, just as Asuka unleashed her Deep Shadow power thanks to the yin scroll she was bonded to.
"With sword and shield, I'll protect Sora from death, just as he protected me and Homura from death," the ponytailed brunette said to herself.
"He's gonna use Megaflare!" cried Rainbow Dash, as she saw Whisper Bahamut charge up the attack that the real Bahamut used.
The beam of pure energy surged towards Sora, then engulfed him completely in it.
"I'm not done yet," he said as the dust, smoke, and plume of flame faded away into nothingness, as Sayaka delivered a powerful somersaulting slash with her sword.
This was enough to split it into Rubru, Croceas, and Viridi. Issuing commands to his teammates within SKYYLAR and RWBYS, Sora knew that they had to keep it up, as he used the names of team combos such as Crimson Sun, White Rose, Ladybug, Bumblebee, Checkmate, Freezer Burn, Petal Dance, Triple Sword Skills, and all other attack names that he came up with during his time with the other Magical Girls. He even came up with a few names for his team combos with Sayaka and Kyoko, such as Jealous Sky and Skyward Mermaid, which did surprise the two girls who were aware of the witches Oktavia and Ophelia that resided within their soul gems, had they inadvertently allowed the darkness to take control. But the Whispers were prepared as well, and even tried to have Sora killed for it, but Yuna punched them back with her fists, and Kyoko turned her spear into a chain weapon by swinging it furiously at them, even as Sora kept Rubrum distracted.
"Now, Ifrit! Use Hellfire!" cried Kairi.
Huge flames burst up beneath Croceas, then an explosion rangout, which meant that this Whisper was now staggered. But the same could be said for Rubrum who got caught in the blast, giving Sora the advantage he needed, by unleashing a cross-slash upon it.
"Mami, now!" he called.
"We'll show you that we decide our destiny!" Mami cried as she transformed her musket rifle into a giant cannon.
With Homura's RPG's, along with Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto's signature attacks, World Shaking, Deep Submerge, and Dead Scream, she fired a burst from the weapon, thanks to her Tiro Finale attack.
"Gotcha!" smirked the dirty blonde, as powerful energy tendrils surged towards them, showing them a vision of Homura as Homulilly, who tried desperately to not be redeemed by Madoka and the others.
But the Warriors of Light weren't done yet, as they saw Rubrum fade away into nothingness, and they thought they heard the voice of Kadaj crying out in shock and agony.
"Good, that's one down, and two more remain! Keep it up!" cheered Kyrie.
"Gladly, Kyrie!" replied Sayaka.
Now was the time to deal with Croceas, while everyone else kept Viridi at bay, Croceas attempted to blast Sora to dust, but the brave Keyblade Master decided to not let him have that chance, by swinging a powerful two handed downward slash at it, which in turn staggered it, just like with Rubrum. Striking harder and faster, Sora continued the attack, until Whisper Walpurgisnacht was even more severely wounded.
"Make it count, you guys!" cried Kyoko.
"With pleasure, Kyoko!" replied Sailor Neptune, as both she and her allies used their ranged attacks once more.
"There's no sense in letting them stop us!" added Sailor Pluto.
But the Whisperfied witch soon showed them a vision of Homura in a black dress with dark wings sprouting from her back, as she held Kyubey in her hand, causing Sora and the others to shake their heads once more, as Croceas faded away. Now, only Viridi remained, and they all began charging at him without a second thought, by outfoxing him without letting him have the chance to fight back, which Madoka did find a bit strange as she still charged up a shot to vanquish Whisper Walpurgisnacht. Once the last Whisper was staggered, it was time to finish that battle for good, as they wounded the gauntlet wielder immensely.
"Once more, guys! make it count!" called Sailor Moon.
"You can't control destiny, as long as we believe in making a difference!" cried Sailor Uranus, as both she and her comrades struck again.
The last strike then showed them a vision of Homura laying dead at Madoka's feet, along with Kyoko, Sayaka, Mami, and Nagisa, but he quickly brushed it off as Viridi faded away.
"Yeah! All right!" cheered Kyoko and Sayaka, as they high-fived each other.
"Madoka! Fire!" called Sailor Saturn.
"Rest in peace, former Magical Girl," Madoka said, and fired the fully charged arrow of light at Whisper Walpurgisnacht.
The arrow pierced through her, but instead of screams, she soon heard a voice that echoed in everyone's mind.
"Thank you, Chosen Magical Girl, Madoka Kaname," it said in her head.
Suddenly, an explosion of light was seen before them, followed by a whoosh of darkness, until everyone was engulfed in that light. When it faded away, everyone saw that they were standing on water, beneath a bright blue sky filled with white clouds, just as Homura turned to see Madoka, alive and well, instead of dead, or transformed into Krimhilde Gretchin, the Witch of Misfortune, while everyone else looked around in awe.
"This may be the Final World, but don't let your guard down," warned Sora.
Everyone nodded in agreement, just as Sayaka asked where they were. Mami slowly shook her head, unsure of what was going on until Sora turned away from them.
"I'm waiting, Sora," Sephiroth's voice said.
Sora turned sharply, his eyes wide with shock, but soon began to fill with hatred, causing the others to look at him with concern, until they saw the sky turn red.
"What in the world is this?" Xion asked.
"He's coming," warned Sailor Mars, as she sensed something dark and cold nearby.
"Entropy has come," came a voice from far away.
Above was what looked like a massive fireball, with tornadoes bearing swirling about them, but Sora looked up at the dark aura in front of the fireball.
"Sephiroth…" he breathed.
As he spoke that name, several black tendrils burst out of the fireball, and merged with the darkness, along with all the witches in the Puella Holy Quintet's soul gems, and the grief seeds being absorbed into it. At last, it vanished leaving the dark aura behind, followed by a pale light pouring through a hole in the clouds above, followed by the ring of Masamune echoing everywhere. Sora glared at Sephiroth, Nehelenia's killer, as he raised his hand upwards, which caused a skyscraper from the city to rise up, then surge towards them like a giant boulder.
"Not again!" wailed Sailor Moon, as she and everyone else jumped clear.
But Sora knew what he had to do, as he summoned his keyblade and began cutting through all manner of debris with it, which in turn caused it to fall and crash about in all directions, as he landed in a crouch, rose up, and turned to face his hated enemy. The One-Winged Angel slowly descended downwards towards him, then landed on the ground, pointed his sword at his enemy, and got into a battle stance.
(Phase 1)
"Korah!
Matah!
(Sora: Let's finish this!)
Udha!
Korah!
(Sephiroth: You should have not meddled in their destiny, Sora.)
Zeh!
Taung!
Tseng!
Rhys!
(Sora: Shut up!)
Tsun!
Taun!
Rahn!
Whis!
(Sephiroth: Come, Sora.)
Zun!
Taun!
Fawn!
RHYS!
Tsu!
Chan!
Gran!
Rhys!
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
(Sephiroth: Kingdom Hearts will claim you)
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
(Instrumental Break)
(Sephiroth: Have we forgotten already?)
Ah
Ah-hh
Ah—hhh
Ah
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
(Sephiroth: Do I frighten you?)
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
(Sephiroth: Will you weep for me?)
Veni veni venias
Ne me mori facias
Veni veni venias
Ne me mori facias
Veni veni venias
Ne me mori facias
(Sephiroth: The weakness within.)
Veni veni venias
Ne me mori facias
Veni veni venias
Ne me mori facias
Korah!
Matah!
Udhah!
Korah!"
(Phase 2)
As both Sora and Sephiroth continued their battle, the One-Winged Angel sent him flying back towards another part of the scattered remnants of Mitakihara, where he staggered back, then looked up to see Sephiroth gathering the debris to bring him down. As he feared that this was indeed the end, Sayaka jumped out of nowhere, then unleashed a mighty spinning slash that destroyed the debris, then landed beside him.
"Need some help?" she asked.
"Don't know about need, but are you good to go, Sayaka?" Sora replied.
"You bet I am!" smirked Sayaka, sounding less like herself and more like Kyoko.
Soon they both charged at Sephiroth, engaging in a fierce clash of blades that seemed to be both fierce yet intense, even as the bluette cast Regen on Sora, so that his wounds would continue to heal.
"Begone," Sephiroth said coldly towards Sayaka, as he attempted to strike her down, only for Sora to stop him.
"Sors immanis
Et Inanis
Sors immanis
Et inanis"
They continued to fight furiously against each other, the spiky brunette Keyblade wielder, and the Magical Girl who wanted to prove herself a knight, rather than a princess, until they managed to send Sephiroth plummeting through the top most part of the ruined walkway, and down to the bottom where they unleashed their team combo, Skyward Mermaid upon him once more.
"Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi"
(Phase 3, the iconic part of the song)
Enraged at how he was being overpowered again, Sephiroth decided that it was time to use the full power of entropy that Kyubey and the Incubators wanted to collect for themselves, when they saw the black feathered wing burst out from his right shoulder blade.
"No way," Sayaka murmured in shock.
Suddenly, they felt themselves being blasted back by Sephiroth's Graviga spell, until they were now upon a larger arena, after landing hard on their backs. Sora tried to fight against it, but he saw the blade near his face, and looked up in fear at having it be plunged through his chest again.
"Leave them alone!" called a voice from nearby, as an arrow of light struck Sephiroth, forcing him to jump back, and disable the gravity spell.
It was Madoka, who arrived in the nick of time, as she changed her bow back into a staff, much to Sayaka's relief.
"Sorry I'm late!" she said.
"Here we go," Sora told her and Sayaka, as he glared at Sephiroth, who landed near them, and the battle resumed in a deadly three on one confrontation.
"Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Sors immanis
Et inanis
Sors immanis
Et inanis
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
(Instrumental Break as Sora and Sayaka use the Skyward Mermaid combo again, as Madoka follows up with a rainstorm of arrows of light which manage to injure Sephiroth even further, even as he keeps up the fight)
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!"
(Phase 4, in which Sephiroth decides to end it all, by destroying Sora and everyone he cherishes with Divine Proclamation Supernova, but Sora has finally had enough of him and declares that he will end this battle with his own two hands, even with Sayaka and Madoka backing him up)
"Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!"
(Finale)
Staggering back after suffering yet another combined effort between himself, Sora, Madoka, and Sayaka, Sephiroth attempted to have the spectral Arbiters of Destiny attack them, only to be stopped by Homura who reduced them to nothing with heavy gunfire from her Vulcan Gatling Chain Gun, until they were all joined by the Warriors of Light once more, as Kyoko gave her a smirk, along with another girl called Nagisa Momoe, whom Mami saw as a sister to her, as they all glared at the Dark Angel of Entropy.
"You told me once, and I'll say it now, Sora. Our family is our power!" cried Madoka.
This angered Sephiroth even further, as he sent more of the spectral beings at them, but everyone was ready for them as they were now truly working together.
"Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
(Madoka and Sayaka: Sora!
Kyoko and Nagisa: Quickly!
Homura and Mami: GO!)
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa"
(Break)
Hearing what Madoka said, Sora charged at him, and continued to cut down and fight his way through the other Whispers until he was close enough to deliver the final killing blow, by performing a stronger downward two-handed strike.
"SEPHIROTH!"
As he did so, everyone stood watching in shock and bewilderment, as the spectral Whispers scattered about in all directions, then promptly vanished into nothingness, until a powerful burst of light was seen ahead of them, which engulfed Sora and pulled him through a strange wormhole. He soon emerged in a starry field that surrounded what looked like a lone asteroid, but noticed Sephiroth was ahead and dropped to the ground before him. Clutching at his head, he writhed with unrelenting anger that felt agonizing, as if Vanitas wanted to burst out from within, only for the One-Winged Angel to take hold of his hand.
"I warned you. Meddling with another's destiny…will only bring you pain," he said.
Sora jumped back after forcing himself out of Sephiroth's grip, as he saw him turning away towards another universe.
"All the witches now live on…as a part of me. As does Kyubey and the Incubators. I have now gained their knowledge," explained the One-Winged Angel.
"You mean…?" Sora asked hesitantly.
"I am Entropy Incarnate," Sephiroth said proudly, making Sora hate him even more.
Then he walked towards him and extended his hand to him.
"Sora, set Vanitas free. He shall agree to become my new apprentice," he added.
The offer seemed tempting to Sora, but he remembered how he once helped both the Death Busters and Galaxia in their separate plans to wipe out all life in the Realm of LIght, only to have him sealed away in his heart by the Silver Crystal, which gave him Divine Harmony, so he summoned his Keyblade and prepared for battle.
"Never," he said defiantly.
"Then you shall die alone, at the End of Time itself," remarked Sephiroth, as he got himself into a battle stance.
"I am not alone, Sephiroth. I have never been alone. And I will never be just like Nehelenia was before you killed her!" countered Sora, as he charged furiously at him.
Anticipating his movements, Sephiroth began countering Sora's attacks, and even counter attacked as well. But Sora was not willing to give up, as he continued to try and bring Sephiroth down, with the use of his Lucian powers, which were growing stronger and stronger with each passing second and minute, but still Sephiroth continued to deflect his attacks with calm precision, despite how he was truly devoted to the destiny of his mother, Jenova. Finally, the combatants soon locked blades with each other, as Sora glared angrily at his enemy's eyes.
"You fool," he said, then forced Sora back, and sent his Keyblade flying out of his hands.
The weapon soon embedded itself into the dirt of the asteroid, as Sora stood aghast at what happened.
"Your love for Madoka will destroy you. It will only bring her pain and grief. But what of the children you'll have with her? Let's see," he explained cryptically.
Then he vanished, leaving behind a black feather, for Sora to take hold of, as he looked up at the many universes around him, and wondered what he'd have to do next, just as he heard Madoka's voice calling out to him, as the estranged labyrinth Sephiroth had created to hide Whisper Walpurgisnacht in had begun to fade away into nothingness, until she materialized on the barron asteroid with shining stars and universes all around them.
"Everything's okay, Sora. If someone ever says that it's wrong to have hope, we'll just say that they're wrong," she assured him.
"Yeah. No matter what happens, the Fire of Hope will still burn strong in our hearts, because we're what our friends would consider to be Hope Incarnate," agreed Sora.
Then he assumed his Divine Harmony Form, which suddenly evolved even further, which in turn caused his eyes to turn bright red, as he picked Madoka up in his arms and began carrying her bridal style.
"It's time to go home together, Madoka Kaname," he said to her with a content smile.
Although Madoka blushed at the thought of being carried by a boy she happened to be comfortable around, she couldn't help but smile back at him, as they soon left the pocket dimension.
(It's time to play The End of the Return from Rick Wakeman's Return to the Centre of the Earth for this beautiful scene of Sora flying with Madoka in his arms. It begins with Sora in his Divine Lucian Harmony Form with Madoka in his arms, as she's still in her Magical Girl outfit, as they fly over the now slowly recovering Mitakihara City, that is no longer plagued by darkness, now that the witches are no more)
Chorus of Warriors of Light Past:
"Return to the centre of the earth,
A world within a world,
An endless journey in time.
Return to an origin of life,
Of secrets left untold,
A mountain there to climb."
(Orchestral Instrumental Break as Sayaka, Kyoko, Mami, Homura, Nagisa, and the Warriors of Light watch our two heroes flying over them, as the dark haired magical girl smiles happily at Madoka who has survived, thus fulfilling her wish, even though Kyubey and his ilk are no more)
"Return to the centre of the earth,
Heaven waiting for life to appear
In a perfect creation of time,
A message for no-one to hear."
(Keyboard Solo as Madoka's mother, father, and Tatsuya see Sora floating down towards them, and saying that Madoka's become a truly strong yet independent young woman of her own making, and soon flies off with his new girlfriend across the sky like an angel summoned forth from the heavens)
"Time,
Time within a world,
Centre,
Centre of the earth,
Searching for secrets of time,
A sign."
(Keyboard Solo then Orchestral Instrumental Break, as Kyosuke and Hitomi watch Sora with proud smiles on their faces, which makes them wave at him and Madoka, as they now know that miracles can truly happen as long as they believe in them, no matter what)
"Return to the origin of time,
To the hidden cry of man,
To a sanctuary of life beneath the earth,
A meeting place,
A point of no return
To the centre of the earth."
(Orchestral Instrumental Break, followed by the chorus vocalizing, then back to the instrumental, as Sora and Madoka notice the spirits of many magical girls congratulating them on freeing them from their suffering and grief, so that they can now truly rest in peace within the afterlife of Kingdom Hearts)
"The return to the centre of the earth,
To a meeting place of time
in a hidden inner world.
Return to the centre of the earth,
To a wonderland of dreams,
Everlasting in the understanding of our belonging,
And to the race that can never be won.
Evermore the meaning of a future presence,
With the oracle leading to the centre of the earth,
The earth,
Return,
Return to the centre of the earth,
To a wonderland of dreams,
There's a world within a world,
Find the place of no return,
To the centre of the earth."
(And the song ends with Sora and Madoka sharing a kiss with each other, promising both each other, and Homura, that they'll always be together, no matter what, as they slowly float back to the ground surrounded by light with everyone hugging them)
Meanwhile, in the heart of the Niflheim Empire, Kurai had returned with bad news.
"Father, Kyubey and his species, the incubators have fallen," he said.
"Yes, Sephiroth has disposed of them, and even turned Walpurgisnacht into a Whisper," added Azrael.
"They were expendable, my sons," replied Ardyn, who slowly walked towards his seat.
He could see all of his allies had assembled in his office, as the two brothers stood beside them, growing restless at what would come next, as Ardyn sat down and began thinking of what he'd have to do next to break the Warriors of Light, now that both the witches and incubators were no more. Several scientists within the research labs began clamoring about how their little project had come to an unfortunate end, as they could see that Sephiroth no had the full power of entropy in his possession, after he absorbed all the witches that the previous magical girls had become, and what the current magical girls would turn into after giving themselves to darkness. He stood before Jenova and a cruel smile formed on his face as Chrysilla, Boadicea, Aiden, Nuno, and Martini arrived, along with his wives. However, Aiden grinned malevolently, then started laughing sadistically, until it echoed all around them, making his brothers and sisters think that he'd gone mad. In the past however, the Dandelions stood exhausted but triumphant, as the witch had now been turned into a Grief Seed, which was soon picked up by the magical girl who had signed Kyubey's contract after making her wish to fight for the light.
"Wait, was that the end of that witch?" wondered Ephemer, who stood covered in sweat and dirt.
He looked around as he saw that the labyrinth was now gone, then took not of the afternoon sky above. He turned to Ventus, then trudged towards him.
"Hey, Ven, you saw it, didn't you?" he asked.
Before Ventus could respond, an explosion sounded behind the silver-haired Warrior of Light, sending him flying towards him, but causing him to land in a crumpled heap.
"Ephemer, are you okay?" Elrena asked worriedly.
He nodded towards her, even as she was helping him to his feet. Then several particles of light slowly floated downwards to the ground, with everyone watching in confusion and disbelief. Had something happened in the slowly thriving Mitakihara, and the other cities that were nearby? They decided to shelve those questions for a later time, as they still had a job to do in safeguarding the light. With the end of Walpurgisnacht in the present day Mitakihara, the people of that city soon began the process of rebuilding the damage from the storm, as well as being served food from other people. Children ran back and forth in the parks of that city, and some were happily reunited with their pets, as one of the many bartenders looked at the ruined sign of the bar he worked at. However, he noticed something that seemed strange, and noticed the shimmering lights slowly falling down from the sky above, even though none knew that Madoka Kaname had chosen to forge her own destiny as a Magical Girl, who had now become truly strong in the light, rather than be destroyed by the darkness. Other people in many other parts of the city looked up at the showering lights, near an apartment complex that Mami would still live in, but had decided to pack up and move on with her life, free of all loneliness, but was now filled with true happiness at being with someone who was very much like her in Roxas. Sometime later, in the later days after Walpurgisnacht's demise, Tatsuya was now watering the flowers with his father, when he heard his mother calling to him from outside.
"Be right down!" he called, but as he and Tomohisa were walking away, Tatsuya looked back at the pink rose, and began thinking of his own sister, Madoka.
"Madoka?" the boy asked, as he looked at the flower, as his father gently patted his head.
"No matter where she is, Madoka will always be in our hearts," he assured him.
"Mom, Dad, and Tatsuya, I'll always be with you," Madoka said quietly.
All the Warriors of Light were now gathered on the outskirts of Mitakihara, as they looked back at the slowly healing city.
"So…what now?" Homura asked one of the other magical girls in the Holy Sextet.
Nagisa slowly shook her head quietly, but then she turned and looked at Sora, who was now holding the black feather in his hand.
"Sephiroth," he said, clenching his fist, as the feather vanished.
"Long as he's still out there, I…" Sora added quietly.
"I thought you killed him," remarked Kyoko, who was joined by Axel.
But Sora shook his head slowly, as his eyes were still brimming with hatred.
"We can. We will," assured Sayaka, standing with Riku.
"Count me in," agreed Mami, who stood with Roxas.
"If it's to be a hunt, you could let me sound the call to battle," added Nagisa, who stepped boldly forward.
Then finally, Madoka rubbed the back of her head, and turned around, her face brimming with determination.
"I'll join as well. Sephiroth's gained the power of entropy, hasn't he? Now he's become more dangerous than any enemy we've faced," she said with renewed courage.
Sora turned and nodded towards her, and a proud smile appeared on his face as he nodded in agreement.
"Even after our battle with Walpurgisnacht, I, uh, just want to say thank you for helping Madoka believe that she can decide her own destiny, as well ensuring that she wouldn't die or become a Krimhilde Gretchin. But although I'm saddened that she chose to be a Magical Girl thanks to Kyubey, who's been absorbed along with his brethren, I'm actually happy that she's become part of your family, Sora. So, as a favor from me, I'd like you to take care of her in my place, and make sure that she remains true to the light, now that I've found peace and purpose at last," explained Homura.
Suddenly, there came the sound of thunder, then rain, until Homura slowly dropped down to the ground, and began to feel faint, as she now lay on her back. Madoka turned worriedly and rushed up to her friend, then dropped to her knees beside her, as her eyes slowly began to fill with tears of worry, with Sora doing the same.
"For the…both of us…" she said weakly.
"Both of us?" questioned the pinkette.
"That's right…you're gonna…" replied Homura.
"You're gonna…" Madoka said quietly, until she felt her friend's hand on the back of her head.
"Live," the dark-haired magical girl murmured, as she placed her friend's face against her chest.
"You'll be… my living legacy," she added.
Then her arm dropped down upon the mucky landscape, as her breathing slowly began to quicken, just as Madoka slowly pulled away from her. At last, Homura smiled for the first time since her arrival in the second timeline, then looked at the rest of Warriors of Light.
"My honor, my dreams, they're yours now," Homura said to them, as she raised her right hand towards Sora, who gently took hold of it.
When they heard those words, Sora remembered that it was because Zack had passed the Buster Sword thanks to what Cloud had told him, and his eyes also began to fill with somber tears, just as Madoka's did, until he gently felt her fingers wrap around his hand.
"We're your…living legacy…" Sora whispered.
But Madoka was horrified to see Homura's soul gem was about to shatter, after everything that happened.
"Okay, Homura, you need to get some help. Come on, come on," she said quickly.
"No, Madoka, please, stop it. It's too late. It's too late," Homura countered weakly.
Then she turned and looked firmly at her friend.
"Listen to me. Please, you have to honor my memory. Do you understand?" she said firmly.
"No. What are you talking about, Homura?" questioned the pinkette.
"Like Sora said, it'll be alright," Homura assured her.
"No, it's not. I don't know how to live without you, Homura. I need you. How can you be so calm right now?" sobbed Madoka.
"It's because I was scared of losing you, Madoka. I was more afraid of failing than dying. But I have hope in you. So, listen carefully. We fight so that others may live to see a brighter tomorrow. And if we die, it better be for the same reason. Do you understand that," explained the dark-haired time traveler.
"I do," the pinkette whispered somberly.
"I'm so proud of you for not dying or becoming a witch, Princess Madoka," Homura sighed.
"And I'm proud of you, Homura," replied Madoka.
"It's funny, but, somehow I wish you could see what I see," she said, breathing her last.
Then Homura's eyes closed and she soon fell silent, as her smile became the last thing everyone would see. She had now passed peacefully away, but her spirit would live on in their hearts. But Madoka wept for her friend, and her tears fell on her motionless face. Then she looked out at the city, wondering what would happen after Sephiroth's actions had nearly destroyed it, as the singularity crumbled around them. A new tomorrow was coming for the people of Mitakihara, but this time it was brighter, rather than dark. However, Sora still knelt before the deceased Homura, and soon felt a strong feeling of sorrow echoing around her.
"No…no…no…! No! HOMURA!" he screamed up to the cloudy sky above, as Madoka cried out as well.