Before the Master of Masters departed, he had a conversation with Luxu in the clock tower of Daybreak Town. The two stood in a mysterious room that housed a large computer terminal...
"Darkness is constantly changing shape," said the eccentric Master. "It can even hide among humans. That's the reason the war was never able to end. The coming battle will end the world. Everything will be destroyed. The wielders sent outside will gather light from the now scattered worlds, and with that light, the world will be rebuilt."
"The world will end and be rebuilt...?" Luxu wasn't sure what that meant.
"That's right. You can't erase what lives on in the hearts of children—worlds and their stories, and most of all, light. Of course, you can't erase the darkness, either. But you can call a truce. I could go for a nice, long break right about now! Maybe I'll kick back for a while."
Luxu nearly facepalmed at that answer. "What? You're going to sit back and leave the fate of the world in other people's hands?"
"Why not? That's why I'm having Ava round up the best of the best. They'll start at χ, become unchained, and fulfill their duty through Union Cross. Those wielders will be the cornerstones of the new world."
"Cornerstones...? But they can come home once they're done, right?"
"Well... Maybe not all of them."
"Me and Skuld? But Master Ava, what about the rest of the wielders?"
"They'll go to sleep. Just like a computer in sleep mode."
"Sleep...?"
"When all is shrouded in darkness, the world will fall into slumber."
"Right."
"The Master of Masters knew this would happen and created a backup of the world. A place to shelter and keep us safe. That is where you two will go. And if something causes this world to freeze, it can be rebooted and restored. The end of that world is nothing like the end of the real one. Like I said: sleep mode."
As tears fell down his cheeks, Ephemer's last thoughts before departing in the lifeboat were focused on the friend he'd made. He broke their promise. He only hoped that they'd join the Dandelions before it was too late.
"What's happening, Chirithy?"
"We're connected to the hearts of our Keyblade wielders. When your heart disappears, so do we. And when you fall asleep, we become your protectors."
And so, after clashing with Master Ava, Ephemer's friend finally joined the Dandelions. Then they went to sleep, as did the world.
After their intense battles in the Keyblade Graveyard, everyone exited the labyrinth and returned to the entrance of the badlands.
"Donald! Goofy!" Sora instantly ran toward the two companions he'd left behind.
"See? We told ya you'd be alright on yer own, Sora! A-hyuk!"
"You didn't need us, after all."
"Man, I am so glad to see you two in one piece!"
Mickey noticed there was someone missing, though. "What happened to Master Yen Sid?"
"He used up all his power to get rid of every last Heartless," Goofy explained.
"He said he needed to back to the tower to recover. Then he told us to wait for all of you."
Mickey seemed very relieved. "So he's okay!?"
They both nodded, and Riku's face formed a big smile. "There's some great news."
"Did you defeat the Organization?" asked Donald.
"Most of them," explained Sora. "Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, and Larxene have been recompleted. And Xigbar...isn't around anymore."
"My Replica is back inside of me," said Riku. "Well, he always was inside of me, I guess."
"And Vanitas is a part of my heart again," added Ven.
Lea, who had been carrying Isa, set him down against a rock. "Isa's been defeated, but he's still asleep."
Riku and Aqua, who had been carrying Terra over their shoulders set him against the rock as well.
"And Terra's the same," Aqua said.
Sora added them up in his head. "That makes nine members we've defeated. The rest weren't in the maze."
"Ansem and Xemnas both fled the battlefield," Mickey added. "They're waiting for us."
Riku had to agree. "They know it's inevitable. If we don't fight them, they'll just go after the New Seven Hearts. So, they're not in any rush."
Mickey had something important to add. "We have no choice but to face them eventually. But before we finish this, we need Terra on our side. He's one of the seven guardians of light foretold of in the Book of Prophecies. We can't just leave him like this."
Sora looked down at the sleeping guardian of light. The very last one. "But he won't wake up. Not without the power of waking."
Aqua didn't think twice before volunteering. "I'll wake Terra up."
Ven, however, didn't agree. "But you just used the power of waking on me, Aqua. You can't be the only one jumping into the darkness all the time. I'll do it."
"Ven, you can't!"
Mickey agreed with Aqua. "She's right. The power of waking is a rare and special power that only Keyblade Masters possess. The abyss is darkness. Nothing but darkness. No, that's not even what it is. The Realm of Darkness was where Aqua had fallen into. And Terra's heart isn't sleeping, like yours was. It's not in a dream, but a world of nothing."
"A world of nothing?" Ven wasn't sure what he meant.
"Yes, a world of nothing," Mickey elaborated. "Yet it exists. It's the world of the Unversed. A void that swallows even sadness and pain. A world where hope and joy never existed to begin with. Nothingness resembles darkness, but it isn't darkness; it doesn't create anything. It's total nonexistence."
"So, it's the place where Vanitas is from. The void. The place you 'exist' before you're born."
"That's right. The deepest, darkest abyss."
"But though the war extinguished all light from the World, the darkness could not reach the brightness inside every child's heart. With that light, the World was remade as we know it today, with countless smaller worlds shining like stars in the sky."
Ven was not to be swayed, though. "I know I'm not a Keyblade Master. I don't have any rare or special powers. I'm no Dandelion or anything like that. But I know I have the power to light Terra's way home."
Aqua was taken aback by his forcefulness.
"Aqua, maybe you should let him go."
"Riku..."
"All traces of her vanish into the great abyss…beneath the realm of darkness."
"She's gone?"
"No. Sora was dragged into the abyss during his exam. And I went in after him. So, I think if we find someone that was really close to Aqua, and they make the dive, they could reach her down there."
"Even though his heart was sleeping, it was able to reach you, after all. If it weren't for Ven's heart inside of him, Sora would never have been able to pull you out of the abyss."
Ven looked her straight in the eyes, putting both hands on her shoulders. "Aqua, listen. I'm grateful for your concern, but you can leave Terra to me. Trust me." He gave her a very confident and reassuring smile.
He's serious, Aqua thought. Ven is different now. He's no longer that impetuous kid that I need to send to his room. He's matured a great deal in my absence. Even his voice sounds a little deeper than before. And he is right. I still haven't completely recovered from being in the dark realm for so long.
"All right. I'm counting on you."
"I won't let you down."
"What are you going to do, Lea?" Sora asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm gonna wake Isa up and get him back. That's the whole reason I became a Keyblade wielder in the first place."
Kairi was a little concerned after the last battle. "But your Keyblade...Xemnas destroyed it."
Riku shook his head. "That doesn't mean his Keyblade is gone for good. Nobody can take away your ability as a wielder. Not even Xemnas has the power to do that. Mine was also broken, but I just summoned a new one."
"You're not supposed to be here!"
"Promises to keep. I'll always be there to get my friends back."
Lea wasn't too worried about it. He struggled with summoning his Keyblade at first. But when he saved Sora, Master Xehanort used Isa to attack him, as if to taunt him. That was the moment Lea realized that Isa was nothing but Xehanort's puppet. As soon as he got back to the Mysterious Tower, he was shocked at how effortlessly he summoned the Flame Liberator.
Lea held his hand out and, as if it were rising from the ashes, his Keyblade was summoned anew.
"It's all in the wrist." But there was something different about Lea's Keyblade this time. "Huh?"
He eyeballed the Keychain dangling at the bottom. The symbol was different now. The cross in the middle was not and it no longer looked like one of his chakrams. Instead, it looked like a Sun and Moon. It was the same symbol for Saïx that was on Young Xehanort's game board. Lea may not have been one of the destined guardians of light. He may have been a 'useless pawn' in Xemnas's eyes. But he had an important reason to be a wielder all the same.
Lea closed his eyes and smiled.
Mickey knew there would be no point trying to stop him. But he still felt the need to offer a stern warning. "Lea, remember. Your friend's heart is in the deepest, darkest abyss. There's a chance that you might not be able to reach him down there. If that's the case, you may get lost yourself and never wake up."
Lea was not the least bit deterred, though.
"Can't reach him? What are you talking about? I'm the red light," he said cheerfully.
"Huh?" Mickey had no idea what he was talking about.
Lea held his head up toward the sky as the sun was just beginning to set.
"You know why the sunset is red, don't ya? It's because light is made up of lots of colors. Seven, in fact. And out of those seven lights, red is the one that can reach further than any other. Got it memorized?"
Each guardian's heart was a different color. And Lea just knew that the light in his heart had to be red.
Ven couldn't help but smile. "I don't think we have to worry about Lea."
Their enthusiasm was contagious, and it was rubbing off on Riku. "Well, 'Dark Rescue' is his middle name."
"See, see, see? Now that's more like it. Have a little faith in me. I'm tough," Lea bragged as he puffed out his chest.
Mickey's worried look softened into a hopeless smile as he remembered his words to Riku during his Mark of Mastery exam:
"There's something real strong that binds us to each other. Even in the darkness, you can reach him. All you gotta do is follow that connection!"
Still, it was hard for Kairi not to worry for Lea and Ven. "Both of you. Please be careful, okay?"
They both nodded.
"Are you guys ready?" asked Mickey.
Lea looked over at Ven and gave him the thumbs up. "Let's get back what's ours."
Ven smiled back as Aqua happily watched. "Yeah. Got a few promises to keep, don't we?"
Looking at the two of them, Sora felt so optimistic. Those two may not have been Keyblade Masters, but their hearts were very strong. He just knew that, after all they'd endured, they'd be able to withstand whatever darkness was in store for them.
Ven summoned a portal next to Terra, while Lea summoned one next to Isa.
Mickey looked down on them as they fell into a deep sleep. "All we can do now is wait and look after their bodies while they're making the dive."
"Just like you, Lea, and Master Yen Sid watched over me when I went to get back Sora."
Riku remembered the Mark of Mastery exam. By the time he woke up, the others were looking down on him. Sora was just fine and having a tea party.
They'll both be fine. Just like me and Sora were after the exam. I'm sure of it.
The thirteen darknesses and seven lights had now clashed nine times. Demyx, Luxord, Larxene, Marluxia, Xigbar, Riku Replica, Vanitas, Terra, and Isa were freed from the darkness and were no longer vessels. After the defeat of nine of their members, Darkness wanted to gain new replacement vessels...using the bodies of the nine heroes: Sora, Riku, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Aqua, Ventus, and Lea.
A dark puddle formed, from which emerged another swirl of Heartless.
Aqua could barely contain her horror. "What!?"
"I thought Master Yen Sid defeated it!"
"He did! But it looks like it came back!"
Donald and Goofy were just as shocked.
That was when Sora remembered. "I ran into this thing in Twilight Town! What is it?"
"This is OUR spot."
"You're...new around here, right? I'm Pence."
"Hayner. Nice to meet you, but we got stuff to do, so catch ya later."
Sora didn't realize it at the time, but it was reacting to the weakness in Hayner's heart. Ever since Roxas disappeared in the Datascape, he had been grumpy and depressed, without knowing why. When Sora first met him, he was cold and standoffish. Organization XIII only needed one more vessel, and Darkness was instinctively drawn to Hayner due to his strong heart.
Mickey brandished his Keyblade. "No time to worry about what it is or why it's here! We gotta fight! Everyone get ready!"
The Demon Tower showed no interest in Terra or Isa, but it did hone in on the other sleeping pair.
Riku had a suspicion as to why. "It must be after those two because their hearts are travelling outside their bodies right now."
Mickey picked up on what he was getting at. "Oh no! You mean they see those two as empty vessels to replace the ones they just lost!?"
Even with the guardians giving it their all, the Demon Tide managed to suck up Ven.
"Ven!" Aqua began to panic as she relived the moment when she was swallowed, preventing her from escaping with Mickey while he closed the Door to Darkness with Riku.
Riku grabbed her lower arm and prevented her from running into the stream of Heartless head on. "It'll be okay, Aqua. This happened before to me and Mickey. He'll be fine as long as we can get it to spit him back out."
"We can't fight like this!" Kairi was struggling to fend off Heartless while protecting the sleeping Lea, and eventually he was sucked up like Ven. "Lea!"
"That's it!" Sora shouted as he charged at their foe. But the wind was so strong it sent him sprawling on the dirt as well.
"No! Sora!" Mickey shouted as Donald and Goofy rushed past him to either side.
"Goofy!" Donald gave his friend the signal.
"Right!"
Goofy then charged up and unleashed a Tornado attack the likes of which Sora had never seen before. With his shield raised, he spun and spun, ramming the Demon Tower back and forth, finally putting all his energy into a gigantic whirl.
And with that, the Demon Tower spit Ven back out on the ground. Aqua immediately rushed over to him.
When Lea was spit out, he landed hard against a rock. Kairi and Riku ran to his side.
"This isn't good..." said the king.
Aqua had an idea. "Mickey, help me guard Ven. Kairi and Riku will guard Lea. Sora, you hold if off with Donald and Goofy."
"Okay. We've got this!" Sora replied, and then he, Donald, and Goofy turned to take on the Demon Tide.
After going at it for some time, it seemed to be dissipating. The core where the Heartless were emanating was visible for a moment.
"C'mon…" Sora watched as the Demon Tide began swirling around itself in a vortex that seemed even stronger than before.
"Something's wrong," Goofy said.
"Look out!" Donald shouted.
Instead of disappearing, the Heartless recreated their snake-like formation.
"What now?" Goofy asked as he edged backward, using his shield to fend off the wind.
"Sora?" Donald asked with an uncertain glance.
Are you kidding me!? How should I know!?
The tornado was getting closer and closer.
Sora threw his arms around Kairi protectively as she ran over to help him fight it off.
"Ven!" Aqua threw herself over his body.
Riku and Mickey were shielding themselves from the intense winds as they stood in front of Lea.
"Donald, don't!"
As Goofy watched helplessly, Donald poured his magic into a spell so powerful it created glowing emblems on the ground beneath him:
"Zettaflare!"
A tremendous beam of light shot from Donald's staff straight into the eye of the Demon Tide tornado, obliterating the core and blasting the Heartless away.
As the dust settled, everyone slowly opened their eyes.
Donald! You did it!
But just when Sora thought they were in the clear, he saw something a bit further away, in the spot where the tornado had just been...
Utterly exhausted, Donald collapsed, and Goofy and Mickey hurried over to him.
"Are you okay!? Donald!"
"You gotta get up, pal!"
Sora could barely hear them, his eyes transfixed on something.
Behind him, Aqua checked on Ventus as she knelt beside him.
"Ven! Please wake up!"
But Sora couldn't hear her.
Riku and Kairi went to aid Lea who was still up against the rock.
"Hey! Can you hear me!?"
"Lea! Say something!"
Of course, Sora couldn't hear them, either.
"This can't be real," he whispered.
He could hardly believe what he was seeing; another dark whirlpool was growing in the exact same spot, releasing yet another wave of Heartless. If neither Master Yen Sid nor Donald's Zettaflare could get rid of it... They were completely out of their depth.
All Sora could do was stand there in shock.
Riku was the first to notice.
"What if she's feeling as scared and alone as I felt the first time I came here? How long are we supposed to keep her waiting in this awful place?"
It swallowed me up at the Dark Margin, when I started thinking about Aqua being scared and alone.
"I'm sorry. It's all my fault."
And it went after Mickey when he began to blame himself for Aqua's fate.
Riku ran over to Sora and took him by the shoulder. "Pull it together, Sora! We haven't lost them. They still have their hearts. But we have to protect them."
"Right!" Sora agreed with a nod.
The stream of countless Heartless in front of them swirled upward in yet another vortex.
"We stand together," said Aqua as she came to join them, Keyblade in hand.
Sora and Riku nodded in affirmation.
She looked back at the king. "Mickey, Kairi, Goofy, watch the others."
"No, we should all get to safety while we still can," the king pleaded from where he knelt beside Donald.
Watching the storm building in the sky, Riku replied, "It's too late for that."
Masses of Heartless wove through the ravines, congealing into a colossal river that rushed straight at them. The legion of Heartless—the Demon Tide—was so enormous they could hardly understand what they were seeing. This was nothing like anything they had seen in the Realm of Darkness. Everyone looked on in stunned amazement as the Demon Tide reared into the sky like a whirlwind.
Aqua looked up at the Demon Tower and whispered, "It can't be… No…"
The memories from her time in the darkness were rising in Aqua's mind. The nightmarish Heartless that came back again and again no matter how many times she struck them down…had been just like this.
"Terra and Ven didn't have anything to say. But my shadow... She wanted to destroy me. Never would have thought I'd become my own worst enemy. I've talked to myself a lot since falling into these shadows. But with the phantom, it's as though all of my doubts have gained a voice of their own. She's the weakness in my heart."
Aqua wasn't just facing the Heartless. She was looking at herself in a mirror—facing a reflection of her own inner demons.
Her Keyblade fell from her hands, and she stood there frozen. Perhaps sensing this sudden weakness in her mind, the storm of Heartless swept over her.
"Aqua!" Riku shouted.
He watched as the Demon Tide swallowed up Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and the rest in one fell swoop.
Kairi knelt, protecting Lea, but she was quickly carried away, too. Her hand reached for Sora's—but their fingers passed through empty air.
What should I do? What can I do? Everyone's gone. I don't know what to do anymore.
As the strength left Sora's body, his Keyblade slipped from his grasp and vanished.
What can I possibly do?
Sora dropped to his knees and screamed, falling forward onto his hands in the dust.
"Sora!" Riku hurried over to his friend.
"They're gone. Kairi, Donald…Goofy, the king… Gone forever." Sora raised his head slowly, eyes brimming with tears. "What do we do? Without them… I… All my strength came from them. They gave me all of it. Alone, I'm worthless. We've lost… It's over." Sora's voice was choked with tears.
Riku considered comforting Sora with a hand on his shoulder, but he chose to get to his feet instead. "Sora, you don't believe that. I know you don't," he assured him, then walked toward the Demon Tide to face it himself.
As Sora watched, the Heartless attacked, and Riku took the full brunt of it head-on. The flood of Heartless split in two against Riku's Keyblade, streaming out around them to either side.
Sora could only watch, reaching out helplessly as his friend was taken from him. But not even that was enough—eventually, the darkness swallowed him, too.
Sora gasped—and then the world went black.
And so, as foretold, darkness prevailed, and light expired…
Two young men sat before a game board in a room filled with warm light.
A lone white chess piece sat on the board, surrounded by thirteen black ones; the formation suggested that it had been sent into the enemy ranks alone.
"Checkmate," said the boy in black, setting one of his black pieces before his opponent's lonely king.
The symbol on the piece was Terra's keychain, which had been switched to the enemy side. It was the key to this victory.
The other boy, dressed in white, stared intently at the board.
"And so darkness prevails, and light expires. You need a new strategy."
"My move, isn't it?" the boy in white—Eraqus—softly replied. He then moved his remaining white piece back into his own territory.
"Huh?" gasped Xehanort—the boy in black.
"It's not over."
"C'mon. That's not fair. I know I had you."
True, he should have won. However, in this game, 'checkmate' was a position with one final move remaining. If Xehanort captured his opponent's last piece on his next move, the game would end. Even if Eraqus returned his piece back to his own side of the board, Xehanort would still be able to take it on his next turn.
"Yes, you nearly did. But a game's no fun if you know where it's going. There's more to light than meets the eye. I told you," Eraqus said, and seven new pieces appeared at the edge of the board to protect his remaining piece. He grinned. "Some light comes from the past."
The game isn't over yet.
In a world of sea and sky, Kairi slowly opened her eyes. She held up her hand over her face to block the bright light of the sun. She looked around her at the blue expanse, the water beneath her feet a perfect reflection of the sky above it.
"This place..."
She walked forward through The Final World, stopping to watch the ripples in the water. She stared at her own reflection, as if she were looking at herself in a mirror. Suddenly, a memory resurfaced. One of her own inner demons.
Nearly a decade ago in the world of the Radiant Garden, Kairi was being chased by Heartless in the central square. She just knew if she could make it to the castle, Xehanort would protect her and everything would be fine. Grasping the bars of the front gate, she tried her hardest to open it, but it wouldn't budge.
She began to panic, then turned around to look behind her. She found herself face-to-face with Xehanort. But before she could even feel relieved, he looked down and snatched her with one hand.
Some time later, she was suspended inside a mysterious device as Xehanort spoke.
"This world will be engulfed in darkness—everything you care about and everyone you love. If you truly possess the power of a princess of heart, your heart will resonate with a Keyblade wielder's, and I believe you can lead me to that wielder's world. That is the only possible way to save ours. You see, this is more than an experiment—it's hope. Like most, you probably believe that nothing exists outside of this world you live in. And yet, there are countless other worlds. You can see them sparkle brilliantly in the night sky. Through that sea of stars, fate will guide your ship to where you are meant to be."
Kairi had no idea what he was talking about. All she knew was that he had changed. As he gave his passionate speech about other worlds, it was clear that he was no longer the kind man she once knew.
Xehanort typed a few buttons on the input device in front of him and the hood of the machine began to close over Kairi.
"However, if you arrive in a world that's neither of light nor darkness, but somewhere on the other side, your task will be far from easy. If that happens, you must abandon your search—we have failed."
Kairi fell asleep within the lifeboat as it powered up and jettisoned.
After walking a bit farther, Kairi found a portal, which took her to another area with large white tower-like structures.
Why did I remember that now?
She looked up and saw Sora off in the distance—quite a few of him, in fact.
Did I come here because my heart resonated with Sora's?
Flying through the air, she chased after one of the Soras, and when she finally caught it, it turned into light and was absorbed into her body.
She did the same for 110 of them. Just one more piece left.
Suddenly, she heard the arrival of someone behind her. She turned, seeing a figure in a black cloak.
"Who are you? Show your face!"
The figure lifted his hood, revealing the face of Master Xehanort. She gasped in shock, leading him to chuckle. As she summoned her Keyblade, he held out a hand to stop her.
"Not so fast, my dear."
Kairi glared at him. "You're the one who keeps messing with my fate. If it weren't for everything that you've done, then Sora and everyone would be safe. I won't let you walk away!"
"You're right. I set you adrift in another world and drastically altered the course of your fate."
Grasping her Keyblade tight, she rushed forward. Dodging her strike, Master Xehanort leapt away and her shoes splashed into the water. She spun the Keyblade in her hands and unleashed a Fire spell in his direction. He effortlessly floated around the spell with his hands behind his back. She ran toward him, releasing an uppercut and a horizontal strike that failed to hit their mark. With a flurry, she flew forward and he chuckled, beckoning her. Kairi leapt int he air, landing behind her opponent. As she prepared to strike, Xehanort caught her Keyblade in his hand and she dangled helplessly.
"You've become quite the Keyblade wielder! For a retired master, Yen Sid prepared you remarkably well."
Kairi let go of her Keyblade, jerking Xehanort backwards from the change in gravity, and the blade vanished. As she landed on the water, she summoned the Keyblade again with a quick strike. But he leapt away from it and she followed him into the air. He grabbed the blade once again as she thrusted it towards him. Their eyes locked.
"You seek clues to Sora's heart and are tracking down the fragments of his soul. But there's nothing for you to find here. I'm afraid that his heart is long gone."
The two clashed once more.
"I have had enough of this!"
Despite her skills, Master Xehanort proved too tough for her to take on all be herself.
On the swing downward, No Name clashed against the Kingdom Key. Xehanort's eyes grow wide at the sight of Sora's Keyblade in Kairi's hand.
"Ah, look who joined us."
Kairi stood up slowly and her form shifted to that of Sora, who silently readied his Keyblade. Because she collected all of his fragments, Sora's soul was here with her.
"As I thought, your voice can't reach us here. Now I'm certain of where your heart is."
After an intense battle, Master Xehanort stumbled backwards, clutching his chest, as the final Sora fragment emerged from his body. It floated over Sora's outstretched hand, and with a flash, Kairi's form returned.
"Thank you...Sora."
Still, Master Xehanort had a devious look in his eye.
"On the day that I sent you out from your world... Do you remember what it is I said to you? Those words hold the answer you seek. I plan for every eventuality. For that reason, I shall give you your answer."
His image shifted to that of Xemnas. Then Ansem, Seeker of Darkness.
Then the cloaked figure of Xehanort's walking heart. Kairi couldn't shake the sense that he was how Master Xehanort showed up at this moment.
Finally, the figure changed to Xehanort in his white lab coat.
"Before, when my heart and body were still united as one, I told you about what would happen if we were to fail. 'If you arrive in a world that's neither light nor darkness but somewhere on the other side, your task will be far from easy.' That is the answer I have for you."
His image then flickered away.
"What does that mean?" Kairi was left to wonder.
"Where am I?"
Sora stood up and looked around. He had no idea where he was, only that it was somewhere very bright and that he could hear water. It felt like the sky and sea spread out forever around him, but even that was uncertain. He didn't know if what he saw was really a sea at all or just…water. Water that stretched so far he couldn't see the shore. There was a sun overhead, too, shining down.
What happened to me? Did I…fall into the darkness?
As Sora started walking, each step created a little splash. The clouds in the sky above were reflected in the water at his feet.
Suddenly, a voice spoke to him from somewhere. The voice was high and unfamiliar.
"Can't stay away, now, can you?"
"Hello?" Sora called.
A speck of light drifted down from above and released a bright flash as it landed in the water, revealing a little creature that looked like a cat-shaped plush toy.
It looked up at Sora. "The name's Chirithy, and this is the Final World."
"I'm Sora. What's the…'Final World'?"
'Final'? I've thought things were coming to an end plenty of times, but maybe this is the true end…?
Chirithy had the answer. "There's nothing else beyond this. You've wandered here more than once before on your visits to the Station of Awakening, buuut…I let that slide. The edges of sleep and death touch, and one can't help the occasional crossover."
But Sora latched on to one of the words Chirithy said. "Wait, 'death'?"
Am I…dead?
"Yes. The natural end for those whose hearts and bodies perish together. But some persist and arrive here."
"My heart and body perished? Um, does that mean…?" Sora couldn't make heads or tails of any of this, so he just said what came first to his mind.
Both my heart and body perished, but I'm persisting? Does that mean I'm not dead, then?
"Something is holding you here—refusing to let you go. You're hanging by a thread."
"What about my friends?" Sora asked. It was the most important question on his mind.
"I'm afraid that no one else arrived with you. And if they're not here, they're either gone forever, or they're clinging to the world you came from."
Sora summoned his Keyblade to his hand. "I'm going back!"
Chirithy called to Sora as he started to run off. "Whoa, whoa! How, exactly? You can't just wander out like your other visits."
"What?" Sora stopped and looked back at the little creature.
"I told you. The other times, you came here by your own choice. This time is very different. You were completely fragmented—shattered into pieces."
"Agh! Why am I in pieces?!" Sora checked himself over frantically.
Wait, I haven't really looked at myself since I came to this place. I've still got a body…kinda, but it's transparent. So it's gone, but not really?
"What? No, not literally, of course. You're conceptually in pieces. On the inside, who knows? But on the outside, you're just fine."
"Oh, okay. You kinda freaked me out there!" Sora sent his Keyblade away, sounding much more like himself.
"Oh, boy…" Chirithy sighed, but Sora didn't seem to hear. Pulling itself together, the little catlike being looked back up at Sora. "Usually, only a heart can reach the Final World. But since you've clearly managed to retain some kind of form, that can only mean your soul was cast into this world as well."
"Okay, so…then I'll be able to go back to my body?"
"Precisely. As soon as your soul is fully restored," Chirithy said, then disappeared in a bright flash.
"But I don't have time for that!"
"It's the only way. You'll just have to wait."
As Sora waited for his soul to recover, he decided to take a look around.
None of the stars interacted with him. After they had said their piece, they became completely unresponsive.
He tried talking to another of the glittering stars.
"Hello?"
"Good day," the star replied.
"Oh, cool! You can talk." Sora was delighted to receive a greeting in return after most of the other stars hadn't acknowledged him at all.
"You look like a person. How is it that you retain your appearance? Are you special?"
The star had the voice of a girl. Sora didn't recognize her, but she sounded slightly uneasy.
"Um… I'm a little hazy on the details."
"As are we all," the star said, then simply glimmered quietly.
"So whose heart are you?"
If she was just a heart—then where exactly was her body?
"No one's anymore. They took away my name—everything about me."
"No way. They couldn't have taken away your heart," Sora exclaimed.
After all, if she was here speaking with him now, that was proof she still existed.
"Only because it pines for another."
"Yeah? Someone's coming for you?" Sora asked.
"I cannot be certain. He's been changed beyond recognition—his heart replaced with another's. But were he to regain his old self, he would be distressed by my absence. So I choose to wait here, where he can find me."
Her strong conviction reminded Sora of someone… But who? Who did she remind him of?
"Good. You have to believe."
Sora looked closely at the glowing apparition. She really doesn't give up—it's a lot like Aqua. But there's someone else she makes me think of more…
"Believe? Oh, you mean know in my heart that he will return? Without any proof?"
"Exactly, believe. I thought it was all over for me, but a friend of mine looked me in the eye and said, 'You don't believe that.'"
The glimmer of star giggled and shimmered at Sora's words of encouragement.
"So, uh…who did this to you? Heartless steal hearts…so a Nobody?"
"A…somebody."
Indeed, the culprit was a certain someone.
"When that poor girl hears that you've forgotten her name, why... it'll just...it'll break her heart."
However, until she went missing, and her brother Lauriam and Elrena were searching for her, he didn't even remember her name.
"Really? Hmm… Well, I wish I could help…but my situation's no better." Sora sat down beside the star and looked skyward.
"You must see to the tasks before you first."
"The tasks before me? There's so many."
The star twinkled in a way that somehow suggested a smile. "All the more reason for you to make an effort."
"Yeah. You're right. I just wish I knew what to do," said Sora anxiously.
He had yet to see any other people in this world, and even if he did, they would probably just be stars like his conversation partner here.
The glowing star-girl had more to say. "Here you are on the brink, and yet you hold on to who you are. You possess a strong sense of purpose. And in that purpose you will find direction."
"Thank you," replied Sora, taking her words to heart. He got to his feet.
"I'm really glad we met. You cheer me up. I hope that your friend finds you soon."
The star-girl twinkled happily and said, "Thank you. Me too."
"Oh, hey. If I see him, I'll tell him that you're here. What's his name?" Sora asked. The star drifted a little closer to his ear and told him.
I have a secret. This is my favorite spot that nobody knows about. It belongs to me, Strelitzia. These past two years, we've been in the same class. A lot has changed over time, but there has always been one constant in my life—you. I first saw you at Fountain Square. It looked like you were waiting for someone, but they never came. When I returned the next day, you were still there—waiting. You looked so lonely. I saw your eyes well up with tears. Since that day, I began to see you everywhere. It was strange because we must've crossed paths so many times before… But I didn't really notice you until that day. I wanted to say hi…but I could never muster up the courage. You don't know me, but I feel like I know you. I hope that one day we can be friends. There's so much I'd like to tell you.
Sora was totally flustered. She made a wish on a star that she'd have the courage to talk to Ventus.
"Our secret," she then said, and fell silent like the other stars.
And during his pursuit, Sora bumped into another star.
The star addressed him by name. "Sora?"
"Yes?"
"It's me, Naminé," the star said back.
"Naminé?" Sora said in shock.
"I'm so glad that you managed to hold on to who you are." The star glimmered and did a little spin.
"Why are you here?" Sora asked.
"I was in Kairi's heart, but then we were struck by a powerful darkness…and I woke up here."
Naminé's answer worried him. If Naminé had been inside of Kairi and she was here now, did that mean…?
"And Kairi?" he asked.
"I can feel her heart. She's fighting with all her strength to keep you from fading away," the star-shaped Naminé said in a soft, gentle voice.
"So the reason I retained my form in this place—"
"It's because she's holding you together. Go to her," Naminé quickly finished for him.
"I'm trying. But what about you? I can't just leave you stuck here."
The star-shaped Naminé released a little sparkle of light. "It's okay. Really. Kairi is where I came from. So once she's safe again, Kairi is where I'll return."
Sora had more to say. "Naminé, I know that I'm supposed to thank you. The Datascape doesn't count. I need to say the words myself. But…not like this. You and Roxas can't tell me you're okay with this. I know how much you're hurting. I…felt that pain through Roxas."
"So, we can be together again!"
"Right. Anytime Sora and Kairi are together."
"We'll be together every day. Right, Sora?"
Was it really me he wanted to see? I don't really exist inside his heart. I don't exist in anyone's heart.
Naminé thought of the drawing she made with Axel, Roxas, and Xion.
That isn't me. I'm not there.
Then she remembered a drawing she made with Roxas, Hayner, Pence, and Olette.
I'm not supposed to be in this picture.
Sora had no idea what expression Naminé would have been wearing if she still had a form. But he almost felt as if a single tear would be sliding down her cheek.
The star-Naminé shimmered for a moment before speaking. "He has so many other friends... They're the ones he misses. It's…not me."
"Don't worry. You might forget about me...but with our promise, I can come back."
"A promise is a promise."
"Yes. One day the light—it will be ours, and it will bring us together. Til then—I'll be in your heart."
"Right. Forgotten—but not lost."
Sora vehemently disagreed. "Wrong. What about me? I wanted to see you, Naminé. Didn't I promise you we'd be friends for real? With our promise, you can come back, right?"
"You remember our promise. I'm so glad."
Sora remembered what Kairi said before the final battle at Yen Sid's Tower:
"She was my other self. The girl I used to be, back in Radiant Garden. The part of me I couldn't accept until now."
"Naminé... I finally understand you. You're Kairi's shadow. Her inner child. That sad, quiet little girl who lost her home and everything she ever cared about. Everyone she loved..."
"She arrived on the night of the meteor shower, washed up on the shore. Back then the grown-ups thought she came from the other side."
"However, if you arrive in a world that's neither of light nor darkness, but somewhere on the other side..."
"The other side..." Naminé said sadly.
Sora realized that the world they were in right now could probably be considered the 'other side'.
"Er—of the ocean, that is."
"Kairi had no idea where she woke up after her world was lost to darkness. Was it a dream? A world she wished for? Or a world that someone else wished for?"
"She was quiet...and always drawing. When we'd go to the beach, she'd draw a picture instead of swimming."
"Back then, she spent most of her time drawing pictures. She wouldn't play with me or Riku, only watch. Sometimes she'd draw us, though! She was really good. I remember Riku and I fighting over who she'd draw next. And then, by the time somebody won, what she'd drawn in her sketchbook was a picture of the two of us laughing. Kairi never laughed, though. I...hated seeing her so sad."
"But one day, she was gone, just like that."
"I thought it might make her happy if maybe she got to be in a picture for once. And she finally smiled for the first time on that day I took her to the secret spot and we drew each other laughing together."
"That was the moment Kairi realized that she did exist in someone's heart," Naminé responded. "It was the first time she felt like she was home."
"From that day on, she ran around and laughed out loud, just like me and Riku."
Sora recalled his conversation with Kairi before their first journey started. Kairi had been staring out at sea, like she often did. She said she didn't remember her hometown.
"You ever want to go back?"
"Hmm. Well, I'm happy here."
"But Naminé, you never truly left. You were always still there, deep inside Kairi's heart, weren't you?"
Naminé's star twinkled a bit. "Yes...I was."
"You know, I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here. Right?"
"Yeah, of course!"
"Sora, don't ever change."
"There's no need for you to be afraid anymore, Naminé. After this is all over, we'll both go home together."
"We may not have homes. But there is someplace I want to go... And someone I want to see..."
The Final World was a place where hearts ended up when they were unable to move on. All the stars had some kind of lingering attachment or regret. Naminé knew the place she wanted to go back to. The place she always wanted to return was the sandy white beach. The place where she could hear the sound of the waves. Was it really Roxas that Naminé wanted to see again so badly? Or did she just think so because he was Sora's Nobody?
"Just do a good job rewriting Sora's heart. Then you can actually be somebody—and no longer just Kairi's shadow. You'll be real in Sora's heart."
"Sora. Thank you. The one I really wanted to see again...more than anyone else...was you. I was trying so hard to take Kairi's place in your heart by rewriting your memories. But I realize now that I didn't have to. You never forgot about me. I was always real in your heart."
You've done so much more for me than I've ever done for you…but I need to thank you properly. I have to bring Kairi back. And if I'm going to do that, I need to find a way back.
"Well then, I'm gonna go save Kairi so you can be free of this place. Then I can thank you for real. Okay?"
He was about to hurry off when Naminé called out to him.
"Oh, wait!"
"Huh?"
"While sifting through memories, I spoke to Terra, the Keyblade wielder you've been looking for."
"Where am I...?"
"In your memories. Traces of you were lost, so I found you through memories belonging to those you've met in the past."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Naminé. It's nice to meet you. I'm a witch who can control peoples' memories.
"A witch?"
"Right now you're bound to two memories. One belongs to you, the other belongs to an unspeakable darkness—"
"...Master Xehanort."
"Your heart will soon encounter a familiar light. You must make sure she isn't lost to the darkness. You must guide her."
"Her? You mean Aqua? I'm not sure what I can do to help, not like this."
"You must fight, Terra, like the others. You mustn't let your heart melt into darkness; follow your true memories, and you'll reach the light. She's headed there, too—to the same place. You must believe in your promise, just as she continues to believe in you."
"Aqua. Ven. One day I'll—I've never forgotten our promise. Never. I will keep fighting."
"He has a strong will, and it keeps him tethered to the realm of light. I was able to trace that connection and brought him to Aqua."
"Terra?"
"No, Terra's heart was too steeped in darkness. Instead, I brought out Terra's most personal and powerful thoughts. Terra's sadness, anger, lament…"
"Terra's thoughts…?"
Beyond the dark place, the Lingering Will had made its entrance on the field of the Keyblade Graveyard. It was the manifestation of those powerful thoughts of Terra's, and Naminé had led it there.
"But small fragments of light survived...in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world."
"When Kairi was a child, her grandmother recited her favorite bedtime story countless times."
"I remember. I saw Kairi's memory when she was inside of my heart."
"That day, inside the castle... Terra was there, too. He was Ansem the Wise's newest apprentice. His heart had been overshadowed by Xehanort's, but his thoughts were still in his control. Listening to the story, he remembered something. He made some kind of promise underneath the shooting stars. He told Kairi that his star-shaped lucky charm represented an unbreakable bond. This key memory allowed me to form a link with him. And that memory could also be the necessary key to overturn fate."
"What do you mean?"
"Today you're here to continue with your training for our mission. This session may seem like it's familiar to you, but in a world that is different, one made of dreams…"
"Sora, the hearts in this world arrived after the ancient Keyblade War. They're the children from the fairy tale."
As Sora had noticed, every heart here was shaped like a star. Even after those special children's hearts and bodies perished, their thoughts lived on. Those dreams persisted as fragments of light and rebuilt the lost worlds, forming the stars in the sky.
"They're like Terra. Their thoughts are still clinging to the realm of light. I'll try tracing that connection. Maybe that'll be enough to tip the scales in the other direction."
"Huh?"
Naminé brought up some very valuable information, but it was all a bit over Sora's head on just how it would help.
"Um… Let's just say I've got your back?" she said to Sora. Her tone suggested she was smiling gently.
"That part of you—it reminds me of Kairi. Thanks, Naminé. Oh! That's not the official thank-you!"
"Uh-huh." She twinkled, seemingly pleased by Sora's words.
Sora also noticed that his body was, bit by bit, beginning to feel more real again. He couldn't quite see through himself anymore, either.
"Well, see ya!"
"Be careful," Naminé called out to him as he got on his way.
"I see that your soul is whole now."
"Yup!" Sora exclaimed, striking a triumphant pose.
But Chirithy's reaction wasn't so cheerful. "Then isn't it time that you left?"
"Oh, thanks," Sora said, a bit miffed.
"What? I'm doing you a big favor here, you know. Don't push it."
Chirithy was getting grumpy, but Sora didn't let it get to him. Instead, he asked something that had been on his mind.
"Hey, Chirithy. You still look like you, right? Would you like me to help you find your pieces?"
"Oh, I don't work like that."
"So, like…you're waiting for someone to rescue you?" Sora asked, thinking back to Naminé.
"Mmm…sort of?"
"Well, tell me who! I'll find 'em."
Sora cupped a hand behind his ear and leaned toward Chirithy, expecting a whispered answer. But the little catlike creature didn't seem to want to share the name.
"But in order for it to work, the Dandelions will need to forget all about the strife, the war."
"So they won't remember any of it?"
"There's no need for them to remember such a tragedy. It'll simply be a burden. Only the two of you will know the truth. The Chirithy of each wielder will make it happen."
"Uh, no no no no, that's okay. They don't remember the past."
"Chirithy, don't forget about your task."
"I won't! Union χ [cross], right?"
"That's right. New adventures with friends is a great way to bury sad memories deep within one's heart."
"Besides, I'm sure they're happier with their new friends. But I'll wait. That kid will arrive here one day." Chirithy apparently had its own view on the situation.
"Okay… I'll be back here to visit you," Sora said, bending down a little bit to get a better look at Chirithy.
"What?!" Chirithy yelped, taking a step back.
"You and me are friends now."
Friends—Chirithy glanced downward for a second before meeting Sora's gaze again. It seemed to be remembering something from long ago.
"I don't want you to disappear. It may not be what the Foretellers intended, but I'm your friend, not just your familiar, and I don't want you to fight."
"Really? I've missed having friends."
"Well, see ya 'round! And thanks!" Sora turned and was about to leave when he paused for a moment.
Chirithy watched him curiously.
"Um… Could I get a hint how to save the others?"
"Seriously?" Chirithy seemed a tad exasperated. "Are you a Keyblade wielder or aren't you? Haven't you already learned how to restore someone's heart after it's been lost?"
"Restore their hearts? Is that the same thing as…the 'power of waking'?" Sora stopped to think.
Chirithy nodded.
"No."
A dejected Sora turned his back on his new friend and walked away toward the Sleeping Keyhole.
"Look for the light in the darkness!" Chirithy shouted to Sora just as he walked into the circle.
Sora turned around to give him one last smile. Then the radiance swallowed him up, and he was gone.
Chirithy gazed up after him and said softly, "May your heart be your guiding key."
Sora was all alone in the darkness.
What happened...?
He noticed something far ahead.
There! That must be the way back to my body!
His last memory while he was in his body was watching Riku take on the Demon Tide alone.
"Riku!"
That light off in the distance—it has to be Riku. Sora struggled through the darkness to reach it.
"Riku! Answer me!"
Sora fought his way toward the light.
Sora woke up in his body and was again in the Keyblade Graveyard. Around him were all of his fallen comrades who had been strewn about.
"Riku! Riku, wake up!"
But he did not respond.
"Kairi!"
Neither did she or any of the others.
It's no use. Their hearts have been lost.
He remembered what Hercules had said. "This'll take all my heart."
Sora knew what he needed to do now. As long as I want to help my friends with all my heart—the way will open for me!
With a nod of determination, Sora took his Keyblade in both hands and pointed it at the sky—at the exact spot that Donald set off his Zettaflare blast at the core of the Demon Tower.
The light formed a Keyhole that then grew into a kaleidoscopic magic symbol, from which light began flowing upward from it into the sky.
I don't have the power of waking, but I can still open a path to the Sleeping Worlds. That's how I was able to say goodbye to the Dream Eaters.
With that said, Sora vanished in a flash of light.
When Sora came to, he was in Olympus—specifically, the home of the gods.
This place is so empty…
"There's nobody here…" Sora muttered softly.
I get it. This must be a Sleeping World now.
Then someone hopped out of his hood onto the ground and made their presence known. "Gee, I'm here!"
"Jiminy! You're okay!"
It was Jiminy, his constant companion. Of course he would still be here. Jiminy jumped into Sora's hands.
"Well, 'okay' might be a stretch, but what are we waitin' for? We need to find the others!"
He's right. No matter what happens, I'm never alone.
Sora smiled and nodded at the cricket, then started up the steps. Beyond the doors of the temple, Riku floated above a giant brazier.
"Riku!"
His friend's body was transparent, just as his own had been a short time ago. Sora ran up to Riku, thinking maybe he was going to need to go chase down pieces of Riku, too.
But before Sora could reach his friend, a Heartless appeared in his path—the Lich. With a skull for a head, it was the picture of a spirit of death. The Lich drew Riku's heart out of his body, bound it in chains, drew it into its body, and fled.
To make matters worse, the Lich left lesser Heartless like Shadows behind it to keep Sora occupied. Sora wasn't about to let that stop him, though. He eventually cornered the Heartless and fought it for Riku's heart.
The battle began up close and personal before switching to magic, and before long, it seemed that Sora had won. But then a dark corridor opened behind the Lich. It left Riku's heart behind, but it managed to escape.
Meanwhile, Riku's heart was flying off in a different direction.
"Hey! Wait!" Sora called after it.
Jiminy hopped onto Sora's shoulder. "There's no need to worry, Sora. He'll return to the place he fell, like you did. We gotta focus on rescuing the others."
Oh, so Riku's heart's just going back home?
"Okay!"
Reassured by his friend's wisdom, Sora plunged into the Corridors of Darkness after the Lich. It's going after everyone else's hearts—which means if I chase it down, I can bring the others back, too.
Sora pursued the Lich through passage after dark passage, each one leading him to a world he'd visited before.
He found Aqua in the Caribbean, Goofy in Arendelle, Donald in Monstropolis, Ventus in Toy Box, and Mickey in the Kingdom of Corona. At last Sora defeated the Lich and reclaimed the heart of Lea in San Fransokyo.
However…Sora merely looked up at the city skyline sadly after his victory.
"Well, Sora, I'd say we've been to every world that we can visit," Jiminy commented from his perch on Sora's shoulder.
"But we're one short. Where's Kairi's heart?"
"Gee, I wish I knew."
Both of them were getting worried.
Just then, the Corridors of Darkness opened to reveal Young Xehanort.
"You!"
Sora tensed up instantly, ready for a fight. Young Xehanort regarded Sora calmly, then smiled.
"All that gallivanting through the Sleeping Worlds, and yet you learned nothing. Dream by dream, you nearly buried yourself in the darkness of sleep. And now you're at it again?"
"What?" Sora recalled his experiences in the Sleeping Worlds. It was true; he had crossed the boundaries of slumber many times in his travels.
"The Lich you've been fighting—it's not like other Heartless. It exists to usher hearts down to the depths of darkness. If you chase it, you will condemn your heart to that same abyss."
Young Xehanort knew that the Lich was striving for eternal life and seeking to bind its individual will to 'corpses'—empty vessels—in order to achieve a form of immortality. The lesser Heartless were merely its servants which it held power over.
Sora gritted his teeth and pressed a hand to his chest. The depths of darkness? No, my heart's here, with me. "You're wrong. My heart is strong."
"What do you think the power of waking is? It's for traversing hearts to reach worlds. Not for traversing worlds to reach hearts. There's a high price to pay for wielding such power foolishly."
I know, I know. The power of waking is when you dive inside someone's heart, and enter THEIR world, so you can wake them up. In the world inside my heart, Riku said he met Ansem the Wise on our island. All I've been doing is travelling through the different Sleeping Worlds, like during the exam. I haven't really used the power of waking properly. But it doesn't matter. I've restored six hearts that way. What's one more?
His warning delivered, Young Xehanort turned away from Sora.
"So what? You're worried about me now?"
"No. There's no saving you."
"…What?"
Sora had no idea what Young Xehanort was getting at. But the Organization did have a habit of trying to psych him out.
Young Xehanort turned back to deliver one final proclamation: "You've paid the price. And it lies at the bottom of the abyss."
He then opened the Corridors of Darkness and vanished.
"Wait!"
What did he mean by all THAT?
"Sora!" Jiminy prodded him from his shoulder. "C'mon! We've gotta hurry back to the Keyblade Graveyard and see if everyone made it back safely."
A grin spread on Sora's face. "Of course! That's the one place we haven't checked yet!"
He hadn't thought of it before, but it was probably a Sleeping World, too.
"Off we go!" Jiminy cheered.
Sora summoned his Keyblade. As when he journeyed to the Keyblade Graveyard from Chirithy's world, a Keyhole appeared on the ground, and he dived into the opening.
I'm back here? And...everyone else is, too!? Wait a second. This is a Sleeping World.
Sora thought back to what Master Yen Sid told him during the Mark of Mastery exam:
"In the Sleeping Worlds, real time does not flow. Unless one restores the world by waking it from its slumber, it will stay locked in a dream forever. Thus, you may encounter familiar faces...but they are just figments of the dream. In actuality, they are sound asleep—trapped within a world that is also sleeping. What's more, whilst someone may no longer dwell in the real version of a world, dreams may paint a fuller picture, and restore what seems to be missing."
I see. This is a dream of the past.
He also recalled what Chirithy told him not long ago:
"I'm afraid that no one else arrived with you. And if they're not here, they're either gone forever, or they're clinging to the world you came from."
Everyone's thoughts are still clinging to this world, and that's why they're here, too.
"Something's wrong," Goofy said.
"Look out!" Donald shouted.
All the Heartless were sucked into the winds it had stirred up, forming a colossal hurricane of darkness.
Soon, Riku, the king, Kairi, Lea, Aqua, and Ventus were staring in awe as well.
"What now?" Goofy asked as he edged backward, using his shield to fend off the wind.
"Sora?" Donald asked with an uncertain glance.
I just have to trust Naminé!
"I'll stop it!"
Sora broke into a run, knocking aside any Heartless that got in his way as he made a beeline for the Demon Tide.
"Sora!" Donald and Goofy both shouted behind him.
Just as Sora sprang into the air and was about to come down on the Demon Tide with his Keyblade, a blinding light engulfed him.
"Need some help?"
Standing within the light was a boy Sora had never even seen before, let alone met. The boy had silver hair and a red scarf around his neck.
"Huh?" Sora gasped, then found himself back on the ground again.
When he opened his eyes, thousands of Keyblades were flashing through the air above him. It was like all the Keyblades thrust into the soil like grave markers had taken on a life of their own, joining together to attack the Demon Tide.
Sora leaped onto the swarm of Keyblades and rode it straight toward the dark vortex. The Keyblades plunged into the Demon Tide and scattered it.
Need some help?
I don't know who that guy was, but I bet he's the one who called all these Keyblades into the fight. I can feel the emotions in each and every one of them—these must be the wills of the ancient Keyblade wielders.
The surviving Heartless of the Demon Tide came back together to form what resembled a black comet hurtling toward Sora. But the Keyblades fanned out to shield him from the onslaught, and together with all of them, Sora became a ray of light and sliced the dark mass apart.
"What is that?" Mickey asked, looking up to where the Keyblades had been a moment ago.
Aqua answered. "Keyblade wielders…from long ago."
I knew it. I was feeling the hearts of Keyblade wielders from ancient times. We're all connected…
"It's the light of the past," Ventus added as he, too, looked up at the sky. "The Dandelions."
"Just like grandma's story," said Kairi.
Lea silently marveled at the spectacle, too.
Once he landed back on the ground, Sora looked up at the thousands of Keyblades. Their purpose served, the proud weapons burst apart into glimmering shards.
"Time to wake this world from its slumber."
Sora's work in this world was done, and he sealed the Sleeping Keyhole. He managed a great victory, but he was not able to locate Kairi's heart here, either.