Chapter III: Lingering

The darkened tides of a vast ocean collided gently against the sands of a broken beach. Where it met the sea, the land was cracked as if it were dry, even though it seemed impossible. A shattered wooden dock was further inland, showing that the beach was not always as vast as it was then. Beyond the beach, it was truly a scene from a nightmare. Plants of various shapes and sizes, spawned from the darkness that had consumed the world, were scattered around, overgrowing and devouring the island. Black, gray, violet, and other dark hues dominated, sucking the light and life from everything it touched until only the beach was left. Even that sanctuary of bright sand wasn't immune to the spreading darkness. Soon, that shore would be enshrouded in the dark.

They knew that well as they stood together on the shore, gazing into the ocean of the dark. Two minds, two souls, two hearts were joined within one body. The silver-haired boy, though the original owner of the body they resided in, was a prisoner, a heart enslaved and captive inside his own shell. At the mercy of another, immensely powerful and dark heart, the boy fought on in vain to free himself from himself.

Then he came, the youthful friend that was both his greatest rival and his greatest love. Sora, the restrained Riku called out within his imprisoned heart, End this. End it now.

Finally, words came from the boy's mouth, but though they sounded from his lips, the voice was not his own. It was the voice of his captor, his puppet master, that told Sora, "Take a look at this tiny place. To the heart seeking freedom, this island is a prison surrounded by water."

I still seek freedom. Now, more than ever, I want out, but I... I can't escape from this prison. Not alone...

"And so this boy sought out to escape from his prison."

I've done so much, so many things wrong. Trapped inside myself, being used for the desires and schemes of this demented lunatic — this is my just reward, my penance.

"He sought a way to cross over into other worlds."

There was a bit of fun in it — in the journey — at first. After all, we did finally get off this island, but I never thought — I never even dared to dream — that things could turn out this way. I can't even begin to forgive myself... After all, it is my own fault.

"And he opened his heart to darkness."

I deserve this... Sora, end it for me. Please...

The boy turned to face his childhood ally at last, but in the space of a few seconds, Riku's face, his hair, his eyes, his whole being was replaced with that of a stranger of the darkness. Before his heart descended into the very darkness that he had so willingly opened it to, he heard a voice, Sora's voice, calling out to him.

"Riku!"

—————

"Sora!"

Stirred into action by his own nightmares, Riku's body convulsed in shock, and he sat up in his familiar bed, yet he felt strange finally being in his own bed after the adventure through the worlds he had seen. The lights in his room were inactive, and the only illumination came from the nearby window as the stars and moon cast their glow from the heavens. Riku soon arose from his bed, clad only in boxer briefs as he walked to the window. As he took those steps, Riku soon realized that he was almost dripping in sweat. Bringing his cool hands to his equally cool forehead, he tried to wipe away the chilled sweat, only to realize that the cold sweat covered his whole body. When he reached the window, he opened it and let the night's gentle breeze enter his room and surround him. As the wind met his sweat-covered skin, Riku shut his eyes and—

"—he opened his heart to darkness."

Instantly, Riku's eyes flashed open, and the fifteen-year-old whirled around, almost expecting to spot the sinister Ansem, the villain that had taken his heart and body from him, standing in his room, but when no such sight presented itself, the youth turned back to the window and closed it swiftly. Even after the window was sealed, the cold air that Riku had invited into his room stayed and lingered on like the foul stench from rotten flesh, and he felt it surround him once more. Now far more conscious of himself and the icy atmosphere, he reached down next to his bed and donned a pair of pants before putting on a random T-shirt. He then found his socks and shoes and slipped them on before looking at the table next to his bed. Against it, the Wing Edge, the blade that had helped him survive after being thrown away from Destiny Islands what felt like years ago, was propped readily. Next to it, like someone's twisted idea of a joke, was the weapon of another time, a toy sword nearly identical to Sora's. He took both of them with him as he reopened the window and leapt from his room to the ground below.

—————

Sora came for me, Riku thought as he climbed onto the dock from his rowboat. Or did he come to destroy Ansem? Or were both of those on his mind?

His eyes glanced across the island, entirely unchanged in his absence. Paying no heed to the other two boats also docked there, Riku picked up the Wing Edge and the toy sword from the boat and started walking, not caring where he ended up.

Even so, it's thanks to Sora that Mickey and I were able to escape from Kingdom Hearts, Riku reasoned. Still, I know that he'll never feel the way I feel for him. Kairi's the apple of his eye, and it's not my place to interfere with them, since whatever powers run the universe know I've tried. I just wish I'd learned that sooner before I... went off the deep end.

He looked to the beach, blanketed in night, and a memorable night entered to Riku's mind. This reminds me of the night of the storm, the night the Heartless came. He then gazed to the small but memory-filled island across the plank bridge where he sparred with Sora so long ago, the place where Riku held out his hand for Sora that fated night. Man, I've lost count of how many times we competed like that. The fights, the races... He's a good rival, that's for sure. He always accepted defeat gracefully, unless...

The teen's thoughts flashed back to the rising falls at Hollow Bastion, where he seized the Keyblade from Sora. With only a simple toy sword and the Beast, the dogged Sora fought his way to the castle's entrance. Weaponless but sanguine, he was still willing to fight against Riku. I see why I lost, admitted Riku to himself, His will was strong, his heart was determined, his friend stayed with him, even defying their king's orders. Did I ever stand a chance?

Riku's ambling came to an abrupt halt when he noticed where he had led himself. Before him, overgrown plants and leaves surrounded the entryway to the secret place, and Riku could barely hear the pair of voices resonating from inside as well as see the glow of campfire light from inside the cavern. Sora and Kairi, he identified them. At that moment, he was divided by his urge to eavesdrop, his wish to join them like old times, and his desire to avoid the couple altogether. The last choice proved to be the ultimate one, and he turned around and strolled elsewhere, just as aimless as before.

Before Kairi arrived, Riku told himself prior to leaping onto the roof of the shack to reach the island, it was just Sora and me. But when she came from who-knows-where... I never got used to the fact that there was someone else with us; the duo was suddenly a trinity. And then we were separated, thrown to other worlds. All he was worried about was Kairi and those two bumbling weirdoes that he carried around with him. I was just an afterthought, tacked on the end when necessary, and I just couldn't stand it.

His feet stepped off the bridge onto the round island as he looked down at his pair of swords. His grip tightened on the handle of the Wing Edge as he held the toy sword over his head, examining the old thing intently. It's a link to a past that I left in the dust, Riku explained, I don't need this thing anymore. With that thought in his mind, he tossed the wooden blade high into the air. Riku jumped up as it fell to the ground, bringing his newer weapon to bear. In an elegant, accurate midair attack, he swung the sword and hit the toy, shattering it into dozens of wooden shards. The pieces met the ground a split-second before Riku touched down, landing with his knees bent slightly and his sword ready in his right hand.

"No more games," the teenager finally spoke aloud. Riku glances at the shattered remnants of his old sword before giving his Wing Edge another look. "Not anymore." At last, Riku's eyes went to the shimmering diamonds in the night sky. "There are many worlds," he whispered under his breath, "but they share the same sky — one sky, one destiny."

As his mind wandered through countless thoughts, he nearly ignored a certain, solitary star above him flickering violently like a candle's flame preparing to die out. When he glared at the sparkling star, something inside of him writhed and twisted in agony while another thing seemed to delight in the sight he was seeing. Before Riku's eyes, a star went out.

All but horror-stricken, Riku repeated his words from mere second ago, barely conscious of himself. "One sky, one destiny."

—————

Sitting at a lone table amidst a room filled with books of forgotten lore, the warrior Cloud rested himself, thoughtful and pensive as his chin rested against his folded hands, his elbows on the table before him, and his eyes staring at his bandaged sword, placed on the table. His heart felt the sense of irony in his situation. Before Hollow Bastion was overrun by the Heartless, he was considered by everyone he knew to be "the lively one." His sense of adventure and bright, hopeful outlook on life attracted some of the most interesting people, and he enjoyed the company of every one of those people, even some of the more annoying individuals. Now, he sat alone and defeated, left to himself and the darkness inside of him in a place as lifeless and empty as he himself felt. Even reunited with the friends that he had lost when he was forced from his home did little to ease the emptiness. Cloud closed his eyes as he pondered the matter deeply.

"Cloud?"

The fighter's eyelids arose immediately, displaying his handsome green eyes as they turned to view the caller of his name. Choosing to greet her on his own two feet, Cloud slid the chair back and stood, brushing a few strands of golden hair out of his eyesight as he spoke calmly, "Aerith."

Aerith, wearing the same familiar pink dress as always, gazed into Cloud's eyes with concern. "Is something wrong, Cloud?" she inquired of him. "You seem..."

"Preoccupied," he finished for her.

Timidly, she responded with a nod, "Yes."

Cloud broke eye contact with her, now focusing on the ground as he told Aerith, "There's a lot on my mind."

She took a step towards Cloud, asking him, "Do you want to talk about anything."

The warrior shook his head. "May—"

"Cloud! Aerith!" the powerful voice of Leon cut into their conversation.

Both of them turned their heads to Squall as he ran, hurrying up the staircase to them. "Leon?" they both spoke as he met them.

"We've got trouble," he told them, alarmed. "I just received word form Yuffie."

Cloud spoke coolly, "What's wrong?"

The tone in the other man's voice said far more than the words themselves. Leon looked at the couple before he revealed to them, "She told me that she saw a star go out."