As Zidane helped himself up from the ground, he couldn't help but marvel at
how quickly Sora had learned the Trance technique. Kuja had spent his life
trying to reach that level and yet Sora had far surpassed both Zidane and
Kuja in a single attempt. It almost hurt Zidane's eyes to look at the
brilliant golden blaze that Sora had become. The Trance slowly faded from
both men as Zidane approached Sora.
"She must mean a lot to you," noted Zidane as drew closer.
"What. What do you mean?" Sora questioned, trying to hide his feelings.
"Ha. You must think me dumber than I look," laughed Zidane. "Emotions
like those can only come from one thing. Must I say it Sora?" Zidane
paused and looked towards the now nervous Sora. "It's love."
Sora hadn't ever admitted that feeling out loud. He had never even admitted it to Donald or Goofy. But Zidane saw right through him. He felt nervous, but at the same time energized. He looked up from the ground, not blushing and avoiding eye contact like the child he once was, but staring into Zidane's eyes and saying with confidence, "It is love, it always has been." "It's good that you know that. Love is something worth fighting for. I should recognize it when I see it, it took me longer to see it in myself, but there's no mistake. You've got something to fight for, always remember that and you'll overcome anything."
"When can I leave? I've got no time to waste. The Heartless are coming for Kairi and I have to find her before Ansem can get to her. How do I leave and what do I need to do?" questioned Sora, insisting on hastiness. "Calm down, calm down. We can't rush into this without thinking. Ansem knows you're coming and he knows that the path that we're going to take is the only option, so we have to be prepared for anything, it could get very ugly out there," explained Zidane. "You could get ugly out there." muttered Sora in contempt. "We'll leave in the morning, now come on, it's time for dinner," stated Zidane, ignoring Sora's comment. And so the two wandered off towards the castle entrance. At the gate, Zidane was greeted with salutes from the guards. Sora began to realize that his new friend might be slightly more important than he initially thought. As they walked through the streets, people called out to him and he waved back to the excited crowds, bowing and greeting them as they traveled. Eventually, they reached the palace, a grand castle in the center of the bastille city. The guards at the entrance to the palace all saluted and said "Hail King Zidane" as Zidane saluted them back and put them at ease. They were greeted at the door by a large knight, serious and yet seemingly good-hearted beneath his tough exterior.
"Is this the one we were expecting Zidane?" asked the knight (informally, to Sora's surprise). "This is him Stiener," responded Zidane with a friendly handshake. "He isn't much to look at is he." frowned Stiener. "He bested me in battle. That, my old friend, is more than you could ever claim," contended Zidane in a cool yet confident tone. "Then you won't mind if I put him to the test?" questioned Stiener respectfully. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" responded Zidane. "Well boy? What do you say? Do you think you can handle the Captain of the Knights of Pluto?" boasted Stiener. "If you're what I have to go through to find Kairi, then let's do it to it," scoffed Sora. "I hope your confidence isn't misplaced."
With that, the three walked out into the courtyard and Stiener drew his mighty golden sword the Excalibur II. It shone brightly in the sun as he turned it from side to side. At the same time, Sora was standing perfectly still. He breathed deep as he brought back that painful dream of Ansem overshadowing his Kairi. His eyes flashed open and the golden blaze devoured his body. He was once again imbued with the awesome power of the Trance. He swung his arm out to the side and drew the Keyblade out of nothing. He burned with fury and it was no longer Stiener he saw, but Ansem. He saw Ansem laughing, mocking him, and mocking his love. Stiener rushed at Sora, raising his sword to strike at the boy. Sora swung his arms back, crouched low, and the next second, was behind Stiener with the Keyblade at his side. Stiener froze for a second, seemingly stunned. Then, he fell to his knees, supporting himself with his sword. He had fear in his eyes and was gasping for air. Sora turned around in a majestic, sweeping fashion, looking to Stiener, who struggled to his feet. "Who pissed in his Wheaties?" choked out Stiener to Zidane, who laughed and shook his head. "What do you think of him now?" questioned Zidane in response. ".and I thought you had some rage issues." continued Stiener. "But I suppose that he'll do, I suppose it's not every fellow who can take down a man of my abilities. It was a close battle however." Sora had calmed down and just smiled and shook his head at Stiener's comment. Later that night, Zidane threw a grand party for Sora. There was a bountiful feast laid out and the entire kingdom was in attendance. Everyone was having a great time, except for one boy who sat at the king's table. All evening beautiful ladies had been asking Sora to dance with him, but each time he looked up, shook his head, and sunk back down in his chair. After awhile, Zidane approached him and in a hushed tone asked "You know what one of the great secrets of life is Sora?" "No, no I don't." mumbled Sora. "You must never let them see you down. Look around, all of these people are dancing and having a great time. But Sora, they have lost their queen and I my beloved. Yet we celebrate because we want to keep our hope alive. All men have sorrow; it is the ones who use it as power that are called brave and courageous. Those are the men who become heroes." Sora sat puzzled for a moment and then smiled, stood up and said "Thank you."
And so Sora danced the night away, all the while thinking of Kairi and keeping his hope alive. In the morning, he woke up with the sun. He was energized and excited to be setting out today. He got dressed, prepared himself and wandered to the front gate, where he found Zidane talking to Stiener. "But King Zidane, I must object, it is my duty to protect you and the queen," pleaded Stiener. "I'm sorry Stiener, but I'm afraid that Sora and I must do this by ourselves, we have a personal connection here and although I never for a moment doubt your devotion, I must ask you as a friend to stay here and protect the kingdom. For me, and for Dagger." "As you wish your majesty." said Stiener with a bow. As he walked away, Stiener added, "and make sure you come back alive Zidane." "Oh, Sora.. Ready to go? We've got a lot of work ahead of us my friend." "Zidane, I've never been more ready for anything in my life. And you were right, about hope and all." "Of course I was, they give you this great handbook of pep-talks when you're king." "What?" "Nothing. uh, let's go." stuttered Zidane as the two headed off towards the mountains over which the sun rose. As soon as they were away from the castle, Zidane raised his hand and snapped his fingers. A great rumbling filled the earth and a huge ship flew overhead. Sora's jaw dropped. Two beams hit Zidane and Sora and the next thing Sora knew, he was looking through a red glass at the peaceful plain they had just been walking. "Welcome to the Invincible," stated Zidane. Zidane quickly navigated the ship to their destination, over a small glacier filled area of the ocean. The seawater glistened beneath the ship. "Ready Sora?" asked Zidane. "Ready for whhhhhhaaaaaaaaaatttttttttt.." screamed Sora as he and Zidane both fell from high in the sky, face first towards the freezing ocean. Sora covered his eyes with his arms and the Keyblade, afraid to look his own demise in the face. In the mean time, Zidane yelled with excitement and put on an aerial stunt spectacular. However, as the duo grew every closer to the ocean, the Keyblade began to glow. Soon Sora found his hands thrust straight downward by the power of the Keyblade. Without warning, a black hole in the shape of a keyhole appeared and the Keyblade began to seal it. At the same time, Sora and Zidane fell through, landing on soft sand on the other side. "Man, what kind of friend do you think I am? I know what I'm doing," stated Zidane as Sora glared at him in disbelief.
Sora didn't know where they were, but in the distance, he could see a dense forest. He was on an island, some men played with a ball just down the beach. On this very island, a boy had become a hero and a young summoner, a champion.
Sora hadn't ever admitted that feeling out loud. He had never even admitted it to Donald or Goofy. But Zidane saw right through him. He felt nervous, but at the same time energized. He looked up from the ground, not blushing and avoiding eye contact like the child he once was, but staring into Zidane's eyes and saying with confidence, "It is love, it always has been." "It's good that you know that. Love is something worth fighting for. I should recognize it when I see it, it took me longer to see it in myself, but there's no mistake. You've got something to fight for, always remember that and you'll overcome anything."
"When can I leave? I've got no time to waste. The Heartless are coming for Kairi and I have to find her before Ansem can get to her. How do I leave and what do I need to do?" questioned Sora, insisting on hastiness. "Calm down, calm down. We can't rush into this without thinking. Ansem knows you're coming and he knows that the path that we're going to take is the only option, so we have to be prepared for anything, it could get very ugly out there," explained Zidane. "You could get ugly out there." muttered Sora in contempt. "We'll leave in the morning, now come on, it's time for dinner," stated Zidane, ignoring Sora's comment. And so the two wandered off towards the castle entrance. At the gate, Zidane was greeted with salutes from the guards. Sora began to realize that his new friend might be slightly more important than he initially thought. As they walked through the streets, people called out to him and he waved back to the excited crowds, bowing and greeting them as they traveled. Eventually, they reached the palace, a grand castle in the center of the bastille city. The guards at the entrance to the palace all saluted and said "Hail King Zidane" as Zidane saluted them back and put them at ease. They were greeted at the door by a large knight, serious and yet seemingly good-hearted beneath his tough exterior.
"Is this the one we were expecting Zidane?" asked the knight (informally, to Sora's surprise). "This is him Stiener," responded Zidane with a friendly handshake. "He isn't much to look at is he." frowned Stiener. "He bested me in battle. That, my old friend, is more than you could ever claim," contended Zidane in a cool yet confident tone. "Then you won't mind if I put him to the test?" questioned Stiener respectfully. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" responded Zidane. "Well boy? What do you say? Do you think you can handle the Captain of the Knights of Pluto?" boasted Stiener. "If you're what I have to go through to find Kairi, then let's do it to it," scoffed Sora. "I hope your confidence isn't misplaced."
With that, the three walked out into the courtyard and Stiener drew his mighty golden sword the Excalibur II. It shone brightly in the sun as he turned it from side to side. At the same time, Sora was standing perfectly still. He breathed deep as he brought back that painful dream of Ansem overshadowing his Kairi. His eyes flashed open and the golden blaze devoured his body. He was once again imbued with the awesome power of the Trance. He swung his arm out to the side and drew the Keyblade out of nothing. He burned with fury and it was no longer Stiener he saw, but Ansem. He saw Ansem laughing, mocking him, and mocking his love. Stiener rushed at Sora, raising his sword to strike at the boy. Sora swung his arms back, crouched low, and the next second, was behind Stiener with the Keyblade at his side. Stiener froze for a second, seemingly stunned. Then, he fell to his knees, supporting himself with his sword. He had fear in his eyes and was gasping for air. Sora turned around in a majestic, sweeping fashion, looking to Stiener, who struggled to his feet. "Who pissed in his Wheaties?" choked out Stiener to Zidane, who laughed and shook his head. "What do you think of him now?" questioned Zidane in response. ".and I thought you had some rage issues." continued Stiener. "But I suppose that he'll do, I suppose it's not every fellow who can take down a man of my abilities. It was a close battle however." Sora had calmed down and just smiled and shook his head at Stiener's comment. Later that night, Zidane threw a grand party for Sora. There was a bountiful feast laid out and the entire kingdom was in attendance. Everyone was having a great time, except for one boy who sat at the king's table. All evening beautiful ladies had been asking Sora to dance with him, but each time he looked up, shook his head, and sunk back down in his chair. After awhile, Zidane approached him and in a hushed tone asked "You know what one of the great secrets of life is Sora?" "No, no I don't." mumbled Sora. "You must never let them see you down. Look around, all of these people are dancing and having a great time. But Sora, they have lost their queen and I my beloved. Yet we celebrate because we want to keep our hope alive. All men have sorrow; it is the ones who use it as power that are called brave and courageous. Those are the men who become heroes." Sora sat puzzled for a moment and then smiled, stood up and said "Thank you."
And so Sora danced the night away, all the while thinking of Kairi and keeping his hope alive. In the morning, he woke up with the sun. He was energized and excited to be setting out today. He got dressed, prepared himself and wandered to the front gate, where he found Zidane talking to Stiener. "But King Zidane, I must object, it is my duty to protect you and the queen," pleaded Stiener. "I'm sorry Stiener, but I'm afraid that Sora and I must do this by ourselves, we have a personal connection here and although I never for a moment doubt your devotion, I must ask you as a friend to stay here and protect the kingdom. For me, and for Dagger." "As you wish your majesty." said Stiener with a bow. As he walked away, Stiener added, "and make sure you come back alive Zidane." "Oh, Sora.. Ready to go? We've got a lot of work ahead of us my friend." "Zidane, I've never been more ready for anything in my life. And you were right, about hope and all." "Of course I was, they give you this great handbook of pep-talks when you're king." "What?" "Nothing. uh, let's go." stuttered Zidane as the two headed off towards the mountains over which the sun rose. As soon as they were away from the castle, Zidane raised his hand and snapped his fingers. A great rumbling filled the earth and a huge ship flew overhead. Sora's jaw dropped. Two beams hit Zidane and Sora and the next thing Sora knew, he was looking through a red glass at the peaceful plain they had just been walking. "Welcome to the Invincible," stated Zidane. Zidane quickly navigated the ship to their destination, over a small glacier filled area of the ocean. The seawater glistened beneath the ship. "Ready Sora?" asked Zidane. "Ready for whhhhhhaaaaaaaaaatttttttttt.." screamed Sora as he and Zidane both fell from high in the sky, face first towards the freezing ocean. Sora covered his eyes with his arms and the Keyblade, afraid to look his own demise in the face. In the mean time, Zidane yelled with excitement and put on an aerial stunt spectacular. However, as the duo grew every closer to the ocean, the Keyblade began to glow. Soon Sora found his hands thrust straight downward by the power of the Keyblade. Without warning, a black hole in the shape of a keyhole appeared and the Keyblade began to seal it. At the same time, Sora and Zidane fell through, landing on soft sand on the other side. "Man, what kind of friend do you think I am? I know what I'm doing," stated Zidane as Sora glared at him in disbelief.
Sora didn't know where they were, but in the distance, he could see a dense forest. He was on an island, some men played with a ball just down the beach. On this very island, a boy had become a hero and a young summoner, a champion.