As Roxas and Xion made it inside the Castle, while holding hands. They were walking inside as Roxas said, "Never thought I'd see the day where I returned to this waking nightmare of a home." Xion replied, "I feel you. We once lived here, and now coming back...I don't know. But this is not my home." Roxas agreed to it as well.
However, as they continued walking. They spotted a pack of Sniper Nobodies. Roxas and Xion summoned their Keyblades, ready to fight.
After several of minutes of defeating these creatures with firearms. They stopped fighting for a quick moment to relax as the time went on for them to head for their journey. They walked to the elevator looking up. Xion looks to Roxas, as he looks up to the ceiling, she smiled. And as they arrived, they walked out of the elevator.
As they arrived at Hall of Empty Melodies, they looked around as they see more sniper nobodies surround them. Until something else appears, a blast came from a higher platform, and destroyed all the nobodies that surrounded Roxas and Xion, then an unknown voice can be heard, "So, have you been good kids?" As it was later revealed to be Xigbar, as he continued, "Or should I say, puppets?" Roxas then pointed his Keyblade towards Xigbar as he shouted his name. Xigbar replied, "Wow, it seems you haven't learned at all."
Roxas then growled as he shouted, "I swear, everytime you show your ugly face, I get the sense of feeling you're up to no good!" Xigbar chuckled as he said, "You seriously put the Organization XII in a pickle. And same goes for your poppet friend." Roxas then screamed, "I TOLD YOU, STOP CALLING XION A PUPPET! YOU FREAK!" Xigbar chuckled, "But you two are. You're just nobodies, like us. You never had the opportunity to show your strength. It begs the question why you two were chosen to be Keyblade wielders. You may be Sora's nobody, but you were never a hero."
Roxas then looks down as he felt depressed after Xigbar's criticism, then an unknown voice can be heard from behind, "You believe this to be true? You thinking about giving up?" Roxas and Xion then looked around not knowing who was speaking. Xigbar looked at who's behind them as he gets angry, as he sees it turns out to be Lea who was talking. Lea then said, "C'mon Roxas. I thought you were stronger than that."
Roxas and Xion then turned around as they see Lea behind them. As they both shouted, "Axel!" Then Roxas gasped as he replied, "And hey! I've always been strong!" Lea starts walking as he pats on both Roxas and Xion's head, and then looks up to Xigbar, "So, I believe that you were just becoming someone who's been overshadowed by Jafar's schemes." Xigbar then replied, "As if. But now that the three of you are here. It'll be my pleasure to take you down." As he summoned his Arrowguns and jumps from high into the air and landed back down infront of Roxas, Xion and Lea. They all summoned their Keyblades ready to fight. Xigbar then said, "You three really shouldn't betray us." Then he teleported away back to the platform.
And right at Xigbar's point of view, where he's trying to target Roxas with his Arrrowgun. He was trying to snipe at Roxas, but Roxas thinks fast on his feet and began to deflect that blast back to Xigbar, with his reaction commands.
Xigbar then shouted, "You clever little sneak." Then he jumps back to the trio to attack again. Xigbar has been transporting a lot to attack and change the platform many times as he did just to attack from better distance. And after 10 minutes of fighting, Xigbar has been defeated.
Roxas then walks to him and said, "It's over, Xigbar! You lost!" Xigbar replied, "Lost?" Then he chuckled, "That's what you believe. If I had a Keyblade, this fight would've been a lot different." Then, the trio looked at each other confused as Roxas said, "As if. Like you're SO worthy to even wield one." Xigbar then replied, "Oh, I am worthy." Then a black corridor opens as Xigbar is escaping, Lea shouted, "Wait! You're no Xigbar, or Braig. Who are you?" Xigbar then looks to Lea as he replied, "Wouldn't you like to know…" he smiled as he walked back to teleported away. Roxas ran to him as he shouted, "Wait!" Then Xigbar got away as the corridor closes.
Xion and Lea looked at each other confused to see Roxas feeling down as he's been depressed after what Xigbar told him. Lea walks to him and said, "Why the long face, buddy?" Roxas then turns to Lea and replied, "Because…" he then sighs as he looks down. Xion then replied, "Roxas, don't be sad. Xigbar was just getting into you." Lea then replied, "Yeah, he was just messing with your head." Roxas then said, "But, he's right. I'm not as strong as Sora." Lea then puts his hands on his waist and said, "That's so not true. You came from Sora. That means you're just as strong as him." Roxas then looks up and said, "Hey. You're right." Lea then smiled as he said, "See? Told ya." Xion then walks to Roxas with a nice smile. Roxas smiled back at Xion.
Then Roxas turns around as he said, "This battle isn't over yet. The other Organization members are still out there. And Jafar is here in this castle. Let's go!" Then Roxas starts walking, with Xion and Lea walking right by his side. But right behind them from up top, a Mysterious figure, same being that Roxas last saw on Coruscant, was standing as he looks down. The Mysterious figure didn't say a word as he walks away.
As Roxas, Xion and Lea were walking for 20 minutes at the Castle, and defeating a bunch of Dusk, Gambler, Assassin, Ninja, and Reaper Nobodies; alongside a bunch of Shadow, Soldier and Bandit Heartless. They made it to the Room they've been dreaded to see in person; Proof of Existence. As they walked in, they see only 5 doors are still active.
They went to one of the 5 remaining rooms that are still opened. And as they went inside, they see a bunch of cards flying around. And then, they surrounded Xion and Lea. Both acted confused, as Roxas shouted, "XION! AXEL!" Then as the cards finished, Xion and Lea disappeared. Roxas then shouted, "NO!" Then the cards shrink into their normal size, as they later fly to Luxord's hands.
Roxas then summoned his Keyblade as he shouted, "You!" Luxord then said, "Hello, Roxas." Roxas then replied, "Bring them back!" Then he summoned all the cards to surround both Luxord and Roxas in circles. Then they spinned around as Luxord controls them, Roxas then looked around all confused as Luxord said, "I gave Sora the rules back then. Now it's your turn. The rules are simple, Roxas. All you have to do to win is find me among these cards and strike me down." Then he snaps his fingers to stop the cards before disappearing into one of them so that Roxas doesn't find him. Roxas then acted confused, not knowing where he is. He then said, "Yeah right. I've learned your tricks before."
After playing the gimmick game, known as gambling of fate. Roxas then stroke Luxord down. The cards he held Xion and Lea hostage were summoned and set freed. Xion and Lea landed safely as they, alongside Roxas looked at Luxord as he's been wounded. Luxord then looks up to Roxas as he said, "How...how did you…do that?" Roxas then replied, "Because, you taught me and Sora your rules." Luxord then gets up starts to chuckle softly, then looks to Roxas and said, "You…you really are like how Sora is. You two were born for these sorts of games." He then summons a corridor behind him as Roxas, Xion and Lea looked in shock as Luxord walks back. Roxas shouted, "Wait! What are you…" Luxord then smiled as he replied, "We'll meet together again, someday." Then the corridor closes as Luxord retreated.
Roxas then looks down confused, "First Xigbar. Now Luxord?" Xion then said, "Is there something fishy going on with them?" Lea then replied, "Hmmm…I'm not sure. But maybe it had to do something that they kept in secret. But how?" Roxas then looks up as he walks to the door back to the Proof of Existence. "We'll worry about them later. We must finish the job." Then they walked inside.
As they went back in, another room has been unlocked, and then they went inside. As they walked in, it becomes an illusion, where the room transforms into the gates of the Old Mansion of Twilight Town. Roxas, Xion and Lea looked around confused as Roxas said, "Wait! We're back here? What is this?" Then from behind, someone walked behind them as he said, "How nostalgia!" They all turned around to see Vexen standing right behind them. They all summoned their Keyblades. Vexen then gave a smirk to them as he said, "Well now. I believe that your memories with this town were actually true. Or should I say, all not true? Those struggle fights? Your time with your friends? All of this was just data!" Xion then growled as he responded, "Stop this!"
Vexen then replied, "Really? You, coming in to save your boyfriend? I created you, Xion. From my records! And you chose to betray the Organization, just like these two fools." Then he turned to Lea, "And as for you! You stroke me down! You were the first treacherous member of the Organization. You think Saïx needed you to strike down traitors? Marluxia and I needed Naminè at the time to turn Sora to assist the Organization. Until you ruined everything." Lea then snickered as he said, "Oh please! I was doing my job."
Vexen then growled as he summoned his Frozen Pride Shield. Then he looks to the trio with an evil smirk. Then he cackles as he summoned the datat technology right under Roxas, so that he can summon as many Anti-Roxas clones.
The fight has been going on for 6 minutes. The fight ends with Xion breaking the Frozen Pride Shield, defeating Vexen. Vexen is dying, on the ground. "Why…why does this…have to…gruuugh!" As all felt pity looking at Vexen who's dying and is about to fade away. Xion walked to him realizing that he was used by Xigbar and Jafar's schemes. She pats to Vexen saying, "I'm sorry. But this isn't really you." Vexen looked up to Xion and replied, "I know…I always wanted a girl who can show so much strength. I looked at you, like if you were my own daughter." He then groans as he's been caught with so much damage. He then lays on the ground looking at Xion who's been holding him.
Xion then asked, "You are my father, right?" Vexen smiled as he replied, "As Even, yes. But you have so much better people who will look after you." He then looks at Roxas who's been walking to him, Vexen then said, "I'm sorry…for everything…" Roxas then said, "Will you go back to where Zexion is?" Vexen then replied, "Silly, boy. Zexion and I were just apprentices to Ansem The Wise. Of course, I'll make it back. But please, protect her…at all costs…" He then sighs softly as he faded away from Xion's arms.
Then the illusion transforms back into Vexen's laboratory room. As the door has been summoned, they went back to the exit to the Proof of Existence. Another door has been summoned for Roxas, Xion and Lea to walk in.
Right inside, Roxas and Xion freaked out as they see a pool, that's be shielded with hard glass. Roxas looked at Lea in anger and said, "Axel, why didn't you tell us that we had a pool?" Lea then scratched his head as he replied, "I forgot…about it. And besides, the ocean at Destiny Island looked better than this." Roxas looked down and said, "Yeah, you're right." Then a black corridor appears before them as Demyx revealed himself. Demyx freaked out as he sees Roxas, Xion and Lea, then they summoned their Keyblades.
Demyx then turns around as he said to himself, "Oh! I knew that they send the wrong guy…" Roxas, Xion and Lea looked at each other confused as to believe and remembered that Demyx has been a coward since the beginning. Demyx then turned to the trio and said, "Hey guys. So, uh…you guys looking pretty lively. It's been awhile." Lea then said, "Uhh…Demyx?" Demyx replied, "Hey, Axel. Glad you'd show up with these two. We used to hang out back in the old days, remember?" Lea then replied, "Uhh…sure?" Demyx then said, "Look, I really love to hang out with you guys. I love to…but I'm afraid you have to die." They all gasped as they summoned their Keyblades, while Demyx summoned his Water Sitar. And starts pointing at the trio. Then he shouted, "DANCE, WATER! DANCE!" As he summoned his water clones to attack.
After so many reaction commands for a super wild dance, they all start to fight. After 2 minutes of fighting and water clone wild dancing. Demxy walks back, taking a massive defeat. His sitar disappeared as bubbles can be heard. Demxy freaked out and starts panicking before falling onto his knees. Demyx then said, "No, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This isn't fair! Why did this have to happen to me, again?" Roxas starts to feel pity on him as he walks to him, "Demyx?" Demyx then looks to Roxas as he said, "This always happens to me. All I ever wanted was friends, some people I can hang out with. But they put me as a punching bag, and they always send me as their tool." Roxas then looked down and then replied, "I'm sorry, Demyx." Then he thought in mind before smiling, "Hey! When you come back as your own being, we can be friends like you wanted. Right?" Demyx then smiled back as he looked to Roxas, "Thank…you…I'd like that." Roxas then asked, "Demyx time?" Demyx then looked down just thinking as he's about to fade away. Then he looked to Roxas and smiled before replying, "Demyx time." Then he faded away as he met his end.
Roxas starts to look at Xion and Lea as they smiled at him for his kindness. Xion said, "Demyx really isn't that bad, afterall." Roxas nodded as he replied, "Yeah." Then they started walking to the exit back to the Proof of Existence.
Once outside, they have two members to go, and it's never going to be that easy for them. As the next door appears for the next member, this one is where they realize that it's something they feared it would end up being. Once inside, they looked around as they entered a room that resembles the same battlefield where it was shown in Castle Oblivion. Roxas then said, "I don't remember this room before…yet it seems so, familiar." He then looks to Xion and Lea and asked, "But how." Then a lightning strike as it already attacked both Roxas and Lea, they're both electrocuted. And then chains come across covered in lightning, grabbed Roxas and Lea as they're both held hostage in chains.
Xion, who is the only one not caught shouted "ROXAS! AXEL!" As she sees both Roxas and Lea remained captive. Then a sudden voice shows up right behind Xion as she said, "Aw! Does little puppet want to cry, because her boyfriend and Mr. Spiny McSpikehair are going to soon perish? How sad." Xion then turns to Larxene as she summoned her Oathkeeper Keyblade, "YOU!" Larxene then smiled as she replied, "Oh! So that's how you want to play? Well, gotta say, you're good at fighting. But sadly, for you, you can't learn to fight now, can't you?" Xion growled as she replied, "Shut up!" Larxene giggled before responding, "What's the matter? Can't even laugh at my jokes? Well then, let's see what you got!" She then summons her Foudre Knives with lightning. She then smiled.
They started fighting as Larxene strikes lightning to Xion as she shouted, "See ya!" Xion was able to dodge that before running towards Larxene to keep on fighting. After 4 minutes of fighting, Xion has finally defeated Larxene. The chains that hold Roxas and Lea finally broke as Larxene took too much damage by Xion. Larxene begins to panic before landing on her knees as she said, "No! Not again! I've been beaten…by another loser? And her other two losers as well." She then looks to Lea as she shouted, "This was all your fault, Axel!" Lea gasped and replied, "Hey! Now wasn't very nice." Larxene then looks away before talking softly, "Figures…but being a vessel of an eye-patch freak show…yeah, that was never fun…" Xion then asked, "But, why side with him?" Larxene then replied, "I was just in for the ride!" Xion then asked, "With…?" Larxene then sighs before saying, "Come closer, I'll tell you." Xion then walks to her as Larxene shouted to Roxas and Lea, "You two go back, it's a girls' thing!" Which Roxas and Lea looked at each other confused.
She then then whispered to Xion's ear telling her the secrets she kept, which Xion then gets up and said, "Oh! Ok?" Larxene smiled as she said, "Remember, it's a girl's secret." Before she faded away to her demise. Xion looks up as she sees Larxene faded away before looking back at Roxas and Lea. She said, "I can't tell you guys, because I'm just confused." Roxas then walks to Xion and starts holding her hand before replying, "You don't have to." He smiled as Xion smiled back. They then start walking back to the exit to the Proof of Existence.
They see the final door has been summoned, Roxas starts to act a bit worry. He was not ready for this moment where this member would be his last encounter. He walks in as Xion and Lea walked behind him. As they walked inside, the room shows to be another battlefield that was redesigned from Castle Oblivion. Except the background is white instead of black. And the floors are designed with Flower paint structures. They soon realize this is Marluxia's room would look like. And speak of the devil, she shows up right behind them.
"So, I always knew that you could've made it this far in one piece, Roxas." Roxas then turns around as he sees Marluxia standing behind him. Then he, Xion and Lea summoned their Keyblades as Roxas shouted, "Marluxia!" Marluxia chuckled as he replied, "You three looked like you've seen a ghost." Lea shouted, "Yeah right! You never scared us!" Marluxia then replied with a dangerous smile, "How innovated. I always thought you'd follow orders, and now look at yourselves, betraying the Organization? And for what? So that you can eat Ice Cream together on a Clock Tower? Or becoming friends with the enemy?" Roxas then pointed his Oblivion Keyblade to Marluxia before shouting, "Shut up! You've been messing with us throughout our journey! You killed Zexion! You summoned Witches to try and take Xion's life away! You even brainwashed Saïx to turn against us! And worse yet, you forced Naminè to change Sora's memories so that you can stand by your side!"
Marluxia then replied, "Oh, you are good at this Roxas. You learned how to release your anger." Roxas growled before Marluxia asked, "Tell me, Roxas. Do you seriously have a heart?" Roxas then replied, "Yeah, I do! Infact, Xion has a heart too, and same for Axel! And even Zexion had a heart! Unlike you!" Marluxia chuckled as he replied, "Very well, then." He then summoned a bunch of rose petals to transform into his Graceful Assassin Reaper. He then pointed at Roxas. "I'll scattered you to the wind!" Then the fight starts as he teleports next to Roxas as he whispered the countdown containing his attacks from his reaper for Roxas' life support. Then they all began to fight.
After 10 minutes of fighting, and Roxas being 2 strikes before his life support ends. Roxas then attacked Marluxia harder to defeat him as quickly as ever. Marluxia took too much damage before landing on his knees. Roxas shouted, "It's over, Marluxia! As you being the last member to take down, you lost!" Marluxia then chuckled and replied, "Oh, I know…" He then looked at Roxas as he responded, "I have to say, it was a charm to see become much stronger than what our former boss expected you to be." Roxas then starts to act confused as he asked, "What do you mean?"
Marluxia then replied, "You, of all the Organization members, made me feel like I actually had a Heart. And it's all thanks to you, Xion and Sora." Roxas then began to pity him, despite not forgiving him after what he did to Zexion. "Marluxia…why did you…side with them?" Marluxia replied, "It was my duty…to follow the orders of what Jafar has told me." Roxas then asked, "Tell me, Marluxia. What was Jafar's plan?" Marluxia looked up to Roxas and replied, "I'm not sure…but all I remember is that he and Xigbar resurrected someone that was meant to distract you." Roxas then closed his eyes as the scene cuts to flashbacks with that same Mysterious Figure he encounters at Coruscant. It later cuts back to Roxas opening his eyes in shock and asked, "That being you seek of…who is he?" Marluxia, who is starting to fade away replied, "I'm…not so sure…but remember. In this castle; to find is to lose. And to lose, is to find." Roxas then runs to Marluxia as he shouted, "WAIT! Marluxia!" Marluxia then sighs as he fades away to his demise. Roxas then looks up all depressed and confused. He then repeated what Marluxia last said to him as he looks down.
Lea and Xion then started to walk behind Roxas as Xion holds Roxas' hand and Lea patting his back. Roxas then said, "Xion, Axel. Thank you, for staying by my side." Lea then replied, "Your welcome, bud." Xion then said, "We'll always be with you. No matter what, till the end." Roxas then turns to Xion and Lea as he said, "This fight is not over yet. Jafar is the mastermind behind all of this. We'll stop him, no matter what!" Then he turns to the exit to the Proof of Existence, as he said, "This is it. Our final moment! Let's finish what we had started!" Then they started walking out as the doors open before their very eyes, to the halls to the final rooms, before reaching to the top of the Castle.
TO BE CONTINUED…