Chapter 4: Island of Lost Dreams
Although the ocean was calm again back in Destiny Island, the raft was still spinning immensely into the deep. Kairi was still alive and was holding tightly on the descending raft. The pendant on her shoulder glowed brightly and soon, the nauseating trip ended and Kairi was trying to pull herself together. She was walking around the raft as if she was drunk. She regained herself again momentarily and was surprised that she was still alive, breathing. She was not in the ocean anymore… She was in some kind of island, an enchanted one. The trees were weird and they were as tall as a hundred men. Its leaves were blue and the flowers were exotic in the eye. She was mesmerized by the place and was exploring without her knowing where her feet would lead her. Suddenly, a girl, about thirteen years of age, appeared out of nowhere. Her straight dark blue hair was just above her shoulders. Although she was just a child, her bluish-purple eyes were threatening yet innocent. She gave a faint smile.
"You shouldn't be here… Oh no… Am dead… What did I do wrong!?"
"Excuse me? Who are you?" Kairi asked.
"Hee hee… Since you asked kindly… My name is Amethyst, the youngest of the four gem sisters. Come with me." She said.
"What if I don't want to? I don't trust strangers…"
"You would doubt a little girl like me? You're too paranoid, Kai… Oopsie! I should've not said that! My mistake… Hee hee…"
"How do you know my name!? The more I shouldn't trust you!" Kairi exclaimed.
"Don't make this too hard for me… PLEASE? Just come with me!"
Amethyst grabbed Kairi's hand. She struggled to get away, but the grip was too tight.
"What do you want from me?" Kairi cried.
"Not me… 'Him'…"
"Who's 'he'?"
"Am not in the position to answer… Jus' come with me will ya?"
"No way! I'd rather not! Let me go!"
Kairi kicked her on her knee. Amethyst, screaming in pain, let go of her hand and was now jumping around.
"Ouchie! Ouchie! OUCHIEEE! That's it! Am pissed!"
Kairi ran as Amethyst burst in anger. Her eyes were now glowing. She raised her right hand and a whip-like form of energy appeared. She lashed it towards her and elastically went towards her. Kairi's left feet was caught by the "whip" and was being grabbed by Amethyst.
"Grrr! Let me go!"
"I told you to go with me nicely, but you just wouldn't listen and made little Amethyst pissed off… Tsk tsk… I guess you have no choice, but to come with me now… Hee hee!" Amethyst giggled.
She struggled to escape, but the whip reacted and electrified her. She screamed and was losing energy.
"Help… Someone…"
"No one can help you in here… This is a deserted island, the Island of Lost Dreams. No one can escape here except for some people like me. Hee hee!"
Kairi was half conscious and Amethyst was about to dissolve with her when suddenly a sharp object hit the whip cutting its connection with Kairi.
"… Who did that!?"
"Me!"
A girl with a white band tied around her head jumped towards Amethyst. She was wearing a green "tank top" and white shorts which was way above her legs. Her flesh stockings covered her flawless leg. She rolled and got her weapon, the Shuriken.
"Oooohhh!!! You're really pissing me off! Stop meddling with other people's business!" Amethyst screamed.
"Excuse me? I have a duty to protect her since she's my friend. Right? Kairi?" Yuffie teased.
"Thanks Yuffie! You're just in time!" Kairi laughed.
"URRRRR! This is not good! Oh well… I guess I'll just have to get rid of you!"
She formed her whip into a dark purplish energy ball. She was about to blast Yuffie when suddenly a ball of fire hit her back and made her tumble to the ground.
"Yeouch! GRRRR!!!" Amethyst screamed.
"Am I late?" A man smiled.
He pointed his blade towards Amethyst and gave a sinister look. He was wearing a black jacket and a cool black tight fit pants. He looked arrogant as the wind blew his long brown hair, but a scar marked his face.
"Leon! Just in time!" Yuffie cheered.
"Now… As for you, I'd suggest you to leave unless you want this blade to slay you… Your child looks will not save you. I have a cold heart no matter who or what they are… So… I wouldn't hesitate killing you if you do one false move…"
"Aaaaahhhh! This is totally outrageous! Fine! I'll leave you people now, but expect me to be back soon!!!" She screamed.
She vanished to the ground and Leon put out his Gunblade. Aerith, Cid and Cloud soon came too to join the rest.
"What happened here?" Aerith asked.
"Something's up… Kairi suddenly appeared here, and someone's after her." Yuffie explained.
"That's weird… How'd you get here Kairi?" Aerith asked.
"Well… Ummm… I was riding a raft when suddenly a huge whirlpool appeared. I don't know what happened after that. I have a feeling that I shouldn't be here according to that girl… Something went wrong with the transportation."
"I don't like this… Someone's plotting another conspiracy, and it includes you that I'm sure. That's my only theory as of now. The gates to other worlds are beginning to open again, our world was the first one, and we were driven here… I don't know if this has something to do with Kingdom Hearts again. We've been finding a way to escape this island, the Island of Lost Dreams, but up to now, we have no way of escaping."
"But, she said that we have no chance to escape except some people like her…" Kairi commented.
"I don't believe that. There has to be a secret portal to leave. If she could leave this place, I'm sure there's this something that will allow us too."
"Enough talk for now… Let's go deeper… We don't want to waste our time talking about this." Cloud ordered.
As they went deeper, the setting changed. There were no trees anymore, but swamps instead. They were dark swamps. Nothing was moving except them. It was lifeless… It made Kairi freak out, but with her friends, the fear was not that strong.
"I don't like this place…" Yuffie shivered.
"We have no choice, but to pass this place. We have to go deeper. There has to be a way." Leon explained.
Yuffie sighed and they went on with their travel. They saw a bridge connecting to the opposite side of the black murky swamp. Yuffie's feet were trembling. She did not like the essence of the place. Her senses made her feel that something was not right.
"Don't worry… Let's go."
Kairi supported Yuffie to walk. Helping her to walk faster, she held Yuffie's hands tightly.
"Just take a deep breath and it'll all be over… Once we cross this. It's the end of it." Kairi said.
"… Something's… Really… Creeping me out… I don't know but I can feel it…" Yuffie murmured.
"It's okay to be scared, but don't let it eat you. It'll kill you before you even face the danger. It'll be alright."
They reached the middle of the creaking bridge. It was quite slippery because of the green algae which covered the bridge. Some strings were loose and it could fall any time. They walked cautiously but quickly. The bridge started to sway caused by the strong wind that was blowing against them. Kairi started to feel sick...
"I don't feel so well… We're too shaky." Kairi muttered.
The wind turned into a mist and it formed a shape of a gigantic bird. It swiveled around them forming a gust of wind, which made the bridge shakier…
"I knew it! It's a Mist Phoenix!" Yuffie cried out.
"Wha--!!! This isn't good! This bridge might collapse in no time… We gotta hurry!" Cid shouted.
They walked in a quicker pace, but at the same time holding on the bridge tightly. The creature made a loud screeching sound, which echoed around the place. Its vibration made the bridge sway even more...
"Ugh… This won't work! We gotta distract it!" Cloud told them.
"I'll help you. Cid, accompany the ladies to the end of the bridge." Leon ordered.
"Consider it done!"
"Cloud… Be careful…" Aerith said.
"Don't worry about me… I can handle myself."
From there, they separated. Leon and Cloud took out their swords and prepared to fight, while Cid escorted the girls to the end of the bridge. The creature went lower from its original position. Leon pierced it with his Gunblade. The creature screamed in pain and thrust backwards preparing to glide against them. Its wings formed a huge gust and it rotated and pursued an attack. It glided hastily towards them with its beak pointed straight. Cloud and Leon tumbled to evade the attack. It missed them and it swerved to make another move…
"We can't just evade it over and over again…." Leon said.
"… We have to think of a surefire plan… This creature is dumb… I'm sure we can fool it."
Cloud, with a bright face, whispered something to Leon, which made him nod. The creature went for another attack. It dashed swiftly towards them like an arrow. Both of them were just standing as it went nearer. Soon, it reached the bridge and went straight for Leon. After that, he was nowhere to be found and a loud splash was heard. Cloud, on the other hand, was riding the back of the hideous monster. He jumped on the back of the creature while it went towards Leon earlier. It screeched and wiggled itself intensely to make Cloud fall. However, his huge sword was deep already in the creature's body and the more it wiggled, the more it stabbed deeper. It was screaming in pain as blood gushed out from its air like body. Cloud jumped away with his sword and the creature dissolved into thin air. After he had defeated the monster, he looked for Leon…
"Leon!? Where are you?" Cloud exclaimed.
Bubbles started to form from the surface of the swamp, and something splashed out. It was Leon.
"Hey! You! Help me here will ya!" Leon shouted.
Cloud laughed and offered his hands to get him out of the murky swamp. After that, Leon was on the bridge "cleaning" himself from the gross substances that was stuck on his body.
"Next time, remind me not to be the bait ever!" Leon shouted.
"Well you're the ONE who volunteered." Cloud argued.
"Ya ya ya! Let's just go before THAT thing comes out again!"
They walked towards the end of the bridge and met with the others.
"I'm glad you two are okay." Kairi smiled.
"Thanks! No problem!"
"Hey guys! Look!" Yuffie shouted.
They went towards a small entrance of some sort of ancient ruins. The place was dark, but there were some torches lighted. The place was like an ancient city forgotten and was in shambles. There were fragments of infrastructures, but most of them were destroyed. They reached the edge of that "city", and found a small blocked entrance…
"What's this?" Aerith asked herself.
She was looking at the carvings, which looked like gibberish from her point of view. It was written in some sort of symbolic language for them.
"Who can read this? Anyone?" Aerith said sarcastically.
"Duh! No one can read it!" Yuffie exclaimed.
"But I'm sure these writings have something to do with opening this sealed door…" Cid commented.
"If only someone could translate it…" Cloud said.
Everyone was figuring out how to solve this "near impossible to solve" puzzle when Kairi saw something on the wall. It was another carving, but this time, it did not look like a symbol. It looked more as if something should be placed on it. Kairi observed the odd carving. She was feeling it when a thought came into her mind…
"(Hmmm… This carving looks familiar… Where did I see it?)"
Her eyes began to widen as if she had solved the puzzle already. She removed her pendant from her neck and held it tightly. Cautiously, she inserted it in the carving. It was a perfect fit. Suddenly, the door began to glow brightly and the symbols flashed something out…
"Wha!" Everyone shouted.
The symbols formed into the alphabet form of writing, and whirled around them.
Wielder of the pendant…
You have opened the Door of Trials…
The only exit to this damned dimension…
However…
There is one drawback…
You alone must seek
the answer…
All other companions shall be taken into custody
somewhere…
Fail, then your lives will be wasted…
Succeed, then all of you can exit…
Prepare yourself, wielder…
This will not be easy…
Suddenly, a ball of energy devoured the bodies of Cloud, Leon, Cid, Aerith, and Yuffie. In an instant, they dissolved with it. Kairi was left alone…
"I'll do this… I'll save all of you! I'm not turning back…" Kairi shouted.
With that, she put her pendant back on her neck, and proceeded inside the Door of Trials.
End of Chapter 4…
*How was it!? I hope you had fun reading! Please review! I'd like to hear from you and see your comments! Thanks! =)