Chapter 15: The Heart of Darkness Reveals Itself
Upon reaching this desolate and forboding world, the team realized that this was what had become of all worlds taken over by the Heartless.
"Wow..." said Sora. "Is this what happens to worlds taken over by the Heartless?"
"I dunno," said Riku. "But, they'll be restored once we defea Shade, right?"
"I'm guessing so," said Cloud. "At least, that's what Aeris told me."
"However, when we do defeat Shade and restore these worlds, they will become disconnected," said Squall.
"But, what does that mean for us and this world?" asked Sora.
"It will most likely disappear because it is a Heartless world," said Cloud. "Even if we do disappear, our hearts won't, and we'll be able to find our friends once again."
"Yea," said Riku. "You're right, Cloud."
He looked at the Oathkeeper Keychain Kairi had given him.
-I'll return this, Kairi,- Riku thought to himself. -I promise this.-
The team headed through the first area carefully dodging the black spheres that came down. If they got hit with one of the spheres, they would have to battle some Heartless, including Invisibles, Darkballs, and Angel Stars. They also had to navigate the maze of the invisible walls in order to get to the Gate of the Dark. The team found that if the swung their weapons at the walls, they would make a clanging noise, but if nothing was heard, that was an opening in the walls. They carefully navigated the area while picking up items and dodging dark spheres before reaching the ominious Gate to the Dark, a swirlling portal in the center of a ring of stones. However, to get into that area, the team had to defeat another Behemoth which they did.
Once they jumped into the portal, the team landed in a garden of Gummi where they had to navigate to get down to the glowing portal at the bottom of the shaft. They had to fight Heartless there as well to gain items and make it down to the bottom portal. Resting up, the team jumped into the portal to find the Intersection of Worlds which was the place that the Heartless were getting into all of the worlds at. To get through this area, the team had to go back to each world and defeat the Heartless there and gain one item each from a chest in the area they were in.
The team entered the shaft of light on the far left of them and found themselves back on Besaid Island on the cliff that overlooked the sea. This was where Squall and Riku had fought Darkside before, but all that they had to fight this time around were some Shadows and Soldiers. Once they were defeated, the team collected a Magic Armlet from a chest before returning to the Intersection of Worlds.
The shaft of light next to the Besaid Island shaft took the team back to the city of Agrabah. Here, the team had to fight through the Bazzar, the Alley, and up to the Castle Gates fighting Heartless such as the Bandits, Large Bandits, Pot Spiders, and Air Bandits. From a chest on top of the Castle Gates, the team collected a Ray of Light. They were then teleported back to the Intersection of Worlds.
The next world was the Cemetary from Halloween Town. In this creepy area, the team fought Wight Knights, Gargoyles, and Search Ghosts. Once all of these Heartless were subdued, the team collected a Holy Circlett. Then it was back to the Intersection of Worlds.
The portal in the middle of the Intersection of Worlds led to the next section of portals, so the team headed that way. The portal to the far left took the team to Alantica where Sea Neons, Screwdrivers, Sheltering Zones, and Aquatanks awaited the team. Once these were gone, the team collected an Inferno Band.
The team's next portal took them to Neverland where they fought inside of the Jolly Roger's Hull and on the deck for air battles. When they got done there, they collected a Raven's Claw.
The final portal before they could head onto the next area took them to Hollow Bastion's Main Hall where they had to fight Defenders, Wyverns, and Darkballs. Once done there, the team got a Angel Bangle.
When they returned to the Intersection of Worlds, the team touched another portal and headed to another area where they entered a red flame in a crater to get to another part of the area. Here, they took on some more enemies to destroy a large Heartless insignia to open up doors to a large and diabolical lab. When they examined the machine in the lab, more enemies appeared, and the team fought them as well. Once this was done, the team jumped through the burning hole and down a vortex pit to fight their next boss, Chernabog. This flying demonic gargoyle was only vunerable in one spot - his head. However when attacking the boss, the team had to watch out for his attacks. Once Chernabog was defeated, the team headed on to the next part.
When the team got into the next area, they discovered that they were in a world that was frozen during its destruction. They continued through the increasing destruction until they make it to another portal where they're force to fight another Behemoth. As they did so, they saw that the large Heartless crest started to erode away. They continued to battle enemies until the Heartless crest was gone, and they entered another room. This area didn't have any enemies, so the team used this area to rest up before what they believed to be the final battles were to be fought. However, before Riku and Sora could open the final door, they heard something.
"Huh?" said Riku.
Cloud looked at Riku.
"What's wrong, Riku?" asked Cloud.
"Don't you hear it?" said Sora. "There!"
However, Cloud nor Squall could hear the mysterious voice, but Sora and Riku could hear it.
"Careful. This is the last haven you'll find here. Beyond, there is no light to protect you, but don't be afraid. Your hearts are the mightiest weapons of all. Remember, you are the ones who will open the door to the light."
Squall blinks.
"I don't hear anything," said Squall.
"Maybe it was just our imaginations," said Riku.
"Yea," said Cloud. "Perhaps you two should take a rest before we continue. You two have been under a lot of stress as of lately."
"Yea," said Sora.
Upon reaching this desolate and forboding world, the team realized that this was what had become of all worlds taken over by the Heartless.
"Wow..." said Sora. "Is this what happens to worlds taken over by the Heartless?"
"I dunno," said Riku. "But, they'll be restored once we defea Shade, right?"
"I'm guessing so," said Cloud. "At least, that's what Aeris told me."
"However, when we do defeat Shade and restore these worlds, they will become disconnected," said Squall.
"But, what does that mean for us and this world?" asked Sora.
"It will most likely disappear because it is a Heartless world," said Cloud. "Even if we do disappear, our hearts won't, and we'll be able to find our friends once again."
"Yea," said Riku. "You're right, Cloud."
He looked at the Oathkeeper Keychain Kairi had given him.
-I'll return this, Kairi,- Riku thought to himself. -I promise this.-
The team headed through the first area carefully dodging the black spheres that came down. If they got hit with one of the spheres, they would have to battle some Heartless, including Invisibles, Darkballs, and Angel Stars. They also had to navigate the maze of the invisible walls in order to get to the Gate of the Dark. The team found that if the swung their weapons at the walls, they would make a clanging noise, but if nothing was heard, that was an opening in the walls. They carefully navigated the area while picking up items and dodging dark spheres before reaching the ominious Gate to the Dark, a swirlling portal in the center of a ring of stones. However, to get into that area, the team had to defeat another Behemoth which they did.
Once they jumped into the portal, the team landed in a garden of Gummi where they had to navigate to get down to the glowing portal at the bottom of the shaft. They had to fight Heartless there as well to gain items and make it down to the bottom portal. Resting up, the team jumped into the portal to find the Intersection of Worlds which was the place that the Heartless were getting into all of the worlds at. To get through this area, the team had to go back to each world and defeat the Heartless there and gain one item each from a chest in the area they were in.
The team entered the shaft of light on the far left of them and found themselves back on Besaid Island on the cliff that overlooked the sea. This was where Squall and Riku had fought Darkside before, but all that they had to fight this time around were some Shadows and Soldiers. Once they were defeated, the team collected a Magic Armlet from a chest before returning to the Intersection of Worlds.
The shaft of light next to the Besaid Island shaft took the team back to the city of Agrabah. Here, the team had to fight through the Bazzar, the Alley, and up to the Castle Gates fighting Heartless such as the Bandits, Large Bandits, Pot Spiders, and Air Bandits. From a chest on top of the Castle Gates, the team collected a Ray of Light. They were then teleported back to the Intersection of Worlds.
The next world was the Cemetary from Halloween Town. In this creepy area, the team fought Wight Knights, Gargoyles, and Search Ghosts. Once all of these Heartless were subdued, the team collected a Holy Circlett. Then it was back to the Intersection of Worlds.
The portal in the middle of the Intersection of Worlds led to the next section of portals, so the team headed that way. The portal to the far left took the team to Alantica where Sea Neons, Screwdrivers, Sheltering Zones, and Aquatanks awaited the team. Once these were gone, the team collected an Inferno Band.
The team's next portal took them to Neverland where they fought inside of the Jolly Roger's Hull and on the deck for air battles. When they got done there, they collected a Raven's Claw.
The final portal before they could head onto the next area took them to Hollow Bastion's Main Hall where they had to fight Defenders, Wyverns, and Darkballs. Once done there, the team got a Angel Bangle.
When they returned to the Intersection of Worlds, the team touched another portal and headed to another area where they entered a red flame in a crater to get to another part of the area. Here, they took on some more enemies to destroy a large Heartless insignia to open up doors to a large and diabolical lab. When they examined the machine in the lab, more enemies appeared, and the team fought them as well. Once this was done, the team jumped through the burning hole and down a vortex pit to fight their next boss, Chernabog. This flying demonic gargoyle was only vunerable in one spot - his head. However when attacking the boss, the team had to watch out for his attacks. Once Chernabog was defeated, the team headed on to the next part.
When the team got into the next area, they discovered that they were in a world that was frozen during its destruction. They continued through the increasing destruction until they make it to another portal where they're force to fight another Behemoth. As they did so, they saw that the large Heartless crest started to erode away. They continued to battle enemies until the Heartless crest was gone, and they entered another room. This area didn't have any enemies, so the team used this area to rest up before what they believed to be the final battles were to be fought. However, before Riku and Sora could open the final door, they heard something.
"Huh?" said Riku.
Cloud looked at Riku.
"What's wrong, Riku?" asked Cloud.
"Don't you hear it?" said Sora. "There!"
However, Cloud nor Squall could hear the mysterious voice, but Sora and Riku could hear it.
"Careful. This is the last haven you'll find here. Beyond, there is no light to protect you, but don't be afraid. Your hearts are the mightiest weapons of all. Remember, you are the ones who will open the door to the light."
Squall blinks.
"I don't hear anything," said Squall.
"Maybe it was just our imaginations," said Riku.
"Yea," said Cloud. "Perhaps you two should take a rest before we continue. You two have been under a lot of stress as of lately."
"Yea," said Sora.