Chap. 5 The Cursed Castle
As they approached the castle it looked nothing like in the painting. The castle looked old and abandoned. Rose looked around uneasy. "Are you sure were in the right place?" Lichene nodded. "I'm sure don't worry." Lichene continued to walk toward the castle. "I'd advise you to hurry up. You don't want the wolves getting you." Rose jumped and ran up ahead through the gates.
As they entered the castle it looked just as bad inside as it did out. Every room within site was dark and empty. As they walked into the lobby the other woman Unknown was sitting on the steps. She waved them over and they too sat down on the steps. Lichene began to speak. "So Vixen what's been happening with our little friend?" Vixen smirked. "He'll do anything for that girl Bell." Lichene smirked back. "Even destroy Sora?" Vixen nodded. "Yes even destroy Sora." They nodded to each other and Lichene got up. "Rose you wait here with Vixen I have to check up on something." Lichene rushed up the steps.
Vixen watched Rose as she looked around. "I use to be just like you." She said slightly smiling at her. "So full of wonder and energy." She got up and looked around. "Alas we have all become like this castle; dark, hollow, and abandoned." Rose stood up beside her. "Things will change. I'll make sure of it. "Vixen patted her on the head. "My dear child things will never change. Believe me when I say there is nothing we can do." Rose pulled from under her. "Yes there is and I will find it."
The sound of the front door creeping opened echoed throughout the castle. Vixen through up her hood and Rose did the same. Lichene came down and met them on the stairs. "It's all ready to go" Vixen nodded and headed upstairs. Rose looked at Lichene puzzled. "What's ready to go?" Lichene smirked as she put her arm around Rose and began walking up stairs. "The Dusk Machine."
As they walked up the stairs white creatures began to run down toward the entrance. Running not only on the floor but also on the walls and ceiling. The way they moved was mind bending. The way they bent and twisted was just bazaar. Lichene pointed. "Behold our newest creation the Dusk heartless. Sora is going to have one heck of a time defeating those." Rose sighed as the sound of fighting came from the entrance.
At the top of the steps Lichene stopped. "You stay here and watch. I'll show you how it's done." She flipped her hood up, turned around, and leaped to the bottom of the stairs. A few flashes came from the hall of the entrance and then Sora and his companions came flying into the lobby hitting the ground hard. As the Dusks came leaping after them Sora knocked them out the air with a strike raid. As Sora and his friends got their footing they caught site of Lichene waiting for them.
They took up a fighting position but as they did more Dusk appeared around them. Lichene snickered at them. "Do you really think you can handle an army of Dusk? As you have experienced they are nothing like your normal heartless." Sora smirked. "Well I'm nothing like your normal keyblade master." He raised his keyblade in the air and there was a huge flash of light. As the light dimmed Sora's costume had changed to a red color, goofy was gone, and he held not one but 2 Keyblades.
Lichene sent the Dusks on the attack. Sora easily cut through with his awesome duel wielding skills. Lichene was infuriated. Drawing her claws Lichene lunged at Sora clashing in a deadlock. Sora knocked her back and struck her side. Lichene stumbled and dropped to one knee. Her side was sparking in her hand s she gritted her teeth. "Ahhh!" Lichene was writhing in pain. Sora returned to normal, walked up to Lichene, and pointed his keyblade in her face. "Its over you should give up now." Lichene, still in pain, rose to her feet. "Its far from over Sora haven't you learned that by now?" with a wave of her hand the sparking in her side stopped. "You won't be able to beat us all." She grasped her side again and vanished.
Sora turned and headed down another hall and Rose followed. As she peered around a corner that Sora had turned down She saw him jump from out of a room and the sound of a creature roaring. Sora leaped in the air as a beast like creature clawed at where he was just standing. Sora was quick but the beast was quicker. He had just about slashed Sora's head when he was stopped cold. Sora just now noticed Rose standing at the end of the hall her eyes glowing that eerie yellow.
Sora used this time to try to talk to it. "Why are you attacking us you know were not your enemy?" The beast tried to break free but couldn't. "I'm sorry Sora but I must destroy you." Sora shook his head. "But why?" The beast lowered its head a bit. "For Bell. If I don't destroy you then this curse will never be lifted and I'll be stuck as a hideous beast forever." Sora clenched his fist. "So they are black mailing you is that it?"
Rose released the beast and he adjusted himself. "Yeah." Sora patted him on the back. "You know if I seal the keyhole here everything will go back to normal right?" Rose walked up to them. "Keyhole? Like the one you made in Hollow Bastion right?" Sora nodded. "If its here I bet the others know where it is." Sora shook his head. "You think they would actually tell you where it is? Please." Sora turned to continue on his path.
Rose smirked. "Who said they had to tell me I could just probe their minds." Sora stopped where he was but continued to face that direction. "You can do that?" Rose sighed. Yeah but after doing so I normally pass out so you would have to look after me." Her face had a full grin on it. Sora looked over his shoulder at her his face a little red from her flirting. "I guess we could try it." Rose nodded and closed her eyes. From her mind she could pinpoint each Unknown and look into their mind.
The first person she looked for was Axel. Axel was in a room over looking a Rose in a glass case. "Hey you, beast guy, what's that room with the rose in it cause that's where Axel is?" His face went pale. If that rose loses all of its petals then the curse becomes permanent. Sora gritted his teeth. "That guy is trouble there is no telling what he may do." Well he doesn't know anything about it. Lets try Vixen." Vixen was in a dark room with some type of machine. "Hey I see the Dusk machine but have know clue where it is. Vixen knows that the other guy, named Maruchia, knows something. Lets see where is he? Ah there he is he's near the entrance conversing with Bell.
I found it the keyhole is in the ballroom." Sora grabbed her shoulders. "You sure?" Rose nodded. In excitement Sora hugged Rose with out knowing. She smiled for a bit then passed out in his arms. Sora stumbled back a bit still holding on to Rose. "She asked me to look after her but I must go seal that keyhole." The beast came and took him out of Sora's arms. I'll look after him you go on ahead. "Sora nodded and ran towards the ballroom. As Sora disappeared around the corner the beast could feel a presence. The faded image of one of the unknowns passed in front of him. It paused for a second then headed down towards the ballroom.
Sora arrived in the ballroom and walked straight to its center. He stuck the keyblade out in front of him and a glowing crown appeared beneath him. The tip of the keyblade started to glow when the doors opened behind him. He turned around to find an Unknown behind him. Sora took up a fighting stance. The unknown stuck its hand out in front of him and in a burst of light a scythe appeared in his hands. It let down its hood to show that it was Maruchia.
Sora lunged at him clashing blades. Maruchia didn't make any offensive attempts. He let Sora do all the fighting while he just deflected every attack. Sora was beginning to get wary. "Why won't you fight me?" Maruchia smirked. "Do I really have to I mean look at you. If I were to fight back you would stand no chance." Sora smirked now. "Never underestimate your opponents." Sora burst into light and when it dimmed he was in a bluish outfit with a top hat. And instead of the white keyblade he had held before (Oathkeeper) he had a bluish one (spell binder) in its place along with the regular keyblade.
Maruchia took a step back. "What is this?" Sora chuckled. "It's called trance mode. But for you it's the beginning of the end." Maruchia shook his head. "It doesn't matter if you have one or two Keyblades you are still the same squirt and I'm still gonna beat you." Sora slapped his forehead. "No its not the same let me demonstrate to you." Sora began to glow. "Hey what are you doing?" The lights went out in the ballroom and the sound of thunder and lighting flashes came from outside. "See ya later. Ultima!!!!!!" A burst of magical energy filled the entire room. Maruchia had nowhere to run and no time to faze out. The blast carried him across the room and out the window. Sora turned around to see that the Keyhole had appeared on the ceiling of the ballroom. Sora pointed the keyblade at the hole and locked it.
The room burst into light and the castle began to gain its beauty again. As Rose awoke she was in the arms of a beautiful man. She quickly jumped out of them and moved away. He said in a calm voice. "Don't be alarmed it's me the beast." She could see in his eyes that it truly was. Then she noticed that the rest of the castle was looking as if it were just built. As she marveled at its beauty a hand clasped over her shoulder. "She spun around to find Vixen standing behind her, her arms crossed. "It seems we failed again let's go." She began to walk off and Rose trotted behind her. "Where are we going now?" Vixen looked down at her. "To find a different keyblade master." And where is he Rose questioned. "Vixen smiled. "The city of night, Twilight Town.