Chapter 14
Fire balls fired from the Defenders' mouths, aimed at Luke, their closest target. He jumped back though several of the flames managed to graze him.
"Luke!" Leia yelled. Sora, seeing his friend needed help, ran to attack the Heartless, Donald and Goofy close behind him. The Defenders continued their attack, spewing out their blizzard breath, knocking Sora back and blocking his vision. When he was able to see again, all he saw was a giant mouth coming at him. He tried to dodge but was not fast enough. The mouth bit at Sora, causing him even more damage.
"Sora, heal!" Donald said, using his magic to heal Sora and make him better. Sora recovered and thanked Donald. Goofy meanwhile took his shield and rammed into the nearest Defender, destroying it, while Luke, having recovered from the fireball attack joined in as well. Taking his lightsaber, Luke slashed at a Defender shield, lopping it off. The main body of the defender, now without any protection, tried to run away, but Luke slashed it with his blade before it could.
Everyone else was having problems of their own. While Luke, Sora, Donald, and Goofy dealt with the Defenders, everyone else was fighting the shadow swarm. Han was blasting them with his blaster before they had a chance of getting near him, but he was beginning to get over run.
"Damn," Han said. "For each one of these things I kill two more take its place"
Leia and Jaina, their lightsabers blazing, fought side by side. They swung their lightsabers in all directions to block the Heartless attacks. With mother and daughter together they completely protected each other.
Mara however, ran straight into the Heartless swarm, taking it upon herself to personally eradicate them. She swung her lightsaber to the left, instantly taking out two Shadows. Then, sensing Heartless on the other side, swung again, destroying another three. Sensing this new opposition, all the Shadow Heartless began to congregate near Mara, beginning to overwhelm her. She slashed everywhere, but still they kept coming.
"Mara," Luke shouted, seeing his wife in trouble. "Hold on!" He tried to get to his wife, but three Defenders were in his away, all firing fire balls at him.
"Don't worry about me, Farmboy," Mara called to him as she destroyed another Heartless. "I can handle myself."
"Mara, behind you!" Luke called out.
"What?" Mara said, turning around, just as a Shadow attacked Mara directly at her chest. She kneeled over in pain, her lightsaber deactiviating.
"Mara, no!" Luke said as he sliced one Defender.
Mara reactivated her lightsaber. She was breathing hard. "Luke, don't worry about me." She turned and slashed another Heartless, not having time to see the other one creeping behind her. It jumped up and hit Mara's back, knocking her over, her lightsaber flying from her hand.
"Mara!" Jaina said, seeing her former mentor fall down. She ran over to her, but she was too late. The Shadow Heartless swarmed over Mara, completely enveloping her.
"Mara!" Luke cried out as he finished the third Defender in his way and ran to where his wife fell. Mara was no where to be seen.
"No!" Luke said. "Mara!" He fell to his knees crying.
"Uncle Luke, you have to get up," Jaina said as she blocked a Heartless attack. "Now's not the time."
Luke got up, a look of pure hatred in his eyes, hatred for the Heartless. Using the Force, he created a giant wave that carried most of the Shadow Heartless away into space. Then he collapsed to the ground.
"Luke!" Leia yelled and ran to her brother, Shadows following close behind. Han fired at them with his blaster as before they could even get close to Leia.
"Don't even think of going near my wife." Han said.
Leia ran over to Luke and knelt by him. "Luke, I'm so sorry."
"Thunder!" Sora suddenly yelled, lightning magically coming down from the sky, striking at the remaining Defender and Shadow Heartless, destroying them all. They all went over to where Luke was on the ground. He got up, his eyes red.
"I'll get back at them, at Ururl, for what happened to Mara."
"Luke," Leia said. "It's not your fault."
"Yes it is!" Luke yelled at her. "If I had been there sooner, then Mara would still be here."
"Luke, I'm sorry, but there's nothing you can do. Mara's gone."
"Um, not necessarily," Sora said. "There still might be a chance she can come back."
"How?" Luke asked.
"I was turned into a
Heartless also before, but the love of my friends and the power of my
heart helped bring me back. So I'm sure we'll find away to get
Mara back."
"Perhaps." Luke said thoughtfully. His eyes
snapped open. "There's more coming."
No sooner had Luke said so than a ring of Shadows appeared around them. They all drew their weapons, but the Shadows did not attack them.
"What's happening?" Sora said.
The Heartless began swaying back and forth, as if in a trance. They did not even seem to realize they had prey in front of them. Han started blasting the Heartless, but no sooner had he done so they all turned around and noticed the group seemingly for the first time. They began jumping towards them, with Han blasting as many as he could. The rest drew their blades and weapons for once they got closer. But all of a sudden, the Heartless jumped high, higher than they had ever jumped before. They completely disappeared from view.
"Where'd they go?" Han said.
A black mass rained from above. The Shadows all formed together and seeped into the ground. As one, they searched for their target, and found her. She slashed at the mass coming at her with her lightsaber, but all she hit was the ground. The dark shadow centered on her and drew her in. She let go of her lightsaber as it slipped from her grip. She began to sink deeper and deeper into the puddle of darkness and as she did yelled out her husband's name.
"Han!" Leia yelled, and was gone.
