Author's note: Wow, I can't believe my story is already finished! Thanks for all of your reviews and comments. Enjoy the last chapter (get the hankies handy)
Adventure of Dreams
Chap. 18 The Journey
"It's not possible!" shouted Ansem.
Riku turned to him, "Ansem…you can't control me anymore…Darkness no longer lies within me!"
"No!"
"I will now destroy you once and for all!"
"We'll come help, Riku!" called Goofy.
Just as Donald and he were about to come to Riku's aid, Ansem placed an invisible force field around them, and they couldn't move.
"I think not," Ansem said.
"Looks like I'll have to get rid of you myself," Riku told him.
"Oh, will you?..." he disappeared.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, many replicas of Ansem surrounded Riku, laughing cruelly.
"Oh, great…"
"Here is your challenge…" all of them spoke in unison, "Guess which one of these is the real me and I will finally be defeated."
"That's it?...Wait…what's the catch?"
"Well…Guess wrong and…you'll face the consequences," they all laughed, "You'll get six chances and if you haven't guessed by then, you will have already perished."
"Sounds like you just want to make this easy for you and hard for me…" Riku looked at Sora and Kairi, "…but I'll accept your challenge," he raised his sword in the ready position, Hmm…who first?...
Riku walked toward one and struck, but he was shot back with a powerful force.
"One…" the 'Ansems' echoed.
Riku tried again…still no success, and this time the reverse impact was more painful.
"Two…"
Just my luck! Riku sighed……I do still have four more choices…
Unfortunately, his next two turns repeated the last times and he cried out in agony.
"Four…Now what?"
Ten more 'Ansems' were still circled around Riku, Just great!...How am I going to do this?...
He slowly walked closer to one on his right. Another Ansem behind him spoke, "Are you sure?" The other Ansems repeated it.
Is he just trying to trick me?...Riku grew a little more confident and moved toward the same one, little by little.
But, before he had the chance to strike, a purple surge flew at him and he took a deathly blow. As Riku fell to the sandy earth, he screamed. Many surges of electric current raged inside him, and when they finally stopped, Riku still felt an enormous pain every time he breathed.
"Five…" they all snickered, "You can't destroy the leader of darkness!"
Riku slightly turned his head, seeing Sora still alive, but barely moving. He thought to himself, If he…can do it…so can I……
Slightly able to, Riku came to his feet. He glanced around at the figures laughing in his face……but there was one laugh…a very distinct laugh that he had heard before.
Riku heard it coming from the human form right in front of him. He stabbed it with his sword, and Ansem gasped. The others vanished.
"No…" Ansem stuttered, "How did…How did you……"
Riku smiled, "…I have my ways."
Ansem began to melt away…literally. His voice muffled underneath a large, black, bubbling puddle until it was gone.
"Good riddance," Riku dropped his sword, realizing he was still in pain. He barely managed to walk over to Kairi and Sora. Donald and Goofy joined when their force field disappeared.
Riku bent down at the slightly breathing Sora, "C'mon, Sora…you're stronger than this. You came back once before, you can do it again!" Riku encouraged.
Sora breathed faster and heavier.
"That's it! C'mon!"
All of a sudden, Sora's eyes flew open and he sat up.
"…Riku?"
"Sora, I knew you could do it!"
"What?...You were the voice echoing?"
"Yes."
"Wait…what happened? Where's Ansem?"
"He's gone…forever."
"Um…Riku……Thanks…for bringing me back to the light."
Riku smiled…but soon it turned upside down, "But…"
"What? 'But' what?"
"What about……" Riku looked to his left, "What about Kairi?"
Sora frowned, too, looking down at her figure, "I…I don't know."
All of their heads were soon bowed…Sora thought for a moment as tears began to form, "…Guys?"
They looked up.
"I'm going on a journey……"
"A journey?" Donald wondered.
"Uh…what kind?" asked Goofy.
"I'm not sure…I don't know what lies ahead, but I know I have to take it…"
They were all puzzled.
"I just need all of you to promise me something…"
They nodded.
"…Take care, ok?"
He glanced at Riku.
"While I'm gone, Riku, watch over her."
"Don't worry about a thing…" Riku patted Sora on the back.
Sora slowly stood, staring out into the blue.
"Riku…"
"Yes?"
"Can I borrow you sword?"
"Why? Do you need to fight off the rest of the heartless?"
"Here…just give it here…"
Riku hesitated, but gave in, "…Okay."
Sora held it and glanced at them, "You'll keep your promises?"
They all nodded again.
Sora looked Riku in the eye and knew he would……
Then, suddenly, Sora stabbed himself with the blade and stumbled.
"Sora!" exclaimed Riku.
Sora soon collapsed.
"SORA!"
Sora lay on the ground breathing softly. A shimmering glow surrounded his form and Kairi's. His heart soon floated in mid-air, then went over and entered Kairi. His glow soon diminished.
Kairi aroused, seeing Sora next to her, "Sora?...Sora!" she cried, "What's wrong with you?"
Surprisingly, he spoke, "I…I gave you my heart……"
Tears brimmed Kairi's eyes as she spoke, "No……No…"
"There's not much time…" Sora whispered, "…My world's fading."
"But, you can come back…You can come back like last time, can't you?"
"…This isn't like that…I'm leaving…"
Kairi couldn't stop the tears from falling and took Sora's hand in hers, "But you said you would always be with me……"
"I will…"
"…How is that possible?..."
Sora forced a smile, trying to hide his pain, "……Our hearts are connected, Kairi…we can never be apart."
Kairi held him close as she kissed him, one last time. Sora's hand soon lost its grip from hers and slipped away…his last breath was taken.
His form began to glow and dissolved. The wind blew violently and sparks of light shone everywhere. As the wind died, Kairi stared out into the open sea and the soft breeze blew across her face.
"I'll be in your heart, Kairi……always…"
THE END
Author's note: Told you to get hankies! Anyway, I probably won't be posting any more long stories, but I might be posting up some one-shots. Also, make sure to check out my Kingdom Hearts one-shot called The Promise. Just click on my name (Anime-17) to find it. I will see you all soon :)
Anime-17