Chapter 11 - Leon
As Asher's lock came undone there came a relentless tidal wave of memory, a monsoon that threatened to destroy his very sanity with its sheer power, roiling through his mind. His hands went to his head, but he found a great deal of resistance against him movement. His head pounded, his chest burned.
Find Memoria...
His eyes opened. Azure light filled his view, a crystalline scene of the deepest sea.
...true source...
He felt that falling sensation once more, turned, saw he was moving farther and farther away from a massive black form against the sun, which shone into the cerulean waters.
...where you can find the Door.
He realized it was not a dream. He truly was underwater! Sora released a panicked breath, a large bubble spouting from his mouth. He fought to swim upward, and the memories engulfed him like the water itself.
Sora... we're alone again. In the Darkness...
Understand, I don't want to hurt you. But I have to... I can't deny it, any more than you could deny that you're the Keyblade Master. That's alright, though... I'll always be your friend.
Find Memoria. He showed me everything... every world has a gate to Memoria. You have to find the Light in the heart of the world. The power of your promise, and the power of Darkness... use them to open the gate. 'Door to the Light, tied by two keys'.
Memoria is a mere shell of what it once was, but it is there that you will find the Door. My Nemesis, the Darkheart Crystal, will follow you if it has taken me... the Darkness and the Light aren't what you think they are, but soon you'll understand. Ansem was a fool... all of us were. Except for the man in black.
...Sora?
Remember, the closer you get to the Light, the greater your shadow becomes.
Go... go, keep your promises.
He broke through the surface, sputtering, coughing, choking on the water. He realized, again, who he was. What he was. He was Sora, the Keyblade Master. The lock had come undone.
What had caused it?
Sora traced the memories back, through all the confusion, the chaos. The Coliseum... Asher had almost died there. He had to get away. Instinctively, he knew. Asher's Id had returned, the chaos in his mind overcoming his self-control, and the Id had been set free... but the Id was separate. Had it, once more, gained control of Asher?
Sora looked around himself, moving the wet hair from his eyes, and listened. There was a faint rushing sound. He knew it couldn't be the waves of the sea; there were no waves in this place.
Hollow Bastion.
How did they get there? He had just been in the coffin in Halloween Town when he had submerged, when the lock came undone. Brief pain, surfacing, and then under again. He frowned, and then turned himself around.
The tail of the gummi ship was protruding from the ocean surface.
The ship crashed.
That inner voice did not need to make a second statement. Sora immediately plunged underneath the surface, and began swimming pell-mell toward the ship.
The domed window of the cockpit had shattered, and the ship had nearly fallen apart. It was sinking, and would stay together long. Sora entered the ship through the cockpit, utilizing the skills he had attained over the years of living on an island.
He moved through the hallway and into the kitchen area. Finding nothing but floating ham sandwiches, he swam through to the cargo area, and it was there that he found survivors.
Aerith, Yuffie, Cloud, and Auron were all paddling in the cargo bay, their heads barely above water. Sora swam upward, poked his head through the surface. The other four turned to look, and an expression of mixed helplessness and relief was present on their faces.
"Sora! I can't believe it, you're okay!" cried Yuffie, who was so emotional by that her eyes were pouring tears. Aerith looked overjoyed, then, while Cloud appeared emotionless. Auron smiled lopsidedly.
"We're in a bit of a fix, Sora. How did you- I mean, are you alright? What happened?" questioned Aerith, amazed. Sora was, by far, one of the most resilient people she had ever encountered.
"I'm not sure what's going on, but the ship is sinking, you guys needs to get out! Follow me!"
With that, Sora went into the water, head under heels. He swam hard, fighting against the water rushing into the ship, periodically checking behind him to make sure his friends were behind him. They had managed to swim out, as well. The five of them exited out the cockpit. Sora steered them to the surface, splashed out of the water as well, and took a deep breath. Then the others had recovered, he addressed them.
"Guys, was that all of you? Was Asher on board? Pandora?"
"...Asher?" asked Yuffie, puzzled.
"Yeah, Asher!"
"Nobody named Asher was on our ship, Sora," spoke Cloud, shaking his head, scanning the area for someplace to go. There, not too long off, was that tower rising out of the middle of an endless ocean. Hollow Bastion...
"Asher... he had been calling himself Kydran. That's not his real name, though, that's his brother's name," spoke Sora, partly to himself. He recalled a few of the memories exchanged between the two of them. One of them had included the name of the 'Betrayer'. Kydran. The man who protected Asher from his own drunken, abusive father. The same man who left him defenseless when he went.
"Kydran and Pandora never came back from Halloween Town. They were on it when it was swallowed by the Darkness," Auron explained, and Sora felt his heart sink to the bottom of the ocean he was swimming. Both Asher and Pandora...? Gone...?
"His name's not Kydran. It's Asher."
"Asher, then. But that boy... Dyne. Dyne came back, with your body."
"...what? Id would have destroyed him..."
"Sora, what are you talking about?"
"Nothing. I'll explain it all later. Who else was on the ship?"
"Cid. Cid and Dyne were the only other ones, but they weren't in the ship. I think they got thrown out, like you did," observed Auron.
"I hope they're okay," stated Yuffie, and the others gave an affirmative nod. Worry ate at Sora's insides as they began to swim their way toward the Rising Falls, where the water flowed upward instead of downward.
It wasn't as hard getting there as it was getting in there. Upon their arrival, however, Sora's worries washed away. Along with the blonde-haired kid, Dyne, Cid sat on a rock, waiting, though the both of them were sopping wet.
When the five other survivors had managed to clamber onto the rock, Sora grinned from ear to ear at the sight of Dyne.
"Asher's Id didn't destroy you? How did you survive?"
"I'm not sure, Sora. We faced off in the Darkness, and then I forgot all about it until recently. I think that the Id had his own copy of Asher's keyblade, and he nailed me with it, or something like that. When we hit the water, I was out like a light, and I remembered it all."
The other five looked absolutely clueless. Cloud was concentrating on the oddity of waterfalls flowing upward; even when Hollow Bastion was his home, he found it strange. Ansem never had given him a reason why they flowed upward.
"...so you were created when I released Kairi's heart..."
"I think so. I have some unfinished business to take care of here, so let's get moving."
"Wait... gimme my keyblades back!"
"No! These are mine."
"What! Give 'em back!"
"No."
Sora fired a feral glare at Dyne, extended a hand, and willed the Oathkeeper into his hand. In that flash of light, manifested by swirling stars, the Promise Key found its way into Sora's waiting hand. Dyne, not to be outdone, called the weapon back. Sora felt a sharp tug, but held fast. The weapon would not go back to Dyne.
"Dammit!"
"Ha. Don't mess with the best," smirked Sora, sauntering off, making his way along the boulders.
The other five were still completely baffled, but they followed anyway. Back to their old home; intact once more, but still not welcoming.
Dyne walked beside Sora, miffed that the two keyblades he was so used to using were no longer in his possession.
"Sora. We have to find Memoria."
"That's what Asher said..."
"What? That fiend. I never should have allowed her to get in my way..."
"Her?"
"Pandora."
"Asher loved Pandora. She loved him, too, of course she was gonna get in the way. I'd do the same thing for Kairi. Wouldn't you?"
"No."
"I thought... you were me?"
"No again. I'm my own damn person!" voiced Dyne, loudly. Sora's innocent statement had set off a trigger in the blonde-haired kid. "And you better watch your step! I didn't save your ass for nothing."
Cid was impressed by this kid's choice of words.
"I didn't mean anything," muttered Sora, stepping onto the tram-like device that carried people from place to place within the castle.
"Uh, Sora?" Yuffie toned.
"Yeah?"
"...where'd you get your new clothes?"
Sora then looked down at his new clothing. He was surprised to find that he was wearing the clothes that he had been when Asher locked his heart. He frowned, looked back up at Yuffie, and shook his head.
"Asher's influence, I think."
"Oh... alright. I just thought it was kinda weird."
The tram started on its hasty way to the castle itself. It was a great moment to get air-dried, and when they arrived on the other side, they were still a little moist but otherwise dry. All seven moved off of the platform, Sora in the lead, and processed toward the main gate.
"Sora."
The Keyblade Master's head whipped in the direction of the voice. It was so familiar... like so many voices in one. He frowned. It had come from where the Heartless crest was etched in the face of the castle. Sora's face stoned with determination, and he pressed on. He would find the gate to Memoria.
They entered through the front gate. Sora was used to being attacked suddenly by the Heartless that infested the castle; his gait was cautious, his footing edgy. Dyne strode casually along, while Auron, Yuffie, Aerith, Cloud, and Cid all walked behind them.
They entered the antechamber and moved to the center of the room, before the fountain, and stopped. Before them stood a strange creature, all but one had never seen before. Dyne called the Oblivion to his hand, sinking into an offensive stance.
"...it's one of them. Some kind of Heartless, I think," muttered Dyne. The creature before them, resembling a gray Heartless dressed in a blue-leathered straightjacket. It contorted spasmodically, unnaturally, and seemed to glare at them from beneath the ivory hood. On the top of the hood was marked a strange symbol; it was anchor-like, a pair of curves as its base, a sharpened cross rising from it.
"...that's really weirding me out," mentioned Yuffie, stepping back. Sora called the Kingdom Key to his hand. Dyne took the opportunity to summon the Oathkeeper to his open fist. The monster before them spasmed, throbbed, and stretched into the air. It disappeared into a haze of power just above their heads.
Dyne straightened himself, turned to look at the others, and shook his head. His gaze turned to the group behind him.
"Look, I think it's best you guys clear out of here. Something serious is about to happen, and-"
Dyne's speech was cut abruptly short when the gates into the antechamber were thrown open. In charged a duck about three feet tall clad in blue mages' gear alongside a tall bipedal dog with a green hat, orange attire, and a shield in one hand.
Sora's eyes got to be about as big as saucers.
"Sora! Everything's okay, right?" called Donald, sliding to a halt in front of him. This would have sufficed, but Goofy, who was not nearly as graceful, failed the sliding procedure. Slamming into Donald's back, the two warriors of the Disney Kingdom crashed head-on into Sora, who went bowling over into the fountain. All three of them were now wet. The water poured down on Donald's head. He appeared completely nonplussed.
"A-hyuk, sorry about that! You okay, Sora?"
The Keyblade Master was ruffled, but little more. His joy at seeing his two comrades again, ever since separating before Castle Oblivion a year ago, overcame the discomfort.
"It's great to see you guys! What are you doing here?"
"We got another letter from King Mickey. Turns out the Kingdom wasn't in so much danger after all! But it's alright, we trust the King, right, Donald?" explained Goofy, looking down at his feathered comrade.
"That's right. But now we're here, to help, and the King is here, too!"
"What!" exclaimed Sora, expression awe-struck. If the King was here, then Riku was here, too...
In the meantime, Dyne was addressing the ex-residents of Hollow Bastion on how unintelligent it would be to progress any further. He started to explain to them about Memoria, what lie within, and the reasons why they shouldn't go when, again, the doors to the castle were thrown open.
There stood a dripping wet, very unhappy Lilka.
They all turned to look. Aerith gasped and ran over to her. The crest sorceress moved inside, the door shut behind her, and she leaned against the door.
"Auron! I thought you said Dyne and Cid were the only other ones left!" cried Sora, lifting himself out from beneath Donald and Goofy, who landed hard on the marble floor. He came to Aerith's side, leaned on his knees, and looked at the drenched girl.
"Are you Sora?" asked Lilka, looking into the young man's blue eyes. Aerith stooped to examine her, check her for wounds and warm her with magic.
"Yeah, who are you?"
"I'm Lilka Eleniak. Kydran was looking for you, he wanted to find you. Did you get to see him before... before the world disappeared?"
Sora's eyes were distant. He was no longer looking at her, but past her, farther, into the memories what he had regained.
"Yeah. Yeah, I did."
Lilka was helped to her feet by Aerith, and Sora straightened himself.
"I think Dyne's right. You guys should stay here."
"What are you talking about?" gargled Donald, attempting to push Goofy off. The dog complied, clambering out of the pool.
"We're going into a place that's very... dangerous. More dangerous than the Darkness, even."
"We'll face anything, a-hyuk! We're friends, right? That's what we do!"
"I know you would, but now I'm gonna ask you, because you're my friends, to stay behind," spoke Sora, smiling faintly. Finally, the scope of the entire situation was coming into view.
Everyone in the room was silent for awhile, even Donald.
"Alright, Sora, but we'll see you off. S'long as you're still here, and not in that Memoria place, we'll help ya," supported Goofy, breaking the silence. Sora nodded gravely, in spite of Goofy's bright demeanor.
"Let's go, already. The Darkness isn't slowing down for us," muttered Dyne, who proceeded up one of the stairways, toward the lift stop. Sora took a deep breath and followed, Donald and Goofy behind. Lilka moved to follow them.
"Lilka, don't. I don't understand what's happening any more than you, but I know there's danger," warned Aerith, and Lilka shook her head vehemently. "We can't make Sora worry about us, or he may not make it."
"I might find my home, wherever they're going. I won't find it out here, with you people. And he's going to need help."
"Look," said Yuffie, moving to face Lilka. "Sora said to stay here. I trust him. He's going into danger for us."
But was that really it?
"You're a coward! All of you are cowards! I don't understand how you can just let him go! He might die! I'm going!" shouted Lilka, storming off, up one of the steps. She halted at the top of the stairs, watching a form sink toward the lift stop.
She found that Cloud had already been on his way.
The black figure moved into the room. Across from him sat a man, clad in red robes, his face wrapped in crimson clothing, thick belts holding the rags in place. The man in red raised his head, watching the tall, enigmatic man step in.
"They have arrived. It's surprising that they did not die... every single one of them lived. Perhaps fate is against us," spoke this crimson unknown, his face emotionless at best.
"It does not matter. The creature that Id has created awaits them at the gate. Beyond the gate, if they get beyond... I will wait for them. If they get beyond me, Memoria itself will devour them. Do not fear, they have not done anything yet I have not expected," reassured the black figure, moving to the window.
"And my body? When we have finished, I will have it back? This form is... restricting."
"Yes. I will keep my end of the bargain. Do not say a word to the others."
The raincoated man stepped away from the door, brushing past the seated figure, heading toward the door. He paused upon the threshold.
"It is not good to let them know of our plans, Ansem."
The being of pure heart-form was silent as the enigmatic man left the room.
Sora, flanked by both Donald and Goofy, walked cautiously out of the exit to the lift stop, looking about, alert. He took a breath to calm himself. Why was he so nervous? Perhaps because he knew that every action he was taking had an impact on the fate of the world. It was so much less simple than the Darkness anymore.
He took another step and halted. He felt that hum, the strange popping noise of wormholes to the Darkness being opened. Out of thin air burst small, solid-jet humanoids. Twin crooked horns jutted form their heads. Vein-like crests worked their way along the Neo Heartless's foreheads. Sora was encircled.
Above the Heartless crest, black forms began to materialize out of nothing. The Gathering. Five there were, walking to the edge overlooking the seas of Hollow Bastion. Sora looked upward, knowing within himself that they were there, though, perhaps, he could not yet see them. Donald and Goofy armed themselves. Sora drew an arm through the air, the Kingdom Key forming in his right hand.
The Heartless attacked. Donald immediately began his assault of spells and incantations, Goofy did his duty in deflecting the incoming attacks, protecting Sora, his friend. Sora charged forward, recalling the countless battles with these monsters he had had so long ago, but memories were so fresh, somehow, in his mind that he dropped easily into his old fighting rhythm.
He struck one as it leapt toward him. Bringing the weapon down, Sora swatted yet another away. He would get to the raincoated one he saw standing on the edge nearest him. He knew of only one unknown; this one may very well have been Asher's mentor within the Castle.
Sora braced, leapt up, brandished the keyblade.
The figure turned, slowly, reaching up for the hood that covered its face.
Silver hair fell over jet-clad shoulders.
A black blindfold covered his eyes.
It was Riku.
Sora halted immediately, landing, on the toes of one foot, on the edge of the platform. Riku faced Sora, looking at him (or at least Sora thought) from behind the blindfold. Sora fell back.
The Keyblade Master landed on his flanks, hard. It knocked the wind out of him. The other four unknowns walked to the edge, beside Riku. Or was it Riku's body?
"Good, then," spoke Knives softly, moving next to Riku. "We have him where we want him."
Riku was silent as Sora, Goofy, and Donald found themselves encircled by a number of the Neo-Heartless. The powerful Heartless crept forward nearing them, launched forward, both claws raised, ready to tear the Keyblade Master into shreds.
The blow never connected.
The golden-edged keyblade seemed to come out of nowhere, wielded by an obsidian blur. Sora's eyes followed the motion, surprised he could keep track, and when the white monsters had been fully repelled, a singular figure stood, keyblade raised.
King Mickey.
Sora's jaw dropped. Donald and Goofy, who were just as, if not more, surprised pushed Sora down to get a look. Sora, recovering, gaped. It was him! Really him, back from Kingdom Hearts! Just like Riku...!
"Hurry! He knows you're here! Riku and Dyne will help you!" cried the short-statured warrior dressed in the raincoat that seemed so very fashionable as of late.
Riku leapt away to Sora's side, to Knives' surprise, calling his weapon to his gloved hand and striking out at one of the Neo-Heartless. Riku wielded the Nail Bat, the wing-sword Ansem had given him, with a speed and accuracy that was not expected from a blind man. Three of the remaining four Unknowns disappeared in a cloud of black energy, leaving one behind.
The last Unknown stood, lowered its hood, and watched as King Mickey dealt with the Neo Heartless, providing cover for Sora, Donald, and Goofy to get to their feet.
The Trinity scrambled upward and made their way onto the platform where the five unknowns had been standing. The Unknown that had remained looked the three over with eyes that seemed to glow fire.
"Who are you?"
Riku and Dyne moved to Sora's side, followed by Mickey and Goofy and Donald. The Keyblade Master looked his friends over, not quite believing that they were there, every single one of them. He faced the man, and his eyes narrowed.
"My name is Knives."
The man looked to be in his late teens, as far as Sora could tell. His features were sharp, and he had a mane of pure white, and it alsoappeared that he had never combed it.From two hollow eyesockets, two lines were tattooed from his eyes down to his cheeks. Sora, despite the sickened feeling at the sight of the man with no eyes, narrowed his focus on him.
"Where's the gate?" demanded Sora, tapping the Kingdom Key on his shoulder.
"In the center of this castle. I think your blind friend knows. It doesn't matter... as for you, traitor, your punishment will come soon enough," sneered Knives, remarking the last part at the platinum blonde.
"If you think you can stop all six of us, you must be nuts," smirked Dyne, the Oblivion and Oathkeeper manifesting in his hands. "Caejan can't, either. Nor Ansem."
"It won't be up to me, fools. I've brought another friend for you to play with. But I will deal with you personally later, Riku. I look forward to it."
Riku took a step forward. He wore a blindfold, but it was obvious he could see, clear as crystal.
"That's enough. You know exactly what lies beyond the gate, and where your destiny lies. You can't deny it, and neither can your master. Nothing will stop us, not even Kydran," he spoke, the deepening of his voice evidence of his maturing. The name rang in Sora's ears. He glanced to Riku, trying to find truth in his expression.
Knives did not respond. Only a cruel grin was given before he took a step back and disappeared into a haze of black power.
They all stood, quietly, for a short time before Sora forged ahead, losing himself in thought. Riku was alive. But was he okay? He wore a blindfold. Why? And why was he sided with the enigmatic man, and Knives, and Ansem? Was Asher's brother, Kydran, also aligned with these unknowns? What about King Mickey? The others followed behind him.
"Sora. Things will work themselves out. Just focus on our goal," reassured Mickey. Sora nodded as they moved into the next lift stop. "The gate lies in the heart of this castle. Where you fought Caejan, where you fought Maleficent, beyond the cathedral."
"...Caejan?"
"Caejan is the name of the being that you've been running into more and more often. The man in black."
"He has a name... he said he was a mere shell. Then, who is Nobody?"
"'...who is Nobody, you ask? Why, they are the non-existent ones'," quoted Riku offhandedly. "Nobody isn't a person. They are a thing. Those white creatures you ran into."
"The Ansem Reports! That's right, they mentioned non-existent ones. Shells, beings without hearts, right?"
"That's right, Sora. But there's a difference between Shells and Nobodies. Nobodies are... beings without hearts, yes, but they have a different origin than the Shells. Caejan is a Shell, a true Shell. Our bodies were Nobodies, once, but when our hearts returned to them, we rejoined, in this... raincoat. The coat is a symbol of the separation. A scar, sort of."
"...nice, Mickey. I think you did well in confusing him," grinned Riku, turning his head to look down at his mousy ally. Mickey chuckled his signature chuckle. By then, they had reached the gate to the Cathedral; no surprise Heartless attacks, a complete lack of Nobodies lurking around corners. This made Sora edgy; another one of those 'It's... too quiet.' situations.
Donald and Goofy seemed completely lost, but it didn't matter to them. Their king had returned. Everything was going to be okay, in the end.
Before them stood the altar, weeping with black energy. A dark haze engulfed the pedestal, a portal to the center of the castle, the very depth of it. All six stood, silently, before it, taking in the enormity of the task before them.
"...Asher told me what Caejan had taught him about Memoria. The place is in chaos," Sora finally said, and Mickey nodded.
"Memoria is ancient," Mickey began. "A lot older than the Disney Kingdom, that's for sure. Older than a lot of the worlds, I think. I've heard and read legends about it, but never really went there. I can't follow you in, either."
"What?" responded Riku, his tone somewhat alarmed. "I don't see why."
"Ansem. Somebody has to stay here and clean up the mess he's making, and I also get the feeling that my kingdom is still in danger, besides. When you get in there, I can't help you any further. This is your fight."
"But you'll see us to the door?"
"Of course! Now, let's go, before Knives or Caejan or Ansem or any of a million people decides to get in our way."
The six entered, single file, into the portal. Sora, like so many times before, felt the strange sinking feeling, of being underwater, lost in the Darkness, before his step carried him out of the portal. His first feeling was an immense pull upward, and he looked. What he saw was astounding.
In the same room where he had combatted the Dragon-Maleficent and the enigmatic man himself, high above them, was a massive, pulsing heart. It couldn't have been there before; that was impossible. Something had opened the gate to the world's heart wide open, and there it was. It picked up what small bits of debris and dust were left from the earlier battles, and threatened to pull the six warriors off of their feet.
Then the Darkness came.
It started as a drip from high above the levitating heart; it turned into a gush, then to a downpour. It spilled over the edges of the crystalline, pulsing form like oil spills over the top of an apple, dripping to the floor like a viscous ooze. The puddles throbbed, spasmed, and began to gather in the center of the room.
Dyne sank into a defensive stance, followed by Riku and Mickey and Goofy and Donald. Sora was still dumbfounded, but called the Kingdom Key to his hand out of instinct. Mickey still held the inverted Kingdom Key. The mage-duck was prepared to launch his array of spells at any given moment.
The immense heart above them had been engulfed entirely by this corporeal Darkness, shifting its light from bright white to emitting a dull blue-black hue, a midnight, neon color, within the arena. The Darkness pooling in the center of the room began to take shape.
The thick puddle pulled upward, slowly, and a humanoid form erected itself, molded itself from the clay that was the Darkness. Countless small tendrils curled and whipped at the air. Leon's silhouette took form. A pair of hollow, glowing yellow eyes glared at them all. A sick smile spread its dark lips, and Sora realized then the similarities between this mutated Leon and Asher's Nemesis.
"...Leon? Is that you?"
Sora got no response from the abomination except for a sharp yank at his ankle. None, except perhaps Mickey (all too late) had realized that the Heartless's inky black tentacles had wormed their way along the ground, toward their feet. Sora's feet were pulled out from under him, and he fell back. His head hit the stone floor with an audible crack, and he groaned, the Kingdom Key slipping from his gloved hand as Leon pulled him along the floor.
Donald and Goofy had suffered a similar fate, and Riku would have as well if not for his catlike reflexes. As the tentacle pulled, the platinum blonde pulled back and retaliated with a strike from the Nail Bat. Mickey was already charging toward the monster, Dyne on his way to Sora's aid.
With a quick flick of the tentacles, Donald was sent hurtling across the battleground and into one of the walls. The duck flopped, unconscious, to the floor. Goofy, however, had managed to get a hold of the tentacle holding him and was beating at it savagely with his shield. Mickey leapt up, slicing the tentacle cleanly in two with his keyblade, and braced himself to jump.
Thus far, Leon had not moved from his spot. The same cruel smile was plastered on his face; it was becoming apparent that, despite the smirk, the monster borne from Leon's heart had no emotion, let alone a sense of irony at the heroes' plight. The smirk was embedded there much like a smirk on a statue; unchanging and meaningless, but disturbing nontheless.
King Mickey was within range. The Inverse Key was cocked back, ready to strike-
A tentacle struck him in the side of the head, having come in from behind.
The King recovered quickly, rebounding off his feet. Riku circled behind the beast, slashing at the tendrils of Darkness which came at him. They were numerous, growing in quantity by the moment despite their maddened hacking and slashing.
Sora shook off the last of the dizziness to find himself several feet in the air, hanging upside-down. Leon's arm, having shifted into a large tentacle, had forked out and taken hold of both of his legs and his left arm. Dyne, below, fought to fend off any other incoming vines, the Oblivion and Oathkeeper dancing through the darkness, arcs of power, dazzling to see. Sora took note not to piss off the blonde-headed kid. Reaching out his free arm, Sora called the Kingdom Key from its place on the ground to his hand. Striking at his bonds, he was freed- and free to fall all the way down to the ground.
Incorporating a creative use of his minor levitating abilities, gained in Neverland, Sora caught a wind-current and, now prepared to drop, held the keyblade high over his head, about to bring it crashing down upon Leon's cranium. The blow would never connect; a mass of the dark tendrils sprouted from the Heartless abomination's head, engulfing him instantly.
Mickey and Riku had avoided the tentacles, and now charged in to strike, Mickey landed one blow, Riku was not so fortunate. The abomination's arm whipped out face them, its statuesque smirk stretched and moving as Sora struggled within his prison. From the beast's eyes (if that's what you could call them) erupted sprays of dark lightning; Riku stumbled back, resisting the dark power as well he could, while Mickey (who was in recovery from his attack) was jolted and thrown backward.
Dyne was soon being surrounded. Leon's actual form was becoming blurred by the number of tentacles he was producing, from all parts of his body. Now, even the floor itself was turning against the fighters. The viscous, liquid Darkness had not finished seeping from the Heart itself. As more globes of it fell, from the created puddles even more tentacles burst.
Sora...?
The Keyblade Master had almost stopped struggling against the great exhaustion that had overcome him while locked in the Darkness. The tentacles themselves seemed to sap the fight from him, drawing the Light itself from his heart and shifting it to Darkness. He felt his Light fading, diminishing, until he forced the memory of one voice, Kairi's voice, to sound from the void.
His eyes shot open.
"Sora!"
The Darkness was illuminated instantly, the black void bursting into flames before his eyes. The heat became intense; he felt himself burning alive, and screamed in pain before feeling himself fall. He hit the ground, hard, and looked upward. The globe of Darkness he had been imprisoned in was now just a mass of writhing, burning tentacles. Leon was headless. Sora looked back toward the portal.
Lilka stood there, her arms thrust out, motes of fiery power still bursting from her palms. Cloud was already hacking Mickey and Riku free from the tentacles, and as the two reached the ground, Leon released another spray of dark electricity at the Crest Sorceress.
Sora, I'm with you.
He scrambled up, reared the Kingdom Key back, and released a roar from deep within so strong that even Cloud was surprised it was his. Sora released a Strike Raid, and as the Kingdom Key flew from his hand, it interjected between the lightning and Lilka. Sora called the weapon back, turned, and let the weapon fly at Leon himself.
The weapon landed a deep cut, for Leon had not even bothered to move. It nearly took the beast's upper half off, and from the gash spewed gouts of this self-directing Darkness. With each drop that landed on the ground, more tentacles formed. Sora shouted, angrily, frustrated at this unstoppable monster. If Leon was like this, what would the Darkheart Crystal itself be capable of...?
Lilka was already releasing another barrage of offensive spells, and with Leon distracted by the full onslaught of Sora, Cloud, Riku, Dyne, Mickey, and even Goofy, she attended to getting Donald back on his feet.
The duck-mage would remain unaided, however, for Lilka was immediately seized, several tentacles wrapping about her upper body, locking her hands away. She screamed in surprise as she was lifted off of her feet.
Her small frame would have been sent flying across the room if Auron's gunblade had not cut her free from the vine holding her. Auron, Aerith, and Yuffie piled into the already-anarchic battleground.
"Yuffie, concentrate on attacking Leon, watch out for the tentacles! Aerith, help Lilka and Donald! I'll help them take on this monster!" commanded Auron, taking charge.
This would prove much more difficult than it sounded. Already, six others were trying to get to Leon, but to no avail- the countless tentacles were proving to be a nearly impossible barrier to overcome. Yet, Auron's added help, and the addition of Lilka, Donald, and Aerith's magic began to turn the tide, in their favor.
The tentacles swirled inward, then, creating a spinning vortex of rock-hard whips, repelling each of the fighters. They wrapped tightly about the monster's form, no longer humanoid, forming a protective shell, an impassable barrier. Mickey, whose unknown's robe had been torn up during the conflict, picked himself up from a corner of the room. The mouse checked himself, then looked about the room. Cloud was unconscious. Riku was hurt. Sora was dazed. Auron was out cold. Goofy was still moving, but was in bad shape. Dyne and Sora were still standing, though, which was a relief. They had been given a short moment of respite...
Yuffie, who had retreated through the portal, returned, looking battered. Aerith and Lilka and Donald set to work repairing the warriors. Sora moved to Riku's side.
"Riku... are you alright?"
The blindfolded young man, who appeared far more mature than when Sora last saw him, smiled slightly, cradling his right arm.
"Ha. Nothing to it. Arm's a little worse for the wear, though. Not a problem."
Lilka approached the two ex-residents of Destiny Islands, smiling brightly in the face of the enemy they were up against, who could awaken at any given moment.
"You look like you could use some help. Here," she said, calling forth the healing magics and directing them at Riku's busted appendage. Soothing relief flowed through the broken bones, and they mended hastily. The ground shuddered.
"I think it's best you guys get out of here. Whatever's in that shell is hurt, we beat up on it pretty good, but it's not down for the count. Please, do it for me," requested Sora. "I'll take Dyne with me. You need to stay too, Riku. I want you to look out for her now. Make sure she's there when I return."
"...no way, Sora. I'm not gonna let you have all the fun," Riku tossed, stepping lightly over to Mickey's side, checking his condition. The platinum blonde and the royal mouse had become close friends during their stay in Kingdom Hearts.
"Nuh-uh! We're gonna stay, and make sure you get to Memoria safely. Until that... thing is finished, we're by your side, a-hyuk! All for one, right?" smiled Goofy, and Sora couldn't help but laugh.
"Yeah!" added Donald. "Besides, King Mickey's here and he's staying, so we're staying, too."
"All for one, my behind," Sora said, shaking his head. Despite this, he still felt a great warmth within. "You're all gonna get yourselves killed."
Auron glanced up at the massive heart above them, which was still emitting that twilight glow, and then back to Sora.
"I think we're all dead anyway if you don't get to Memoria. You're our hope, Sora. You have to do this."
This time, Sora did not feel the great weight of his burden, of the title of Keyblade Master, bearing down upon him. He was realizing that it was not his burden alone; they would share it with him. Whether he liked it or not.
"Alright, then... let's finish what we started!"
They all turned to face the shell, which slowly began to lower its wall. The last of its tentacle-making abilities had faded. Now, it was simply the heartless Leon, bearing a solid-Darkness gunblade.
Sora was frozen. The Darkness had done too well of a job recreating Leon's appearance. He felt himself hesitated.
Fortunately, none of the others had.
Leon's form did not last long; under the onslaught of five other warriors and three mages, and it was only a matter of time before the abomination saw defeat, but not before one, last, desperate shot at the Keyblade Master's heart.
Leon shot forward, his 'skin' seeping black energy and with the gunblade raised high above his head. Sora's eyes narrowed, and his hand shot upward, the bright form of the Oathkeeper forming in his hand. There was no resistance from Dyne's will.
The Promise Key was used to deflect the blow from the gunblade. The Kingdom Key manifested in Sora's left hand. The crown-toothed keyblade was plunged into the dark form. If the silhouette could scream, it would. Black tendrils lashed from Leon's body, but it wasn't even Leon's shape anymore; it had been reduced to a writhing glob of blackness, which then seeped and melted and faded away into the floor, as did the darkness engulfing the heart above them.
The portal's vacuuming was resumed instantly.
Sora fought to remain on the ground; he drove the Kingdom Key into the floor, using it as a sort of stake, and watched as the others struggled against the hurricane winds.
"Go! Get out of here!" Sora shouted over the din the wind was creating. Riku and Dyne stayed put; Mickey and Donald and Goofy were waving their goodbyes. Mickey pulled something out of the raincoat, and hurled the shimmering silver bauble to Riku, who caught it easily. The citizens of the Disney Kingdom left.
Auron, Cloud, Aerith, and Yuffie all gave Sora one last final glance, and disappeared through the portal.
"In that light, we will find our gateway. Let's hit it!" exclaimed Dyne, the Oblivion disappearing from his hand. Sora unsummoned each of the keyblades in his possession now, and was sent flying into that heart.
Mickey's voice was the last thing he heard before the Light consumed him.
Remember, Sora. You will be the one who opens the door.