A/N: Writing this chapter was a strange experience. As amazing as this fight was to play in-game, it's much less interactive than, say, the KH2 final boss battle, meaning I took few liberties to play with the sequence of events other than the formulaic "they beat the thing, then they beat the other thing, then they beat the first thing again". So, I moved a few things around and added/omitted some events to make the fight flow a bit better. Happy reading!
Sora opened his eyes.
This feeling was strangely familiar; the sensation of floating through the air, allowing the current to take him wherever it desired. He had felt this once before, when he released Kairi's heart with the Keyblade. However, the encroaching darkness that now surrounded him wasn't as it used to be. The air didn't feel thick and heavy as it filled his lungs, nor did it pull him into the endless abyss of despair and anguish. He wasn't falling into darkness once more. But… where could he have possibly ended up?
"Sora!"
His body jerked forward as he forced himself to whirl around, following the sound. He'd know his friends' voices anywhere and hearing them call for him in this desolate place put him at ease.
"Sora, we found ya!" Goofy called as the sound of his voice grew louder.
Sora felt a wave of relief wash over him as he saw Akira, Donald, and Goofy gently floating towards him, hand in hand. He reached out for them, taking both Akira and Goofy's hands as he completed their circle. "I'm so glad you're all safe," he said, comforted by their presence.
"Ansem's gonna have to do better than that if he wants to keep us apart!" Donald winked, "Although, I wonder where he brought us now…"
"Gawrsh, do ya think he's the one that's making us float?" Goofy surmised.
Akira nodded. "Maybe. But that means he's close by, doesn't it?"
"I sure hope so. This place is pretty spooky!"
"When he shows himself again, I'll give him a piece of my mind!" Donald quacked.
Sora chuckled, delighting in his comrades' banter before a soft flicker of light in the distance caught his eye. "What is that?" he pondered.
Without releasing hands, the quartet averted their gazes towards the shimmering light. It slowly began to take shape as it approached them in the valley of darkness, the only beacon of light in the endless sea of dusk.
Ansem's sudden, thunderous voice came booming through the air, giving them each a fright. "Behold, the endless abyss! Within it lies the heart of all worlds: Kingdom Hearts!"
The light pulsed through the darkness. Surrounded by broken rock and fading smoke, a regal white door stood on a sandy pathway, its presence an intimidating vision amidst the darkness. "The Door to Darkness?" Akira muttered, unable to believe her eyes. The intricate details lining the frame and solid gold handles made the door seem as if it belonged to a grand castle fit for nobility. It was strange to imagine a door as imposing as this one could conceal a great darkness within.
"He brought us all the way here?" Donald asked, his voice cracking with his rising fear.
"Look as hard as you are able," Ansem's voice echoed,"You'll not find even the smallest glimmer of light. From those dark depths are all hearts born. Even yours."
"Well, we're here to prove you wrong!" Donald called into the darkness.
"Uh, f-fellas?" Goofy mumbled.
"Donald, how are we supposed to do that if he won't show himself?" Akira asked.
"Fellas?"
Donald rolled his eyes upward in thought. "Um…"
"Fellas!?"
They curiously lay their eyes on Goofy, whom was looking downwards with a panicked expression. "W-what's wrong, Goofy?" Sora asked.
"Take a look at that!"
They followed suit and dropped their gazes down, though Donald's shrieking quack overshadowed the sound of Akira's scream and Sora's fearful gasp. All this time, they thought themselves to be floating in an endless gulf of darkness, waiting for the chance to face Ansem in battle once more. Yet, little did they know Ansem had shown himself to them since the start, watching them carefully from his sanctuary.
Ansem's guardian had fed off of the power of darkness within the abyss, growing tenfold in size. It took on the grotesque form of a ship, every inch covered in muscle and sinew. Splintered bones and teeth protruded from every corner of the pulsating ship, lining the nerves that wrapped themselves around the ship's core. A repulsive face helmed the ship, its glowing yellow eyes reminiscent of a Heartless. The guardian itself had taken on the form of a grinning wolf, its teeth and claws as sharp as knives. Before it stood Ansem himself, connected to the veritable World of Chaos through nerves and veins, looking less human and more monstrous than before. When Ansem spoke once more, his voice had transformed into a guttural roar, striking fear in their hearts. "Darkness conquers all worlds!" he cried.
The group of four tightened their grips, holding each other's hands for support as they took in the vulgar sight. The abomination that floated beneath them was unlike anything they had ever faced before, both in size and power, and they wondered if their combined strength even had a chance against this beast.
Ansem grinned cynically behind his striking yellow eyes, flicking his right hand. Suddenly, the silent magic that kept them afloat vanished, causing them to fall to their demises. An invisible pull yanked Akira, Donald, and Goofy away from Sora, tearing them from his grip. He watched desperately as they flew against their wills towards a dark portal at the base of the ship, screeching for help as they flailed their arms in distress. "Akira! Donald! Goofy! NO!" he cried, reaching for them as they plunged into the portal and disappeared.
As soon as they had vanished, the magic released its charm on him as well, allowing him to fall through the great valley of darkness. He could barely think as the view of Ansem's ship became smaller as he fell. No matter how many times they were reunited, he always snatched them from him once more. Was this all just a cruel trick? Just some lazy tactic to shatter his heart so he would refuse to put up a fight against him? He closed his eyes as the despair washed over him, the wind flapping through his spiky hair as he tumbled through the black abyss. Would he… would he truly allow Ansem to have his way? His heart had certainly felt enough anguish…
"Giving up already? Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that."
Riku's words echoed in his mind. He vowed to save him and yet…
"Sora, you lazy bum. Wake up!"
Kairi's charm burned in his pocket. He can't possibly return it if he fell to the darkness. After all, he promised.
"Wherever we go, we'll go together."
Akira was waiting for him up there. He couldn't disappoint her now. They had to go together.
Sora calmed his mind, smiling as their voices filled his heart with hope. He believed he could defeat Ansem. Even alone, he believed. And to find his way back, all he needed was faith, trust… and some leftover pixie dust.
His eyes fluttered open as he twirled to face the villain's ship, thrusting himself back up through the darkness. Familiar flecks of gold dust danced around him, granting him flight as he tore through the air. He summoned his Keyblade when he came eye-level with Ansem, a firm look on his face as he silently challenged his enemy.
Ansem stared him down through his haunting yellow eyes, curling his lip in anger. The insolence this foolish boy had shown him would not go unpunished. He brandished his weapon as well, a two-handed pole that closely resembled Riku's dark blade. "Come forth," he snarled, "And submit yourself to everlasting darkness!"
Sora bolted towards him, keeping his Keyblade at the ready. Now that he was tethered to his ship, Ansem's mobility had been greatly reduced; but, unlike before, he fought alongside his guardian, making Sora's approach that much more difficult. The teen was able to swing his weapon twice before Ansem swatted him away with a twirl of his long pole. Sora narrowly dodged the guardian's claws, tumbling behind him for a moment of safety.
"All shall be extinguished." Ansem's mutterings held an incantation, causing multiple snowflake-like barriers to form beside Sora. He quickly willed himself to move, narrowly dodging the lasers of light that shot from the barriers. Letting out a frustrated grunt, Sora thrust himself to Ansem's side once more, dodging his guardian's clawed swipe. It was clear that he intended to keep Sora constantly on his feet without a moment of reprieve in the hopes of tiring him out. And if that were the case… then Sora would just have to defeat him quicker.
He drew his Keyblade and shoved it between Ansem and his guardian, mustering all his strength into the hit. The guardian's brawny arms couldn't reach the tiny space in between, allowing Sora to damage Ansem as much as he pleased. He released a powerful fire spell before withdrawing, dodging the new set of lasers that targeted him from above.
As their fight raged on, Ansem grew weary while Sora still had fight left in him. With a disgruntled growl, he dispelled his pole before crossing his arms over his body, withdrawing towards his guardian. A massive Heartless insignia materialized above him, covering him from head to toe in a protective barrier as he drew power from his ship. Sora smacked his Keyblade on the barrier, only to have it bounce back without a scratch.
"Damnit," he hissed under his breath, "Now what?"
He quickly scanned the ship, searching for any clue he could go on. The ship itself seemed to have gone almost completely silent, as if it functioned only by the will of its master. However, something caught his eye at the base of the ship; something strikingly familiar.
"The portal!" he cried. The selfsame portal that had devoured his friends earlier had materialized once more, pulsating dark energy from its haunting presence. Sora felt his skin crawl at the sight but quickly swallowed his fears. If he wanted to see his friends again, this was his best bet.
Without a second thought, he flew towards the open portal, diving straight into its depths.
"What in the –"
Akira's eyes fluttered open, but she saw nothing at all. She lay her hands on the surface beneath her, shaking her head as she slowly lifted herself to a stand. Somehow, she had been laying on what seemed to be a floor, though she didn't remember falling. In fact, she remembered very little of what came after that frightening pull into the void.
Thank goodness you're awake!
"Y-yeah," she said with a slight chuckle. At least her staff was still with her. "Where did we end up?"
I see no more than you can.
"I figured," she sighed, scanning the area around her. Nothing but an endless darkness surrounded her, giving her no indication of her whereabouts. "We couldn't have fallen to the darkness, could we?"
Doubtful. I sense Ansem drawing power nearby.
Akira nodded, tapping her foot on the ground. If she remembered anything from the few times when the pull of the darkness threatened to carry her away, it was that floors to stand on were a scarcity. "Hey, is there a way to light this place up a bit?" she asked.
Certainly. Simply draw from my power.
She summoned the staff in her hands, focusing on thoughts of lamps and torches. The cold metal began to glow beneath her fingers, giving the weapon a soft golden hue. She smiled and raised it into the air, scanning her environments once more.
Though, when she took another gander at her surroundings, she almost wished she hadn't. Countless pairs of yellow eyes hungrily stared her down, drawn by the soft light of her staff. She gasped before taking a few fearful steps back. "H-Heartless!?"
Of course they'd be here. Impudent vermin.
"I can't beat them all!" she cried. More and more pairs of beady yellow eyes began to join the fray, surrounding her in a sea of lights.
No choice, Akira. Let's go.
She pursed her lips and reluctantly nodded, dropping her arm as she readied herself for battle. She had to at least try…
Before she had a chance to attack, a massive force of light suddenly appeared in the distance, barreling its way towards her. The Heartless that stood in its path were struck with such a force, they dissipated in wisps of smoke almost instantly. Akira squeaked in surprise as the mass skidded to a halt in front of her, illuminating the tiny area surrounding it.
Sora stumbled as he regained his footing. He dusted himself off before raising his gaze to meet hers, the smile on his face widening instantly. "A-Akira?" he exclaimed, grabbing at both her arms.
She could hardly believe her eyes. Just mere moments ago, she was being pulled away from him, thrown into an endless darkness, and now… She gasped, taking hold of his arms as well to convince herself she wasn't imagining his presence. "Sora, it's really you! How did you find this place?" she asked, the excitement rising in her voice.
"The portal opened up for me after I fought Ansem. I followed it here and found you!"
"W-wait you fought him on your own?"
Sora pursed his lips. "I didn't defeat him, if that's what you're thinking. He withdrew at the last moment. I think he's harnessing power from his ship and using it to recover."
"So, what you're saying is we need to dismantle that giant ship before we take him on again," Akira surmised, scratching her chin as she shuddered at the thought. Ansem's ship was huge; she couldn't even imagine how they'd start taking that thing apart. "That's going to be a job and a half…"
"Pfft, we've been through worse. Oogie's mansion was at least just as big," he chuckled with a confident grin.
She sighed, his bright positivity drawing a smile to her face. "Alright, but maybe we should find a way out of here first," she said, crossing her arms.
"And before we do that…" Sora flicked his finger, pointing at the leftover Heartless he hadn't pummeled with his sudden entrance. Their numbers had diminished considerably, but the ones that remained still hungered for them.
Akira gave him a sarcastic smirk. "You didn't defeat them all on your way in?"
"Hah. I figured I'd save a few for you," he winked, summoning his Keyblade.
"How sweet of you." The flickers of a charging fire spell danced on the edge of her staff as she prepared for battle.
Sora laughed before assuming his signature battle stance. "Let's get these guys!"
None too many Heartless remained after Sora's impressive entrance, and of those that did, simply Shadow Heartless were among their numbers. They weren't particularly difficult to defeat now that they had grown strong from their journey, but their presence begged an interesting question…
"I'd assume Ansem would throw his strongest Heartless at us, especially since we're so close to the darkness here," Sora called as he slashed the last remaining Heartless into obscurity, "What's with these little guys?"
"I think he's keeping most of his power to himself," Akira theorized, "Maybe to… use against us later." She gulped at the thought, unwilling to think of the horrific demon they may have to eventually face.
Sora bit his lip. "Let's hope you're wrong, for our sake. C'mon, let's get out of here."
When the Heartless threat had been dealt with, a soft cerulean glow beckoned to them, offering a beacon of light in the obscure darkness. As they approached the light and strained their eyes to make out the details, they found the light to be radiating from an ethereal orb being held in suspension by dark nerves. Sora and Akira circled the orb, watching it with curious eyes.
"What is that?" Sora asked.
Akira poked the strange orb with her finger, recoiling it quickly as its rubbery texture bounced under her touch. "Is it a… core?" she suggested.
"A core for what?"
She merely shrugged in response, at a loss for ideas. Sora scratched his chin, racking his brain for any clue that could be of use to them… yet, only one idea came to mind, and it was as good as any. He brandished his Keyblade, placing both hands on the hilt as he prepared to strike it.
Akira's eyes widened as she raised her arm in front of him. "W-wait, what are you doing?"
Sora raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to give it a good whack!"
"…why?" she grimaced.
"We don't have any other options!"
She blinked, thinking for a moment. She doubted his plan would work, but she lacked an alternate idea of her own to counter him with. Lowering her arm, she took a step back and put her hands on her hips, shaking her head. "Sora, I don't think –"
The sound of thwacks and wallops interrupted her as Sora slashed at the core. The Keyblade tore through the veins that held it suspended in the air, releasing it from its restraints before focusing his attention on the core itself. With a few swift blows, the core disintegrated into a viscous mass of darkness that revealed itself to be a portal similar to the one Akira had fallen into previously.
Sora grinned confidently, resting his Keyblade on his shoulder. "What did I tell you? Sometimes all you need are a few good whacks!"
"I'll… I'll remember that," Akira hesitated as she cocked her head to the side, reluctant to believe that something so trivial could actually work.
He flicked his nose with his hand, chuckling as he beckoned to her to follow him. He passed through the portal without fear or uncertainty, and she had no choice but to follow his lead.
They emerged into the endless abyss of darkness before the portal collapsed in a wisp of smoke behind them. Sora tightly held onto Akira's hand, guiding her as she got used to flying once more. "Good thing we stopped in Neverland," she chuckled.
"You said it," he agreed before pointing at the ship, "See, look! Ansem is hiding behind that barrier over there."
She turned to face the ship, fixing her gaze at the deck. Sure enough, Ansem had withdrawn into hiding, and his guardian seemed quiet and unresponsive. "I suppose dismantling the ship really is the best course of action." She put a finger on her chin in thought. "But first, we should find a way to rescue Donald and Goofy…"
Sora nodded. "If we put enough pressure on the ship, a portal to where he's keeping them should appear again. At least, that's what happened before I found you." He took another gander at the ship, shuddering as he took in its sheer magnitude. They spoke liberally of dismantling it, but he hadn't the slightest clue as to where they'd even begin.
As if she had read his mind, Akira smirked and pointed at the revolting face at the helm of the ship. Despite its master secluding himself in a barrier of safety, it still churned and writhed of its own volition. "That looks like a good place to start," she chuckled.
"Heh, no choice, I guess," he said hesitantly.
"Are you scared?"
He raised his Keyblade into the air, grinning confidently as its gleam shined brilliantly through the surrounding darkness. "Of that little thing? Hah!"
"I forgot who I was talking to…" she laughed, shaking her head as she summoned her weapon into her hand. He looked just as he had in his younger days, diving into danger headfirst and without a second thought; and just as they had back then, she'd have to fetch him when things got too overwhelming. Yet, whether it was climbing a tree or dismantling the ship of the most terrifying demon in the world… she wouldn't trade it for anything.
They soared through the darkness, coming to a halt at a safe enough distance to avoid the face's crunching teeth. Like a rabid animal, it relentlessly snapped at them, giving them no chance to approach safely. Yet, this only confirmed Sora and Akira's suspicions; if it persistently attacked them, then it must have something to hide…
Akira attempted to approach it once more as it paused to lick its teeth, hoping to use this momentary saving grace to damage it. However, the ship had other plans. Three snowflake-like barriers appeared before her, stopping her advance. She skidded to a halt before them, but no sooner had she caught her breath when they began to glow menacingly.
"Watch out!"
Before she knew it, Sora had flown beneath her and grabbed her ankle, pulling her under as three beams of light erupted from the barriers, tearing through the darkness. She coughed from the sudden shock, bewildered at how narrowly she dodged almost certain death. "What was that?" she screeched as she regained her balance in the air.
"I had to deal with that earlier too," he explained as he released her ankle.
"Great, now what do we –"
She stopped herself mid-sentence, examining the face with a look of deep curiosity. Sora could practically see the gears turning in her head; she was so engrossed in the sight, she barely noticed him calling her name. "Akira, what are you thinking?" he asked, poking her shoulder.
She blinked, momentarily snapping herself out of her trance. "Hey, Sora. Think you can get close enough to bait those lasers and make it snap at you again?"
"Sure, why?"
"I'm going to do what Donald did to that armoured Heartless in Traverse Town; I'll cast a spell into its mouth and destroy it from the inside."
"Yeah, I remember that!" Sora cheered, making a rallying fist with his hand, "Okay, you can count on me!"
He immediately began soaring towards the snapping jaw without a care, surprising Akira with his sudden resolve. "Be careful! Don't get eaten!" she called.
He laughed, shooting her a grin as he flew closer to his target. "Not planning on it!"
She smirked, shaking her head before taking her weapon in both her hands and aiming it at her target. It would be a difficult aim; the face never kept its mouth open longer than it needed to, and its teeth covered a significant portion of open space she could have utilized. Her shot needed to be straight and true. She focused her magical power onto her weapon, wisps of flame sparking at the end as she readied her shot.
The moment quickly came. Sora flew at breakneck speed just above the face's upper lip, twirling as the familiar snowflake barriers materialized before him once more. He ducked beneath them as their beams of light shot through the air, rolling behind as he dodged them completely. The face roared angrily at the prey that dangled itself right under its nose. It bared its teeth at the Keyblade master, opening its mouth to devour him…
A massive ball of flame erupted from Akira's staff, shooting through the darkness and lodging itself into the back of the face's mouth. It snapped its jaw shut, writhing as the Firaga spell burned the ship from the inside. Minor eruptions of smoke dotted the helm of the ship as it began to cease functioning. Sora quickly put distance between himself and the ship, grabbing Akira's wrist and pulling her with him as the helm threatened to explode. With a deafening groan, a minor flareup burst from the mouth as the fiendish yellow glow left its eyes, its jaw dropping askew as the helm was dismantled.
"I-is it over?" Akira hesitated, fervently praying they wouldn't have to deal with it any longer.
"Looks like it…" Sora responded. He narrowed his eyes as he focused on the inside of the mouth, curious of the odd entity that floated within. It looked strangely familiar, like the portal that led him to Akira earlier… "Hey wait, is that –"
The mouth shuddered one final time as the portal within shook. With a burst of light, they heard Goofy's signature shriek and watched in shock as he and Donald shot forth from the portal at lightning speed. The duck crashed into Akira with a tumultuous roll while Sora had the wind knocked out of him when Goofy collided with his much smaller frame. The portal fizzled behind them, leaving the face at the helm of the ship limp and unresponsive.
"G-Goofy it's you!" Sora muffled, still reeling from the impact.
Akira squeezed Donald in a tight hug, ignoring his quacks of protest. "Donald! You're safe!" she exclaimed.
"Sora, Akira! We found you!" Goofy cried, pulling Sora into a hug, "See, Donald? I was right! All we had to do was whack that jellyblob to find a way out of there, a-hyuck!"
"A good whack can solve almost anything!" Sora responded cheerfully, elated with joy at their reunion.
"Yup, that's right!"
"Alright, alright, don't let it go to your head!" Donald fumed, glaring at the girl nuzzling his feathered head, "And do you mind getting OFF!?"
Akira laughed as she released him, completely oblivious to the unintelligible string of profane quacks that left Donald's bills. They were finally reunited, and she couldn't contain her joy.
"Boy, are we ever glad to be out of there," Goofy said as he scratched his head, "We were attacked by a buncha Heartless before that thing showed up."
"Bah, they were little guys. Nothing we couldn't handle," Donald explained.
Sora put a finger on his chin, reflecting on their words. "So, you guys went through the same thing we did… I wonder if destroying those things had any impact on the ship itself."
"It's not outside the realm of possibility," Akira surmised, pointing at the ship, "Take a look. It isn't doing anything to attack us."
Sure enough, the ship remained suspended in the air, calm and quiet as its master continued to keep himself hidden behind his barrier. "In that case, we'd better find more!" Donald exclaimed quickly.
"Fellas, look over there!" Goofy called.
He pointed to the centre of the ship, at the hollow surrounded by veins dotted with bones and teeth. Basking in the ethereal glow of its enclosure was another orb similar to the ones they had seen earlier, though this one was of a size to put the other to shame. They cautiously flew towards the motionless ship, stepping onto its rubbery surface as they approached the strange orb. Sora gazed at it with much curiosity, circling behind it as he examined the vein-like tendrils that held it in place. "It's just like Akira said," he mumbled, "It looks like a core…"
"A core?" Goofy asked.
Donald's eyes lit-up at the mere mention of the word. Without another thought, he brandished his trusty staff and marched towards the core, glaring at it with contempt. Akira understood his motives, waving her arms at him to grab his attention. "Donald, what are you doing?" she panicked, "Are you sure you've thought this through? Won't the entire ship go down – with us still on it – if we destroy the core?"
"Bah, don't you worry," Donald quipped with a wink in her direction, "I've got this under control. After all, I know a thing or two about ships." He turned to face Sora, whom grinned in understanding. "Well, Sora, don't just stand there, help me out!"
Akira smirked, shrugging her shoulders as she chose to trust her feathered friend. She and Goofy drew their weapons as well, resolved to join their friends as they unleashed the first blows on the core. The veins holding it in suspension were thicker and more durable than the others, but they still gave out after a few hits. Sora committed himself to removing the tendrils connecting it to the ship while the others continued their attack on the core. Pulses of light that travelled through the veins flickered to a stop every time Sora tore another one away, confirming his prior suspicions; if Ansem had truly been drawing power from his ship, then destroying its core was their best bet at luring him out once more. With a swift flick of his Keyblade, he ripped through the last of the veins as Goofy delivered the finishing jab to the core, tearing through its flesh-like exterior with the corner of his shield. Blue light seeped from the opening as the core shrivelled into a wilted mess, deflating completely as the last of its light was lost to the wind.
They didn't have a moment to celebrate. The ground beneath their feet quaked as a ferocious roar rang through the darkness. They quickly took flight as the ship shuddered beneath them. Just as they had suspected, Ansem's guardian had awakened once more, bellowing its rage at the four heroes for laying waste to its master's ship. They rose in the air and approached their enemy at a safe distance, watching as the barrier covering Ansem began to crack. The glass shattered as Ansem rose to life once more, spear in hand and a menacing gaze in his orange eyes. He looked no worse for wear and seemed ready to battle once more.
"Weak-hearted fools..." he growled, "So, you insist on clinging to what tiny glimmers of light that still remain. Let us end this once and for all; show me what your precious light can do!"
The darkness in the air suddenly grew thick. They let out strained coughs as Ansem began to gather the darkness in his lance, preparing a blow to end all life in that forsaken world. Sora panicked at the sight as he read the situation loud and clear; Ansem didn't intend to show them any mercy. Their weapons would be useless against what the villain had prepared for them, and Sora was given no other choice but to show him exactly what he asked for. He drew his Keyblade, pointing it directly at Ansem as he gathered every ounce of energy he possessed and channeled it into his weapon. The villain mimicked his movements, pointing his lance at the Keyblade Master. And, with a deafening crash, two beams of opulent energy, one of light and one of darkness, shot forth from their weapons, meeting halfway in a flurry of sparks and explosions.
Sora struggled against the push of darkness, focusing all his power on merely keeping his ray of light burning strong. Though his power was enough to hold Ansem back, the stream of darkness that threatened to consume them grew ever closer, slowly nibbling away at the brilliant light that defiantly stood in its path. It was all he could do to push the darkness back but, eventually, it would find itself in their midst, and they would truly be defeated.
"We have to do something to help!" Goofy cried as the ray of darkness grew ever closer.
"What? How?" Donald quacked.
Akira nervously put her hand on her mouth. Thoughts of despair slowly seeped through the rush of useless ideas that poured to and from her mind, each one more lucid than the last. She had no idea what to do next; with each passing moment, the darkness in the air grew thicker, and Sora struggled harder to keep it at bay. It was painful enough to watch her dear friend toil in such a way, to put every fiber of his being into protecting all he had left and all he believed in. To simply watch and feel she could do nothing to help... that pain was almost unbearable.
What do you wish for?
Shouldn't it have been obvious? Her staff certainly spent enough time in her head to know what she felt in that moment. Or perhaps... it wished for her to speak it with her own words. "I want to help him," she whispered, "To vanquish the darkness and to protect those I hold dear."
Then why do you hesitate?
She let her hand fall from her mouth, resting it on her heart as she spoke the words that brought her pain. "You said it yourself. The light in my heart... has dimmed."
So it has. Is this truly where you intend to meet your end?
She balled the hand on her heart into a fist, digging her nails into her skin. If she allowed this fate to unfold, then all she had done would have been in vain. She had come too far to stop now.
My strength is yours, as is my light.
The staff vanished from her hand in a sprinkle of golden dust, forming into a tiny shimmering orb. Akira extended her hands, cupping them together as the orb of light gently floated into her palms. It looked exactly as it had on the night her home was taken from her; a shimmering beacon of hope amidst the throes of death that yearned for her soul. Perhaps she was too preoccupied back then to notice the tiny outline of a hollowed heart that glimmered among the light, much like the adornment on her weapon. How much time had passed since she accepted this entity into her fractured heart? Back then, she had done it out of fear. This time, she did it out of resolve.
I can help you, if you'll accept me.
And she'll accept it a million times over. "I need your help," she said with a nod.
Very well.
The orb suddenly burst into a shower of gold sparkles. They flew towards her back, reconstructing themselves into a larger form of the adornment on her staff, the hollowed outline of a heart she knew so well. She felt its power course through her veins, allowing its brilliant light to bathe her in its warm embrace. And for once, she felt no fear for the darkness, for she knew it held no power over her heart.
Don't forget, Akira. Wherever we go, we'll go together.
She could ask for nothing more.
Channeling every ounce of the newfound light that filled her heart, Akira reached for Sora, placing one hand on the hilt of the Keyblade and another on his hand. For a moment, she felt the pull of darkness that tugged at his heart, the struggle just to keep his Keyblade straight, the exhaustion in his body and mind as he tried to stop the villain on his own. He had worked so hard just to gift them a moment of peace; he suffered through the strain on his mind and body in silence, all just to protect them and keep them safe. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she focused whatever light she held within onto his weapon, adding to his noble efforts; and she swore to the very depths of her heart that he would never face another trial alone ever again.
The ray of light emitting from the Keyblade pulsed with a great vigour as another force of light combined its power with the first. The new force of light that battled with Ansem's power was enough to put a stop to his advance, halting his ray of darkness in its tracks. He gritted his teeth in anger as his advance was denied, though Sora and Akira's combined power still wasn't enough to truly put an end to his reign of terror. No matter how much they struggled, it still wasn't enough to push back against the endless darkness that surrounded them. If only they were just a bit stronger...
Sora gasped as two new pairs of hands found themselves on his Keyblade and on his hand and shoulder. He watched mouth agape as Donald and Goofy toiled at his side, focusing every ounce of power they held in their hearts into his attack. He simply couldn't help but smile. Even in their most desperate moment, his friends believed in him and gave everything they had to help him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He won't let their efforts be in vain. After all, alone they were strong, but together, they were a force to be reckoned with.
Their combined powers pulsed through the ray of light, exploding as it made contact with Ansem's beam of darkness. It tore through the attack, effortlessly ripping through the darkness like a blade as it laid waste to the villain's blow. Closing the distance, it pierced through his chest in a brilliant display of light. Ansem let out a shrill cry of pain as his guardian roared behind him. Eruptions began to line the ship at a quickened pace, shattering every inch in a flurry of flame and smoke. Ansem dropped his spear, grabbing at his chest where the finishing blow had struck him. He released another deafening growl, this time of anger and rage as he helplessly watched his ship disappear in a sea of explosions at his feet. The team released each other and halted their attack, watching the scene with bated breath. With a final thunderous blast, the ship detonated before them, the force of the blast knocking them off balance as it filled the air with hazy smoke and debris.
The World of Chaos then grew silent once more.