Chapter 25:
Final Battle Part Two: Never the Ending, Just the Beginning
"I'll fight you alone..."
Ansem's lips curled into a smirk, "Good girl."
Sora looked angered at this and stepped in front of Zan, "I won't let you do this!"
"Sora, I have to..." Zan whispered, shoving him away.
Sora shook his head, but nothing more. Riku walked over to him and put a hand on his best friend's shoulder, "She can do this," he whispered.
Zan slowly approached Ansem as he stood there with a smirk plastered across his face. This nerved Zan. She didn't know if this was just a trap, or if he was savoring the slow motion of this battle. She smiled to herself. Even if it were a trap, nothing could stop her and nothing certainly wouldn't in her mind. She knew what she had to do. Even if it cost something precious to her, but she knew that this was meant to be.
Once Zan was right in front of him, he laughed, "My dear, this is soon to be your end. Do you except this wish?"
Zan snarled at him, "I will not fall until you're through!"
Ansem laughed even harder, "Well, too bad!" He tossed the sword aside, which baffled Zan, and it baffled her enough to lose her guard. She was struck down by an invisible force, causing her to drop the Keyblade and fall to her knees.
"Riku, she can't do this. We need to help!" Sora began running towards them, but was send back by yet again another invisible force, sending him backwards and crashing into Riku.
"Fool! Do not interfere!" Ansem boomed.
Zan slowly got up from the floor and picked up the blade, "And don't hurt my friend!" She charged at him, but Ansem just stood there with an amused look on his face and that's the last thing Zan saw before a bright light emitted from everywhere.
xxx
Zan opened her eyes to see nothing but a black abyss everywhere. Darkness. She looked around worriedly. Not again. . .
She quickly stood up and noticed the Keyblade was still in her hand. She smirked to herself. Ansem had done this and he was somewhere hiding, waiting to strike her down, but this worried her as well. Riku and Sora were somewhere else. She definetely had to do this on her own. She couldn't let fear of this stop her, though.
She walked around in the darkness, keeping her eyes peeled for anything suspicious. She continued to walk on; not even finding a trace of the man, not even Heartless for that matter. Maybe she was just dreaming, or worse, dead.
There was no way for that to be, though, soon she saw a movement out of the corner of her left eye and quickly spun towards it with the Keyblade raised, "I know you're there, Ansem," she snarled.
"Indeed," his voice echoed behind her. She tried to spin around, but was knocked down.
"I thought your brother taught you better than that, Hozannah," Ansem chuckled.
Zan growled and got back up to face him, "He did teach me, and do not call me Hozannah!"
"Very well, Zan," he sneered. Several Heartless emgered swiftly from the ground, surrounding Zan. She looked in all directions. No way out. She closed her eyes and whispered a small prayer to herself as she began to slash through them. She knew that was the only thing she could do as of now, but has she fought she yelled, "You coward! Why can't you fight me? Why do you have to use your Heartless!"
"Why, I'm just letting you take a few practice swings before I come in."
"Liar!" After she had said said, she was slammed down to the ground by Ansem himself. She looked up at him, blood trickling off of her bottom lip.
"And now, this is where I come in," he laughed.
Zan grabbed the blade and slowly picked herself up off the ground. Full with rage, she charged at Ansem, dealing several blows.
"Not bad, but you're going to have to try harder than that!" Ansem disappeared. Zan looked around, unsure of his whereabouts when suddenly, she felt a cold hand on her neck and was picked up. She struggled to break free from his grasp, but to no avail. She choked out unclear words as Ansem laughed, "What's the matter? Can't breath? Here, I'll help you with that." He threw her hard onto the cold and dark floor.
Zan cried out in pain as she hit the floor with a loud thud on her left arm. It was for sure broken, but that wasn't going to stop her. She slowly picked herself up again and called for the Keyblade.
Ansem slowly approached her, "You endure so much pain, yet you still have the will to fight. A true master of the Keyblade and Eternal Heart. Too bad your end is slowly dawning on you."
Zan growled, "No, I think it's the other way around." She ran at him again, but to her dismay, she ran right through him.
Just like that. . .
It was as if he was an illusion. He laughed manically, "Give up while you have the chance. One way or another you will perish. May it be in my hands, or anothers. You may be able to change what the future brings for you, but it's not as simple as it seems. You will always have obsticles in your way. You won't live the happy ending that you long for with your family. . ."
"You don't know that, but I'm willing to make a risk. I want to grow up on that island. I need to be with them, whether it may be forever or not. They're still my family, and I will not die in anyones hands!" Zan screamed at the top of her lungs.
"I see, well, I tried, but I guess you'd rather die!" Ansem summoned many Heartless, "Go, my Heartless. Feed on her heart. Make her suffer!"
Zan's eyes widened at the large amount of vicious Heartless before her, but that wasn't going to stop her from losing this battle. With one arm, she slashed away at them. That lasted for quite sometime, but she was slowly wearing out. There were too many of them. As she killed them off, more were summoned, but she knew in her heart that she had to keep on fighting, but there were too many. Soon, she was completely surrounded by numerous amounts of them; all staring at her with yellow eyes that craved her flesh, and most importantly, her heart. They closed in on her, there was nowhere she could run, and she was too worn down to try to fight them all. She had to give up.
"You see, there was no way you could win this battle!" Ansem boomed.
He was right. She couldn't, so she dropped her Keyblade down onto the floor and fell to her knees, waiting for them to feast upon her. I'm so sorry.
They all leaped at her and that was the last thing she saw before everything went black.
xxx
Wha-where am I?
A place. That's all I can say.
Am I dead? In the darkness?
No you're not dead
Yeah, and you're not supposed to die here. Got it memorized?
Then where am I?
Like we said, a place, we need you alive for our plan . . .
Y-your plan?
A plan that's none of your concern, girl.
Now, wake up! They need you!
xxx
"Zan, please, get up!"
Zan's eyes fluttered opened, "Huh? Wha-Sora?"
Sora grinned and smiled, "Yup, thank goodness you're ok."
"Huh? Then how'd-The Heartless, where are they?"
"Riku and I took care of them. Now hurry up, Riku needs our help!"
Zan nodded, and slowly picked herself up and summoned the Keyblade, "Where are they?"
"You see that swirling black hole over there?" Sora indicated.
Zan nodded, "Yeah."
"That's where they are. Hurry!" Sora began running towards the hole, Zan in suit. In a split second, they jumped down into the hole.
xxx
More darkness. Zan looked around and saw Riku holding his Soul Eater at Ansem's throat and shouting, "You're not going to get away with this nonsense!"
"Really, now?" Ansem smirked. He sent a wave of darkness at Riku, causing him to fly backwards. Riku cursed as he got up.
"Do you need some help?" Sora asked, walking up to him.
Riku nodded, "I see Zan finally got up."
Zan growled, "Hey, now's not the time to be pickin' on me. We've gotta villain to slay!"
"That's the spirit," Sora laughed, drawing out his Keyblade.
Ansem stood in front of the trio with pure amusment on his face, "You three still haven't learned, have you? Oh well, this won't be too hard for me."
Darkness swirled around them as Ansem disappeard, "I swear, when he stop pulling off this cowardly stunt, I'm going to kick his ass!" Zan shouted.
Soon, everything was still, but no sign of Ansem, "I think I agree with you there," Riku said, as he looked around cautiously.
Zan did the same as Riku and looked around. There was so significant sign of him whatsoever, but she just knew he would pop up out of nowhere just like he did the other times, and she was right.
"ZAN, LOOK OUT!" cried Sora.
Zan abruptly turned around and screamed. She felt a sharp pain in her midsection and looked down to see that Ansem had stabbed her with her sword. He was infront of her laughing manically, "See? What did I tell you, you pathetic child."
Zan gasped out in pain as her breathing slowed. Blood gushed from the wound as Ansem pulled it out of her stomach.
Riku and Sora stood there in total shock as Zan fell to the ground. Riku clutched his Soul Eater as his body shook with newfound rage, "You bastad!"
"Now, Riku, no sense in using such language. She got what she deserved," Ansem said.
"And now you're fixing to get what you deserve!" Sora shouted.
The two slowly approached Ansem, with endless rage in their eyes. Ansem just merely smiled, "You can't win."
"Watch us," Riku growled.
The two were now right in front of Ansem. He didn't even move an inch as they raised their blades high in the air. He bowed his head, still smiling as they came down on him. Two blows.
Ansem laughed as he evaporated, "It still isn't over."
"We know, but at least this will be for the best," Sora replied.
"Just keep on thinking that. Keep on thinking that," and with that, he was gone.
Sora gave a huge sigh, "That was freaklishly weir wouldn't you say Riku?" He turned his head, but Riku wasn't standing beside him, "Riku?"
Riku had ran over to Zan's body and cradled her in his arms, "Zan...I'm sorry..."
"R-R-Riku?" she asked weakly.
"Yes?"
"Don't b-be. It was meant to happen," she whispered.
"No, you weren't supposed to die. You were supposed to win," Riku quietly argued.
Zan shook her head, "I did win. We all won. Like I said, it isn't over-ah!" she winced.
"Zan, hold on, we'll cure you!" Riku said, now tears falling down his face.
"NO! Everything'll be ok, Riku, please, it's never the ending, just the beginning." She looked up at him and smiled as her aqua colored eyes started to roll into the back of her head, "There's the light..."
Her body then went limp. She was dead. Riku burst out crying as he held Zan close to him, "No! No, no, no, no. no!" he cried.
"Riku, we've gotta go," Sora said sadly.
"No, I'm not leaving not without her!" he choked.
"Riku, it's going to be ok. Look," Sora pointed towards something. A bright portal, "Take her in there." he said.
Riku looked up at him and then at the portal, "What?"
"Take her into the other light," Sora replied.
Riku did as he was told and slowly got up with Zan's body in his arms. He looked at Sora with an unsure look, but his friend just gave a solemn nod, "It will be fine."
"Whatever you say." He slowly walked towards the portal and stared at its eerie magnifigance in awe.
"Go in," Sora said.
Riku nodded and slowly stepped in.
xxx
Tanaka stared out the window as a tear of joy rolled down her face. It had been changed. Now, she was just waiting for him to arrive. There was a small breeze that carressed her face as she turned around. Riku stood with Zan in his arms, but much younger and very much alive. She was only the age of seven. Riku looked down at her wide-eyed and at his younger self sleeping peacefully in the bed.
Tanaka smiled gently, "I'll take her from here."
"Who are you?" Riku asked suspiciously. She laughed to herself. She knew he was going to ask this question, which he did have every right to after all.
"I am her guardian, and the creator of Eternal Heart my name is Tanaka," she replied softly.
"Oh, that damned sword?" Riku spat.
"Sadly, yes," Tanaka bowed her head, "I am terribly sorry for all of this, but I am here to change it now. Please, give me Zan."
Riku shook his head, "You may seem and look trusting, but I've learned not to trust strangers that easily."
"A very wise Keybearer and protective brother. Very well then. Take her to her room. You should know where that is."
Riku raised a brow, but quickly obeyed the woman's orders. He walked out of his room and into the hallway towards the pink painted door, and slowly opened. Hopefully, no one would wake up from all of this seemingly racket. He then walked over to Zan's bed and layed her down and tucked her in, "Everything's going to be ok now," he whispered gently.
Tanaka was right beside him and smiled, "I'm sorry this all had to happen. Everything should be back in place again."
Riku looked at her and rolled his eyes, "Well, she's in bed and alive, sure, but I still feel. . .empty."
Tanaka nodded, "Close your eyes and think of the light."
"The light?"
"Yes."
Riku didn't understand what she meant by this, but he did it anyway. As he closed his eyes, he remembered all of the fun times that he had had with Zan whether it been several years ago, or just recently. He smiled to himself as the light covered him.
Zan was right. It was never the ending, just the beginning. The beginning of a new journey. One that certainly passed the long lost memory, but deep down. Riku knew that history was going to repeat itself, and there was nothing he could do about it, but as long as his sister was around, anything could happen.
x A Long Lost Memory x
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And that is the end! First off I would like to thank all the people who took the time to even review this. And I would especially like to thank Blondie91 for helping me get through the rough spots on this. If it wasn't for you, this probably wouldn't even have gotten finished.
I would also like to give a big thanks to Sailorstar165 aka Ryo-oki thanks for pitching your idea about using her and Elemental. It came out quite well, and sorry Ryo didn't appear as much as I hoped you would liked, but Elemental helped a great deal! Thanks, pal
I would also like to thank Da Marshmallow. I don't remember, but I think you helped too lol, but thanks for telling which chapters were good and which weren't my best.
AND ALL OF THE OTHER AWESOME REVIEWERS!
Now, I would like to present the sneak peek at ALLM the sequel. It's currently untitled, but anyway, here it is! And coming to a fanfic site near you!
cxcx
Wake up!
She quickly sat up in bed, drenched in cold sweat and breezing hard. It was that dream again as always, but she could never peice it together. It was so...bizarre. She let out a huge sigh and gazed out her window, pulling some silver strands of hair from her face, she noticed it was still dark out. She then looked at her clock. Great, it was 4 in the morning and she had three whole hours to sleep before her brother came banging on her door. Too bad she wouldn't get that sleep, because of the dream she had been having for the past few nights. She couldn't tell anyone about them, either. No one would understand such a peculiar dream like this one...
What would you do there?
It's the same old stuff, so let's go...
He's been acting all distant lately. I don't know what's wrong with him...
And you haven't?
He just gazes out at sea...
Another world!
I'm here to guide you...with your magic
and you're just a spirit?
All for one and one for all!
Wha-What's this?
Keyblade...
This may be our only chance...
There's got to be another way, though!
They'll come at you out of no where...
Don't worry, we'll find them...I can feel it...
You guys ever heard of Maleficent?
It seems as if your dear sister doesn't care as well...
What is this thing?
Tied to the darknes...
There's so many mysteries beyond it...
Soon to be completely eclipsed...
Why not explain the situation to that boy Riku?
It's telling me you're on the wrong side!
Then you leave me no choice...
LOOK OUT!
Sooner or later they'll swallow your heart
Heartless?
I still have my weapon if you haven't noticed...
Do you need some help?
It's like I remember something else that happened...
A light at the end of the tunnel...
I'll come back to you. I promise!
Take care of her...
Eternal...
I'm not afraid of the darkness!
Heart...
But, I am...