The Third Epic: Conclusion

by LordCavendish

The quest of Riku and Sora come to an end. But what price was paid for their sacrifice. A rift between the friends has formed again. How will the two keybearers contend with this turn of events? Is hope lost for them?

3. Sora vs Kai: Emerge of the Keyblade Houn...

Sora vs. Kai: Emerge of the Keyblade Hound

The team reached their destination at the city of Dorian. Sora took the letter with Kai's declaration and followed its every instruction.

Go to the outskirts of the town to where an old stone wall lays. There, you will find a secret door at the base of the old oak. There will be a long corridor. Take the torch in hand and walk to the end of the corridor. Descend down the spiral staircase until you come before two doors. Take the door to the right and head down the second hall. There, you will come to yet another door. You will thus enter the old armory chamber. And it is there that I will be waiting.

Sora followed Kai's every order and eventually reached that chamber. The chamber was vast, stretching at least two miles in every direction. It was illuminated by bright lights. And there to greet Sora was none other than General Kai.

"So Sora, you finally made it." Kai uttered.

"Riku," Sora uttered, "Where's Riku?"

"I am not obligated to tell you where he is."-

"You're not obligated! You better tell me where he is, or I'll…"-

"Or you'll what, Sora! Kill me? Go ahead and try if can! Though I doubt you could ever match my strength! Riku tried to fight me, but he wasn't much of a challenge."-

"You mean you fought Riku?"-

"Yes, I fought Riku and I defeated him."-

"What did you do with him!"-

"All I can say is that I defeated him. You will need to ask Lord Arakis the rest of the details. I am only to tell you that he was defeated, nothing more. But back to the matter at hand, you don't just have Riku to worry about. You also have your young female companion, Kairi, to think about as well."-

"Kairi…"-

"If you want her back, you must defeat Arakis. But if you want to get to Arakis, you'll have to defeat me."-

"If that is what it'll take, then so be it!"-

"Then shall we begin Sora?"-

"Yes." Sora threw his hand to his side and the keyblade appeared in his hand. Kai was stunned at what he witnessed.

"A keyblade?" he asked. "Where did you get that keyblade?"

"This is compliments of Sneer and Alliance." Sora implied. "This is The Way of Light! It is with this that I shall defeat you!"

"Excellent to see that you have a strong spirit, Sora." Kai chuckled. He drew out his iron tusk. "This shall be the final fight between us! The third and final climactic battle between you, the keyblade master, and I, General Kai, leader of the Cavendish Shinobis! But I want you to know that I fight, not for revenge of my men, but as the defender of the Empire, as the last of the infamous Dragon Ninjas!"

"Then, let us begin!" Sora lunged forward and went hand to hand with General Kai. The two struck each other's weapons. Kai disappeared from sight and appeared again behind Sora. Sora retaliated and struck again. The two went into a ten minute combat duel with iron and steel flashing with each impact. Sparks flew as keyblade struck at iron tusk. Sora deployed his swift attacks, his Ragnarok, the Ars Arcanum, and a series of elemental spells. But he was not able to effectively strike at his opponent.

"If you're gonna finish this, stop holding back!" Kai chuckled.

"I think it's you that's holding back." Sora replied. He deployed Tundra Canister at Kai, but the shinobi only dodged the attack like it was nothing.

"Come now, Sora, do you really expect elemental attacks you learned from the other shinobis to really work on me?"-

"It can't hurt to try can it!"-

"Then be my guest and try to smite me with your pathetic elemental attacks?"-

"Don't mind if I do!" Sora unleashed the Firaga and Graviga spell. But though Kai was hit head on by the attack, he saw in no way effected by the spells.

"Do you wish to try again?"-

"Try this on!" Sora unleashed his Shadow Darkness Wave. But again, Kai took the attack head on and was still undetected.

"Something's wrong." Sora uttered. "Why isn't he even trying to dodge them? Is there something about the elemental attacks? Why don't they have an effect on them?" Sora then realized why Kai hadn't even bothered to dodge. Instead of deploying his elemental attacks, he used his keyblade to do the fighting. The two once again engaged in hand to hand combat for another ten minutes. But this time, Sora restrained from using any elemental attacks.

"That's good." Kai chuckled. "You finally realize that using elemental attacks is useless to me."

"I know." Sora replied. "Somehow, you seem stronger than before. Before I deployed the elemental attacks, you were much slower and your attack and defense wasn't as strong. And yet now, you have increased in power. The reason why is because elemental attacks strengthen your being."

"You're definitely no fool, Sora. You realize that the use of elemental attacks only work to my advantage. As a master of the seven elements, I have learned how to absorb the elemental attacks of my enemies and adding the power of the elements to my strength. Your friend Riku, however, never figured that out until it was too late. Not only could I counter the techniques you and Riku picked up from the other shinobis, but I also can take them head on. To me, the absorbing of elemental attacks helps heal my body and replenishes my strength. So wasting your energy attacks on elemental attacks would be a bad maneuver."

"Then, I'll just have to fight you some other way!"-

"That would be a good idea." Kai lay his weapon at his side. "However, I must first exploit your other abilities. And by that, I shall allow my minions to find them out."

"Minions?"-

"Do you want to know exactly how Riku was defeated?" Kai began to manipulate his energy and shadows began to emerge from the floor. From the floor, two individuals made their presence known. Sora's eyes grew wide with fear as he realized what they were.

"Oh God, they're… they're…"-

"That's right, Sora, they are Heartless. I'm sure you've encountered them before. However, these are completely different. These are the Anti-Sora, which you've confronted before when you first fought the Heartless, and the new Anti-Riku. However, because these particular anti have been modified, combined with the technology of the mobile droids, their skills, agility, and strength have been concentrated at least ten fold. Thus, they have been renamed the Super Anti. It was due to these new shadow warriors that they were able to defeat Riku."-

"These Heartless defeated Riku?"-

"That's correct." Kai snapped his fingers and the light in the room diminished, leaving only a few beams of light to illuminate the room. "Now go my Heartless minions. Destroy Sora."

The two Heartless warriors made their move. They split into separate entities and began to attack Sora. Sora dodged each and blocked every attack. However, when he went on the offensive, when he struck, the shadows quickly diminished.

"What in the world." Sora uttered. "It's like an after image, or decoy technique. It doesn't matter what I swing at, they always happen to be decoys. It's just like when I first encountered the Anti-Sora those five years, or so ago. I remember it well, the anti just split up in separate entities. I must somehow concentrate my energy and try to detect them out. Goten told me that I must focus with my other senses. I must not trust my eyes, they can be deceptive at times." Sora tried to concentrate, but in the process, the Anti-Riku attacked from behind and thrust Sora in the back with its shadow sword. Sora could feel his energy diminishing quickly. He turned to face the Anti-Riku, but the anti had already vanished. Suddenly, the Anti-Sora attacked from the rear and sliced Sora in the back as well. Sora's energy and will lowered again. He could feel his heart grow heavy. He used the Curaga spell and replenished himself.

"That's what you have to watch out about these two." Kai explained. "They attack you swiftly, simultaneously, and without mercy. You can't even afford to drop your guard."

Sora again tried to strike, but again, the Heartless duo eluded him. Suddenly, using a double cooperative maneuver, the two Antis attacked Sora simultaneously. They struck him from every direction, diminishing his energy to less than a quarter. Sora could feel himself consumed by the darkness, but he quickly used Curaga and replenished himself fully.

"You can't keep this up." Kai chuckled. "You'll eventually run out of magic power, ether, and potion. And you can't regain your MP that quickly. You'll then be eliminated by the swift attacks of the Heartless."

"He's right. I have to somehow break their illusion. But I have to know where they are exactly." Sora closed his eyes and concentrated. He used his other senses to detect a presence in the area. "Which ones are the real ones?" He then saw a flash of light in his mind, followed by another, and then another and another, until, those flashed of light were like intense glowing orbs of light. Even the darkness, when using energy, accumulates its own light, though it is light that has no illumination. "I see where you are."

Suddenly, he then saw the entities split into several entities and work their way forward. The entities neared him. Sora detected that two of the entities were even more powerful than some of the other ones.

"The smaller energy must belong to the decoys." Sora uttered. "And the larger ones are the actual Heartless themselves. I've done it, I've done it. I now know how to detect power levels accurately and perfectly, like what Goten and Lu Bu can do."

"What a fool." Kai chuckled. "He's closing his eyes? Does he want to become easy prey for the Heartless?"

The Heartless entities suddenly pounced on Sora, but this time Sora could detent their every move. He dodged the attack of one while blocking the other. He flipped over their heads and into the shadows himself.

"What? How did he do that?" Kai asked. "He was able to evade the attack of the Heartless antis like they were nothing."

"Yes, these skills do give me the advantage." Sora said.

The Heartless began their run again, surrounding Sora and setting out decoys. The two Antis then made their move, but were fended off with very little effort by Sora again.

"But how is Sora doing this?" Kai uttered. "How is he evading and blocking the attacks of the Antis. Has he done what Riku did, he manages to see them at the last minute?" Kai wasn't going to take any chances. He began to accumulate his own energy. "I'll just have to do to Sora what I did to Riku, deprive him of most of his energy as well as his eyesight. Only then will he be helpless, being deprived of his strength and his ability to see things clearly." Kai accumulated his energy again. "Sora, you have encountered all six elements have you?"

"That's right." Sora uttered.

"Tell me, have you ever seen the seventh element?"-

"There's a seventh element?" Sora gazed up at Kai. Suddenly, out of the darkness, there was a bright flash of light and a strong surge of energy. Sora was blinded by the light and he felt the electrical surge flow through his body. He was struck to the ground and he could feel his energy diminish to one fourth his original strength.

"Aw, I can't see!" Sora cried, "I can't see!"-

"Now all the Antis have to do is go for the kill." Kai whispered to himself. "Then Sora will be no more."

But as soon as he had said that, as soon as the Anti-Sora and Anti-Riku went for the last strike, Sora suddenly dodge rolled and replenished himself with Firaga. He still couldn't use his eyes to see. But then again, he didn't need them. He already knew how to detect power levels.

"That was close." Sora uttered.

"But how can that be?" Kai said. "The antis had him right where they wanted him. Sora was completely open and he didn't have the ability to see for that period of time."

"Apparently, you've made a bid underestimation of my strength."-

"I don't understand. Riku was easily tumbled about after I deployed that same attack on him. And yet, you managed to elude the onslaught of the antis even though you couldn't see."-

"First of all, when Riku left, he never took any potions; or ethers with him. Secondly, he never really considered concentrating his energy to help heighten the other senses of the body to become more aware of the surrounding environment."-

"Are you trying to tell me that you can read power levels without the use of some sort of device?"-

"That's right. I've managed to grasp the ability to detect the movement of concentrated chi. You can thank Lu Bu and Goten with that."-

"Lu Bu? He taught you that?"-

"Didn't you know? He's still alive."-

"But that can't be. Our reports say that he was KIA!"-

"Well, your reports were way off about him and Standing Eagle."-

"Osiris too? He survived?"-

"That's right. He survived the chaos that took place in the 'Treasure Realm' and may be right now searching for his own truth." Suddenly, both antis attacked Sora, without warning, but Sora was ready, knowing that they would attack, and deployed his foot stomp. Instantly, both the antis and their decoys were blown away. Sora then went on the offensive and using his keyblade, sliced both the Anti-Sora and the Anti-Riku in half. The two antis diminished. They fell to the ground and the shadows disappeared entirely, revealing two computer chips that had been cut in half. "As you can see, I'm not much of a pushover to you. Riku could've done the same thing if he didn't have his anger clouding his vision. Like Lu Bu, Riku was only overcome by his own determination and didn't really think about taking his time to battle. I won't make the same mistake."

Kai snapped his fingers and turned the lights back on. He then began to clap his hands slowly in applause.

"Brilliant." Kai chuckled. "You are certainly more efficient and more powerful than I had expected you to be. You managed to see through the illusions of the Heartless antis like they were nothing. For that I may commend you." Kai raised his weapon again. "I guess there is no other option for me, but to fight you personally."

"Whatever you can dish out, I'll take."-

"Then try this on!" Kai unleashed the familiar Cinder Canister, one of Anubis's techniques. "Riku had a grasp on this technique didn't he? So you should know what to expect. However, to be the master of the fire element, one must be able to alter it at times." Suddenly, each of the little balls fire balls began to fire a barrage of fire beams. Sora dodged the attacks, but was stunned at what he had seen.

"This looks more like one of the techniques that Kahn used." Sora thought to himself.

"You think that's bad? Well, take a look at all the little flames you've dodged." Sora gazed at the little flames. But suddenly, each flame burst into a raging inferno bubble, covering ground up to a ten foot radius.

"What the heck was that?" Sora asked.

"This is what I like to call the Exploding Magma Barrage. It's a deceptive attack where the enemy thinks they're safe only to be incinerated by the sudden explosions of the little flames." Kai began to increase his strength again. "Now how about this little technique! Typhoon Special!" Suddenly strong winds emerged and the combination between the Twister Strike and the Hurricane Slash became eminent. "This is a combination of the two wind techniques that you and Riku picked up from Osiris that I have dubbed the Typhoon Special. However, when combined with the Cinder Canister," Kai fired a few fire balls into the twister and they were minced apart and caused the tornado to become a raging inferno, "I come up with the great fire and wind combo, the Flaming Funnel. This was the same attack that I used on Riku."

"Oh boy." Sora uttered. He dodged out of the way of the inferno tornado, but the massive twister continued to follow him.

"Can't have you running away can I!" Kai deployed a firewall and blocked off Sora's path or retreat.

"Blast," Sora shouted. He looked behind him to see the funnel edging nearer and nearer to him, "I have no other choice. Tundra Canister." Sora deployed his barrage of ice and the shards were caught into the twister. The intense cold of the shards diminished the flames. To add, when hot air and cold air made impact, a counter wind was created and diminished the funnel. Sora dodged the flames of the fire wall and made it to safety.

"Very good, Sora." Kai chuckled. "You've done better than I thought. However…" Suddenly, Kai used the same attack, the Tundra Canister and managed to lock Sora in place. "I can't allow you to evade another attack. I must finish this today." Kai recreated the Flaming Funnel and had it land straight onto Sora. The flames grew intense. So intense that they could melt steel. Sora was consumed by the wind and flames, unable to move from the icy lock. "That's the end of him."

But suddenly, the funnel diminished and was dispersed by a powerful force. Kai's eyes grew large with shock.

"How did that happen?" he then saw that Sora's keyblade had sapped up the energy given from the attack. Sora looked around, looked at his clothes and his skin and sighed in great relief.

"I'm alive." Sora uttered. "I'm alive!"-

"But how? That Flaming Funnel was right on top of you."-

"Maybe it's just my lucky day."-

"Well, your luck has just run out!" Kai suddenly thrust out Darkness shurikens. But as soon as the dark blades made impact against Sora, the keyblade only absorbed them. "It can't be."-

"I see." Sora stated. "This keyblade also has the ability to diminish elemental attacks and take in energy." Sora smirked at Kai. "So it looks like you can't use elemental attacks against me either."

"So, Sneer hasn't left anything out has he?" Kai chuckled. "No matter, I will defeat you with only the use of my iron tusk. This'll be a good opportunity to really get pumped up!" Suddenly, Kai began to power up to his full level of strength. The power he accumulated was so great that the entire chamber shook violently.

"What in the world is he doing?" Sora wondered. He then detected an increase in chi. "Kai is powering up! I can sense a great amount of energy coming from him."

"You should consider yourself lucky, Sora. This is the first time in fifteen years that I've had to power up like this." Kai began to hover in the air. "That keyblade of yours may be able to absorb and deflect the other six elements, but there is one type of energy that the keyblade can never absorb, or deflect and that energy is the seventh and final element, the element that I am master of."-

"What is that element? Could it be…" Sora was suddenly blinded by bright rays.

"That right. I am the master of light!"-

"But how can that be? How can you be a master of light?"-

"Light is simply another element. And it is the most powerful of the seven!" Kai's being began to glow even brighter than before. "Corona Flash Barrage!" Suddenly, there was a series of excessively bright flashes that filled the chamber. Sora was caught by the extreme flashes, almost mesmerized by the light. Suddenly, Kai emerged from out of nowhere and cracked Sora on the shoulder. Sora fell to the ground and sensed Kai attacking again. He dodged the attack and moved with his keyblade ready for the next strike.

"The advantage of light is that it'll always attract one's attention. And there is the danger behind this element. Unlike the other elements, light can always catch the attention of the enemy. The light can be deceiving and rather unpredictable. It is easy for someone like me to hide their movements when covered by a curtain of light."

Sora sensed out Kai's energy, but despite his efforts, all he could see was random pulsating lights flashing instantly. Suddenly, Kai appeared again and swung his iron tusk at the young man. Sora was quick to dodge in the nick of time, but he knew that he wouldn't be so lucky next time.

"This is just like the Darkness Decoys that Kahn used." Sora thought to himself. "Except that this time, it's light."

"Let's see how you enjoy this!" Kai chuckled. "Up for seconds! Corona Flash Barrage!" Again the light flickered about the room. "That's the thing about light. That's why it is more powerful than the darkness. The darkness only knows how to conceal and hide; nothing more to it than that. However, light is a little different. It deceives and manipulates as well as conceals. Usually you depict light as something pure. The reality is that light isn't pure, just as Darkness isn't evil. In the end, it all depends on how it'll be used."

"The darkness within the light, just as the light within the darkness. So it's a never ending cycle. Darkness can inhibit the light just as light can inhibit the darkness." Sora dodged and evaded again, as best he could, anticipating when Kai would strike. "I have to somehow figure out how to detect the darkness within the light." Sora stood still for a moment or two and then gazed about in his mind. He could only see the flashes of light, but now darkness. But as he concentrated even more, he soon realized that there was a source of light that had an aura of darkness accumulating in it. He saw it approach him. Even despite pulsating to deceive, the darkness could not be hidden. Sora stretched out the keyblade in front of him and met the iron tusk of Kai.

"What in the world!" Kai uttered. He vanished again and struck at Sora again, but again, Sora blocked. Sora then struck back, striking the general across the shoulder. "But how did he know? How is he doing this?" The barrage of light faded, leaving the two combatants to face each other openly. "How are you managing how to predict my movements?"

"That's simple." Sora uttered. "As there is light in darkness, there can be darkness in light. Even the purest of things can be used by evil, just as the most foreboding and sinister of things can be used for good. I detected the darkness in your heart, the evil essence that has accumulated with every life you take. It seems to grow stronger when you were going in for the kill."

"You have gained a new skill in the midst of battle, just like that! Despite my speed, you managed to evade, or block my attacks?"

"Speed had nothing to do with it. The continuous barrage of light was used for the major deception. Its barrage of flashing entities catches me off guard allowing you the opportunity to strike me. The reality is, you were only casually walking up to me. It was due to the lights that I was able to be so easily caught of guard."-

"Your perception is better than I had imagined. If only Riku had put up a better fight. I can see now that you are the better of the two."-

"You're wrong." Sora uttered, clutching his keyblade. "Riku would've been able to last this long. The only problem is that he can sometimes allow his emotions to take the best of him."

"Well it doesn't matter though. You may be able to see my movements now. But once I start attacking at full speed, you'll never be able to react in time. You still have the reaction time of a normal human, so it shouldn't be too much of a challenge. All I have to do is use my speed to defeat you."-

"Then I have no other choice." Sora closed his eyes. "I must unleash everything I have. This is for Riku and Kairi. Their very lives depend upon my victory."

"Now, you will die!" Kai began to charge head on against Sora. But as he drew nearer, he felt a sudden surge of energy enter the room. He was completely overwhelmed by what he sensed. "This energy, where is it coming from?" He then traced the source back to Sora. "Is it the key bearer? No, it can't. There's no way that he could accumulate that kind of strength." But as Kai continued his charge, he suddenly saw Sora's eyes open. But instead of those innocent, baby blue eyes, he was confronted by evil, possessed, yellow eyes. Immediately, Kai was filled with a great fear and backed off from his attack. "Those eyes? What's with those eyes?"

"What's wrong?" Sora asked.

"That energy." Kai uttered. "Where…where did you get that type of energy? When I sensed the surge of this energy, it wasn't the power of a teenage boy, but rather that of a wild animal, a wild animal who'd feel no emotion at the thought of killing another. Those eyes are like that of a manslayer. And this energy is even equal to that of…of a Saiyan."

"You can thank Cuchulain for giving me the power of the rage. And you can thank Vegeta for giving me this new strength."-

"Vegeta? How do you know Vegeta?"-

"I encountered him not but yesterday."-

"So that meddlesome Saiyan Prince is still being defiant as usual, eh?" Kai suddenly smirked. "Then this is the first time that I've actually met a foe worth battling."

But as he finished his statement, Sora suddenly attack him full force. Kai didn't even have time to react and was struck by the handle of Sora's keyblade. He was sent hurdling back. Then again Sora suddenly appeared behind him and knocked him into the air. Kai flew up towards the high ceiling, but managed to regain his stamina.

"I didn't even see his movement." Kai said to himself. "He's moving to fast even for me to keep up."

"What's the matter, Kai!" Sora uttered, in a sarcastic manner. "You not feeling as strong as you thought you were!"

"Silence you!" Kai shouted. "Let's see how you like this type of light!" Kai suddenly fired three energy beams at Sora. Sora however, dodged them easily and the impact of the energy waves caused a massive series of explosions. Sora dashed across the walls at incredible speed. Kai saw his movements and fired another energy wave. But Sora only appeared and picked Kai to the ground. Kai retaliated and struck with his iron rod, but the key bearer was agile and easily evaded. He then used the hilt of his keyblade and rammed it into the shinobi's gut. Kai bent over, trying to ease the pain. Blood dripped from his lip now.

"This can't be." Kai said. "This can't be! This can't be! How can you be gaining the upper hand like this! Just a minute ago, you were under my thumb! Now, I can't even lay a finger on you! It's like fighting a Super Saiyan!"

"The situation is equivalent to that." Sora implied. "Because I have both the Saiyan power and the strength of the rage in my favor, my power has grown to over ten times its original level."

"You…you will not get away with this insolence! I am General Kai, leader of the Cavendish Shinobis! I will not allow myself to be defeated by a mere boy!" Kai suddenly lunged forward and struck Sora in the face. He attacked again, slugging him in the gut. He then attacked again and again, pummeling Sora from all sides. "Now take this, Boy!" Kai fired an energy wave, point blank into Sora's face. But Sora evaded the attack and elbowed Kai in the gut. He then began his pummel and knocked the Shinobi about. With one powerful strike, he slashed the keyblade across Kai, breaking the entire front of his armor. Kai fell backward to the ground.

"You still have some good fighting spirit in you still I see." Sora said. Kai staggered to his feet.

"I can't believe that I shed blood for this trash!" Kai implied to himself. "I've never had my blood shed in battle, ever! How can this be! I don't understand, I'm an elite warrior! The best shinobi that has ever lived! This has gone too far! I've been procrastinating for too long! This time I finish it!"

"Are you talking to yourself again?" Kai turned to Sora, a sneer streaked across his face.

"You've insulted me for the last time, Sora!"-

"Sora isn't here, Kai! He would never take pleasure in killing you without mercy! I however am different! I will assure you a swift and painless death!"-

"No, you're not Sora! Sora would never take pleasure in ending one's life! If you are not Sora, then who are you!"-

"You can just call me the Keyblade Hound!"-

"Then I will see you dead, Keyblade Hound! I will battle you for the sake of the Empire and for my pride!"-

"You never could get it through your thick skull that this battle is out of your favor!"-

"If I must die, I will die as a noble member of the Dark Empire!" Kai suddenly surged up into the sky. "And if I must go to hell, I will take you with me! Listen to me Keyblade Hound! At the distance, you won't be able to effectively attack me without me detecting your movements! Today you will witness my most powerful attack! The ultimate light element attack that you ever did see! My Mega Flash Cannon!" Kai worked his way to the other side of the large chamber.

"Easy enough for me. I can easily dodge your attack and then finish you when you're at your weakest."-

"You just don't get it do you Keyblade Hound! Even if you do manage to dodge the bulk off the beam, the wave itself is locked on to your energy signal! So no matter how you dodge it, you will never be able to evade the might of the Mega Flash Cannon!"-

"Then I have no choice either!" Sora began to power up to his fullest. "The only way for us to settle this is for me to fire an energy wave as well!"-

"Hah! You're over your head boy! You may obtain the strength of a Saiyan, but you haven't the slightest clue of what kind of stress an energy attack has on the body! The experience will be new to you! Your body will have no more energy left and when that happens, I will go in for the kill because unlike you, I have experienced the stress of an energy wave's aftermath and I know how to adjust!"-

"Then, there's only one way to find out!"-

"Impudent pup!" Kai roared. "If you're so willing to die in such a fashion, then so be it! Give my regards to oblivion! Mega Flash Cannon!" A power energy wave was deployed and went screaming towards Sora. But Sora was ready.

"Galick Gun!" Sora shouted and deployed his own powerful attack. The two energy waves crashed into each other.

"He's done it! But how can his energy attack be as powerful as mine!" Kai uttered. The battle lasted for three minutes and each was butting everything they had into the duel. But Sora, not familiar with the immense stress of the body during an energy duel, began to waver. And this did not go unnoticed by Kai. "You see? You feel the pressure mounting now! You've gone beyond your limits, boy! Even you cannot fully master over the stress of the body in the first try! You'll eventually cave it!" Kai thrust impulses through his beam and knocked Sora's own wave back. Sora could feel his energy slipping from him.

"Maybe I've gone over my head alright." He thought in his mind. "Despite my new abilities, I'm still not strong enough."

"Now Die!" Kai shouted as he pushed Sora's energy beam further back. But Sora suddenly realized what he had to do.

"No! I can't lose to him!" Sora uttered. "As far as I know, I may be the last to save Kairi! And failure in this situation isn't an option!" Sora unleashed a sudden hidden strength in his heart and retaliated by thrusting a very powerful impulse through his beam. Instantly, his energy overcame Kai's own energy and pushed the shinobi's attack back.

"This cannot be!" Kai shouted as he saw the eminent doom. Completely overpowered, Kai was caught in Sora's beam and sent hurling towards the iron walls. On impact, there was a massive explosion that caused the entire chamber to rupture.

Outside of the chamber, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were caught in the tremor that was caused as a result of the attack.

"What was that?" Goofy uttered. "An Earthquake?"

"Without a doubt." Donald replied. "But where did it come from?"

"Uh…underground?"-

"I know that, you buffoon! I mean what caused it!"

"Well, I sure hope it wasn't coming from that battle against Kai!" Mickey implied.

As the dust settled and the light faded, Sora looked to see that the entire inner wall had been incinerated, melted, and deformed. The soil behind it was charred and burnt.

"I did it." Sora uttered. He had returned to normal now and was completely exhausted. "I actually did it." His body had been overstressed by the intense energy duel that he barely had enough energy to stand. He fell to the ground and became as limp as a wet noodle. But he was happy though. He had done the impossible. Or so he thought. Sora suddenly heard movement coming from the impact zone. This rustling broke the silence of the room. Sora lifted his head as best he could and saw General Kai staggering to his feet.

"Very good, Sora." Kai implied. "I never would have thought you could have pulled it off. But once again I stand correct. Because of my experience with engaging in such energy duels, my body has developed well enough to withstand most of the strains that are usually experienced the first time. You on the other hand have spent up every ounce of energy in you body. You can't even lift your head up, let alone stand.

"I feel so numb and my body so heavy." Sora uttered. "Could he be right all along?" But Sora began to move slightly. With all his strength, he staggered to his feet.

"Unbelievable. You managed to stand up again, even after deploying all your energy in that attack. But your power has depleted to almost nothing."-

"No more ether, no more potion, I have no senzu beans, nor anymore MP to effectively restore my strength. All of it was used to contribute to my efforts in this battle. I have only a little energy left."-

"Now that you have been drained of all your strength, this final attack should finish you off with no problems whatsoever." Kai unleashed his hidden blade from the iron tusk. The same blade he used to wound Sora back at Halloween Town. "This time, I will not use the blade to slash open your gut. This time, I go for your throat!"

"I have to somehow finish him with one strike. One strike only. If he stands after that, then it's all over for me." He will tend to strike me down with only one blow as well. "The only way to counter his attack is to strike before he does. The only attack I have left that may be capable of finishing off Kai with one swift attack is…" Sora turned the keyblade backwards and held it as if a sword ready to be drawn from its sheath. The art of Battoujutsu. "I don't know if the keyblade is suitable for Battoujutsu because of its straight shaft. But whether it's suitable, or not, I can't allow that issue to cloud my vision. One flaw in this attack could prove to be fatal. I have no other choice!"

"Die Sora!" Kai suddenly vanished from sight and attack head on. Sora closed his eyes and concentrated. Then, like a flash of light, he deployed the keyblade. There was a sudden clash and the two warriors found themselves opposite each other. There was a moment of silence between the two. Then, suddenly, Sora caught his shoulder. It had received a deep cut from Kai's sword. Kai chuckled. "So it ends here then. After all this time, after that final attack, it is all over…"

Suddenly, Kai collapsed to the ground, a massive cut streaked across his chest. Sora staggered to his feet and walked over to the dying general.

"What was that attack?" Kai uttered.

"That was the attack I learned in the 'Rurouni Realm.'" Sora implied. "Compliments of Kenshin Himura, it is called the Amakakeru ryu no Hirameki."-

"The Amakakeru ryu no Hirameki, eh? Quite an impressive attack." Kai's mouth was now coughing out blood. "And so this is where it ends, the line of the most powerful shinobis. I have killed so many for the glory of the Empire. It was fun while it lasted." Kai looked at Sora and those baby blue eyes of his. "Don't look at me like that, Sora. I much preferred the look…of the Keyblade Hound. The life of the mightiest shinobi…ends here. Take the information disk." Kai reached under his tattered armor and handed the information disk to Sora, along with an energy icon. Sora suddenly felt his body fill with an new aura of energy. "You have bested me for the last time…Sora…so you deserve these. Use them…to your disposal." Sora took the items from Kai. "And so I die…with no regrets…"

"Can you really throw the value of your life away like that?" Sora asked.

"I have found…the ultimate value of my life… So show no sympathy, Sora… because at least I know…that I died…gallantly as a soldier…in…battle…"

With that, Kai closed his eyes and lay dead upon the ground. Sora could only gaze at the face of his former enemy, who was now in eternal sleep. Just thirty minutes ago, these two had declared their causes and now it was over. An eternity seemed to pass between the two in battle. But now that Kai lay dead, it all seemed as if only a matter of seconds has passed. Sora could only look on. Finally, as words of sympathy, Sora bid farewell to the mightiest of all shinobis.

"Farewell…General Kai…" Sora uttered. With those final words, Sora departed the chamber.

He eventually reached the door at the base of the tree. He crawled out of the hole and lay prostrated on the green grass.

"Hey!" Goofy shouted from afar. "Sora's back! Sora's back!"

"Hurray!" Mickey added.

"How'd it go?" Donald asked.

"I…have…it…" Sora uttered, presenting the disk before the gang.

"That's great!" Mickey chuckled.

"We're so close to finishing this trek." Donald added. Sora smiled. Suddenly a voice uttered in the air.

"Congratulations." It said. Sora looked up to see who had said that.

"Who's there?" he asked. Then, from behind the old oak tree, Lord Thundro appeared.

"So you have managed to defeat my old pupil."-

"Oh, I'm sorry."-

"No need to be. Kai must've died with no regret am right?"-

"That's what he said to me."-

"Then do not dwell on his death. Kai had died for a cause, which he believed in. There is no greater cause than that." Thundro kneeled next to Sora and healed him, repairing his wounds, restoring his energy, and mending his clothing to be as good as new. Sora stood up and stretched.

"Thank you, Thundro." He said, smiling.

"Tell me, Sora." Thundro uttered. "Where is your friend, Riku?" Sora's smile suddenly diminished and he could only look down at his feet.

"I don't know."-

"I see." Thundro walked passed the group. "Well, I'm sure wherever he is, he's just fine."

"Wait! What were you doing here anyway?"-

"I detected your battle going on, so I came to investigate. But it seems that there is no need for further investigation now that I know the outcome of the battle." Thundro glanced back at Sora. "You and your friends take care of yourself and I hope that you find Riku and Kairi. That is the one cause to which you fight. Never lose value of it, or your purpose of fighting will become meaningless." Thundro continued to walk away.

"Wait!" Sora said. "Where are you going?"-

"I no longer need to be here. I've come only to say good bye." Thundro uttered.

"Good bye?"-

"That is right. I have helped you out for the last time. I must go and engage in battle far from here."-

"Then you take care."-

"Same goes to you."-

Thundro only nodded and then flew off into the horizon. Sora then turned to his friends.

"The final clue." He uttered. "The final clue that'll lead us to Arakis."

"And to Kairi." Donald added. They went back to the gummi ship and decoded the message. But this time, instead of just mindless text, the image of General Kai emerged.

"It's General Kai." Mickey uttered.

"Sora," the message began, "If you are receiving this message, then I am already defeated. I come bearing the message that His Excellency Lord Arakis wished for me to relay to you. He will be awaiting you at the city of Vandor. However, he wishes for you to come alone and duel him in a one on one fight. He has set terms for the duel, which you will receive when you confront him personally. Take the enclosed wrist band that came with this message and use it to clear yourself of the security system within the city. It is absolutely vital that you keep this wrist band on you at all times, if you value your life that is. Farewell, Sora and good luck."

The transmission ended then. Sora saw the wrist band in the disk. He took it and strapped it around his right wrist, just under his gloves cover. He then looked at his friends.

"To Vandor then." Sora uttered.

"Right!" Donald said.

"Our final destination!" Mickey added.

"The final battle." Goofy said.

The rockets ignited and the gummi ship was on its way to its final destination, to the capital city of the Dark Empire, the very center of Imperial activity, the city of Vandor.