Hey everyone, hope you all had a wonderful Easter. Here is Chapter 3 and hope you will enjoy more of my story.
Chapter 3: Inner Light
Marina felt like she was sinking deeper and deeper into a pool of darkness. Continuing to fall into the darkness below her. Her eyes flickered open, wondering if this was real or just another dream. She slowly turned her head gazing down into the abyss.
Her eyes widened as two huge glowing yellow eyes suddenly began to stare up at her. The monster from before reached out his arms, trying to grab her between its huge hands.
"NO! Get Away!" She cried out, clutching her hands over her heart and closing her eyes.
'Do not fear it. Your light can push it back.'
Her eyes snapped open, wondering whose voice that was as she felt her heart beating faster. The Darkside almost had her in its grasp, its burning yellow eyes piercing right into her soul.
Marina stretched her right arm out in front of herself, wondering if she really had a strong light within herself. Something inside her started forming, concentrating on that feeling as two balls of light began to form on her back. Then, from her back the lights burst out in to bright waves of light, causing the Darkside to disintegrate into the darkness below.
Marina slowly opened her eyes, seeing thousands of feathers falling around her. She looked over her shoulder, surprised to see two huge shining white wings stretching from her back. She then felt something form within her hand.
She was shocked to be holding a strange weapon within her hand, it was a long silver key. Two blue gems attached to the hilt and at the tip. The way the end of the key was formed, but pure white wings.
'This once belonged to her… it now belongs to you. Use it well.'
Marina began to hear voices in the darkness, a conversation, as she realised it was people talking, wondering who on earth was there. As she came into focus with her surroundings, she could see the room looked like a study. She saw 3 figures standing in front of her. One was a older man with a long beard. The other two were young boys who seemed to be her age.
"Hey Sora? You doing ok?" Riku asked rather concerned.
"Oh y-yeah I'm fine" He smiled slightly. "Master Yensid, who is this girl?".
"She is the very reason I requested you and Riku to come." Yensid walked over to him.
The boys looked towards Marina again, only to realise that she was sitting up and looking back at them both. She glanced around the room continuing to take in everything, she slowly tried to stand but she stumbled and tripped.
"Ah! Be careful!" Sora instinctively stretched out his arms, catching her.
Marina looked up at the boy with the brown spikey hair, feeling a sudden ache inside her heart. Not really understanding anything right now, why does she suddenly feel so.. sad?
As Marina looked up into his eyes, tears began to slide down her cheeks. Sora was quite surprised by the sudden tears as she pulled back.
"H-Hey! Did you foolish humans make her cry!" Mei was fuming, finally revealing herself to everyone in the room with an angry voice.
"Hey.. is that a fairy?" Kairi pointed up at Mei.
"Very rude indeed! Of course, I am human girl!" Mei's wings began sparkling a bright red colour, showing how cross she was, she then turned and faced Marina.
Marina stood there wondering why on earth she was crying, so many questions running through her mind.
"W-Where am I! Who are all of you… what was that thing that attacked me!" She was struggling to cope with the confusing mess of emotions she was suddenly feeling, finally sitting back down.
"Young lady, we're here to help you. I sent my student Mickey and his trusted followers to track you down and bring you here." Master Yensid gestured over to the King.
Mickey walked over to her, gently holding her hand reassuringly.
"That creature was called Darkside, one of the many Heartless that go after people." Mickey smiled gently at her. "We rescued you because it was trying to take you away to its leader."
"L-Leader, w-what?" Marina was really struggling to keep up with the sudden information. Riku crouched down in front of her now.
"Yes, they travel different worlds, endlessly seeking hearts to take." Riku then pointed at her. "For something like a Darkside to attack a random person, means for sure you're no ordinary person."
"Well of course Marina is special! She was the one who rescued me with her unique affinity to light" Mei flew over to Marina, perching on her shoulder again.
"M-Mei you're not meant to tell people that!" Marina bit her lip a little worried now, she didn't know these people. Could she trust them so easily?
"Marina, I've been watching all of them while you were unconscious." She then frowned at a few of them in the room. "But they seem to have very good intentions, lets hear them out? Especially after they saved us."
Marina held her hands together, trying to gather her thoughts again. She finally looked at all the people surrounding her.
"So, let me get this straight, this thing is called 'Darkside'...it's called a Heartless which try to take peoples hearts?"
"Yes, that's correct, if a person loses their heart. They too become a heartless." Riku decided to take charge and continue to explain the backstory of the Heartless.
Riku began to explain the long tale to her. The history of the heartless, the countless villains they had to take on. He even explained the existence of the nobodies to her. One thing that caught her off guard was the mention of a weapon called 'The Keyblade.'
"What's the Keyblade?" Marina asked.
Sora, Riku, Kairi and Mickey all glanced each other, all four opened their hands and a bright burst of light the four of them held out the weapons. Her eyes widened as she eyed the giant key's. Then suddenly she remembered, the dream. Her floating in darkness, and from the blinding light.
Marina stood up wondering if that dream meant something, or it really was just a coincidence. 'Nothing wrong with trying' she thought, slowly held out her hand, coping the other four as they wondered what she planned to do. Concentrating her light, something suddenly formed within her hand, her eyes widened when the Keyblade from her dream appeared.
"W-Whoa! You have a Keyblade too!" Sora gasped, rather surprised at its appearance.
"Wow Marina! You never told me you could do that!" Mei gushed, flying around and looking the Keyblade over.
"I-I think I've only just got it… in the dream I had." She closed her hand as it finally vanished.
Mickey understood a little more now the reason Yensid had requested he track her down.
"So, she is a Keyblade wielder too?" Mickey paused, thinking out loud. "But Master can you please explain why she is brought here? And also, the realm she has come from."
"The realm of worlds where she comes from, are a lot different to the worlds you've all traveled to. They have far stricter rules. Some worlds may not let you use magic, some worlds magic can be deadly to the heart."
Marina stood there looking at her hands as Yensid began to explain his story, everything felt so confusing. So many questions that still swirled around her mind, the voices she heard in her head, this Keyblade she now had, this group of strangers who seemed to be determined to know about her even more than she did.
She held her head trying to calm herself down, for most of her life she hadn't known who she was. Now suddenly everyone else seems to know more about her than she ever could. This all felt far too much, to overwhelming for her, all she wanted to do was go on a journey to remember, but also to find her brother.
"A-Addias.. where are you?" Marina covered her face, sobbing.
Everyone noticed as they turned to look at her, Sora felt rather bad seeing a girl crying as he walked over to her and held out a handkerchief for her.
"Hey.. it's going to be ok, alright? We're going to help you." He smiled gently to her.
Marina moved her hands away looking at him, she then looked at the handkerchief.
"Thank you…" She blew her nose, slowly calming down.
"The core of the story is, there is another new enemy from her realm of worlds." Yensid continued to speak. "This force is after the Princesses of that realm, and the power they have sealed away… is rather more deadly than just opening a mere door of darkness."
"So you're saying that this girl has a massive connection to unlocking this door?" Riku glanced at Marina as she continued to look around the room.
"You're saying Marina is in danger? What can I do to help!" Mei flew over to Yensid, looking like she would be willing to do anything to protect her friend.
"Yes.. I have come to request Riku and Sora both, to help her with trying to track down this new enemy and put a stop to them." Master Yensid sat down in his chair again, remaining quiet with a long pause. "Before they claim this power, and try to break through to this realm... and the many others that exist out there."
"Of course, we'll help! Right, Riku?" Sora turned to his best friend, getting rather excited at the idea of traveling to some new kind of worlds.
Riku rubbed the back of his head for a moment, concerned about this kind of task. He was also rather worried the fact most of Sora's powers had been drained. Plus, as he glanced at Marina, he was rather concerned about her backstory.
Marina noticed Riku staring her way, looking away feeling a little uncomfortable.
"L-Look, thank you all for helping me, but if I am in such danger.. then it is better I stay away from you all." She finally stood up walking towards the door. "Plus the only reason I'm on a journey is to locate my brother.. and my identity."
As she was about to grab the doorknob, a hand caught her arm. She turned, looking surprised to see the girl with the red hand holding it. She smiled at Marina gently.
"Please, don't go off alone. We all would love to help you any way we can." Kairi smiled brightly at her.
Marina was surprised by these people, all so willing, wanting to help her. She looked down as she remembered a small memory in the back of her mind. The day her young self was left in the forest, crying. yearning to be saved.
Moving her hands over her heart remembering when Nyx picked her up, right into her arms. The warm smile protected her all these many years. Marina opened her eyes again, looking at everyone. Mei flew right up and sat on her shoulder, caressing her face and smiling.
Riku still felt rather unsure about this task and about helping Marina, but he noticed Sora smiling right over at her aswell.
"Kairi is right, Marina, even though we just met you. We consider you one of our friends now." His grin grew bigger. "And we help our friends."
"That's right, all for one and one for all!" Goofy cheered patting Marina on the back.
Marina trembled from mixed emotions again, tearing up but she smiled slightly at all of them.
"T-Thank you. you're all so kind..!" She rubbed her tears away again. "Alright I-I'll try my best to help you too… if it means finding my brother!".
From the image of a dark crystal ball, Marina's image could be seen projecting. Red eyes glowing within the darkness were watching. Slowly the figure stood up, chuckling to himself.
"Well.. it seems you finally have awakened." He spoke as he lifted the Crystal Ball up into his hand. "How long has it been since your eyes pierced into mine?"
"I think it has been far too long master, my blood is flowing so fast that I can practically taste her light". A woman in a black dress was seated in another chair. Her sharp teeth gleaming against her tongue.
"Have you really thirsted for her light all these years? Was the light of her mother not enough?" A third voice could be heard from another man. He was a lot shorter than the leader.
"Oh come on, you're just jealous I drained it all for myself." The woman laughed with delight.
"Both of you need to be patient, as much as you may wish to drink her light… We need her for a different purpose..". The leader began to walk over to a young girl attached to the wall.
The girl had short brown hair, wearing a beautiful long pink dress. She looked like she was in a deep sleep. Along the wall beside her were two other maidens.
The one beside her right was also wearing a dress, made of pure white silk and decorated in gold. Her long golden hair in two ponytails flowed to the ground. He then smirked at the third maiden, lifting her chin. Her silver hair flowed down her back wearing a beautiful short blue dress, baring wings from her back.
"I must admit this maiden has been the hardest to obtain, since her champion was a rather powerful one." He chuckled, he noticed in his Crystal Ball, the image changed.
The image of a young man with brown hair could be seen, walking through a town, his green clothes tattered and torn to shreds.
"Oh it seems this young man is also trying to find his princess". The woman laughed. "Too bad for him, he'll probably die before finding her without those friends of his."
"It would be interesting to see how far he gets." The shorter man smirked.
The young man continued to walk through the town. Suddenly his feet gave way as he stumbled to the ground. A white feather fell from his hand. He grunted as he reached for the feather. On the feather, the shape of a pink heart glowed faintly.
"S-Sakura.. I-I will find you…" As his hand touched the feather, he lost consciousness.
To Be Continued.