Look! An update that didn't take several months to arrive! I'm sure that all of you are very surprised and happy about that.
Sora found himself freefalling through darkness. The sensation reminded him of when he dove into the sleeping worlds. And below him, Sora glimpsed stained glass circles.
Representations of hearts? Or worlds? Or perhaps the hearts of the worlds? But there were shadows pooling across the colorful stained-glass images. Something dark and vicious trying to gain a foothold.
"That scoundrel must of fled into one of those pools of shadows that're down below us," said Jiminy.
Looking at the cricket on his shoulder, Sora asked, "Where do they lead?"
"Well, I think they may be portals to other worlds."
"Okay," he said, the second opinion confirming his assumptions. "Maybe that's where we'll find the others."
"If we hurry," said Jiminy.
Sora nodded and tried to aim for the closest stained-glass platform. And did his best to ignore the feeling of strain that seemed to be forming. His heart shouldn't ache. Not like this. It felt wrong. But he ignored it. He had more important things to focus on.
His friends were in trouble.
He landed on a wooden deck of a ship, the scent of sea salt in the air. Sora instantly recognized the Caribbean. And floating above the deck was the transparent figure of Aqua, limp and still while lying in midair. Then the Heartless from before stole her heart, wrapping it in chains before hiding it from sight. Which was all the reason that Sora needed to attack.
This time, the Heartless summoned a pack of the local varieties. And while Sora tried to focus on his primary target, he found himself blocked and delayed by the weaker opponents. It was really hard to ignore someone slinging an anchor at him. He rained down blows on the creatures, breaking out a few Thundagas to clear the crowd. And once Sora built enough power up, he unleashed a Thundaza that shattered several of them. And when a few survived the magical assault, stringing together a few physical combos helped reduce the Heartless population.
He remained light on his feet, dancing around his opponents instinctively. He moved as if he was coated in pixie dust and gravity barely touched him. But as effortless as his movements might be, each strike was powerful and ruthless. Kingdom Key carved through them. And when he reached his true opponent, he didn't hold back.
It took longer to beat the creature down until it released Aqua's heart. But he did. And like before, the Heartless escaped through the dark portal and Sora could only snarl as he dove after it.
A pattern quickly emerged. He dove through the darkness, ignoring the strange strain and pressure. Ignoring the ache in his heart. He plunged towards the stained-glass images and the shadows spilling out of them. The hearts of different worlds. And with increasing pressure and effort, Sora forced himself to follow the powerful Heartless into those worlds.
Each world that he reached, Sora found the Heartless trying to claim the heart of one of his friends. Goofy in the frozen maze in Arendelle. Donald in Monstropolis. King Mickey in the marsh of Corona.
Some places, the Heartless summoned more of its kind. In others, it brought forth the Nobodies that lurked in the world. And far too often, it would move away from Sora while leaving behind afterimages that his Keyblade passed right through. Anything to delay or distract Sora away his main target. But no matter what tricks it tried, Sora refused to let it escape with his friends' hearts.
In the toy store, in the world of living toys like Buzz and Woody, Sora reclaimed Ventus's heart right before the Heartless fled yet again. He watched the heart disappear back to where it belonged even as he growled in frustration. Why couldn't that Heartless hold still for five minutes?
As Sora took a step towards the portal, he heard a familiar sound. A dark corridor opening. He spun around, not yet summoning his Keyblade even as he fell into a combative stance. And when he recognized the figure that stepped through, Sora grew more tense.
"You," he snarled.
Staring at Sora with disdain, the young version of Xehanort raised his hand and said, "All that gallivanting through the Sleeping Worlds and yet you learned nothing."
"What?"
Closing his eyes and letting his hand drop, he said, "Dream by dream, you nearly buried yourself in the dark of sleep." Young Xehanort opened his eyes and stared firmly at the Keybearer. "And now you're at it again?"
Sora straightened out of his stance. Young Xehanort hadn't come to fight. Sora could tell that much. He was there to monologue. All forms of Xehanort loved to talk. Too bad not a single one of them could give a straight answer. But if Young Xehanort wanted to talk in circles like always, ignoring the tall shelves of toys, then he wasn't going waste his energy trying to attack. Last time, Sora's Keyblade kept passing through him while Young Xehanort monologued as he teleported around the store. When he started walking towards Sora this time, the boy didn't even flinch.
"The Lich you've been fighting? It's not like other Heartless," described Young Xehanort, his approach causing Jiminy to gasp in fear and dive further into Sora's hood. "It exists to usher hearts down to the depths of darkness."
That sent a shiver down Sora's spine. The thought was horrible. What Young Xehanort was describing would have been his friends' fates if he didn't free their hearts. And could still happen; the Lich was still free and hunting while a few of his friends remained unaccounted for. Even as Sora knew that he needed to go after the creature, the young version of Xehanort stopped in front of him.
"If you chase it," said Young Xehanort, pointing at Sora, "you will condemn your heart to the same abyss."
Sora glared at him, stiff and unflinching. He clenched his fist to his chest.
"You're wrong," he said. "My heart is strong."
Strong, but aching. Aching since he chased Riku's heart to Olympus. An ache that Sora continued to purposefully ignore.
Lowering his hand, Young Xehanort said, "A diamond is strong, but it can still shatter under pressure. Everything has a limit. Especially a heart." He shook his head briefly. "What do you think the Power of Waking is? It's for traversing hearts to reach worlds. Not for traversing worlds to reach hearts. There's a high price to pay for wielding such power foolishly."
Young Xehanort tilted his head as he studied Sora. He stared as if he could see through the boy to his deepest level.
"Perhaps your heart will withstand the strain of retrieving one more of your 'friends' in this manner. But not two of them. Not after everything that you have already done to your heart this day. Saving a second will cost you everything that you have left. And you brought too many companions for the Keyblade War. Even if you destroy yourself and shatter your heart in the process, you will not be able to save them all. You will fail and fade away."
As he turned to leave, Sora snapped, "So what? You're worried about me now?"
"No. There's no saving you." As Young Xehanort walked away, a dark corridor formed. Glancing over his shoulder, he added, "You've paid the price. And it lies at the bottom of the abyss."
Young Xehanort vanished through the dark corridor. Sora reached out towards it instinctively, even knowing how futile it was.
"Wait!"
Sora ran a few steps towards the dark corridor, but it closed before he could do anything useful. As he expected. He slowed to a stop as he felt Jiminy poke his head out of the hood.
"Sora," said Jiminy. "You heard what he told you. That if you try to save the rest of our friends, you'll…" His voice trailed off, unable to complete the thought. "Do you believe him?"
Sora wanted to say no. He wanted to believe that it was all a lie. Xehanort and all his variations were liars and he knew that. It would be easy to decide those ominous words were a lie.
But he could feel the strain. He could feel the pressure. He could feel the ache that refused to fade. And he could feel the strength being taken with each one. Not his physical strength, but something deeper and more vital. Sora could feel the damage building.
He would break. Sora could feel it. And while part of him accepted the danger if it would save his friends, the rest of him rebelled against the horrible thought that it wouldn't be enough. That he could put all his heart into it and he would still fail them. He wasn't strong enough.
Kairi. Lea. Roxas. Xion.
If Xehanort was right, he could save one and survive. And if he didn't worry about his own survival, he could retrieve two of them. But no matter what he did, at least two of his friends would be lost. Dragged down by the Lich into the darkest abyss. And if he didn't do anything at all, the Lich would claim all four.
It wasn't fair.
Sora knew that he didn't have the strength to pursue and save their hearts alone. He needed help. His heart called out to all those hearts connected to his own, asking for the strength to save his friends. His heart was connected to so many people across so many worlds; at least a few of those connections must be strong enough to let him do what he needed.
One of those connected hearts responded. The oldest and strongest connection. Forged almost a lifetime ago. Sora's light shared with another, healing a gaping wound and then later healing broken fragments. A heart that dwelled within him for over a decade.
Ventus.
Sora felt a flood of offered strength and wordless encouragement. Perhaps enough strength to keep going. Perhaps enough strength to survive long enough to save the rest of his friends.
He hoped.
"Doesn't matter what he said. It doesn't change anything. Our friends need us," said Sora before diving through the dark portal.
He angled his body as he plunged, trying to streamline himself to gain a little more speed. Sora felt the pressure and resistance, like his heart was trying to move through thick mud. He felt that ache worse, just as it had before. But he could also feel Ventus's offered strength holding him together.
For now.
Sora dove towards another colorful stained-glass platform with pooling shadows, plunging straight into another familiar world. Golden-orange sunset, a tall clocktower gently chiming the hour, and warm cobblestone under his feet. Twilight Town.
And as soon as he saw the Lich plucking Roxas's heart from his translucent form, Sora sent a Firaga right at its face. By now, Sora knew most of its standard moves. And even the swarms of Nobodies that it summoned, Samurais and Assassins, barely gave him pause. His focus remained solely on his main target. Time was a limited luxury now.
And once Sora beat down the Heartless again, continuing the pattern as before, it released Roxas's heart and fled Station Plaza. But even as the freed heart disappeared back where it belonged, Sora felt another surge of strength. Support and power coming through another close bond, wrapping around his aching heart and holding it together. The connection to the heart of his past Nobody.
Like Ventus, Roxas reached out to offer his help.
"A few more," muttered Sora as he plunged through the dark portal.
He didn't recognize the next world that he landed in. Warm sunlight streamed down on grass and the stonework under his feet. Distant grassy mountains surrounded them while he glimpsed flowing water at lower elevations. And a bright castle lay before him, golden chains strung along the structures. He stood in a courtyard with the aforementioned decorative stonework arranged in a circle that connected to the stairs up to the castle door. And at the foot of the stairs, the Lich extracted Xion's heart.
The fight was shorter than some of the earlier ones. The Lich didn't summon other Heartless or Nobodies. Instead it relied on its magic and slipping away using its afterimages. It caused enough trouble to ensure that Sora cast Cura, but not enough to truly hinder him. And at the end of an aggressive aerial combo, it surrendered the stolen heart and sought refuge.
Xion's heart added her strength to that already offered by Roxas and Ventus. Holding Sora in one piece. Keeping his heart together. Just as he once sheltered their hearts, now they protected him. Sora knew that he could keep going.
As Sora dove towards another stained-glass platform, Jiminy called, "That's the last one. He must be hiding there."
A quick look proved that his observation was right. It was the only one still sprouting shadows. That world must be the Lich's current hiding place. It was the only option.
Sora landed in a city, the skies dark and the buildings covered in lights. San Fransokyo. He only managed a brief glimpse of a translucent Lea floating lifelessly in midair. Then the Lich snatched the heart and summoned the local Heartless.
The larger and stronger Heartless took too much time and effort to defeat. But they were also too powerful and dangerous to ignore. Both for Sora and for anyone that lived in that world. But Sora had long since learned that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. And when he finally shattered them into darkness, there was nothing to stop him from reaching the Lich.
This time, Sora didn't hold back. He didn't hesitate. He didn't give the Heartless any means of escape. No matter how it tried to slip away with its distracting afterimages, Sora stayed close. When it tried that trick, he glided after the Lich and continued his strikes. He never stopped pressing the attack. The blows against the Heartless never ceased. It wouldn't flee again.
The Heartless couldn't reach the dark portal this time. Sora finished with a particularly strong blow and the Lich finally shattered. And Lea's heart disappeared upwards, returning to where it belonged.
Peering out of Sora's hood, Jiminy said, "Well, Sora, I'd say we've been to every world that we can visit."
"But we're one short," he said quietly. "Where's Kairi's heart?"
"Gee, I wish I knew."
He couldn't find her like he did the others. That much was clear. But Sora remembered what he heard before. His memories of what sent him to the Final World might be indistinct and increasingly fuzzy, but he remembered speaking to Chirithy and Naminé. If Kairi kept him from being completely lost to death, then he should be able to follow her.
His hand drifted back to his chest and his strained heart. Follow the light. Follow Kairi. He could do this.
Sora didn't find himself in the same darkness as before, falling towards the hearts of various worlds. He was gliding towards a distant light. Moving through the darkness towards the bright and faraway point. He didn't feel the strain of something holding him back this time. Nothing holding and pulling and trying to break him apart. It felt more natural and right.
Gliding towards the bright and distant light, he momentarily didn't realize what he was staring at when he glimpsed something ahead of him. It was a figure. Not a translucent one like the others, but truly whole and safe. And smiling at him.
"Sora," she greeted.
Beaming at her, he shouted, "Kairi!" He reached out to her as he glided close, taking Kairi's hand as they spun around each other. "I found you."
Joy bubbled up even as relief washed over Sora. She was safe. Kairi was all right. He'd found all of them. All of his friends. He couldn't remember what chain of events stole them away, the memories slipping between his hands when he tried to grasp them, but he'd saved them. He couldn't even describe how happy he was.
Hands slowly releasing, they turned and resumed their flight towards the light. But Sora couldn't help sneaking glances at her and smiling. Did sharing the paopu fruit with her and Riku help ensure that he would find her, making it easier? Sora didn't know if it helped, but he was thrilled that Kairi and the others were finally safe.
"You see?" said Kairi, looking back at him. "I had no doubts that you'd pull through."
Smiling, Sora said, "The light in the darkness. It was you." He already knew from what Naminé told him, but it felt right to say the words. "You're the one who kept me from fading away."
Her face briefly scrunching up with thought, she said, "All I did was believe that you wouldn't."
He chuckled with the brightest grin possible as he looked at her, unable to stop smiling even if wanted to. Only Kairi would act as if it was that simple. And perhaps for her, it was.
"I feel strong with you, Kairi," he said, causing her to look away.
Sora knew that she was blushing. Even with the surrounding darkness, the approaching light streaming towards their faces casting strange shadows, and Kairi looking away, he knew that he saw that faint blush momentarily. Because he'd reacted the same way whenever Riku would tease him about her.
That felt impossibly long ago.
Kairi's hand slipped back into his grip and floated forward. As if pulling him along.
"The others are ahead," she said. "Come on."
His friends. They were almost there. They were almost back together.
But for how long?
Sora knew that what he'd done to retrieve his friends damaged him. Badly. He knew his heart and he could feel the aching pain. He could feel the cracks nearly causing it to splinter and shatter apart. Roxas, Xion, and Ventus were holding the pieces in place. And if they let go…
He remembered Flynn, his skin pale and gray as he lay on the floor of the tower. He remembered Anna, frozen solid as Elsa clung desperately to her and wept. He remembered Will Turner, a pained expression going slack and his body limp as the rain fell and Elizabeth begged. And he remembered Lea, sprawled on the ground as ragged breathing fell silent.
Noticing his silence, Kairi said, "I told you, Sora. You're safe with me."
"Yeah," he said, giving her a grin as he tried to banish those negative thoughts.
When they reached the light, it engulfed both of them. Flaring up to a blinding level. Sora stumbled as they landed on solid ground. Barren, dusty, and dry ground. The Badlands. They were back.
"You okay?" asked Kairi.
Straightening up even as he kept holding her hand, Sora said, "Yeah. Thanks, Kairi."
She smiled at him, her expression bright and warm. As bright as everything else about her. Only then did Sora turn and notice everyone else. All his friends. Safe. Alive. Whole. Sora couldn't help laughing with relief.
"It did work," he said.
Bouncing slightly on his feet as he spoke, Donald said, "Of course."
Leaning in, Goofy added, "Now point us back at those guys."
So they also remembered that something bad had happened. It wasn't just Sora. But did they actually remember much else? Did they remember exactly what happened? Part of him doubted it. That would be too simple. That entire sequence of events remained stubbornly out of reach of his memories. Rather like his time in Castle Oblivion and his first meeting with Naminé.
Sora gave a slow nod and said, "Right."
As if his word was the necessary signal, the others started heading for the chasm through the cliffside. And while Donald and Goofy remained at his side, waiting for him to take the lead like normal, three others hesitated. They met his eyes. Ventus, Roxas, and Xion stared at him with mirrored expressions. Their eyes held too much heavy knowledge.
They knew. Everything. He could see it in their eyes and feel it in the power that they were still sharing with him. The power that they had to still share. They knew what he'd done, what he'd risked. And they knew the cost that he would eventually pay. Just as he knew. He could feel it, deep down. They knew how this would end.
But not yet. Not until it was finished. As long as they shared that strength, he would keep going. For as long as he could.
Sora begged them silently not to tell anyone else. He didn't want to worry the others. He didn't want to see the moment of guilt and realization in everyone's eyes.
Roxas gave him a slow nod, sealing the agreement without a word. They would keep his secret. Then they hurried after the others. Ventus jogged after Aqua and Roxas and Xion reached Lea just as he paused to turn back towards them. Sora watched a moment longer, his hand drifting back to his chest before clenching into a fist. He took a deep breath and then took off running.
They weren't done yet. He had to keep going. At least until Xehanort was stopped. Whatever came after, Sora would accept it. His friends were worth the cost.
Something out of the corner of his eye caught Ventus's attention. A shape of a person glimpsed through the dust. And Ventus knew that motionless silhouette.
"Terra!" shouted Ventus before breaking into a run.
He saw Aqua with his peripheral vision, trying to grab him, but he was already out of reach. It was Terra. Ventus couldn't even think of anything else. His friend was back. All other thought or caution fell behind as he ran. They didn't matter. Not even the strange prickling sensation at the back of his mind that whispered how familiar this felt.
"Ven," she shouted after him.
Scrambling to a stop in front of the tall and lethargic figure, Ventus grabbed Terra's wrist. He didn't react, but Ventus didn't care. He could only smile up at his friend.
"Terra!" he shouted brightly. "We found you."
Listless and slow, Terra blinked and turned his face towards Ventus. His blue eyes seemed blank and empty compared to what Ventus remembered.
But it was all right. They found him. Ventus would help Terra and everything would be fine again. He knew it would be.
Aqua came up beside Ventus, one hand hovering in front of her chest anxiously as she stared at their long-absent friend. Her expression held an equal amount of hope and suspicion.
Quietly, she said, "Terra, please say you're in there."
He turned slightly to look at her. But there was something off about Terra's expression. Ventus couldn't quite explain it. The way Terra was looking at he just seemed different. And it kept sparking an uneasy sense of déjà vu.
Without warning, Aqua grabbed Ventus's shoulder and yanked him back. And kept dragging him back, her grip firm and desperate. Ventus tried to pull free as the others finally caught up.
"What gives, Aqua?" he asked as she finally let go and moved her arm protectively in front of Ventus.
Voice firm and cold, Aqua glared at the young man and said, "I know that you're not him." Shock and realization hit Ventus as she continued harshly, "Now let our friend go."
Stupid, stupid, stupid. He knew what they told him about what happened to Terra. He knew. And he didn't even consider it when he saw his friend.
Terra lowered his head with a smirk, no longer pretending. Because he wasn't Terra. His hair turned white, the change moving from the roots to the tips. And his body language shifted into something completely different.
Ventus fell into a combative stance and he saw the others mirror him. They didn't summon their Keyblades. Not yet. But they were preparing themselves.
"He is their thirteenth," said Mickey.
When he opened his eyes, Terra's familiar shade of friendly blue was gone. All that Ventus could see were golden eyes that belonged to Master Xehanort.
Aqua was raised to oppose darkness. To distrust it and those that sought it out. Master Eraqus taught all of them that lesson and most of her recent experiences only strengthened that mindset.
Not all, but most.
Which was why, when she saw Master Xehanort's eyes staring back at her from Terra's face and darkness started swirling and gathering around him, an unnerving chill ran up Aqua's spine even as she wanted to attack the monster controlling her friend.
"Today is the day you all lose," announced Not-Terra.
Glaring, she snapped, "What?"
"Before you even face the thirteen, every last one of you will be torn heart from body," he continued as he summoned his Keyblade. "But fear not. The χ-blade will still be forged."
Never. Aqua's posture settled into the same combative stance that kept her safe for so long in the Realm of Darkness. She would never let him forge the χ-blade. And she would never let him harm her friends.
Staring Not-Terra down, Sora said, "We're not going to lose to you."
Not-Terra smirked. Then he moved, too fast to see. A flash of motion out of the corner of her eye and—
A loud crash threw up a thick cloud of dust directly in front of Aqua and Ventus. It took a few moments before she could make out anything through the disturbed dust, but she saw Not-Terra's figure. Weapon raised and too close to Ventus. Far too close.
But there was another figure between them, weapon locked against the man's Keyblade. Coppery armor with a white cape. Familiar armor. It pressed hard against Not-Terra's Keyblade, Xehanort's Keyblade, with its own Keyblade. A weapon that she'd seen before briefly.
Aqua knew what she was seeing. It was impossible though.
"Who are you?" asked Not-Terra.
The armor pushed back harder against the man's weapon. Enough that Not-Terra was forced to take a step back to keep his balance.
Then, in an even, emotionless, and familiar voice, the armor said, "Got you, Xehanort."
It pushed back hard, forcing Not-Terra to leap up and back. Trying to get some distance. He landed solidly, panting slightly and staring with wide eyes even as he maintained a combative stance.
But she was only partially paying attention to the white-haired figure. Aqua couldn't look away from the armor. She knew that armor. She knew that voice. She even knew the Keyblade, so similar to Earthshaker. Her head knew it wasn't possible, but her heart seemed to believe.
"Terra?" she asked uncertainly.
Not his body. Xehanort stole that long ago. Not his heart. Didn't feel right either and his voice didn't hold enough emotions. But the armor seemed to contain a part of her friend. She couldn't deny it.
"This is impossible," said Not-Terra.
Stalking forward, the armor stated, "How I've waited for this moment."
The animated armor, Terra's armor, stopped a short distance away as Not-Terra prepared himself for attack. Then it snapped it's arm out and the Keyblade formchanged into something resembling a whip. The transformed weapon lashed forward and wrapped around the blade of Not-Terra's Keyblade.
Unsurprisingly, Not-Terra didn't relinquish his weapon. He tried to brace himself and pull free. The armor responded by twisting and yanking both Not-Terra and his Keyblade up, tossing them in the air. Only then did Not-Terra release the weapon and regain some control.
He twisted in midair before launching himself at his opponent. He dove towards the armor, clearly intent on destroying it personally.
The armor further formchanged his weapon, transforming the Keyblade as it began a shotlock. One that Aqua also recognized. She knew that shotlock and she knew that particular form for the Keyblade. Ultima Cannon. A giant blaster that the animated armor aimed towards the diving Not-Terra. The shocked and horrified expression on his face was appropriate. After all, Not-Terra couldn't change his trajectory in time to avoid the bright and powerful blast.
Aqua knew that she shouldn't take nearly that amount of pleasure from Not-Terra's scream of pain. But it was hard to scrounge up much sympathy for the source of so much suffering.
Not-Terra was knocked back by the beam, but managed to twist around in midair before summoning back his Keyblade. The animated armor charged forward before leaping up to meet him. Both combatants struck out in a swift and vicious series of blows, metal clanging as weapons clashed against each other.
Staring up at the scene with wide eyes, Ventus shouted, "Terra!"
He lunged forward, intent on helping somehow. But worry, a sickening feeling that something horrible happened to Ventus not that long ago, and a faint sound behind her that triggered a sense of danger ensured that Aqua reacted instantly. She grabbed his arm. Perhaps a bit roughly, but at least it stopped him.
"No, Ven," she said, tone firm.
Turning back towards her, he said, "But—"
Aqua directed his attention back towards the cliffs behind them. The approaching sounds quickly covered the fading noises of the retreating fight. Ven gasped at what she'd feared were coming.
"Them first," she said.
Hundreds of dark shapes came flying over the cliffs and stampeding through the narrow chasm. A second wave of Heartless to finish what the first assault failed to accomplish. Master Xehanort wanted them worn out and weakened before the true battles began. Perhaps even a few members extinguished completely; he did complain that they brought too many guardians of light.
The ground shook, making Aqua stumble. Darkness pooled on the ground, nearly liquid and foreboding as it seemed to deepen. Then a flailing tower of Heartless erupted from the pool. Aqua's breath hitched momentarily as she recognized it as something that belonged in the deepest depths of the Realm of Darkness. She'd fought such things before.
But Sora was already summoning his Keyblade and glaring at the Demon Tower without hesitation. And despite his age and lack of formal training, Aqua somehow knew that he could handle it. That somehow he was meant to do it. So Aqua swallowed her pride and surrendered control, two things that she found more difficult than she expected.
"We'll hold off the others," she said.
Shouting over the noise, Sora said, "Okay. We've got this."
Well, it looks like everyone is back just in time to fight yet another giant swarm of Heartless. And Sora is totally fine, right? Completely and absolutely fine. Pay no attention to the fact that three people who previously shared his heart are help holding him together. That is absolutely not a problem. Right?