Only a few chapters left. We are getting close to the end of this story. A few more fights and the Keyblade War will be over. And we'll see who survives.

The light was fading, day swiftly giving way to night and darkness. Shadows claimed the ancient structures. Ruins repurposed into a labyrinth to ensnare the guardians of light, leaving them scurrying and struggling. He sent most of his thirteen inside, among the twists and turns. He sent them to fight. But he kept back the last three. Waiting until it was time.

Master Xehanort stood on a tall stone pillar that loomed high above the surroundings, hands tucked behind his back. Seven lights and thirteen darknesses. That was what he required. Specifically, he required his thirteen darknesses to clash with seven different lights to forge the keys.

Clash. Not defeat. It didn't matter who won or lost the encounter. From the first moment that they clashed in battle during the Keyblade War, a key was forged and they came another step closer to the creation of the χ-blade.

Eleven keys existed so far.

Riku against his dark replica. Against Xigbar. And against Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness.

King Mickey against Larxene. Against Marluxia. Against Luxord. And against Xemnas.

Aqua against Terra's possessed body. Ventus against Vanitas.

Kairi against Saïx. Roxas against Vexen.

Those were the lights who struck the first blows against the different darknesses. Eleven clashes to create eleven keys. Six of the seven guardians of light had performed their duty. Nine of the darknesses were destroyed in the process so far, but it was worth it. All that remained was the upcoming fight between Master Xehanort's youngest self and one of the other Keyblade wielders.

Ansem and Xemnas's presence was inconsequential. Their keys had already been crafted. They would merely assist in weakening the opposition and ensuring that the plan continued properly. Though he didn't have to mention that fact to either them nor the guardians of light. A small lie would suffice. Claiming that he only had nine keys instead of eleven might be useful. There was no need to be completely honest.

He smirked quietly. They brought far too many guardians, but it provided options. Which heart would help forge the χ-blade and summon Kingdom Hearts? Xion, the replica who gained a mind of her own? Lea, the former Nobody who refused to die? Or Sora, the unremarkable boy who continued to overcome any obstacle or plan set in front of him? Which one would make it out of the maze first? Which one would cross blades with the youngest version of Xehanort?

In the end, it didn't really matter. Master Xehanort would ensure that the last two keys were created. And if the guardian to fight his youngest self turned out to be one of the previous six, then Master Xehanort could always target a seventh light himself. The χ-blade would be forged.

It had been etched.

"They are drawing near," said Young Xehanort.

Nodding, Master Xehanort said, "Then you, Ansem, and Xemnas should prepare yourselves. If you manage to defeat them, you must keep their hearts intact. Destroy their bodies and end their lives if you can, but their hearts must endure. Their absolute destruction would render the keys that have already been formed… useless. We need their hearts to craft the χ-blade. We do not require their souls."

After his journey through the Sleeping Worlds and learning how to use flowmotion to navigate, Sora started paying closer attention to vertical surfaces. Among other things. The difference between a scalable wall and an impassable obstacle was often a subtle one. He couldn't claim it was a matter of angle or traction. Sora couldn't explain it at all. All that he knew was sometimes he would look and he could simply tell that it would work.

Most of the weathered stone walls of the maze were useless to him. But then Sora came to what originally looked like a dead end. Another tall and thick obstacle that should have stopped him. It looked similar to every other wall of the maze. Except it might look a bit taller, though it was difficult to tell with the growing shadows of a night that came far too fast. There was nothing special about it.

But when Sora saw it, he knew.

Sora ran straight towards the wall and kept going. Up the vertical surface. As long as he remained in motion, gravity held no claim on him.

Ever since he gained the ability to high jump and Tinker Bell later sprinkled pixie dust on him, Sora had an interesting relationship with gravity. There was a reason why he could glide even away from Neverland. Flowmotion only made it more obvious.

When he reached the top, Sora took a moment to look around. The large raised stone platform reminded him of being on top of an ancient building's roof. The flat kind that he might see around Thebes once repairs were finished. And a little bit ahead of him were three familiar people with their backs to him.

"Riku! King Mickey!" he called before fumbling with the third person. "Riku's… friend? Sorry, I never got your name."

As the trio turned towards Sora, the replica grimaced and said, "That's fine. I don't exactly have an identity of my own. I've always shared Riku's name."

"It's on the list of things we still need to take care of," said Riku.

Coming to a stop next to them, Sora said, "Well, Roxas got his name by mixing around the letters of my name and adding an X. Or a Recusant's Sigil. Maybe you could try that without the Recusant's Sigil?"

"Maybe," said the replica slowly. "There are worse ideas."

"Yeah." Riku grinned before giving Sora a playful shove. "At least he didn't suggest something like Riku Jr."

That sparked off some quiet laughter and a knot of tension seemed to loosen somewhat. They needed that small moment. All of that stress and weariness was settling around the edges. Sora could feel the energy fading from Ventus, Roxas, and Xion. Time was running out. Sora wanted to savor the playful teasing and laughter with Riku while he still could, just like he savored that tight hug with Kairi.

"I found the others," he said after a moment. "Axel's a little battered and everyone is resting, but they're safe. We even got Terra back."

Smiling with relief, King Mickey said, "Golly, that's good to hear."

"Who's left for us to fight?" asked the replica.

A sudden shockwave sent dust flying, cutting off the conversation as everyone winced. Then they turned to look. A trio of very familiar faces walked towards them calmly.

Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness. Xehanort's Heartless.

Xemnas. Xehanort's Nobody.

And Young Xehanort. The time-traveling version of Xehanort from the farthest in the past.

When the trio came to a stop, Sora, Riku, and the replica fell into combative stances. King Mickey's attention was focused on the tall stone pillar beyond them. Perched high above, Master Xehanort watched smugly. That was all of them. All four of them were the remaining darknesses.

"It really is a shame that this is what counts as Keyblade wielders in this era," said Master Xehanort. "A failure whose Keyblade sought another heart when darkness overwhelmed him, a pale imitation of that failure, a king who cannot protect anyone in a decade of trying, and the unremarkable boy who was never destined for anything notable."

"Hey!" snapped Sora, more annoyed at the insult to his friends than anything that the old man believed about him.

"Settle down, boy. You don't need to be impressive to serve your role in the Keyblade War."

"It's Sora!"

"The thirteen darknesses and thirteen lights have clashed nine times," lectured Master Xehanort, holding out his hand, "yielding these nine keys."

He summoned a ring of Keyblades that floated, orbiting around the old man. They resembled his own Keyblade with the creepy staring eyes. They couldn't look more ominous if they tried.

"Keys?" asked King Mickey.

"We are four short…" Master Xehanort grinned down at them. "But those four keys will be produced here and now."

Stepping forward," Sora snapped, "Yeah, sure. And what makes you think there'd ever be any way we'd help you with that?"

"You forget I plan for every eventuality," he said, unconcerned by the boy's aggression. "We have already located the New Seven Hearts. And they can serve their purpose in my plan just as easily as the guardians of light. If you do not finish what you began, then they will pay the price instead." Shrugging, he said, "Of course, whether as a guardian of light or a Princess of Heart, at least one person's fate is sealed either way."

Kairi. Sora glared at him, hands tightening on his Keyblade. He hated any threat against his friends, but Kairi would always be a sensitive topic.

Marching forward, Riku said, "If you do summon Kingdom Hearts, we will defeat you and we will close it again."

"Perhaps," said Master Xehanort. "That is… if you survive that long."

And with that, the other three darknesses launched themselves forward. Riku and his replica met Xehanort's Heartless together. King Mickey's Keyblade struck against Xemnas's glowing Ethereal Blades. And Sora went after the youngest version of Xehanort.

He turned out to be a very versatile opponent. Young Xehanort could turn his Keyblade into a whip, giving him a longer range. He would often use it to try and ensnare Sora. He would also summon a small rift, using it to launch a whip attack through it to strike out from an unexpected direction. Other times, Young Xehanort would summon up a ring of icicles to launch at Sora. But after facing Vexen, he was prepared to deal with that. The biggest threat was when Young Xehanort would summon a circle of time. If Sora was in range, then time seemed to stop as Young Xehanort unleashed a series of rapid and nearly invisible attacks on his trapped target.

Sora quickly picked up the rhythm of Young Xehanort's strategies and adapted. He also caught glimpses of his friends falling into practiced patterns against the other two. None of them were new when it came to fighting. Even the replica seemed to know how to study his opponent and learn to handle the assortment of attacks.

Just when it seemed like they had a firm grip on the battle and their opponents, Master Xehanort snapped his hand out from his high perch. And he summoned a similar storm to what Vanitas created. Swirling dust and wind swept across the battlefield. He sent forth a stream of old Keyblades, rusty and dull. They slammed forward and tore the group apart.

It didn't last long. But as the storm scattered them, it left Sora fighting all three alone. He couldn't afford to stay still. Sora twisted, dodged, and leapt out of the way of their attacks. He drove them back with a few Thundagas.

But the storm could not last forever. And once it passed, the others leapt back into the fight. Which let Sora focus his strength on one opponent.

He struck hard and fast. Rapid combos to drive his opponent back. And while it wasn't easy, Sora felt something eventually give way.

A pillar of darkness erupted skywards. And the young version of Xehanort stumbled to his hands and knees, laughing loudly.

"What's so funny?" asked Sora.

"I told you. There's a high price to pay for this," said Young Xehanort.

"And what price do you think I wouldn't pay?" he asked solemnly.

Shaking his head as he stood up, Young Xehanort said, "I'll go back to my time and live my life. But Sora," he said, grinning sharply, "you're done now. Your journey ends here."

"Not quite yet," said Sora, his voice firm despite everything.

The darkness streaming off him thickening, Young Xehanort said, "Good-bye, Sora. Your time… in this world is—"

His words cut off suddenly as he disappeared in a flare of darkness. Returning to the past where he belonged. Destined to live out his life until he became the old man watching the battle from above.

Fighting alongside his replica felt as natural as breathing. As if they were extensions of each other. It reminded him of working together with Mickey, but not quite. Riku knew how the replica would attack and knew how to support him.

But once Sora rejoined the fight, they split. The replica moved to help the king with Xemnas while Riku and Sora paired up. Which was good because when the youngest version of Xehanort disappeared, the others became more aggressive.

Once Young Xehanort disappeared, Ansem launched spheres of light that extended into beams that slashed across the battlefield. Then, he released a cage of claws that managed to hit Sora, launching him into the air and causing him to be caught by Xemnas's rolling attack before the king and the replica could block it. The assault would have likely gotten worse if Riku didn't manage to get in close and disrupt things.

Ansem might not be as powerful or as deadly as he was when Sora faced him years ago when he tried to claim Kingdom Hearts, but Riku wasn't foolish enough to underestimate him. He would create violet spheres of light that launched lasers, spheres that generated a damaging barrier, and a cage of dark claws that burst from the ground. He maintained a large variety of tricks that pushed them to their limits.

But Sora and Riku had been best friends for their entire lives. The synchronization between Riku and his replica or between him and Mickey was only matched by his ability to work with Sora. Abilities only sharpened by their experiences during the Mark of Mastery exam.

As one went low, the other went high. They took turns casting Thundaga to clear a path for the other one to dart forward to strike. When Xehanort's Heartless tried to get some distance from Sora, Riku was right there to meet him. And when they caught him in the middle, they trapped him with quick spells that stunned him in place.

It wasn't a single strike. Both of them hit together, causing darkness to spew skywards from Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness.

He clutched his chest and staggered back a step, gasping in shock. He looked down at his hand as darkness started trailing off. He didn't seem upset. Merely contemplative.

Taking a step towards him, Riku said, "Ansem…"

"What… a journey you and I have had…," he said slowly, gesturing towards Riku.

"You know," he said, quiet and thoughtful, "it's strange. I think I'm going to miss you."

Riku didn't like him. He didn't forgive him. But Ansem's existence had shaped and defined Riku's life for the last couple of years. It would be impossible to imagine what he would have been like if Ansem never offered to show Riku the outside world and led him into the darkness.

Missing him didn't mean liking him or wanting Ansem to stay. Only that it would odd.

But he didn't need Ansem to define his life anymore. Riku pulled his fist to his chest, watching the Heartless fade as he slipped back towards his own time. He could forge his own life without his influence or corruption.

"Your strength is vaster than darkness," said Ansem, almost sounding proud. "I knew I never stood a chance. Part of me wanted to defy my fate… But when the others betrayed us, I found I did not care. And then, nothing else seemed to matter anymore."

His voice quiet, Sora said, "Ansem…"

"What?" Gasping tiredly, he said, "It is time to move on, boy…" Ansem looked at Sora as the darkness came off in thicker streams. "There is more to seek… so go forth now," he said, straightening up and spreading his arms, "and seek it…"

And with that, he dissolved away and disappeared into the past. Riku and Sora took a moment to exchange silent looks. Then they turned and charged back into the fray.

The fight became incredibly one-sided when the only opponent left on the battlefield was Xemnas. Sora would almost pity the Nobody. But he knew that they needed to hurry and finish the fight. He knew that he was running out of time. The sense of urgency kept pushing him. Sora couldn't hold back.

Xemnas didn't give up. He was proving to be the fastest and most aggressive out of the trio, making it harder to land a combo. When he realized that he was alone, he tried firing several laser-based attacks that surrounded Riku's replica before following with a swift rolling attack against King Mickey. He launched energy balls towards Riku and created orbs that fired more lasers. He teleported around the battlefield. And he kept falling back on a rapid slashing blade combo that he spun around him before unleashing a burst of energy to knock them back.

But in the end, he was outnumbered four-to-one. With Sora, Riku, his replica, and the king concentrating solely on him, they tore through his defenses and swiftly wore down his remaining strength. And far more quickly than the other two, something gave way and darkness erupted into a towering pillar.

Xemnas stared down at his hands, watching himself unraveling and coming apart.

"Bested… yet again…"

"I know that you have a heart," said Sora, gently pleading. He touched his chest. "What do you feel? Was it worth it?"

"I feel… the emptiness where my companions once stood. I took them for granted," he said slowly. "And now, I have… nothing. My first surge of emotion in years… for as long as I can remember…," said Xemnas, breathing heavily, "and it's… loneliness. Do you see? A heart is just pain."

He turned away with that last sentence. Xemnas looked resigned as he stared into the distance.

"Pain is being human, Xemnas," said Sora, touching his chest as he remembered his own past heartache.

Emotions might hurt sometimes, but they were worth it. Being human and having a heart was worth that pain. Making connections with other people and feeling everything that came with that experience made life worth living.

Xemnas glanced over his shoulder. Darkness streamed off him as he gave Sora a look that he couldn't quite recognize.

"Really?" he asked quietly. "It must take…," he said, turning his eyes towards the night sky, "incredible strength."

And with those soft words, Xemnas dissolved away. His form fading into darkness as his barely-regrown heart returned to his own time. Going back to the past for Riku and Sora to fight at the World That Never Was.

Time travel. Sora wasn't a fan of it. Not after all of this.

It wasn't over. They were panting heavily, their postures were slumped, and Sora could feel his limbs buzzing with adrenaline. And he could feel the shared strength from the others weakening. Time was running out, but it wasn't over.

The newly forged keys joined the circling group, orbiting Master Xehanort. He looked proudly at his work.

"Twelve keys we have now," he announced. Master Xehanort summoned his actual Keyblade to his hand. "Leaving just one more!"

He held his weapon up. A jagged beam of light shot up towards the dark and cloudy sky. Something glowed bright, breaking through as the clouds started swirling. Sora stared as he realized what was forming high above them.

Kingdom Hearts was manifesting.

"Now, Sora," he shouted. "Darkness and light's final clash."

"And why would he?" asked Riku's replica, stepping forward. "You're the only one left. How do you plan to make us do anything by yourself? Or how would you go after the Princesses of Heart alone? Without the others, you can't force us to continue."

Nodding, Riku said, "He's right. You can't make us fight you. Not anymore."

"Can't I?" he asked with a smirk. "You require motivation to continue? Then so be it."

With a sharp gesture, Master Xehanort summoned back up the swirling dust storm and the swarming rusty Keyblades. Sora threw up his arm to block the wind and grit. He could barely see anything in front of him. It was worse than before when they were fighting.

A flash of movement to his left. Towards the replica. Sora moved before he realized what he was doing. His Keyblade met another, blocking the blow from hitting Riku's replica. And Master Xehanort smirked right in his face before vanishing in a swirl of darkness.

Horrified realization wrapped around Sora as he felt his stomach dropped. He'd just given the old man exactly what he wanted. Another clash.

The storm fell just as suddenly as it began. And Master Xehanort reappeared back on top of the pillar. He grinned towards the sky.

"I have done it!" he announced.

Sora exchanged stunned looks with the replica as two shapes dashed past them. Riku and King Mickey bounded and ran up the stone structure. But Master Xehanort was ready for the assault, deflecting Riku's strike with practiced ease.

"Ultima!" shouted King Mickey.

"Stopza!" he shouted back.

The powerful opposing spells clashed, struggling against each other. But the brief stalemate lasted only a moment. Xehanort's spell overcame the king's and the Stopza flared out. The magic engulfed both Riku and King Mickey, halting them as time froze them in midair.

Continuing as if they never tried to interrupt him, Master Xehanort said, "Now… The Keyblade War will finally reach its conclusion!"

He started floating among the forged keys. They spun around him faster, orbiting the old man as he pointed his Keyblade at Kingdom Hearts. And with a shift of power, the forged keys vanished and the Keyblade in his hand transformed into a strange new form. It appeared as if it was made up of two crossing Kingdom Keys, with the teeth facing outward. It had a bluish-yellow filigree that slightly resembles the one on the Ultima Weapon. And there was a feeling of power that Sora could feel radiating from it even at a distance.

The χ-blade.

"The χ-blade is complete," said Xehanort as Sora stared in horror. "Kingdom Hearts. I call upon your true form. Open now and show me the World to come."

He floated above the pillar as a dark beam shot from the χ-blade, mirroring the way Sora's Keyblade could fire out a bright light. The darkness struck Kingdom Hearts and began to spread across the surface. Corrupting it. Darkness started raining down and radiating out from the corrupted form of Kingdom Hearts.

Kingdom Hearts was meant to be light. Not this…

Sora dropped to his knees, waves of horror and dread washing over him as he stared up at the darkening shape. The ultimate sign of their failure. Everything that they'd struggled and fought to achieve had failed in the end.

He was faintly aware of the replica stepping back. Then two figures drew close, one on each side of him. They touched Sora's shoulders briefly before reaching to help him up.

"Hey, don't give up," said Donald as they pulled him to his feet.

Goofy added, "We thought ya might be able to use a couple a' more half-pints."

"Donald…," said Sora quietly. "Goofy…"

Stepping in front of him, Donald said in a gently teasing tone, "Typical. You can't do anything without us, Sora."

Sora chuckled quietly as he swiped at the wetness on his face. They'd been by his side through so much over the last few years. It already felt less hopeless than it did a moment before. Goofy placed a hand on his shoulder, supportive and encouraging. The same steadfast strength that kept him going through everything. Even in those days where it seemed like he would never find Kairi or Riku, the two of them were with him. Only during that brief time at Hollow Bastion did they leave him, but they came back to Sora when he needed them.

He needed them now. He needed their encouragement, their support, and their friendship. And they were ready to give him what he needed without needing to be asked.

"Now wipe those tears," said Goofy, "and let's go stop Master Xehanort."

Quiet and hesitant, Sora said, "Yeah… but… he controls Kingdom Hearts now."

"What? Scared of losing?" asked Riku's replica. "We know you better than that."

"And you're not alone."

Sora turned at Roxas's voice. He, Xion, Lea, and Kairi approached them as a small cluster. Behind them was Aqua, Terra, and Ventus. It would be easy to miss, but there was a slight weariness in the faces of Roxas, Xion, and Ventus. They couldn't completely hide it when Sora knew to look for the signs.

"Guys," said Sora.

In a casual tone, Lea said, "Sorry we took so long. A few overprotective Keyblade wielders worry too much."

Sora had to agree with their concern. The former Nobody didn't exactly look great, but he looked better. The rest had done Lea some good.

"Master Xehanort…," growled Terra in quiet anger, glaring up at the levitating figure high above.

Equally soft, Aqua said, "He did it. He opened Kingdom Hearts."

Ventus looked towards her. He seemed more determined than furious.

"So, what now?" he asked.

There was no answer immediately forthcoming. Aqua's head dropped in resignation. Sora ended up doing the same after a moment. He hadn't given up yet. There had to be a way to fix things. He just didn't know how.

A brief flash of light and Stopza ended. Which freed Riku and King Mickey from the powerful spell. Both of them landed lightly on the ground with practiced ease. Then the pair ran towards the others.

"We've still got one hope," said King Mickey.

"Your Majesty," called Sora. "Riku. Are you okay?"

Sliding to a stop in front of him, the king said, "We're fine."

"Yeah." Riku braced himself to receive Kairi's quick and worried tackle-hug. "Frustrated, but unharmed."

He returned the hug awkwardly. Sora was vaguely aware of a couple people glancing between Riku and his replica, but no one interrupted. There were some things that no one interrupted and one of Kairi's hugs was one such thing.

Once Kairi freed Riku once more, Ventus asked, "What hope?

Gesturing slightly, Riku said, "It's Xehanort. During the Mark of Mastery exam, we learned that he can transcend space and time." He paused a moment, glancing up at the ominous floating figure who was too entranced by the corrupted Kingdom Hearts to spare them any attention. "He's a portal. And we can use that to trap him."

A portal. It made a certain amount of sense. He'd been scattered, combined, and dragged all across time. And portals were used to pass between different versions of worlds, just as there were different versions of Xehanort. And Sora knew that people could be used to create portals. Joshua said that he used Rhyme's dreams as a portal. Besides, were worlds that much different than people? Both had hearts. If they could use a normal portal to move between worlds, then Riku's plan should work. They could force him away from Kingdom Hearts and stop Master Xehanort once and for all.

Nodding, King Mickey said, "But it won't be easy. Aqua? Riku? I'll need your help if we're going to push Xehanort out of this world."

"Understood," she said with a nod before stepping forward.

But before she could go any farther, Sora jogged in front of her. He knew what needed to be done.

"Wait. I'll do it."

"What?" asked Riku.

Turning to address the others, Sora said, "Kingdom Hearts is a much bigger threat. Let me handle Xehanort… while you guys keep it shut."

Sora had another reason though. Another reason to fight Master Xehanort instead of leaving someone else to do it. They'd already risked and suffered too much. All of them. He didn't want to risk anyone else's lives. Master Xehanort was dangerous. Especially with the χ-blade in his possession. But it didn't matter what happened to Sora. Unlike the others, he had nothing left to lose.

Besides, there was this quiet anger burning deep down. He needed to stop Master Xehanort. He'd done enough harm.

King Mickey looked at Sora with a worried expression. But he gave the tiniest nod of agreement, a gesture that the others mirrored.

"Okay, Sora," he said.

"So… no one is going to talk about the two versions of Riku?" asked Lea awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Sure… Okay. Got it. At least it isn't another kid that looks a bit like Sora."

Chuckling quietly before clutching a fist to his chest, Sora said, "I got this."

He could do this. One more fight and then he would be finished. Sora walked forward. A few seconds later, he noticed with mild surprise that he wasn't alone. Two familiar and welcome figures walked with him, framing Sora between them as they stalked towards the edge of the platform.

"You can't forget about us," said Donald.

"Without Keyblades," added Goofy, "it's not like we'll be much help here."

Donald shushed him, mildly annoyed at him ruining the moment. A smile twitched on Sora's face. They stopped, placing their hands together on top of one another.

"Three half-pints together again," said Sora.

All for one and one for all. One more time.

The other smiled at the exchange. After a moment, Terra stepped forward. His posture was filled with determined resolve. The same strong will that animated his armor for over a decade.

"Let's move," he said firmly. "The darkness is spreading."

Sora nodded as he and everyone else summoned their Keyblades. Then Kairi suddenly ran forward. Sora braced himself as she tackled him, her free arm wrapping around him while letting her weapon dangle at her side. The tight hug betrayed her emotions.

"Please be careful," she whispered in his ear. "I feel like I'm about to lose you. Please don't make us lose you."

Hugging her back and pushing down the brief surge of guilt, Sora said, "I'll see you again. I promise."

The hug ended sooner than he wished, but they didn't have much time. Not with how fast and far the darkness was trying to spread. Kairi stepped back and Sora turned around, looking back towards Master Xehanort. Everyone raised their Keyblades up. Sora spun his weapon, twisting it like he was locking a door. The tip glowed with the gathered light and power.

"Do it!" shouted Sora.

He aimed at Master Xehanort. All the Keyblades sent beams of light skywards. Most of them shot towards Kingdom Hearts. But Sora's beam twisted and narrowed, racing towards a smaller target. Master Xehanort turned just in time for the bright beam to impale the man.

A pink crystalline sphere, similar to the portals that Sora glimpsed in the Sleeping Worlds, formed at the impact point of Master Xehanort's chest. It drove a startled gasp out of him.

"What?"

Donald and Goofy grabbed Sora's shoulders, holding tight as he kept aiming his Keyblade at Master Xehanort and the portal. They glowed and shot up like a beam of light themselves. It felt strange, but Sora had dealt with stranger. They drove themselves and Master Xehanort through the portal. An indescribable sensation that he had experienced before.

It took a while for his surroundings to settle and solidify. But once Sora's vision cleared, he found himself still clustered close to Donald and Goofy. Master Xehanort was nowhere in sight.

"Whoa," said Sora, craning his neck to take in everything. "Where are we?"

There was water. Perhaps enough to be considered an ocean. And scattered around were islands or artificial-looking landmasses that rose in almost uniform pyramid shapes, covered in white buildings. Neat, organized, and clean white buildings with gondolas moving up the incline and with gently spinning windmills. The decorative paving stones covered the paths. Keyhole-shaped doors and decorations hinted that Keyblade wielders were known in this world. He could see fenced-in artificial parks on top of some of the buildings, streetlamps, and other various little details that painted a story of the people who should have lived there. But the city seemed deserted at first glance. Beautiful in an almost unnaturally perfect way, but empty.

They'd found themselves standing on a tiny off-shoot that stuck out into the water. On the Destiny Islands, they would have used it as a natural pier. Instead, a short fence ran around it. Likely a protective measure to keep someone from tumbling into the water.

"It's beautiful," said Goofy.

Muttering grumpily, Donald said, "Admire it another time."

"Right," said Sora, growing focused again. "We need to find Master Xehanort."

He had to be close. They had to finish. They might have delayed things by pushing him to this place, but time was running out. And Sora had to stop him and get back to the others. He promised Kairi. He promised that he would see her again and he needed to survive long enough to keep that promise.

"Yeah," said Donald and Goofy in unison, both of them prepared to face the old man and whatever threats that might lie ahead.

Holding their weapons at the ready, the trio carefully walked towards the empty city.

The only one left is Master Xehanort. The final confrontation is coming up. It is hard to believe how far this story has come. But I'm glad that people seem to be enjoying it. It is always nice to hear it when someone lies my story.