Chapter 32

"Here we are, at the edge of darkness!"

King Mickey pointed to the tunnel near him. Riku stared at it, feeling dread.

"Who is in there?"

"Well, we should both be near Aqua. She should be somewhere nearby. Are you ready to go?"

Riku nodded, running to the tunnel. As he ran in the tunnel, the floor below him illuminated. Riku kept running, noting the darkness surrounding him.

"How much time will it take to reach her?" asked Riku.

"It will take a few minutes until we reach the beach," replied Mickey.

"Wha-" Riku stopped. In front of him, the pathway was split in half. One looked like it was going upwards, while the other one was a curved path.

"Which path do we choose?" asked Riku. Suddenly, a light orb appeared on the curved path.

"Hurry. Let's follow it!"

Riku chased after the orb, going down the path until he reached a platform. The orb disappeared as heartless appeared. Many of these "Shadows" have begun advancing towards Riku. The keyblade master took down the heartless with ease. The light manifested itself into something humanoid, holding a keyblade.

"That shape..." Riku recognized the form it was in. In the realm of sleep, he encountered some armored creature. This being in front of him had a similar aura to that being. It rushed to Riku, but he was prepared, side-stepping his foe. Before it could attack, Riku hit its sternum, propelling it down to darkness.

"Where did it go?" asked Mickey.

"Stay on guard!" Riku looked around him, noticing that the heartless were apprehensive, staying far from the fight. Suddenly, the being flew up, gathering energy to its keyblade and locking on to Riku.

"Look out!" Mickey threw light energy blasts at the being, staggering him. Riku held up his right hand, shouting, "Sora!"

Riku had another keyblade in his left hand, the soul keyblade. He ran towards the being, slicing its armor off it.

Underneath that armor was light. Riku realized that this being was from the light, but what could it be?

The creature fled, leaving Riku and Mickey.

"Wow...what was that?" asked Riku.

"Whatever it is, it can't be good," replied Mickey. "We better find Aqua."

They kept going until they reached a beach. Riku recognized this place, as Sora and he stayed there until the door to light showed up. They kept walking down the beach, talking to each other.

"So, your majesty...what were you doing before I showed up in Yen Sid's castle?"

"I was looking into several things. I went with Yourichi, the woman from Ichigo's place. We found that the neithermen were taking over more and more worlds. As each world got taken over, the characters there kept repeating certain events, staying at a stalemate."

"Ichigo had a theory on that," said Riku. "He believes that the multiverse is in full affect, along with paradoxes and such."

"Well...that can't be good. This journey keeps getting more and more complicated," said Mickey.

"No matter what, we can do this."

"That's the spirit, Riku!"

The duo spotted some light in front of them.

"More of these creatures, huh?" Riku raised his keyblade, preparing to battle. The creatures were still, poised to run.

Suddenly, a man's voice was heard. Riku and Mickey hid behind a rock.

"My minions," began the voice, "We do not mess around with darkness. Search for that library and do not disappoint me!"

One of the creatures resembled a human with the keyblade armor. It raised its voice. "Sir, we have other enemies down here. Some keyblade wielders attacked one of us."

"Keyblade wielders?!" The man was shocked. "Did you recognize one of them?"

"Sir, Actis recognized the one with the ears. King Mickey, I presume."

"This doesn't change our plans by much. It seems that we have keyblade masters that are here for some reason."

"Sir, it isn't her, is it...?"

"Aqua didn't sire a master." Mickey gasped, and Riku was forced to put his had over Mickey's mouth. "My own student has been in these depths for over a decade. We will find her, and make her reveal the secrets that she obtained."

"What should we do, sire?" asked the humanoid being.

"You stay with me, Zeno," said the man. "The rest of you, disperse through the realm of darkness and destroy the darkness!"

The beings left. Riku and Mickey got up from the rocks.

"What was that all about?" asked Riku.

"If you ask me, we have got more trouble. That man must be a keyblade wielder - maybe even a keyblade master. He is preparing for the keyblade war, and he is looking for Aqua."

"Well, we just have to find her first." Riku ran across the beach, only to see another figure in a black coat.

"Looking for someone?" said the figure.

"That voice..." Riku remembered his voice. "You sound like...ANSEM!"

"Yes...that must be my name..." said the figure.

"You must have forgotten what happened," said Mickey. "My old friend, are you alright?"

"Yes. I have been here, hidden by the darkness and lost to the world of light. I met a keyblade master while I was here. She will be here anytime now."

"Anytime? Where was she?"

"Hiding. Those creatures were chasing her, but she was clever. She is looking for more information on those things."

"Do you know what these things are?" asked Riku.

"All I know is that those beings of light were created from that man that you just saw. He is able to manipulate light and hates the darkness."

Footsteps were heard, and a girl with blue hair appeared. "Who are-"

"AQUA!" Mickey leaped into her arms. She was surprised, yet happy.

"Good to see you, old friend. How have you been?"

"I am well! How have you been?"

"Your majesty," interrupted Riku, "I am sensing another presence near us. We have to-"

"Don't worry. That presence belongs to an ally of mine." Aqua raised her hand, and the figure emerged. He had a sword on his back, and his black hair matched his brown eyes.

"It's good to see you again, Riku," said Aqua. "You have grown."

"Thank you. You look well too."

"Yeah, ignore the shinigami," muttered the man.

"Oh, sorry-"

"I'm just kidding! My name is Isshin Kurosaki, and I am the ex-captain of Squad Eleven."

"You wouldn't be related to a Ichigo, wouldn't you?" asked Mickey.

"He is my son!" exclaimed Isshin. "How is he doing?"

"He left for some place." Riku closed his eyes, sensing two figures approaching to their destination. Aqua sensed this as well, raising her keyblade before the two figures appeared.

"Well, Aqua..." The man returned. He has black hair, brown eyes, and a light brown skin complexion, but what Riku noticed was the sword on his hand. It was a master's keyblade.

"Master Eraquis!" Aqua stared her former master down. "What are you doing?"

"In good time. Forgive me, but I need to know your true power."

The other figure, Zeno, stepped forward towards Aqua, but Isshin blocked his way.

"Sorry pal, but I ain't letting you through!"

"Very well then." The warrior sounded sad. "Prepare to be...erased."