The doors hidden within the rock face glowed a brilliant blue soon after Riku spoke a string of Elven words. Rather used to seeing things like that, Riku casually walked up, pushing the doors open. He glanced back when he didn't hear footsteps behind him to see Sora and Kairi still rather awestruck.
"Well, come on, let's go before the magic fades," he said, motioning them to follow with his finger.
As they followed Riku inside, they both jumped as the doors suddenly closed behind them, making the horse whinny. The sound rumbled and reverberated through the stone wall, getting fainter as it moved away, echoing off the mountains. They were met by a hall of trees perfectly lining a path. The branches overhead wove together creating a terrace like canopy and allowed some of the faint moonlight in. Sora had been expecting some kind of grand place full of trees and Elven architecture, and well, elves of course! However, as they drew closer to the main center, it was..a lot smaller than he'd imagine the Elven kingdom to be. They went past a small, village like residential area, heading towards a tower that was the highest building there. A few elves walked amongst the trees, turning their way and immediately bowing when they spotted Riku, though Sora noticed that not all of them showed reverence.
"Hey, Riku..don't take this the wrong way, but is this it? This place seems really small," Sora whispered once he caught up to him.
"This isn't our original home. It is simply a retreat, a safe place." Sora and Kairi both jumped at the new voice that definitely wasn't Riku's. Riku simply turned towards an elf that walked up from the trees. A red scarf wrapped around his neck hid the bottom half of his face, carrying a sword on his back that was..intimidating to say the least.
"I thought you'd hear us coming, Cloud." Sora and Kairi seemed to relax some seeing that Riku knew him, though they still stuck close behind him.
"Seems your mission was successful. Did you have any run ins with the enemy at all?" He glanced at the unconscious Xion being carried on the horse. "Well, guess that answers my question."
"Well, since you're here." Riku carefully picked up Xion and handed her to Cloud. "Could you take her to the healers. I have her under binding sleep, so there should be no trouble."
"I suppose, but why all the trouble to save her?" Cloud begrudgingly carried her. He gave him a look that was "you're lucky you're the prince."
"Because I consider her a friend, and I know she probably isn't on their side willingly," Kairi interjected. Mustering some courage, she stood right in between Riku and Cloud, crossing her arms to give off more intimidation.
"Hmph, whatever. I'll take your word for it. O myr kaer saes sai si toradaer." He turned to Riku as he spoke in Elvish and took his leave. Sora noticed he heard only the faintest sound of footsteps as he walked.
"Well, he could've been nicer about it," Kairi said with a huff.
"Don't mind him. Let's keep going. My mission isn't done until you're both safe in the citadel." Riku had to admit, he was a bit sad for this little adventure to be over. He was even starting to get attached to them..maybe just a bit.
As they kept going, Sora felt a weight in his stomach, remembering what Cloud had briefly said about this not being the original kingdom. If that was the case, what had happened? Is this really all that was left of the elves? Now that they were here, he needed to find out the truth from Riku once and for all.
As they neared the small citadel, Sora noticed Aqua standing by the entrance, remembering her from before.
"Riku, how do you say hi in Elvish?" he quickly asked while they were still far away.
"Caelai." It was difficult to be annoyed when Sora gave him such a cute face whenever he asked.
"Caelai, Aqua!" Sora shouted seconds after Riku told him the word.
Aqua laughed whimsically, waving at them. "Caelai, Sora, Kairi. Welcome to the new Elven Kingdom." She beckoned them to follow her inside. Riku walked alongside her, both of them conversing quietly.
"Oli si'vi pyli shor Terra, saji Sora eil Kairi sai si taestysia tastaes."
"Eir o shor."
"They're talking about us," Sora whispered to Kairi, still wishing he was able to understand them.
"I'm sure they'll fill us in eventually. If not, you know I'll get answers from Riku." She wore a cunning grin, bumping her fist against her other hand.
"You know you can be pretty intimidating sometimes, Kairi." Sora followed it up with a nervous chuckle. "But, I have a lot of questions for him too."
The center room was open air with an opening up on the roof, revealing the full moon high in the sky. A gentle breeze wafted in through the narrow gaps that lined the walls of the spherical room. The architecture was incredible with walls that seemed to spiral up towards the top of the tower gilded in gold and crystal. In the middle of the floor was a large, pale crystal that reflected the moon's light in a rainbow of colors. Sora recalled Riku teaching him a few of the main crystals they used. This must've been a moonstone.
"Welcome, Sora and Kairi." They both stood up straight at the sudden voice, seeing a young man standing by the moonstone. At the sound of elf king, Sora had expected some intimidating, important elf, but this guy seemed kind and warm at least from the looks of him. Small braids were woven in his dark brown hair. As they walked closer, he noticed a few scars etched onto his face: he had seen battle that was for sure. "You can just call me Terra. No need for formalities."
"Terra, then, so why exactly were we brought here? Riku was..a bit vague about it," Kairi spoke up.
"Right, we can tell you everything now that you're somewhere safe. We wanted to start rescuing those in the sleeping kingdoms before Xehanort had a chance to. Where you were before, it may have seemed like a safe place at least from the monsters, but the followers of Xehanort could still very well infiltrate it, so we sent Riku as soon as possible. Thank you for getting them here safely. Is the new keyblade working out well?" He turned to Riku who acknowledged him with a nod.
"My mission is done. I'll rest for a bit and continue on to the next kingdom. Should be Twilight Realm, right?" Riku's voice had changed some from the kinder voice he used to talk to Sora, much more down to business.
"Yeah, but there's no need to rush. Take some time to yourself." Terra dismissed him with a nod.
As Riku turned to leave, he stopped when Sora suddenly called out his name. "Wait, Riku! We're not just going to part ways here, are we?"
"You'll see all the answers you're searching for..about me..about all that's going on. I'm just going to get some rest." He kept his back turned to them and kept on walking down a hall to the side.
"Riku.." Sora reached out as if that was going to stop him, watching him disappear around the corner.
"You said this was the 'new kingdom.' What happened to the old one?" Kairi spoke up, figuring right now it was best to get some answers.
"Yes, our numbers used to be great, but you've probably noticed that this doesn't look much like a kingdom." Terra placed a hand over his heart, eyes cast down towards the ground. The shimmering moonstone glimmered in his blue eyes. "In the Hall of Memories, you will see the events that have led up to the present, but I'll go over it briefly. In the past, elves had always been closer to magic and nature. With that knowledge, we were able to forge weapons that infused magic and the power of our own hearts: the keyblades. However, as contact with humans became more and more frequent, they also learned this, and so, we formed alliances. There was a city that held this alliance strong for all keyblade fighters: Scala ad Caelum. The old Elven kingdom was called Radiant Garden. However, as Xehanort gained power and followers, he waged a war that tore the alliance apart. It tore the alliance city apart as well as Radiant Garden since us elves rebelled. The ones that remained, fled to the Lucid Mountains here, and we formed this safe haven. In the aftermath, we could only bide time. Our old master, he worked with the princes and princesses of the different kingdoms and basically cast a binding sleep spell to seal the kingdoms away and keep them safe. You two come from one of those kingdoms. You were put to sleep, but now it seems that spell is wearing off since you obviously woke up." Terra kept himself from revealing too much. After all, the seers would show them, but a precursor to it would help.
"And..that's why we can't remember much? I can get bits and pieces from my dreams." Sora was still in the process of going through all that he said. Had all that really happened..and he had just slept through it?
"Yes, it will take time, but eventually your memories will return. For now, Aqua will show you to the Hall of Memories. You will see visions of the past and maybe even the future. You're connected to Riku in a special way. That's part of the reason I sent him to you both. I'll warn you. The things you may see, might not be pleasant, but it's necessary."
"We're both here to talk to if you need. I'll..try to get Riku in a better mood if I can," Aqua said and motioned for them to follow her. Sora and Kairi bowed to Terra before walking off. They both stayed quiet as they were led through winding halls and courtyards. What were they going to be shown, and why was it not going to be pleasant? Sora put on a brave face, but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking.
The Hall of Memories was in an underground cavern beneath a small hill. Torches of blue fire lit the way into the tunnel that opened up into a large, cathedral like chamber. Different murals lined the walls, going up into different tiered levels. In the middle of the ground floor was another gigantic crystal. This one was clear, shining with the light of the torches.
"This is a clear quartz crystal. We've used them for a long time to see into ourselves and look back at the past and into the future. They reflect the light within all of us," Aqua explained. "There is also a mural the seers painted when we first came here. It's the reason we knew to seek you out and who to send."
The mural was right across from the quartz crystal and by far the largest one. Sora and Kairi both gasped as they saw themselves with Riku as well. Kairi stood in the middle, her keyblade pointed to the ground as she rested her hands on it. On either side of her were Sora and Riku with their present keyblades. They knelt on one knee, and all of them had their eyes closed.
"It was odd because at the time this was painted, Riku still had his old keyblade, and this obviously depicts his current one. It seems you three were destined to come together in some way."
Sora walked closer, placing his hand on the smooth surface of the cavern wall. "Wow, this is amazing..and weird too. Riku and I kind of look like your knights, Kairi," Sora chuckled, keeping his eyes glued to the mural.
"Well, I am the best after all," Kairi teased back, seeming to be just as mesmerized as Sora.
"When you're both ready, we can begin the process of recollection. It won't show you everything, just glimpses of past events, especially with people you were close to. I'm not entirely sure what it'll show you. It's different for everyone, but it should help you understand the bigger picture." Aqua gestured to the quartz crystal. A few of the seers, dressed in cloaks that covered their faces, stood around it, preparing for the ritual.
Sora and Kairi looked at each other for a moment, as if checking to make sure the other was ready before nodding.
"I want to see the truth, even if it might be painful. I want to know more about Riku. So I can know why he seems so distant." One of the seers gestured them towards the crystal. Taking a deep breath, Sora took Kairi's hand as they both walked over, sitting in front of it.
"He's been through a lot is all I can say. You'll see the rest."
As instructed, Sora placed a hand on the crystal as the seers began a chant, closing the circle around them. Closing his eyes, Sora felt a rush of warmth flood into him from the crystal. The power of it alone made him want to pull his hand away, but he grit his teeth and kept his hand firmly in place. The feeling was much like being underwater. He could breathe, but his breaths were slow and deep. The ground seemed to disappear beneath him, and he was nothing more than a floating entity in a vast sea of darkness. For a while, there was nothing but void with specks of light here and there. Eventually, one light grew larger and larger until his whole being was engulfed by it. The scene before him was much like watching something unfold as he floated above only with no corporeal body of his own. All around was what looked to once be a great city with spiraling towers and buildings as far as the eye could see. However, the once stark white walls were covered in soot and ash. Most of the towers were crumbling apart, breaking the silence whenever a large piece fell off and shattered on the ground. There were people about, but their eyes were filled with fear. They glanced around fervently everytime they were about to round a corner as if something were chasing them. He spotted someone who looked very familiar, especially that silvery hair. Riku! It was strange. Here, his hair was long, flowing past his shoulders. The harsh wind blew it around here and there. The keyblade in its scabbard was much smaller than the one he currently wielded. As he walked, his face was a mix of guilt and anger. However, he stopped in his tracks as another approached him: a young man with dark hair and piercing yellow eyes, wearing a perpetual smirk. It only grew larger when he spotted Riku.
"I thought I'd find you here, lost Elf Prince. Come to broker a deal?" His laugh alone was enough to make Sora cringe in fear.
"I've come to negotiate, Vanitas. Hasn't enough destruction and bloodshed been had? I have a deal I think your father will be interested in hearing." Riku's voice was strong, but there was just the slightest bit of wavering to it.
"Ohhhh, have you finally come to your senses? Are you going to join us? I mean, that's great news, but..it won't be easy." Vanitas stared him down with the same wild look in his eyes. Sora could already tell he wasn't going to like this creep.
"Just take me to him. I don't have time to play games with you."
"I think you'll find there'll be plenty of time for games. You think you can rescue Ventus, huh? I'm guessing that's part of the reason why you came all by yourself. But fine, this way."
Sora found that whatever form he was in, he simply followed after them without thinking. In a flash, that scene disappeared and another memory appeared.
There was some old looking guy sitting on a throne with similar eyes to Vanitas. Was that..Xehanort? Below him, Riku was kneeling on the floor. From the angle, it was hard to tell what his expression was.
"You have great power within you, child of light. I can give you a platform to take hold of that power, and your connection with another through dreams is something I can utilize. Your people are all but remnants now. Here, you can obtain true power." Xehanort made no attempt to hide just how sinister his grin was.
"All I want..is to protect what's dearest to me." Riku's voice was solemn..almost defeated in a way. All Sora wanted to do was reach out to him, tell him he didn't need to do this, but before he knew it, the image faded away.
What came next were flashes of different memories of Riku's time in Xehanort's strong hold. Sora felt a part of himself break everytime he heard a pained cry from Riku when he was getting beat bad in a sparring match. He saw flashes of the two known as Ventus and Roxas. He wouldn't have been able to tell them apart if it wasn't for one having pointed elven ears and the other the rounded human ones. There was talk of an escape between the three of them.
"We tried, Riku! But Vanitas is relentless, and there are a bunch of other members that are deadly as well," Ventus said as they all sat out on a balcony overlooking what looked to be a vast graveyard.
"That's true. But, there are three of us now. We have to try. I have to get you both out of here." There was an obvious dark bruise on his cheek. No doubt, it was from a previous fight. "I thought that maybe there was a chance I could harness my powers, learn more about the darkness, but..they just want to exploit them."
The next few flashes were a fight..a rather brutal one. Riku and Vanitas' keyblades clashed again and again until one strong swing caused Riku's keyblade to snap right in half. The clang of it breaking was louder than any other sound in the room. Taking advantage of the moment of weakness, Vanitas grabbed onto Riku's hair, keeping him pinned to the ground as he dug his knee into his back. For a moment, Riku's eyes were hazy with defeat, but in the last second, they gained their sheen again. In a quick motion, he took his severed keyblade and sliced most of the length of his hair clean off, freeing him from the grip and using that distraction to get free. There was a burst of blinding light for a moment as he yelled for Ventus and Roxas. It took Sora's eyes a few moments to adjust as he was shown the next memory of the three of them running off into the graveyard.
As suddenly it was there, Sora was soon in the void again. He saw Riku with a strange emblem hovering above him, and..Sora saw himself sleeping soundly. A soft light emanated from Riku with a peaceful smile on his face as he placed a hand on his forehead.
"Don't worry. I'll always protect you. I would never let anyone use this power of mine to hurt you..no matter what. If all goes well, you'll live a peaceful life. Someday, you may have to face the outside world, but I hope it's when peace reigns once more."
"Riku.." Sora reached out for him as he felt some force pulling him away. All he wanted to do was hug him, tell him everything was going to be alright, but the force was too strong. He was forcibly pulled away from the image. A few seconds later, he gasped as he suddenly opened his eyes to find himself by the crystal again. He blinked a few times, moving his hands and legs to be sure he was back in reality. Something warm was streaming down his cheeks. Reaching his hand up, he found that tears were pouring out of his eyes. Kairi had woken up around the same time, looking rather confused herself. Without thinking much, Sora jumped up onto his feet. He started at a brisk walking pace that soon turned into a run.
"Sora! Where are you going?"
"I gotta find Riku! I..I just need to." The tears blurred his vision, but he kept on the path, going as fast as his legs could carry him.