" See you later, Sora." He smiled, accepting the uncertainty of his fate with heartbreaking ease.
" ROXAS!" I finally wretched my hand free and lunged, trying desperately to follow him. I watched helplessly as the portal disappeared in front of me, taking my friend with it, as I crashed to the ground. " No, no, no, no…" This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream, a nightmare.
The panic set in immediately. I don't know if I should be angry or terrified or both or neither, but my hands are shaking and I feel like I can barely breathe. I almost lost my best friend once and that was hard enough. Now he just disappears to go do something that I know could get him killed. I don't know how long it took but rationality finally began to settle back in.
I had to call Cloud. He would know what to do right? Where he went. He'd have a plan. He had to.
" Sora? Did something happen?" Of course something happened. Lately I only ever call you when somethings happened.
" Cloud…Roxas is gone."
" What the hell do you mean gone?" he asked in frustration, the emotion coloring his voice in an uncharacteristic tone. I could already image the scowl on his face.
" He has these teleporter things-something the organization had-and starting talking about not wanting us involved and he wouldn't listen Cloud! I tried-but he wouldn't-he just…" I spoke quickly, breathes coming too fast as I felt myself panicking more the more I said.
" Sora, calm down. I need to know what happened." I could tell he was trying to calm down as well.
I took a deep breath and rubbed at my eyes to stop the tears from flowing. Now wasn't the time to be crying and freaking out. Now was the time to figure out where Roxas went and help him. I don't care if he wanted it or not he was going to get it. " He has these little black beads that open a portal of some kind. That's how we got out of the hospital so easily the other day. I don't know how it works, but he used that to leave. I don't know where he went and he didn't say." I ran my hand through my hair as I swept my gaze over to where he had disappeared, Roxas' duffle bag catching my attention from across the room.
" That stupid…It doesn't matter I know where he went. Sora, I need you to stay where you are. Get your parents and don't leave your house until you hear from me again, got it?" I listened half-heartedly as I rifled through the clothes in the bag, surprised when I found what I was looking for. I withdrew my hand with one small, smooth black bead clutched carefully in it.
" He went to Oblivion Mansion, didn't he?" Cloud didn't answer. I vaguely know where that is. It's several miles from our school, close the Cloud's precinct. I could just barely remember what it looked like. Roxas never told me how these things worked, but I bet it's by thinking or picturing where you want to go. At least, that would be how it worked if this was a video game or movie. It was worth a shot. " Could you get a warrant for it?"
" Not yet, but we're working on it."
" Tell them my parents called, I've been taken hostage."
" Sora what-" I threw the bead at the ground, the dark smoke exploding outward to form the archway I've become familiar with. Cloud must have heard something, because suddenly he's sounds very close to panicking. " Sora, don't you dare. Having one of you already there is bad enough. You're untrained. Stay home where it's safe. We'll get the warrant any minute now."
It's ironic how I'm now doing to Cloud exactly what Roxas did to me. " Sorry, Cloud."
" Sora-!" I didn't give him a chance to answer before I hung up the phone and dropped it to the floor. This is a stupid idea, beyond stupid really. I was unarmed and had no clue what was on the other side of this portal. It could be somewhere thousands of miles from here or a black hole for all I know. But if it could lead me to Roxas it was worth a shot.
I'd always been lucky. Hopefully that won't change now.
With a deep breath and only a little hesitation, I stepped into the portal, picturing the mansion as clearly as I could. Without warning it felt like the floor had been pulled out from under me, sending me falling through empty space. I couldn't see or hear anything. I couldn't breathe. I began to panic, but somehow managed to keep ahold of the mental image of the mansion and where it was. Then, just as suddenly as everything had vanished around me, I was stumbling onto the grassy lawn of Oblivion Mansion.
I fell to my knees gasping as I fought to get my bearings back and to not throw up. That was so much worse than it had been before! I'm probably so lucky I didn't die in that thing without Roxas with me actually knowing how to work it. Finally catching my breath I decided it would probably be in my best interest to look around and make sure there wasn't a bunch of Dusks all around me. There were, of course, but they were all laying on the ground, dead or unconscious I didn't know nor did I care to. Roxas has been through here apparently.
Scrambling to my feet, I took off at a careful jog towards the Mansion, hoping I could follow the trail of Dusks to find my friend. I paused for a moment beside one of the fallen goons. I pointedly ignored the blood dripping down the pale chin exposed by the hood and picked up the short sword laying discarded beside him. At least now I was armed and I somewhat know how to use this thing. I'd grab a gun or something but I don't think I'd be a very good shot. Probably best to stick to what I know. Well, kinda, sorta know.
This place is absolutely massive. I mean I know it isn't called a mansion for nothing, but this was ridiculous. Why does anyone need a house this big? Focus Sora, that's not what's important right now. What I need to be thinking about is if I had an oversized house where would I hide the shady stuff? Since my life has obviously turned into some type of drama, action movie, there's most likely a basement somewhere. Just like at that old gym Roxas took me to. I'm pretty sure he said something about that being a scaled down version of whatever they had here. Now I just had to find it and stay out of sight as I did.
I tried to stick close to walls as much as I could, moving slowly, because despite my decision to come here I am well aware of how dangerous this is. I was berating Roxas for willingly walking towards his own death, yet here I am following right after him. Ok, maybe I understand exactly why he is so adamant that none of us get involved. It's not like I wouldn't do the exact same thing and keep everyone away. I get it, I just don't like it. I'd rather be the one protecting than being protected for a change.
The further I go the more Dusks I find. There are some other people as well in different uniforms but I don't know what they're called. It's probably safe to assume that if I keep following the bodies I'll find Roxas. And hopefully not find anyone that's conscious and wanting to fight. Could I actually kill someone? I don't know if I could and I'm in no rush to find out.
" Xemnas!" That's Roxas. It sounded muffled and distant, but that's definitely him. Time to stop being stealthy for the moment, I'm pretty sure everyone here is down for the count anyway—lucky me. I quickly run down a hallway I think the shout may have come from and have to jump over the bodies littering the floor. I really hope all these people aren't dead because there's a lot of them. But, again, that's not what's important at the moment—I really can't let my conscious catch up with me at this point. What is important is that I just found a door that opens to a darkened staircase and that seems like just the sort of thing I should be looking for—Yep, that's the sound of clashing blades.
They're down there somewhere.
As much as I want to just dash in, I've got to think more than that. Let's be smart about this so that hopefully neither of us end up dead. With that in mind, I creep down the steps quietly even if the slow pace is killing me in anticipation. After a few minutes I see them in the middle of a large room. There are shadows like the ones that make up the portal crawling up the walls. They look like roots that spread out from a massive white door. The door shines brilliantly in the dark room, giving off an almost blinding display of radiance. How the shadows still manage to exist in its light, I don't know. Magick, I guess.
" Why are you doing this?" Roxas asks. He's standing several feet away from Xemnas. There was blood on Oathkeeper's blade, the red a dark stain against the bright white of the sword. He is forced to jump to the side as Xemnas lunges, his long katana stabbing through the air where he had been. There was a smear of blood on the ground where Roxas had been standing. Looking at him closer I could see he was favoring his right leg. Xemnas didn't pause in his offense, but this time Roxas met him head on. Their blades clashed loudly as Roxas used both his blades to block the strike. Keeping his momentum, he directed to blow upward, the katana's blade sliding along Oathkeeper's blade as he lashed out with Oblivion.
Xemnas dodged backwards, but it looks like Roxas did make some kind of contact although I don't know how deep the wound is. " You ask why? Is it not obvious? The masters of legend robbed the worlds of their magick. Severed them from one another."
" They sealed away the darkness."
" No. There is still darkness in this world. It is all around. Look within yourself and surely you see it. The old masters simply took away our power to fight the darkness. Why do you oppose me? Why not join me? Are you not curious as to what the world could be like if the magick returned?"
" You threatened my friends and you ask why I oppose you?" Roxas spat, I could see he was tense like he was about to strike again.
" And yet I have not harmed any of them, have I? It does not require your life to unlock the door unless you make it. It is your choice."
Roxas raised his blades in front of him, " I won't let you open that door." I wonder how bad it'd actually be if it was opened? If it was a door to darkness, then why did it shine so brightly?
" Then you will die." I don't like the way he said that. He said that with finality, like he had something planned. As Xemnas reached out his hand, I noticed the shadows on the wall begin to move. They start to look like more than just flat shadows, more three dimensional, like something I could reach out and touch. " As will those you fight to protect." I ran before I could think about it. I don't know how, but I just know that if I don't make it to him in time, he'll die.
" Roxas!" I can see the horror bleed into his expression as our eyes meet and I roughly tackle him to the ground, the two of us rolling several feet. Only pausing a moment due to the dull ache that spread down my side, I looked to where Roxas had stood to see the shadows stabbing through the concrete floor. They shuddered and flickered for a moment as if they weren't able to stay solid before slithering back up wall and away from us. That was way too close.
" What are you doing here?" Roxas hissed, jumping to his feet and standing in front of me as he faced Xemnas once more, Oathkeeper and Oblivious somehow still in his grip and held defensively.
" Saving you, obviously. What does it look like?" I smiled despite the situation, climbing to my feet as well. Despite the fact that we almost just died, despite my assassin of a best friend clearly immensely pissed at me, and despite the maniac standing calmly not thirty feet from us. " You didn't actually think I'd let you do this alone, did you?" I grabbed for the sword laying by my foot where I'd dropped it and went to stand beside him, eyes on Xemnas.
Roxas growled in frustration, which sounded impressingly menacing, I'll give him that. " You need to leave. I already told you—"
" I'm not throwing away what you've done. I'm repaying the favor."
" And so the protected desires to become the protector. How touching." Xemnas smirked, readying his weapon once more. I scowled at him, hatred curling in my heart for what he had done to my friend. What he had threatened to do to my family. " It must be frustrating, Roxas, to know that all of your efforts will be for nothing."
" I could say the same to you Xemnas! We'll stop you, together." I said, determination strong. I wouldn't be afraid. I wouldn't hesitate. I'd help Roxas defeat this man and end his nightmare.
Even if it kills me.
" Together." Came Roxas' quiet echo as he took up his battle stance once more, a resigned huff of a laugh escaping him. I nodded, holding out my sword as we both lunged. Xemnas went for me first, of course he did. I'm not too proud to deny that I'm the weakest link here, but that was a very obvious move. Roxas darted in front of me, blocking the katana with both his blades as I ducked underneath his arms to slash across Xemnas' chest. He jumped back quickly, my sword only grazing his cloak. Roxas wasted no time in pursuit, skillfully delivering a flurry of blows that were equally as skillfully guarded against by the organization leader. As I watched the flurry of blows being delivered with blurring speed, I wondered what I was thinking jumping into this. A novice against two masters. I didn't let the thought stop me for more than a moment before I lunged back into the fray.
Roxas grunted as Xemnas' katana sliced into his left arm even as he lashed out with his right and landed a blow of his own on the man's shoulder. I raced over and brought my sword up in an underhanded arc, knocking it away from my friend. Remembering a similar experience while fighting one of the Samurai in the virtual training world, I quickly used my momentum to spin around and catch Xemnas in the stomach with the edge of my blade. Undeterred and without missing a beat, he brought his weapon back down in a powerful swing that made my arms ache from blocking it before he landed a kick to my stomach. I gasped as a stumbled back and Roxas jumped back in, capturing the man's attention as I tried to catch my breath. Man that had hurt.
Need some help?
Oh no, I'm hearing voices now. As if life hadn't gotten crazy enough, now I was actually going crazy. That's just what I need now. Something about the door to Kingdom Hearts caught my attention, drawing my attention away from the voice. There was someone standing there. It almost felt like time stopped and the battle faded, the sound of clashing blades becoming muffled before disappearing all together as the figure began to walk towards me.
" Who are you?" I asked hesitantly, looking back towards Roxas to see him standing still, blades once again locked with Xemnas. " What's going on?"
" My name is Xion." She kinda reminded me of Kairi, had the same height and build, the same blue eyes. Her black hair was short and her smile kind. " I am the apprentice Keyblade wielder from the Keyblade war that recorded the legend as well as your ancestor, Sora." So that would mean that I'm the descendant and Roxas is the reincarnation and ultimately at greater risk than me right now.
As if she could hear my thoughts, Xion laughed. " Yes, you are the descendent and are meant to fight to protect the seal. However, you've grown up in such peace that fighting is new to you. Allow me to give you my power so that you may fight to protect both your friend and the seal of Kingdom Hearts."
" You can do that?"
" Yes. With you being so close to the door and the seal being weaken like it is, magick is leaking out. It will be easy to do, but it will only last while the door remains here."
I'd take whatever I could get if it meant being able to help Roxas. " Please, grant me your strength." I bowed my head towards her, pleading despite the offer. Xion didn't respond, only walked closer and laid a hand on my shoulder. I could feel the difference immediately. It was strange, the power that flowed through me, almost like static in my veins.
" That's magick you're feeling. It'll take getting used to. Allow instinct to take over when you fight. Your body will know how."
" Got it!"
" And another thing. You'll need a key to lock away the darkness." She said, taking ahold of the sword in my hand. With a flash of light and what sounded like the chiming of bells, the Keyblade from the virtual world appeared in my hand. " This is a Keyblade. Just like my power, it'll remain with you as long as you're close to that door and the power coming through it. Call to it with your heart and it will come to you."
" Thank you."
She smiled at me again as she stepped away, her form beginning to fade." Now go!" and just like that, everything resumed, the sounds of swords clashing almost deafening in the silence that had been before. The Keyblade felt familiar in my hand, like I'd been wielding it all my life. I couldn't tell if that was coming from me or from whatever power Xion gave me. It didn't matter. Not bothering to think about it, I threw the weapon at Xemnas as he and Roxas jumped apart again. He blocked, but I could see the shock on his face as he noticed what it was.
" The Keyblade." He breathed as I made the blade disappear and summoned it back into my hand.
Roxas backed over to me, not taking his eyes off the enemy. " How did you get that?"
" My ancestor gave it to me." I hoped that told him enough about what he was in all this. If the way his hands tightened around his blades is anything to go by, I'm going to go with the message was received loud and clear. " She told me to call for it with my heart and it would come."
" With your heart?" He glanced at me quickly before looking at his two blades. I half expected for him to summon Keyblades of his own, but the two blades remained as they were.
" It would appear the seal is weakened enough to allow a Keyblade to appear. In that case…" Darkness began to spread out from the man's feet, forming thorned tendrils of shadows that formed a sphere around him and lifted him off of his feet. His blade began to glow red and appeared to be made of light instead of steel. " I'll be taking your heart now." He pointed the blade at Roxas and shot forward.
Without thinking I knocked him behind me, my body moving without my consent as I brought the Keyblade up in an arch to deflect the blow. Not wanting to fall for the same move twice, Xemnas was quick to lash out again, but I dodged smoother than I thought possible before attacking again. It felt like I was flying as I fought, my attacks having me jumping into the air and lunging in all directions to disorient my opponent. Xion sure was strong if this is how she fought. At some point Roxas joined me in my barrage, flitting in and out of my combos to strike wherever Xemnas left exposed. Finally, the man retreated back, almost all the way to the door.
" Enough of these games." Darkness rushed out, surrounding us on all sides in what looked to be a dome. Dozens, maybe hundreds of short, red beams of light hovering a set distance apart all along the surface. I yelped as several suddenly shot forward, breaking my focus as I tripped backwards. Roxas jumped in front of me, deflecting the laser with his swords.
" Just like the Snipers. You can do this." He said as he turned to offer me a hand and pull me to my feet. " Together."
" Together." I nodded as we stood back to back waiting for the lasers to fire. With a deep breath I brought the Keyblade up with steady hands, keeping alert for any movement. Roxas moved first, blocking what sounded like four beams before five shot towards me. There was always a short pause between each barrage, only a couple of seconds, before more lasers than before would launch towards us. I don't know how long we were stuck just blocking and dodging before all of the beams seemed to disappear and the shadowy dome shuddered. " That sucked." I stated sourly, my left leg stinging from where one of the lasers grazed passed me.
" Hopefully that's the end of that." Roxas panted.
As the walls began to disintegrate I turned towards him, worry overweighing my instincts saying to stay alert. " Hey, are you alright?"
" I'll be fine." He turned around as he spoke, allowing me to see the charred cloth and burned skin on his left side. " Looks like you did better than me this time, huh?" He huffed before wincing slightly in pain.
" And don't you forget it!" I laughed, almost forgetting the terrible situation we were currently stuck in even though I couldn't completely ignore the static of magick still zipping through my veins. Xion was right—I was starting to get used to it, but it was still distracting. Roxas started to smile but seemed to notice something, expression blossoming into panic. I began to turn to look behind me when he roughly shoved me aside.
Time seemed to slow again as I fell and could do nothing but watch as Xemnas' blade went through Roxas' chest with a spray of blood and pulse of light.
" Roxas!"
No. No, no, no, no. This couldn't be happening.
" It's a pity. You didn't have to die. You brought this on yourself." Xemnas remarked, sounding almost disappointed as he withdrew the blade from Roxas' chest. The strangled, gurgling cry that came from him made my heart clench as blood splattered on the ground and Roxas fell to his knees. The sound of Oathkeeper and Oblivion clattering to the ground was as loud as thunder to my ears. " No matter, you are simply a vessel." Shadows began to creep towards him in thorny wisps that reached and retreated. Light pulsed from his again.
" Roxas!" I yelled, voice cracking painfully as I scrambled to my feet. It was supposed to be me. If anyone was going to die it was supposed to be me! He'd given enough without having to give his life. " Get up, please!" My tears began to slide down my cheeks as I watched Roxas' body fall, the blood pooling quickly. With a strangled cry I threw the Keyblade at Xemnas, forcing him away from my friend, his shadows retreating with him.
" Now come forth from the darkness, Ventus." Roxas' body pulsed with light a third time before a glowing orb floated free, shining like a small star. Xemnas grinned as the orb began to glow brighter and stretch out as if it was taking a human shape.
" S…Sora…" I ran the short distance to him, dropping to my knees beside him. I ignored the blood I was kneeling in and turned him over as gently as I could. He was still alive. If we can get out of here quick enough, if Cloud gets here soon enough, we can save him. Why hadn't anyone come yet? Why were they taking so long? The wound on his chest was still bleeding steadily, his face deathly pale, and breaths coming in short pants.
" It's going to be ok, Roxas. You'll be fine."
" No, I won't." His voice sounded so quiet.
" You can't die. Please, you can't." Tears flowed freely down my cheeks, dripping on his cheeks.
" You have to…to run, Sora." I shook my head. I wouldn't run. " It's…It's too late for me…Get out…while you…can." Each word was quieter, weaker than the last. It felt like my chest was being crushed in with how hard it was to breath. Roxas coughed wetly, his eyes screwing shut in pain. With a shuddering breath, dull blue eyes opened to look up at me.
" I'm sorry. You had to save me again. This is my fault." I whispered. I came here to make sure he stayed alive. Even if it killed me to do so. He had done so much to protect me and my family. I had just wanted to be able to do that for him. But now he's dying and it's my fault.
His hand came up, searching, and I grabbed it in both of mine as a sob ripped through me. " Of course… I saved you… you're…my best friend..." He smiled weakly at me with blood stained lips, hand giving a light squeeze.
I couldn't get any words out passed the tightness in my throat to respond. Why was it so easy for him to throw his life away? Best friend or not, there had been no hesitation. Panic choked me as Roxas's eyes slid closed, his head falling limply to the side. " No, please, Roxas!" I called, desperate for him to open his eyes again.
" Come, Ventus. Unlock the final lock." Xemnas called. I snapped my gaze ahead of me back to the man. This is all because of him. All of this pain. This lose. My attention shifted to the glowing figure standing between us. He looked just like Roxas although his clothes were different and had a small amount of armor on his shoulder. A hollowness began to swell in my chest as I looked again towards Xemnas.
With a shaking breath, I let go of Roxas' hand and climbed to my feet, Oathkeeper held tightly in my hand.
I'll defeat him. For Roxas. For myself.
Ventus held out his hand, a Keyblade appearing in it in a flash of light. Without a word, he pointed the key at Xemnas. Fire suddenly erupted from the tip, hurtling through the air towards the man and hitting him squarely in the chest and knocking him off his feet.
With a cry I raced forward passed the glowing Keyblade wielder, taking the opening while it was there, and attacked. Xemnas blocked quickly, sloppily, and I knocked him off balance. As I went to attack again, Ventus appeared beside me, slashing his Keyblade across Xemnas' side and sending him stumbling several steps away. I lunged after him, not wanting to give him time to recover. I brought Oathkeeper down again and again and again until my arms ached from the force of my own blows. Xemnas was forced back a step with each attack, unable to counter. I was finally forced to relent when he gave a powerful shove to dislodge Oathkeeper.
Fire shot passed again, forcing Xemnas to retreat further away. Ventus stood beside me. " We need to work together to defeat him." I wasn't interested in working together. He looked too much like Roxas and right now my heart couldn't handle that. " If we weaken him enough, I can take care of the rest." I simply nodded, not able to look him in the eye.
Xemnas charged forward this time, taking the offensive. Ventus jumped in front of me, deflecting the blow to the side and launching into a series of dizzying blows that Xemnas seemed to have trouble countering. He had to be getting tired. I had no way of knowing how long I'd been down here in this basement, but the heaviness of exhaustion was setting in and making it harder to keep up. I forced it as far down as I could and threw myself into fighting. Oathkeeper sang through the air as I darted in and out of range during Ventus' onslaught.
After what felt like forever, Xemnas faltered and his weapon skidded across the ground out of his reach. Ventus pushed the tip of his Keyblade to the man's chest, his back pressed against the door of Kingdom Hearts. " You were a fool to try to unseal Kingdom Hearts." Ventus said, voice tight with anger.
" Is it foolish to want to know the worlds beyond our own? Know power beyond our wildest dreams? You Warriors of Light took that away from us. It was you who foolishly believed no one would one day seek Kingdom Hearts once again."
" You don't even know what it is you're truly trying to unlock. You have no idea what it means to unleash the darkness inside Kingdom Hearts." Ventus jumped back as light began to gather at the end of his Keyblade, pointing it again at Xemnas. " Sora!" There was a flash of light in my hand, Oathkeeper transforming into a Keyblade of its own. The blade became longer, the spiked end flaring out like a starburst of white, gold, and purple. The guard wrapped around to form the handle of the key in what looked like angel wings.
" Right!" I lifted the blade, aiming at Xemnas. A beam of light shot from the end, hitting the man in the chest and going through him to hit the door. Ventus' attack joining only a moment later.
Xemnas reached out towards us, his mouth opened in a soundless scream. Darkness flailed wildly at his feet, racing away and swirling around him. Tendrils of thorned shadows slithered passed me as if fleeing from the light. Darkness pulsed around him, the shadows converging, rallying for another attack. I could feel the power behind the darkness, the pressure of it pushing against the light. I wrapped my other hand around Oathkeeper as I pushed harder against it. I put all of my strength, all my heart, into this attack. Light filled the room until it was all I could see. Just white light without a shadow in sight, all of the darkness burned away.
When it finally faded, Xemnas was on the ground, unconscious, and the light around Kingdom Hearts had gone out.
My knees wobbled threateningly as I dropped my arms, Oathkeeper still held loosely in my right hand. It had changed back at some point, the Keyblade gone. The room was eerily quiet in the aftermath. I was exhausted and I didn't want to face what I knew I would see, but I forced myself to turn around. The pain echoed through the hollowness of my chest as I walked over to his too still body and fell to my knees again beside him.
" Roxas…" My voice cracked as my heart gave a painful lurch as loss hit me. Ventus kneeled across from me on Roxas' other side, movements silent, his form looking more transparent now than it had before. " Can you save him?" I know I shouldn't, but I let myself hope. I hoped that by some miracle or magick that Roxas would survive. That he would come back. He can't die. He just can't.
" I don't have enough power left to be able to, but together, we may be able to." He summoned his Keyblade once again, holding it out to me. " Focus your power like you did before." I don't know if I have any power left in me after that, but for Roxas I'll give it everything I had. Together, we lifted the Keyblade over our heads, " Heal!" I could feel the last of the magic leave me, my limbs feeling oddly empty without the static of it in my veins. Green light flashed around us, a flower forming and fading away in a brilliant flourish. As the last of the magick was used up the Keyblade disappeared, Ventus' form looking even fainter. " Tell Roxas, I'm sorry for everything he had to go through. I wish… I wish things could have been different. Been Better. And thank him for me. For fighting to stop this. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been able to fight back when I was summoned. I wouldn't have been ready for it."
I opened by mouth to answer when a deep, gasping breath broke the silence. I snapped my eyes to Roxas. Color was flooding back into his cheeks, the deathly paleness giving way to the healthy flush of life. His chest rose and fell with every breath, each coming easier than the one before. His eyes didn't open but it didn't matter. He was alive. I smiled even as black spots started to dance in my vision as exhaustion finally swept over me fully. As my grip on consciousness faded and I felt my body fall beside Roxas I saw Ventus walking away towards the door to Kingdom Hearts. Two other figures joined him, a brown haired man and a blue haired woman.
They were all smiling at each other. The man ruffled Ventus' hair and the woman wrapped him in a hug. Together they walked through the door and disappeared, the sound of something being locked echoing through the air as the doorway faded away.
I smiled again as I let the darkness take me.
So after some amount of years, here's the next chapter! I really have no excuse for why this took so long
besides a lack of motivation. Playing Kingdom Hearts III definitely made me want to try to write it again. Hope
you guys like it!