Kingdom Hearts III Keys of War
Hey there readers! I'm terribly sorry if i'm taking longer with my updates..But let me tell you this is the longest chapter I've written so far and I'm very pleased with how it turned out XD. With this chapter it's all about the action most of the way through so strap on your seat-belts and please enjoy this next chapter ;)
Chapter 7: Light for the Lost
Realm of Darkness – Upper Zone
A roar rung out like a gong set off in the Land of Dragons, and Riku and Mickey charged forth with keyblade's drawn. Riku made the first assault with a series of consecutive slashes, which were unable to hit their mark as Red Eyes snarled and leapt back into the shadows.
"Shit," Riku cursed under his breath as he kept the heartless' malicious eyes in sight.
"I'm really not in the mood for hide and go chase…" he mumbled; firing several Dark Firaga in hopes of contact.
Seemingly irritated from the dark magic, Red Eyes began to dart in out of its shadowy camouflage with vicious lunges at the young Keyblade Master. Riku desperately held his own with Dark Reflega, the dark shield cracked more with every impact, until one was too much and it shattered.
"Hold on there, Riku!" Exclaimed Mickey, barrel rolling in time to counter its lunges with powerful bursts of his Pearl spell.
Disoriented, the beast changed targets. Mickey's size worked to his advantage as he nimbly countered each claw and spinning attack aimed at him. Seeing the opportunity, Riku emanated his Dark Aura once again as he darted into the shadows. "You're not the only one who can see in the dark," called Riku with a grin beneath his helmet.
Mickey smirked knowing what was next. His majesty back flipped away from the Heartless as its legs were rushed hard by Riku's strikes; it staggered vigorously. Riku impaled Way to Dawn into the ground and a column of darkness rose to consume it's groans of pain.
"Did that get em?" asked Mickey, his blade held firm in battle stance.
As the darkness faded into its surroundings, Riku's response was cut short as Red Eyes stood unscathed. Its shadowy guise had dispersed to reveal its appearance: feline-like with a black and purple body, shackled limbs, a magenta spiked tail, a spiked mane, and tentacles atop its head.
"Oh great, it's actually a cat," said Riku with a comical sweat drop from his head.
Mickey gave him a nonchalant glance. "Now's not the time, Riku..."
Red Eyes simply glared down the key bearers as it let out a deafening roar; the area lighting up in response to its cry.
"Somehow…I don't think being able to see better is a good sign," muttered Mickey.
With a snarl, Red Eyes lashed forward much quicker than before; its claws swiped hard at the Mouse King. His majesty gasped as he narrowly blocked the strikes, yet the force behind them eventually hurtled him backwards. He coughed up blood as he pounded into the distant pillar.
"MICKEY!" Riku yelled in horror at the sight of his semi-conscious companion. "Oh, you've done it now you piece of shit…" In a moment of blind fury, Riku leaped high and rained down a barrage of Dark Firaga in a circular motion around Red Eyes; smoke rising to enclose the beast. Red Eyes narrowed its clouded gaze in frantic search for the airborne keybearer.
"I've got you…"
The Heartless managed to catch a glimpse of silver before Way to Dawn impaled its left eye; darkness oozing out like treacle.
As his adrenaline calmed for a moment, Riku realised he'd seriously pissed it off as Red Eyes screamed in a fit of agony; the keybearer wedging his blade to avoid motion sickness.
Having ceased its cries, Riku wasn't fast enough to avoid being flung to the ground by Red Eyes' tail. With Way to Dawn still wedged in its eye, Riku's limbs remained pinned under claws; his eyesight now in line with a seething jaw.
Riku clenched his teeth. This wasn't how he was supposed to die. His majesty, Master Aqua, everyone still needed him to play his part. His role in the story was far from over…
Riku smirked as he glared up Red Eyes' one eyed face; its barbed tail poised inches from his chest…
"FREEZE!"
"Wait what?"
Riku gaped beneath his helmet as a Blizzaga blasted Red Eyes sideways. The young master turned in bewilderment to see the attack came from a young blue haired woman with a keyblade drawn. She wore a black and blue halter top with pink crisscrossing belts, white bell sleeves, tan fingerless gloves, black shorts, two strips of white cloth from her waist, and black thigh length socks with silver shoes.
It wasn't until Riku regained his footing that she'd made her way over to him; her blue eyes wavering with curiosity and confusion. "That armour… are you perhaps a keyblade wielder? Or has this place finally driven me mad? " she asked cautiously.
Riku couldn't help but stare in awe as the dots connected in his head. Her darkness is minuscule compared to the heartless, and not to mention she wields a keyblade… This woman had to be Master Aqua! Riku's train of thought was halted as Red Eyes regained its senses; growling low with Way to Dawn still wedged in place.
"Yes I am. My name is Riku, Master of the Keyblade, and we're on the current mission of your rescue…Master Aqua," Riku replied; resummoning the soiled Way to Dawn to his hand.
For a moment Aqua was speechless. She'd wandered the pitied dark realm for Kingdom Hearts knows how long: fending, starving, non-aging, and not to mention her only company being an amnesic man. Yet for the first time in so long, this newcomer Riku had reawakened something inside her; a light to comfort her lost heart. "I…" She was about to reply with some form of gratitude before Red Eyes lashed its tail at the bluenette.
"AQUA!" yelled a squeaky voice.
Aqua steered clear just in time as Red Eyes' tail was pelted by a Pearl spell; her eyes brimming in surprise at its hooded caster. "Mickey? You're here to?" she exclaimed.
Riku smirked at his companion's recovery. "Heh, I thought you were busy napping," Riku retorted; flicking dark ooze off his blade. Mickey simply sighed at the boy before giving his old friend a wry smile. "I know it's good to see you again, but right now we gotta deal with ugly over here."
Aqua held back the tears with a determined grin as the 3 Keyblade Masters stood firm with keyblade's drawn; Red Eyes beyond patient as it charged the trio.
Despite their differences in stature, the triad seemingly clicked in tandem as they began to easily overwhelm the Heartless. With its sight half gone, Riku remained headstrong with evasive manoeuvres and dark combos as he hacked away at Red Eye's hind out of sight. When the Heartless tried desperately to maim the silver keybearer, Aqua and Mickey would reel its attention. Aqua would cast ice and lightning spells, whilst Mickey hurtled Pearl and a few combos to its face; cart wheeling and barrel rolling respectively. Soon enough, Red Eyes' retaliation became less frequent with vivid signs of fatigue; its body scarred and immobile with darkness speckling from its jaw.
Riku snickered as he poised Way to Dawn; streaming some of his darkness into the blade. "All right guys, one more all-out attack and this beastie is through."
"Sounds like a plan there pal," Mickey replied; light streaming into his own blade.
Aqua remained silent as she fiddled her blade with a narrow gaze at Red Eyes. Somethings not right here, she pondered. It was definitely on its last legs from all the damage they'd dealt to it, not to mention what the other two did before she'd arrived, but since it was stronger than before why wouldn't it keep up… Aqua face paled the moment Riku and Mickey darted forward; Red Eyes' lone eye glinting in response.
"THE MOUTH!" Aqua yelled.
Riku and Mickey could only gasp in horror as Red Eyes widened its jaw to reveal a menacing orb of darkness; its size in league with that of a Mega Flare.
"Crap, we're too close!" exclaimed Riku with wide eyes.
"Yikes! Hold on Riku, Refle—" Mickey had his spell cut off at the peculiar sight of rainbow lights as they zoomed past; countering the dark blast in an explosion of colour.
The duo turned flabbergasted to Aqua who had her keyblade pointed forward; she'd just used her Rainbow Shower Shot Lock, eyes brimming with determination. "Go now!" she yelled; running forward with a stagger in her step.
With Red Eyes startled, Riku and Mickey leapt forth with blades cloaked in light and darkness. The heartless roared from impending doom. They exclaimed a battle cry in unison as their blades cut through dark flesh in an 'X' formation; roars of pain turning silent in an eruption of dark particles.
As the last of the Heartless faded away, the trio's spike of adrenaline died down as they dismissed their weapons; Riku also dismissing his helmet with a chuckle. "Phew….that was so much more painful than I thought it'd be," he huffed, running a hand through his silver locks.
"Heh you and me both pal," replied Mickey as he turned to Aqua, her face a mix of relief and joy. "Well…how've ya been, Aqua?" Mickey asked cheekily.
Aqua's mouth moved yet no words were heard as she rushed forward; crouching to embrace her old friend in a hug of tears. "Oh your majesty," Aqua chuckled. "You have no idea how great it feels to see a face that isn't a heartless around here."
"Ha ha, you and me both Aqua," said Mickey as he returned the embrace. "Though I thought you'd at least remember I'm okay with just 'Mickey'. Riku's hopeless at it."
Whilst Riku mumbled something sarcastic, Aqua laughed as she wiped away tears with her sleeve, returning to her feet with a look of surprise at Riku.
"What? Is there something in my teeth?" asked Riku. He didn't overly like the idea of having to poke his teeth with armoured fingers.
"N-No," Aqua replied as she turned with a hand to her chest. "Just how long has it been, year wise in the Realm of Light?"
Riku and Mickey exchanged a sad look before Mickey spoke. "Well since you disappeared… it's been at least 13 years."
"Hmm, well that explains it then," Aqua muttered as she turned to place a hand on Riku's shoulder; her wry smile somewhat familiar to the boy. "You were only a little boy back then, but we met 13 years ago on the beach of a world called Destiny Islands. There was you, and another little boy with spiky, brown hair and blue eyes… Sora am I right?"
Riku's expression faded into curiosity as faint images of the blue haired keybearer come to light in his memory. "Say now that you mention it, you don't look a day older than you were back then. But I don't remember what you said to me." He chuckled awkwardly.
"Heh, it gets like that in this place… Speaking of which, how did you guys get here in the first place?" asked Aqua with a puzzled look.
"Well," Mickey began. "We managed to get here through a weak point in the realm barrier with a gummi ship. But we came across some… unexpected turbulence," Mickey nudged Riku's leg as he finished.
"Hey come on, I'm not that bad of a pilot," Riku retorted in a huff. "And anyway, where's that backup plan of yours to get out of here?"
"Heh, I got it right here," replied Mickey as he rummaged beneath his coat.
"Oh wait a minute your Majesty," Aqua protested. "There's someone else here we should take back with us."
"Someone else?" Asked Mickey dumbfounded.
"A lost man she claimed as her boyfriend perhaps?" Riku mentally chuckled.
"Ha, ha," replied Aqua as she brushed Blue hair behind her ear. "I actually don't know his name, because he doesn't know it himself… Come, I'll take you to him."
As Riku and Mickey nodded in agreement, the newfound trio set of toward Aqua's self-proclaimed leisure spot.
"So tell me… what's happened in the Realm of Light?" asked Aqua solemnly.
Realm of Darkness - The Dark Margin
As her feet met the dull sands once again, Aqua had managed to process the brief explanation given by Riku and Mickey about the past events they'd endured: Ansem, Castle Oblivion, Xemnas, the Mark of Mastery. Heck, even how Sora fitted into the equation.
"Hmm, so even after all we did. Xehanort is alive and hell-bent as ever for the X blade again… and I thought this place was bad enough."
"I'm afraid so Aqua," replied Mickey who clenched his fists in determination. "Which is all the more reason why we need you to help to stop Xehanort once and for all."
"He's right Aqua," Riku added as he kicked up the sand. "We can't beat him without you, not to mention Ventus and Terra."
Despite the mention of her best friends, Aqua held back the painful memories with a nod as they reached the shoreline. A few meters away from them the figure in the organisation robe remained perched on his rock, glancing toward them in the shadow of his hood.
Thinking he was an enemy, Riku and Mickey stood in front of Aqua with weapons drawn.
"Don't trust this person Aqua, that coat is of the Organisation XIII attire; Xehanort's ilk," proclaimed Riku. Mickey frowned as he charged a Pearl spell. "We'll take him down, don't worry," he added.
"Wa-wait a minute guys…" Aqua protested as she held them by the shoulders. "Can you just hear him out before you go keyblade's blaring?"
"Hmmm, it seems our new visitors are quite hasty Aqua…"
Despite it being no different to Aqua, the Figure's voice drew wide eyes to Riku and Mickey.
"Wait that voice… Ansem? Ansem the Wise?" asked Mickey, dismissing his keyblade.
DiZ? Riku thought as he dismissed Way to Dawn.
Somewhat surprised, the cloaked man removed his hood to reveal a middle aged man with long blonde hair and bright orange eyes.
"So… Ansem is my name? Yes, it is somewhat familiar, though I'm afraid I have little knowledge of any other aspect of my memory. This place has taken a toll on me..."
"So it seems," said Aqua with a reassuring smile. "But you needn't worry about it for much longer, these two brave warriors have come to take us home, to the Realm of Light."
"I see," the older man replied with a stern gaze at the other two. "Pray tell, how is it you intend to escape from this labyrinth?"
Such a question drew all eyes back to the Mouse King; rummaging frantically through his coat as if he'd lost something. "Hmmm, now I think it was this pocket… ah, here it is!"
Everyone looked down curiously at the turquoise, star-shaped object that shone in Mickey's palm.
"Hey, that's your Star Shard right?" asked a somewhat surprised Aqua.
"Haha, yup," Mickey answered. "With this, it'll take us to where our hearts are needed most."
"Hmmm, Hearts…" Ansem added oddly.
"Are you sure it'll work from this place?" said Riku scratching his head.
"Oh we'll be fine." Mickey replied with a grin. "Now if we could just hold hands for a moment…"
Whilst Riku was hesitant, everyone linked hands as the Star Shard glowed bright beneath Aqua and Mickey's palm.
"Now whatever you do, don't let gooo!" Were Mickey's last words as the group was engulfed in light; darting toward the bleak horizon.
To be continued
Sooooooo valiant readers and reviewers, did this chapter's action knock you socks off? Or was it a complete flop? Either way, Aqua is finally rescued by her two saviors (along with Ansem) and they are off to..where you ask? well i guess you'll have to stick around for the next updates, for a particular Princess of Heart and red haired Pyro have yet to show the results of their keyblade training XD
On a side note, if any of you are having any problems with my update time or the story, please don't hesitate to say so in PM or Review, but please be mainly positive feedback instead of the latter ;)