Chapter 225: chapter titles
Xigbar hit the ground with a groan that quickly turned into a laugh. He pushed himself up just enough to look Riku in the eye. "Best hurry!" he laughed. "I heard they finished with her ages ago, but I might be wrong."
He didn't need to specific who he meant by "her" for Riku to know he was talking about Namine. He screamed and rushed at Xigbar again, even though it was more than too late. Xigbar was dead and faded before Riku's blade could even touch him.
Riku kept screaming anyway, striking the ground and slicing the air. He knew it didn't do him any good but he didn't care.
"OF COURSE THEY'VE ALREADY MANAGED TO REWRITE HER," he screamed. His heart thudded in his ears, blood pounding and blurring his surroundings. He hardly heard his own voice as it tore from his lips. "OF COURSE! BECAUSE IT TOOK SO MUCH TIME AND I WASTED ALL OF IT AND I'VE LOST HER AND I—"
Sora grabbed him from behind, holding him by the forearms so he couldn't really attack anything. Riku growled and struggled against Sora's grasp, but then Kairi was in front of him, grabbing his face in her hands, pushing hair out of his face. Just like Namine would.
"Shh, it's okay," Kairi said, gently. "It's okay. We'll get to her. We will."
Riku squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop his tears. He took a shuddering breath and wished Sora wasn't restraining him so he could bury his face in his hands.
"He probably only said it to tick you off," Sora added. "Maybe they haven't actually finished with her yet."
Riku nodded, taking another shuddering breath, then another. Screaming wasn't going to get him anywhere. Neither was crying. They had to keep moving. He had to keep moving—had to focus.
Sora cleared his throat, nervously, then let go of Riku. Riku slumped forward a little, unable to straighten until Kairi let go of him, too. She did so, after a moment, which he was grateful for. The concern in her eyes and the gentleness of her touch reminded him too much of Namine.
"How much time do we got?" Sora asked.
Riku rubbed his arms, shifted his weight. "Thirty minutes tops if I'm being optimistic," he said. There was a massive lump in his throat and it was hard to talk around. "Probably less though. More like fifteen, if that. I mean they've had her for an hour or so by now…"
"Try not to panic, okay?" Kairi smiled up at him, reassuringly. He wasn't reassured. "Let's just keep moving—we aren't that far now, right?"
He shrugged. "No… guess not… probably…"
He only had a rough idea of where he was supposed to be heading. Castle Oblivion was straightforward. The World That Never Was wasn't. And between his churning stomach and growing dread plus the whole trying-not-to-panic thing… well, it was easy to forget directions, to say the least.
"Yes, you better get moving," a new voice said—Xaldin, if Riku was hearing it right. "You wouldn't want to not be able to rescue Namine, hmm?"
A dark corridor opened directly behind Kairi, and a pair of gloved hands reached out to grab her and cover her mouth. They dragged her back through the corridor, which let out on the other side of the area. It was Xaldin who'd grabbed her.
"Kairi!" Sora shouted, summoning his Keyblade and stepping forward.
Riku bared his own blade, but all he could think was I don't have time for this.
Kairi pulled Xaldin's hand away from her mouth. "Riku go!" she shouted. "Get out of here! Get Namine! We can handle this!"
Sora nodded.
"Yeah. Namine needs you much more than we do."
Riku swallowed. Sora seemed uncertain, but Kairi was adamant—and already pushing away from Xaldin. He could leave them here. Sora was a competent fighter, and Kairi wasn't half bad either…
And he really did need to go after Namine.
"RIKU I SWEAR GO AFTER NAMINE OR I WILL SLAP YOU ACROSS THE FACE!" Kairi screamed. "SOMEHOW."
"Riku, really, we got it," Sora added.
Riku nodded and left them there. They could handle it. He needed to save Namine, and it didn't appear Xaldin was going to stop him. That was good. He had to get to her—had to get to her before they…
No, he thought, shaking his head. I won't let it happen. I won't let it happen I promised I wouldn't let it happen. I promised I promised I promised.
He tried not to think about the fact that he'd, technically, also promised to kill her should she actually be Rewritten. He didn't want to think about that, because he couldn't…
No. It won't happen. I promised.
xxx
Sora watched Riku go—just to make sure he was going—and then turned back to Xaldin and Kairi. He had to stifle a laugh. Kairi was struggling hard to get away from Xaldin, and succeeding, plus the look of discomfort on Xaldin's face was priceless. Kairi'd kicked him in the knees at least once and thrown at least two blasts of light at his face.
Finally, fed up, Xaldin shoved her aside and summoned a sort of wind barrier to surround her. Wind cage was probably the more accurate term. Sora swallowed his laughter. These circumstances weren't funny. Well, it wasn't the time to find them funny, anyway.
"I LITERALLY CANNOT BELIEVE YOU'RE DOING THIS!" Kairi screamed, getting to her feet. She pounded a fist against the barrier, only to pull it back. Clearly the wind was a functional barrier. It didn't deter Kairi's protest, though. "This is real life you jerkface and you can't use me as bait!"
"Oh, can't I?" Xaldin asked, her, then turned his attention to Sora. The wind around Kairi seemed to grow a little stronger, though, as if to drown out her voice. "I'll let her go, Sora, provided you come with me." He held out his hand as an invitation. "That's a fair bargain, isn't it? Your compliance for her safety."
"Are you kidding me!?" Kairi screamed, raising her voice to be heard over the growing wind around her. "Are you really seriously using me as bait? This is ridiculous! You're ridiculous! You can't just do this this is real life Sora don't listen to him! Don't you dare say yes Sora!"
Xaldin sent an annoyed look over at her, but said nothing. The wind continued to pick up, though, until it finally started to overpower Kairi. It buffeted around the room, and lashed Sora's hair against his face.
Sora squinted—partially in hopes to keep hair out of his eyes but also because he wasn't quite sure what to do. Obviously agreeing to Xaldin's terms wasn't the smart plan, but the only other option seemed to be to fight Xaldin. Sora wasn't sure if he could take another battle.
But Kairi wouldn't be happy if he agreed…
And he couldn't let the Organization have a scan of his data, which was probably what Xaldin wanted him for. Then they could finish their Kingdom Hearts, and—
Xaldin reached through his wind barrier and grabbed Kairi by the chin. "I'm waiting for your answer, Sora!" he called. "It'd be a shame to mar this pretty face…"
"Get your hands off me!" Kairi yelled, before Sora could say anything. She pushed Xaldin's hand away and sent an incredibly large blast of light at his face. It knocked him back a few feet, and the force of it sent her against the opposite barrier of the wind-cage. She grunted. Xaldin growled. Sora smirked a little, quite impressed.
Xaldin straightened, looking rather disgruntled. With a wave of his hand, a dark corridor formed around Kairi, and she vanished.
Sora's smirk turned to shock—horror. He took a step forward, body shaking, voice cracking with fury.
"Where did you send her!?" he yelled. "And that was kinda dumb! Now I'm not going to do anything for you!"
"She hasn't been harmed," Xaldin countered, turning to him with a slight gust of—annoyed—wind. "She's in a holding pattern. Still safe but—ggh!"
Sora hadn't waited to hear the explanation. He'd attacked. He hadn't wanted the explanation, anyway. He didn't want to talk this over, and he knew pleading would be pointless. The Organization had been nothing but ruthless yet, and this man…
This man was the one from Beast's Castle. The one who'd summoned a horde of Heartless against him. The one that would've killed him had Mickey not shown up.
There was no use talking to him. No use asking where he'd sent Kairi.
Sora raised his arm to shield his face from the wind that Xaldin sent roaring at him. It was strong, and it made Sora skid back a few feet. When he looked up, he realized Xaldin had summoned a dragon of wind—or something of that sort.
Fine. It was a fight this man wanted? Then he'd get one.
Sora'd find Kairi on his own.
xxx
A good two or so hours prior…
Sora's Shadow ran his fingers through his wolf's fur, sighing softly. The wolf was practically in his lap—as much as it could fit, anyway. It'd gotten rather affectionate, recently. Not that Sora's Shadow was surprised, considering…
'Are you sure this is the only way?' the wolf asked, whining.
"Mmhmm," he replied, not looking at it. He looked at the sky above them, continued running his hands through its fur. "I can't do this anymore. I really can't. And this… This is the only way."
'Jara ni Raeshi—'
"I know what Hades said," he interrupted. "But I've thought it over, long and hard, and I think… I think I have a chance."
He swallowed. His stomach hadn't stopped churning since he'd made his decision, but he really couldn't see another solution.
'You really don't have to…' the wolf tried, but it trailed off, as if anticipating the interruption from its master.
"Yes, I do," Sora's Shadow told it yet again. That would make nearly five times now. Dogs—even wolves—were such silly creatures. Loyal. A little dumb. "And I already told you why. I don't want you interfering, either, got that?"
The wolf bit his hand in annoyance—in affection.
'I'll miss you…'
It didn't sound happy to admit it, but Sora's Shadow just chuckled, understanding the feeling.
"Me too, you sack of bricks," he said, mean but affectionate in his own way.
He sighed and ruffled its fur one last time, before moving to get up. The wolf sensed his movement and got off of him. It walked away before another word could be exchanged between the two of them, and while Sora's Shadow was a little disappointed, he figured it was for the best.