Day 3: The One He Couldn't Save
Sora looked to the right, and then to the left. Surrounded. Surrounded by absolute darkness. He looked up. Light. Just a faint sliver, but light. He thought back to what Eraqus told him before arriving. When you're there, keep close to the light, and be wary of the darkness. The darkness will attempt to fool you. You cannot let it.
But there was no way up to the light. How could there be? There was only one way to go, and it wasn't up. Sora took a hesitant, but brave step into the darkness.
When he took a step into it, the floor beneath his yellow shoe lit up revealing a bright, stained glass pathway to hold him. And with every step he took, the pathway followed until he walked into the center of a circular mosaic. He was there before. Once, no, twice? Three times at the most. Three times and he still knew almost nothing about it.
He inspected the image he stood on. Instantly, he recognized various faces. His, and Riku's, and Kairi's. He smiled briefly, fondly, until he heard the faint sound of footsteps growing closer.
"Sora."
Sora looked up to the new face. Into those deep blue, sad eyes.
"Who are you?" asked Sora.
The woman looked out into the darkness. "Do you miss them?" she asked gently.
"Miss...them?" Sora echoed obliviously.
The woman, whose back was turned to him, brought her hands to her chest as if she were holding something close to her heart. Sora attempted to get a better look and saw that it greatly resembled Kairi's good luck charm.
"I miss my friends too," she said, grasping the charm firmly.
Sora, who hadn't a single idea as to who she was or who she spoke of, answered regardless, "You'll see them soon." He tried to sound hopeful because, with everything he had, he meant it.
The woman was quiet for some time. Eventually, once tucking the object into her pocket, she turned back to Sora. "Do you see that?" she asked him, gesturing to the endless darkness ahead of her.
"The darkness?"
The woman smiled gently at his confusion. She silently shook her head and offered no explanation.
Sora, puzzled, looked again. To his surprise, in the far off distance, there was now a slightly visible door. It looked to just be floating about in the darkness.
When you find it, you must unlock it, Sora recalled Eraqus instructing earlier. And on the other side...
"Do you know how I can get there?" Sora asked the woman with a slight sense of urgency. He eyed it longingly. It resembled a smaller version of the Door to Darkness, and that alone made him grow weary at the sight of it. He thought of Riku, telling him to take care of her and winced faintly.
The woman nodded in response to his question. "I can take you there," she affirmed. She offered him a hand, gesturing with her kind, yet serious gaze to take it.
Sora carefully analyzed the woman. She was a stranger, yet she radiated with a certain warmth and a sense of security, almost like that of a mother. He didn't hesitate to take her hand once concluding that she was his ally.
When their hands met, a sudden coldness coursed through Sora's body. It was so cold that it was almost painful. While Sora was tempted to pull away instinctively, he stopped himself from doing so. He needed to get to that door, and he found it easy to trust the blue haired woman.
Once the the two clasped hands, the woman willingly stepped into the dark void leading to the door. Bright stained glass did not appear beneath her when she did. She, like the distant door, seemed to be floating in the darkness.
And Sora, who still held the woman's hand, followed her out into the void. But when he stepped into the darkness, he instantly fell straight through as if there was no ground for him to stand on at all.
The woman, who clung on to his hand with a strong grip, stopped him from falling all the way. He dangled beneath her, desperately holding onto her hand with his own. He, for a moment, made the mistake of looking down and shook with fear at the sight of the endless, dark abyss waiting beneath him.
Initially the woman looked slightly surprised. Then, she slightly cocked her head to the side as she looked down analytically at Sora. Her eyes softened.
"You'll be alright if you don't fall all the way," the woman encouraged genuinely as she stared down at him.
Sora stared back up at her with a confused expression. Before he could ask anything, the woman abruptly opened her hand and let him go. No warning. No explanation. Just like that, she let him go.
And then, all Sora could do was fall.
As he fell, he stared up at the relaxed woman as she became more and more distant. He found himself reaching out for her, wanting to call out to her, but it was only then when he realized that he did not know her name.
As he fell deeper into the darkness, and the woman was no longer in sight, he found his speed reduce until he was no longer falling, but rather gently floating down.
He was observant. While the darkness appeared endless, there was almost an unpredictable pattern to it. Some patches of darkness were brighter than others, in a sense. On the other hand, other patches were devoid of light entirely. Never before had Sora realized that not all darkness was the same.
In the midst of his curious observation, he mistook an oncoming ball of light for a particularly bright patch of darkness. He watched on as it approached him.
The ball of light flew in an erratic path. Sora's eyes followed it as if came closer. When it was close enough, the details of the creature were highlighted by its own bioluminescent glow.
The creature gave off an odd appearance. It was something like a jellyfish crossed with a chandelier. Thin, paperlike tentacles fell from below it like windchimes. Its metallic wings bore millions of tiny lightbulbs - some burning brightly while others were burned out. Its body was more so like a jellyfish with a squishy looking texture. It wore a small black bowtie, like a gentleman. And yet the strangest thing about it was the foreign insignia it bore on its chest. Had that insignia not been there, Sora would have assumed it to be just another heartless.
But if not a heartless, just what was it?
Sora, who didn't feel threatened by the creature in the slightest, took the opportunity to continue observing it.
He was unable to get too invested due to the creature giving off a high pitched, alarming screech.
When the screech died down, a full flock of identical looking creatures came spiraling towards Sora, all in their own, random flying patterns. The way they glowed, they looked like fireworks going off in every direction, all aimed at him. There must have been hundreds of them headed his way.
In a panic, Sora summoned his Keyblade and readied himself for battle. Certainly, he'd been in worse predicaments before, he convinced himself. Defeating dozens of mysterious monsters while falling through a bottomless, dark abyss would be a piece of cake.
Still, he was afraid. He shut his eyes.
Then there blinding flash of white and the sound of one powerful blast.
When it died down, Sora rushed to open his eyes again. He didn't want to miss it, whatever it was. He looked to the left. No monsters. To the right. No monsters. Down below, and up above. Nothing. Again, he found himself falling in solitude.
"Sora!" cried a familiar voice.
He looked back up again and saw the blue haired woman falling gracefully in his direction.
"It's you!" Sora said happily.
"Look out!"
Sora turned his attention to the oncoming group of monsters as the woman shot beams of purple and blue light at them.
"Right!" Sora replied, readying his Keyblade.
The woman, as if on ice skates, glided beside Sora. She lifted her Keyblade and prompted Sora to do the same. "This spell will enchant your Keyblade," she explained. "It will help you defeat the monsters." Her Keyblade glowed faintly. On cue, as did Sora's. The bright light of both weapons reflected in Sora's wide, amazed eyes.
Then, once the glow of the Keyblades dimmed, the woman turned her attention back to the flock of monsters. She raised her arms and Keyblade above her head and twirled in place, like a ballerina. And as she danced light of all colors shot out from her Keyblade. The ribbons of light hit the monsters like targets being hit by arrows.
Sora watched on in awe. The woman fought so gracefully, as if Keyblade combat was an art form. He'd simply never seen someone fight so beautifully. And the colors of the light she created were so vibrant and full of life. Even the brightest flame could not compare.
The woman closed her eyes as she twirled, and there was a soft smile on her face. Just seeing her fight as if it were second nature to her inspired Sora almost immediately.
He eagerly grasped the handle of his Keyblade. No longer afraid, he aimed it at the monsters. The Keyblade's edges glowed. Soon, he too shot the bright ribbons of light. Excitedly, he mimicked the woman's style and moved not as if he were fighting, but as if he were dancing.
The monsters released sonar waves in retaliation, but the light of their combined effort bounced the waves back at them.
Side by side, and eventually back to back, the two danced as they fell. And as they danced, the light wrapped around them and flowed outwards like wisps of smoke.
The monsters disappeared at a steady rate until there were no more.
Sora, who was having the time of his life, grinned widely. He glanced over his shoulder and looked to the woman after lowering his Keyblade.
"We did it!" he exclaimed.
She nodded cheerfully. "That's right, Sora," she agreed. Then, her voice strangely grew distant. "You need to go back now," she explained. "You still need to unlock the door."
The two continued to fall.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked.
She looked up. "Can you count to three for me?"
Sora had a sort of a bad feeling when she asked it of him, but he felt it difficult to deny her of such a simple request.
"Okay," he said. "But what will happen?"
"You just need to trust me," the woman explained. She raised her Keyblade and waited for Sora to begin counting.
"One," Sora started, hesitantly.
Her Keyblade began to transform. Initially, it was difficult to distinguish its new shape as it was clouded entirely in light.
"Two…" Sora continued, and then it was clear what the Keyblade had become. He eyed it intensely. A vehicle of a sorts? "Three?"
"Take it, Sora!" the woman exclaimed as the glider escaped her grip.
Swiftly, Sora grabbed hold of it before it could fly away. He attempted to reach for the woman's outstretched hand, but he was unable to grab hold of it without letting go of the glider. It happened in a flash - he soared up on the glider, and the woman was left falling further down into the abyss.
Sora looked down at her. She appeared oddly content despite being left alone to fall into the everlasting darkness. Even when she was no longer in sight, Sora still extended a trembling hand in her direction. Had he been just a bit closer, had he reacted quicker, could he have saved her?
The glider soared up through the darkness like a fallen shooting star returning to the sky. Sora held on tightly. He could not stop thinking of the woman. Where was she now? Who was she?
The presence of a large shadow fell over him and the glider. He looked up to see what the shadow belonged to and saw what seemed to be the bottom of the previous stained glass ground. He observed it briefly until realizing that he'd be crashing directly through its center!
He shut his eyes as he and the glider shot through the middle before he could even process what to do. Colorful shards of glass flew in all directions upon the crash. Then Sora and the vehicle tumbled onto the ground. Sora, who struggled to get up on his knees and the palms on his hands, stared down at the broken floor below him.
Above him, the shards of glass froze in the air. Then, in a whirlwind, the shards spun around and lined up like puzzle pieces to reform the mosaic ground.
Sora, once composing himself from the shock, sat up with a glum expression. The Keyblade glider was nowhere in sight, as if it vanished when he crashed. He could not stop thinking of the woman, and of how close he was to grabbing her hand. He sat there on his knees for some time and reflected deeply.
Outside of Sora's field of vision, a tall man wearing flowing, beige pants walked over at a casual speed, as if he had all the time in the world.
When the man eventually reached Sora, he came down on one knee to equal his height. He smiled until noting how disappointed Sora looked.
The man, wanting to comfort the boy, attempted to, but visibly struggled. He simply did not know what to do with his hands. Eventually, he decided upon resting one on his lap, and the other awkwardly on Sora's shoulder.
"I couldn't grab her hand," Sora mused regrettably.
"There's no reason for that," the man said. "You tried your best."
"But I couldn't help her," he continued.
The man was calm, but somewhat uncomfortable. "She'll be okay. Trust me, alright?"
"But how do you know?" Sora insisted.
The man hesitated. Then, he smiled upon thinking of a valid reason. "She's my friend."
For the first time, Sora looked up at the man's face. The man's features were well defined, and his light blue eyes twinkled softly. Still, he looked so unsure of himself.
"Your friend?" Sora asked.
The man nodded. "I believe in her. I always have. All I want you to do is believe in her too. Can you do that for me, Sora?"
For the first time since crash landing, Sora smiled. "Okay!" he agreed. The man almost reminded Sora of Riku.
The man chuckled a bit. "Come on," he said, standing straight. "You have a door to get to, don't you?"
Sora looked up. "You know how to find the door?"
"Not a clue. Let's get going," said the man with a light smirk. He offered Sora a hand to help him up.
When Sora took it, he felt the same cold feeling from when he touched the blue haired woman's hand. It was almost unbearable coming from this man. Still, he disregarded it and stood.
The ancient Foretellers developed this meditation practice, Sora recalled Eraqus explaining. It is an ideal method of cleansing the heart. Since the day we met, I sensed a deep pain hidden within you. Before we part ways, I wish for you to address it.
The man, saying nothing more, turned in the direction of a faintly lit path. He took several steps forward before gesturing for Sora to follow.
Sora snapped out of his thoughts and scrambled to the man's side.
They walked in silence for some time until Sora eventually asked the man for his name.
The man acted as if he hadn't heard the question. "Do you miss them?" he asked in return.
Sora looked curiously at him. "Miss them?" he asked, and he remembered how the woman asked him the same thing before.
The man reached into his pocket and pulled out an almost identical charm as belonged to the woman.
The man held the star shaped charm firmly and said nothing.
Sora abruptly stopped walking, prompting the man to mirror him.
"Hey," Sora said. "You'll be with them again soon." And again, he meant it with everything he had.
The man looked down at him after tucking the object away. He looked so unsure of it, but he eventually nodded.
Then, before Sora could continue to reassure him, monsters surrounded them.
These monsters were as peculiar as the last bunch. The monsters looked something like a peacock crossed with a dandelion. They had long tails adorned with shiny blue and green feathers and a green, dandelion-like collar around their necks. Resting on top of their heads was a single miniature top hat. Their backs bore that same, unknown insignia as the monsters from earlier.
The man sprang into action. He summoned what looked to be an extremely heavy Keyblade and attacked.
He was strong. There was simply no other way to describe him. With just one, mighty strike, the monsters would disappear. He fought with such control, discipline, and power, like a warrior. Sora gazed on until summoning his own weapon and attempting to adopt a similar, powerful fighting style.
The birdlike monsters were just as strong and fought back valiantly. Then, in unison, their lovely, soft feathers abruptly stood and become as sharp as needles. Then, the monsters sent the needles flying in Sora's direction.
Acting quickly, the man slammed his Keyblade onto the needles and crushed them in the process. He and Sora then continued swinging at the monsters until they disappeared. And when they did, they became white dandelion fluffs that floated away into the darkness.
But still, there were too many monsters. The man took note of it, and he took note of how tired Sora ultimately became after swinging endlessly to the left and to the right and to the left again.
The man took to drastic measures. Standing still, he briefly closed his eyes and summoned a deep, dark power in his heart. With a single slash, he wiped them all out at once. Dandelion fluffs flew like confetti.
Once they cleared away, Sora and the man were left in the center of the mosaic ground. Huffing and puffing until their breathing steadied.
"They're gone!" Sora said victoriously.
The man nodded, but he looked incredibly fatigued.
"Hey," Sora said with a deep concern in his voice. "What's wrong? We got them all."
"I'm fine," the man said as he held a hand to his head. "You need to get to the door, Sora…" He fell on one knee.
Sora rapidly attempted to help him. "I'm not leaving you too," he said, and it was clear that his mind was made up.
The man stood weakly relying on his Keyblade to support him to stand. "Go, Sora," he said, pointing forward. A pause. "I believe in you."
Sora looked away from the man to see where he was pointing. He saw the vastness of darkness, and a narrow pathway. "I won't go without…" Sora trailed away upon looking back to the man.
In his place was now a figure dressed in full body armor. The figure rested on its knees and leaned against a Keyblade that was now jabbed into the ground.
"Hey," Sora called out in a quiet voice.
No response.
Sora raised his voice in great alarm. "Hey!" and he lightly shook the armor, only for the helmet to fall off and reveal emptiness.
Sora froze in place. He mildly shook, and then looked forward. He had to keep going. Otherwise the man and the woman's sacrifices would have been for nothing. He had to find the door.
You must find it, Sora. The door that locks away a deep, unknown pain in the depths of your heart. Find the door, and unlock it. There you will find the source of the pain, and hopefully eradicate it.
What if I can't?
Then I am afraid the pain will eventually resurface on its own, and you will become vulnerable to it.
He walked on aimlessly, shrouded in self doubt. What if he just couldn't find the door on his own? What if he was lost in the darkness forever?
The faces of his friends on the floor below him kept him going. His power. His friends were his power.
He kept one foot in front of the other. Lost, but adequately optimistic.
All I have to do is sit here?
I will take care of the rest. For now, Sora, all I need you to do is keep an open heart and an open mind.
He walked on until feeling a tap on his shoulder. He instantly stopped and turned around.
Before him stood a rather happy looking boy with dirty blond hair and curious cerulean eyes. The boy waved, somewhat eagerly.
Sora, surprised but pleased, waved in return.
The boy spoke first. "How about a race?" he asked out of the blue.
This caught Sora by surprise. "A what?"
"I'll give you a head start...if you want it," the boy continued.
"No-" Sora tried in an attempt to explain that he didn't want to race.
The boy blinked. "You don't want a head start?"
Sora grew defensive. "No, I do, but-"
"What are you waiting for then?"
"I didn't mean-"
"I'll give you...five seconds!" The boy crossed his arms and shut his eyes. "One," he started.
Sora stared momentarily at him, and then ahead. Where exactly were they racing to, again?
"Two."
"Where's the finish line?" Sora asked, wasting second number three and four.
"Five!" the boy exclaimed before dashing off.
Sora, in a state of bewilderment, pursued the boy regardless of the fact that he ran opposite of the direction he originally traveled.
The boy was swift. In no time at all, there was a great distance between the two. The boy ahead ran at a constant, rapid velocity whilst Sora gradually slowed.
"Wait up!" Sora called out, upon realizing that he couldn't keep up. Not with someone who could run as fast as the wind.
The boy was laughing lightly, turning his attention over to Sora every now and then. "I gave you a head start!" he exclaimed. "You should have used it!"
The light teasing encouraged Sora to speed up. "Where are we racing to?" he asked. The gap of space between the two slowly lessened as Sora began to catch up.
This surprised the cocky boy. He attempted to speed up. "The door!" he called back.
As they ran, purple blob like monsters lined their path. They wore the insignia on their large, bloated bellies. The creatures were incredibly lethargic in comparison to the speed the boys ran in. There was really no given structure to the spineless monsters - all they were were shapeless blobs wearing monocles. They didn't attempt to fight back either. They just sat there humming threateningly.
The blond summoned a Keyblade and whacked the creatures out of existence as he ran. The monsters' sudden presence didn't startle him or slow him down. If anything, he seemed almost accustomed to them.
Sora summoned his Keyblade too. He fought the monsters that the boy left behind, which weren't many.
They ran on fighting the monsters until their numbers dwindled to zero. The battle was humorously anticlimactic, but what else was there to expect from blobs?
Almost simultaneously, the Keyblades vanished.
Sora, eventually jogging lightly by the boy's side, turned to look at him strangely. "Who are you?" he asked.
The boy, too excited to see Sora catch up, almost tripped in what seemed to be nothing at all - perhaps his shoes? He abruptly stopped running to catch his breath. He held up a hand as if to gesture his surrender.
Sora stopped beside him and awaited a response. He used the time to catch his breath.
"I used to race with them all the time," the boy said, conveniently neglecting to answer Sora's previous question. "I was too fast for them, so sometimes I gave them a five second head start." He was smiling sadly, and Sora sensed somewhat of a change in the boy's overall atmosphere. The boy reached into his pocket and revealed a third, green charm that matched the previous two. The boy's voice was mature if only for the moment in which he admitted, "I miss them."
Sora frowned. For a third time that day he said, "You'll find them soon," and still, he meant it with everything he had.
The boy, with great care, showcased the item to Sora. "I know I will," he said surprisingly. "See this? She told us that she put magic in them." He placed it in Sora's hand. When he did, his hand brushed against Sora's, and Sora felt the same, incredible coldness. He ignored it and instead looked at the shiny star shaped charm. It was beautiful. He looked up at the boy's smiling face. He looked so proud of it.
Sora returned the precious object, and the boy tucked it away. He rested his hands behind the back of his head and remarked, "We still have to get you to the door."
"That's right," Sora agreed. He scratched his cheek and looked around his immediate area. "But where…?"
The boy brought his hands to the side. "I'm not really sure." He offered no further assistance.
Sora crossed his arms in thought, and the boy simply stood there and waited for Sora to suggest something.
"What if we-" Sora began, only to be cut off by the boy's sudden yell of pain.
The boy brought a hand to his chest.
Sora became alert. "What's wrong?" he asked, wanting to help but not knowing how to.
The boy shut his eyes tightly to fight back. "I'll be alright," he said. "You need to get to the door, Sora…"
"Not you too!" Sora protested with a hint of despair in his voice.
The boy slumped down to the ground. He lazily looked up to Sora. "The door, Sora…"
Sora firmly shook his head. "I won't leave you!"
The boy kept his eyes closed. He spoke quietly. "I just...need to rest. You...go…" He trailed away as his head lowered.
Sora kept speaking to him, desperately rambling.
"I can't leave you. I'll stay here and wait with you. Then we can find the door, and your friends too! You'll see."
Sora stopped himself. He looked closer. The boy appeared to be...asleep?
Sora could only shake his head. What did it all mean? There was a clear pattern to it all. He would meet someone. Someone possessing a star shaped charm, someone he trusted, someone who felt so cold, yet radiated such warmth, only to lose that person without ever having learned their name. But what did it all mean? Eraqus made no mention of meeting other people. Who were they?
Do not forget, Sora: your first priority is the door and the source of the hidden pain on the other side.
Sora gazed distantly at the sleeping boy. He couldn't just leave him. He couldn't lose all three of them. He just couldn't. He refused it.
Sora slung the sleeping boy's arm over his shoulder and stood him up with slight struggle. Then, as best as he could, he, supporting the blond, walked forward slowly.
He told himself to think positive, but he hadn't a clue as to where he was going, and he lost track of time long ago. He looked over to the boy's face. The boy slept soundly.
If you find yourself unable to continue for whatever reason, release a beam of light into the sky. I will see it and return you here immediately.
Sora considered giving up only to scold himself for even thinking about it. He continued on, more determined than ever.
But the darkness was too close, and the light of the stained glass flickered on and off. The world shook. Sora fought valiently to keep himself and the boy balanced until the ground became still. Then, he continued on.
Was he walking in circles? Everything looked the same, and the door was nowhere in sight. Was he even close to it? Would he ever unlock it? How could he, if he never found it?
His hope was nearly extinguished when a soft, green glow suddenly came from the sleeping boy's pocket. Sora halted immediately after a sound of confusion escaped his mouth.
The star shaped charm flew up and away.
Sora instinctively pursued it quickly as he could with the boy still leaning on him.
He was incredibly excited and eager to follow it, even at his slow pace. He grew unaware of where he was going, as his eyes were focused only on the green glow.
Then, his heart sunk.
The item froze in midair, trembled violently, and shattered into stardust.
Sora watched with dread as the stardust fell to the ground like ashes. He stopped and stared ahead.
Ahead, there was nothingness. The same nothingness he'd been traveling in hopes of finding the door.
He kept looking forward. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but something was coming. He just knew it.
He looked on until something came. Just as he hoped it would. Just as he knew.
First came the blue star shaped charm. Following close behind it was the brown one. The two, enchanted items spun around each other and then abruptly stopped. Sora wanted to look away, but found that he couldn't. In an instant, they became stardust that sprinkled over the green on the ground.
Sora's last shred of optimism nearly vanished with it. But he hung onto it, and he just kept looking forward into the vast nothingness.
Two shadows appeared in the distance. They grew larger as they came closer. Sora squinted. They weren't shadows at all - they were people! And they were running over.
Sora found himself waving them over.
He looked closer. Could they really be…?
The woman and the man from before! They were alright!
The two ran over the sparkling piles of stardust and sent it flying everywhere in the process.
A trace of stardust landed on the sleeping boy's closed eyelids. When it did, he opened his eyes instantly. He jumped away from Sora and dashed towards the incoming man and woman without a second thought.
When the three met, they all silently watched each other. Then, needing no words, they all hugged. The boy looked about ready to cry.
Sora, touched, smiled and watched close by as he rested his hands behind his head.
"You two had me worried," the woman said sadly to her two friends.
"You worry too much," the boy interjected with a small laugh to lighten the mood.
The man was frowning. "But I was worried too," he admitted louder than he thought he would.
The boy stopped laughing. "You were?"
The man grinned. He ruffled the boy's soft spikes down. "Not me," he insisted.
The woman crossed her arms, but she was smiling. "It's okay to worry about your friends sometimes," she commented.
"You're right," the boy agreed. He sighed a bit and kicked the air in front of him lightly. "I was worried too…"
"What a little kid," the man noted with a smirk.
The boy was defensive. "You said you were too!"
"I did?" the man looked around cluelessly. "When?"
"Just now!"
The woman laughed into her hand as the two bickered.
"He's hearing things, and you think this is funny?"
"I'm not hearing things!"
"You two never stop, do you?"
Sora, who listened in the entire time, smiled as he walked over. "You're all together again," he said with a delighted nod. "I knew you would find each other."
The man was the first to speak to him. "It was all because of you, Sora," he said vaguely, but gratefully.
The woman nodded. "That's right," she agreed, smiling.
The boy struggled to speak. "T-thanks, Sora."
Sora looked at the three of them curiously. "What do you mean?" he asked to anyone who would answer. "How did I...help you?"
"Now it's our turn to help you," the woman said softly. She turned to her friends and gave them a nod. They nodded knowingly in return.
The trio summoned their Keyblades. The various Keyblades glowed - blue, green, and brown.
There was an extremely powerful surge of light. Sora had to shield his eyes with his forearm.
When the light vanished, the three were no longer in sight. In their place stood a door. The door.
Sora looked around for them. Where were they?
He summoned his own Keyblade and aimed it at the door.
Whoever they were, wherever they are...Sora smiled as a beam of light from his own Keyblade unlocked the door.
...Thank you.
The other side of the door looked similar, if not identical to the rest of the dark, stained glass world. But the world was smaller, somehow. Darker, even.
Sora took a step forward and saw someone in the shadows.
"What's your name?" Sora asked. He rested his hands behind his head and smiled.
But the character currently standing before him struck him as odd. The mysterious figure faced away from him and inwards into the eternal darkness almost as if he were watching it. There was a certain silence about him that was unsettling.
Regardless of his first impression, the ever cheerful Sora offered a brief introduction. "I'm Sora."
At the mention of his name, the figure winced slightly, as if barely acknowledging Sora's presence. "So you're the vessel the dormant loser picked." And, while Sora was unaware, the boy smirked beneath the mask shielding his face.
The statement took Sora by surprise. He had to take a step back from the shock. "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded, and in an instant, his friendliness vanished, and a quick defensiveness took its place.
The boy, whose back was still turned towards Sora, mused aloud, "I mean, what did I expect? He was never a good judge of character. Maybe if he were, he wouldn't pick someone as incompetent as you." His voice was monotone.
Sora balled his hands into fists. "Just, who are you?" he exploded, upset to be insulted by someone he barely said a few words to.
The boy crossed his arms. "What does it matter, who I am?" Then, he scoffed under his breath and said nothing more.
And as the two stood there in tense silence, Sora's anger ultimately became confusion. He pondered momentarily before cautiously coming closer to the potentially dangerous boy.
His voice was solemn, and he spoke directly. "Are you supposed to be the person I'm looking for?"
The boy rapidly turned his head to him. "What?" he asked rudely.
Sora, who refused to lower his guard, asked again. Specified. "You're the one, aren't you? The hidden pain in my heart."
The boy stepped away from Sora, but made no attempt to deny it.
Sora managed a little smile. It was just a slight curve, but plainly visible. "I came all this way to help you."
The masked boy was immediately amused. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass." And he made a clear attempt to draw more distance between them.
This puzzled Sora. "What do you mean?"
The figure just looked back into the darkness.
Sora frowned. "You don't want my help?"
"I don't need your help," he clarified.
"But, why not? You're hurt, aren't you? My Master sent me here to-"
"Why don't you run back to your precious Master, and tell him it was all just a waste of time then?" the boy asked, raising his voice, if ever so slightly. There was a new sense of rage in his voice, almost as if he were talking about somebody else. Somebody that had betrayed him. Somebody he once called Master.
Sora wouldn't give up. How could he? "I came so far just to find you!"
"Aren't you the persistent one," the boy mumbled sarcastically.
Sora was growing frustrated. "I fought so many monsters to find you," he explained further.
The boy stiffened. "You mean my Unversed."
"...Huh?"
"My Unversed." He extended a hand and uncurled his fingers to reveal a growing darkness in his palm.
Sora, who hadn't expected such a thing, watched as the darkness transformed into the previous, jellyfish-like monster from before. His eyes widened with fear.
The bioluminescent Unversed flew in place. The masked boy watched it blankly. "Creatures that I create from my negative emotions," he explained, wondering why he chose to bother to explain it at all.
Sora was still. "I've been fighting your, your Unversed? Your...negative emotions?"
The masked boy rolled his eyes and took his gaze away from the Unversed. "That's what I said."
The brown haired boy paused. "I'm sorry," he eventually said. "I didn't know. And I'm sure that...the other three didn't either."
The dark figure raised an eyebrow. "You mean those three losers? They're here too?" He just shook his head and lost himself in thought. They can't really be here.
Sora shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I really am sorry," he continued. "I wouldn't want someone destroying my feelings. Feelings, whether they be good or bad, are special. They come from the heart. I shouldn't have destroyed yours."
The masked boy laughed darkly. "I don't mind." Moving swiftly, he snatched the winged Unversed from the air and strangled it before Sora's horrified face until it disappeared in a puff of darkness.
But the boy, being fragmented, was particularly weak, and the pain brought onto him from the destruction of his own Unversed was almost too much to bear. He winced in pain and held both hands to his lower torso. He stumbled back a bit, groaning lightly.
Upon seeing the vulnerable boy in his new, weakened state, the ever kind Sora was quick to offer him his hand to help.
"Get away," the boy growled, and with the half hearted wave of his trembling hand, a swarm of Unversed came between them, causing Sora to jump back.
At the sight of the monsters, Kingdom Key instinctively came to Sora's outstretched hand. He readied his battle stance without a second thought. Although, after a moment of reflection, he froze. Destroying the Unversed, he realized, hurt this boy.
Sora lowered his Keyblade in surrender.
The masked boy straightened. "You're too soft," he commented. "That'll be your downfall."
The Unversed inched closer to Sora as he backed away.
"You just want to help everyone," the boy continued, "but you can't, Sora."
Sora reached dangerously close to the edge of the stained glass.
The boy momentarily lost his composure. "You can't help someone like me. Nobody can!"
So close to falling. Sora wobbled slightly as he balanced himself on the edge. He wondered, if he fell now, would he ever see the light again?
The boy's voice was dangerously quiet. "What a hero you turned out to be."
No! Sora blocked his face with his Keyblade as an oncoming Unversed jumped at him. He refused to have come this far just to fail. "Why can't you just admit that you're hurting?" Sora yelled. "Why can't you just see that I want to help you?" He fell to his knees as Unversed piled on top of him.
The masked boy, slightly surprised by his outburst, remained unimpressed. "Why does it matter so much to you, what happens to me?"
In a bright flash of magic, Sora cast reflect, and in an instant the Unversed bounced off him to the other side of the stained glass. Sora stood victoriously.
He approached the masked boy with a stern, yet saddened expression. Maybe the masked boy had a point. There were just so many people hurting. Eraqus, those three, this boy, and probably so many others his heart was unaware of at that moment. How could he possibly help them all?
In an attempt to answer such a question, Sora's eyes flickered to his Keyblade. The Keyblade always seemed to be the answer. But just as quickly, he averted his gaze from it. The Keyblade never really chose him, not like it chose Riku.
But what did it matter? He faced the masked boy and gripped the Keyblade's handle loosely.
"You know, I only just realized," he said slowly, and the masked boy looked to him silently awaiting a proper explanation.
"I want to help people because…" Sora managed a smile. He shook his head. "I need to."
"Need to?"
Sora nodded. "If I don't…" He held a hand to his own, beating heart and briefly listened to its melodic song. "Then I'll be the one who's hurting."
"That's just stupid." The masked character turned away. He snapped his fingers, and the Unversed vanished. A final, silver door appeared.
"There," he said. "Now leave."
Sora studied the door. "That's the exit?"
"I'm sick of listening to your cheesy speeches."
"But you're still hurt." Sora couldn't wrap his head around it. Why was he accepting pain?
"I'll survive." The boy was bitter.
Sora wouldn't give up. "But you didn't even tell me your name."
"Does it really matter that much to you?"
Sora nodded. Of course it mattered.
A pause.
"Too bad. Get lost." The boy's voice almost broke as if he were struggling just to keep composed.
"But, Vanitas-"
A gasp, on Sora's part.
The masked boy appeared unfazed, despite Sora's sudden use of his name. "You're still here," he noted.
"I won't leave until I can find a way to help you!" Sora vowed.
The boy's hands curled into fists at his side. "Fine!" Vanitas exclaimed as a Keyblade appeared in his hand. He swung wildly at Sora. "You want to help me? Leave me alone!"
Sora dodged the blows by leaping back. "I won't fight you, Vanitas," he explained. He frowned. "I know that it hurts now. It always does at first. But it goes away!"
Vanitas tossed his weapon at Sora. It scraped across his arm before returning to the enraged boy. "You don't know that," he hissed.
Sora yelled out in pain and brought a hand to his arm. "I do," he said, coming closer. "You think… You think I've never been hurt before?" Sora kept calm, but struggled greatly. "It happens to everyone, Vanitas. What matters is what you do with it."
"This is what I do with it," Vanitas said harshly, and hundreds upon hundreds of Unversed appeared behind him.
Sora backed away, clear fear in his eyes. Even if he could defeat so many Unversed, he still couldn't. He looked back. Nowhere left to run. He looked up. All he needed to do to flee was send a beam of light into the sky. He considered it.
Vanitas laughed quietly. "What an… what an idiot," he mumbled to himself. He attacked his own Unversed before they could get to Sora.
Sora watched in horror as the boy struck his Keyblade at the monsters.
"Vanitas!" Sora cried, rushing forward. "Stop!" He tried pulling the Keyblade away from the masked boy. In doing so, he felt his hand and almost froze.
Vanitas shoved Sora aside and swiftly raised his Keyblade to the sky. A beam of light trailed out and filled the darkness.
Sora's eyes widened. He wanted to shake his head, to stop him, but he was still frozen in shock. He looked from the palm of his hand, and then to Vanitas who paid him no more attention and instead continued to battle the Unversed.
Then, nothing but light… light… Sora had never seen more light.
The world was now bright. The Land of Departure, surely. Yes, of course. The Land of Departure. And Eraqus was there, as always, waiting patiently.
"Sora!" he exclaimed once realizing the boy had returned. He rushed over to his pupil. "Were you able to find the door?"
"I did," Sora said distantly. "I found him." Then, he stood and gazed at the setting sun. He closed his hand tightly as if to preserve the previous warmth from Vanitas's hand. "But I," he paused to release the warmth. "I couldn't save him."
A/N:
You can't save them all.
Idea for this chapter came from the lovely Painted With a Palette. She is seriously amazing, because she sent me an incredibly long, well thought out idea about Eraqus teaching Sora some sort of meditation training excercise to have him go to the Station of Awakening and visit those hurting/those connected to him. I didn't use the original idea in its entirety, but the chapter was hugely based off it. So thank you again for it. Also, to clear everything up, Vanitas as shown here is fragmented. This explains why, even though Ven's heart isn't present, Vanitas is. It is only a fragmented part of him. That's also why Vanitas is especially sensitive to the pain when his Unversed get destroyed. (I know this idea wasn't touched on in the games, but it is present in the BBS novels.) I told you all I'd update soon! I bet no one expected it to be so soon! P.S. One day closer to this fic's one year anniversary! Maybe we can get 100 reviews by then? :D Xoxooxoxooo Thank you for reading, as always!
