The Road to Dawn
By Ariana Aislinn
Chapter 16: Manifestations of Light

I forgot to mention in my last chapter - many thanks to Megumi for beta reading chapter 15, and also chapter 16! I much appreciate it. (Even though I do have a tendency to send unfinished chapters to be beta read. Eep.) Less happened in this chapter than I'd planned, but I hope there are enough twists to keep you happy! I have a lot to cover so expect more chapters soon.

Standard disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and its characters are the property of Square-Enix and Disney, not me.

Kairi sighed to herself as she laced up her sneakers the next morning, weaving the long ribbons in a criss-cross pattern up her shins. She straightened her dress, the pink one she'd worn last night, and quickly brushed out her hair.

"Kairi! Come on, dear!"

"It's too early for this," she muttered as she left her bedroom and headed out the front door. The sun was still low in the eastern sky, and although it was a clear, sunny morning, it was early enough that a definite chill still lingered in the air. It was actually rather refreshing. Kairi shook her head in an attempt to clear it - she'd definitely gone to bed too late after last night's bonfire on the beach. She had been up half the night with her friends, laughing and telling ghost stories and playing games. Selphie had seemed much reassured that Kairi had acted more like her old self.

Kairi's grandmother was waiting on the old ironwork bench at the bottom of the porch steps, smiling up at her teenage granddaughter. Kairi hopped down the steps, taking them two at a time, and thumped her large sneakers down on the grass next to the old woman. "Okay, I'm up, I'm dressed, I'm here. So, where do we start?"

Granny patted the seat next to her. "Have a seat."

Kairi blinked. "Sit down? But…aren't we going to get started?"

The old lady smiled. "Magic isn't like fighting, remember. It's more in your heart and your mind. To test for it, you need to be calm."

"All right." Kairi took a deep breath and sat next to her grandmother, her hands resting on her knees. "Now what?"

Her grandmother regarded her thoughtfully for a few moments, and Kairi fidgeted under her gaze. "What?"

"I'm just trying to size up your elemental affinity."

Kairi blinked. "My what?"

"Magical power is divided into elements. Think back…do you remember anything about the magic Sora could use?"

The girl frowned, thinking. "Hmm…I think fire. And thunder, and…ice?"

Granny nodded. "Anything else?"

"Um, those are the only ones I remember that sound like elements…at least the elements we talked about in lit class, from the old Seekers of Wisdom legends."

"Those aren't the only ones, however. There are others, somewhat less common. In fact, there may be many elements that weren't commonly used or properly catalogued back in Hollow Bastion. Some of the others that were used include water, wind, time, time - and, of course, darkness and light."

"Darkness and light?"

"…Yes, though perhaps not in such simplistic terms. Few people can directly harness that power to cast, say, a light spell. Darkness often takes the form of matter or void, such as gravity or magnetism."

"Umm…Granny, I hate to say it, but…well, you know I've been doing well in history and lit class, right? But have you seen my science grades lately?"

Kairi's grandmother laughed. "Yes, dear, and I think you're overly worried about them. You'll bring them up just fine."

"Well, maybe. But my point is that I don't really get how darkness could be connected to magnetism, of all things!"

"I admit the connection is a little obscure. In truth, it makes little sense from a scientific standpoint. Magic is different from science, and while they may not be in direct contradiction to each other, science cannot explain magic. All you need to know is that pure darkness and light are rare for most people who use magic."

Kairi nodded. "All right, I think I've got that." She shrugged. "So what would I be able to use?"

"Ah, child, that is what we must find out." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Your personality is sometimes fiery, but you are also good at smoothing things over and mediating arguments. Fire may be a little too lacking in restraint to match you. You are too warm for ice…not so capricious as wind. Time…I'm not sure, but it doesn't seem quite right." She smiled. "There is something timeless about these islands and the relaxed pace of the life we live here, but I couldn't say whether that would help or hinder the development of time magic."

Kairi nodded and tried to be patient as she listened. She found herself growing very curious, and she pondered what elements might seem to fit her best.

"…You know dear, I think we'd better just try a few things and see. One moment." Her grandmother leaned over, picking up a stone from a small basket of objects at her feet, which Kairi only now noticed. "As I said, I have no true magic of my own, but I am able to…condition everyday objects, to a degree, so that they will respond to any latent potential you may have." She pressed the stone gently into Kairi's hand. "Here. This is a lodestone, a natural magnet. Hold it in your hand until it warms to your touch."

Kairi did so obligingly, curling her fingers around the stone until some of her own body heat transferred over to it. Nothing seemed to happen, however.

"Do you feel anything? Any pull or stirring?"

She shook her head. "No, nothing."

Kairi's grandmother smiled and reached out her hand for the lodestone, which Kairi dropped into her palm. "All right, we'll try another one." She reached down and rummaged through the pile, then handed Kairi a green yisa bird feather. "Hold this one up to the breeze."

The feather's barbs ruffled softly in the wind, but if anything else was supposed to happen, it didn't. Kairi's grandmother soon exchanged it for a piece of bark that had come off the cherry tree at the mayor's house, which had been hit by lightning last spring. When that produced no response, she substituted a piece of burned charcoal from last night's bonfire. Kairi began to wonder just what was supposed to happen, what she was supposed to feel.

The next object, however, was a nautilus shell from the beach. As Kairi held it in her hand, she found herself imagining it when it had lain on the sea floor, the gentle rhythm of the waves washing over it and eventually carrying it to shore, where it had found its way to her grandmother's hands. "…I think I sense something from this. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel, but…I started thinking about where the shell came from. Does that mean anything?"

"Hmm." The lady took the shell back, examining it. "It might. It didn't appear to respond to you, but if the image came unbidden…well, you might have some slight affinity with water. Let's keep trying."

Kairi sighed a little but straightened. This was important, and no one ever said that something as rare or difficult as magic would come without patience…although she had to laugh inwardly when she thought of Sora working patiently to learn magic. Patience really wasn't Sora's thing when it came to wanting to learn a new skill.

A small vial of sand produced no result, but they had a little more luck with a small pocket mirror. Sun flashed on it, and Kairi swore that it kept the glow even after it was returned to the shade. The reflected light seemed to dance playfully, almost as if it were winking at her. Her grandmother chuckled. "Reflection seems to like you."

"Reflection? Is that an element?"

"Not exactly. It's a manifestation of an element - light, to be precise." The woman smiled. "Not all that surprising, now that I think of it. But we're not done yet."

A small, dense weight had no effect at all, which didn't surprise Granny in the least. Nor was there much response from an ice cube she brought in from the icebox - Kairi just made a face when cold water trickled down from it to drip on her knees. Mayor Rufus's pocket watch, which Granny had borrowed the evening before, did nothing but tick softly in Kairi's hand. Finally, however, her grandmother pressed a soft, emerald leaf into Kairi's hand. A delightful sensation, alternating between refreshing coolness and soothing warmth, flowed into Kairi's skin and up her arm. She shivered, giggling softly. "What is that?"

"Ahh." Her grandmother nodded sagely. "I might have guessed. You seem to have an affinity with plant life."

Kairi gave her a sidelong look. "What's that supposed to mean? A plant element?"

"Not exactly. It's another manifestation. Leaves are a type of life, and they may have curative properties. You might call it the element of healing, though more accurately, it is another manifestation of light, much like reflection."

"Oh!" Kairi smiled. "You mean like cure spells!"

"That's exactly what I mean. Did Sora learn to use those?"

"He'd have to." Kairi shrugged and sighed. "I don't remember too much of my time with him, but when I was aware of what was going on, I could see…he was constantly fighting, and often getting hurt. He wouldn't have survived long enough to rescue me if he hadn't been able to heal himself." She straightened, her eyes suddenly flashing with determination. "Gran, what now? How do I learn to use this magic?"

Her grandmother laughed, gathering up the items she'd brought outside with her and placing them back in the basket. "It won't happen nearly as fast as you'd like, I can tell you that now, dear! You see, often a more experienced magic user can give you a spell or two to start with. You would still have to learn to use the spell and eventually master it on your own, but that would give you a starting point. We, unfortunately, don't have that luxury." The old woman shook her head. "I can't truly use magic, and I have no spells to give you. You'll have to find them within yourself - which is certainly possible, but it will take time."

Kairi sighed in exasperation. "So how do I start?"

"Patience, dear." Granny smiled. "As I said, it will come in time. Remember the elements and the spells for which you have an affinity, and listen for the power in your heart. Remember what it felt like as you watched Sora, and try to feel that within yourself."

"Okay," Kairi said doubtfully, standing and stretching. "But…how long is that going to take?"

Her grandmother frowned. "Kairi, it won't happen immediately, and you can't force it. This is all we can do today, and trying to push it to come faster will only frustrate you." She patted the girl's hand, standing up as well, the basket in her own hand. "I have baking and mending to do, and you have some homework, if I remember rightly. Why don't you take a break, then come back and get busy on your studies? We'll have lunch in a couple of hours."

Kairi nodded, a faint smile touching her lips. "All right, Gran. I'll try to be patient."

The woman simply smiled, then went indoors, leaving her granddaughter alone at the foot of the steps.

Kairi closed her eyes and took a deep breath, smelling the gentle breeze that rolled in from the ocean. Opening her eyes again, she decided to go for a walk while the morning was still cool.

The path wound down from their little cottage on the hillside of Star Island's northern shore, gently sloping toward the beach. Along its length were brilliantly colored flowers and bushes, and as she walked, Kairi examined them thoughtfully, occasionally stopping to cup a blossom in her hand and breathe in its fragrance. As she did so, she pondered her grandmother's words and tried to feel that echo of power from the plant life. Once or twice she thought she caught a glimpse of it, somewhere deep inside, but it kept slipping away whenever she tried to examine it more closely.

Somehow Kairi's feet carried her to the little wooden pier, where her boat was moored next to her grandmother's own little-used one. On impulse, she climbed into the boat, locking the oars into place and untying the ropes. With a smooth motion, she began to row away from the shore, heading east and a little south.

Without really thinking consciously about it, Kairi made her way toward Waterfall Island, finally climbing out onto the dock and securing the boat. Her hands clasped behind her back, she walked down the deserted beach. From somewhere on the far side of the tiny island, she could hear children's voices - kids several years younger than herself, some of whom she had occasionally babysat, probably. For now, however, she had this side of the island to herself, the palm trees leaning over languidly to shelter the white sand.

Eventually Kairi found herself standing before a familiar alcove, an arch formed by vines and stones next to the waterfall that gave the island its name. She couldn't bring herself to go inside just now, however. The Secret Place held too many memories, some she wasn't sure she was in the mood to face at the moment.

A few paces to the right, in a patch of sun, Kairi could see a sapling beginning to grow. The young tree held a single, yellow paopu fruit, its star-shape so familiar, yet so enigmatic. Kairi went over to stand next to it, then touched her hand to its soft, slightly downy surface. I wonder if you really do have magical powers. The Seekers had supposedly created this plant, after all - though for what purpose she could not fathom. Kairi closed her eyes, listening and waiting. There was silence for a long time, but then…she thought she heard a faint chiming deep inside, with a soft, golden glimmer that seemed to float in the darkness behind her closed eyelids.

Kairi's eyes snapped open as a hand closed upon her wrist, startling her out of her reverie. She looked up to see a familiar-looking man in a black cloak. Red hair, green eyes, an expression that was half whimsical, half menacing… "Axel!"

The man nodded, grinning toothily. "Nice to see you again, Kairi, but we have no time for pleasantries, I'm afraid."

She pulled against his grip. "Let go of me. What do you want now?"

"Easy, girl. Like I said, no time." He frowned, glancing around warily. "Look, I'd wanted to give you more time to puzzle out your magic, but the situation's changed and we can't wait. The Organization's on their way, and we have to get you out of here now."

Kairi stopped pulling and blinked up at him, puzzled. "What do you mean? What's the Organization?" Her eyes narrowed. "Where do you plan on taking me?"

Axel shook his head. "Somewhere safe. Look, when you get there you're just going to have to lie low for a while. Here. This should tide you over for at least a day until I can send someone for you - it was all I was able to get." He pushed a cloth bundle into Kairi's free hand. She pulled up one corner of the cloth to look underneath and saw a loaf of bread, a couple of apples, and a small wedge of cheese. Axel shrugged. "Not much, I know, but there's no time."

"I know - you said that before." Kairi frowned. "What are you -"

"Ah, Axel. Right on time, I see."

They both looked up as another man came striding toward them. He was also dressed in a long, black leather coat, but he seemed perhaps a bit older than Axel, with close-cropped pale blond hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Small gold hoops adorned his ears, and he regarded Axel and Kairi with a slight, secretive smile.

"What are you doing here, Luxord?" Axel raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were taking one last look at the previous location."

The man called Luxord shrugged. "Demyx is a fool - there's nothing there. I thought I'd come take a look at this place." He glanced around, quirking one side of his mouth into a grin. "This should be interesting. I wonder what secrets await us here?"

Kairi pulled her arm from Axel's grip and rounded on the newcomer. "I don't know who you are, but there's nothing for you here!"

The man turned to face Kairi, eyes flashing with amusement. "What have we here?" He took a few steps toward her, and she realized how very tall he was by comparison. Stopping in front of her, he reached out with a black-gloved hand and lifted Kairi's chin. "Hmm. So you're the girl, are you? Might want to watch that mouth of yours - it could get you into trouble." He grinned.

Kairi jerked her chin away from him. "Don't you touch me."

"Ah, not very friendly, are we darling?" He ran the back of his hand down her cheek.

Axel stepped forward, putting out his arm to block the other man from Kairi. "What is it you want, Luxord? I'm in a bit of a hurry, if you don't mind."

"Taking the girl to the Superior, are you?" Luxord grinned mockingly. "Don't let me detain you from your errand, then."

Axel matched the grin, showing his teeth. "Oh, I won't." He took Kairi's arm again, a bit roughly, and pulled her towards him. "Come on, princess, time to go."

Kairi struggled. "You leave me alone, too!" She stomped on his foot, but Axel merely laughed and stretched his free hand out in front of him. An oval portal of deep black shot with waves of purple opened up before them, and he pulled Kairi toward it.

She struggled, but to no avail. Just before she vanished into the foreboding blackness, she turned to look at the other man. He was watching her with a smile, his eyes as cold as steel.

"Good bye, my dear. I'll be sure to take good care of your islands." He arched an eyebrow in amusement.

Kairi's cry of frustration was cut off as the darkness swallowed her.

Confused yet? Yay! Look for chapter 17 soon! (Ha, Perhelediel, I'm catching up to you!) And many, many thanks for all the reviews!