Chapter XXIV: A Second Awakening

Nightshroud: Hmm I'm interested to know what your theories were on the last chap. Mr. Fipp. Let me know if you can. And I'm so glad you like the story, Lauracroft55, and Kurama and Fayt. I hope I continue to please. Oh, and that's cool that you're a college student. I'm a senior, so I hope I'll have time for this stuff when I go to college. Well anyway, here we go!
"Awaken..."

"What?"

"It's time for you to awaken."

Kai opened his eyes and found himself on a platform. Reyna was in the center, her eyes closed and her tilted up while soft light was falling on her face and feathers blew around. Around her were pictures of Tyson, Namé, Fayt, and one of him, though he was turned away and his picture was darker than the rest.

"It's time for you to choose."

"Choose what?"

"Will you continue to stay steeped in darkness, or will you follow the path to light?"

"Can I face it?"

"That is for you to decide."

He looked down at the pictures of his friends, and the girl he loved. And for the first time his heart felt strongly about what he said.

"I'll do it."

Kai awoke and stood up. He could tell that he was still in the castle at Twilight Impasse, but it didn't seem familiar, like the parts that he had visited.

"I must be in the basement level," he mused aloud. He noticed the door at the end of the hallway and approached it. As he opened the door, a bright light shone from it.

"Take your first steps towards the light."

Kai found himself just inside the gates of Agrabah. He sensed a presence of light nearby, and he figured that would be the best place to start. He started to walk towards the palace when Bandits, Fat Bandits, and Red Nocturnes appeared.

"I guess all I can do is use the darkness for now."

He pulled out Soul Eater and jumped into the air.

"Dark Break!"

He sliced down on a Bandit, jumped back up in a flash, sliced through a Red Nocturne, then was up in the air in another flash. He continued to rain blows down on the Heartless, then blasted the rest with Dark Aura. He placed his sword on his shoulder and laughed.

"Too easy."

He looked up and saw a dark cloud drifting towards the palace.

"I'd better hurry."

He ran through the streets as Fortunetellers appeared. One shot a blast of ice crystals at him.

"Dark Shield!"

He blocked the magic assault, then blasted it with Dark Aura. Then he ran and stabbed through another, then slashed through the last two. He kept running till he reached the palace gates. There were two Fat Bandits there that charged towards him.

"Shadow Wave!"

He blasted them back with his dark shockwave, then jumped over and slashed down the back of one. The other swung its fist, but he ducked down and kicked its face, throwing it up in the air. Then he threw Soul Eater, stabbing it in the back. He kicked open the doors and ran into the palace. As he cut through more Shadows and Bandits, he finally made it to the throne room. Inside he saw a princess ("Jasmine, huh? I remember her from dad and Uncle Sora's stories.") and a huge red genie.

"And now, Princess Jasmine, all of Agrabah will fall to me!"

He threw a giant fireball at her, but Kai jumped in and grabbed her before it crashed. Jafar growled and eyed Kai.

"Insolent brat! I'll teach you your place!"

He punched at the ground, but Kai jumped up to avoid it. Then he landed on Jafar's arm and ran up it till he reached the chest, which he jumped and slashed at. But to his amazement, nothing happened. He jumped to avoid another attack, then shot Dark Aura at Jafar, which had no effect.

"Darn it! What's wrong?"

Suddenly Jafar threw another fireball, which Kai blocked with a Dark Shield.

"Fool! I'm a genie! You can't harm me! I can manipulate the universe!"

He put his hand through the floor, and it appeared below Kai, catching him in Jafar's grasp. Jafar lifted him up and sneered down at him.

"Hehe, I'm going to kill you!"

Kai looked over and saw a black lamp being carried by a raven (yeah Jafar got a new lackey haha). When it saw Kai looking at it, it started to fly away. Kai quickly threw his sword, which stabbed through the lamp and pinned it to the wall. Then Kai used Dark Aura at Soul Eater to charge it, causing the lamp to explode.

"Noooooo!"

Jafar dropped as he writhed about in pain before vanishing. Princess Jasmine ran over to Kai and helped him up.

"Thanks for your help."

"No problem. You're Princess Jasmine, right?"

"Well, I'm actually a manifestation of the light trying to reach your heart. I'd like tp purify you now, if you'll let me."

He nodded and she moved forward, her hands glowing white. As she put them to his heart, dark staticness shocked her and caused her to move back.

"What just happened?" asked Kai.

"Someone has placed a lock on your heart."

"Vanessa..." he murmured.

"The lock consists of six seals. I have enough power to break the first seal."

She put her hands to his heart, and there was a flash of light before the glow on her hands faded. Kai cringed and drew back, clutching his heart.

"Does the light hurt you?"

He nodded. "As the seals break, you'll be able to contain the light. Press on, and you'll find the one who will purify your heart."

Everything grew white around him, and he saw the faint iutline of a door. He walked through it and found himself back in the castle.

"What exactly are you working on?" asked Sommelier as he swished the wine about in his glass.

"You're always drinking, aren't you?" Dr. Veinslay said.

"What can I say. I'm a connoisseur of a fine alcohol. Anyway, you still didn't answer my question."

Veinslay sighed. "I'm creating a genetically altered Heartless. One that can think logically and obey my orders. It will be able to speak and carry out my tasks."

Sommelier put his wine glass down. "So what's left?"

"I need to give it abilities. I don't think mine would suite it much. Hmm..."

"Give it the lightning element. That ought to be good enough. Add a little spark of excitement."

"Lightning...yes, that should work."

He began to work o it again with renewed interest. Sommelier took another sip of wine and ventured another question.

"So, what do you plan on naming it?"

"It's name...is Voldo."

Nightshroud: Yay! Kai is finding the light. And no fear, this shall be different than Riku's path to dawn. Anyway, next chapter will be back to Reyna and Co. Leave a review and let me know how you like it! Oh, and see if you can figure out who the other five will be that break the seals on Kai's heart, and the one to purify it. K, until next time!

Next chapter: The Dark Depths