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Kingdom Hearts: Twisted Shadows
Chapter Three: The Defence of Light
"What's next Jiminy?"
Jiminy Cricket ran down a length of paper on the desk. "Well, Your Majesty, Chip and Dale has fixed all of the Gummi ships after the, er....accident. I assure you, King Mickey, Pinnochio didn't intend-"
"Don't worry about it, Jiminy." King Mickey said with a wave of his hand. "Pinnochio didn't mean any harm. Accidents happen, eh?" He smile so warmly that Jiminy had to blush in embarrassment for bringing up such a trivial matter. Jiminy flustered before returning to the paper. "Uh, Mortimer's refusing to move out of his lodgings in the West Tower. Says that you owe him one for 'exchanging names' or something like that."
"That's fine." The King said. "He's welcome to the lodgings." Jiminy marveled at the level of patience the King could display. Only yesterday, a fire had broken out in the kitchens thanks to Donald's nephews pulling a prank on Gus, the castle cook. Donald had been visiting his uncle over at Radiant Garden and the King just happened to be visiting the kitchens at the time, leaving him to clean up the mess. Jiminy thought the King would go ballistic. Instead, the King calmly cleaned up the mess and gave the trio a small reprimand and some ice cream. Mickey had said later that it was better to be a friend than a dictator.
Disney Castle didn't function like most castles Jiminy had read about. For one thing, the only populace it actually governs is a small village in its outskirts which provides enough for the castle's population. The world the castle inhabits could very well be the smallest Jiminy has ever seen and, thanks to Sora and his adventures, he's been to a fair few. The only notable landmark was the castle itself. Outside of the village was just green fields. He had walked for two hours in one direction only to end up back in the castle.
The castle itself was the oddest thing in the little world. It wasn't the oldest structure but it was definitely the most confusing. The original inhabitants, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and the rest, weren't the ones who designed or actually built the castle. A man had randomly appeared in the field of the intended castle and declared that he was going to design it himself, despite no one having told him that a castle was being built. The locals didn't argue. They didn't have much experience when it comes to castle-building themselves. After the castle was finished though, he promptly left, leaving no blueprints or traces of his existence. King Mickey then spent a week trying to create a proper map of the place with the help of over a dozen people.
Right now, he and the King were in the castle library. In this depository were hundreds and hundreds of books that King Mickey had collected from many different worlds. Before the barriers of the world broke, all that was in here were picture books, photo albums and twenty more portraits of Mickey's ancestors, most of them thankfully relegated back into to the King, there were now dozens upon dozens of records of every conceivable subject in any world that the King had visited, from a copy of The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism by Jackie Mouse (Who bore an unfortunate resemblance to Mickey) to the memoirs of Marquis Halim Ondore IV. Jiminy was itching to get through them all.
Another day was about to wrap up. The sun outside was setting, casting lazy beams into the room. Jiminy was feeling rather sleepy. The last month had been a whirlwind of activity. With the King now back, everyone was trying to restore the castle back yo normal routine. His eyes began to close before he shook his head, clearing away the fatigue. Mickey noticed it and said, "Hey, Jiminy, why don't you get some rest? I can handle all of these tiny details by myself. You've done more than enough."
"Are you sure?" Jiminy asked. "I could start re-cataloguing those new files from SHINRA or fix those bugs in the journal-" Mickey lifted a hand, signaling for Jiminy to stop. "Look, you've done enough, Jiminy. In fact, we're actually ahead of schedule thanks to you. I tell ya, back then, this place was a mess. If you weren't around to help out, I wouldn't have known what to do." Jiminy opened his mouth to argue only to be silenced by a glare from the King. "Go home. Get some rest. I'm sure Gepetto and Pinnochio miss having you around."
"Will you be alright, sir?" Jiminy said. Queen Minnie had warned him that Mickey didn't have much of a clue when it comes to the finer details of running a kingdom, even one as small as this. Mickey lazily waved the question away. "Aw c'mon. How hard can," he took a glance at the sheet of paper. "rewriting tax reforms be?" He gave Jiminy a nervous shrug. "Easy as pie that!" he exclaimed somewhat unconvincingly. "I'm serious, now. Go on, get some rest."
"Thanks, Your Majesty," Jiminy responded. He hopped off the table and exited the room. In truth, he had been feeling very tired. Everyday had brought endless lists of stuff that had been left alone since the King's abscence. Even with Queen Minnie around, there were certain jobs that only the King could do. Jiminy had been spending less and less time in his bed. Perhaps he should remedy that now.
Jiminy lived with his ward Pinocchio and Pinocchio's father and maker, Gepetto. Before, they had lived in a different world until it was destroyed by the Heartless. Jiminy was separated from them and ended up in Disney Castle. That was how Queen Minnie appointed him as Donald and Goofy's chronicler, recording the events of their mission. Jiminy had accepted to get a chance of finding Pinocchio and Geppeto again. What he didn't anticipate was where the mission would take him and what worlds he would see. Jiminy thought himself lucky to be in the heart of an epic adventure and bear witness to it, not to mention meeting people like Sora and his friends.
Now, though, the adventure is over. All of Jiminy's journals were now part of the castle library to be archived and put into historical records. Jiminy's notes on every character they had met, even the types of Heartless and Nobodies encountered, were to be collated into one work that the King says would help future generations. The threat to the light has been vanquished for now. Time to rest.
Jiminy walked along the collonade and saw his two old friends Donald and Goofy in the opposite direction. Donald was looking fit to burst. "Look dummy! I can't just conjure rabbits from nowhere! I'm not that kind of magician!"
"Aw, then what kind of magician are you then?" Goofy said. Even when sounding annoyed, Goofy still sounded as laidback as ever. He walked with ease while Donald twitched with anger. "I don't know any magician who can't make bunnies appear. Hiya Jiminy!" He greeted, marching up to Jiminy and leaving Donald behind.
"Hey Goofy, Donald." Jiminy responded. "Same old argument, huh?"
"Everyday!" Donald fumed. "I am the Royal Magician, not a street performer! I don't even know how to make rabbits appear! It's not even a useful trick!" Jiminy shook his head in wonder. It seemed that everyday, some little thing would set off Donald Duck into one of his rages. Two days ago, his nephews had stolen his staff and covered his room with ink. Donald's rather volcanic reaction could've been heard from miles. Most of the time, Donald was sweet if somewhat dimwitted. It just took so little to set him off.
Goofy gave Jiminy a knowing look and winked as if Jiminy hadn't figured it out already. Jiminy just rolled his eyes. "Now now boys, let's not make this a tradition. Play nice."
"It's him who's the annoying one!" Donald raged. Well, that was what Jiminy thought he said. Donald launched into another unintelligible tirade, his voice reduced to squawking. Jiminy had to stop himself from smiling. Goofy was doing no such thing and was openly chuckling. Of course, this only caused Donald to get even more angry. He pulled out his staff and, with a yell, charged at Goofy who was still laughing even as he ran.
Jiminy watched the retreating two in amusement. This world never ceases to make him smile.
The Hall of the Cornerstone was the castle's most important room. It was, in fact, the first one created, serving as the foundations of the entire castle. It was built before the arrival of that childish architect and therefore not subject to his more outlandish ticks. It was a large, simple room with no additional flourishes, no fancy structures. At the center of the room was the Cornerstone of Light itself. A bright light encased in transparent glass, the Cornerstone was a beacon, a mystery that had drawn together a small community and protected them from the darkness.
Queen Minnie always came to the chamber at the end of the day. After sifting through the endless paperwork and mundane details that come with running a kingdom, she would come here alone and just stare at the light coming from the sphere. Whenever she looked at the Cornerstone, Minnie felt a natural sort of calm, that everything was right with the world.
For the past year or so, she had been spending more time here in this room than anywhere else in the castle. With King Mickey missing and two of his most able men looking for him, the burden of running the castle and, most importantly, protecting the Cornerstone fell on her, the Queen. The endless nights and tiresome days would prove too much from time to time and she would retire here, content to just look at the Cornerstone with no one else but her thoughts.
Right now, Minnie was standing right in front of the Cornerstone, her eyes fixed at that globe of light. Only in the past week or two did she really feel that things were going back to normal. Mickey was back which was an immense relief. Minnie hadn't felt anxiety like the kind she had over the past year since the war began, when he was just an apprentice to Master Yen Sid. Vague messages would reach her every now and then but they did little to ease her worry.
With the absence of the King, the Heartless were becoming more and more brazen with their attacks. Any source of great light was a threat to them so the Heartless instinctively try to snuff it out. This has made Disney Castle and the surrounding village a a target for the weaker, less intelligent Heartless. The Cornerstone held them all at bay but at times Minnie wasn't so sure. Her fears were nearly confirmed when the Cornerstone itself was threatened. If it wasn't for Donald and Goofy's timely arrival with the Keyblade hero, Sora, the whole world would've been engulfed in darkness.
The King was now back, though. His mere presence alone was able to pacify the Heartless, no doubt because of their fear of the Keyblade. Queen Minnie could finally put her fears away and rest. All those days of worrying are finally over.
Her reverie was broken by the sound of footsteps behind her. She blinked and turned around, seeing no one. She took a few steps forward. "Hello?" Sh asked. "Is someone there?"
"Amazing," A cold, rasping voice answered behind her yet again. Minnie gasped and turned around to find a man looking at the Cornerstone of Light, his back towards Minnie. He was wearing a blue cloak and a hood that covered his head. "Who are you?" She asked.
"Simply amazing," the man repeated, ignoring Minnie. His voice was distorted, muffled, echoing against rusty metal. Minnie tried to suppress the shivers that ran through her body. "How arrogant of the light to notice only the darkness and disregard those who are cast away by both light and darkness." The man raised his hand and touched the Cornerstone reverently. "What do you think you're doing?" Minnie said cautiously.
The man let out a derisive snort. "I am a conduit for the dark, unnoticed by light due to my non-existence." Black arcs of electricity suddenly appeared around his hand. They jumped from his fingers towards the Cornerstone. "And thus, darkness can invade the light." The light inside the Cornerstone grew dimmer and dimmer. "Stop that!" Minnie cried out. She ran towards the man only for his leg to come up and kick her, sending her flying across the room.
"Ugh!" Minnie felt all the strength go out of her small body as she lay on the floor. All she could see was the light of the Cornerstone slowly fading away. The cheery brightness of the room was disappearing, replaced by darkness. Soon, she was unable to see anything. Minnie tried to get up only to find a rough hand descend on her. "Aah!" She cried out in pain.
She could hear the man's heavy breathing close to her head. "My friends will be coming soon. I suggest you tell your King to evacuate this world because they will not spare anyone." The pressure on her neck eased and finally disappeared as the man let go. Minnie could hear her breath slowly coming back in short gasps. She heard the man's footsteps echo away from her before completely disappearing.
"Queen Minnie?" A familiar voice called out. A shaft of light shot out behind her. In front of her, Minnie could see the empty glass sphere that had once been the Cornerstone of Light. "Minnie!" The voice called out again.
"Daisy?" Minnie responded. Quick footsteps echoed again in the hall and Daisy was upon her. "Oh no.....Minnie, what happened?" She grabbed Minnie's arm and raised her to a standing position. Daisy looked at her then noticed the Cornerstone. "Wait, what happened to the Cornerstone? Minnie?"
"Summon the King. Donald and Goofy too." Minnie intoned wearily. "Get all the advisers into the throne room quickly." That was the last she said before the world turned to black and she collapsed.
The atmosphere in the throne room was dismal and foreboding. It was a complete contrats to the cheery architecture that shaped the room. Jiminy was especially annoyed by the rather long length that he had to jog to get from the entrance to the throne itself. When he got there, he saw all of Disney Castle's hierarchy gathered around a forlorn King Mickey sitting on his throne. was struck by this rather odd image. King Mickey seldom sat on his throne, claiming it was 'idiotically uncomfortable."
It was the first time Jiminy had seen all of these people in the same room. Nothing happened in Disney castle that necessitated all of its high-ranking personnel to attend to it. Mostly, Jiminy would see individual people here and there but not at the same place. Donald and Goofy flanked Mickey's throne, their expressions grim. Goofy's face showed flickers of fear. They nodded to Jiminy as he took his place on the throne's arm rest. All of the others were lined along the carpet leading towards the throne. Jiminy saw Gyro Gearloose and Dr. Ludwig Von drake conferring silently, Drake making grand gestures with his hands. Chip and Dale were looking at a map Dale was holding up. Daisy was just standing silently next to Donald, her mind on other things.
"Good, Jiminy's here." King Mickey said once Jiminy settled on the arm rest. "Now we can begin."
"Where's the Queen?" Chip asked. King Mickey let out a deep sigh upon hearing her name.
"She......she was attacked a half hour ago down at the Hall of the Cornerstone." King Mickey started. "A man somehow managed to bypass the Cornerstone and drain it of its power, that you all know. Minnie just happened to be there. She's in bed, resting from the...encounter." For a moment, Mickey faltered. Jiminy felt unease at the sight. He hadn't seen the King so vulnerable before. He sensed that Mickey would rather be with Minnie right now instead of here discussing what happened. Mickey willed himself together and continued.
"Right now, the barriers that protect this world are slowly eroding. I strengthened the barriers when I returned so the Heartless hasn't been able to break in since the last time. Without the Cornerstone, though, there's nothing holding up those barriers. From what Dr. Von Drake has told me, Heartless are amassing at the world's borders. We have about an hour before they break through."
Ignoring some of the gasps from the less-informed members in the room, Mickey continued. "The Royal Knights have already begun evacuating the townspeople down towards the gummi ships. I'll need each and every one of you to help delay the Heartless long enough for all of the gummi ships to escape."
"Why can't we just defeat the Heartless?" Dale asked. "We've done that before."
Mickey shook his head. "I'm afraid without the Cornerstone, we'll just be wasting our time. There's too many of them. This world will be lost to the Heartless" The atmosphere grew even more depressing as everyone bowed their heads, thinking of the coming events. All of the room's inhabitants began to consider the ramifications of the King's words.
Jiminy had heard of Disney Castle, back when he was just living with Pinnochio in their own world. The legends had described it as an unassailable bastion of light, standing tall against the powers of the dark. Nothing could penetrate it. Not even in the dark days of the Keyblade War, when any foolhardy individual could attain a copy of that formidable weapon, was the castle in any danger. Jiminy's world wasn't dragged into the War but he had read enough records in the castle to know how nearly all worlds were plunged into chaos by so many misguided souls. Even then, the castle had stood firm, thanks mostly to the King.
Before, Jiminy would have attributed the castle's strength to its tenacious King. Once he saw the Cornerstone of Light with his own eyes though, he felt calmness take over his heart. With something that radiated so much light, so much innate goodness, there was no way the offspring of the dark would be able to penetrate such a barrier. The Cornerstone of Light was an enigma, a piece of glass that just happened to contain centuries worth of light. Whoever created it didn't matter to the inhabitants of that tiny world. What matters is that it kept them safe from the dangers lurking in the dark. With the Cornerstone still filled with light, nothing could possibly happen to the castle.
Well, Jiminy thought bitterly, Now we can test that little theory.
Somehow, the impossible happened. A man managed to enter the Hall of the Cornerstone, get ahold of the Cornerstone without suffering any repercussions and drain it of all its power. Disney castle's safeguards all hinged on the Cornerstone. Without it, the castle was nothing more than a gigantic showpiece.
The Unbreakable Castle, the Bastion of Light was about to be destroyed. Utterly and inexonerably.
"Look guys," Jiminy was jerked out of his reverie by King Mickey's voice, which has somehow gained back its strength. "Don't be glum. Sure, we'll be losing our first and only home to the dark and we might not be able to get it back but that doesn't mean we should lose hope." All of the people in attendance shot him incredulous looks. In response, Mickey gave them a smile, something that somewhat shocked them. "We shouldn't lose hope! If we give up now, that means they've won already! C'mon guys, perk up!"
Whether it was by force or just the sight of King Mickey smiling so jovially, as if he never pronounced the world's death sentence only five minutes ago, all of the tension snapped and the people in the room began to smile, though they were still cautious. "That's the spirits guys! Now, we've got work to do. Gyro, get down to the gummi hangars and supervise the evacuation."
"Aye aye, Your Majesty!" Gyro responded enthusiastically. He turned and ran towards the exit.
"Doctor," Mickey continued, turning to Von Drake. "Outfit each of us with that walking-talking thing you invented last week. We need to be in contact with each other at all times."
"What?" The doctor squawked. "But all of those are prototypes! What if you lose them all? I'd have to start from scratch-" Catching Mickey's pointed stare, Von Drake quickly stopped his rant. "I'll go get them now." he said glumly and exited the room just behind Gyro.
Mickey turned to his right and said, "Goofy, once the Royal Knights are finished evacuating, I want you to round them up and post them into their wartime positions. You'll be manning the wall."
"Wartime postions?" Goofy said. "Gawrsh, I don't know if I can remember that far."
"I know what they are," Jiminy responded. "Found them while cleaning the library two days ago. I'll help you set up the defenses, Goofy."
"That's settled then." Mickey concluded. "Donald, head to the tallest tower. You'll have a clear view of the grounds and the castle from there. Use long range magic to help out."
"You got it!" Donald said.
Mickey leaned down at the two chipmunks on the floor. "Chip, Dale, head for Von Drake's lab and man the Soliton Radar. You can keep track of the people in the castle and be able to give us coordinates as to where the enemy is."
The two chipmunks stood erect and saluted the King. "Yes sir!"
Mickey finally turned to Daisy. "Take Minnie to the first gummi ship. Get them out quickly. If I don't make it, tell her......tell her I'm sorry."
"What?" Daisy said, alarmed. "Why can't you tell her yourself? What are you going to do?"
Mickey hopped off the throne. For a split-second, Jiminy saw a surge of power go through the King. He saw a side of the King that he would never have guessed he had. All he saw was the benevolent king, the kind and helpful friend. Now he saw exactly why he can wield a Keyblade. He saw a warrior.
"I'll be at the frontlines," Mickey said. "Where I'll be needed the most."
Goofy felt a tad nervous.
Of course he had been nervous before. Being Captain of the Royal Knights, he had been in tough situations before, not to mention facing the Heartless and Nobodies with Sora and Donald. That was a kind of nervous that he was used to, the kind that kept you on your toes in the battlefield, the kind that wants to keep you living.
This kind was nauseating. This kind wanted him to run out of the castle and face the Heartless instead. Leading the Royal Knights was one thing but commanding them? Back during the war, there weren't any Royal Knights. They had to make do with impromtu militias, some formed in the heat of battle. The Royal Knights were made out of those militias. Goofy hadn't needed to actually give orders and do the things a Captain would do, thanks to 10 years of relative peace.
Now though, he was expected to walk into a large meeting room filled with all of the members of the Knights and lay out the battle plan in front of them. He and Jiminy had spent the last ten minutes piecing out the old wartime strategies from some of the records in the library. Apparently, some guy named Redeker had come up with these plans while he was holed up inside the castle. They managed to make a coherent plan out of Redeker's somewhat rambling notes. Now, all Goofy has to do was present them to the Knights.
C'mon, you goof, Goofy thought anxiously. Remember when you had go out and meet Max's girlfriend? Or all those fights against the Heartless with Sora and Donald? This is nothing compared to those! You can do this! You can do this!
Goofy put on a brave face and marched into the room, his back straight as a ruler. "Atten-hut!" A voice called out and all of the people milling about suddenly stood to never liked it when they did that.
These men were the members of the Royal Knights, soldiers of Disney Castle. They didn't have much in way of protective clothing. they were mostly dressed like Goofy, only one arm full armored. This was so that they would be able to move better. He walked towards the front of the room, where a podium has been set up. Maps of the castle were pinned to the wall behind the podium.
"Er...at ease, gentlemen!" Goofy called out. The Knights loosened their stance slightly. Goofy was amazed by the rigidity that the Knights held. Is that what they've been doing for the last ten years? Practising their posing?
"Okay," Goofy started. "As you know, the Cornerstone of Light has faded. Heartless are converging at the world's borders and are eating their way through the barriers. In about twenty minutes, they will be able to assault the castle." None of the Knights stirred. Goofy silently admired their bravado. What was he doing commanding a group like them? "The King wants us to delay the invasion long enough for all of the gummi ships containing the refugees to escape."
"Sir?" One of the guards raised his hand. Goofy pointed to him. "Yeah?"
"Why can't they take off now?"
"Some sort of repair problems. You remember yesterday's explosions?" All of them nodded their heads, remembering all too vividly that rather hideous explosion from the hangars. "Yeah, they're still trying to sort that out. So we have to hold back the Heartless until all ships have got out."
"You will split into two squadrons, Alpha and Omega, furthermore split into four platoons." Goofy gestured to the blue map behind him. the wall surrounding the castle had eight marks, four red and four gold. "Alpha takes the red while Omega takes the gold." Goofy sighed and continued. "I'll be leading Alpha. The King will be taking Omega."
"Assigned platoon leaders will be getting thos communicating thingies Prof Drake whipped up." Goofy said. "We'll be in constant contact with each other. Remember, our priority is to keep the Heartless at bay long enough. No need for stupid risks."
Some of the Knights began to shift uncomfortably. A few murmurs sailed across the room. Goofy noticed this and said. "Aw, c'mon guys, don't give up hope! Sure, things look grim and not all of us might make it alive but that doesn't mean we should lose hope! Who knows, maybe all of us might make it! Maybe the Heartless would back down once they see how organised we are! Who knows what would happen?"
The Knights gave each other quizzical looks. Goofy didn't notice. He was being taken in by his own rhetoric. "Men, remember that each and everyone of you is a member of the Royal Knights, one of the toughest and organised......organizations in this world or any other. By golly, I've been your Captain for the last ten years and I do not intend for the first military operation to happen under command to fail. You hear me?"
There was a complete and utter silence. Goofy continued. "Remember who we are fighting for, men. Remember the inhabitants of this world. Remember your families, friends, neighbours, loves who are counting on us to make sure that we keep the darkness at bay! Isn't that the motto of the Royal Knights? Forever a Bastion of the Light!"
Goofy was practically hollering now, lost in his speech. "We will not give in the the Heartless, you hear me? We will be steadfast! We will do our duty as Royal Knights to protect this castle and its people from any danger! Men, I expect each and every one of you to do your job to the absolute best ability that you can achieve! Is that clear?"
"YES SIR!" was the thunderous reply. Goofy was nearly blown back by such a loud response. "Alright then," He said. "Fall out. Extra orders will be coming in as soon as possible. man your positions."With military decorum, the Royal Knights marched out in single lines, their backs completely rigid, their faces silent but determined.
Goofy waited before all of them were out of the room then collapsed to the ground. His face was shiny with sweat. That wasn't so bad.
The highest tower in Disney Castle served no real purpose, just like all of the towers in the castle. It was just really, really high.
This was also Donald's favourite spot. Just the calm and the fact that it was isolated appealed to him, away from the madness and the absolute anarchy that filled the castle. The tower also afforded him ain incredible view of the catsle, the surrounding village and all of the fields. Somehow it calmed him.
Now though, the sight was different.
The once blue sky was now an inky black, creating an atmosphere of dread and doom. It obscured the rest of the world so that Donald could only see the village and the castle. The village, once teeming with life, was now deserted. Donald was both relieved and depressed by this. If all of the villagers are gone, that means they must be down at the hangars, about to leave. If it wasn't for his blasted nephews tricking that poor boy, all of them would've been gone by now.
Not that he was scared of the Heartless. He had faced them too many times to let his fears overtake him.
Donald looked down at the catsle battlements. The Royal Knights were forming lines around the walls. He could see Goofy marching in front of them, waving his shield while making grand gestures. That was odd. Goofy always complained that he wasn't suited to the position of Captsain. The Knights scared him, being heavily disciplined and completely regimented. Now, Donald could see his old friend slowly warming up to his role. Good. they're going to need that.
Donald stepped away from the edge of the tower and took a look behind him. A table was there, placed by him only a few minutes ago. On top of the table were five Ethers and a plastic box. This was what Von Drake called a 'two-way radio'. Donald didn't know what a radio was or how it worked but he thanked Von Drake fervently for making the buttons big and obvious. He was a magician and therefore not obliged to really know all about this scientific stuff.
"Zzzzzzt....Donald?" The radio suddenly squawked. "What?" Donald shouted, startled.
"Donald, can ya hear me?" Mickey's voice came out of the radios speakers. Gently, Donald approached the radio. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Aw, don't be such a wuss, Donald!' Mickey responded. "You'll get used to it."
"But your voice is coming out of a box!" Donald whined. "It's completely preposterous!"
"Donald, you can summon lightning out of a stick. You've battled darkness incarnate." Mickey's sardonic tone just made Donald feel worse. "Out of all the many things out there in the worlds, you're questioning this?"
Donald's face grew red. Thank goodness the King wasn't physically there. That would've been ten times worse. "Okay, I get." Donald finally said. "It just takes a while to get used to."
"Well, don't freeze up there, buddy," Mickey said. "We're gonna need all the firepower we can get."
Donald smirked at those words. He hasn't used advanced magicks in a while. He drew out his trusty mage's staff. This should be fun. "Oh, don't worry about that, Mickey."
It wasn't an army in the regular sense.
It wasn't organized. It didn't have any obvious leaders. There was no collective thought. Just pure instinct.
This wasn't an army.
It was a horde.
King Mickey had travelled into and beyond the darkness, saw how it corrupted people, compelled the good-natured to do terrible things. The darkness was like a malignant sickness, promising glory and power while cruelly eroding your soul. Every once in a while, he would meet someone who had not succumb, who managed to control the darkness within them. Someone like Riku.
But people like that were rare. And the darkness was powerful.
Mickey was at the top of the castle gate, at the gatehouse. The portcullis had been closed for the first time in ten years. Rust had creeped over it during the long, lonely years of misuse. It was still covered by notches and blade marks, relics of battles in the past. Mickey tried not to think about them. There was a new battle ahead.
The Heartless below him were unnaturally still. They were varied, not just the pureblood Shadows but Soldiers, Knights, Air Soldiers and others. Thankfully there were no Darksides. That would've made this battle infinitely more difficult.
Behind him, the Royal Knights stood to attention, ready and patient as a mountain and Mickey's heart went to them. There were two spare gummi ships left for their retreat. Mickey knew that they can't afford to fight to the last man. Someone had to carry on, to keep the flame alive. Hopefully, everyone will make it back.
He eyed the Heartless carefully. The entire horde surrounded the castle, blocking any exit they could use. Mickey could see no end to their numbers. They stretched across the landscape, a huge swathe of black nightmares, waiting for a sign to attack, to swarm. Mickey tried to estimate how much Heartless could be there. They could be thousands, they could be millions. There would be no end to this.
How could so many Heartless end up in one place? Mickey knew how much power you had to have just to be able to command them and get their attention. And most of the time, you could only summon either a large amount of weak enemies or one particularly strong Heartless. Maleficent had been one of the few Mickey had met who could do both at the same time, though how much of it was her own volition or the work of Xehanort's Heartless was unknown.
It must be the Cornerstone. With such a powerful threat gone, every Heartless that could make it throughout the worlds would come here and finish off the world it had spawned.
Mickey narrowed his eyes, taking in every detail of the enemies they would have to fight. Then he spotted something. A multi colored blob was making it's way through the throng of Heartless. It appeared to be kicking them out of its way. Nah, Mickey thought. Can't be.
Then he heard that loud, obnoxious, familiar voice.
"Outa my way, you gobs! Make a path! Or do ya want to go back into the dark? Huh? I'll send you mugs back there if you don't show some respect!"
Every once in a while, Mickey would feel guilty about locking Pete up in another dimension. Since Pete wasn't really a threatening villain, Mickey would think that the punishment was a bit too harsh, especially for someone as seemingly harmless as Pete. He was the kind of person that only the desperate or the stupid would trust. Mickey had actually felt a bit of sympathy for Maleficent, seeing how she was now paired with Pete.
Soon, those guilty feelings would overwhelm Mickey and he would go to the dimension where Pete was locked up. Upon meeting him though, any guilt Mickey hadover locking him away quickly vanishes, thanks to Pete's overbearing personality and his self-obssessed world view that he is the greatest. He had always been like this, even back when he was captain of that steamboat. These negative traits were only magnified once he decided that he was evil and started creating havoc in Disney Castle, calling himself the 'Mighty' Pete. True, he was more of a nuisance than an actual threat but Mickey felt olbligated to send him away before anyone in the castle lost their sanity.
"Hey there, Mouse-King!" Pete yelled, finally reaching the entrance of the castle. "Ya hear me up there?"
"What is it, Pete?" Mickey said.
Pete spread his arms and gestured around him. "Take a look at this army! You mugs have no chance against all this firepower! Why don't you just mosey down there and open the doors for us? Makes things easier. Why, we might even spare some of you!"
"Is that a fact?" Mickey answered coldly.
Pete's malicious grin turned into a frown. "Now that ya mention it, Maleficent did say to spare no-one. I was just, y'know, trying to be polite. Plus that creepy guy in the cloak personally wanted everyone of yous dead. Especially the duck and the dog" Pete looked quite pleased at the thought.
"Wait!" Mickey called out. "What creepy guy?"
"Oh, him. He's been helping us out, getting into the castle and draining the Corner-" Pete stopped once he realized what he was doing. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? If you think it's gonna be easy, messin' with my mind then you've got another thing coming!" Pete pointed at the castle and gates and gave one loud bellow, "CHARGE!"
The battle had begun.
Immediately, the Heartless followed his command, running towards the castle walls. Mickey had been expecting this and shouted to an headphone in his ear, "Donald! Reflect spell around the castle!"
"You got it!" Donald responded. A large clear shell of magic covered the castle, throwing back the first wave of Heartless. The ones behind it paid no attention and crawled over their fallen comrades. Mickey saw the Heartless pile against the walls, not bothering to climb. He could see why.
The pile of Heartless squirming next to the wall slowly rose. Mickey realized that the Heartless were creating pyramid for the others behind them to climb. All of the Heartless that reached the top of the pyramid laid still, creating another layer for the next bacth to reach. Soon, they will be able to reach the walls.
"Donald, you okay for one more major spell?" A slightly-winded voice answered, "Yeah sure."
"Good," Mickey said. "Can you cast a Quake spell around the castle perimeters?"
"Just a sec." A few seconds later, Mickey could feel a rumbling coming from the ground and saw the Heartless pyramid collapse into a heap. The Heartless behind didn't seem to notice, crawling and climbing over their brethren just like before. Mickey saw this and cursed.
Donald's voice crackled into his ear. "I can see flying Heartless going towards your direction, Your Majesty."
"Yeah, I see them." With a flash, the Keyblade teleported into his hand. Mickey raised it above his head and shouted, "Light! Give me power!' An orb of light shot out of the Keyblade and struck multiple flying shadows. More shadows fell as lightning strikes blasted them off the sky. Mickey could hear demented cackling coming from Donald's end and mentally made a note to check up on him after this was all finished.
"Get ready, boys!" Mickey called out behind him. In one fluid motion, the Knights unsheated their swords and held them upfront, their faces grim and ready. Mickey shot out a few more orbs of energy at the remaining flying Heartless and then shouted, "Now!"
Mickey somersaulted backwards, behind the Knights as they charged forward, their swords in motion for one simultaneous swipe, taking out the first wave of Heartless climbing over the wall. They continued this motion, each taking out a Heartless with each swipe. More and more Heartless crawled over the wall and each were destroyed by a Knight. Mickey pressed a button on the headphone and said, "Goofy, you okay?"
"Sittin' pretty, Your Majesty!" Goofy's garbled voice answered. Mickey heard several thwacks! from Goofy's end and put it away from his mind. "Hey, this is almost too easy!"
"Don't jinx it!' Mickey replied. He couldn't help himself and smiled. A buzz of static obscured Goofy's reply and Dale's enthusiastic voice chimed in. "Your Majesty, first gummi ship is away! Only three more to go!"
"That's a start." Mickey said. In front of him, the line of Knights continued to take out the climbing Heartless. Behind them, three Soldier Heartless suddenly teleported and readied to strike. "Oh no you don't!" Mickey charged forward and swung the Keyblade in one stroke. The Heartless were destroyed, dissolving into the darkness. The Knights paid no attention and continued with their systematic chopping.
Mickey knew that they wouldn't throw all of their big guns into the battle so quickly. He tried to estimate the enemy's battle plan. Send in wave after wave of pawns, weak enemies in an effort to weaken them up. Mickey smirked at the thought. Part of the training to be a Royal Knight was to endure long, siegelike conditions with limited resources and constant attack. It was a holdover from the war. The castle had endured long sieges before and Mickey wanted to make sure that, if it happened again, they would be prepared. Everyone had thought he was paranoid. Coincidentally, most of the complainers were new recruits into the Royal Knights.
Another burst of static shot into his ear. "Sir! Heartless are pouring into the gap between the platoons!"
"I'm on it," Mickey replied and ran along the wall, Keyblade held aloft.
Pete was in a giddy mood.
He stood on top of a deserted house, on the roof, marvelling the attack on the castle. he could see those pathetic Knights on top of the wall, slashing and destroying Heartless. Like that matters. For every Heartless they destroyed, ten more were spawned. Below him, on the streets, a never-ending wave of Heartless ran towards the wall, replacing fallen comrades. Those Knights were only delaying the inevitable.
Pete felt like laughing.
He had to admit: it was a pretty sight. The castle stood alone, an ugly shock of white against a glorious black background. Desperate defenders valiantly staving off an inevitable defeat. All of the lights were opened, as if in defiance of the invasion. It created an apocalyptic feel to the whole scene. It was a scene from one of his most fervent dreams. The Bastion of Light, fallen to the superior power of darkness. Unlike his other fervent dreams, this one was actually coming true.
Pete felt like bellowing his happiness to the doomed world.
How he wished he was there, to see that puny mouse's feeble attempts to stave of the Heartless. He would've laughed so hard to finally see that uppity, pompous jerk of a king shown how pitiful he really was. How weak and insignificant the light that he treasured so much was compared to the incredible power of the dark. He had attempted to show them the way, that he was being an idot by backing the wrong horse only to be humiliated and cast off into another dimension. Was it because he was weak?
Nah, can't be.
If only he could replay this memory again and again, then he would be happy.
"That can be arranged."
"Wha?" Pete cried out, jumping at the sound of the voice. Beside him, white tendrils shot out of the roof floor and formed a coccoon. The coccoon broke away, revealing a hooded, masked man. He turned to Pete and said, "If it would please you, you can experience this memory forever."
"Er...no thanks." Pete replied. The man gave a snort and crossed his arms, looking at the besieged castle. "Suit yourself,"
Pete had nearly forgotten about him. This person was solely responsible for getting them into this position. Of course he'd be here to see the results. "Pardon me for asking but where's Maleficent?" Pete asked nervously.
"She's busy," The man replied in that grating, uncomfortable voice of his. He inclined his head to Pete's general direction. "Don't concern yourself about her. I doubt she'll be doing the same."
"Wait a minute!" Pete yelled back. His bravado, having wilted upon that man's arrival, returned in full force. "Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? I am the coomander of this entire Heartless army!" He waved his arms around in one sweeping gesture. "With one command, I could have them tearing you apart, limb from limb! How would ya like that?"
The man didn't answer. For a moment, Pete thought he had won. That'll show him! What kind of punk does he think he is, talking to him, Pete, like that! He didn't even seem that old. The man wasn't that tall, only a few inches taller than that brat with the keyblade. How could he have intimidated Pete?
Then the man's head turned towards Pete and simply gazed at him. "I'd like to see you try." The man whispered. The mask's warped smile seemed to be mocking Pete, daring him to actually do the deed he had boasted before. The man opened up his arms. Go on then. Try me." If it wasn't for that mask, Pete would be able to see if that man was smiling or not, see if he was bluffing.
Suddenly, Pete's confidence plummetted to a low level. This had happened before, usually when he's in the losing end of a fight but this time was different. The man radiated a certain aura he had only felt twice before, the others on Maleficent and those Organization XIII freaks. That aura was an unshakeable confidence in him or herself. It was more than pure confidence, though. It was a complete and utter belief in their indestructibility, that the universe would never allow them to lose. It was a disquieting feeling and Pete didn't like it one bit.
The man lowered his arms and sighed deeply. "You're not as stupid as you made yourself out to be." He turned back to the siege, ignoring Pete, who backed away from him.
"Er.." Pete tried to think of something to deflect from his humiliation. "Why aren't you helping?"
"Why aren't you?"
Damn! This guy was starting to get on his nerves. All this heavy speeches and arrogance was annoying Pete. Who was he anyway?
"Who are you, anyway?" Pete said.
"Me?" The man said quizzically. "I'm a bad memory brought to life. A twisted shadow, if it would please you. If you insist in giving me a name, then call me Shadou."
Shadou. Even the name reeked of pretentiousness. Pete tried a different tack on him, seeing as how this conversation was going against him. "Well then, Shadou, what do you think? Pretty impressive how this siege is going, eh?"
"It won't matter." Shadou replied. "Three gummi ships loaded with refugees have already left this world and are on their way to Radiant Garden. The last three will be gone in the next ten minutes or so."
"What?" Pete yelled, confused. "How do you know that?"
"If you actually stop gloating to pay attention, commander, maybe you'll be able to pay attention." The sardonic tone in Shadou's voice only made Pete feel even worse than before, if that was even possible. "Your Heartless ships posted around this world have reported them leaving for the past twenty minutes or so."
"B-B-B-But.." Pete was stammering. Not a good sign. "But why didn't they shoot them down?"
Shadou shrugged. "You didn't tell them."
"Why didn't you tell them?"
"Because I'm not the commander? Maleficent ordered the Heartless to follow only you and your commands. There was nothing I could do." Pete stared at him, flabbergasted. He could only take so more of this before he could explode. He considered socking this punk right in the middle of that stupid mask. Any fear he had felt over Shadou was now gone. Time to show him who's boss!
"Alright, you mug, you've disrespected me for the last time! I'm Pete, ya see and nobody mocks me like that!" He wrenched his right arm backwards and let loose one mighty punch. Shadou merely sidestepped it, letting Pete fall into the ground below.
"OW!" Pete cried out. The stream of Heartless that covered the street trampled over Pete. "Ow Ow Ow OW OW!" Pete's screams of pain were barely heard in the din of the Heartless still charging towards the castle. All he could see was dark bodies and feel unrelenting pain.
A rough hand grabbed Pete by the shoulder and pulled him up. "Sora was right. You really aren't smart enough to tie your own shoes." After that act, Shadou walked off, leaving Pete behind, as if he hadn't just saved Pete from the rampaging Heartless. Pete ran up to Shadou, who was pointing at the castle. "Do you see that? The final assault's about to begin?"
"How......do...you........know?" Pete's voice was still winded from all the screaming he had been doing.
"The Knights at the wall have retreated." Shadou replied. "The Heartless are pouring into the castle. In a couple of minutes, the castle will fall to you and your Heartless."
Me? Pete couldn't have thought of a better scenario to find himself in right now. Leaving aside his humiliation at the hands of Shadou, this couldn't have gone better. Disney Castle yielding to him, Pete! Not Ansem, not Maleficent but to him! He couldn't wait to see the look in that mouse's face when he sends him into the Realm of Darkness. See how he would like it, locked away in another dimension!
His confidence boosted again, which was an impressive feat, he made one more jibe at Shadou. "I guess those gummi ships won't be taking off anytime soon, eh?"
Shadou let out a sharp laugh. "I wouldn't bet on that. People living in the light has an irritating habit of coming out on top, even when the odds are stacked up against them." At Pete's confused look, Shadou let out a sigh. "You've fought them before, you should know."
"B-But there's no way they can defeat us now!"
"True, true," Shadou said, shrugging. "But you never know. That's the problem with heroes." And with that, white tendrils shot out of the ground and covered Shadou, teleporting him away, leaving behind a disquieted Pete and the rampaging Heartless.
"Only two more gummi ships left!"
"That's good," Mickey replied before dodging the attacks of a Gargoyle Knight. He blocked a desperate sword strike and pointed his Keyblade at the exposed Possessor, shouting, "Release!" The Gargoyle crumbled as the small Possessor floated away.
Mickey paused to wipe his forehead and let his Keyblade disappear, taking in his surroundings. He was in the collonade, right outside the library. Around him, Royal Knights were in full retreat-mode, falling back towards the topiary hedge that concealed the entrance to the gummi hangars. Goofy was next to him, having stopped to catch his breath, resting on his shield. Mickey offered him a potion, which he took gratefully.
The castle was a mess. The once cheery white walls were covered with cracks and dust. Debris littered the floor, whole chunks coming from the ceiling. Every now and then, a loud rumbling could be heard from the far-off walls, accompanied by a horrendous roaring and the walls and ceiling rattling, shaking dust on them. Heartless have taken over nearly all of the castle. The only places left were the throne room and the gummi hangars.
"Where's Donald?" Goofy asked. Mickey turned to him only to find Goofy talking directly towards the headphone that he had, not having it in his ear. "Hello? Hello? Er, I think this thing is broken,"
Mickey shook his head and said, "Give me that," He stuck the earpice into Goofy's ear. Goofy's head jerked as someone's voice entered his head. "Well, jeez, I didn't know, okay?" Goofy shouted down the tiny microphone that adorned the earpiece. "Look, Chip, I'm sorry if I hurt your ears but can you tell me where Donald is?" Mickey could hear someone squeaking on the other end. "He's already there? Coward." Goofy laughed and said to Mickey, "Donald's down at the gummi hangar, prepping our gummi ship."
"Our gummi ship?"
Goofy nodded. "Yup. It's one of those models Sora wrecked when we were making our way towards Twilight Town. Wasn't that damaged from the explosion so it should carry us to-" Goofy stopped then scratched his head. "Uh, where are we going, Your Majesty?"
"Radiant Garden," Mickey said. "Hopefully," He smiled to emphasise at Goofy. "C'mon, Goofy. What are we doing, waiting around? We've got work to do!"
"Your Majesty!" Dale's voice chirped into Mickey's ear. There was more static now in the line. "Large mob of Heartless making its way towards your direction! They're coming through a crack at the throne room. They're gonna mob the retreat if they're not stopped!"
Mickey nodded and said, "Got it." He stood up and said to Goofy, "Get to the gummi ship. I'll be there shortly."
"What do you mean?" Goofy asked. "I can still help you!"
Mickey shook his head. "You can barely stand up, Goofy. Conserve your strength. You'll need it. Patrolman!" Two of the Knights halted in front of them. "Take Captain Goofy and stash him in a gummi ship, where Donald is."
The two Knights nodded grimly. Goofy made a bewildered, "Huh?" before shouting, "Wait!" as the two Knights carried him on his shield and towards the garden. Mickey sighed and summoned his Keyblade.
"Has it really been more than a year?" he asked to himself, staring at the Keyblade. Unlike most Keyblade designs, this one was simple. It was a complete copy of Sora's Kingdom Key with the color design inverted, meaning that the handle was silver and the blade itself was gold. It was midly dislocating first wielding this Keyblade, especially the one connected to the Realm of Darkness.
The other Keyblades he had used in the war were just pieces of steel, weapons, tools. They were shoddy replicas of great weapons and nothing more. This Keyblade, on the other hand, was more than just a sword. It felt like an extension of him, another piece of his soul. It was alive in its own way, directing his hand, creating a symbiotic relationship between him, Mickey, and the Keyblade.
Darkside. Odd name for a Keyblade that worked so well in the light.
Mickey ran for the throne room doors, ahead of the retreating Knights. "Only one more gummi ship left, Your Majesty!" Dale's voice chirped into his ear. "Not including ours."
"Ours?"
"Yeah, two Knights just dragged Goofy in. You're the only one left."
Mickey gritted his teeth. "Just as soon as I take care of this horde."
"Okay, sir," Dale's voice seemed to have slightly wilted at the King's message. Suddenly, he started shouting down the mic. "Wait! Wait! Your Majesty!"
"What is it?"
"The horde, in the throne room," Dale's voice was shocked. "It's disappearing."
"What?"
"Sir!' Chip's voice butted in. "I'm picking up a Keyblade reading, in the throne room."
"But I'm not there yet!"
"It's different from the other readings, sir. It's not the same as yours."
Not the same? What does that mean? Whatever it was, Mickey resolved to find out.
Adrenaline coursing through his body, Mickey ran into the throne room, opening the smaller doors with a wave of his hand. He had prepared for anything but he was still shocked by what he saw.
Heartless had covered half of the throne room, a multitude of Shadows, all squirming from a large crack at the far side of the room. That was what Mickey had been expecting. What he didn't expect to see bright flashes of light criss-crossing the room, taking out the Heartless. The beam of light moved from side to side, destroying any Heartless it touches. Suddenly, it stopped in the middle of the room and turned into a large ball of energy. The ball spat out hundreds of light beams that arced and ricochet against each other, destroying the Heartless with one hit. Soon, the entire throne room was free of the Heartless.
The ball of light began to fade. Mickey could make out the faint outline of a man appearing from within the light. He couldn't tell what he looked like but it was evident that he was wielding a Keyblade. It was a long, tough-looking weapon that was less of a key and more of a blade. The man let his feet touch the ground and lowered his Keyblade. Translucent blocks of light surrounded the Keyblade and disappeared, taking the Keyblade with it.
The man turned around and Mickey was struck by his appearance. He wore simple, brown clothing with odd metallic gears and armor covering his left arm. Brown shirt, brown slacks, there wasn't anything else to it. An odd, familiar symbol served as his belt buckle. He had spiky, brown hair and a pale, angular face. It was a face that Mickey knew all too well.
"King Mickey?" He asked in astonishment. Mickey replied by pointing his Keyblade at him. The man responded by summoning his Keyblade again, created by those odd blocks.
"You!" Mickey shouted. "I know you! You're one of the Chasers!"
The man's face flickered with annoyance. "Don't tell me you believe those rumors?" He held his Keyblade in a defensive stance.
"Rumors?" The King shouted back. "I was there when they sealed you away, Terra. I know fully well what you and your friends did. Tell me, what are you doing here?"
For a moment, Terra's body relaxed. "I was looking for someone. Someone who could bypass the Cornerstone of Light and drain it of its power. Watch out for him."
"Who?"
Terra gestured to his face. "Shadou. He wears blue and has a mask on. He's behind this invasion but it won't be the last one. This is only the beginning."
"And what makes you think I'll believe that?" Mickey said. "It could've been you who got into the Hall of the Cornerstone."
Terra shook his head and opened his mout to speak only to be interrupted by a Behemoth Heartless teleporting in between him and the King. It let out an almighty roar and charged at the King. He jumped and flipped over it and landed at Terra's side.
"Meet me at Radiant Garden," Terra said. "I'll try to explain everything to you." He then raised his Keyblade and charged at the Behemoth, obliterating it before teleporting away in a field of light, leaving Mickey behind.
"What was he doing here?" Mickey whispered before Donald's voice chirped into his ear. "Your Majesty, hurry! We're waiting for you!"
"Okay, okay!" Mickey answered and ran for the exit. There wasn't any Heartless in the collonade or in the topiary garden. There weren't any Knights either. For the first time in many years, the castle was completely still. Nothing moved. No life could be detected except for the King's lonely footsteps.
He finally reached the gummi hangars. Only one gummi ship was left, a particularly small one that he recognized as the one Donald and Goofy and, most recently, Sora used all the time. The doors were open and Goofy was waving his arms frantically. "Hey, Your Majesty! Over here!"
Mickey jumped into the arms of Goofy, who shouted to Donald, "Go! Go! Go!"
"Alright, alright, don't pressure me!" Donald yelled back before pushing a large, red button. Mickey felt the gummi ship float and take off the ground. he then lurched as the gummi ship's nose tip downwards towards the ground.
"When we get back," Donald yelled to the two chipmunks, whom Mickey couldn't see since he and Goofy were still sprawled along the floor of the ship. "Re-design these stupid things so that we don't have to fall downwards just to get out!"
"Y-Yes sir!" They squeaked.
Mickey sat up and then felt back on the ground as the gummi ship suddenly shot forwards. "Whoah! Where are we?"
"Just escaped Disney castle airspace, Your Majesty!" Donald replied. "We'll be at Hollow- oops, I mean Radiant garden in ten minutes."
Mickey finally managed to stand up and shakily made his way to a seat. "Did everyone make it out alright?"
"Yup!" Goofy replied cheerfully, taking the other seat. "No casualties! A few injuries but nothing we can't fix."
"That's.....that's good." Mickey relaxed, letting himself sink into his seat. He didn't feel like cheering. He just wanted to sleep for a week. Mickey felt his eyes closing, letiing himself surrender to sleep.
This is only the beginning
"Guys," Mickey said. He straightened up, his eyes wide open. Donald and Goofy turned to him. "You'll have to drop me off at Radiant Garden. I have something for you to do."
"Anything, Your Majesty!" Donald replied enthusiastically.
"What is it?" Goofy asked.
"Once you drop me off, I need you to go to Destiny Islands. Find Sora, Riku and Kairi." mickey rubbed his forehead, feeling a massive headache coming. "I don't know if something happened there but I want to make sure. Bring them to Radiant Garden."
"You got it!"
And with those words, Mickey just sat there and relaxed. "Good. I'm gonna get some sleep." His eyes closed and, within a few seconds, began snoring. Donald and Goofy turned to each other and giggled as their gummi ship flew through space, away from the world they have just left.
Gaah. that went on a bit too long. Review, please?