Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is owned by people more talented than me.

This is pretty much my second attempt at writing this fic. The first one suffered from what I call 'diarrhea of the keyboard' and was pretty much invalidated come BBS. I'll be reusing stuff from it but overall, the main package should be completely different.

Anyways, please review?

Twisted Sentiments

Chapter One- A New Nightmare

You will be the one who will open the door

You will be the one who shall save those who have been lost in darkness

All of their hearts are connected to yours

You are the key to their salvation

An empty world, once teeming with life, now lost to oblivion

A haunted graveyard for the foolish and weak

A paradise wrought as prison for some and home for others

There were many worlds but they all share the same sky

One sky

Light and darkness stand as equals for now but there are those who seek to shatter the balance

You must take up the mantle of those who have fallen

Fail and the worlds will fall once more

Sora blinked.

Another dream. Sora leaned back against the flat bed and sighed. He could only remember fragments of it but those fragments were familiar. They were the same ones, every time he woke up. Flashes of darkness and an endless abyss, nightmarish creatures lurking within the shadows, keys lost in the desert, none of these images made sense to him. Sometimes he saw himself and his two friends, sometimes with Donald and Goofy and sometimes, he was just alone. That ethereal voice that had been there when it all started- what was it? Who was talking to him?

All this time, he had never bothered to actually question who had guided him from the very beginning. There was the rather urgent matter of fighting to stay alive as well as looking for his lost friends to contend with before dealing with mysterious voices in his head. The voice, the dreams, that mysterious pedestal in the middle of the void, all of it was irrelevant considering what he had to face. Mysteries like that had to take the backseat when various different madmen and abominations were trying to gain absolute power. It's not that Sora isn't curious. It would be nice to finally know just why the Keyblade chose him, out of the millions of people out there. It's just that even with something as mysterious as that wound up becoming an unimportant issue.

Besides, he was about to start on yet another adventure. No need to worry about that for the moment.

Sora yawned hugely as he got off the bed, trying to steady himself against the constant hum of his surroundings. Admittedly, sleeping in a Gummi Ship during flight was not the best of ideas. While Donald and Goofy were far better at steering the vehicles (At least they can never lay claim to corkscrewing past five Heartless ships simultaneously while continuing to lay down the fire), the ride was still a little too bumpy for his liking.

Trying to reorient his thoughts, Sora stumbled into the cockpit of the Gummi Ship, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Ahead of him were three seats for the steering the ship. Two of them were occupied as one of the occupants was furiously shouting at his counterpart.

"Left! I SAID LEFT!"

The ship violently lurched to the left as Sora stumbled forward with a yelp, clutching on to the empty seat. Goofy got out of his seat and helped Sora stand up. "Gawrsh, sorry about that Sora,"

"S'okay," mumbled Sora, settling into his seat. "No broken bones so far,"

"Er, we didn't wake you, did we?"

Sora waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I shouldn't be sleeping too much lately anyway,"

"Give me that!" Donald yelled at Goofy, taking control of the Gummi ship for himself. His eyes were concentrated with not breaking contact with the raging technicolor battlefield that lay behind the cockpit's windows. His hands were clutching against steering controls very tightly, almost as if he was afraid the ship would explode if he let go. "We're nearly there," he said tersely, eyes forward. "Just a couple of minutes and we would've woken you ourselves,"

Sora nodded, still not out of sleep yet. Goofy noticed it and said, "You okay Sora? Looks to me like you're not getting much rest. If you like you could sleep some more,"

"Nah, don't worry guys!" Sora smiled at his friends' concern. "We're close enough to the castle as it is. I can manage. Really!" He certainly wasn't going to tell them about the strange dreams that have been keeping him awake for the past few days. There was no need to worry Donald and Goofy about that particular tidbit. If anyone was going to be burdened by their thoughts and be distracted in their mission, it should be him and not his friends. Instead, he tried to relax and out it out of his mind, hanging his arms behind his head only to be jolted forward as the ship gave another violent lurch.

"Donald?" Sora asked, concerned. "Maybe I should take the helm?"

"Pipe down, I'm trying to concentrate!"

"Look out!" Goofy shouted, peering behind his hands. He and Sora hung on their chairs for dear life as Donald expertly swerved in between the enemy shops while dispatching those who nearly managed to ram against the ship with ease. The ship strained to try and duplicate the mage's moves as Sora and Goofy watched their compatriot in equal mixtures of awe and terror. Donald just ignored them, his bill curling into a determined frown as his hands moved as if they were disconnected from his tense body.

When all the colors finally cleared and the ship began flying in an almost normal speed, they could see the shining pearl of Disney Castle glowing against the incandescent darkness. Sora finally let go of his seat with a heavy sigh and slowly turned towards the ever-so smug duck. "Never. Again." He intoned.

"Aw c'mon, I got there faster than it would've been if you drove," Donald protested.

"Will not!" Sora countered.

"Will too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Um, 'm gonna have to side with Donald on this one," Goofy added sheepishly. "Hey, at least we made it only a few scratches!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora rounded on Goofy. "I've always gotten us through anything alive!"

"Yeah but a gust of wind could've destroyed the ship whenever you got through with them," Donald said as he docked the ship into the castle's loading bay.

"Aw, you're all against me!" Sora cried out, flopping back on the seat. He grumbled to himself as his two friends snickered behind their hands. "Why did we have to come back to the castle?" he asked out loud. "We could've just started once you guys picked me up,"

"The King wanted to tell you something before we left," Goofy answered. "Just to make sure he doesn't lose sight of us once we're gone,"

"This ain't going to be your normal adventure," Donald chipped in. "No mad organizations or witches out to take over the worlds, eh? Should be a piece of cake,"

"Yeah, I still don't fully get what the King wants from me," Sora scratched his head, thinking over the letter he had received only a day before, out of the blue. "Who are these people that need saving? Why me?" He still couldn't wrap his head around the idea that all these people were connected to him. True, he did have many friends scattered across the worlds. But the implication that the fates of many different people could be all tied to him was just a touch too unnerving. He didn't want to be the cause or lynchpin for the survival of others. He just wanted to help people since that was part of the job.

Being a wielder of the legendary Keyblade came with many responsibilities and duties after all. There were people out there, still hurting. The darkness was just as eternal as the light. Sora wasn't stupid enough to believe that just because Xehanort, or at least another aspect of him, had been put to rest doesn't mean the worlds were safe forever. No, there will always be people who are too greedy, too cruel and too evil to allow peace to flourish. The darkness was always a temptation for them but Sora knew that those whose hearts are powerful enough can overcome whatever the darkness will throw at them.

There will always be new dangers, new enemies to fight in the future. Peace may seem illusory at times but to Sora they were moments to be treasured, no matter how fleeting. It was these moments that kept him fighting even at the darkest of times. It was those moments that will keep him fighting until the very end.

"Well Sora," Goofy said as the Gummi ship docked inside Disney Castle. "Maybe the King can tell you more about this whole 'reconnecting' dealey. He wouldn't want you to just run around the worlds causing havoc now, would he?"

"Hey, you two caused as much trouble as me!"

"Oh yeah?" Donald retorted. "What about that time you nearly broke all the dishes back at Beasts' place?"

Hey, they cleaned themselves up! Plus they were really nice!"

"What about the time you crashed into that accessories shop with that skateboard in Twilight Town?" Goofy chipped in, much to Sora's aggravation.

"Not you too!" Sora cried out in disbelief as they disembarked from the ship, emerging from the hangar. "You know Pence dared me to do that! Besides, that one was worth it! We still got munny off him, right?"

"Hiya Sora!" Chip called out as he and Dale went over to the Gummi ship to check for any signs of damage. "Ship still in one piece?"

"What does that imply?" Sora said, eyeing Chip suspiciously.

"Last time you brought in the ship here, the thing fell apart when the wind blew against it," Dale answered absentmindedly, poking through the somewhat pristine Gummi ship with a wrench. "So I guess Donald did the driving today, huh? Ship looks good,"

Sora only grumbled to himself as he followed Donald and Goofy to find the King, an unmistakably smug air around the court mage.

TSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTS

"Memoirs of Marquis Ondore IV," King Mickey Mouse murmured to himself, perusing a shelf from the castle library. "Sunset and Sunrise by Lord Avon, now why do we have a copy of that?" He pulled the offending book and threw it at the desk behind him before continuing his perusal. "Unity and Metamorphosis by Dr. S. Lamb, A Voyage of Discovery by Dr. Doppler, The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism by Jackie Mouse," He paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "This library certainly needs to be re-catalogued,"

Of everything he had accomplished in his tenure as King, the library was perhaps one of the few things Mickey could definitely say he was proud of. When he was just an apprentice to Master Yen Sid, this room was used only to store some old paintings and tapestries. He had personally cleared out the room and used the paintings to decorate the more bare rooms in the castle and added in the shelves soon after the barriers between worlds broke down. Now, ten years worth of travelling filled the shelves to the brim with so much accumulated knowledge from a myriad number of worlds. It was just a shame that his duties prevented him from completely absorbing everything this collection had to offer.

Mickey still tried to always have some spare time left for those most important to him. He and Minnie were a perfect duo when taking in the duties of managing not only the castle but also the burgeoning town surrounding it, which Mickey swore had grown tenfold the last time he was here. Still, he had an entire year since the end of the previous troubles to reacquaint himself with castle life and the peace of mind it afforded him was more than worth it. Kingly duties were a piece of cake compared to taking on the endless darkness.

That said, he didn't necessarily expect himself to be completely immersed in the sometimes tedious nature of being a ruler. Every now and then, he'd get the urge to just leave and go find new worlds like he did in his rather misspent youth. The only real alternative he had was at least reading up on then from the castle's massive collection. Mickey knew that there were far more books in the archives down below, most of them documents from the castle's long history as well as tomes lent to him by his old master and other bits and bobs he had first collected on his initial journeys. Such was the pace of his adventures that he never had the time to fully dig into all the books he had. Now that he was spending most of his time back in the castle, he was free to finally finish up on reading all his library had to offer, even if it might still grow.

But Mickey knew that he was avoiding the real issue. Behind him, on the desk lay two journals. One was filled in with a trove of priceless information on Heartless, Nobodies and many different worlds scattered throughout space. The other used to contain just as much information but had been unfortunately wiped clean save for one sentence. Though Mickey knew for certain who Namine was and why she was to be thanked for all she had done, something far more disquieting had transpired once he took a closer look. Needless to say, Ansem the Wise was certainly frugal when leaving behind parting messages though the Bug Blocks were an unexpected side effect.

Whatever complications might have risen from the debugging was gone now though and the sleeping memories of the journal had been safely extracted for the King to look over. And what he learned did not cheer him in the slightest.

Mickey was finally finished with looking over the latest additions to the library. He reluctantly turned around and walked back to the desk, regarding the two journals. Sitting down, he sighed deeply, resting his head against his hand. Was it really fair to count on him again? Was it really fair to drag him out of a well-earned peace and fling him back into the unknown, all for the freedom of lost souls who he did not even know? Frankly, Sora had done so much for them and everyone that he had more than earned the right to live without interference from anyone. He had suffered so much, nearly fallen into the deepest of darkness, had his life ripped away from him time and time again yet he never faltered. He always came through and fought his hardest. He was a true hero and it was unfair that everything, as always, would come down to him.

Of course Mickey knew who the Data Namine was referring to, at least some of them. Those people who had suffered grievous wrongs in the past, he had fought with all three of before and had known them to be brave and valiant warriors. To think that they would all be connected to Sora was either a comforting or a disquieting thought. He knew very well those people did not deserve the fates handed down to them but must they drag an innocent soul into the rather despairing situation they were in? Sora would of course help those who needed it, no questions asked but was it really necessary? After the incident, Mickey had dredged up as much information as he could about the three Keybladers no matter how insignificant. Sadly, with their home world lost in darkness, Mickey could find nothing about the trio that would be able to help them. So it seems the burden of saving them must fall on the shoulders of a boy who had shouldered enough.

Mickey sighed once more and rubbed his temples, trying to calm a slight headache. He could only hope that Sora would be up to the task. All these people deserve so much more than what fate handed to them. To free them from their torment would be a goal worth shooting for. But it will not be easy. Mickey knew that they will be facing forces that none of them could comprehend. He remembered that boy's psychotic laugh, that sadistic grin that signaled a pure, unrefined malevolence. He remembered that man who had shattered it all, that twisted old fiend who had destroyed entire lives in pursuit of his mad vision. They were nothing compared to the dregs of humanity that were the Heartless or Nobodies. Nothing was more terrifying than a person's will to see his or her plans and goals come into fruition.

And there were the other three. He knew their names except for one. He knew of what they had done under the service of the Organization. He knew that, given the circumstances, there was nothing else they can do to prevent their fates from becoming less than tragic. Mickey knew next to nothing about them but of what little he could decipher from what Ansem the Wise left behind, they were just more unfortunates caught in the endless cycle of despair that had caught them in that one year. They deserved far better than what they got. Mickey did not wish for their lives to have ended in ignominy.

He had faith in Sora. He just wished that the boy will come out of this alive.

"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" A small voice asked. Mickey looked up and found the concerned face of Jiminy Cricket looking up at him. Mickey only smiled genially at the small refugee-turned chronicler. While Jiminy once lived in a different world, Mickey had felt that he could do more to contribute to the running of Disney Castle and stay here. He, his ward Pinnochio and the boy's father, Gepetto, now lived in the town proper. It was only fair that Mickey allowed them to have a home after all that Jiminy had done for him and Sora.

"I have the latest of today's paperwork but I can postpone that for tomorrow if you want," Jiminy said, gesturing to the surprisingly small pile of papers in front of the King. Mickey only shook his head somewhat wearily.

"Jiminy, we can't ever let work like that pile up," Mickey said. "Remember when we came back and the desk was about to break from all the papers waiting for me?" Thank goodness Minnie was always on top of these things. They were a tandem when it came to sorting through the paperwork. Should Mickey ever be called to some adventure, his wife would be there to pick up the slack. Of course, some jobs can only be done by the King alone and so there were always a few more pieces of legal mumbo jumbo that he'd have to sort through. The amount that had been left over after his last disappearance had nearly given him a heart attack. If Jiminy hadn't been around to lend his expertise, Mickey doubted he'd be able to show his face outside the castle anymore.

"But Your Majesty-" Jiminy protested before Mickey waved him off. "C'mon Jiminy, lay it on me. What's first?"

"Okay then," Jiminy said, walking up towards the pile of papers and pulling out the first one. "This is a report from Chip and Dale. Apparently, they managed to most 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. Honestly, that place could use an occupant; no one's used it in years. Next?"

"Tax reforms,"

Mickey's eyes widened. A nervous smile began to twitch at just the mere mention of the term. "Oh, is it time already?" When Mickey spoke, he was unsurprised to find his voice strained. He awkwardly reached for the paper and found several blocks of text and numbers greeting him. He visibly gulped and pushed the paper to the side for the moment. "W-We'll cover that later. It's easy as pie anyway!" Mickey laughed nervously then cleared his throat before continuing. "Anything else?"

"We need to restock the kitchen's pantry on meat products," Jiminy said, reading from the second last piece of paper. "Gus kinda pigged out with the last batch,"

"Huh, it's about time," Mickey said, scrawling his signature on the paper. "Usually it'd be way earlier in the month," He let out a low chuckle and settled into the chair. "Is that it Jiminy? There has to be something else beyond," A large gulp and Mickey forced himself to look at the lone piece of paper sitting innocently in front of him. "Er that,"

"Nope!" Jiminy said cheerfully. A serious look suddenly came across his face and he rubbed his chin. "I heard from Chip and Dale that Sora just got here so you're free to talk to him now,"

"Good," Mickey nodded thoughtfully, resting his head against his hands. He sighed just at the thought of the boy and what he will have to face. "Jiminy, I hate to drag you back into this but you can always back out, just so you know. I don't know what's going to happen in this journey but I know it won't be easy so if you want-"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty but I'm going to have to decline that offer," Jiminy interrupted. "Someone has to be there to chronicle this journey and I've been there since the very beginning. I'm not going to be missing it out and letting Sora and the gang be out there in their lonesome. Someone has to look after them,"

Mickey smiled at the sentiment. "Thanks Jiminy," He frowned at the innocent little journal in front of him, thinking of all it had said. They would be facing powers unknown, delving into the deepest of darkness, all for people who were lucky enough to be connected to the boy. He was the key that connects them all, the only one who could save them. Mickey wished fervently with his heart that he didn't need to throw Sora into the deep end instead, that he could go in his stead. But the facts were clear. This is a job that only Sora could undertake.

The Keyblade connects them all and binds them together. If only that were the case.

TSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTS

There were many secret doorways, nooks and crannies hidden all over the confused landscape of Disney Castle. Not even those who built it knew about all of them, no matter how hard they try. Some say the original blueprints, which would've been a great help when navigating the castle's confusing innards, were taken by its architect, an unimposing man who had pretty much undertaken all the designing and most of the construction work. Such was the gratitude of the residents that they named the castle and the town after him only for said man to disappear after completion, taking with him any hope of understanding most of the castle's weird geography.

What was known to many of the residents was one special room. The entrance could be found only behind the throne of the current king. This room held the most sacred relic in all of Disney: the Cornerstone of Light. It was what united all of its residents. It gave them protection from the encroaching powers of darkness and those craven enough to use it. It bathed the grateful residents with its protecting light and gave them the guiding light they needed to march on for a brighter future. The Cornerstone was quite literally the foundation in which they had built their society on. Without it, the denizens of Disney would be lost.

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 Mickey 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 when, in front of her, a bright flash of light suddenly came to life. Glowing numbers and symbols appeared in circles before the light faded, revealing a petite figure in a black cloak. The person turned around, facing the lone Queen. She could not see the cloaked stranger's face due to the oppressive hood shrouding it in shadow. The figure stared blankly at the diminutive mouse, not daring to make a move. The once calm atmosphere was quickly smothered with tension.

Minnie reflexively drew up her right hand, ready to repel this intruder. Whoever this person was, they clearly should not have access into the Hall of the Cornerstone. How did they get in? The Cornerstone should be able to repel any and all intruders from the halls of Disney Castle. It would've stopped anyone who intended harm towards the castle yet this stranger managed to slip right past its defenses. The all-too familiar cloak only served to disquiet Minnie even more. That coat signified someone who had cause to use the darkness or at least one associated with that group. But they were all dead, weren't they? The wielders of the Keyblade had taken care of them for good. Who was this stranger to come barging in dressed like this?

"Who are you?" Minnie asked, scowling at the stranger. The person did not bother to answer but turned around instead, facing the Cornerstone. The person raised a hand and clicked their fingers together. Identical bright flashes engulfed the room, blinding Minnie and causing her to instinctively cover her eyes. When her vision returned, Minnie found herself surrounded by a horde of strange creatures.

They were nothing like the Heartless she had seen before. They were a corrosive, rusty dark red splotched in different shades and had elongated, grasping fingers. They seemed to be made out of different parts, each body part stitched together in a mangled, horrific manner. Each body part was either too small or too large for the main torso. The creatures twitched and shuffled madly, as if their bodies were too ill-fitting.

An emblem was sewn into their chests, that of a heart breaking into three pieces. In the middle of the exploding heart was a frenzy of stitches meant to symbolize a great head was what scared Minnie most of all. It was a bloated square box with a ripped tear where the mouth should be. The tear kept opening and closing, gobbling up the empty space before it. The creatures did not have eyes but seem to know where the mouse queen was. Their heads were all instinctively looking at her, edging forward to get close to her.

"Stay back!" Minnie commanded, to no avail. The figure who summoned them paid her no attention, instead choosing to gaze at the Cornerstone while the vile creatures moved ever so closer to Minnie. Gritting her teeth, Minnie summoned her ample magic to her and shouted, "Light!" A large shockwave of light blasted from within her, repelling the creatures a few steps back. Minnie raised her hand again, ready to fire another blast when she heard the sound of more creatures teleporting in behind her. She felt their hands drag her down to the ground and pin her while their master's footsteps echoed in the cavernous hall.

"Get off!" Minnie cried out, trying to break free from their grip. She managed to get her head up and saw that the cloaked stranger was raising a hand. A flash of light engulfed it and the stranger was left holding a Keyblade. Alarm bells rang inside Minnie's head as she shouted, "What are you doing?"

"Directive,"

Minnie was shocked into silence by the stranger's voice. She was quite surprised upon hearing a young girl's voice but was more disquieted by the dispassionate, robotic tone she evoked upon speaking. It was almost as if the girl in front of her had been bleached of all personality, leaving behind….an empty shell.

The cloaked girl raised her Keyblade and pointed it at the Cornerstone of Light, immaculate and ever so bright. The Keyblade itself began emitting its familiar blue light. The beam shot out of the Keyblade and into the Cornerstone itself. Minnie heard a distinct locking noise and watched in horror as the eternal light of the Cornerstone began to fade. She felt the light recede within the castle's walls and the darkness descend as the creatures finally let her go. Minnie tried to stand but her vision blurred into darkness. All her senses could pick up were the sound of portals opening inside the room before her head felt light and she lost consciousness.

TSTSTSTSTSTSTSTSTS

Sora did not need the telltale sign of the Keyblade's appearance to know that danger had befallen the castle.

He, Donald and Goofy had just entered the colonnade when they felt a large weight fall down their stomachs. Suddenly, the warm atmosphere of the castle faded and their surroundings darkened. The sky outside became midnight black in a second and the bright light of the sun soon vanished. In Sora's hands, the Kingdom Key flashed into existence, a potent warning sign.

"That can't be good," Donald muttered.

"Ya think something's happened to the Cornerstone?" Goofy asked.

"Then we'd better hurry and find out," Sora said. "Come on!"

The trio ran through the long hallway and was just about to open the door towards the throne room when a short figure dashed past them, knocking open the small partition leading towards the throne room.

"Your Majesty!"

They followed the King's accord and ran after him, barely catching up as Mickey disappeared into the hall of the Cornerstone. Entering through the open door, what greeted them was a nightmarish scene. The once bright hall was now a dark murky purple, lit only by the endless staring yellow eyes. Huge, swirling portals of darkness covered the walls as more and more Shadows squeezed their way through, quickly filling up the vast hall. The pedestal where the Cornerstone of Light once held court was empty. Sora tried to peer through the gloom but all his eyes could see was a lone flash of light battling its way through the seemingly never-ending darkness.

"Donald, get some light in here!" Donald nodded at Sora's command and swung his staff to the ceiling. A bright orb of light shot out and partly illuminated the hall. Sora could now see clearly the bright light in the distance to be the King, batting away the Heartless from the unconscious figure of the Queen. "Can you keep that light going?" he asked Donald.

Donald nodded an affirmative as he shot out more balls of light into the ceiling. "So what's the plan?" Goofy asked before the eyes of the Heartless finally set their eyes on the trio. "I don't think we need a plan anytime soon," Donald answered nervously.

"We'll just make do," Sora said. "I'll lead the way. Goofy, you keep to the rear and protect Donald while I clear a path. We need to get to the King as quickly as possible. Once I cast magnet, get ready to move," The other two nodded in grim determination as they readied their weapons. Sora pulled out a keychain from his pocket and placed it on to the end of the Keyblade. In a flash, the Kingdom Key transmogrified into the Ultima Weapon.

"Ready?"

"GO!"

Sora raised the Keyblade and out popped an orb of flashing light. Immediately, the Shadows in front of them were sucked up into the orb, making a path. A year of negligence vanished instantaneously as Sora's reflexes born from his many adventures automatically kicked in. He quickly dashed through, shooting out another Magnet orb just ahead while behind him, Donald was repeatedly casting Thunder around him, blasting through any Heartless not caught in the Magnet's grip. Goofy brought up the rear, using his shield as a skateboard and smashing through the Heartless.

Sora shot out one final Magnet orb as he resorted instead to smashing the weak Shadows with his Keyblade. They finally reached the King, who was now panting and kneeling on one knee. "Heal!" Sora cried out and the King was surrounded with green leaves and energy, allowing him to stand back on his feet. "Thanks guys," he said.

"No problem, Your Majesty!" Goofy said as he knocked back another errant Shadow. Sora only nodded then raised his Keyblade and cast Reflect around them, allowing some momentary relief.

"How do we get out of here?" Donald asked. Mickey pondered on this and then said, "We'd have to get Minnie out of here first then seal the door to this place. The Shadows got attracted to whatever's left of the Cornerstone's power. Once they realized it's gone, we'd be next in line. I'll carry Minnie, Sora will lead and you two hold the rear, same as you guys did,"

The rest nodded to the King as he continued. "Once I saw go, let the spell break Sora and clear a path. We'll be right behind you. Don't stop running, don't worry about us. Just keep going for that door,"

"But Your Majesty!"" Sora's protest was silenced by a glare as the King let his Keyblade vanish and hefted the feebly stirring Minnie on to his arms. "You have a job to do, Sora. You, Donald and Goofy. I won't let you die right here and now before you finish that mission, understand? Without you, we'd be nothing,"

Sora wanted to say no, to tell the King otherwise but their current situation did not warrant it. He wasn't just about to leave them to save his own behind. He would never forgive himself if he did so. Even if the King himself had commanded it, Sora secretly swore to disobey it as soon as he got the chance. He only nodded grimly and prepared to break the Reflect spell at the King's command.

"NOW!"

The barrier exploded into a blast of power as the Shadows surrounding it were blasted back by the force. Wasting no time, he carved straight through the mass of shadows, waving his Keyblade in front of him. Mickey soon followed him, Minnie's weight not hindering him at all. Donald ran as quickly as possible, staff held aloft still occasionally shooting out balls of light to illuminate the way. Bringing up the rear was the Captain of the Royal Knights. Goofy's shield was having quite a workout as he used it as a blunt object, knocking back any Shadows that try to jump on the small party.

Sora didn't try to talk. All of his attention was focused on the horde in front of him and the task that lay at hand. Even though he had not wielded the Keyblade against these old foes for over a year, he still felt like he had just been battling them the week before. All the old reflexes and reactions were back. If they weren't in a complete, life threatening situation with lives at stake, Sora could've sworn he was back in the islands, just playing a silly game with his friends.

In his hands, the Keyblade weighed as much as a feather, even in the ornate form of the Ultima Keyblade. The Shadows before him were nothing more than cannon fodder too mindless to be fully controlled. Every swipe, every strike turned the Shadows back into the darkness that created them. Sora could barely hear his own breathing; let alone what the others were doing. He concentrated his all on the Keyblade and the task he had in front of him.

Finally, they were close. Sora could see the outline of the doorway leading to the exit. The horde began to close in faster as if they sensed the near escape of their quarry. "Not if I can help it!' he yelled as he plunged the Keyblade towards the ground. Great orbs of light appeared around the group, obliterating the Shadows congregating near them. The rest tried to push past their defeated comrades in one large wave. The portals that covered the walls were now gone and all the Shadows that were left behind had begun a frenzy of movement towards the exit.

Sora dived through the door, followed soon by Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy all landing on a heap. They soon climbed the stairs and got their bearings.

"Now, Sora!" Mickey shouted as he placed Minnie on the floor and summoned his own Keyblade. The two of them both pointed their Keyblades to the sky, each emitting a bright line of light. The throne began to move sideways, sealing off the entrance. Once the deed was done, the two collapsed along the panting Donald and Goofy.

"We made it," Sora said. He began laughing nervously, soon followed by Donald and Goofy. Only Mickey stayed silent, staring at the still unconscious Minnie. Sora noticed what Mickey was doing and soon stopped. He got up on his feet and walked over to the King. "Are you okay, Your Majesty?" Mickey turned to look at Sora and said, "Yeah, don't worry about me. Let's get Minnie to a safe place then we can talk,"

"Bravo!"

In a flash, Sora, Donald, Goofy and Mickey were up, weapons raised in alarm. The voice came from the entrance so they could not clearly see who it was. The cavernous throne room was soon filled with the sound of clapping as the man moved closer. The diminished lighting made it hard to see but the man's booming voice more than compensated.

"Simply astonishing how you escaped that horde!" The man shouted over his footsteps and rather insistent clapping. "Two Keyblade warriors, the Royal Mage and Captain of the Guard, my word, those puny Shadows didn't stand a chance! How will we ever match such colossal strength?"

Sora could practically feel the man smile ferally as his tone became even more sarcastic. "Show yourself!" He shouted.

"Ooh, is that the boy Keyblader trying to show some teeth?" The man mocked as he finally came into view of the heroes. "Perhaps you should learn to stay your mouth when grownups are talking, boy," Sora did not know what to expect but what he saw certainly surprised him. What he saw was not a man in the vaguest sense. There was no face, no features. His hands had no fingers, his body didn't even have legs. The only features Sora could see on the man's smooth black body were his eyes, two tiny pinpricks of white that seem to regard them with obvious contempt and pity. Everything else was just a blot, a dark malignant shape formed into a rough approximation of a human being. Here was a being made literally of darkness. Just looking at the…thing made Sora uncomfortable and his grip on the Keyblade tightened.

Sora opened his mouth to ask who he was but the gasps from his comrades silenced him. This only drew another mocking laugh from the man. "What, surprised to see me? Surely you didn't think some piddling dimension was going to keep me forever? You forget who you're dealing with!"

"I swore to keep you locked away forever!" Mickey retorted, pointing the Keyblade at the man. "How did you escape?"

"I simply found the highest bidder for my services and my new boss quickly zapped me free," The man's dark chuckling filled the hall once more. "After all, what better prize for a villain to add to their arsenal than the Phantom Blot?"

"Aw, that doesn't sound like you," Goofy said. "You're not someone's flunky!"

"Wait a minute!" Sora shouted. "Who did you say freed you?"

"Did I not tell you to keep your yap shut while the grownups are talking?" The Phantom Blot regarded Sora with an indifferent look. "Children should learn by now that they should only be seen, not heard when serious business is being conducted. Besides, I'm sure you'll meet the boss soon. She's dying to acquire this castle,"

"Don't you treat Sora like dirt!" Donald yelled. "Who do you think you are, acting like that?"

"Oh that's rich, coming from an oversized bill like yours!" The Phantom retorted. Even though he had no visible mouth, his voice still carried out across the entire hall. "Besides, why shouldn't I act like a winner when all I see are a bunch of losers? Your Cornerstone is ours now and we'll be taking the castle with it, thank you very much,"

"What makes you think that?" Sora was seriously getting angry at this Blot man, whatever he was. He had the same air of arrogance and self-absorption that he had seen before on villains who he found hard to sympathize with. Who was he to talk and act like that? Judging from his friends' reactions, this one was clearly someone not to be trifled with, unlike that oafish Pete. Sora did not sense a great deal of power within this man-shaped blob but he knew greed whenever he saw them.

And seeing someone as inhuman as this man did not make him feel better.

"Look around you," The Phantom Blot answered. He spread his arms wide, gesturing towards the hall they were in and said, "This place is nothing but walls and a bit of plaster and mortar. The only special thing you got was that big white ball protecting you from the big bad world," His shoulders shook as his laughter gained a sinister tone. "And now that it's gone, well there's nothing stopping anyone taking this place for their own,"

The Phantom continued with unabated breath, his voice becoming softer but laden with venom. "So I'm here just to offer you a chance of survival. Surrender now and your citizenry will live. Choose to fight and they will be fodder for the Heartless,"

"You think we're just going to hand over the castle without a fight?" Mickey angrily remarked, pointing the Keyblade at the Phantom Blot. "Then you don't know anything about us!"

The Phantom Blot just let out his loudest laugh yet and boomed, "Why my dear Mickey, I believe I know more about you and your so-called heroes than you might think!" He scoffed at them and turned around as a dark portal emerged from behind him. "Very well then. Go on then, make your preparations, like good little heroes. Not like they will do you any good but at least you can take comfort on the illusion of having a chance in hell," The last thing they heard from the Phantom Blot was his deep mocking laugh as the darkness surrounded him and then disappeared.

Now that the enemy was gone, they all lowered their weapons though Sora did not let his Keyblade vanish. It felt safer and more comfortable to not let go of it for now. No one had anything to say. Instead, they contemplated on the warning they had just received and the battle that was to come.

The first to speak was Mickey. "Let's get Minnie to a safe place first. Then we need to gather everyone. I have a feeling this is going to be a long day,"