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Disclaimer: I may have applied to work for the mouse once, but he's never worked for me...unless you count on the rare occasion where he becomes a playable character...
Author's Notes: If you haven't read the prologue since this story was first published (I realize I may be talking to a whole two people), you may wish to reread it as parts have been rewritten. Though this is the actual first chapter, and our main characters are a big part of it, it's still going to be with some side characters as well. There is a taste of "adult" content in this chapter, but, again, not a PWP, and it depends where you read this whether you even get the mention (check my profile for a link to this story's other posting). There's a hint of one other, though just a hint, and about that one, remember a lot can happen in a year. Also, just because I write AkuRoku and SoRiku doesn't mean all the men are like that. If you're looking for Cleon, for example, look elsewhere. The ladies deserve some attention, too...you just won't get a full description of it from me. "Sorry", or "You're welcome", depending. Anyway...
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Chapter One: Memories of Light and Waves
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"Sora! 'Your Majesty'! Do not forget-when I've destroyed them all, this castle shall be mine!"
It had seemed a simple venture: even if they would no longer heed her command, she could destroy the Heartless and claim the shining Castle for her own. After all, she was the mistress of all evil, one who had even returned from the Darkness to fight another day. Seeing the oaf falter next to her, she knew she had to keep fighting. She would not suffer defeat again. Still, her spells were not vanquishing the Heartless quite as quickly as they once were. She could feel her strength leaving her as wave upon endless wave of the mindless creatures clashed against her.
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The sheer curtains around the open window were shuffled by a passing breeze causing a ray of moonlight to fall into the open aqua-colored eyes of the young man lying awake in his bed. He raised a hand and smoothed his silvery hair as he sat up, abandoning his attempts at sleep. Though his body was tired, his mind was too awake, and, besides, he didn't relish his dreams lately.
Riku glanced around the dimly moonlit room. Though everything in it was his, from the discarded shoes by the door and the clock that showed it was only a few hours until daybreak, to the mess of papers and a framed photo on the desk next to his bed, it didn't feel like his. The items felt like they belonged to another person or another life. The memories that separated him from that life were part of what was keeping him awake. The other was the person his younger self was next to in the picture. The boys were frozen in laughter, the young Riku ruffling the spiky brown hair of the other, while Sora tried to tickle him. A small smile briefly flashed across the present Riku's face as he looked at the photo, but quickly vanished as he thought about the last several days.
After the reunion on the beach, Mickey and his companions had left rather quickly, not wanting any of the islanders to see them, in an attempt to protect what was left of the order of the worlds. Before returning to his ship, Mickey had looked from Sora to Riku and given Riku an encouraging smile. The King had managed to get Riku's true thoughts out of him one night while spying on Organization XIII, but Riku had sworn him to secrecy. Mickey, of course, had kept his word. Riku had been sad to see his friend go, but understood his wish for as much semblance of order that could be had given the situation. There was nothing for Riku, Sora, and Kairi to do but to pile into Kairi's lone boat, left there after she followed Pluto, and make their way back to the mainland.
That night, there had been a great party at their return, after their parents were finished scolding them and they had given up, at least for the moment, trying to get the story of the trio's absence out of them. Kairi had been considered something of a hero for finding the boys and bringing them home, but even she wouldn't mention where they had been.
However, at the party, and for every day since then, the adults had been careful to keep the Sora and Riku apart, and even Kairi didn't visit much, or when she did, she always seemed preoccupied and in a hurry to leave. The whole situation left Riku frustrated, but slightly relieved. He knew they were worried that if they got together, they might take off again, but knowing the reason didn't make the action any easier to take, even if it meant putting off the inevitable. Riku had gone along with it only because apparently Sora had. Riku understood somewhat. Even he needed a few days rest, spending the first few days in the deep, dreamless sleep of someone who had experienced far too much in such a short time. The last few days, however, his dreams had found him, and they were full of haunting memories, missed opportunities, and times his courage had failed him, not in the fight, but in revealing why he went through it all.
If only that stupid letter hadn't come, Riku thought. If only I'd had more time. I could have explained to him why I did it. The real reason. But, Riku couldn't place sole blame on Kairi or the arrival of her letter. He had tried a few times after Sora had carried him down to the beach in the Realm of Darkness, but he had backed out each time, talking instead about stupid things, like the sound of the waves. He paused in his self recriminations for a minute to enjoy the memory of Sora's arms around him, even if Sora only did it because Riku couldn't carry himself.
Riku sighed as he looked out his window, looking in the direction of the island they used to play on, hidden somewhere off in the darkness, as his thoughts turned to the coming day. With Kairi as messenger and go-between, he and Sora had finally agreed to break out of the virtual house arrest their parents had them under. Locked doors, of course, weren't a problem. It was a matter of waiting until the adults left for the day, and if not, Riku planned to use the age old argument of "I'm almost 17, you can't keep me here if I want to go out".
He hadn't pointed out that, by the rules of this world, he would be legally an adult in a few more months because he'd had nowhere really to go. It wasn't until Kairi had told him that Sora had agreed to the plan that he'd even really thought about it. But, Sora had agreed to meet up with him, and that thought brought back the worry about what he was going to say tomorrow.
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The stadium was a huge construction of intricately carved wood and masonry. In more pleasant times, the large central floor served as stage for demonstrations of magic, championship duels, theatre in-the-round, lectures, or concerts while the thousands sat in the tiered rings of seats around the exterior. Today, however, the floor had several tents and tables set up, manned by worried officials handing out bedding, serving food, or trying to comfort the frightened citizens as they followed the Lady's orders and left their homes for this makeshift shelter. A young woman with dark hair, clad in black boots and a long, blue, sleeveless duster with a white wing design embroidered each shoulder blade, arrived, seemingly looking for someone.
It was surprisingly quiet given the amount of people and the size of the space; no one spoke above a strained whisper as everyone was listening for the sounds of battle. Every now and then, the stillness would be broken by a clink of metal when one of the infantry would shift in their shining silver armor as they stood guard around the floor. High above, on the walkway behind the uppermost seats, almost level with the top of the outer walls, members of the Mage Corps., hooded and cloaked in deep blue, kept their watchful eyes on the people below. Except for one.
One woman, in an outfit more belts than dress, had her back to the inside. Her long black braids fell over her shoulder as she leaned on the outer wall of the stadium, gazing into the distance as darkness seemed to surround the town. Beside her on the wall, a small doll in the form of a moogle, stood and was apparently keeping watch over the citizens with the other mages. It waved at the younger woman as she mounted the top of the stairs.
"I'll never understand how you can split your focus like that, Teacher" Rinoa said, addressing the doll. The moogle cocked its head and shrugged, but the voice came from the other woman.
"Years of practice," Lulu said before finally turning around. "And, you don't have to call me that, anymore. You passed your training and are officially part of the Order. I'm just your friend now. You can call me by my name," she added with a hint of a smile.
"'Years of practice,'" Rinoa replied, a bright, teasing smile flashing across her face before it faded to one more nostalgic. "It's still hard to believe I'm finished. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful everyone accepted me and made me feel part of this world when I arrived, but when they found out I could do magic, all the testing, reading, learning and training seemed to go on forever."
"Following the precepts are a part of being part of this world," Lulu chided lightly. "You arrived here when you were fourteen, so most of your regular education was already taken care of, and you had it easy for a while, but those found to have magic have to be taught the proper way to control and focus it. That means three years in the Halls of Learning, and four years field training with a member of the Order." Lulu offered her own smile as she gestured to herself at this last bit as both she and Rinoa were lost in memories for a moment.
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Oh, the indignity! A powerful sorceress, reduced to trying to fight off the Heartless hand-to-hand, or staff-to-claw. Her magic had faltered at last, and the creatures had closed in. Her once elegant black dress had rips and tears in many places from the Shadows' sharp talons. Her buffoon of a henchman was no help anymore. The Heartless had knocked him to the floor and were swarming over him. Though, even if she hated to admit it, she might not fair any better. She no longer had the strength to even open a doorway out of this fight. A sudden explosion high above them rocked the Castle, forcing her to her knees, but it also forced the Heartless back a moment. Even those clinging to her lackey were forced off long enough for her to meet his terrified eyes.
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In an upstairs bedroom in the largest house on the islands, the windows were thrown wide to tempt in the cool predawn air. Kairi, too, lay awake, listening to the distant sounds of the waves crashing against the shore, thinking about the secret she had been keeping from Sora and Riku since she first met back up with them, and worrying about how she was going to reveal it. A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
"So, you not sleeping tonight?" came a voice from beside her, causing her to sit bolt upright in bed. She clutched the bed sheets to her bare breasts, the movement pulling the covers off the young man lying next to her, revealing his toned, tanned, and very naked body. This elicited a quiet laugh from the young man, his blue eyes seeming to sparkle in the dim light.
"See? I told ya you were a blanket hog," Tidus teased as he moved closer to her and covered himself back up. Kairi gave him a smile and shushed him, not wanting her adoptive parents to hear, as she laid back down on her side, snuggling against him. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. "Much better," he continued in a softer voice. "Now, what's up?"
Kairi pressed back into him and sighed again, this time only partially from worry. "I'm just not sure how I'm going to tell them about us." Tidus knew she wasn't talking about her parents, as most people in town had already guessed they were a couple, though hopefully no one knew they usually spent the night together.
"You know, a guy could get worried in a situation like this," Tidus said, the joking tone tinged with real concern. "I mean, would you rather be with one of them now that they're back?" The "and that you remember who they are" was implied. Tidus was the only one to whom she had told what she knew of the whole story.
Kairi quickly turned over and pressed her lips to his before pushing back slightly so she could look him in the eyes. "Almost a year ago, when you asked me why we had never dated and I couldn't give you an answer beyond 'because we were young,' I was being honest. That answer's still true, even given what's happened. I was young and spoiled. I enjoyed thinking they were fighting over me, whether they actually were or not. But, you actually pay attention to me for me. And besides, you were actually here with me this last year."
"Still, I can't help thinking that if they had been here..." Tidus began before she cut him off with another kiss.
"Quit it," she admonished. "I told you I love you and I still mean it. Just because I can remember our old friends now doesn't change that." She turned back over and cuddled back against him. "All it does is bring up the situation of me having to tell them."
"Just be honest," Tidus said. "I'm sure they'll understand. Besides, for all you know, they may have people waiting for them among those other worlds you told me about."
Kairi hadn't thought of that. "Maybe you're right. And, I promise I'll tell them about us tomorrow."
"You mean later today," Tidus teased. "Like, in just a few hours." He paused as he shifted, making Kairi aware of a 'growing' issue between them currently pressed against her backside. "You know, there's really no sense in me going back to sleep, especially if you're just going to be awake worrying. I could always try and take your mind off of it for a while..."
"It is very distracting," she giggled as she turned back over and rolled on top of him.
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Rinoa had been very afraid and confused when she first arrived. Her world had been on the verge of being swallowed by darkness. Someone she care about very much had told her to join him in the gardens where he and the others he was in the process of rounding up would be making their escape, but she was cut off. The Heartless had her surrounded. As they closed in around her and the wish to be somewhere safe away from them gripped her heart, she was momentarily blinded by a flash of light.
She blinked, trying to clear her vision and heard concerned, but unfamiliar voices all around her. She had a brief impression of a bustling market before her vision dimmed again. Strong hands held her shoulders as her knees gave out and she lost consciousness. When she awoke later in the Healing Center, she had been informed of her situation. Some strong magic had brought across the Paths Between to this world. Through further study, the masters had discovered that the magic was her own, and that she was a powerful mage, possibly even a sorceress with the proper training. Though she and her newfound friends had tried, returning her to her own world seemed impossible. The darkness surrounding it had been too strong.
Since return was impossible, and the new world was welcoming and not too different from the one she came from, she tried to make a life in it. She was sent to live with one of the towns officials and even underwent the training that any ordinary citizen of the world with magic would be subject to. But, through it all, she never forgot her home world, especially the young man she left behind. Even though she knew it wouldn't work, she even tried to tap into the power within her. She didn't risk sending herself, but she tried sending letters. At first, nothing happened. When she thought she had the hang of it, they would vanish in a bright flash of light, only to reappear a few moments later, the magic unable to deliver it. For a long time, she had given up even trying this.
"So, what took you so long reporting in?" Lulu asked from her seat on top of the stadium wall, picking up her moogle doll. "You had me worried that something happened to you."
"Ever the worrier," Rinoa replied with a smile as she took a seat in the spot formerly occupied by the doll. Even when Lulu was still officially her teacher, assigned as her handler from the Mage Corps., she acted more like a big sister than anything else. Rinoa hesitated, her smile slipping a bit and her hand coming up to play with ring she wore on a chain around her neck, before continuing. "Actually, I was in the middle of something when the summons went out. I...sent a letter." Lulu had helped her try in some of her failed attempts and knew she wasn't talking about walking to the post box. She was about to comfort Rinoa, but something in the wording made Lulu pause.
"You 'sent a letter,'" Lulu repeated back.
Rinoa nodded. "I hadn't tried in over a year, not since before things got bad last time, but with everything that's going on now with the new enemy and everything, I just thought, 'if this is my last chance,' I should take it. And...it worked."
"First," Lulu said with a sigh as she pulled her friend into a hug, "don't think like that. We didn't fall to the Darkness a year ago, and even with this new enemy, we're still going to be fine. Understand me?" Lulu pulled back from the hug to look Rinoa in the eyes and waited for her to give a slight smile and nod before continuing. "And, the letter getting through? This is a good thing. It means you've finally found him." Rinoa's smile grew more broad. "So, what did you say?"
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The Heartless were quickly on Pete, again. He called out to her in a weak voice.
"Maleficent," he cried. "I...I don't want to be a Heartless."
An emotion she had not felt in so long that she couldn't immediately identify it passed through her heart. Pity? True compassion? It was followed quickly by a feeling of hopelessness. She couldn't save him. She couldn't save herself. The Heartless had been on her almost as soon as she fell. Their hearts would be taken. There was nothing she could do for him...
"Maleficent...please...anything but one of them..."
Well, almost nothing...
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Unlike the others, Sora had no problems sleeping. In fact, he was lost to the world of dreams at that moment...
Far below him, he could hear the hustle and bustle of the people of the town as they finished their work for the day. They chatted and laughed, shouted and bickered over the ever present clickity-clack of the trains and trams, but all that was little more than white noise in the background to him. Right now, he couldn't care less about the other people in the world or their problems. Right now, for him, there was only the beauty of the sunset, and the comfort of the person he snuggled against to watch it.
An arm was draped around his shoulder as he sat with his head against the other person's chest. The soft sound of their lungs a restful rhythm in his ears after a hard days fight. How he wanted to do this forever. There could be no better way to end the day than in the arms of the one he cared for, even if he wasn't "supposed to". The rest of his line of thought, however, was driven from his mind by the sound of Kairi giving a giggle behind them.
"Aw, don't you guys look cute," said Kairi as a deeper laugh came from beside him.
As he turned around to grumble at her for interrupting, he was brought up short. Wait, a second, he thought to himself. Her hair is...and what is she wearing? He brushed away a few strands of his own blonde hair that had fallen into his eyes to get a better look at her. Wait...Blonde?
Sora opened his eyes, the unexpected incongruities shaking him from the dream. He really did feel mad at Kairi for interrupting, or was it Kairi? The more he tried to think about it, the more he couldn't decide, and the more he tried to remember what she interrupted, the more it slipped through his grasp. In the end, all he could come up with was that whatever it was felt right, that it might have something to do with Sea Salt ice-cream, and that not being able to remember it kind of hurt, but he wasn't sure why.
Finally with a shrug, Sora rolled over and went back to sleep, not noticing the lone tear running down his cheek and into his pillow.
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Even though things were kind of chaotic with the return of their former leader, the members of the Restoration Committee were still busy with the task of cleaning up the town. Though Tron's help in finding the original blueprints to the town made things easier, there was a lot of damage to be repaired after the last giant battle with the Heartless. Not to mention the fact that they were going to have guests that night. True, it was always good to see Sora and it would be nice to finally meet the famous Riku and Kairi, but they rarely had any actual notice he was coming.
Merlin was sitting at his table, sipping tea, and going over a piece of parchment he had received from Ansem, apparently detailing the magics used in restoring Axel. Yuffie was out patrolling the town, with a little help from Donald and Goofy. Aerith was reading the computer screen over Cid's shoulder as he worked on drawing up a plan of action for the repairs. Leon had just walked through the door, having been up to see Ansem and the King, when a bright flash filled the whole room, surprising Merlin so much that, "Jehosafat!", he fell out of his armchair.
In the middle of the table, surrounded by a fading glow, was a small envelope leaning against the old teapot. Merlin peered over the edge of the table and poked at it with his staff. When nothing happened except the envelope falling over from being tapped, he stood and picked it up, examining it. Sensing nothing dangerous about it, he turned around to face the others. "Leon, I believe it is for you."
Leon rushed forward and took it. It was a heavy, but plain envelope, devoid of markings except for the heart pressed in the sealing wax on the front, and the word "Squall" on the back. He gave a small gasp as he thought he recognized the fluid script in which his former name was written. The others merely looked on as he passed out of Merlin's house.
He didn't stop walking until he reached the wall of the old Bailey overlooking the gorge. Leon sat on the brink as he softly touched the parchment in his fingers, trying not to get his hopes up, but still his heart was overwhelmed. As he opened it, the first bit of real joy to touch him in over ten years crashed through him as a glowing pair of white wings made of pure light floated out of the envelope. Blinking fiercely, he read the letter he had been longing for.
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Another explosion shook them. She used the momentary diversion to her advantage and reached out to her companion. She closed her eyes and gathered her last bit of strength. When she opened them, she locked gazes with the old riverboat captain.
In a soft tone that surprised even her, she said, "I'm sorry, Pete. This is the only way to save you from my fate." With that, she released her energy in a blast across his chest, stopping his heart. The light faded behind his eyes, as the Heartless, losing one of their targets, focused solely on her. She no longer had the strength to fight them. She closed her eyes and waited. She knew what would happen next.
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The sun had barely shown it's face over the horizon as Sora unlocked his bedroom door and snuck downstairs. He'd thought his parents had mentioned something about going shopping and it seemed that they had left early, so he had no trouble as he dashed out of the house and down to the docks. The larger boats, fishing vessels mostly, would have left already, but there were a few smaller boats that the villagers used to get around to the other islands on their own. Sora untied one of them and began paddling for the island that he and his friends used to play on.
Seeing that his was the only boat at the little pier when he arrived, he knew he was first. He hoped Riku didn't have too much trouble getting away. Of course it was possible that he, Sora, had actually managed to wake up before the others. If that's true, maybe things really have changed, he thought to himself as he went up the stairs in the shack, crossed the bridge to the small island and sat down on the bent Paupu tree. As he did, he could see another small boat coming through the waves. The glint of early morning sunlight off of silver hair told him who it was.
Riku had decided to simply go out his window, rather than risk a confrontation with anyone. Skulking and sneaking had become second nature to him. As he arrived, he was glad to see it was just Sora there. He worked his was across to the small island and hopped across the Paupu tree, joining Sora, all the while working up the courage to say what was on his mind. In the meantime, both simply stared out across the water to the mainland. Finally, he broke the silence, deciding to ease in to the conversation.
"Nothing's changed, huh?" he remarked, his courage starting to vanish again.
"Nope," replied Sora. "Nothing will."
And here I am trying to change basically everything, thought Riku. Even if I do say something, he'd probably never...And even then the people of the islands would definitely never accept it.
"What a small world," he said aloud.
"But," Sora countered, "part of one that's much bigger."
"Yeah," Riku replied, lamely. Some world out there might accept it, he thought to himself, but even to get there would be next to impossible now. I can't access the Corridors of Darkness anymore, and my heart's not strong enough to use the Pathways of Light, not like...
"Hey, Riku," Sora said, interrupting his thoughts. "What do you think it was-that door to the light?"
Riku smiled at the thought that he and Sora might be thinking of similar things. He raised his hand and pointed at Sora's heart. "This," he said.
"This?" Sora asked, pointing his own hand.
"Yeah," Riku replied. "It's always closer than you think."
Sora leaned forward slightly and gave Riku a sweet smile that lit a fire in his heart. Riku started leaning forward, too. Maybe if I just do this and then explain afterward. I mean, he can't really blame me when he's just so...
"Sora! Riku!" Kairi's shout rang through the morning air, making Sora turn to watch her run across the bridge and Riku to snap back upright, silently cursing himself and Kairi's timing, again.
"What's up?" Sora asked as Kairi stopped to catch her breath. Though they hadn't noticed her boat arrive, it was clear from her present state that she had paddled hard and ran the rest of the way.
"Look," she finally managed to say between gasps. She held up a small bottle with a message inside. On the side of the rolled paper, a very distinctive mark could clearly be seen.
"From the King?" Sora asked as he took the bottle, uncorked it, shook out the letter and unrolled it.
"I was walking to my boat when there was a bright flash in the water nearby and the bottle washed up on the sand," Kairi explained as she leaned over the tree to be able to see. Riku casually leaned in to read along:
Dear friends,
I had hoped that things could settle down for a while and let you guys get back to a normal life, but we've got something happening here that concerns you. Inside the mansion outside of Twilight Town, Donald, Goofy and I ran into a couple of people we never thought we'd see again: Ansem the Wise and Axel. How they survived is a story best left up to them to tell, but Ansem thinks he has a way to bring back Naminé and Roxas, and with no damage done to Sora or Kairi.
Merlin said that he knew you guys would agree so he's going to come and get you Sunday at noon on the beach where we left you, even Riku, since I know he will want to come, but whether you go along with this is up to you. This could be dangerous, and I'll understand if you don't want to go through with it. Still, it will be nice for us to see each other again. So, even if it's just for a visit, we'll see you guys soon.
Your friend,
Mickey
Riku leaned back, glad that his friend had kept his word and not said why Riku would want to come along. He also wasn't sure how he felt about the prospect of the two Nobodies returning. On the one hand, he and Naminé were on friendly terms, but on the other, he wasn't sure how Roxas would respond to him. He looked over at the other two and waited for them to speak.
"Well," Kairi said finally, "I think we owe it to them for everything they did for us."
"Yeah," Sora said slowly. "I mean, it's our fault they existed in the first place. It's only fair that they get a chance to have a life, or whatever."
"So, you guys have decided?" Riku asked. When they nodded, he continued. "Then, there's just one thing. I know that the days kind of meld together here, but you do realize that today is Sunday. Merlin will be here in a few hours."
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The stadium shook and screams filled Rinoa's ears as another blast of strong magic rocked the building to its foundations. They had attacked out of, literally, nowhere: hundreds of Heartless were swarming around the building, while thousands more overran the town. At the head of the wave, like generals in command, were at least a dozen of the new fiends, seeming to enjoy the screams of fear. They were shaping and wielding Darkness as if it actually had form. They cut down anyone in their path, tossing the armored guards into the waiting Heartless swarm as if they were nothing more than toy soldiers. They hurled great, pulsing orbs of Darkness that exploded upon impact at the mages, trying to dislodge them from their perch as the mages scrambled across the crumbling building, hurling back their own spells. Magical barriers had been erected around all the entrances, and while it seemed to hold the generals back, it only seemed to slow the Heartless.
Rinoa was trying to fight back her own fear while staying alive. The part of the wall that she and Lulu had occupied was blasted apart in the first moments of the attack. She had been thrown down the stairs to the floor below in front of the main gate and was fighting off the Heartless that had appeared inside the stadium. In her efforts to defend the citizens, she'd not seen what happened to Lulu. Rinoa stumbled as the barrier around the entrance wavered, then blinked out as the great doors splintered under the last shadow barrage. Two of the new fiends, followed by another wave of Heartless, stormed through the opening. The too-wide smiles flashed evilly, until a brilliant beam of light cut them down.
A willowy hand, still slightly glowing, extended from an emerald green cloak to help Rinoa up. She received a quick smile from the Lady Ahnmuri before she dashed off to the center of the floor, leaving Rinoa to dust herself off. Ahnmuri called four of the closest mages to her, which gathered in a small circle around her and joined hands. Rinoa could feel the power being called up from where she stood as a ball of light formed in the Lady's hands. Ahnmuri raised it above herself and threw her arms wide, causing the ball to expand, rushing past the citizens, but forcing the Heartless back. The shield spell now formed a shimmering, semi-transparent dome encompassing the central half of the stadium. Those outside it's protection either quickly ran inside it, or were mown down by the Dark creatures trying to break through. Ahnmuri gave swift orders for the injured to be looked after to a young man with matching red hair who had run to her side before she went back to Rinoa.
"That will hold them back," she said. "Not for long, mind you, but it will give us a chance to regroup. Where is Lulu? I need to speak with her."
"Right here," came the response from across the floor. Lulu was walking towards them with a slight limp, a few of her braids had come undone and now hung loose about her face, and her doll was holding its detached pompom in its arms. Rinoa went over and hugged her. Lulu smiled at her. "You didn't think you'd be rid of me that easily, did you?" Rinoa returned the smile.
Lulu gave a slight bow of her head, before addressing Ahnmuri in a somber tone. "My Lady, we follow you and will fight, but I do not think we will be able to drive them back like before. They are too many, and now," she glance at the crumbling building full of the fallen around them, "we are too few."
Ahnmuri gave a weary sigh. "I fear you are right, but..." the rest of her words were lost as the ground underneath them shook and a terrible roar filled the air. Circling the top of the stadium, in the places once occupied by the mages, the ever smiling fiends were all standing with their arms raised. High above the dome barrier, a massive ball of dark energy was drawing everything around it into itself. Pieces of buildings from the town, trees, even chunks of land were being pulled inside. For now, the air was still inside the barrier. Ahnmuri dropped her gaze and gave a sharp nod.
"Right, well that makes this easier," she stated. "The Land of Arrival it is. I only wish I'd thought to warn Ansem."
The tents that weren't demolished by the fight, along with cases of potions, elixirs, and food were gathered up. Ahnmuri pulled a small trinket from an inside pocket of her robe. The object was shaped like a silver cross, but with pointed ends like daggers and a heart as its top. Lulu moved to stop her, but the spell was cast: the emblem flew over their heads and created a glowing portal. Ahnmuri never took her eyes off it while giving orders for what was left of her people to pass through. Lulu gave a sad sigh as she helped marshal the citizens through.
"Don't worry," Rinoa said at her side. "They told us about the Outer Lands in our lessons. They exist outside the Realms and are kept safe. Sure, it'll be hard, but we can rebuild there."
"It's safe because, other than for the fabled Keyblade wielders, the only way to get there is through one of those portals, and the portal has to be maintained on the outside by a heart of light." Lulu closed her eyes.
"But that means…" Rinoa hesitated.
"The Lady is sacrificing herself to save us, yes." Lulu opened her eyes at the sound of a gasp from the person in front of her. Reno had reached them with the last of the supplies. He gazed from Lulu to his mother. Lulu, following his gaze, took advantage of his distraction and forced him through the portal before he could intervene. Rinoa, watched as the last of the people passed through, leaving only the three women. A silent fight was happening in her heart.
"My Lady, let me stay," Lulu pleaded. "I can hold the portal open. The people need you." Anything else Lulu was about to say was lost, however, as the portal flared brightly and a force pushed both her and Ahnmuri through the gateway, which promptly closed, the emblem dropping to the stone floor. At the same instant, the shield's protective dome blinked out of existence.
Whatever the Heartless and their Shade masters had hoped to find once the shield was gone, it wasn't a completely bare floor, save for a single white feather. An echo of a female voice reached them, but it's meaning didn't really matter. Their targets were gone. Soon, they, too, were gone, leaving the Darkness to finish swallowing the world, the feather, and the echo of a name.
"...Squall..."
-{([o])}-
She could feel the Heartless swarm around her. She could feel the Darkness reach inside her. She knew what was happening. Her heart knew she probably deserved it. But that doesn't mean the mind of Maleficent agreed, and the mind of a sorceress is a powerful thing...
-{([o])}-
A/N: Remember, internet authors live on reviews, so if there was anything you like, anything you hated, or even if you laughed at my grammar and spelling, tell me about it.
LSR