The Resolve of All
Chapter 18: The X-blade
Play Birth by Sleep OST The Key Theme on a second tab.
The group of heroes trekked forth towards the dark tower and they eventually made it to the large front doors of the spire. Sora opened the door and let everyone else inside to meet their destiny... As soon as they were all in through, the door magically shut behind them and locked itself.
"We weren't planning on leaving anyway..." Riku remarked.
The first floor of the tower was plain white, strangely resembling Castle Oblivion and its floors. The only route was the stairs ahead so now was the beginning of potentially the end...
"You hear that?" Ven's ears perked up.
"It sounds like..." Xion trailed off.
"A war..." Riku finished.
Indeed, outside the tower the Guardians were definitely hearing the cries of a battle. Distinct sounds of metal slashing against metal. Perhaps their purpose and refuge within the tower was a blessing for them...
"So many people..." Roxas noted.
"This is aweful..." Lea added.
"We can't be sulking here guys." Drex motivated. "The only way to stop this war is to put an end to Xehanort!"
"He's right you know!" Mickey nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me... I gotta help someone."
And without further ado, Mickey sped off toward the stairs, Keyblade in hand, and he was out of sight before any of the others could stop him.
"Your Majesty!"
"Don't worry." Riku comforted everyone. "I'm sure he's got a plan. ...Oh and Sora?"
"Yeah?" Sora responded.
"I never got around to giving you this." Riku stated as he handed Sora a glass bottle.
"What is this?" Sora inquired.
"It's data." Riku answered. "When I had to head back in and wake you up, I met Ansem the Wise, and he gave me the data saying this were the results of his research. I think he wanted you to have it..."
"Thanks Riku, I'll be sure to use it." Sora grinned.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but we should get moving." Aqua motioned them.
"Right." They all said in unison.
"But as soon as they all took another step forward the floor beneath them shattered and there was nothing but a black void below to swallow them all up!
"NO!"
But it was too late... the Guardians were separated and scattered among the tower floors, all destined to have their own fight against a member of the Organization... Their strength will be tested, as will the lights within their hearts...
"...Behold... my plans have finally been realized!" Master Xehanort smirked.
The old man along with Braig, Xemnas, and Ansem stood on the highest platform of their dark tower headquarters. The four men were witnessing a spectacular sight...
Gigantic dark rifts had cracked across the sky, and they spewed forth Keyblade Wielders from all other worlds, both of light and dark... As though they were destined to be, the two armies clashed, enslaved by the rage of a battle which has doomed them to their fates, on the barren wasteland of this world, which was just awaiting more lifeless keys to occupy its dirt from their deaths...
"So, uhh... where are those Guardians at you old coot?" Braig questioned. "I sure don't see them down there..."
"That is because they've already entered the tower." Ansem responded.
Xehanort cackled evilly. "As I expected... now the 20 pieces necessary are here together..."
"Then bring forth the fruit of our endeavors and summon the ultimate weapon that will secure our victory..." Xemnas requested.
"...Finally... the X-blade..." Master Xehanort marveled as the all-powerful X-blade was summoned in a flurry of light... "It's mine!"
"Not too heavy for ya old timer?" Xigbar joked.
"With this, my strength and endurance is like that from my youth... But they all deserve to witness this power... but not yet..." Xehanort ordered. "Ansem and Xemnas, keep our heroes occupied for now..."
Ansem and Xemnas nodded their heads in compliance and teleported away into darkness to meet their adversaries. Xigbar and Xehanort stayed behind as the older man himself effortlessly lifted his new blade and he pointed it at the sky...
"Here me Kingdom Hearts true, the X-blade calls you to the darkness so that you may start anew! Serve me your worth master by my side, and all the worlds shall collide! We give to you all that we have to offer through this war, all of our hearts, our very core... Reveal thyself! We are in a perfect state, so come forth Kingdom Hearts... and spell our fate!" He chanted.
"You made that up yourself?" Xigbar crossed his arms with a smug smirk.
A dark storm then appeared above then and thunder and lightning flashed and echoed across the now tempest-filled sky. Pinpricks of light peeked out of the black clouds as Kingdom Hearts was struggling to free itself from the Realm of Darkness and appear at the Graveyard. The X-blade then began to glow as a heart-shaped pure white moon was spewed forth from the raging storm...
"So... magnificent... its grace knows no bounds..." Xehanort stated awestruck. "Now... we must-!"
The True Kingdom Hearts then appeared to have a golden sparkly aura around its massive shape and suddenly the moon began to retreat back into the darkness in the sky!
"What?! Impossible!" He remarked.
"Not cool dude. What's happening?!" Xigbar asked in a slight panic.
"...I will not allow such a treasured entity be tainted by your darkness Xehanort! ...I will do everything in my power to prevent such a tragedy!"
Xigbar and Xehanort turned around to see that the culprit was a tall sorcerer in a blue robe and a decorated wizard's hat wielding Fantasia...
"Yen Sid... it's an honor to be in your presence..." Xehanort smirked.
"Xehanort... Kingdom Hearts has no master! Your quest for knowledge has cost the lives of millions and countless worlds!" Yen Sid accused. "There must be balance and I am here to stop you!"
Xehanort calmly pondered his opponent's words and an evil cackle slipped out. "Look around you my dear friend! The Keyblade War is upon us! No one can stop me now! If Eraqus could not defeat me then surely-!"
"Silence!" Yen Sid barked. "How dare you bring Eraqus into this!? He was your comrade and our colleague and you struck him down using his own student!"
"I merely guided everyone to their proper depositions..." Xehanort brushed off. "...But to be fair, I can confide in you that Eraqus has not been vanquished for good, for you see the sly fox found sanctuary within Terra's heart..."
"What...?" Yen Sid was at a loss of words. "Eraqus... he's still out there?"
"Yes. Although my other selves have fragmented and distorted the mixture, a heart is never lost for good..." Xehanort replied.
"That's where you're wrong!"
To everyone's surprise, King Mickey flipped out of nowhere and landed beside his Keyblade Master and friend...
"Mickey! What are you doing here!?" Yen Sid angrily inquired.
"Gosh, I just thought you might need a little help that's all." Mickey returned a kind smile. "Xehanort! Your heart is the one that will be lost for good!"
"Oh yeah..." Xigbar remembered as he summoned his arrowguns. "The little mouse guy. ...This should be fun."
"Meddlesome King..." Master Xehanort sneered. "You have been bothering my plans more than anyone over the past decade... But now witness my true power and be the first to be felled by the legendary X-blade!"
"Here they come..." Mickey warned his Master.
"...It has been an honor to be your teacher Mickey..." Yen Sid confessed.
"...It was an honor to be your apprentice..." Mickey smiled.
Yen Sid's usual frown finally turned into a side smile of his own and he responded. "Let's endure for as long as we can..."
"Right." The mouse agreed.
"I got the little one!" Xigbar claimed as he jumped and hung upside down while fired arrows at Mickey.
Xehanort then teleported away as Mickey was dodging his arrows and Yen Sid gave chase. Mickey then rushed the Freeshooter in an attempt to stop him and help Yen Sid. But Xigbar teleported again and appeared behind the mouse. Mickey flipped above him and fired a ball of light at Xigbar to which he blocked it with one of his arrowguns. The result was that it was shattered and Xigbar only had one gun left.
"You really put me in a pickle." Xigbar stated as he teleported away and reappeared to face the mouse again.
Nearby, Master Xehanort was effortlessly riding a roller coaster of dead keyblades like from before, and Yen Sid was doing the same as they chased each other all around the Graveyard.
"He's only playing games with me..." Yen Sid thought. "But I will make sure he sees otherwise..."
In a spectacular display of magic and power, Yen Sid fired up columns of earth and stone from the ground below, attempting to make Xehanort crash into the obstacles. But the evil man laughed at this effort as he easily dodged and weaved through the rocks, and he even cleanly sliced through one column with the X-blade. Xehanort then turned himself around and fired a beam of darkness at Yen Sid.
Yen Sid dodged the attack via barrel roll and actually collided with Master Xehanort in mid-air. Their Keyblades clashed as they both magically hovered above the tower, and they were both determined to display their power over the other.
...But with all of his might... it wasn't enough... with another push, Xehanort's X-blade cracked Fantasia and eventually the legendary weapon eviscerated his Keyblade...
"I told you... nothing can match the power of the X-blade!" Xehanort laughed as he swung his mighty weapon around and effectively impaled Yen Sid in the chest...
They both fell and Xehanort slammed Yen Sid's body into the top of the tower... Mickey and Xigbar were still fighting nearby, and upon impact, Mickey abandoned his duel and rushed to his Master's side...
"No..." Mickey cried. "You're going to pay for this!"
"Not likely." Xehanort smirked as he slashed Mickey away like he was just an annoying fly.
"Mickey..." Yen Sid slowly stirred as he watched Mickey lose consciousness.
"How disappointing..." Xehanort commented as he placed his foot on Yen Sid's torso to keep him down. "That is the best you have to offer?"
"...No... it's not..." Yen Sid weakly said.
"...You should've seen the light of his eyes... his hope... snuffed out like a dying candle." Xehanort taunted. "However, even at your age... Eraqus would've been impressed that you faced me yourself..."
"...The Guardians of Light will stop you..." Yen Sid responded.
"As if. It won't even matter with the X-blade and Kingdom Hearts on our side." Xigbar smirked as he appeared next to Xehanort. "And then we'll move onto bigger and better things..."
"...Then let's agree to disagree..." Yen Sid panted as he weakly grabbed Xehanort's leg in one hand and Xigbar in another...
Ancient magic only the wisest sorcerer could perform such a spell. A sealing spell with no official name... a power in which one can incapacitate an enemy as long as he maintains physical contact, but this is a last ditch strategy only used when there is no other option. But there's a catch: as long as the spell is active, the host who casts the magic will have his life-force drained...
"...What?! No! You continue to defy me?!" Xehanort angrily stated when he realized he was paralyzed.
"...If I must... I will give everything I have to buy them more time!" Yen Sid proclaimed. "Sora... Riku... everyone... hurry..."
"...uh... ouch..." Drex groggily stood up as he examined his surroundings.
It looked like he was in the same place as before when he was with the others. It was still just a plain white floor with nothing special to notice about it... except...
"Where are the stairs?" Drex questioned out loud.
"You need to defeat us to move forward..."
"Huh?"
"Defeat us to move forward..."
A dark corridor appeared and Mona stepped out of it to face her opponent. Her expression was stoic, but her amber eyes were full of sadness and regret. Surprisingly, her long blonde hair had turned silver-grey, which meant that she had stepped further into the transformation of Xehanort... Was this even her anymore...?
Play Abraham's Daughter - arcade fire (piano version) - by sam yung on a second tab.
"Mona... what happened to you?" Drex asked as he lowered his Keyblade.
"They... I..." She couldn't even respond.
"What did they do to you?!" He demanded.
"This... isn't me Drex..." Mona sobbed. "The darkness... is forcing me to face you..."
"N-no! You're stronger than this!" Drex pleaded. "We can get you help! We can-!"
Mona threateningly summoned her own Keyblade and pointed at her closest friend... "You can't... We both know how this is going to end..."
"Please... don't do this..." Drex begged. "I don't want to fight you..."
"I know..." Mona nodded. "But you have to... Brendan..." She gave one of those sweet familiar smiles he cherished so much. "...Please set my heart free."
And that was when she charged at him. Mona slashed at Drex's side to which he reluctantly blocked. Mona then cast a freezing spell in her other hand and tried to punch her friend with an icy fist. Drex jumped back from her attack and responded by launching a fire spell from his own hand.
Mona dodged the fireball and continued her advance as she locked Keyblades with Drex once more. Tears were spilling from both of their eyes as their only wish was not to fight. But tragically, that cannot be the case...
Drex pushed her back and tried to disarm her Keyblade in the hopes that this would quell their battle, but she instinctively defended herself and countered with a blow to Drex's head.
Drex quickly got back up and recovered himself, although he was still a little woozy from the attack and he fell to one knee. Mona then took this opportunity to repeatedly strike Drex's Keyblade over and over... and over...
Drex was about to give out from the onslaught of her relentless attack when his own instincts kicked in and he swept Mona's feet right out from under her and he knocked her Keyblade off to the other side of the white room... He was then on top of her and he pointed his own Keyblade at her heart...
"I love you..." Mona whispered.
"...I love you too..." Drex sobbed as he fired a beam of light into her chest...
Upon contact with the light... her eyes changed back to their normal icy blue and her hair changed back to the usual ashy blonde...
Her body trembled from the sudden reversion, but she had a loving and thankful smile sprawled across her angelic face as she began to fade away into nothingness...
Drex then knelt down beside her and cradled her in his arms as he took both of her hands and he just... begged her not go yet...
"I'm sorry... I'm... I'm so sorry..." Drex pleaded once more. "Why...? Why did this have to happen...? Mona... stay with me... stay with me... please Mona..."
She never heeded his pleas and calls to return as she just continued to fade away peacefully... And before he even knew it, Drex became speechless as he was momentarily alone on the desolate white floor again... until some familiar footsteps came up behind the crying brunette...
"She wanted you to finish her..." Skyler stated. "This way... it would force you to let her go... Our friendship... your love... this war is so much bigger than either of those things..."
Skyler had returned, however it looked like Xylersk's personality had taken hold of the purple-haired man once again...
"...Shut up."
Skyler continued. "You must understand that it will have to be you or me again. Xehanort made sure of all of this."
"...I said... shut up..." Drex stood up with his head till facing downward.
"Because of Xehanort putting a tighter foothold within my own heart I too have gained a Keyblade..." Skyler summoned his new Keyblade.
Lost Abyss is a Keyblade that is seemingly made up of dark thorns that covers the entire weapon. This Keyblade is usually given to those who use Darkness or are consumed by it. The teeth of this Keyblade make up a heart shaped symbol. On its hilt is a bat wing with 3 talons and on the shaft is 5 yellow-green eyeballs, giving it a demonic look.
"...I don't care..." Drex brushed off, his eyes still downcast.
"I've battled you twice so far, and sparred with you countless times back home." Skyler remembered as he pointed Lost Abyss at Drex who weirdly enough dropped his own Keyblade and it was dismissed...
"Are you giving up already Brendan?" Syler inquired.
"No..." Drex finally meet his opponent's eyes and Skyler was unnerved and startled at what he saw.
"So... what are you going to do...?" Skyler nervously questioned.
Drex continued to stare him down with blood-red eyes as he barred his sharpened teeth and growled. "I'm going to kill you..."
"Oh man... what happened?" Lea looked around and it seemed like he was on the same but different floor of the tower. "Reminds me of Castle Oblivion..."
Almost as if he were he knew he was there Lea turned around, summoned his Keyblade, and he meet his own opponent...
"I hope you're ready..." Isa stated as he brandished his claymore.
"Trust me... things won't end up like last time." Lea smirked.
"Why... why do you continue to work against me?" Isa wondered. "Have you forgotten all of those memories?"
"Of course not!" Lea retorted. "Otherwise... this wouldn't be so hard... Isa..."
"Axel... don't you dare hold back on me this time!" Isa coldly remarked.
"It's Lea now... always has been, always will be. Got it memorized?"
"...Different name, same fate." Isa remarked.
And then the two former best friends clashed...
A/N- Sorry for the slow updates. School's hitting me hard. Real hard. But I'll try my best to give you guys your 'Resolve of All' medicine at least weekly. Haha. Sorry again, but hey that's my life.
By the way, don't spam me about the specifics of KH lore. The X-blade, the 13, and the 7... it's complicated enough already, I'm just going to keep it as simple and easy to follow as possible.
Will Yen Sid be able to hold them off long enough until the others can reach the top? And what's happening to Drex?! Will Lea be able to defeat Isa this time around? And can you guys guess who I'm pairing the others up to fight each other? ...Also, what could be in the bottle given to Sora? Find out more next time! :) See ya.