Chapter 19
The World that Never Was
We re-group with Mickey and Sora fill's him in on what just happened. Sadly, we didn't find another weapon for me to use so I'm going to have to depend on my magic... which isn't very good... We continue walking until we reach a cliff right in front of the castle. There seemed to be no path inside.
"Dead end?" Sora said confused,
"There's gotta be a path somewhere." Mickey said, at that moment... I could sense Kairi's light from inside the castle.
"She's really in their Sora!" I said with a smile.
"You positive?" Sora had to make sure, I nodded. A bright light appears on the lower left side of the castle. Sora takes out his Keyblade and points towards the spot that's glowing. The Keyblade creates a clear bridge for us to use to get into the castle.
"Kairi... We're almost there." Sora said as we begin to walk up the bridge.
"Even though you made this bridge, I still don't feel very safe," I said with an uncomfortable chuckle.
"Don't worry Sara, everything's going to be fine." Mickey reassured me. We get inside the castle and immediately begin looking around.
"Kairi!" Sora yelled, "Where are you?"
"Shhh! Remember where we are! This is their stronghold!" Mickey said... Then why do I feel like this was too easy? Mickey quickly runs off.
"Wait! Your majesty!" Donald said but he was already gone. The presence of darkness is felt all around us as we prepare to fight.
"Be careful! I think we got company!" Goofy said, a group on nobody's appears in front of us.
"You going to be ok Sara?" Sora asked,
"I'll be fine! If they get to close, I'll just punch them in the face!" I said with a laugh as we all fight. All I did was support while Goofy protected me... I felt so useless... After we finished them off I could feel the presence of another besides Kairi... it's Riku!
"Everything alright?" Sora asked,
"Yeah," I said. I decided to keep Riku's presence to myself,
"You're not in any pain again are you?" Donald looked at me concerned,
"I feel fine, I promise that if I feel anything I'll let you all know." I said as we continue forward. Everything here was pure white, like a hospital... it made me uncomfortable... But then why did everything feel so familiar? We walk into a large room with a balcony in front of us.
"Sora, you've done well," A hooded Organization member appears at the top of the balcony, it sounded familiar, he takes off his hood to show his blue hair. It was the same guy from Twilight Town!
"Where's Kairi?" Sora asked,
"Who knows? I expect she's catching up with her friend from the Darkness." He said, I let out a quiet sigh. That might mean that Riku has already rescued Kairi.
"What do you mean?" Sora asked the man, I'm guessing this is the man Axel told us about... Saix.
"She doesn't need you anymore." He said,
"I'm supposed to believe that?" Sora said,
"Well, you don't have to... But you can believe this. Organization XIII has no further use for you... Just look there." He points at the heart shaped moon. "Our Kingdom Hearts... Thanks to you, we've collected countless hearts... Can you hear their euphoria?"
"Is this guy nuts?" I asked slightly sick of this guy's rambling.
"Now all they need is one more helping from the Keyblade bearer!" He snaps his fingers and portals of darkness begin appearing everywhere, heartless were pouring out by the hundreds until we were completely surrounded.
"We gotta fight!" Donald said as him and Goofy get ready to fight.
"But- Kingdom Hearts!" Sora was conflicted,
"After we get just a few more hearts we can awaken our Princess of Darkness!" He said leaving. My heart felt uneasy by Saix's words.
"Sora!" We hear Kairi's voice, both of us look up to see Kairi looking down at us on a different balcony. "Sora! It's really you! And Sara's here too!" She said, Sora was completely turned around filled with joy to see her.
"Kairi!" He yelled as we were all jumped by heartless and pinned down.
"You leave Sora and Sara alone!" She yells as we attempt to break ourselves free... I decided to try something,
"Get off!" I yell firmly, all the heartless stop moving and get off of all of us, we all stand up.
"What did you?" Sora looked at me.
"I guess... I can control the heartless." I said, "Leave!" I demanded as all the heartless left. We look up to see Kairi fighting some heartless alongside Riku.
"What's going on?" Sora said, I forgot that the form Riku was in right now was the same as Ansem's... Xehanort's heartless. A res spear lands right in front of us.
"Have you been a good boy?" A voice said, I didn't recognize this voice.
"Show yourself!" Sora demanded,
"Oh, it sounds like you haven't." The man appears on the balcony Saix was standing on before, he was older, with a scar on his face and a black eye patch on his right eye, "Sora! Roxas!" he said,
"Roxas? Hey, did he just call me Roxas?" Sora asked... That's right! Sora doesn't know that Roxas is the name of his nobody.
"You really put Organization XIII in a pickle. I guess that must be why the Keyblade chose you. But man, did it pick a dud this time. You don't look like you're half the hero the others were." he said... what others?
"Are you done rambling?" Sora said, I could tell that all he wanted to do right now was find Kairi.
"Rambling? As if! All I'm trying to tell you, traitor, is that your time is up! After I defeat you, your sister's coming with me." He said bringing out two gun shaped weapons. He shoots the same red spear at us and Sora deflects it right back at him, hitting him head on.
"Leave my sister alone!" He yells as we begin fighting, I quickly cast wind on all of us to help our speed while trying to dodge those bullets. He tried to keep his distance but it was impossible since we were using a combination of both close and far ranged attacks, we kept fighting until he collapses.
"What do you want with Sara? And why did you call me Roxas?" Sora asked, the man begins to laugh.
"Wouldn't you like to know..." The man said as his body begins to fade away.
"Hey! Hold on!" Sora said as the man completely disappears.
"Sora! It's Kairi!" Donald pointed out that Kairi was still on the balcony with Riku.
"Kairi, we're on our way!" Sora said, we begin to walk forward. We climb up some stairs, Sora slightly running ahead of us, until we reach the balcony. We see Kairi and Riku were done fighting.
"Kairi, you were great!" Donald said as she turns around and looks at us. She gives a smile as she walks up to Sora, they just look at each other.
"You are different, Kairi" Sora said with a smile. "But I'm just glad you're here!"
"You and Riku never came home, so I came looking for you, Sara helped me gain the courage to do that." She smiles at me, I smiled back as Sora looks down,
"I'm sorry," Sora said as Kairi rind up and embraces him.
"This is real..." She said holding him tightly. Sora begins to hug her back. I look over at Riku to see him open a corridor of Darkness and was about to leave, All I wanted to do was run over to him and hold him tight.
"Wait, Ansem..." Sora said as Riku stops, "I mean, Xehanort's heartless... I never thought for a second that I'd ever see you again. Just thinking about all the things you did makes me really mad. But... but you saved Kairi, right? I have to be grateful for that... Thanks." Sora finishes as Riku begins walking off again... I couldn't take it! I didn't want to be separated from Riku again. Both Kairi and I run up and grab his arms.
"Riku!" I said,
"Don't go!" Kairi pleaded,
"Huh?" Goofy said,
"Sara, what did you just say?" Sora asked,
"Riku." I said, Riku tries to pull Kairi and me off but we didn't let go.
"I'm no one- Jus a castaway from the Darkness." Riku said, he was trying to push us away.
"Sora, come here, say something to him!" Kairi said, Sora walks up to us as Kairi grabs Sora and Riku's hands. "Here, you'll understand," Kairi places all three of their hands together. "Close your eyes." Sora does so, after a minuet he opens his eyes and looks up at Riku as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Riku... It's Riku, Riku's here." Sora falls to the ground, " I looked for you." Sora began to cry,
"C'mon, Sora. You got to pull it together." Riku said, his voice changed, maybe it was because of Kairi, his voice was more soft and calm now.
"I looked everywhere for you." Sora said,
"I didn't want you to find me." Riku said.
"But it was him that was helping us, wasn't it?" Goofy said, Donald just looks at him confused, "Those clues we kept finding. That musta been Riku." Sora stands up wiping the tears away from his eyes.
"I was starting to worry you guys weren't ever gonna catch on." Riku said, "Sora never did pick the brightest friends."
"What do you mean by that?" Donald asked sounding offended,
"Why didn't you let me know you were ok?" Sora asked,
"I told you. I didn't want to be found, not like this... I couldn't. I fought Ansem, with Xehanort's heartless- when it invaded my heart, and I won. But to use the power of Darkness, I had to become Ansem myself." Riku explained... wait, since I welcomed darkness, what's going to happen to me?
"Does that mean... you can't change back?" Kairi asked,
"This battle isn't over. And until it is, I still need the power of Darkness." Riku said.
"Then... lets finish it. You're still Riku, no matter what!" Sora said as we all smile. "So how 'bout it? Think we can handle one last rumble together?" Sora asked Donald and Goofy, "The king's waiting!"
"Yeah! let's get going!" Donald said as we head off,
"Is everything alright?" Riku asked me
"Well..." I look at my hand, "I can't get my Keyblade to materialize..." I said with a frown, he puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close.
"Then don't leave my side," Riku said as I blush, those words filled me with so much joy... but we both know that now that I'm defenseless, I'm a easy target. We continue walking as I feel a sharp pain in my chest as if someone just struck me in the heart.
"Sora..." I said as I begin to fall, Riku catches me and slowly sets be down, everyone runs up to me.
"Is it happening again?" Sora asked,
"What's happening again?" Kairi asked beginning to freak out.
"It's different... the pain... feels like someone stabbed my heart." I said,
"Cura!" Donald casts, I got my energy back but the pain didn't stop.
"Is it working?" Kairi asked,
"What's going on?" Riku asked, the amount of concern on his face was frightening.
"Sara's body absorbs Darkness and it's killing her..." Sora said
"I... I'm fine." I said standing up. I suppressed the pain before, I can do it again. "The faster we get this over with the faster I can get better."
"Sara's right! Kairi said, "We can't stop now." She said with a smile.
"Besides, I'm not a Keyblade bearer for nothing!" I said,
"You sure?" Riku asked, I nod my head, "Alright, but if you need any help call me right away." he said as we continue on our way. We get to a room but the door the next room was locked. there was a strange portal and we walk through it. We arrive outside on a huge balcony looking out at the heart in the sky, there was a beam of light hitting the heart.
"What's that?" Sora asked,
"It's the king and Diz- I mean. Ansem the wise. They must be higher up. We better hurry." Riku said, Sora and I run side by side back to the portal, we hear something behind us and turn around. Luxord appeared behind us separating us from the others, he snaps his fingers and the others get surrounded by giant playing cards. the begin spinning until he snaps his fingers again and the cards slide out of the way showing that the others were gone.
"You!" Sora said as we get ready to fight,
"I'd rather we just skip the formalities." Luxord said.