Author's Note: I do not own KH BBS or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.
Ch.22 Enraged Awakening
I slammed My Keyblade against Xehanort, his strength surprising for his old age. But so was mine for my age, and my anger and rage only made me stronger. He grinned as I pushed harder, glaring at him with pure hatred in my eyes. "Yes, let anger be your strength! Channel it, and awaken your powers of twilight!" My hatred deepened, and I decided to give him exactly what he wanted. Jumping back, I pointed Ultimatum at him and called "Dark Firaga!" A ball of black flame flew at him, but he merely teleported and moved out of the way.
"Freeze!" he called, firing a trio of ice spikes at me. I dodged and countered with Triple Blizzaga, hitting him with three of my own. He grunted from the sting of the bows, but suddenly teleported behind me and launched a volley of attacks. I was sent flying, but countered with Payback Fang. Xehanort frowned and called "Thunder!" sending barrage of lighting bolts at me. I dodged and used Slot Edge, hitting him from overhead once, twice, and then he moved away before the third. He frowned at me. "You are only suing your normal abilities. Use your powers of twilight. Awaken them!"
Ignored his words and cast Thundaga Shot, sending a ball of electricity his way. He blocked it and teleported in front of me. "Pathetic. I would have expect more from you. No wonder Ventus nearly lost his heart!" he said, trying to goad me. I gnashed my teeth together and jumped back, calling "Meteor Crash!" and jumping over him. I slammed down and a slew of meteors. Xehanort moved out of the way of most of them, but one hit him on the side and he doubled over. I smiled. "Who's pathetic now?" I asked, walking over to him to deal the final blow.
But once I got close he looked up, stabbing his Keyblade into my chest. My breath caught in my throat, and he smiled before pulling away. "Now your heart has been unlocked. Use its power, and attack! I tried to hold back my power and my emotions, but Xehanort had forced them to rise up, and my Keyblade burst into black and white flames. Sadness, misery, anger and rage filled me, each one more powerful than the last. But the one emotion that overpowered them all, was vengeance. I could feel it strengthen me, increasing my powers as they flooded through my veins.
My eyes changed, the right becoming solid black without any iris or pupil, while the same was for my left eye, only white. Slowly I raised Ultimatum, watching the flames burn along it, and called "Xehanort!" I launched forward with inhuman sped and slammed down, my Keyblade hitting his like a speeding train. I could see tracks being made in the sand from him being forced back, and I jumped back before calling "Command Style: Dark Impulse!" Instantly I changed to that Command Style, a black aura surrounding me and filling me with the powers of darkness.
I swung at Xehanort and successfully hit him, following that move with another, and another, until I stabbed my Keyblade forward and punched him with a giant fist. He smiled. "That's it, step yourself in hatred! Infuse your soul with its strength!" I jumped back and cast a trio of Dark Firagas, not even having to wait for the spell to reload. Xehanort blocked with move but I followed it up with Thundaga Shot before I dived into the ground. While he was occupied with blocking that I moved until I was under him, erupting upwards and saying "Take that!"
He was sent back by the blow, and I called "Command Style: Bladecharge!" The darkness faded and I switched Commands Styles, a white aura surrounding me and my blade doubling in length. With it I ran forward and swung at Xehanort, our Keyblades connecting even though I was a few feet away. "More! Let you whole heart unleash your power! And give it all to me!" he exclaimed, shoving me back and firing a ball of dark flames at me. I blocked the move and countered, sending countless shards of my barrier at him. And because it was Renewal Barrier, my health my restored as well.
Move faster than the eye could follow, I slashed at Xehanort with unbelievable speed. He struggled to block every blow, and each one was more powerful than the last. But every move I made but a smile on his face, and that only served to further wrap me in hatred. Eventually I jumped back, and pointed my Keyblade at him with both hands. "Twilight Blast!" I called, and a golden beam the diameter of table fired at him. He held his Keyblade in front of him as the bean engulfed.
I watched with savage joy as Xehanort was overwhelmed by my powers, dually noticing that the use of enormous beam barely decreased my stamina. If this was the power that I possessed, then I wanted to use it to its fullest. The beam thinned and faded, and I watched with satisfaction as Xehanort fell onto one knee. He stabbed his Keyblade into the ground to brace himself, and I slowly walked forward, feeling the light and darkness I controlled coursing through me. I held up Ultimatum and in a flash of light it changed.
My new Keyblade was like the Ultima Weapon one I had gained in the Mirage Arena, only the Wayfinders were red and where the Keyblade was blue, it was black instead. The blade itself hummed with power, and I pointed it at Xehanort. "Give up," I said, the words and my lips slightly out of sync. He looked at me and smiled, like he had won the fight. "After all the trouble I went through to awaken your powers? No, I won't give up." Suddenly he lashed out with his Keyblade, and although I easily blocked the blow it allowed him time to stand. "Your power is formidable. And you will give it to me," he said.
I glared at him and pushed back, saying "Never!" He jumped back and frowned. "Very well. If you will not surrender the power inside your heart..." he pointed his Keyblade upwards, and a portal to the Lanes Between appeared. "Then why don't you see the cause of disobeying my orders. And when you see what I have done, come and find me," he said, turning and walking into a corridor of darkness. "Wait!" I called, but the corridor closed. I could have easily reopened it, but I looked up at the portal. "What is it he wants me to see?" I wondered aloud.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I summoned my armor and Glider, which were the same as before. Dismissing my power of the twilight, my eyes and speech returned to normal, but I knew my Keyblade would be the same as it had changed into. Jumping onto my Glider, I angled upwards and flew into the Lanes Between.
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The next world I ended up in was small, consisting of only a single strange tower. I was wondering if I had somehow taken a wrong turn when I saw someone walking up the steps of it. Someone I recognized. "Aqua!" I called, running over to her. She stopped and gasped, looking at me. "Dexal? What are you doing here?" I smile, and rubbed my head. "It's kind of a long story. But before I get into it, what are you doing here?" I asked. She showed me what, or rather who, she was holding, and I gasped.
"Who is that?" I asked. "His name is Mickey. I found him unconscious in the Lanes Between. He wanted to come here," she explained. My eyes widened. "Mickey? Isn't he a friend of Ven's?" I asked. She blinked in surprise, and said "I didn't know that. But if Mickey was unconscious, I can only imagine what shape Ven is in. I couldn't find him." I nodded, worried about my friend. "But first, let's get him inside," I said, and she nodded. I opened the door for her and she walked through, holding Mickey in her arms. The inside of the tower was perfectly circular, with a spiral staircase to the left that led upwards.
We both the stairs, and Aqua said "So how have you been, Dexal? You seem... different." I blinked and looked at her. "Different? Different how?" I asked. "I don't know, but it feels like some part you has awakened. Like part of your heart was sleeping, and now it's awake," she said. I sighed; Aqua's intuition was as good as usual. "You're right, there is something different with me," I said, and she asked "What?" I held out my hand and my new Keyblade- I had decided to call it Twilight Dawn- appeared.
She gasped, but before she could say anything I said "I figured out what was inside my heart. It was the power of twilight, light and darkness in equal balance and fused into a single entity. It allows me to control both, and so Xehanort wants my power." "Master Xehanort?" she asked in surprise. I nodded. "Let me just put it this way: He's bad news. Very bad." Aqua looked like she wanted to say something, but at that moment we arrived at the top of the steps, and inside was a single office with a large desk and chair in the center.
"Master Yen Sid," Aqua said formally, and I looked forward. Yen Sid was an old man, wearing along blue robe with a pointed hat adorned with stars and crescents. He had a long silver beard and wide eyes, with his mouth set in a perpetual frown. "Aqua, Dexal, I have awaited your arrival. And who is that you're..." he trailed off, surprised for the first in a long time. Hurriedly he stood and said "Mickey!" walking over to us. Aqua handed him over, and there was the sound of running feet before Donald and Goofy burst through the door. "The King!" they called, seeing Mickey in Yen Sid's arms.
The two of them watched as Yen Sid gently laid Mickey on the ground, waving his hands and gently whispering "Curaga." Mickey's body glowed with a warm green light, and although he stirred slightly he didn't wake. Yen Sid stood and made room for Donald and Goofy, both of which said "King Mickey..." I smiled, glad that the two of them had gotten their friends back, but just then Master Yen Sid said something that would wipe my gladness away.
"Aqua, Dexal, the stars bring me grave news. Master Eraqus's star has blinked out. I am afraid that means he has been struck down," he said gravely. I gasped. No... it couldn't be. The Master may have been on in years, but he was still more powerful than any of us. How could someone strike him down? Beside me aqua was choking back tears, and asked "The Master? But- Who is responsible?" Yen Sid turned his head towards a window, watching three stars twinkle. "Master Xehanort... and Terra," he said. Both of us gasped again, and I slammed my fists down on the desk. "No!" I called.
That was too much. The Master being struck down was one thing, but Terra having done it was inconceivable. Xehanort? Maybe. My best friend? "That's absurd! Terra would never!" Aqua said angrily. Slowly Yen Sid looked back at us, and he said "I hope with all my heart that you are right about your friend. There are some things even the stars cannot tell me." I looked at Aqua and she nodded, before I looked back and said "Where can we find him?" After a moment of silence he said "Terra's heart is leading him to the ancient Keyblade Graveyard. Where wielders of those weapons once waged war."
While Aqua said she would go and see for herself, I thought about what Xehanort had told me. "And when you see what I have done, come and find me," he had said. I stood and walked out, saying "Time I took you up on your offer, old man."
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Well, the stage has been set, with the final battle soon to come? What will Dexal's fate be, and will he be able to help his friends. Find out next chapter!
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