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.23 The Keyblade Graveyard
As I flew through the Lanes Between, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had learned and what had happened. The Master had been struck down, by Xehanort and Terra. I possessed the powers of the twilight, which enabled me to control both light and dark, and to wield the X-Blade. And the one capable of forging that weapon was Ventus. I held up my Wayfinder. "Terra, Aqua, Ven. And the end of it all, will we be together again?" I wondered. I honestly didn't know. But no matter what happens, I would make sure they stayed safe.
With that in mind I flew towards the Badlands, which had revealed the world it really was: The Keyblade Graveyard. Once I entered the world I dismissed my armor and Glider, walking towards the edge of the cliff. There was barren soil, dusty and cracked from the heat, with various mountains. But those mountains, soil and even the clouds, all held signs that a great battle once occurred here. So Master Yen Sid was right; wielders of the Keyblade did war here. Without thinking I held up and summoned my Keyblade, and I knew that at various places around here the others were doing the same.
"What I do, I do for friendship." "Friends forever." "The four of us will always be one." "Together, no matter what," I said firmly. Dismissing Twilight Dawn, I turned away and walked towards where there was a large gathering of dark clouds. Beyond was a trench filled with one, three, six large twisters, all of which pulsed with a sinister glow. I took a step forward and one of the twister shook, moving across the ground towards me. I yelled and turned back around to run, but I had barely made a few steps before it enveloped me. Rather than being tossed around like a rag doll though, I was pulled into an alternate dimension.
Several Unversed appeared around me, only these were super-sized, the small Floods even bigger than me. One of them slashed at me and I shouted in pain, apparently they hit harder too. Hurriedly I cast Curaga, before glaring at the Floods who had hit me and using Zantetsuken. With a single blow I cut it in half, before turning to the others and casting Thundaga Shot. The ball of electricity hit one Flood and thy were all struck by bolts of lightning, ending them immediately. But just as they disappeared a total of four super-Bruisers appeared, all of them swinging at me.
I rolled out of the way and used Aerial Slam on one, knocking it up into the air before I slammed it back down. Now with just three I cast Stopga, freezing them all in place before I called on my powers. "Take this!" I called, swinging my Keyblade and sending a wave of energy at two Bruisers. The spell wore off and they both exploded, before one tried to swing at me, I jumped over them and slashed all the way down it's back. It fell forward, and with a single stab I destroyed it. Once I did I was surrounded by a bright light, fading to reveal that I was falling towards the ground.
Shouting in surprise, I managed to slam my hand hard against the dirt and send myself into a neat roll, ending back on the ground with out a scratch. I looked around, seeing five more tornadoes around me. I sighed. Looks like I was in for a long string of fights.
xxx
After the last twister was disposed of I fell to the ground once more, knees bent to absorb the impact. The fights against the Large Unversed would have been difficult if it hadn't been for my powers of twilight. I hadn't used them to the extent I did when I fought Xehanort, but the amount I did use was more than enough to put an end to the Unversed. And once they were all gone the clouds overhead parted, no longer kept there by the powers of darkness.
Going on I found a huge rock with a fissure in it, leading out to a long road. I had nearly made it to the road when I stopped. Once I went through, there would be no turning back. I don;t know how I knew it, but here was the final stage. "But I have to know the truth," I said to myself, and walked through. On either sides of the road was hundreds, no thousands, of Keyblades, all stabbed into the ground. They could have once been powerful weapons, but now they were dull, lifeless, and rusting with the marching of time.
There were three other roads beside the one I took, and in the center of them all stood Terra. He seemed different, and I could tell that he had changed. The darkness within him the Master had been so concerned about had awakened. As I walked towards him I noticed that Aqua did the same from another road, and his eyes narrowed when he saw us. Still, I had to see if what I had been told was true, and I walked up to him. But once I got there though, I hesitated. How would I ask him? Hey Terra, did you happen to kill our Master? Yeah right.
But Aqua spoke for me, and said "We were told... the Master was struck down." he gasped and looked at me, and I nodded. He looked away. "Yes... that's right. I was stupid and helped Xehanort do it," he said. Both of us gasped, but he continued. "The Master, he tried to hurt Ven. I only fought because I wanted to protect him." I sighed and looked away. So that's how it happened. "But I was tricked. Xehanort set the whole thing up... all so he could awaken the darkness inside me." He looked at us. "You were right Aqua, Dexal, and so was the Master. I did need to be watched."
"I went astray, but no more," he said firmly. I sighed. I wanted to believe him, to embrace the fact that Terra wouldn't lose himself to the darkness and be glad with that. But I couldn't. "What else is darkness, but hate and rage?" Aqua asked. "Xehanort is feeding the dark fires within you, making you fight. You'll go astray again." She looked up. "Tell me, how does that honor our Master's memory, Terra?" He had nothing to say, and I said "As long as Xehanort is around he'll keep trying to pull you in. If we defeat him, then we can finish this once and for all."
Before he could say anything though, we looked to see Ven walking towards us, his usual cheerfulness gone. I frowned in sadness. Ven was still younger than any us, he shouldn't be wrapped up in all this. But he was, and he had been affected by it the same as us. Once he was in front of us he looked down. "Xehanort wants me and Vanitas to fight, and make some kind of X-Blade." I gasped. "But the Master said we can't let that happen... and he tried to destroy me for it." "X-Blade?" she asked. "And he wants my powers of twilight. Once he has that, he'll be able to take the X-Blade from Ven and use it for himself," I said.
Ven nodded. "I still don't know exactly what it is. But, it scares me to death. Even just the thought of it," he said, putting a hand over his heart. Terra and I stepped forward and both placed a hand on his shoulder, and Terra said "Relax, Ven. We're here, and we're gonna take care of you." "You got that right," I said, smiling. But still he didn't look up, and said "I may have to fight Vanitas after all. If I do, guys... I want you three to-" "The four of us can never be torn apart, all right? I'll always find a way," Terra told him squeezing his shoulder. "and if he can't find it on his own, then I'll help," I added.
Aqua knelt down and placed a hand on his cheek, smiling as well. "I'm asking you..." he said, pulling me and Terra's hands off. "As a friend..." he removed Aqua's as well. "Just... put an end to me." All three of us gasped, and I looked away. He could he ask such a thing? Ven was my friend, almost like my brother. How in the could I-? Then suddenly the wind picked up, and we all looked to where it was coming from. Dirt billowed around Xehanort as he slowly walked forward. In a flash Vanitas appeared from behind him and walked by his side, Keyblade in hand.
They stopped before s, and e all glared at he two of them in hatred. Xehanort waved his hand towards the fallen Keyblades. "Behold. These lifeless keys used to be full of power, united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil Keyblades of light and darkness ere locked in combat..." he spread his arms. "As a great Keyblade War raged! Countless Keyblade wielders gave up their lives, all in search of one, ultimate key. And it will soon belong to me." he clench his fist and pointed at Ven, calling "X-Blade!" We all drew breath, and activated our armor in a burst of light.
When it faded Ven tried to charge forward, but Terra and I shoved him back, charging forward. We had made it halfway and jumped into the air when Xehanort raised his hand. The ground below us shot up and smashed into us, while the ground he was on rose above us even higher. We both ran towards him, and he laughed before extending his hand towards the ground. Dark clouds formed and covered the sky, darkening the landscape and causing a whirlwind of Keyblades to burst out of the ground.
Aqua saw them coming and called "Ven!" running towards him. He tried to dodge it but couldn't, being knocked to the ground. The whirlwind came around and I shot a blast of fire at it, but the numerous dead blades were unaffected, and Vanitas knocked both of us off the cliff. Aqua looked up to watch us, but the ground erupted from under her and sent her into the air. She crashed into the ground hard enough to create a crater, and Ven and I ran over to her. "Aqua!" we called. Ignoring us, she got on her knees and pointed her Keyblade up behind, firing a shot of light and calling "Terra!"
While being pummeled by Keyblades the light reached him, turning into a Barrier spell. It held for a second, before the relentless force of the whirlwind shattered it, much to smugness of Xehanort. Terra fell to ground and got up one on knee, seeing Xehanort pull out his own Keyblade. But then Ven jumped behind and tried to attack, yelling. But he teleported behind him and grabbed Ven by the helmet. Terra looked up and called "Ven!" and was about to help when he was forced off the cliff by the ever-present whirlwind, yelling in pain as he was battered and sent to the ground.
Both Aqua and I looked up, and when we saw Ven struggling to break free Aqua called "Ven!" He looked at us suddenly Xehanort sent a pulse of dark energy through his body, freezing his body into a block of ice and dropping it over the edge. "Ven!" Aqua called, running forward. "You catch Ven! I'll make sure Terra's okay!" I called, and she nodded. I ran to where Terra had landed and saw him lying there, his arms spread. I pointed Twilight Dawn at him and it glowed with a green light, and I shouted "Heal!" His body glowed, and slowly he got up.
Kneeling next to him and pulling off my helmet, I asked "Terra? You okay?" He nodded and looked up at where Xehanort was. I followed his gaze and said "Come on. Let's finish this." We both summoned our Gliders and flew up, and once we were above Xehanort and Vanitas were dismissed, them landing on the ground. Terra dismissed his armor, but I stayed just without the helmet. Xehanort looked at Terra. "Admirably done. I knew that this was a journey you could make, over the unseen wall that divides light and darkness. And I was not wrong, Terra!" he called.
Then he looked at me. "And you, Dexal! I knew that you would be able to awaken the powers that lied dormant in heart. Now the strength of twilight flows through you veins, just ripe for the taking!" he said, spreading his arms. We both glared at him hatefully, summoning our Keyblades. "Our friend, Ven..." I said. "You tell us, Xehanort. What did you do to him?!" Terra demanded. "Why I did him a favor and freed the darkness inside him. Alas, poor Ventus never had the fortitude for such strenuous trials," he said, smiling. I bared me teeth, and as one we both called "Xehanort!"
xxx
Well, the final battle has begun. Who will Dexal fight, and will he and his powers make a difference?
Please review! if you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)