On the main island, Riku was battling the Zexion and his clones singlehandedly while Snow and Kairi battled against Vexen. Snow flew in with a fierce punch but Vexen raised his shield just in time for Snow's fist to plow into it with a loud crack. Snow cringed before he leapt back to where Kairi was standing.
"Did you break his shield?" She asked as Snow cradled his fist.
"Nope but I'm pretty sure I just broke my hand." Snow replied as Kairi quickly raised her Keyblade and took a battle stance. Vexen silently smirked before aiming the front of his shield at her. The shield started glowing bright blue causing Kairi and Snow to step back worriedly. Just then Vexen fired a beam of white and blue energy from the shield straight at the two Destiny Islanders. Kairi quickly flinched with her Keyblade in hand mere seconds before the beam hit. She and Snow stood motionless as if waiting for the beam to hit but when they finally opened their eyes and looked they saw that a reflega spell had appeared and had deflected the beam entirely, but that wasn't the biggest surprise of all. Standing before the two of them was a girl with long blond hair and wearing a beautiful white dress and blue sandals with her arms stretched straight out to the sides. Kairi immediately recognized her.
"Namine?!" Kairi asked in shock as Namine lowered her arms and turned with a smile and a nod before turning transparent and disappearing. Kairi then heard Namine whispering in her ear.
"I have given you as much of Sora's fighting and magic knowledge as I got from his memories a year ago. Use it to defeat this Absent Silhouette." Namine's voice echoed as Kairi blinked in silence for a moment before she narrowed her eyes determinedly and dropped into a fighting stance mirroring Sora's exactly. Snow then felt his hand suddenly heal as green cloves and vines of magic appeared and then disappeared over him. Kairi had used Cura on him though he didn't know it.
"Come on Snow, we need to do this together." Kairi said as Snow grinned and cracked his knuckles. Kairi charged in at Vexen who raised his shield to block but Kairi slid around to the other side and dealt a fierce blow to his back. Vexen roared in pain before swinging his hand at her and leaving a series of ultra sharp ice sickles aimed at her in midair. Kairi quickly dodge rolled out of the way as the sickles flew at her but thankfully missed as Snow charged forward for an attack of his own. He started throwing punches at Vexen while he was distracted and managed to strike the Chilly Academic in the jaw. Vexen spun around before shaking his head and driving the bottom tip of his shield into the ground. The shield proceeded to freeze the ground beneath him, Snow, and Kairi. Vexen snarled up at them as a ring of sharp and jagged spikes of ice burst up from the ground around him and then two trails of ice needles started heading straight towards the two. Snow and Kairi started trying to run away from them but the ice needles kept following after them as they ran. They quickly came together as Kairi threw up a Reflera shield just in time for the needles to smash into the shield bubble and stop. The spikes around Vexen shattered as he snarled at them. He was about to attack again but this time Snow and Kairi attacked first. Snow grabbed a hold of his shield as Kairi started glowing with bright white light, the brightest spot on her chest. She then charged forward and in a bright horizontal flash of light cut clean through both the shield and Vexen, sliding to a stop opposite the side she had charged him from. Vexen's shield promptly shattered as he dropped to his knees and started to turn transparent, sobbing all the while in agony until only his anguished cries echoed away on the wind.
"Kairi are you alright?!" Snow asked as they both caught their breath.
"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you? Are you okay?" Kairi asked as Snow nodded.
"What about Riku?" Snow asked as he looked up to where Riku and the Zexion clones were fighting.
"Looks like he could use some help." Kairi said as she picked up her Keyblade and was about to charge into the fray but Snow stopped her.
"I don't think that's going to be necessary, Kairi." Snow said as Kairi looked back at him curiously.
"Wha-why?" She asked as Snow pointed towards the islet. Kairi looked carefully and saw a streak of blue light flying straight towards them. It was Aqua on her Keyblade Rider. She flew up and over the crowd of Zexion clones before leaping backwards off the rider which quickly transformed back into a Keyblade in her hands as she plummeted down headfirst into the fray. She quickly righted herself in midair, landing on her feet, back to back with Riku as he tried his best to fight them all off.
"This was much easier when I had the power of darkness helping me!" Riku grumbled over his shoulder.
"Never let yourself give into the darkness Riku! Let me help you out!" Aqua said as they stared down the clones.
"Where's Sora?" Riku asked.
"He's unconscious but he's alright. He's in good hands right now." Aqua replied as she pressed her hand to the armor piece on her shoulder, becoming fully clad in her armor. The two Keyblade wielders stared down the countless clones until Riku chose one in particular and focused in on it. He quickly leapt forward with his Keyblade raised but the clone dissipated in a wisp of black smoke. Aqua turned and quickly threw up a reflega shield around both her and Riku as four of the clones descended down upon each of them with replicas of the Road to Dawn Keyblade but the bolts of light that scattered out from around the reflega domes caused each attacking clone to dissipate in a wisp of black smoke.
"What are you trying to do Riku? You're going to have to let me in on the plan!" Riku heard Aqua's voice say but Riku knew better, he knew it was one of Zexion's illusions to try and figure out his strategy. He silently scanned the group of clones searching for something. Finally he spotted a clone in particular and lunged at it causing the others around it to dissipate and the clone he lunged for to hold up the lexicon and block the attack. It was the real Zexion.
"Aqua!" Riku grunted as Aqua quickly fired of a barrage of magic attacks at Zexion, enough so that she was able to enter her Magic Wish command style. She quickly barraged it once more but this time with Thundaga attacks. Before she could deliver the final spell, Zexion broke free and created a plethora of new clones, each holding Aqua's Keyblade.
"You think that my attack has to connect with the original for this to work?!" Aqua asked defiantly as she fired one final Thundaga attack at a hapless clone and in an instant the afterimages of Aqua appeared in a scattered pattern all around Riku. Just as quickly, the Zexion clones vanished leaving the original just as Aqua's Ghost Drive ended. Riku quickly lunged at the original, his attack shattering through the lexicon and delivering a painful swipe down the center of Zexion's chest. Zexion grunted painfully and staggered back, his Lexicon's pages falling out rapidly and dissolving into dust until the book's cover was all that remained and it too turned to dust. He took a deep breath and sighed as he gave a silent and respectful nod to his two opponents as he turned transparent and disappeared. Aqua and Riku caught their breath as they watched Zexion disappeared. Aqua's armor returned to the shoulder guard and she dismissed her Keyblade.
"Well…that was unexpected. Even and Ienzo…what were they thinking?" Aqua asked no one in particular, earning a confused look from Riku.
"What? Even and Ienzo? The former apprentices of Ansem the Wise? Vexen and Zexion's others?" Riku asked, catching his breath as he dismissed his Keyblade.
"Vexen and Zexion? Is that their Nobody names?" Aqua asked back as Riku nodded.
"Yeah. I take it that you've been informed about the Nobodies and Organization XIII?" Riku asked.
"Yeah, Sora and the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee told me about both them and the Heartless." Aqua explained.
"Good. Those were two more Absent Silhouettes so now Vexen and Zexion are permanently gone." Riku said as Aqua nodded. She then looked at Riku with a thoughtful gaze.
"What is it?" Riku asked.
"You mentioned during the battle that the last time you faced Zexion, that you had the power of darkness helping you. You also mentioned back on the islet that Xehanort was the name of the darkness that had possessed you. What do you know of Xehanort?" Aqua asked curiously.
"Well I know he was here in the flesh for a moment before Pete took him away." Riku replied, causing Aqua to look at him in disbelief.
"Xehanort was here?! The real Xehanort?!" Aqua asked in shock as Riku nodded.
"He was. Though…he wasn't exactly as I envisioned him. He looked the way I expected but he…he didn't act the way I thought he would. He acted…confused…almost as if he had amnesia. He was conflicted; I could tell it in his heart that there was something about his heart that was causing his confusion." Riku explained as Aqua looked a little hopeful.
"Confused? You mean like he was struggling to maintain control or something?" Aqua asked as Riku looked at her curiously.
"You know something that you're not telling me…don't you?" He asked as Aqua sighed and nodded.
"I do. Come here Riku, I think I should probably let you in on Xehanort's secret." Aqua said as she and Riku walked off, leaving Snow and Kairi behind. They looked at each other and shrugged, clueless.
"Come on. Let's go make sure Sora's alright." Snow said as he and Kairi headed for the shoreline.
Hours later…
Sora let out a soft groan as he rubbed his eyes. He then could hear a familiar woman's voice singing softly to him… (Music cue: "Serah's Theme" from Final Fantasy XIII)
"Make my wish come true, let darkness slip aside.
Hiding all our hope, mocking what we treasure."
Sora knew the song, it was a song that he had heard Serah sing to him and the other kids to keep the calm during a bad storm that hit the islands one day, trapping them on the islet.
"Battles we can win, if we believe our souls.
Hang in for the light, till dawn."
He started opening his eyes and he saw Serah smiling down at him as she sang softly.
"Fate will not leave you, hate will not heal you.
Pray and one day, peace shall flow everywhere."
Serah smiled at him as he sat up and stretched.
"Morning ya lazy bum." Sora heard Kairi tease from nearby with her arms crossed.
"How long was I out? Is everyone okay? Did we win? Are the islands still there?" Sora asked as Tidus laughed.
"Man he sure does ask a lot of questions when he wakes up." Tidus said.
"To answer your questions, Sora…Two hours, yes, yes, and yes." Snow said with a smirk as Sora looked around curiously. Everyone was there except Riku and Aqua for some reason. He recognized his surroundings and realized he was on the islet.
"Where's Riku and Aqua then? Last thing I remember was saving Aqua from being crushed by one of the big Heartless's arms as it died." Sora said as the others shrugged.
"Aqua took Riku somewhere to speak privately about something. I don't know what it's all about but I'll wager it has something to do with that white haired guy with the Keyblade that showed up and summoned those two weirdoes with the black robes." Snow explained.
"White haired guy with a Keyblade? Guys with black robes? Uh oh, sounds like more Absent Silhouettes." Sora said ponderingly.
"That's what Aqua said they were." Kairi said.
"Then who's the guy with the white hair?" Sora asked.
"From what that big fat guy said before grabbing him and taking him away, his name was Xehanort and-." "XEHANORT?!?! Are you serious?!" Sora exclaimed, interrupting Snow's answer.
"Why does everyone freak out when his name gets mentioned?" Selphie asked.
"Because! He's the guy who created the heartless and technically the nobodies! His heartless and nobody are the ones that I've faced and defeated on my adventures. His heartless is the one who possessed Riku for a time but fortunately Riku found his light. Xehanort's alive? Oh man this can't be good." Sora said worriedly.
"Don't worry Sora, you'll find a way to keep him from winning." Kairi said reassuringly, putting her hand gently on Sora's back.
"Thanks Kairi." Sora said as he blushed and looked away from her.
"So what's your plan now?" Wakka asked.
"I don't know. I'm just following Aqua's guidance. She's my master so she technically calls all the shots." Sora said with a shrug. They didn't notice as Aqua and Riku approached from the other side of the islet.
"Well, as much as I would love to stay, Sora and I have to get going. The recent turn of events has made that quite clear." Aqua said.
"Hey Riku, maybe you can come with us, learn to become a Master yourself." Sora suggested as Riku smirked.
"Love to, can't. Someone has to stay here and protect the islands and Kairi from the heartless. Although Kairi doesn't need much protecting after she helped Snow beat Vexen's Absent Silhouette." Riku said as Aqua nodded.
"Besides, I can only train one apprentice at a time right now. I can't train two and travel at the same time. When this is all over, then perhaps I can take you on, Riku, but just not yet." Aqua said as Riku nodded understandingly.
"Perhaps we should consider relocating to Radiant Garden for a while. We can find additional protection with the Restoration Committee and be there for whenever Sora comes for a visit." Kairi suggested.
"Not a bad idea, but we'll need to find a way to get there." Riku said as Sora looked thoughtful.
"We'll find a way to send you a gummy ship…and I know just who to ask. We should probably check up with him anyway just so he knows the situation." Sora said.
"Who?" Aqua asked.
"The king of course. King Mickey Mouse." Sora replied, earning a surprised look from Aqua.
"Mickey?! He's still around?!" Aqua asked excitedly.
"Of course. I thought you knew already." Sora said as Aqua took a great sigh of relief.
"Well that's good to know. We probably will have to go and check on him. We'll head there right away." Aqua said as Sora rejoiced.
"Alright!" Sora cheered.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye again, Sora." Kairi said with a smile on her face but Aqua could tell that Kairi was saddened at the thought.
"Don't worry Kairi, I'll be back sooner than you think." Sora said as she quickly hugged him. Riku walked up and clapped his friend on the shoulder.
"Take care Sora. I'm holding you to what you just said. Come back to us." Riku said with a smile.
"I will, Riku. I will." Sora said with a nod as Kairi let him go and quietly walked away. Sora and Riku watched her walk off before Sora turned to his friend.
"Take care of her Riku." Sora said as Riku nodded.
"I will. You have my word." Riku replied.
"Do what you can to improve her skill with a Keyblade, Riku. She may need it in the near future." Aqua added as Riku nodded.
"You got it." Riku said as Sora and Aqua slowly turned towards the beach and summoned their Keyblade Riders with their full armor on. Sora looked over his shoulder towards his friends, all giving reassuring smiles at him as he climbed onto the Keyblade Rider. Sora sighed softly before turning to Aqua who gave him a soft and understanding nod.
"We'll be back here soon enough, Sora. Don't worry." Aqua said as their Riders started to slowly climb up and into the sky, leaving the Destiny Islands behind. Kairi watched with a smile before she allowed a small tear to run down her face. She then started to walk back towards the sideways tree with Riku not far behind. The others started to disperse leaving only Serah and Snow behind.
"Poor girl." Serah said as she sadly watched Kairi sit down on the sideways tree, catching Snow's attention.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"She told me a short while after Sora left that she doesn't know if he loves her or not. She doesn't know what he even thinks of her as. With Aqua's appearance, I'll bet that she's even more confused. If only there was some way to tell Sora about the way she feels for him." Serah said as Snow sighed and put his arm around her caringly.
"Sora never has caught on has he? His heart is usually in the right place but like you say, he probably doesn't even know." Snow said as Serah thought to herself.
"Perhaps…we need a vacation." Serah said.
"What?" Snow asked as Serah smiled up at him. She had a plan.
End Chapter 8.
The song above was the Japanese released version of "Serah's theme" from Final Fantasy XIII. The American and Japanese versions are different, true, but they're both sung in English. I like the Japanese one better than the English, simply because it flows better (in my opinion.) Oh and I do not own it.