The seven heroes emerged from the vortex onto a large empty platform made from pieces of consumed worlds, floating in the middle of absolute blackness. Hovering in the air nearby was the Door to Kingdom Hearts. They noticed that one section of the platform was made of the courtyard from the Land of Departure, another section from the Castle that Never Was, another from the train station courtyard of Twilight Town, another from the beaches of the Destiny Islands, and finally another from Disney Castle. Standing with her back turned to them was Xehanort, still in Kairi's body, still holding the X-Blade, and staring at the Door to Kingdom Hearts.
"So…you've come." Xehanort said, not turning to face them.
"You weren't easy to find." Terra replied.
"But we weren't looking for you." Ven added.
"We were looking for Kairi." Sora added, eliciting a chuckle from Xehanort.
"How very amusing." Xehanort replied with a smirk, though they couldn't tell since she still had her back turned to them.
"You may have succeeded in plunging the worlds into darkness, but you haven't snuffed out the light." Riku said.
"And the light will always be there, no matter how much darkness surrounds it." Mickey added.
"Even in nothingness, there's light." Roxas added.
"Intriguing…every living known Keyblade wielder in the universe has come to challenge me. Then this means that once I've defeated you all, there will be none to dispute my power." Xehanort said with a smile.
"You're not going to defeat us Xehanort." Terra replied.
"We're going to defeat you, free Kairi, free the worlds, and put an end to you." Aqua said as Xehanort started to chuckle before turning towards them.
"So naïve, so foolish. You cannot comprehend the power of the X-Blade. Its power comes directly from Kingdom Hearts itself so there is nothing in this universe that can even come close to matching it in power!" Xehanort declared as she held the X-Blade above her head.
"You're wrong." Sora said, earning a disdainful look from Xehanort.
"There is one thing that is more powerful than the X-Blade. Even more powerful than Kingdom Hearts. Something that you would never understand, Xehanort." Sora said.
"And what is that?" Xehanort asked with a scowl.
"The power of a single heart is enough to overpower even the X-Blade and Kingdom Hearts." Sora replied as Xehanort chuckled.
"You really believe that, don't you?" Xehanort asked as Sora stood firm.
"He's not alone. I believe it too." Aqua said as she stood proudly next to her apprentice.
"And so do I." Ven added, standing next to them.
"As do I!" Terra said, also standing next to them. Roxas, Riku, and Mickey joined them silently.
"You might have the X-Blade Xehanort, but we have something better. We have the power of our hearts combined." Sora said.
"An unbreakable connection." Aqua added.
"So you can't defeat us. We will not bow down to you or anyone who uses the power of darkness for evil." Sora said as Xehanort started to chuckle again but this time his chuckling evolved into evil laughter and again in to a maniacal cackling. She also started glowing with an aura of dark magic and started floating up and into the air.
"You fools! Do you really think that your petty friendship will ever be able to resist my power? I hold the X-Blade! You have nothing but your own individual power! Divided and even united, you are NOTHING!" Xehanort shouted before a burst of black darkness energy erupted from around her, revealing the guardian, floating from her back and the X-blade still within her hands.
"Warriors of Light! If you wish to test this unbreakable connection of yours, then HAVE AT THEE!" Xehanort shouted before she launched towards the ground, landing with a powerful shockwave of dark magic. The helmets appeared on the armored warriors before they each charged towards Xehanort. Riku was the first to reach Xehanort but the guardian smacked him away as Xehanort herself turned and countered a blow from Ven. Ven attempted to use Firaga Shield but Xehanort launched him away with a burst of dark magic.
"This body may not be as strong as yours, Master Terra, but its small size and agility certainly has its ADVANTAGES!" Xehanort shouted as she aimed the X-Blade at Terra, firing a large beam of dark magic from the end of it, but luckily Terra managed to avoid the attack just as Aqua landed behind Xehanort and block a blow from the guardian. Xehanort whirled around with a vicious swing of the X-Blade at Aqua but she had cartwheeled out of the way in time for several shields made of light to appear in the air around Xehanort and fire beams of pure white light at her, courtesy of Roxas. Xehanort blocked the attack with a new move, Dark Reflega. The Dark Reflega absorbed the attack before firing out a shockwave of dark energy.
"You'll have to do better than that, NOBODY!" Xehanort declared as he turned to block an attack from King Mickey who was quickly grabbed and thrown away by the guardian. Terra then leapt in, his blade and the X-Blade clashing. Xehanort attempted to hit him with a powerful Dark Firaga but Terra expertly negated the spell, surprising Xehanort.
"Don't assume I didn't learn anything while you possessed me Xehanort! I know all of your moves!" Terra declared as Xehanort laughed.
"Is that so? Well how about THIS?" Xehanort shouted as the X-Blade started glowing with dark energy, before she swung the X-Blade at him knocking him back and hitting him in the stomach with a wave of dark magic. Fortunately Terra was alright thanks to his armor. Xehanort then turned and blocked a double attack from Roxas. Xehanort grinned as she and Roxas pressed their blades together.
"What's the matter Roxas? Afraid to harm the girl's nobody? Your precious Namine?" Xehanort asked tauntingly, causing Roxas to snarl in anger.
"This is where not having a heart comes in handy! I can be angry all I want and it won't consume me!" Roxas shouted as he spun and locked blades with Xehanort once again but this time the Guardian grabbed him in both hands and started squeezing him to death.
"Roxas!" Aqua exclaimed before she realized that there was someone missing from the fight. Sora was still standing in his battle stance and with his armor active.
"Sora? What are you doing? Get out there and save Roxas!" Aqua shouted as Sora looked up at her, his helmet disappeared and she saw a conflicted expression on his face.
"But…Kairi." He said as Aqua realized the reason for his hesitation. He could never lift his blade at Kairi, no matter who was in control of her.
"Just, great." Aqua mumbled before she quickly leapt into the battle while Ven and Mickey distracted Xehanort. She quickly somersaulted into the air and over the guardian, delivering a powerful blow to its wrists, causing it to drop Aqua. Riku ran in and slammed into the falling Nobody, carrying the both of them clear of Xehanort and the guardian. Terra then ran up to Aqua.
"What's Sora doing?" He asked confused.
"His heart's not in the fight! He doesn't see Xehanort, he sees Kairi and he can't raise his blade to her!" Aqua replied as Terra groaned in frustration.
"GREAT! The fate of the worlds hangs in the balance and he's afraid that he might harm his girlfriend!" Terra groaned before leaping into the fight. Mickey leapt at Xehanort as well but both he and Terra were knocked away by the guardian as Xehanort dueled with Ven.
"You would have been much better off if Vanitas were still in control Ven." Xehanort said as Ven snarled angrily.
"I am my own person! I'm ME!" Ven replied as he parried a few blows from Xehanort but was suddenly knocked away by the guardian. Riku then leapt in with an attack, but Xehanort blocked again.
"And you would have been a much more preferable host than this girl. Pity your heart is of darkness." Xehanort said as Riku glared at her.
"You might have my friend's body, but I'm pretty sure she would want me to defeat you regardless!" Riku yelled before Xehanort shoved him away before hurling a Dark Firaga at him. Riku quickly blocked the spell but the force of the blast threw him almost off the edge of the platform. Luckily he was caught by Mickey.
"Need a hand pal?" Mickey asked as he helped Riku pull himself back onto the platform.
"Thanks Mickey. I owe you one." Riku said before leaping to his feet. Now Aqua and Xehanort were exchanging blows, Aqua nimbly dodging the attacks from the guardian while attacking with her Keyblade simultaneously. Xehanort then noticed that all five of the other attacking Keyblade Warriors were charging towards her at the same time. Xehanort shoved Aqua away and sent released another shockwave of dark magic, repelling the attacking warriors.
"Is this all you have? You pathetic, worthless pieces of trash are not fit to wield the Keyblade! If only you could hear, the cries for help that the heart of this girl were screaming! She has no idea that her fate is sealed, as is all of-!" Xehanort taunted before suddenly she felt the guardian in pain and roar in agony. She turned quickly to see Sora with his Keyblade driven into the Guardian's back.
"WHAT?" Xehanort shrieked as Sora leapt off the top of the guardian to in front of Xehanort, turning with a swing that the surprised Xehanort barely had time to block.
"You might have Kairi's body, you might attack my friends, you might destroy my homeworld, but you will NOT insult her!" Sora shouted angrily as his helmet formed on his head.
"Now he wakes up!" Terra groaned as Aqua slapped him upside the back of the head.
"Shut up and give him a hand!" Aqua shouted as they all charged in towards Xehanort again but once more Xehanort repelled them all with another shockwave of dark energy. Sora however aimed his Keyblade at Xehanort before firing off Ragnarok Ultima while in midair. Xehanort quickly used Dark Reflega to block the attack sending out another shockwave shortly after impact. She had to use it again when she spotted Terra prepping his Ultima Cannon and Aqua about to use Rainbow Shower. Ven fired up Multi Vortex as Roxas immediately used Thirteenth Strike, creating the thirteen light made clones of Oblivion.
"ENOUGH!" Xehanort shouted casting another new spell, Dark Thundaga, striking all seven warriors before they could get off their attacks, and stunning them for a moment.
"You have now officially, worn out my patience!" Xehanort declared as she started glowing with dark energy once again but this time she became enshrouded by a large cloud of darkness which grew bigger and bigger, moving out away from the platform slightly. Suddenly the platform itself began to break apart at the points where the fragmented world pieces met, and spread out, separating some of the warriors. Suddenly the clouds cleared away, revealing Xehanort floating in midair but attached to a massive creature that looked like a hybrid between the World of Chaos and Marluxia's final form. Xehanort was attached to it on top and in the rear of the massive creature.
"Now then warriors of the light! Your end and the end of the light, comes NOW!" Xehanort declared before the giant head on the front of the creature opened its mouth, causing an orb of energy to appear and start growing in size.
"WATCH IT!" Terra shouted as he leapt towards a platform fragment closer to Xehanort just as the beam fired, and nearly hit one of the platforms but fortunately missed.
"That was lucky!" Roxas exclaimed.
"Xehanort must still be trying to master control of the X-Blade! That's giving us an advantage!" Aqua replied as she and Roxas both ran and leapt for another closer platform fragment. Sora was the first to reach the closest fragment and proceeded to leap up and onto the giant creature, his Keyblade ready.
"Be gone!" Xehanort ordered as a large heartless shaped like Sora appeared holding a fake Keyblade in its hands. Sora quickly leapt over it and started battling with the Heartless Sora. He quickly cast Thundaga, Blizzaga, and Firaga, before casting Reflega just in time to counter an attack from the Heartless Sora, the end result was the Destiny Blitz Command Style. He then started double-casting Magnega on the Heartless, pinning it down. He then started unleashing a series of fast yet brutal attacks on his Heartless counterpart until suddenly the liquid like black substance appeared on his arms and Keyblade, entering the Light of the Night command style. He then began to attack the heartless with his feral like claws, vanquishing it before turning back to Xehanort.
"I must say that is impressive. A pity it won't do you any GOOD!" Xehanort shouted before a free floating guardian rose from the creature and quickly attempted to smash Sora between its hands, but Sora was faster and managed to slide underneath it and deliver a ferocious slash across its back with both his Keyblade and claws. The guardian howled in fury before turning to attack again but this time it was obliterated by a beam of light piercing through its chest. It dissolved, revealing Roxas standing behind it.
"Let's do this, Sora!" Roxas said as he and Sora turned towards Xehanort.
"FOOLS!" Xehanort shouted as she took a swing with the X-Blade, nearly knocking them off the creature had they not quickly blocked the blow together.
"That will do you no good!" Xehanort taunted as the X-Blade started glowing with dark magic again, Sora and Roxas both feeling the strain of trying to shove back against the X-Blade steadily increasing.
"XEHANORT!" Terra shouted as he leapt into the fray, Keyblade reared back for an attack. Xehanort roared in anger before another guardian appeared flying at Terra who effortlessly cut through it and continued flying towards Xehanort. Xehanort managed to shove away Roxas and Sora in time to block Terra's attack.
"You are starting to annoy me Master Terra!" Xehanort growled as she reared back her fist, allowing it to glow with dark energy but Terra caught the fist with his hand, causing the spell to detonate right next to Xehanort's head but launch Terra away.
"KAIRI!" Sora exclaimed in fear as he saw a cloud of dark smoke appear around where Xehanort was a moment ago. Both luckily and unluckily, they saw the X-Blade swing around in the clouds, scattering them and revealing an unscathed yet very angry Xehanort.
"That does it!" She snarled as she started glowing with dark energy once more. Suddenly Sora remembered something from the Road of Remembrance. Something Kairi's Grandmother told him.
"Please tell Kairi how you feel the next time you see her. It will change the outcome of the future when you do." Kairi's Grandmother had said to him. He then knew in his heart, what he had to do to bring Kairi back and put her in control of her body.
"KAIRI! LISTEN TO ME!" Sora begged as he ran towards her, his helmet vanishing, and stopping as Xehanort glared at him with an angry snarl.
"I know you can hear me! Just listen! Kairi for a long time now I-!" "LOOK OUT!" Aqua shouted as she leapt in to block a blow from a giant black tendril of darkness.
"For a long time now! I've been wrestling with a feeling inside my heart! Something I've known for a long time but didn't know how-…" "SORA, LOOK OUT!" Mickey exclaimed using Reflega to block another tendril of darkness from striking him.
"But I didn't know how to say it to you! I've tried so many times to try and say this to you Kairi!" Sora shouted as Terra and Roxas leapt in to deflect more tendrils.
"What is he doing?" Terra asked confused.
"Trust me! I know what he's doing! Just keep him from falling off!" Aqua replied.
"KAIRI!" Sora shouted as he leapt towards Xehanort, who was getting angrier and angrier. There was nothing but time and distance between the two of them now as the others kept the tendrils of darkness at bay. Sora started walking towards her but Xehanort started firing off shockwaves of dark energy but Sora stood firm, fighting against the force of the blasts to continue his approach.
"GO SORA GO!" Aqua cheered
"I've been wrestling with my feelings about…about YOU! You can see all of this destruction! You can feel all the pain! But you still don't know what I feel in my HEART!" Sora shouted as he continued his approach. He was finally right in front of Xehanort.
"DIE!" Xehanort roared as he raised the X-Blade.
"SORA, WATCH OUT!" Riku shouted as Xehanort swung the X-Blade down towards Sora who didn't even react or flinch, instead staring straight into Kairi's eyes. Everyone's eyes widened in shock as they saw the X-Blade freeze in midair less than an inch from Sora's head. Xehanort gritted her teeth and started straining to try and force the blade down on Sora but was unable to do so. Sora then did the unexpected, he quickly lunged forward, grabbing Xehanort by the shoulders and delivering a kiss right on the lips, causing Xehanort's eyes to widen in shock. They then saw his eyes start to rapidly start shifting between the evil yellow and the crystal blue and her hair started wildly changing between the white and red. The giant heartless creature started shaking violently and the platforms below started reforming into the single platform.
"JUMP!" Aqua shouted as everyone but Sora turned. Aqua watched as they all leapt back down to the platform, but then turned to see her apprentice still lip locked with Xehanort.
"Way to go Sora." Aqua said with a smile before she quickly leapt down and joined the others. They looked up to see the massive heartless start to glow with an aura of black and white. It roared in pain before it suddenly disintegrated and Sora was thrown down to the ground. Hovering in the air was Xehanort as he attempted to regain control of Kairi's body. Finally the changes stopped and mostly reverted back to Xehanort as she glared at Sora before roaring in anger and flying straight at Sora, X-Blade raised. Sora quickly leapt back and blocked the blow, now in a one on one duel with Xehanort. Aqua attempted to intervene when Riku and Terra held her back by the shoulders.
"What are you doing? Sora needs our help!" Aqua exclaimed as Terra shook his head and his helmet disappeared.
"No, wait a second Aqua! This is the moment we've been waiting for! With Xehanort focused on Sora, we can work together to do the one thing that will destroy Xehanort for sure!" Terra replied, as Ven's helmet disappeared as well.
"It may sound crazy but it'll work!" Ven added.
"What are you talking abou-…" Aqua asked before she noticed what Roxas, Mickey, and Riku were looking at. She looked up and her eyes widened as she realized their plan, their one hope of destroying Xehanort, and restoring Kairi and the Worlds at the same time.
The Door to Kingdom Hearts.
End Chapter 40…