"How long did I live here and I never knew that this train ran through here?" We've followed Sora to the train station where we walked right past the ticket counter and right up to this weird looking blue train car decorated with stars and moons.
"You have to know it's here and where it goes to call it." Sora explains this as he climbs on board the mystery train.
Apparently I'm the only one who finds this all a little weird. Getting on a train that people don't know is actually here strikes me as a little odd. But everyone else is climbing on board. I step on behind them, feeling like I was going through that dark ball floating in the basement of that mansion. Why was I always so willing to jump into things not knowing where they lead?
The train starts moving, even though I didn't see a conductor climb aboard. Are we really moving with no one driving?
"Relax, Dexlin. We won't be on here long." Roxas grabs my elbow and pulls me down on to the bench beside him. I guess my nerves were showing on my face more than I thought they were.
"Where is this thing taking us?"
"To Yen Sid's castle. He's King Mickey's teacher. He's a powerful sorcerer." Sora leans back, resting his head against the window. "He's helped us out before."
Suddenly, the sky around us changes. It is no longer the burnt pink and orange color that it always was. Now it is dark with what looks like bright colored clouds floating everywhere. I stare out the window in pure shock. Why aren't the other as amazed as I am about this? This is like a big deal. I look over at Roxas and it's almost like he's bored.
The train slows down. Turning around to look out the window I see us pulling up to a small island. It's floating in the middle of the weird looking sky. Above some trees, I see what looks like the top point of a castle.
"See, I told you we wouldn't be on here long." Roxas holds out his hand and I take it. We walk off the train and step onto grass.
"This is so strange." I turn back around just in time to see the train disappear. "Hey, wait."
"Don't worry. It will come back when we are ready to leave."
I guess everyone else I just used to these kinds of things happening. I'm not. Not long ago, I didn't even know this place existed and it's not very far from where I lived. This was here the whole time. What else don't I know about?
"Oh no!" Sora and the others are ahead of us, standing just past a group of trees. We run to meet up with them. Seeing what they are looking at stops Roxas and I in our tracks.
The castle is on fire. Flames leap from the windows. Black smoke is curling up into the sky. What little of the place hasn't been will soon be destroyed. If there was anyone in the castle, they are surely dead.
"Do you think Yen Sid is in there? Could he have escaped?" Kairi is covering her mouth with her hand, horrified.
A blast blows the front doors of the castle open. The force leaves the doors hanging on their hinges. A shadowy figure stands in the doorway. I can't believe someone actually survived this inferno. The figure took a step out into the light. I think we all knew who it was even before that. She looks exactly the same as the last time I saw her.
"Maleficent." My voice doesn't sound nearly as strong as I would like it to.
"How wonderful it is that you decided to join me. It saves me the trouble of having to hunt you down for my revenge." She walks down the steps onto the grass, not very far from where we are standing.
In a flash, we are holding Keyblades in our hands. The others might be ready for this, but I'm not. This will be the first time that I fight someone other than Sora, Riku, or Roxas. I don't think I'm ready for this.
"You're not going anywhere, Maleficent. We're going to stop you once and for all." Sora. Ever the leader.
"You will soon regret those words. They will be your last." She raises her hands in the air. "Heartless, I call upon you. Do my will. Now shall you deal with me and all the powers of Hell!"
All around us, shadows snake across the grass. They start to come out of the ground, molding into the shapes of these weird creatures. These are the Heartless. These are the things that destroyed my home. They almost look harmless. How could these little things be responsible for so much chaos?
One of the creatures jumps off the ground and passes right by head, going directly for Roxas. He swings his Keyblade at it, turning it into a puff of black smoke. I notice a small heart floating in the air and then quickly disappearing. They don't look so hard to beat.
More and more of them jump off the ground attacking the others as they fend them off with their Keyblades. But they're not going anywhere near me. It's almost as if they don't even see me at all. Many of them jump right past me to get to one of the others. What's going on?
Five of them attack Roxas at the same time. Seeing as they don't seem to know that I'm here, maybe I can use that to my advantage. I swing my blade, knocking one of them off Roxas's back into the air. Swinging, I slice through the creature before it even has a chance to hit the ground.
I run through the battle ground, beating off the creatures that the others can't seem to handle. I've beaten at least twenty of them so far and still they don't seem to even notice me. It's stupid, but I feel a little insulted by that.
Suddenly, Riku jumps out from the battle and starts running towards Maleficent. Seeing that the others have everything under control with the Heartless, I run after him. He can't possibly take her on by himself. He jumps in the air, flying straight for her.
She holds out her hand and stops him midair. He's held up by a dark green ball of energy.
"Riku, my dear boy, how good it is to see you again."
"Let me down, you witch."
"Such harsh words from someone who I treated as my own son. You followed me once. Won't you join me again? I can give you all that you'll ever want."
"I have everything that I need. You can't give me anything."
"So be it, you ungrateful child."
The dark green ball grows brighter and Riku howls in pain. She's going to kill him right here in front of me. Not if I stop her.
I throw my Keyblade, just the way I practiced so many times on the island. It spins over and over again as it shoots towards Maleficent. Exactly as I planned, the tip of the blade smashes right into her arm. She cradles her arm against her stomach while Riku falls to the ground with a thump.
Maleficent turns to me. Her face is a mask of rage. "Insolent fool. You have made a grave mistake."
I believe her words as she holds her hand back up, this time pointed towards me. My Keyblade appears in my hand, but I'm not sure how much good it's going to do. I watch as a green fire glows around her hand. It looks worse than whatever it is that she was holding Riku with.
Before she can send anything flying towards me, the top of the castle explodes. We all stop in out tracks in shock as the top spire crumbles. We jump out of the way as huge pieces of the building fly down towards us. Falling to the ground, I can't see anything because of all the dust in the air.
"Foolish woman, you have become more of a hindrance than you are worth."
No. It can't be. I know that voice. I will never forget the sound of it. It turns my skin cold.
The dust starts to clear. I can see the others lying on the ground near me. Their faces are turned up to the sky with looks of disbelief. Floating in air above us is someone that I hoped I would never see again.
"Xemnas."