I'm still asleep.
Kairi and Namine sit in chairs by the windows, looking out at the beautiful Radiant Garden sunset. Sora and Riku stand at the foot of my bed, staring down at me. Roxas paces. But me, I'm still asleep.
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Night has fallen on Radiant Garden. The people have had a stressful time the past couple days. But when they all heard about the destruction of the Black Fortress there was mass celebration in the streets. Now, they have all retired for the night, tucking their children in their beds with bedtime stories about the famous Keybladers.
But five teenagers are still not asleep. They didn't join in on the celebrations.
"It's been four days. Something is wrong with him." Roxas has taken up the nasty habit of biting his fingernails. He's been doing ever since he woke up. Now he barely has any left to bite.
"Roxas, we don't know what happened out there." Sora doesn't move while he talks. It looks like he doesn't want to get in the way of Roxas's pacing. "We have no idea what he did or how long it will take him to recover from it. We just have to wait."
"I told you. We were all falling and this light just exploded out of him. And then we all woke up here."
"But what does that mean? How did it happen? Where did it come from? We just have to accept that we don't have those answers."
Roxas throws himself into one of the chairs by the bed and closes his eyes. It doesn't take long for him to fall asleep, which isn't surprising since he has been awake for the past two days.
"Sora, he's just worried about Dexlin." Kairi gets up and covers Roxas with a blanket."
"So am I. Whatever happened to Dexlin out there is the reason that we are still alive. He saved us."
Riku is very quiet as we slowly moves to the window. He gives Namine a small half smile before looking out at the horizon.
"He'll be okay." Namine's voice is soft, barely above a whisper. She looks down at her drawing of a boy in a bed.
"There's something I don't understand." Sora sits on the floor. Kairi sits next to him and places her head on his shoulder. "Namine and Roxas are our Nobodies and you can tell. They sort of look like us. But Dexlin doesn't look anything like you, Riku. His hair and eyes are different colors. He's completely different."
"I didn't know I would have a Nobody. I don't know how to explain it."
"Maybe I can."
They all turn their heads to the door to see who has come in. Roxas even wakes up to the sound of a new voice in the room. King Mickey stands in the doorway with his head down in respect to the boy sleeping on the bed.
"Your Majesty."
They all make a motion to get up, but the king holds up his hand to stop them. "Don't get up. I've come to join ya on your wait. And to share with ya things that I have discovered." The king sits with the others and looks at their faces. They look terrible. He can see all the sadness and the worry in their eyes. "You were all very brave. The worlds are safe now because of what you've done."
"But at what price?" Roxas sounds angry.
King Mickey nods his head in agreement with Roxas's question, but never answers it.
"What did you learn, Your Majesty."
"I've been doin' a lot of research ever since I left ya last. I was in Xemnas's stronghold just before it fell from the sky and after that I was in Ansem's hideaway in Twilight Town. There's a lot of information on Dexlin."
"On Dexlin? But why?"
"Both Ansem the Wise and Xemnas knew about Dexlin's existence. They monitored him from Traverse Town to Twilight Town."
"Why didn't he tell me any of this when he had me helping him? All that time he could have told me that I had a Nobody."
"Riku, the time that Ansem spent under the name DiZ was not normal. His behavior was much different then usual. He was consumed with revenge. Dexlin did not fit into his plans, so he ignored him."
"But why didn't Xemnas go after him the same way he came after me?"
"According to his files, Xemnas did not think Dexlin was strong enough to incorporate him into the Organization."
"I bet he's regretting that decision now." Roxas makes an attempt at a very small smile.
"Your Majesty, you said you could explain why Dexlin looks so different from me. Why?"
"Dexlin was not born like ordinary Nobodies. Roxas, you were born when Sora became a Heartless. Riku, you never became a true Heartless. But Xehanort's Heartless did take over your body. And that was enough. You were possessed by such a great power of darkness that it pushed all of the light out of you. The light could not be destroyed so it formed a new body with traces of your heart that it took with it. Dexlin was born from the light, not the darkness. That's why he looks different."
"So the light that was inside Dexlin used to be inside me?
"Yes. You had that light, but when you opened the door it left."
"Is that was I saw when we were falling? The light coming out of him?"
King Mickey nods his head. "Dexlin made a great sacrifice. He used the light inside of him to save you all."
Tears began to leak from Roxas's eyes. "But he'll be okay, right?"
The king looks down. "I'm afraid I don't know that."
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I can't feel my body. It's like I'm floating. There's no noise here. So quiet that it's creepy. Is this where I'm going to be forever. Now that IT happened.
"Open your eyes, Dexlin."
That voice. It's the same one that I heard when we were falling. The one that told me about the light inside of me.
Slowly I fight to get my eyes open. When I do, I can see that I'm standing in a place that is completely made of light. It's like the opposite of the dark world. I still can't see what I'm standing on, but at least I can move my arms and legs.
There is a figure moving in the distance. I can't see clearly enough to tell what it is, but I know it is coming closer to me. As it moves I start to see better. It's a person. It's a woman. She is wearing a long purple robe around her the drags on the floor that I still can't see. Her hair is long, curly, and the brightest shade of blonde that I've ever seen.
"Welcome. I've been expecting you." It is her. This is the woman who has been talking to me.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Andriel. I am not anyone of any importance. Just know that I am someone who does have influence in the worlds."
"Am I dead?"
She laughs softly. "No, you aren't." She puts her arm around my shoulder the same way that Roxas does. We start to walk, but I'm not sure where we are going. "Right now, you are in my home. A place where no one can get to by Gummi Ship or any other means. The only way to get here is for me to bring you. Very few people have seen it."
Should I feel honored? Maybe I would if it wasn't so frightened right now. She said I wasn't dead, but then what happened to me?
"Back in Radiant Garden, you are hanging on to life, neither among the living nor the dead. But I am confident that you will wake up."
"But you said that I would have to trade my life for theirs."
Her hand slides off my shoulder as she takes a few steps away from me. Every move she makes is graceful. "I said no such thing. I merely asked if you would." Her smile adds to the brightness around us."
"I don't understand."
"Only a person who is willing to take the place of the one they wish to save will be able to use the light inside of them as protection. You don't actually have to die to save others." She takes a few steps around me. "I made the same deal with Kairi once. Back when she used the light inside of her to save Sora from being trapped as a Heartless."
"I did save them, right? They're okay?"
"Your friends are fine. They are sitting by your bed at this very moment, waiting for you to wake up. You were the only one hurt in the whole incident."
"Will I be okay?"
"I won't lie to you. Your road to recovery is going to be a hard one. What you sacrificed for your loved ones may leave you weakened. The light that was inside of you made up most of your being. And now it's gone. Your body may have a difficult time adjusting to that."
"But I'll be able to see Roxas and the others again?"
"You are very inquisitive, aren't you? But yes, you have not seen the last of them."
For the first time in what feels like forever I smile. I can even feel a small tear roll down my cheek. I did it. I can't believe I saved them and that none of them were hurt.
"Your story does not end here, Dexlin." Something changes in her face. She looks sad and maybe a little angry. "There are other enemies that you and your friends will have to face. There are more dangers out there. Powers that you have not even dreamt of. Horrors that you can never imagine."
I don't know what to say. Other enemies. Will it ever end? Will I never be able to have a normal, quiet life with Roxas?
"There are more joys for you to encounter as well. You have a great destiny in front of you, but you are not destined for a life a struggle and pain. Make the most of the time that you have. Spend it wisely. Love all you can. Sometimes destiny can wait." Her hand softly touches my cheek. "You are very brave. And I hope one day you do get the life that you have always wanted."
"Thank you. For that. For helping me save my friends."
She takes a few steps back. "You're welcome. It has been a pleasure meeting you. I hope we will be able to meet again someday. But right now there is one last thing that you must do."
"What?"
"Open your eyes, Dexlin."