New Rules, New Players
Running as fast as we could through the World That Never Was, Kaity and I eventually came upon the castle. Just before that floating white castle about, oh, I don't know, a quarter of a mile away from us, was a gap that lead straight down into nothing. We stared stupidly at the huge gap between us and the castle entrance. Perfect. We don't have enough time to grow wings.
Making an exclamation, stepping forward, Kaity clapped her hands and created a flimsy metal bridge that spanned the gap. Not wasting time on praise, we dashed across the bridge. Once we made it across, we bolted through the entrance and halted in the center of the first room. Where did Riku go off to in here? It would take us hours to search for him everywhere!
As though to answer my question, a sudden exclamation and crash echoed through the white building. We hurried toward the source of the noise.
Two talking voice's help guide us to the room, Where Nothing Gathers. The meeting room for the past Orginization XIII. Gasping, I stopped just inside the chamber. Thirteen chairs rose to various heights around a circular platform that stood a good five or six feet off the ground. Riku was lying on the tall circular platform facing away from us. In front of him was a guy that looked a lot like the heartless Ansem and nobody Xemnas, but looked to be about Riku's age. He was wearing the infamous organization XIII robes.
Grabbing a hold of Kaity's arm to keep her from charging forward, I watched the scene before us. This was something that we needed to watch. If Riku needs help, we'll jump in.
"-originally had our sights set on you," the kid was saying in a drawling voice. "But, you developed at certain... resistance to darkness. So we did what the Keyblade did, and moved down the list."
Riku stood up, not taking his eyes off of the kid. The kid smirked, "Roxas..." he continued in an admiring tone. "Now, there was a worthy candidate. But, unfortunately, he became too aware of himself, and returned to Sora."
Glancing away and back to Riku, the kid waved his hand in a flourish. "Organization XIII's true goal is to divide Xehanort's heart among thirteen vessels. Thanks to you and Sora," he smirked, "we learned not all our candidates were fit for the task. But, we managed to make up the difference. And now, Sora, the thirteenth vessel, is within our grasp."
I couldn't breathe. Kaity was so tightly wound under my grasp, I feared she would break. "Thirteen... Xehanort's?" Riku breathed in disbelief.
Thirteen Xehanort's. My hand flew to my mouth, muffling my gasp. This was bad. Very, very bad.
Then suddenly, clouds of darkness materialized in the seat of every throne, followed by a figure clothed in dark robes.
"What is...!" Riku exclaimed, alarmed.
"The real Organization XIII." The kid declared.
"The Organization?" Riku gasped, alarmed.
Kaity and I took a few steps back. No... they were dead! I saw them! How are they here now?!
"I am Xehanort from the most distant past." The kid, apparently young Xehanort, stated. "My future self gave me a task... to visit the splintered versions of myself in many worlds, and ensure they gathered here today."
How would he know where their whole selves would end up once they were killed. He must have controlled their re-embodiment to appear here, in this world.
"From the past?" Riku skeptically looked at the kid.
"There are restrictions to movement through time," the kid began. "First, you must leave your body behind to do it. Then, there must be a version of you waiting at the destination. Upon arrival, you can only move forward as per the laws of time. And you cannot rewrite the events that are destined to happen."
"What have you done?" Riku bit back at him.
"My most future self will arrive soon." The kid stated, motioning his hand toward the tallest of the thrones. On the seat, a cloud of darkness still sat, raining from an unknown source from above. With each passing moment, the darkness formed, looking more and more like a man.
"Then time for all of us will return to normal, and I will go back to my era to live the life fate has in store." The kid lowered his arm, and his eyes to look at Riku. "He can vouch for that."
We all stared in panic at the gathering darkness that was Master Xehanort. My heat began to beat wildly, the adrenaline already kicking in. A familiar burn washed through my eyes and I stumbled back in alarm. I couldn't do this. I had to keep it together. For Sora.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bright flash of light filled the already white room. A wave of the light shot out at Young Xehanort, knocking him off his feet and into the air.
"Stopza!"
And just like that, the kid froze in midair. The gathering darkness stopped flowing into the developing form of Master Xehanort and time just seemed to cease. Standing in between Riku and the kid was the source of the spell.
"I'm glad I'm not too late." King Mickey stated, looking back at Riku.
"Mickey!" The three of us exclaimed.
Kaity and I ran over as Riku approached the mouse king.
"Just grab Sora so we can go!" The king said, hastily to all of us. "I can't stop them for long."
"Okay," Kaity nodded, glancing back up at the darkness in the tallest throne. However, she never got the chance. A sudden burst of power threw her and the king off of the platform.
"Mickey!" Riku called after him.
"Kaity!" I shouted, running to the edge of the platform. Turning around, Riku and I stared at young Xehanort.
"I said, hands off!" He sneered.
"How can you be moving?!" Riku shouted, fisting his hands.
There was something different about him now. An aura of darkness surrounded his body, like a second skin. We watched in horror as the kid stretched out his hand and summoned Master Xehanort's Keyblade.
"Oh no. Are you...!" Mickey gasped from the ground below.
"Begone!" He exclaimed, charging at Riku.
I cried out as Riku shoved me off the platform. The clanging of keyblades echoed down from the platform, filling the area. Kaity, recovered from the blast of power at herself, rushed to my side.
"Sam!" She exclaimed, kneeling beside me. A sharp pain shot up my arm and threw my ribs. I think this fall might have actually broke something. Figures.
The pain must have shown on my face because Kaity was digging in her pockets for something. A second later, she pulled out a small vial of elixir. Taking the nasty stuff from her, I drank it all down in one swallow. Immediately, the pain subsided and I could push myself up. A flash of light filled the room again and the sounds of fighting from above stopped.
Kaity and I got to our feet and followed the king onto the platform.
"Are you okay, Riku?" The king asked, concerned.
"Yeah. Thanks, Mickey." He said, turning to face us.
Marching right up to Riku, I punched him as hard as I could in the arm. "You jerk! I could've helped!"
Riku didn't get a chance to reply. At the moment, Mickey's stop spell wore off. In the blink of an eye, it was gone.
"Oh, no..." I breathed, staring up at the tallest throne.
Hearing me, the others followed my line of site.
Mickey gasped. "Master Xehanort", he exclaimed. "We were right about you!"
I stared wide eyes at the old man now sitting in the throne. Master Xehanort looked just like an older version of Ansem or Xemnas. Bald with a long white beard, his outfit eerily resembled the one Ansem had worn in the first Kingdom Hearts game. Beady gold eyes stared down at us. A triumphant gleam in his eyes.
"All of this was decided," The old man rasped. "My twelve selves would welcome me here on this day, when I would return a complete person. It is the future which lies beyond my sight."
"Why are you doing this?" Mickey exclaimed.
"In ancient times, people believed that light was a gift from an unseen land by the name Kingdom Hearts." The old coot went on. "But Kingdom Hearts was safeguarded by its counterpart, the X-blade. Warriors vied for that precious light, thus beginning the "Keyblade War." The violent clash shattered the X-blade into twenty pieces; seven of light, and thirteen of darkness. And the only real Kingdom Hears was swallowed by the darkness, never to surface again.
"I once tried to create my own pure light and darkness," He went on, crossing his right leg and leaning on his right hand. "To forge the X-blade, but the attempt ended in failure. In my eagerness, I had lost sight of the correct way to achieve my goal. I acted rashly. I can admit that now." He finished with a smirk.
The basterd.
Mickey fisted his hands in anger and pointed toward the old man. "What you did back then- your mistakes- changed the destinies of three of my friends!" He accused angrily.
Master Xehanort stared passively down at the mouse king. "Ah, but destiny is never left to chance." He shrugged. "I merely guided them to their proper places. The broken boy who failed to be the blade... the misguided master who sacrificed herself for a friend... and the feckless youth who became my new vessel." For each description, he held up one finger, but when he talked of the last, he place the hand on his chest.
Mickey bowed his head in sadness. "I couldn't find a way to save 'em." A new anger filled him as he looked back up. "But I wanted to believe that their sacrifice stopped you for good." Self blame filled the little mouse, "Why? How was I so blind? I should've seen it, as soon as Maleficent started gathering the seven princesses of heart."
"Yes. They were all my doing." Master Xehanort admitted. " I used the evil fairy to find seven pure lights for me, just as I prepared thirteen vessels to fill with pure darkness."
"But you failed," Riku interrupted, stepping forward to stand with Mickey. "Sora stopped you in your tracks on both counts."
A flash of anger ghosted over Master Xehanort's eyes. "Yes, he did. That dull, ordinary boy... a Keyblade wielder so unlike any I have ever seen. However, I have not abandoned my ambitions-" Uncrossing his legs and leaning forward, the old man held out his right hand. "The seven guardians of light," He went on, holding out his left hand now, "and the thirteen seekers of darkness." Turning his eyes to Mickey, he lowered his hands and sat back in his throne.
"Seven guardians of light?" Mickey questioned, raising a hand and began to tick off names. "Well, for keyblade wielders, there's me and Riku and Sora. And my three missing friends, that's six. Then the seventh would be..." He shook his head, not knowing the answer.
"That means..." he said, looking around the room at the robed figures. "The thirteen seekers of darkness..."
"Yes, little king." Master Xehanort applauded him. "Perceptive. But Sora and another on your list belong to me now. And that puts you three guardians short. But worry not. All of the pieces are destined to appear. Your seven lights just like my thirteen darknesses, whose final clash will beget the prize I seek-
"The X-blade!" Both Mickey and Master Xehanort exclaimed.
Master Xehanort began to stand up until he stood tall on the seat of his throne, summoning his keyblade. "But first, the thirteenth darkness shall be united. All the seats have been filled. And now the last vessel shall bear my heart like the rest!"
"No!" Kaity shouted as Sora's throne began to rise into the air.
"Sora!" Riku shouted, charging toward the rising throne. Mickey, Kaity and I followed.
Mickey leaped into the air after Sora, almost reaching the edge of his seat, but out of nowhere, Xemnas had him pushed against a nearby throne. Ansem appeared and shoved Riku to the ground, pinning him down. I shouted as something slammed into my side. The weight stayed on me, chuckling. I looked over my shoulder to see Divan with his arms pinning my shoulder and arm to the platform. I cried out and struggled, waiting in horror as Sora rose high up into the air until his throne was level with Master Xehanort's own.
Raising his Keyblade, Master Xehanort waved his hand across the blade and pointed it toward Sora, shooting a glowing ball of power at Sora. The four of us watched in alarm as it zoomed toward Sora's coma formed body.
But, it never connected.
A great cloud of fire and smoke appeared before Sora, stopping the spell.
"He made it!" Mickey cried out happily.
"You!" Xemnas exclaimed in disbelief.
The flames ebbed away, revealing a tall figure clad in dark robes holding the lifeless form of Sora beneath his right arm. The figures cloak ruffled as he stood, shaking the last of the flames from his long spiky red hair.
"Axel!" Xigbar exclaimed, leaning forward in his seat.
We all looked up at the tall re headed man now standing on Sora's thrown. "Axel? Please." The man smiled coyly. "The name's Lea. Got it memorized?"
"You're not supposed to be here!" Master Xehanort shouted at him.
"Promises to keep." Lea stated simply. "I'll always be there to get my friends back." Lea sneered at him. "What, bad timing? You had your perfect little script, but you kinda forgot to write the sequel. Now, let's find out what happens!" The new Lea grasped his weapon and pointed it at the old man in a challenge.
Xigbar slammed his fists on the arms of his throne, turning to look up at Master Xehanort. "What now, you old coot?" Ooo, someone else likes that name for the evil man. Neat. "Our time is up!"
Master Xehanort's eyes turned to a hooded figure in one of the higher seats and a grin slid across his lips. The figure jumped to his feet and charged Lea, summoning a long blue, silver, and yellow claymore on the way. Lea raised his weapon and blocked the strike. The wind from the leap blew back the hood of the figures cloak, revealing dark skin and long ice blue hair.
"Isa!" Lea hissed, narrowing his eyes.
Isa showed no reaction to meeting his old friend, just increased the force put behind his strike. Lea held it for a moment before throwing away the claymore and launching himself through the air. He flipped through the air with Sora, holding on tightly so that he would not slip.
Time to free ourselves. Pulling on the electric static in the platform, I sent out a wave of static, dislodging Divan from holding me down. I stood and spun to face him, but he was already gone. The snake.
Riku and Mickey freed themselves from their captures, and Kaity was already up as well. Ansem and Xemnas went to hover in the air by Xehanort's throne.
Lea landed behind us and held up his weapon in defense. We all rushed to gather around him, standing in defense. "Why are you here, Axel?" Riku shouted back at Lea.
"No. I told you my name's-" Lea gave a frustrated sigh. "Agh, whatever, Axel, fine." He muttered in defeat. "Now let's get outta here!"
"Can we?" Kaity piped in hopefully.
A cry sounded over our heads and we all looked up to see the Guardian being summoned by Ansem. The huge heartless shot into the air and dived for us. It snatched up Riku and I off the ground and hoisted us into the air. Darkness rolled off the creatures body, washing over the two of us. I cried out, feeling the burn grow in my eyes.
"No!" I heard Kaity cry out. A huge swell of light engulfed the creature and it began to dissolve. We both fell to the ground. I landed on my knees, my hands covering my eyes as I stood on my feet. Pulling away my hands, I looked up into the eyes of Master Xehanort. Seeing the bright gold in my eyes, he grinned. He knew something. He was pleased.
Then the figures around us began to disappear.
"We are out of time." Master Xehanort sneered. "Neither the union of light nor darkness has been achieved, we must all return wince we came. But, the gathering of the seven and thirteen is nigh."
One by one, the cloaked figures faded until they were just mere shadows. Master Xehanort held the eyes of us all.
"Let us finish this at the fated place, once your lights and my darknesses have joined together!"
And in a whirl of darkness, they were all gone.
The five of us stood there in silence. "How...anticlimactic." I remarked, relaxing my stance.
"Sora..." I heard Kaity say behind me. Turning around we looked at the poor sleeping boy underneath Leas arm. In a slow motion, Lea set down Sora on the platform. The spiky brown haired boy truly looked as if he was sleeping still from the test Master Yen Sid put them through.
"Let's get outta here," Riku said solemnly. Looking down at Sora's sleeping face, he smiled. A small smile, but it was there. "Look at him...sleeping as usual when there's something to be done." Bending over, Riku picked up Sora and gently place him on his back to carry him. "We'll take him back to Yen Sid. He'll know what to do."
The five of us made our way out of the Castle, navigating the bright halls. So much has happened... so much has changed. This was a new game now. New rules and new players, I thought looking over at Lea. How Master Xehanort managed to find all of the completed forms of the Organization, I just don't know. Probably never will.
When we neared the entrance of the castle, Kaity's metal bridge had disappeared. The king immediately walked forward and created a bridge made of light. Kaity and I walked behind the others, walking along in a silence. What was going to happen now? Would we even be able to wake up Sora?
Lifting my head to the others before us, I saw that they were already across the gap. Talk about being slow... Nudging Kaity with my elbow, I nodded to the others who were far in front of us. We picked up our pace.
"Hm-" I muttered, looking down at the bridge.
"Ah!" Kaity screamed, grabbing my arm for balance as the bridge shook beneath our feet. The glass surface of the bridge began to crack. Fractures raced along the glass, sliding along under our feet.
"No!" I cried, looking ahead. "Riku!"
"Turning around, Riku saw the two of us in the center of the bridge. Seeing the cracks, he set Sora down and dashed toward the bridge. "Sam! Kaity!"
A swirl of darkness formed in between us and Riku. In the foggy darkness, a figure took form, no one I recognized, but a pendent huge about its neck. A pendent holding a moon and sun, hanging on a silver chain. Lifting a hand, it called forth a keyblade of pure darkness and brought it down to pierce the fragile glass.
"NO!" I cried as the bridge shattered.
Kaity and I screamed as we fell from the bridge and into the air. In a panicked glance, I looked at Riku, standing at the edge reaching for us. The last expression I saw on his face was one of pure terror.
Later, I would wonder what they did after we fell. If they just gave up hope and thought us gone for good.
Falling is a weird sensation. Especially when you're not sure where you'll land or if you ever will. But we did... kind of. The castle and the world slipped away and we fell into darkness. I lost sight of Kaity. I called her name, over and over, but my voice was lost in the rushing wind.
Then, I was drowning.
Turning around, tumbling, I tried to make heads or tails of which way was up in the surrounding water. I chocked on the water, tasting salt. A light appeared below me, so I turned toward it and swam through the water.
Breaking free of the watery prison, I gasped in the fresh air. My feet found traction in the sandy ground that hadn't been there a moment ago and I crawled myself free of the tides. Sputtering and coughing up the salt water from my lungs, I fell to my side in the soft, warm sand. My eyes stung, my muscles ached, and I felt as if something squeezed me through a wormhole.
Regaining some of my sense's, I pushed myself up and scanned the tossing waves. Where was she? I didn't see Kaity in the water.
"Kaity?" I rasped, forcing myself to my feet. I stumbled and almost falling back on my side, but I was able to stand, if not a bit wobbly. "Kaity?" I called louder. "Kai!"
Directly out before me, a wet, blonde haired head broke free of the surf, coughing up sea water. I stumbled forward toward her, finding her hands and pulled her free of the tides reluctant grasp. Safe on the shore, I let her go so that she could get the last of the water from her lungs. I fell back down to the sand, breathing heavy.
Clear of any water, Kaity tried to get up. "What the Hell just happened?!" She rasped as loud as she could. "Where are we? Where are the others?"
I couldn't answer her. My throat was burning from the salt. Maneuvering my head in the sand, I searched the horizon for any signs of familiarity. Seeing something in the distance beyond some trees, I tapped Kaity on the arm and pointed at it.
She followed my sight and gasped. "The cruise ship?" She rasped, almost too quiet to hear. "We're-we're back?"
Closing my eyes at the soft light from the setting sun, I tried to sort through the whirlwind of emotions that shook through my body.
"We're home."