Chapter 34 – The Door

A/N: This chapter is the most violent one in the entire story, and content warnings containing major spoilers are included at the end of the chapter. Please read them if you would like an idea of what to expect or if you need a heads up for distressing content.

The earth shook as some force deep within it drug Sora deeper and deeper. There was nothing but darkness beneath him now, and still he descended. Down into the depths of the abyss, into the deepest darkness.

He vaguely noted that something was happening to the worlds. The barriers around them were shattering in brilliant bursts of light. They joined together in collisions both destructive and creative, forming one giant World, just as Xehanort had commanded.

Was this what it used to be like, before the Keyblade War?

But then… where is everybody? Where are my friends?

It was pitch black and he was completely alone. The inhabitants of the other worlds – where were they? What had happened to them?

His friends were gone, too. They'd fought so bravely. They'd sacrificed everything. But it hadn't been enough. They had either been wrenched away to create the terrible weapon now in Xehanort's hands or cast aside like trash.

Xehanort's Seekers were all gone too, their existences also stolen from them to form the χ-blade. Xehanort had been smiling as he'd summoned Kingdom Hearts. Smiling. How could he, at a time like this?

The rebirth… no, more like the death… of the worlds. The aftermath of a vicious battle that had claimed Sora's friends and Xehanort's pawns, the ones he had so easily thrown away. Pawns that were people, people with hopes and fears and dreams, snuffed out like their lives meant nothing.

Xehanort wielded the ultimate weapon now. Defeat was inevitable. Sora fell ever deeper into the darkness until at last he reached the bottom of the pit, broken and defeated and without any hope. He couldn't even muster the energy to sit up. The darkness clawed at his back, trying to swallow him whole, trying to make him become one with it.

Maybe it was better if he just let it. Everything just hurt too much and he couldn't take it anymore. He pictured his heart now, littered with holes and bleeding out from all the places his friends had been torn away from him.

That was what it felt like, anyway.

My friends. Tears filled his eyes all over again as he thought about what had happened to them, and his broken, empty sobs echoed throughout the endless pit. His own voice mocked him, a cruel reminder that he was alone. Alone because his friends had been taken from him, stolen by the man who didn't care about a single one of their precious lives.

"Light has expired," that very man called out, his voice somehow reaching even to this place. "Darkness has prevailed. Everything written in the prophecy has come to pass. With this χ-blade I will summon Kingdom Hearts at last."

The realm above opened up, the only light left as everything else was covered in a blanket of darkness. It was almost blinding in its brilliance. How Sora could see it from here, he had no idea. At last Kingdom Hearts was appearing, its massive form looming far above him. A giant white door that looked a lot like its smaller cousin when Sora had fought Ansem, no, Xehanort's Heartless, began to form.

He stopped crying. Even though his heart was still hurting, a strange feeling had filled him at the sight of the door. Something like wonder and fear and longing all mixed into one.

This was the source of all hearts, after all, and he couldn't help but be drawn to it.

Something tugged at his heart, called out to him and drew him in. Slowly, tentatively, he answered its call. His heart connected to the giant heart above him and he felt rather than saw the countless smaller hearts that made it up. Hearts filled with love and fear and anger and happiness and joy and sorrow. Hearts filled with life.

He kept the connection weak, afraid of what might happen if the swarm of hearts overwhelmed his own.

Chosen wielder of the Keyblade, you must stop Xehanort.

What can I do? Sora asked the mysterious voice that spoke not to his ears but to his heart. It was warm and familiar, though he couldn't figure out why. I'm just one person, and he has the χ-blade.

You are the one who will open the door.

It was the exact same phrase that had haunted him ever since his first awakening. That seemed like a long time ago now. Had destiny led him to this moment all along? Had his entire life led up to this?

Yes, Sora. You must open the door. Leave nothing to fate, though fate has brought you here. You are not the only one who can stand up to Xehanort, and yet in this moment you are.

But… why me?

Look at your Keyblade.

Sora wiped his eyes and sat up. When he held his hand out, the Kingdom Key appeared in it, just like it always did.

Now tell me what the χ-blade looks like.

Sora had noticed already, but he told the voice what he knew all the same. My Keyblade is a reflection of it. Well, part of it, anyway.

Yes. In legend and in fairytale, the χ-blade was sometimes called the Keys of the Kingdom. The Keyblade wielders of old knew its true power.

It unlocks Kingdom Hearts, right?

Yes. You have everything you need, Sora. The rest is in your hands.

Sora stared up at the door. As he did, he had the overpowering urge to protect all the hearts inside, to guard the light, to save his friends. The voice was right. He had to open the door somehow. He had to get the χ-blade away from Xehanort. He had to climb out of this pit.

He used the last of his magic to heal himself and struggled to his feet. Bolstered by thoughts of his friends, he tried to think of some way, any way, to get back up to where Xehanort was.

As if on cue, a familiar squeaking caught his attention.

"Meow Wow? Is that really you?"

It sure was. His pet bounded up to him from the shadows and licked his face with his wet pink tongue. And not just Meow Wow. A whole host of his Dream Eater friends had come to this place to rescue him.

Turns out he wasn't so alone after all. They carried him up, up, up, taking turns so none of them got too tired. They broke through the darkness till there was nothing but sky above them now, and still they ascended. Up into the heavens, past the stars and planets and into a whole new realm.

A soft thud echoed throughout the World as they set Sora down on a winding white path that stretched out towards the door. The door had almost fully materialized and was about to connect to the ground, and Xehanort was facing it. He hadn't noticed Sora yet, as enraptured as he was by everything else that was happening.

"Thanks, Meow Wow," Sora said, stooping to give his pet a quick chin scratch. Meow Wow wiggled and squeaked, and Sora couldn't help but feel better. "Thanks, guys," he said to the rest of the Dream Eaters. "I'll take it from here."

He didn't know what Xehanort would do to them if they stayed. He'd already lost so many of his friends. He didn't want to lose his Dream Eaters, too.

Meow Wow stared up at him. If he could talk, Sora was pretty sure he'd be protesting right now.

"Please," Sora said. "I can't lose you too. I have to face him alone."

Dozens of eyes blinked up at him, and the Dream Eaters refused to budge.

"C'mon, guys. You know I'm not really alone. My friends are always with me, right here," he said, putting his hand over his heart. "And that means you're always with me, too."

They finally relented. After one last series of licks and hugs and head rubs, they disappeared into puffs of colorful smoke, their job finished.

Sora took a deep breath and strode towards the door. He had to do this. He had to challenge Xehanort one last time.

"Xehanort!" he called, trying to keep his voice steady as he readied his Keyblade. "The light hasn't expired yet. You still have me to deal with."

Xehanort turned to him and sneered. "You! I see that not even casting you into the abyss was enough to stop you."

He charged, surprisingly fast for his age. It took every ounce of Sora's remaining strength to deflect the χ-blade, the scrape of metal against metal echoing throughout the World. He pushed off of it and jumped backwards before diving into a somersault to avoid Xehanort's next attack.

"Is that really the best you can do?" Xehanort asked. "Dive and dodge and run away from me?" He laughed. "Without your friends, you truly are nothing."

"You're right," Sora said, whirling around to face him. "Even though you think they're gone, I know they're not." He put a hand over his heart, its steady rhythm pulsing beneath his fingertips. "So long as I hold their memory in my heart, they aren't—"

Xehanort raised an eyebrow, and Sora trailed off and braced himself for the worst.

I won't run away. I know what's at stake, and I can't abandon everyone.

"In your heart, you say? I can arrange that."

Sora knew what was going to happen a moment before it did. Xehanort didn't need him for his plans anymore, so when he felt something like a punch that knocked the air out of his lungs and pushed him into the door, it didn't come as much of a surprise. The voice had never promised he would be safe, after all. It had just requested that he stand up to Xehanort and open the door.

Knowing what was going to happen and actually experiencing it were two different things, though. He looked down and saw the χ-blade embedded in his body. He knew it was going to be there. He'd been stabbed before. The sensation was familiar.

And yet somehow the sight of it was still scary. It was wrong to have something sticking out of his chest like that. He was pinned to the door and couldn't move. No sound even came out when he opened his mouth. Just his labored, panicked breathing.

There was red, too. So much red everywhere. On his hands and flowing out of his body and spilling all over the path and smearing against the perfectly white door. It must be in his mouth, too, because a sharp iron taste was on his tongue and its sickly scent filled the air.

It hurt. His mind connected to his body as his eyes took in the proof of his injury. The pain became real and it hurt. He could only manage a choked cry before he slumped over the weapon.

My body—

But his body wouldn't do what he wanted it to.

I can't— It hurts—

Something stirred, deep within his heart. His friends were crying and screaming over what they'd just been forced to do to him. But he wasn't angry or upset with them. All he could feel was relief.

He managed a small smile and lifted his head, wincing at how painful even such a small movement was. Don't be sad. You're... alive. That means… there's still hope.

His friends all tried to reply, but Kairi's voice was the one that stood out to him. She was beyond words, but Sora felt her heartbreak all the same.

Kairi... I'm sorry.

He turned his attention to the one person he knew he could always count on. Riku… take care of her.

Then he addressed the rest of them. Focusing on them made the pain ease a little, enough that he could ask them one last favor.

Sorry guys. This is gonna hurt, but… I need your help.

He connected his heart to theirs. They knew. They knew this was it, and their comfort and strength and courage flowed into him and soothed the horrible throbbing in his chest. Not enough to stop the inevitable, but enough to keep his heart beating long enough to do what had to be done.

It was all he had time for as Xehanort moved to pull the χ-blade out of his final victim.

Sora stopped him, smearing red all over his white gloves. "No," he said softly, somehow able to speak. "This has the hearts of my friends inside of it. It belongs to me."

Their power was his power, their strength his strength. With it Sora created a blast of light that cast Xehanort into the darkness. The door was right behind Sora. All he had to do was open it. He had all the tools he needed now.

But he had to get the χ-blade out first to do that. And unlike when it went in, he felt the full pain of it coming out. His anguished screams filled the air as he collapsed to the ground, the blade gripped in his hand.

His head swam. He was dizzy from blood loss and overwhelmed by the pain in his chest. But with the last of his strength he rolled over and pointed the χ-blade at the door. A stream of light hit the lock and unsealed it at long last. The door creaked open. Sora looked inside.

I understand now. Thank you.

He closed his eyes and slumped back to the ground as one final breath left his body.

His mission was finally accomplished.

The χ-blade had fallen. The World was silent. Xehanort took it all in, hardly believing his eyes. It was just like the words of the prophecy had said. Light really had expired. It had died along with the boy who had caused him so much trouble, the brat who had interfered with his plans every step of the way.

But no longer. Kingdom Hearts was his for the taking. He ran towards it, pausing at Sora's lifeless body so he could pry the χ-blade covered in the boy's blood out of his hand. Funny how quickly blood went dull without any life to sustain it. Sora's face was ashen, the blood that would normally give his skin its natural flush pooling to the wound in his chest and oozing out onto the ground instead.

Death had quickly laid claim to its prize. How long would it be before rot and decay set in? Xehanort had dreaded such a fate all his life. But now he need never fear such a thing again, because Kingdom Hearts was here and it was his.

For a moment he'd been concerned when Sora had opened the door, but no longer. A dead boy could hardly become the ruler of Kingdom Hearts. Surely it would recognize Xehanort's rightful claim.

He held the χ-blade out to it. "Kingdom Hearts! At long last!"

He stopped. There was a light coming from inside the door now. It was a gentle, tender light, but to Xehanort, it was the most terrible thing in all the worlds. Light was supposed to be gone, vanquished. What was it doing here in the depths of darkness?

No. It couldn't be. Xehanort watched in horror as the light enveloped Sora's body in a soft glow. The gaping hole in his chest was mended, a scar the only remaining sign of the damage. Then the light traveled along Sora's arms and legs, healing scrapes and wounds and breathing life back into muscles and tendons.

With a shock Xehanort remembered the words his research had uncovered, about the fate of the one who would open the door.

Oh.

Oh no.

But it was too late. The light had reached Sora's heart and made it beat once more. Its thunderous pounding pulsed throughout the entire World, and he gasped as oxygen filled his lungs and blood pumped life's rhythm through his restored body at a joyous, exuberant pace.

He was alive again and the whole World was responding, brilliant pulses of light and color rushing across the ground and sky and path with each beat of his heart. His eyes flew open and his entire body shone with the same light. It lifted him to his feet and knocked Xehanort off of his. Xehanort had to force himself to look, shielding his eyes with his hands.

This was his worst fear come true. The creature before him, who he'd mocked and belittled for being ordinary and weak and human, had just been reborn as something far greater. The χ-blade flew from Xehanort's hands into his. He pointed it right at Xehanort's heart and fixed him with a piercing gaze, his eyes glowing with a brilliant light.

"Xehanort," he said, his voice filled with authority and demanding Xehanort's full attention. "All you ever wanted was to have the power of Kingdom Hearts for yourself. You spent your whole life searching for it. But you never understood what Kingdom Hearts really is."

"And what would that be?" Xehanort spat. He wanted nothing more than to crush this insolent usurper who had stolen what belonged to him, what he'd spent his life searching for.

"All your life, you've used people to get what you wanted. They were just pawns to you. You stole their power and took their hearts. You never realized that they might share those things with you because they wanted to."

Xehanort glared at him. "And I suppose that's the difference between us."

Sora crouched down and put a hand on his shoulder. Xehanort flinched at his touch but refused to move away.

"Don't you see?" Sora said. "My love for my friends, and their love for me, is what made me worthy. If only you'd realized that, this power could have been yours. If you'd opened your heart up to other people, instead of forcing it on them, then you'd be the one standing here right now instead of me."

Xehanort searched Sora's eyes. Maybe… maybe Sora was right. Maybe Xehanort was wrong. Maybe there was another way to live.

His thoughts went to Eraqus and to Master Junia. Once, they had meant the world to him. What had happened? Why couldn't Eraqus have seen the truth? His former friend had been so obsessed with the light that he refused to see the necessity of darkness. And that had been what had driven them apart.

But Sora spoke of something else, of neither light nor darkness.

I… I was as obsessed with the darkness as Eraqus was with the light.

Could it be… could it be we were both wrong? Was light and darkness never what this was all about?

He looked into Sora's steady gaze. The boy's eyes were still filled with an otherworldly light that searched the depths of his heart. Never had Xehanort felt as exposed as he did right now.

"What you've done is unforgivable," Sora said. "Do you know how many people you've hurt? How many lives you've ruined?"

Xehanort said nothing. Without those ruined lives, he never could have summoned Kingdom Hearts. It would have been preferable if he hadn't had to take such drastic measures, but he didn't have a choice.

Sora's grip on his shoulder tightened. "You don't, do you? But I do. Their hearts are crying out to me. They're begging for justice, and I—" He closed his eyes, and his hand shook. When he finally looked at Xehanort again, he wore a pained expression. "Don't you feel any remorse?"

"Remorse is unnecessary. It only holds people back from doing what needs to be done."

Sora gave him a look filled with pity, and it only served to infuriate Xehanort. How dare the boy pity him.

"You weren't always like this. I know you weren't. Just… say you're sorry," Sora pleaded. "Apologize to all the people you've hurt, and offer to heal the damage however you can. It won't change what happened, but—"

Xehanort grabbed Sora's hand and pried it off his shoulder. He wasn't sorry. He didn't want to apologize, or pretend to get along with people who were beneath him. They refused to see the truth of the world, or that Xehanort was justified in what he'd done. How could he hope to get them to understand?

He wouldn't pretend he cared. Why should he, when he had no love in his heart for his pawns and no reason to love them? It wasn't like they cared about him either. He didn't need love to be powerful; he never had, and he never would.

"If that's what it takes, then I don't want it," he said. "I'll find another way to control Kingdom Hearts."

Sora shook his head. "There is no other way."

"No! I refuse to be your pawn!"

Sora gave him a confused look. "Why do you think I want you to be my pawn?"

Why couldn't Sora see? Either Xehanort had power over Sora or Sora had power over him. It was the way the world worked. And right now, Xehanort was in the position of powerlessness, which meant there was only one outcome. Only one outcome, unless he resisted.

"I refuse! I won't lose!"

He summoned his Keyblade. There was a loud clang as it collided with the χ-blade. Yes, he could do this. It wasn't over if he could still fight.

"Xehanort, stop!" Sora cried. He forced Xehanort back, his new powers giving him superhuman strength.

"I will not! I refuse to be your slave!"

"Then I don't have any other choice."

Sora's attack was devastating in its power. He used the χ-blade to slam Xehanort into the door, and Xehanort just barely managed to warp out of the way in time to a different part of the path. Sora was right there waiting for him, their Keyblades colliding with such force that it sent Xehanort hurtling backwards.

Xehanort was one of the greatest Keyblade masters who had ever lived, but it was hard to go against the door's chosen one. Still, he had to fight; fight for his pride and dignity, fight for all that was his, fight for all the things that should be his.

Sora, meanwhile, was fighting as if his very life was on the line. It wasn't, not anymore, anyway, but the lives of his friends were. He shouted and screamed, his eyes so full of passion and fury that Xehanort wanted to laugh. Even in this state, he was still just an impulsive boy. And that meant he could be manipulated.

He'd been saving this for a special moment. It was his last resort, the ace he held up his sleeve in case something like this happened. There was one more Seeker. She was an extra, a backup, a flash from the past. So young, so inexperienced, her body an empty shell because its heart had been torn away when her home had fallen. It had been all too easy to travel to that moment and grab it, easy to corrupt the body her heart of light wasn't there to protect.

He summoned her now. Yellow eyes blinked open, eye sockets set deep in pale skin that contrasted starkly with short red hair. Sora skidded to a halt right before the blow clearly meant for Xehanort would have struck her down.

"Kairi!" The look on Sora's face made Xehanort smirk in satisfaction. He watched as she caught him full in the face with her weapon. It couldn't have hurt that badly, but Sora reacted as if she'd just stabbed him through the heart.

Perhaps his body had ascended beyond the confines of humanity now, but his heart certainly hadn't.

"Still weak after all, I see," Xehanort said.

Sora ignored him. "Kairi, stop!" he cried, his voice breaking as he cradled his cheek. A moment later and the damage to it was completely healed.

She continued on as if she hadn't heard, slashing away at him and casting magic. Her lifeless golden eyes just stared blankly ahead. Sora held up the χ-blade to protect himself but refused to lay a finger on her.

"You don't want to hurt her again, do you? But there's no way to defeat her if you don't."

Sora's voice was filled with panic and his eyes were wide. "Kairi, please. It's me!"

"It's no use. Her heart isn't in that body and you know it. No appeals, no pleading, will get her to listen. What will you do? Sacrifice yourself again to save her?"

Sora wore a grim expression, the light in his eyes flaring up. "If that's what it takes."

The best thing about that statement was that it was true. Xehanort watched as Sora threw the χ-blade to the ground and let Kairi strike him. His arms went around her right before he slumped to the smooth ground of the path, taking her down with him.

Now was Xehanort's chance. He grabbed the χ-blade and ran over to the door. It opened wide, obeying the call of the χ-blade. He looked inside and stared in awe.

This was what he had longed for his entire life. This was what he had searched for. It was finally his, at long last. He stepped forward.

"Xehanort!"

He whirled around. Sora was right there behind him with Kairi's limp body cradled in his arms, and his eyes were blazing. Where before there had been pity and compassion, there was nothing left but wrath.

He bound Xehanort to the door with chains of golden light. He didn't have to lift a single finger to do it, something Xehanort noted with a prickling sense of unease at the back of his neck.

"How dare you use her against me again! How many times will you torment her just so you can get to me?"

The chains tightened, their golden links digging into Xehanort in a way that was starting to hurt. He tried to move but found himself completely unable to.

This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

"No more!" Sora looked into his eyes, and the passion and fury in them struck Xehanort as unsettling instead of foolish. "I won't let you hurt her anymore! I won't let you hurt any of them!"

In that moment, Xehanort believed him. Before Sora's devotion to his friends had been something Xehanort had used against him, but now it wasn't a weakness, only a strength. It was the very source of his power, even though he had far transcended the bounds of humanity.

"Kairi," he said, his voice filled with tenderness as he turned his attention back to her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm sending you back to Riku. He'll take care of you until I find you again. And don't be scared. We'll be separated, and we'll even forget each other for a little while. But no matter what happens, I'll always come back to you. I promise."

He released her body into the air, and it disappeared into floating orbs of light. Then he walked over to Xehanort and picked up the χ-blade. He paused, and Xehanort couldn't take it anymore. Never had he been so close to what he wanted before, and cruelty of cruelties, unable to reach it.

"Come now, what are you waiting for?"

"I shouldn't be the one to defeat you," Sora said. "They should."

He lifted the χ-blade high in the air and plunged it into the ground. Cracks spread out from where it had pierced the earth, opening an entry to the realm where they were kept.

"You'll ruin everything!" Xehanort shouted as the ground shook and split beneath them. "Without the χ-blade, you have no power!"

Sora just gave him a look. "I don't need the χ-blade. I have my friends."

"Release the hearts in that blade, and you will have my Seekers to deal with all over again. You will simply recreate the χ-blade, and your friends will be locked in eternal combat."

Sora ignored him again and plunged into the portal.

Xehanort just groaned. Powers or not, the boy was still a sentimental fool.

A/N: violence, blood, character death