Author's Note: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.
Ch.55 Final Rest
When the four of us flew at the Chernabog he roared, sucking in a deep breath before blowing out a torrent of fire. I shouted and rose over it, while Sora and the others did the same. The demon re-aimed at us and we kept flying, avoiding the attack so we wouldn't be fried to a crisp. After maybe a minute he stopped, and threw a pair of giant fireballs at us. I moved blow one while the others moved to the side. "Let's get this thing!" I said, and flew forward. The Chernabog flapped its wings and unleashed a massive gale of wind, blowing me and Goofy away. Donald and Sora cast Aeroga around themselves and we were able to stay still. Once the wind was gone they moved forward, and Donald cast Blizzaga while Sora swung at its head. He blocked with his arm and Sora cut that.
The cut was as long as Sora was tall, but compared to the size of the arm it was on the hit wasn't that serious. As it was, the Chernabog roared and glared at Sora, snapping his fangs. Sora flew back and the demon threw another pair of fireballs, aiming both at Sora. He avoided them while Donald cast Thundaga from above the demon, blasting the top its head of with lightning bolts. The Chernabog glared at him and reared back, before breathing out another wave of flames. Donald cried out and flew below it, but then the monster stopped and spread its arms. I stopped in my attempts to get close to see what was happening, but then I saw the base of the mountain begin to glow orange. My eyes widened, and I yelled "Donald! Get away from there!" He listened to me and did, but not fast enough to avoid it when the Chernabog roared and the mountain erupted in flames.
Donald screamed in pain and dropped through the air, smoke curling off of him. "Donald!" Sora and Goofy called, and flew after him. Meanwhile, I glared at the Chernabog. It was prepared to blow them all away with some wind again, when I said "Nice try! Tornado!" I held up my Keyblade and conjured a twister of swirling wind, one that surrounded the Chernabog. Normally the twister was only supposed to be ten feet in height and a couple feet wide, but I focused and it grew. The Tornado grew bigger and bigger, until finally the Chernabog's entire body was enveloped. He growled and slashed through it with his claws, but that in no way stopped the spell. I kept it going while Goofy caught Donald, and Sora cast Curaga on him. His body was suffused with green light before the burns faded, and Donald's eyes snapped open.
He looked around for a second before realizing what had happened. Then he glared at the Chernabog, and said "Why, I oughta!" Before shooting forward and high speed. "You like fire, huh? Well take some of that! And that!" Donald yelled, casting Firaga twice. The spells flew straight through mine and exploded against the Chernabog's chest, prompting a roar of pain. He flapped his wing before creating a larger gale of wind than usual, breaking away my Tornado. He spread his arms again, only this time six orbs of light appeared in front of it in a circle. The orbs hovered there for a second before shooting at all of us. Two were aimed at Donald and two for me, while Sora and Goofy got one apiece. I blocked the first one and pushed, sending it back into second and destroying both.
Sora froze his with Stopga and flew in front of it, so the orb just kept flying until it hit the edge of the area and faded. Donald cast Graviga and they feel dropped out of the air, while Goofy simply stopped his with his shield. The Chernabog blew out more flames and aimed at Goofy this time. Although he blocked his his shield again, I knew that before long the metal would become too hot for him to even hold. I flew forward and yelled "Yoo-hoo! Horns-for-head!" The Chernabog stopped and looked at me, but I was already behind its head. "Here's a present: the end of my Stormfell!" I called, swinging and using Glacier. The moment my blade made contact I focused the spell so that it was my Keyblade that froze, and the ice shattered against the back of the Chernabog's head.
He snarled and reached back to hit me, but I flew back. It rubbed the back its head turned around, glaring at me. It summoned six more shots if light, and this time they all flew at me. I cast Triple Blizzaga and destroyed three, but the other three hit me before I could stop them. I shouted in pain, but then I felt someone cast Curaga on me. I looked to see that it was Sora, who was coming up behind the demon. "Here!' he said, and used Ars Arcanum. He swung a dozen times with blurring speed, creating an array of cuts all along the Chernabog's back. It turned to look at him and I added my own trio of cuts, using Slot Edge. Getting the idea, Sora waited for the Chernabog to look back at me before casting Blizzaga and hitting it just over the heart with the ice. The demon faced back forward, and Sora and I took turns attacking. Donald and Goofy even joined it, hitting from the left and right.
In little time though the Chernabog grew tired of our antics, and the mountain below him erupted. We moved back and were able to all avoid the flames this time, and I said "Hey guys, what do you say we end this?" Just as the others were nodding my apparent jinx ruined my plan, proven when the Chernabog reached out and grabbed me, crushing me in its massive fist. "Dexal!" they called. I grunted and tried to move, but my arms were pinned to my sides. "Let me go, you winged excuse for a monster!" I yelled. But the Chernabog ignored me, and threw a fireball with its free hand at Sora, Donald and Goofy. They dodged, and Sora looked at the others. "Let's try out that technique!" he said, and they nodded. I frowned in confusion. Technique? What were they talking about?
Then Donald and Goofy's bodies glowed before two red orbs emerged, which flew at Sora's Oathkeeper. The blade absorbed them, and Sora flew at the Chernabog. He growled and swung at him, but he ducked under the blow and flew forward. "Take this! Trinity Limit!" Sora called. He stabbed his Keyblade into the middle of the beast's chest, and the energy within it vanished, letting out a massive explosion. The Chernabog roared and fell back, loosening its grip on me enough that could break free. Once that was done I cast Meteor, and watched as the flaming rock flew down and blasted against the monster's side. It tied to throw another fireball at us in desperation, but missed widely. "Now, let's finish this!" I said, and Sora nodded. We both flew forward and raised our Keyblades, while Donald and Goofy did the same.
As one we all struck, Donald blasting the demon's wings with a combination of Thundaga and Firaga, Goofy using Rocket and launching himself right against it face, and Sora and I stabbed it in each side of its head. The Chernabog groaned and fell forward, slumping. The mountain began to rumble and we flew away, just before it erupt one last time. Now that it was fallen the Chernabog wasn't immune to the flames, and burnt away. Once the flames and the monster were finally gone we looked at where it had been, seeing an opening in the mountain summit. "Is that where we have to go?" Donald asked. "A-hyuck, looks like!" Goofy said. We flew down into the opening and landed, our powers of flight fading.
Slowly we walked forward, and the alert for anymore enemies. As we walked through the tunnels I looked along the walls, seeing further remnants of worlds the Heartless had destroyed. There were twisted trees that I recognized from the forest in the Dwarf Woodlands, small towers from the Enchanted Dominion, and stone tapestries from the Castle of Dreams. Seeing these worlds brought back my memories of Terra, Aqua and Ventus, and I hung my head. I wondered if I would ever see them again. I knew that if I wanted to see Ventus I just had to go to Castle Oblivion, but that wasn't the same. I wanted to see all of them awake and the four of us together, laughing like we used to. I sighed, and looked forward. Maybe after we defeated Ansem and the worlds were restored, I could try looking for them. Being a Heartless, I'd still be able to travel and search.
But first came Ansem- if we didn't stop him, there was no chance of that happening. At the end of the tunnel we came across a room called Linked Worlds, which was composed of a wide cave with a glowing green floor. At the far end was a the exit, which was covered by a Heartless emblem. More Heartless appeared, and each time we destroyed a wave of them a piece of the emblem fell off and dropped to the floor. Eventually the last piece came free, and we stepped into the room beyond. It was very small and only contained a small spring, and at the other end was a door. Sora and I gasped. That was door we had seen when the islands had been destroyed.
As we stepped closer both of us heard a whisper, and Sora said "Huh?' "What's wrong?" Donald asked. "Don't you here something?" Sora asked. The voice said as clear as day "Careful. Beyond there is no light to protect you. But don't be afraid. Your heart is the mightiest weapon of all. Remember, you are the one who will open the door to the light." Donald looked around. "I don't hear anything," he said. "Strange... That voice was so familiar. Maybe it was just my imagination," Sora said. I shook my head. "No, I heard it too," I said. "Maybe you guys should take a rest!" Goofy suggested. I hesitated for a second, before nodding. It was good idea; no sense going into the last battle tired. We lied down on the ground and closed our eyes, falling asleep. As I did fate decided to give me one more dream, just to make sure my memories stayed fresh.
It was that fateful day when Aqua and I went to look for Terra, and found him in Radiant Garden possessed by Xehanort. We fought hard to defeat both him and his Guardian, and eventually managed to make him fall back. His body began glowing with a golden-white aura, and he said "Stop fighting back!" Against his will his body began moving, until he was standing straight with his arms spread. "Terra, I know you're in there!" Aqua called. He resisted, and I sighed. "Aqua, it's no use. Unless we destroy Xehanort Terra can never again be free," I said, tightening my grip on Twilight Dawn. "So with that, 'Master' Xehanort," I ran forward. "You are through!" He looked at me with unbearable rage, and thrust forward. "Never!" he called, and we both stabbed each other in the chest at the same time.
"Terra! Dexal!" Aqua called. We both dropped our Keyblades, which vanished as the Guardian reappeared. It literally fell apart, the pieces falling to the ground in a pool of darkness, one that Terra and I both leaned towards and fell into, unconscious. Aqua ran forward and dived into the portal, light shining as she changed into her armor and Glider. Both Terra and I fell through the darkness, wind whipping past our faces. "The darkness can't have you!" she yelled, and pushed her Glider to maximum speed. Slowly she reached us, and leaned forward to catch us both. Hastily she swung around, trying to fly up towards the light. I stirred and my eyes opened slightly, and I said "A…qua?" The light kept getting farther, and with all three of us even the maximum speed couldn't get us close enough. "I have to do something, or we'll all be lost," Aqua said.
She pondered it for a second, until her expression became determined. Abruptly light flashed, and her Glider disappeared as Aqua appeared outside her armor, which was still holding us. My eyes snapped wide open, and I said "Aqua, what are you doing?!" She smiled and placed her Stormfell in my hand, saying "I'm with you!" "Don't do this!" I yelled. But she simply kept smiling as her armor glowed, and she waved her arms, calling "Go!" Terra and I flew back towards the light, and I yelled "NO! Aqua! Aqua!" She merely smiled sadly, and as she fell into darkness she said "Ven, I'm sorry. I might not make it back as soon as I thought. But I promise I'll be there one day to wake you up." And she disappeared.
After that I fell back unconscious, unable to move and unable to save her.
I awoke with a start and looked around. The others were slowly starting to wake up as well, and I looked down. I had lost one my closest friends in that battle, all because of Xehanort. Now we were about to fight his Heartless. My expression grew hard. I would not let the same thing happen again. "Are you guys ready?" I asked, standing. They did the same and nodded, and I turned towards the door. "Then here goes... everything," I said, and I grasped the handles of both doors. With a grunt and pulled them open, and we were enveloped in light.
Our heroes have reached the end. Can they defeat Ansem and save the world? Read the next chapter to find out!
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