The Sapphire Sorceress

Disclaimer: The rights to Kingdom Hearts belong to Disney and Square Enix.

Act 74: The Luna Diviner

"Kingdom... Hearts... Will your strength never be mine?"

The World That Never Was: Proof of Existence ( Kairi's POV )

As we went back in this unsettling part of this huge castle after defeating Luxord, the only other portal open was that one leading to the nobody with the title of "The Luna Diviner" to battle. These fights aren't getting easier, and the last few members are fighting to remain in existence making defeating them all the more difficult. The further we headed through the castle, the more these nobodies fought back with their strength and physical might.

"You ready, Kairi?" I nodded to Sora, but part of myself was not certain of our victory against this other nobody of Organization XIII left to defeat. What kind of powers, challenges, and tests would be provided in this next battle for us? His abilities and powers were unknown to us not to mention when we had to fight Luxord it was only me and Sora meaning we didn't have a backup plan or help from our friends in case something went wrong.

'Once this is done there will only be two nobodies left to deal with before this is all over for good.' Looking at Riku and Sora along with Goofy and Donald I knew we needed to press on. The many worlds we had traveled to during this long adventure, those friends we had made during our journey throughout the universe, and the lives of our other friends back on the islands were on the line.

"Let us finish this, Sora!" Walking over to the bright monument I felt determination run through my skin as I entered this portal to fight another member with my friends behind me to continue my fight against darkness. True I might not be as powerful as Sora, but I didn't get this far if I didn't have some power of my own!

The World That Never Was: Addled Impasse

Walking through this circular pathway I couldn't shake off this nervousness while we looked out for this other nobody standing in our way of reaching the top of this huge castle.

"Saix is no one to underestimate, but I haven't seen much on this nobody's fighting skills. Considering his lesser nobodies have those huge claymores I wouldn't be surprised if he uses one in combat." Riku offered up some useful information on this nobody to help us deal with him that we certainly needed considering how little we knew about Saix. Looking around this area I saw more of this highly advanced structure that added to this place looking like a true fortress built for nobodies who exist but don't truly live without their hearts.

We headed to these gated areas with symbols of this group before we arrived in a huge room where I saw that Kingdom Hearts looking even more complete with the hearts getting sucked into that thing, but I also saw a weird beam that was now being directed into that device outside.

'What is going on out there?' I didn't have time to wonder about that, the attention was now focused on this x-scarred man who was smiling at us, and like Riku suggested he was indeed going to use some claymore to fight us.

"Only you could have made it this far in one piece...Roxas. Unless you liked being in that puppet Xion."

"That's really getting old!"

"Yeah! He's Sora!"

Stepping up with Donald and Goofy I saw that claymore suddenly grow a couple of spikes that came out of it showing how danger that weapon likely is to us.

"Different names, same fate." I saw him move that weapon back likely to hit us, so I moved in front of Sora to protect him while Goofy and Donald were suddenly being shielded by Riku as they were pushed away due to the gust of wind Saix threw at us. Looking at the barrier form in front of Riku and our other friends, the battle would once more be us two fighting this foe.

"Do you feel it, the moon's power?" This nobody held out his hands like he was trying to praise something when we saw him rise up through the air like he was being empowered by the light of that moon.

"Moon, shine down!" Suddenly, the nobody charged up with power that made him look and sound more aggressive in tone and action. We had to be careful with this nobody, and soon enough he began to rush after me and Sora with faster speed. He wasn't even speaking in his normal, calm tone rather sounding like an enraged beast with that sharp claymore being swung around to hit us should we enter his range of attack. I had to avoid that weapon, so I held out my keyblade in case Saix got right in my face.

"Be gone!" His accuracy with throwing that weapon near me was very accurate, the weapon slammed into the ground creating a powerful shockwave that knocked me back onto the floor. Sora was also getting smacked around by this angry Saix who didn't really have a method to his attacks, his pattern was both random and chaotic, unlike Luxord who remain calm and in control of the battlefield like a true game master. With such a crazy personality being used for this flurry of attack, the plan I had of simply observing his methods to fight was quickly thrown out of the window.

"Move aside!" Sora also was having trouble avoiding this nobody's offense, his claymore also knocked him back keeping us from even touching him with our weapons let alone truly fighting him at this point.

'What weakness could this member of Organization XIII have when his power was overwhelming us like this?'

Then, I saw that claymore planted in the ground wasn't being picked up by Saix instead he made another one for himself out of thin air. Could we perhaps use that against him? Not that Saix would make that easy for us considering how much he was slamming that claymore about, so I provided a distraction with a few thunder spells that seemingly did nothing to hurt this nobody. Running away I knew if he hit me several more times in this state I would be done for, but I saw Sora follow my lead when I pointed towards the weapon stuck in the ground dashing over to grab it when the opportunity was just right.

Dodging a few more blows from Saix I tried casting a wind spell to defend myself, but Saix kept tossing around his claymore to not let me get the chance to even think about my next move. Before I was knocked back again I saw my friend moving behind Saix to hit him with that very claymore weapon, his eyes and face looked angry and full of rage like Saix.

'Was that weapon some kind of trigger into making someone full of mindless anger?' Seeing my friend continue to whack Saix over and over again with his own claymore reminded me of when I did that with one of those giant nobodies. Suddenly the furious nobody fell to the ground, his body wasn't in that altered state of mind anymore looking calm like when this we began this battle with him.

"I misjudged you..." Running at Saix who was slumped over I threw several strikes from my keyblade him trying to keep him from entering that more aggressive state again, so did Sora who also didn't want to confront that side of Saix again in this fight. As we kept landing blow after blow on this nobody's body he didn't really seem all that defiant except for a couple of swipes with that claymore. Then, he moved forward by swinging that weapon around causing some kind of aftershock to hit us.

"No exit!"

"Is he trying to bathe in the moonlight?" Instead of fighting back this nobody was merely holding out his arms while standing in the light that was beaming into the room through this huge open window near the wall. Looking at the big window that showed us the outside portion of this castle along with that nearly complete Kingdom Hearts hovering in the dim sky. Could that moonshine be how Saix can use his power? Luxord controlled time, Axel utilized fire, Demyx had water, and according to Sora during his battle with Xaldin, he had the power of wind.

It had to be why Saix was trying to remain in the light this much, so we had to keep him from doing this otherwise he will regain that ability to use his berserker state again. Of course, by the time I figured this out it was too late to stop him when he began to rise up through the air.

"Kairi! We need to work together to keep him out of the moonlight." Easier said than done if he was rushing around the place to strike at us, so I began to fire off some ice spells to perhaps chill this nobody out for a second while letting Sora go after one of his dropped claymore weapons however he didn't come after me this time rather he kept moving towards Sora!

'Could he be relying on instinct like a heartless?!' In this altered frame of mind that could very well be the case, and despite not behaving normally he was still very unpredictable making it hard to form a real plan of attack before he charged around the room. There had to be some way we could work together rather than get hunted down and battered by that weapon. Wait a minute; if he was running around the place that must mean he can't think completely like in his normal state.

'That's it!' Running over to Sora who was struggling to avoid Saix's attack I told him to keep him busy while I used the claymore this time.

"Once we get him out of this state perhaps you should use your new form and I keep him in range for your attacks to hit him!"

I figure we plan it out while Saix couldn't think to stop our plan, and he agreed to my idea while I ran over to where Saix dropped one of his claymores on the ground allowing me to enter that berserker-like state. Knowing where Saix was I entrusted my senses to help guide me over to his position in order to whack him with my stolen weapon. How...fun this is! I was so glad to return to this state where I could bash, crash, and slash at whatever was annoying me like this foolish shell of a man!

Oh, run! Run while you can because when I get you I'm going to enjoy crushing you like your precious friends Luxord and Xigbar! As I hit Saix several times, the adrenaline running through my body was nothing but joy and excitement, nobody certainly would be missing a pack of hollow shells like these fools except for their own kind! That...why did I enjoy thinking like that?

'Is there some part of myself that wants these beings to suffer because of what they've done?' I...cannot deny I was furious about how they were treating others, however, should this really be what I thought about a nobody?

'It is merely your frustration pushed to the highest level. This is what Saix and your friend feel while in this state, but this isn't how they normally act right?' Yeah. Hold on why did I hear someone else speaking besides myself? Could there be someone here in my head speaking to me right now? Shaking my head to regather my thoughts I saw this nobody once again was out of that frenzied state leaving him open to attack. I also noticed how quickly he was able to rush over to the moonlight likely gaining back the needed amount of energy to re-enter his berserker state despite how many hits we were landing on him.

"Are you sure I should use one of my forms? I can't exactly be sure if that new form I've been trying to use will work out like you think!" I put my hand over my cheek realizing that luck might not work in our favor. There was a chance Sora could end up in that heartless form with no way of getting out of it leaving him open to attack due to the lack of instincts much like Saix in this fight.

"It doesn't matter how much power you might believe you two keybearers have, the light of our moon will ensure my victory." Clashing with his tall claymore, his weapon began to push me back while Sora tried hitting with a couple of fire spells. Despite our efforts, Saix merely waved that huge weapon around to send us back once again. There must be a way to push through this defense, and it could only be that new form Sora tried using after his battle with his other self. That newly discovered form could be our only hope of pushing back Saix's relentless offense.

"I want to see you die fighting."

"That isn't going to happen! You might think you have us cornered, but I and Sora have gotten through plenty of rough spots like this in the past!"

"Fool. You're far too lax." I saw him move that weapon up and down with such force that it would have crushed my head if it wasn't for my keyblade protecting me. Sora tried knocking Saix away, but even while he was "calm" this nobody was frighteningly powerful with that huge spike-tipped weapon in his hand. Running past these waves coming from Saix's claymore I got in a stab with my keyblade to his arm making him wince in pain, and for a moment I believed he was genuinely hurting from my keyblade impaling his left limb.

"Emotions can be so cruel to have, the fact you're fighting because you might love this traitor, but in the end, both of your hearts will end up broken..." Love?! Well, I mean I do like Sora but...

"Don't let him confuse you like that! He's just messing with our heads like the rest of Organization XIII!" Yeah. This could just be another trick to screw around with us for their amusement like before! I didn't even realize this was just a distraction to buy Saix time until he could transform once more...damn it!

"All shall be lost to you!" This was different from his usual behavior while in his this enraged state giving me a very bad feeling about what this nobody was about to do next in this grueling fight. Suddenly, he began to charge around the place with several bursts of energy coming out from his weapon forcing me and Sora to move around just to avoid getting caught in such a vicious combo. Looking back I saw him charging at me with that claymore ready to pierce my body or breaking several bones with his rampage.

Jumping around while holding Sora's hand we knew there had to be a limit to how far he would follow us in this small room, so when he sent out a huge wave of energy I knew this might be our only chance left to try out Sora's new form to end this battle of willpower before we ran out of energy. I would once more grab the claymore while Sora risked himself to distract the crazed Saix. We had to end this battle before time was out to act like this considering how desperate this nobody was to destroy us.

Grasping this tall weapon I rushed after Saix, but this time I didn't think about enjoying to punish this man rather I realized that he didn't want to remain like this as a lifeless vessel. Deep down he likely wanted all of this to end as well, but with a heart rather than facing the same fate as Xaldin, Demyx, Luxord, and Xigbar. Ramming this weapon into his back I put all of my strength into knocking down this nobody back to the ground while Sora quickly changed into a new outfit, which was a combination of black and white.

'This must be his true power that came from reuniting with Roxas...'

Not only were there two keyblades floating behind him, the raw power I could feel while he managed to roll the dice correctly as Luxord would put it. With this kind of strength, the doubt I had about us surviving against these last few challenges disappeared when I saw my friend whack at the weakened Saix with those dual keyblades. I wanted to get over to help, but my body was struggling to even move after getting knocked by when Saix moved his claymore in my direction sending me against a wall. Why? Why am I so powerless against these nobodies...

"Kairi! Why you..."

"Still trying to protect the weak, Roxas?! Face it that was always your weakness, so many times did that need to help others make you second rate compared to Xemnas." Saix...that only meant he was different from the rest of you guys! Roxas could see along with Xion how wrong this group is and-

"I beat you once already...Axel knew that I was strong enough to defeat you in battle as well. He just wants all of this madness to finally end before it consumes the universe," This must be Roxas speaking instead of Sora as I saw his blue eyes look more glazed over than usual. "Why don't you just accept your final moments peacefully?"

"Never! You will not take me down like a weakling! I am stronger than that and much stronger than you!" Saix must have really gotten upset by those words as he charged at Sora even without being his berserker form, but I saw that Sora's body and speed were indeed faster than Saix's current reflexes. He was struggling just to follow after him while continually getting thrashed by the two keyblades being used by Sora, and even as he tried fighting back Sora merely deflected the gusts of wind back with his keyblades that were spinning around his body.

"All because of this girl you'd..."

"No, he did this for everyone's sake including your friend Axel!" Saix's eyes widen as I told him that, the bond they had when I spoke with Axel might have faded over time. It didn't mean he never stopped caring about this man, but Saix might not have shown him that during his final hours...

"I see...that is why he helped you come here. I guess like Roxas...he was tired of all this..." I wanted to say more, yet Sora didn't let me get in another word as he began to finish this battle while I was struggling to keep my body off the ground.

Sora...you are quite incredible. Seeing Sora use fire, ice, and thunder attacks mixed up with strikes from those keyblades was simply amazing to watch. Sora had grown from that boy who was in a rivalry with Riku just to compete for my attention to the hero that stabbing through Saix's heartless body defeating him for good.

"A heart... if I had a heart..."

Just like the others, Saix had let go of his weapon realizing that his time left was short while I limped over to Sora's side with my back still in a lot of pain from Saix's attack on me. This nobody who used the power of the moon began to slowly wander over to the huge window. Was he trying to reach out for one last plea with that huge heart in the blackened sky?

"Why...Kingdom Hearts...Where is my heart?" He just wanted a soul like most of the other members, but he ended up losing in the end just like those other nobodies. His body slowly faded away despite his attempts of reaching out for a heart that would never come to him. This entire group is nothing but empty misery...this has to end here and now before I can't take any more of this pain both physical and mental.

"I don't get it. Why's everybody been calling me Roxas?"

"Because, Sora. Roxas is your nobody."

"My...Nobody?" Even by this point, he remained clueless about this fact making me wonder if he never even realized why he got that new form when he said after defeating Roxas.

"But that's crazy, I never turned into a heart...Oh, right." I remember that moment in Hollow Bastion, an important event when he came to rescue me that changed all of our lives forever. Even now I didn't realize how crucial that moment in the grand scheme of our journey forward.

"Xemnas was the one who found Roxas. He could use the Keyblade because he was your nobody. That's why Xemnas brought him into the Organization-But Roxas planned on betraying them until Auxaq intervened..."

Yes, I remember DiZ explaining to me how Xion was becoming a problem for his goal of destroying this group of nobodies, and if she remained around my friend wouldn't ever wake up from his sleep.

"After that I fought her because I thought it would help wake you up. I lost, but the next time we met I made sure I was the stronger one." By becoming like Ansem in the physical sense?

'Despite not being a true nobody Xion fought with the strength and mind Roxas had like Xemnas intended for that replica...' Holding my head in pain I saw a series of imagines showing me Xion and Riku fighting each other outside in a dark city, but how could this be happening when I wasn't there?

'Even now she is providing these memories for you even while inside of Sora.' Why...who is speaking to me like this?

"Why don't you quit?!"

"Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that."

"What does Roxas have to do with this battle? Are you trying to distract me due in order to win?"

"So it's true. You really did absorb his Nobody. DiZ had it right about you becoming a problem."

"I don't care what anybody says! I have my own self now, and I'm me. Nobody else! ! !" Xion was actually defeating Riku with those two keyblades? Seeing the battle take place I was even more confused about what was happening, but then I saw...Namine smiling at me.

'It is the same for you and me. You have gained strength, but until you understand your other self that other power inside still remains lost to you.' Lost? Is that why I haven't been able to do much against these other nobodies in this castle? What am I not getting?! Was there something I've been overlooking all this time? ARGH!

'Do not worry; I may no longer exist but if it means making you whole again I didn't mind being your Nobody.' My...nobody? Looking at Namine's smiling face I tried to reach out to her as she began to float away into the black sky. No, this can't be happening to me! Namine was already re-absorbed into me? Then, all of this time I had been looking for someone who's been here all along. She would lose her own identity like with Roxas and Xion.

"That isn't fair to you! Not when you've had to endure so much misery...' Marluxia did so many terrible things to you along with those other nobodies in Castle Oblivion. I...have to keep going forward don't I? Looking at Sora, Riku, Goofy, and Donald who saw me reaching out to the sky in the exact place Saix spent his final moments I knew we had to keep pushing further ahead.

'Xion betrayed the Organization like Roxas wanted, and only to see Sora?' Even when Riku told us about that I couldn't fully understand it, but I guess Xion like Roxas grew into having her own sense of identity. It's tragic that she ended up losing that just to give Sora his power back.

Leaving that area I saw the barrier holding us in this room was gone, but I saw that Aqua's little spot was still active, unlike the others.

'Where could she be hiding and why?' While everyone else moved through the opened pathway I got this feeling that we weren't even through the worst of things...

The World That Never Was: Naught's Approach

Getting higher up through the castle we didn't come across any more hostiles getting in the way, but we did hear the sounds of Mickey who seemed to be speaking with someone else. As Sora and his friends called out to the King I saw a man holding some kind of device in his hands that were projecting some beam into that Kingdom Hearts floating in the sky. He looked to be wearing that outfit DiZ wore, but instead of a frightening man with a grudge against nobodies, I saw that researcher who according to some deserved the surname of Ansem the Wise.

"Sora, the rest is up to you...And Roxas...or Xion- I doubt you two can hear me - but...I am sorry." This is Ansem? This was the man who tried making me into a tool he could use against Organization XIII? The man who nearly manipulated Namine much like the ruler of Castle Oblivion? My ears couldn't believe what they were hearing. Then, his eyes turned over to see me as he sighed likely remembering the last time we were in the same room.

"Ahh, you're here as well, Kairi. Forgive me for acting like such a child, so remember from this old fool if nothing else. The heart isn't what provides you strength to do what is right, the will that lurks deeper within to overcome your own doubts and despair is what gives you the courage to continue fighting. I'm sure Namine has helped you understand this along with your friends..."

Ansem...I never thought this would be how he would react to finding me again considering what we'd been through during my training, however, I didn't want him to disappear with whatever he was doing to that artificial Kingdom Hearts in the sky.

"My heart is telling me what I must do. Please allow me to do what it says!"

"No! Riku!"

"His heart's decided. We can't change that."

I wanted to say more, but one of those corridors of darkness opened up revealing the man who brought me into this world, to begin with: Xemnas.

"I was wondering who would dare interfere with my Kingdom Hearts." Just hearing that deep voice made my skin crawl in terror when I saw his calm smile filled without any true happiness. "And look - here you all are. How convenient for me."

Was he going to fight us now? Perhaps this was merely a taunting gesture to mock us for getting this far. I couldn't tell what Xemnas could be thinking in that lifeless mind he uses to control this Organization.

"Ansem the Wise...You look pathetic."

"Have your laugh. I deserve as much for failing to see you for the fool you are."

"Student do take after their teachers. Only a fool would be your apprentice. After all, none of this would have been possible without you." The creator of all heartless...that is why Xigbar told me about the real Ansem.

"YOU are the source of all heartless. It was your research that inspired me to go further than you ever dared."

"I admit...my disregard brought more chaos to more worlds than one. But what were YOU seeking? You erased me from the world, only to take my name and continue research better left forgotten...Is this the answer you've been looking for?"

I didn't know what to think about this conversation since I barely got the chance to know about Ansem or Xemnas. While part of myself was upset to learn Ansem's work helped take the lives of many people including Zidane...I didn't feel anger towards him. Could it be that I rather felt pity for this man who seemed quite intelligent, yet so ignorant about the consequence of his research?

"All that and more. I'm carrying on what you yourself began, and I'm creating a brand new world, one heart at a time." Now, Xemnas is someone I can despise for wanting such a selfish goal at the cost of others!

"I'd thought you'd praise me, but all you ever do is hold me back. I understand, though. Unlike me, you have a heart. And you're powerless to control it. Consumed, by the jealousy you feel towards the student who surpassed you."

"Xehanort. Foolish apprentice of a foolish man."

"That is where you're wrong my former teacher. There is still another disciple that exists and yet remains in a false life without her heart..." Auxaq!

"Where is she? I didn't see her when we fought your other subordinates but she must be around somewhere!" I demanded while holding out my keyblade with no fear in my heart despite being in front of someone who likely was the strongest nobody of them all. Xemnas wasn't intimidated by my threat as expected of the leader of Organization XIII.

"Hahaha! That determination reminds me so much of my dear friend, but you needn't worry about seeing her when she is already here." This was a trick! My hands went up to attack Xemnas before he could pull his trick, but my body started to slow down like many times before as SHE grabbed hold of my arms before I could even get near Xemnas.

"Hello Ansem, Sora, Riku, and my dear successor." She was breathing near my ear while holding me in such a way I couldn't fight her with this sharp tool on my neck that was her keyblade.

"Kairi! Let her go right now!"

"Excellent timing my friend. I believe it is time for your fated duel with this girl."

"Indeed, my Superior." Battle? I tried getting out of her grip as Sora tried rushing over to me, but a hoard of floating nobodies stood in their way. This was their intention all along to lure us into a false sense of security!

"Will my heart be waiting for me should I - actually when I do make my return Lord Xemnas?" She looked at her leader with a grin of joy that made me feel uneasy, the head of this group of hollow shells nodded to her request.

"You will be whole once more and reunited with your friends..."

"Then, I complete my duty." Holding out my hand to grab Sora's as he tried grabbing mine, the darkness of this portal ripped us apart once again with no certainty that I would be coming back to him this time. I would likely fight this nobody and former Keyblade Master on my own with no assurances for help and anyone to save me should I lose.

'Life or death await me once we arrived at whichever location she is taking me...'

[ I could change up Marluxia's real name for those who don't know about that news, but I won't change it in my fiction because I want to keep some elements intact. Even if Larxene isn't Arlene I still want to use that name for her somebody for those who are curious. Anyway, the fated battle that has been building up will finally begin next time as Kairi and Aqua face each other one last time. Who will emerge the victor and loser? The next update will take a while because I will be heading out of town this week. ]