Kingdom hearts: Fragment Chapter 301: The Final Battle Part 23, a kingdom hearts fanfic

Chapter CCXCVII: The Final Battle Part XXIII

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Flying upon Scriptium's back, Mickey along with his comrades were racing through the air, to finally see what had become of the Keybladers.

Looking ahead, feeling restless, the Mouse King needed to know they were alright! As he stood beside the Master of their blazing Dragon, he asked, "Do you see them fella's?"

"Not yet, Mick!" Goofy replied, with his hand over his eyes, trying to locate anything amongst the sea of glittering Hearts they were flying through.

"Me either!" Donald replied, for sighing he couldn't help but add, "It's kinda hard, seein' through this giant sea of Hearts!"

"I'll say!" Pete agreed, for he then couldn't help but add, "Looks like Maleficent and me collected more than we thought!"

"Yeah," Mickey agreed, then he added, "But you also managed to gain control of the Heartless, that contained more Hearts cause of Xemnas, so you both won a jackpot right off the bat when you got his castle!"

Ody hearing this, then couldn't help but admit, "I've heard that name a few times now... Xemnas, its unnerving to think that him and his Nobodies could have done that!" Then looking again through the sea himself, he added, "I'm glad that I never met him, it makes me shiver to think about it."
Nodding Mickey agreed telling him, "Yeah me too, Ody!" Then as he said this, he turned his head in a certain other direction and-!

GLISTEN!

A saw it, a particular sheen of light that glistened in the distance like a diamond. Seeing it with surprised eyes, he asked, "Is that them?"
Noticing the light himself, Pete didn't need time to consider and replied, "Well it's a better sign than nothin'!" With that he declared, with a pointing finger, "Full speed ahead, thattaway Ody!"

"You got it, c'mon Scriptium!" With that request, the fiery Dusk Dragon moved in the direction of the mysterious glistening object, as the heroes moved to see if they'd finally found their lost comrades!

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After everyone had recovered from their huge moment of relief and happy tears, it was then as they gazed at the Lock of Light, that Kairi couldn't help but say, "It's amazing, to think the Door of Light is now sealed within this!" Then looking to Nozomi and Riku, she asked them, "So you said these Locks can seal away Doors?"

Nodding, Nozomi replied, "Yeah, that's the basics of what I remember about it, so nobody can access what it guards, unless you have the Keyblade that sealed it!"

Riku then added, "That's true, but it also has an added beneficial bonus."
Eager to know more, Sora asked him, "What's that?"
"It also seals off any other entrances, that could access the time and space the Lock is guarding, so it stops all intruders from coming in from anywhere throughout time." Riku explained as simply as he could.

"Whoa...!" Sora uttered, then as he looked at the glistening and precious treasure they now had, he asked, "So... no-one would be able to access the Door of Light anymore, even if they gather Hearts again?"

"Probably if we're lucky, also only us who made the Lock could open it now," Kairi added.

"Oh, okay?" Sora replied. Then as he thought about everything, with a hand to his chin, he couldn't help but realise, "So wait? We could form the Door of Light whenever we want to now right?"

Surprised he thought of this, Nozomi replied simply, "Well I guess so...?" For even she wasn't completely sure of everything.

Sora though feeling eager, then said, "Well that's great! We can make it anytime, reunite the worlds and then-!"
"I don't think it'd be that simple," Riku said interrupting his best friend.

"What? Why though? Why wouldn't we be able to-?"

"The King-Blade," Riku replied. Then as Sora stared at him, the white-haired Keyblader explained his thoughts, "It's the only thing that can open the Door of Light, and its already fully closed again remember?"

As the images of everything that had happened returned to her mind, with the Door closing and then wiping out all the Heartless around them. Kairi replied, "Yeah that's true..." Then feeling discomfort, thinking of who she held in her Heart and the others in theirs, she realised with some dread, "And if wanted to use it again then-!"

"Me and the others would cease to be because of the Fragments." As the others looked to her shocked, Nozomi then continued with a hand to her chest, "It'd need to drain our existence to fully form again, and then when it role is done we'd..." Nozomi couldn't finish her sentence as she looked down in sadness.

Hearing this and then realising quickly, the terrible sacrifice that would need to be done again to achieve that result. Sora immediately said, "No way, I don't want that!" For then with his hands on his own chest, he continued to say feeling their warmth in his beating Heart, "...I don't want you and the others to go, I don't wanna lose Timbre and Jona, just for that!"

With a nod, Kairi agreed saying, "Yeah, I don't wanna lose Oralee or Reeve either."
"Same, Hari and Kagi have gone through enough." Then floating over to the one, that had been the key in saving everyone and taking her right hand into his own, he smiled to her and said, "I also went through a lot to get you back, and as I've said, I don't want to lose you again."

Feeling her Heart race, feeling his gentle hold over her hand. Nozomi's surprised expression, quickly gave way to a small smile. Feeling she might cry again, she then shook her head to keep a hold of herself. Then looking to them all, she said feeling the warmth of gratefulness that was hers and Wairu's, "Thank you guys..." Then with her other free hand, over her own chest, she added warmly, "You don't know what that means, for me and the others...it's so-!"

However it was clear, that it was tough for her to continue. Then Riku moved in and held her against him, as she worked hard to regain her composure.

Sora smiled warmly at this, feeling his Heart race with the grateful warmth that Timbre and Jona were feeling. But then, looking back over to the Lock. He couldn't help but scratch his head and ask, "So... what do we do now then?"

"I don't know," Kairi replied, for thinking for a moment, she continued to say, "Maybe we should-!"

"Fella's!"

Surprised hearing this unified cry, it was then the Keybladers turned and saw quickly coming were, "Mickey, Donald, Goofy!" Sora cried out, waving to his pals.

Then watching their comrades approach, they waited for them to arrive, so they may tell them what they'd achieved and what it was they'd then concluded together...

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GLISTEN!

"Wow!" Seeing the treasure, along with the rest of the gang who'd just arrived. Mickey couldn't believe the wondrous sight of it. Then turning to the Keybladers, who'd explained everything that had happened to them, he then asked, "So this Lock of Light, is the thing that helped in defeating Xehanort and all the Heartless?"
"That's right," Nozomi nodded. Then doing this, she added looking towards all the Hearts that floated about them peacefully, "It was so powerful, that its even been able to restore the light of this place, before the Warrior of Light broke the Door apart casting it into the darkness."

"Gwarsh," Goofy uttered clearly awestruck, as much as his King. Then looking at the light filled space, he couldn't help but ask, "Then do ya think this place will be peaceful and filled with light forever now?"
Riku then shrugging replied, "Who's to say?" With that making it towards Scriptium, with Nozomi following and the rest of their friends, with Kairi carrying the Lock now. He then said, "There's no way for anyone to know, but I'd say for now its best we get back to the others, we need to think of what to do next."

"Good idea, Riku!" Then with that, Kairi passed the Lock to Mickey.

As she did, the Mouse King then said, "And as soon as we all get back, I'll pass the Lock here onto Yen Sid, I'm sure he'll keep it safe for us all!"

"That's a good plan!" Ody said in agreement with a smile, then getting Scriptium prepared, he asked, "Is everyone ready?"

To which they all nodded, or gave thumbs up as positive confirmation.

Ody was pleased, then looking to his right he asked, "And you Pete, are you-?"

GLISTEN!

However the overweight former villain, was clearly mesmerised by the sight of the Lock as it stayed in Mickey's hands. As he stared, everyone looked to him oddly and then Ody had to gently ask with a few pats on the leg, "Uh, Pete are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure I'm fine there Ody!" Then with his hands on his hips, he couldn't help but add, "I'm ready to go whenever any of you mutts are!"

Laughing awkwardly the spectacled Nobody replied, "That's great." Then with that Scriptium moved and-!

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

They were all on their way back to their allies, as the fiery dragon took off again.

As they moved though, Ody then heard Pete say, "Ya know..." Then looking he saw he had a thinking hand to his big chin, as he considered and said, "That there Lock looks like it'd be worth zillions of Munny! Wouldn't want the wrong cheat ta get their hands on it!" To which he finished with a rather impish chuckle.

Ody felt a little uneasy hearing this, and replied with an awkward smile, "Yeah I'm sure it would..."

"Don't even think about it!"

It was then that Donald spoke up, and aimed his wand at Pete telling him mad, "I'm not gonna let ya steal it!"

Angered, Pete then cried outraged, "Hey! Whoever said I would!" With that he told him, "I got bigger fish ta fry, like gettin' Hari back! I don't need it!" Then he finished pointing towards the rest of the now suspicious heroes, "The rest of ya dumb runts had better watch out is what I'm sayin' here! Don't let yer guard down around it! Ya don't know what might happen!"

"Urgh!" Donald muttered in reply, as he tapped his foot mad, clearly not trusting him.

However Ody looking at Pete, saw him sulk and turn away in response. With a troubled smile, feeling a little bad for him. The Nobody could tell, that he didn't have any malicious intent and he wasn't entirely wrong, for a wondrous treasure like that was something they could never allow just anyone to acquire. For who knew what would happen if they got their hands on it...

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"DUDES!"

Hearing Musashi's happy loud cry, along with seeing their other allies who were now upon the dust covered land they'd first fought Xehanort upon. Nozomi was the first to cry out to them all, "Hey guys!"

To which in seconds, as Scripium landed and she let them all descend off her, they were all swamped by their friends as they gave congratulations, in all forms. Pats on the backs, enthused words and a few hugs here and there, the atmosphere was full of happiness.

Mickey smiling warmly at the scene, as the Keybladers and his pals, all engaged with their allies. Standing back with the Lock of Light inbetween his palms. He couldn't help but say, "Really warms the Heart seein' all this doesn't it?"

Nodding, Ody standing beside him with Scriptium now back in her big Quill form, couldn't help but say, "Yeah it does..." However sadly, he couldn't help but correct himself and say, "Well, it would if I had one."

Hearing this, Mickey immediately apologised and said, "Oh, sorry there Ody, I didn't mean to-!"

"It's okay, don't worry!" With that stopping the apologies quickly, the spectacled Nobody, continued and said, "I can still sense the happiness in the air and that's more than enough." Then looking behind himself, towards the Hearts that floated in the atmosphere over the now white filled space, he added, "And who knows, maybe my original self might be one of these Hearts that's floating about."
Mickey looking at the pretty sight too, then looked down and saw the thick cloud cover where the Heartless hand's had once reached out from. He remembered the words he heard the spectacled Nobody say back in Twilight Town a long time ago. As he did, he looked to him and asked, "Do you not wanna try and find your old self here?"
Shaking his head, Ody replied, "No, as I've said I don't want to return to my previous self." With that his Dusk, wrapped herself around him and stroked her metal head into him gently like a cuddly snake. As she did, he smiled and said, "Cause its like I said, I don't wanna say goodbye to Scriptium, and also," With that looking back towards his fellow Nobodies, he continued to say, "I don't wanna lose my memories, or the new friends I've made... I'm sure the others are much the same as me." It was then, he saw Raiyana with Noel who had only been reunited with him recently and Yeul who was still back in the Radiant Gardens. Then his spectacled eyes looked to Saria, Ori, Araxne and Meixeng who were around Nozomi and Riku, all of them truly happy.

Hearing his explanations and seeing them, Mickey couldn't disagree and replied, "Yeah, I get ya on that..." Then looking up to all the Hearts that continued to float in the warm atmosphere, he was still as he considered what their next options would be...?

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After all of the congratulations had been issued and everyone had celebrated their hard earned victory. It was then, that Snow spoke up and said, "Well guys, we got some scrapes, it was tough goin' but we made it on top!" Then with his fists raised, he announced, "Who's the best here!"

"We all are amigo!"

"YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHH!"

Juan announced loudly as he and his fellow ARCS cried out in joyful union.

Smirking, Snow then nodded and said, "Good answer!"

"Yeah!" Musashi agreed, then he said, "Well, since we're all done here dudes, I say we vamos and head back to our home pad!" With those words, he went to pick up his motorcycle.

"Musashi, you're forgetting something here!"

"Huh?" As the chilled samurai was stopped in his tracks, he turned and saw Leon with his arms folded standing with Aerith and Yuffie. As he did, he blinked and asked, "What am I forgetin'?"

The Restoration Committee member told him, "We lost the Door that let us in here, Xehanort took back its orbs to make the Door of Light, remember?"

Spooked still and quickly with everyone else becoming the same, Musashi then had to ask, "Wait... are you sayin' we don't have a way to get home, Leon dude?"

"Not currently," the scarred warrior replied.

Becoming irked by his casual and mysterious nature, Gandrake then spoke up with his accomplice Irma beside him looking just as annoyed as she tapped her black nails against her arms, "What do you mean by that, don't keep us all in suspense here!"

Leon then explained to them all, "If we all wanna go home, we'll need to rely on those who have a way to travel to other worlds." With that finally his eyes settled on one thing. The Keybladers.

With that everyone else looked towards them too, as they all did. Feeling on the spot, Sora became uncertain said, "Um, Leon I don't exactly have our Gummi ship here right now, so we-!"

"We won't need that," It was then interrupting his best friend, Riku stepped forwards and said, "We have our way right here," With that putting his hand to his chest, he said, "I have the Eighth Fragment, the Wish-Time Maker, I can create a door of Time that can take us back."

Surprised, Sora cried out, "Whoa! Really, you can do that!?"
"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have said it, would I?" Riku said looking to Sora with a smirk.

The Chosen Keyblader smiled again and quickly the tension was eased. But then Nozomi asked, "So who should make the Wish then?"

"I'll do it!" Kairi quickly spoke up with her hand raised, and as she did, making everyone look at her surprised. She explained looking to Riku and Sora, "After all I helped to guide you guys both back home, so its only right that I do it again for everyone else here, right?" She finished, looking at everyone.

Hearing this, Nozomi brightened and replied, "Yeah, that sounds good!"

Kairi nodded pleased by Nozomi's response. With that she went towards Riku, when-!

"Before you all leave there's something you need to do still."

Surprised, hearing his voice again. Riku with his hand to his chest asked the past Keyblade King, "What do you mean?"

Sora, Kairi and Nozomi couldn't hear his voice, since they weren't near him then. All they could do was stay still and watch Riku as he continued to ask, "What else is it we need to do here?"

"You need to send the Hearts in this space back home, so they may return to the lives and worlds they were all taken from."

"We have the power to send all the Hearts back here home!?" Riku exclaimed.

The rest of his fellow Keybladers were immediately on high alert! Eager to learn more, they quickly went to gather around him as he learned more from the past King.

"Of course you do, you all have the Fragments between you all now, along with the Alliance Blades including the Lock of Light, they should all together be able to grant a miracle such as that."

Making it over to Riku, each of the Keybladers were then informed by an amazed Riku about what he had just learned from the mysterious figure.

….

Amazed, Sora asked, "Seriously!? We can do that now!"

With a nod, Riku replied, "Yeah, with the Alliance Blades and the Lock of Light, with the Fragments all here it should be possible."

"Wow..." Kairi uttered in awe. Then looking to her incredible weapon, she couldn't help but admit, "These Blades can just about do about anything, can't they?"

"True," however Nozomi looking to her Keyblade, couldn't help but worry saying, "But I don't have an Alliance Blade like you guys though, can we still do it if I lack one?"

Everyone became uneasy, but quickly words of reassurance came,

"Don't worry, you possess two Fragments in your Heart that will be all that is necessary."

Hearing the King's voice now, since they were all close around Riku, Nozomi asked, "Really?"

"If he says so, it must be true Nozomi." With that he told her with a smile, "It'll work out, alright?"

Feeling her worry vanish in seconds, she nodded and said, "Okay!" With that she left them calling back, "I'll be back in a minute!"

With that Riku nodded in reply, and with that, he organised Sora and Kairi along with himself, to prepare the way for all the Hearts to return back home.

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After telling Mickey what they were all going to do next, and getting all their allies to back away. To make enough space, to start the miraculous act they were going to do. Nozomi was now in the centre of the circle that Sora, Riku and Kairi were making, with the Lock of Light in her hands, she watched the three of them move their Alliance Blades over her head, letting their tips meet each other.

As they did this, with their weapons ready, it was then they heard the King tell them,

"Alright, now all of you need to focus your wish together, so that all these poor lost souls can finally return home, concentrate with everything you have."

They all nodded quietly, and with that they focused their wish together into their Blades, the Fragments and the magical Lock...

GLOW!

GLISTEN!

GLOW! GLOW!

In seconds, their bodies were bathed in vibrant Light, each of them shining with their unique power and with that of the Fragments they each contained, with the Lock focusing that power into the wish they wanted granted!

As their shine grew and grew, they felt the power quickly peak and-!

SHINE!

GLISTEN!

SHINE! SHINE!

They each unleashed the powers of their weapons into powerful beams of light, that all quickly raced up high into the sky and as they met together they became a huge orb of pulsating power that then-!

SSSSHHHHIIIIMMMMEEEERRRR!

Opened up like an enormous flower, that then transformed into a colossal portal that flowed with gentle alternating rainbow colours and as its light spread everywhere-!

GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER!

The Hearts that floated about aimlessly everywhere, all started to head towards the giant rainbow portal! As they did, the heroes then noticed countless openings emerging in its surface, that took each precious glow into itself, shining brightly each time one entered. Looking at this incredible sight, they could all feel it, that the lost Hearts and souls who'd been taken by the Heartless. Were all finally on their way home.

Feeling their role was complete, the Keybladers all lowered their weapons down. As they did, and they all saw the portal they created, Nozomi couldn't help but utter, "Wow..."

Riku was quiet, but then he heard the past King tell him and his friends,

"Those Hearts will now return to their original worlds, by the time they make it, they should also be fully restored back to their full true selves."

Surprised to hear this, Riku asked, "Really?"

"Of course, you wouldn't want them to go home to just be all be taken again by the darkness, would you?"

Hearing this, Sora then replied with an awkward chuckle, "Yeah, that's true I guess..." However it was then he heard,

"He's not here though..."

Everyone then becoming surprised again, hearing this particular voice. Sora with his hand to his chest asked, "Ventus, you're awake now?"

"Huh? You figured out my name?"

Smiling, Sora answered, "You bet I did!"

"Ha! Ha! Sure took you a while though!"

Annoyed by this, Sora then replied, "Oh, sue me! You didn't exactly give me any hints all this time, did you!"

With that everyone couldn't help but laugh. However as this moment of humour passed, Nozomi though couldn't help but ask him, "Why did you say that before Ven? Who's not here?"

"Terra... he hasn't made it back to us."

Feeling a sharp sting in her Heart, realising this. Nozomi became worried and asked, "Terra isn't...?"

Remembering the one person they all needed to save still, Kairi looking at all the Hearts that were leaving through the portal they'd created asked, "Could we have already sent him back maybe?"

"No, if he was free, he would have come straight here to meet us, I'm sure of that!"

Feeling terrible pangs of worry again hearing this, Nozomi uttered as a terrible possibility came to her mind, "Oh, no... does that mean we, did we accidentally, when we defeated Xehanort, did we-!"

"Nozomi!"

Making it straight to her, before she could fret more. Riku then told her firmly but gently as he could, "Don't dwell on the worst-case scenario! We can't lose hope yet!"

Hearing him say this, feeling Aqua's pain along with her own guilt. She couldn't help but say, "But I promised him, that we'd come for him! I can't bear the thought that Terra will never...!" The terrible thought was too much for her to vocalise, as she remembered him being trapped in Xehanort's clutches. Remembering the monstrous man, and what he'd done, she held herself and shivered in fright.

Taking her suffering form in his arms, Riku was quiet feeling clearly bad too. As Kairi and Sora looked the same as they looked to the floor with dismal expressions.

Looking down, the Chosen Keyblader then said, "Sorry Ventus..."

The boy in question didn't reply, instead Sora felt his pain and worry too. As he did, looking to Riku, he asked him, "So what do we do?"

As the question was posed to him, Riku was quiet for a moment as he continued to hold Nozomi. Then after considering all their options, he answered with a sigh, "We should go back for now, to the Radiant Gardens."

Shocked hearing this, Nozomi though quickly protested saying looking up to him, "We can't do that! We can't leave Terra here to just-!"
"We need to recover!" Riku countered, then as he looked down to her and saw her shocked face, he continued, "We've all been through a lot and we need time to recuperate, and to think of what we should do next, after that I'm sure we can help Terra somehow."

Hearing his words of reason, Nozomi understood him. He wasn't wrong, but she was torn as she said, "Yeah, but we-!"

Pat! Pat! Pat!

Feeling this gentle gesture on her right shoulder, Nozomi turned and saw that it was Kairi doing this. As she did, she heard the Princess of Heart tell her, "It'll be okay, Nozomi! Remember, we can come back here anytime with the Door of Time I'm going to wish for, so we can try again then to get Terra back." Also to be more reassuring, she added, "And, from what I learned before from you guys about them, is that not much time passes when you use a Door of Time, so it'll be like we were never gone from here, for that long, don't guilt trip yourself about this, alright?"
Quiet hearing this, Nozomi still felt reluctance inside her Heart. However knowing how tired they all were, and remembering the weariness that their allies must be struggling with... She finally nodded and replied, "Okay, we'll go back then for now."

Kairi nodded with a smile, then walking over to Sora who looked just as pained. She then took his gripped right hand into both of her own armoured ones. As she did, and he looked to her surprised, she told him, "Don't punish yourself either Sora, I'll help you rescue Terra too." With that she added feeling the remnants of the hurting Heart that were in her too, she said, "I need to, to help Aqua make up for the past."

Sora didn't say anything at first, but after a little. Feeling his resolve strengthen, he told her, "Alright, I won't." Then holding her close to himself, he told her, "Thanks Kairi, for being strong for us."

She nodded and then quietly hugged him back, as they all quietly got ready to create the way home for them all...

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FLASH!

Watching on with amazement, they saw the Princess of Heart make her wish with Riku's aid. Quickly in seconds, her desire was made real and in moments, a white Door was constructed! The stain-glassed that was displayed over the top of it, revealed a vibrant purple and pink design, with yellow flowers dotted along it. Making it a welcoming sight for all who beheld it.

Looking at it, Hana with Ruby by her side asked cautiously, "Do you think its worked?"

"Only one way to find out!"

As this was announced, it was then they saw Sazh walk forwards. As he did, he made it swiftly to the Door. Putting his hands on it, he gripped the handles tightly and said, "Now, let's just hope what we all wanna see is on the other side of here!" With that he pushed it open!

SHINE!

Everyone watched on with bated breath, as they saw light shine from within its depths. Had it worked, could they go home now or-!

"Daddy!"

In seconds, they saw the green-coated gunner had made it to the one precious treasure who'd been waiting for him, his son, "Dajh!"

Taking him into his arms, smiling and laughing happily. It was the single piece of proof they all needed then, Kairi's wish had been granted! They could all go home now! Then watching the Father, hold his son, they saw him wave his free arm out, gesturing them all to come on through as he cried out, "Well c'mon get back here! You all wanna stay there forever?"

No-one had any objections at all, and quickly they all proceeded through the Door, to return to their home that was the Radiant Gardens. Watching the happy procession as they all stood to one side, Sora then said, "Feels good doesn't? The feeling of going home."

"Of course it does!" Kairi smiled, then looking through the magical doorway and seeing the various reunions that were happening. With Snow, seeing and embracing Serah again with Lightning standing waiting for her turn and Hope laughing. Merlin and Cid along with the Fairy Godmother, meeting with Leon and the others. Even Irma being reunited with her Chocobos too with Gandrake, who somehow couldn't help but smile with the now smug grinning Sorceress.

Gazing at them all, she then added as she saw the Nobodies meet with Heyner, Pence and Olette all filled with happy relief, as Yeul ran to Noel and Raiyana along with the rest of her happy pirate crew. "It's a wonderful feeling, especially for those who've been waiting on the other side all that time..." With that she put her hand to her chest and said, "I should know."
Hearing her, Riku then replied after spying the ARCS being welcomed back by Bonkers and Coco, "Yeah you would, we kept you waiting around long enough." Then as he said that-!

"Fellas!"

Their attention was drawn back to the King, Donald, Goofy and Pete with Ody who hung back with them. Seeing them approach, Sora greeted them saying, "Hey, your majesty!"

Looking to them with smiles, the Mouse King asked, "You all ready to return now?"

They all nodded, however one person someone wasn't with them. Spying this, Kairi asked, "Hey, where's Nozomi?"

"Oh, she's on yonder!" Goofy replied, with that he pointed and there indeed. Near the edge of the dusty land, was the light blue armoured girl.

Seeing her, they were worried. For they could all guess why she wasn't with them all. Concerned, Riku then said, "Hang on, I'll go and get her!"

Nobody disagreed, and quickly, the white-haired Keyblader went to fetch their remaining comrade.

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Looking above, Nozomi seeing all the Hearts continue to be taken into the magical portal that they'd all created. Was hoping and praying with the Lock of Light still in her hands, that maybe one of these Hearts was one in particular that could still come over to them... however, as the last remaining ones were beginning to float on up to go home. She had to accept it now with a heavy heart, that he really wasn't-!

"Nozomi!"

Spooked turning around, she saw Riku there. As she saw him, with a look of curiosity, she asked, "Riku?"

As he looked to her, she saw the concern on his face. Then she heard, "Everyone's made it through now, they're waiting for us."
"Oh, of course...sorry," She apologised. Then holding the Lock a little more closely to herself, she said sadly, "I just couldn't help myself y'know, I was just hoping that just maybe..."

She couldn't see his face then, as she looked down at the glistening treasure in her hands. For she was just holding everyone back again, she was-!

HOLD...

Quickly she felt his warm arms wrap themselves around her again. As she did, she then heard him say, "Its okay, I know... you don't need to apologise." With that as he held her closer to himself, she heard him continue, "It's terrible, the feeling of having someone being left behind, I know it all too well."
Silent for a moment, Nozomi then nodded glad that he understood. "Yeah, it is... I just wish there was more I could do right now, so that at least..."

"I know," He told her. Then detaching himself to look at her, he asked, "Do you wanna come along now?"

She bit her lips hearing the request. For in reality, she was reluctant still. However standing around doing nothing, wasn't going to help anyone then. So she nodded her answer and with that, Riku took one of her hands into his own and they walked away together...

SLITHER...!

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Making it back over to the Door of Time, everyone was looking to her with worry as she stood with Riku. As they did, Goofy asked her, "How are ya, Nozomi?"

Hearing him, the dark-haired girl replied after a moment. Straining to smile, "I'm okay... thanks for asking, Goofy."
They could all hear it in her voice, that she wasn't entirely. But they didn't have to ask why. So instead, Pete spoke up and said, "Well there's no use being down in the dumps and stuck around here!" With that walking through the Door, he told them all, "Now c'mon, Time's a wastin'!"

"Ya don't get ta tell us what to do!" Donald cried out mad, with that he raced after Pete to give him a piece of his mind.

Laughing awkwardly, Ody then said, "Well glad to see they're full of energy at least!" Then looking to his Dusk, he asked her, "You ready too Scriptium?" She nodded, then quickly-!

"Heya! Whoa!"

Perplexed, everyone watched her unwrap herself from around Ody and quickly latch onto Goofy! She immediately snuggled into him, showing her affection and as she did, the awkward Knight blinking then heard her Master laugh, as he explained, "I guess this is her way of thanking you Goofy, for all the support you gave her in the battle!"

Quiet as this was revealed to him, Goofy then quickly smiled and replied, "Aw shucks!" With that he stroked the Quill Dusk and told her, "It ain't nothin' Scipty, sides I have to be thankin' ya too!"

This just made her, rub her head into him more affectionately. Which made everyone smile, then with that both Goofy, her and Ody walked through the Door too.

As they left, despite the gloomy feeling that was still in her Heart. Nozomi smiled gently, then remembering she quickly said, "Oh yeah, here your majesty!" With that she passed the Lock of Light back over to him. Doing this, she told him, "I think the best person to hold it, is you right now."
"Okay, thanks Nozomi! I'll keep it safe for us!" The King smiled, with that no-one had any disagreements and they were now all on their way to go through the Door.

As they all walked together, Riku was quiet. He was glad they were all now going back, however thinking of the past Keyblade King who dwelled within his armour. Even he wasn't immune to his emotions, for the past ruler wanted Terra back too... they all wanted everyone to be reunited, whether they were of the living or not. With those thoughts, he looked sadly behind and-!

SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER!

He saw in horror, Heartless hands! Swarming over and over themselves in a chaotic swarm heading straight for them all!

"GUYS WATCH IT!"

As he shouted loudly, everyone was taken by shock and quickly-!

SLAM!

"WHOA!"

Riku moved fast, and quickly shoved Mickey forwards as he held continued to hold on tightly to the Lock of Light! As they made it through, they then heard him cry out with their spooked comrades surrounding him, "FELLA'S!"

SMASH!

The precious Door of Time was smashed to pieces by the powers of darkness they contained in their rampaging wrath! Leaving them with no way now to go back! But there was no time to comprehend this as-!

GRAB! GRAB! GRAB! GRAB!

"Hey!" As Sora cried this out, he and his friends were all grabbed by the deadly shadowed appendages, that quickly-!

"ZZZZAAAAPPPP!"

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!"

Subjected them to blasts of dark power, that rendered them all immediately unconscious before finally-!

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

They were all taken fast and back towards the thick layer of cloud cover, then they were all dragged into the depths below and as they were-!

GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER!

The last remaining Hearts were all taken out of the hands, as they were all turned to dark embers. The massive mesmerising rainbow changing portal above took their glittering forms in and then-!

FLASH!

Its light dissipated fading away into nothing, as finally all the Hearts that were within that land, were now gone and being returned to their original worlds. As the heroes of the Keyblade, were dragged down by the pull of gravity into the dark deep unknown that was underneath the thick clouds...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Urgh...!"

Aching in pain, Sora was disorientated. He couldn't understand what was going on at first. What had happened, were they all-?

"Sora you need to get up now!"

Hearing this cry from within, Sora was on alert in seconds! Getting up fast, despite the aches he was suffering from. He asked wincing, "Ven? What happened, am I-?"

"You were dragged into the depths under the clouds, along with everyone else!"

"Under...the clouds?" He asked, then shaking his head to try and rid the headache that was spreading, he heard-!

"Ah...!"

A gasp of pain! His eyes widening at the sound of it, he looked down and saw, "Kairi!"

For there indeed beside him, was his precious Princess! Making it over to her fast, he asked her hurriedly gathering her in his arms, "Kairi are you okay, can you hear me!?"

"Mmm?" As she groaned from the pain, she finally opened her blue eyes. As she did, she looked about confused. Before settling her gaze upon him, doing this she asked, "Sora...?"

He smiled full of relief, then he told her, "I'm glad you woke up!"

With a nod, and a small laugh she replied, "Yeah, same!" Then wincing herself, she moved to get up, with Sora helping her along the way.

With that the two of them looked about the odd place they'd found themselves in. What they discovered, was that they had all landed upon a huge dark grey stone platform, that was surrounded on all sides by stone steps that reached up to crumbling ancient columns. They reminded Sora of those in Hercules's world.

But they were not pristine at all, and the entire space was foreboding and dangerous, for the two of themselves. Now found themselves within the darkness again, as the air was awfully stagnant with the sinister force surrounding them. Looking around, feeling deflated that they'd almost got some peace back for themselves, he uttered, "We just can't catch a break can we?"

"Sadly," Kairi uttered with a bitter smile, then as she said this-!

"Urgh...!"

"Ow...!"

Hearing these aches of pain, they turned around and saw, "Riku! Nozomi!" With that quickly, the two of them raced to their comrades to try and help them!

Trying to shake Riku awake, Sora saw this wasn't doing much. Then looking to her, he asked, "Kairi, can you heal them at all?"

At this request, she replied, "Yeah, I should be able to!" With that she reached her Alliance Blade over herself and called out, "Shining Renewal!"

GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER! GLITTER!

With that, all the heroes were bathed in the healing effects of her magic and quickly, the aches they'd all been suffering from were wiped away. Also fortunately, Nozomi and Riku's groans and winces of pain eased too. This was a huge relief, but before either of the conscious Keybladers could do anything-!

"So you still have some power left even now, do you?"

Hearing this monstrous voice again, neither of them ever wanted to hear it again! It was then they turned and saw-!

SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER!

A slithering mass of dark tendrils, that were dripping out and squirming all over a humanoid figure, that crawled along the floor. Seeing him, one was unsure if they could even call him human anymore!

Looking at him, Sora felt disgust rise inside himself as he asked, "Xehanort...?"

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

This sinister release of laughter, was all the confirmation they needed. However Kairi couldn't believe the thing she was looking at was him! For seeing the awful tail that once held the false King-Blade swing about threateningly behind him, with his many sharp legs penetrating the stony ground that held the disgusting dark mass together somehow. Along with thousands of slithering tendrils of darkness that dripped out from gashes all over his horrid dark armoured body, she shivered as she asked, "You're alive?"

"It depends on what you mean...by living?"

Puzzled by these words, neither of them though had the chance to ask as-!

SPLATTER!

In horror, the two of them saw his human left arm, tear away and drop onto the stony floor, crawling with dark tendrils all over it! It was like watching worms wriggle themselves out of rotten fruit!

The sight of it sickened them both, however before they could say anything,"Ah, so I've even lost that too. How sad?"

The monstrous entity didn't even care for the limb he'd lost! Seeing this, Kairi was creeped out beyond words! Staring at him and shivering, she had to know, "What happening here? Why're you-?"

"This body has simply reached it's limit," The monster informed them, then as he stared at them, with his red and black eyes, he told them, "It can no longer handle the darkness that's within the depths of my heart."

"The darkness in your Heart?" Sora asked him, then feeling as chilled as Kairi, he kept his Alliance Blade at the ready as he asked him, "You mean your own darkness is destroying you?"

"How absurd!" Xehanort told the boy, clearly irritated by his ignorance. He then revealed, "I am perfectly sound, it is Terra's body that is now perishing."

Spooked hearing this, Kairi asked, "Terra's?"

"Correct, he was able to handle it for the most part thanks to the armour he was donned in, and the fact he had a strong body to begin with."

BURST!

TWIST! TWIST! TWIST! TWIST! TWIST!

Hearing this awful sound, the two Keybladers then saw more tendrils of darkness burst out of his crumbling back! As they did, they saw them take on squirming dark threatening shapes, showing the deadly intent of their host!
Chilled seeing this, the two of them heard Xehanort say, "However, because of that so-called miracle you of the Light called forth, it broke through my defences and devastated my armour and this body making me fall into this pit! Making it now unable to cope!"

Listening to this, full of revulsion at what he had become, Sora then told him, "Well you reaped what you sowed! You should never have used the darkness in the first place!"

"You're not want to lecture me!" The villain retorted, then gripping his right hand-!

FLASH!

His Keyblade returned to him! As it did, he then informed them, "Now it is time for you to pay the price for going against me, here in these sacrificial grounds, I will have you punished for your foolishness!"

"Sacrificial grounds?" Kairi asked, then as she said this-!

GLOW!

Quickly the stony floor beneath them all, lit up with eerie cold blue light! As it did, they saw a pattern that was oddly familiar, looking at it. Sora recognised it as being similar to something he'd seen many times in his dreams, he asked, "This is the same look as the stained glass floors, I've fought on! Its-!"

"The Heart Station formations."

Distracting Sora out of his realisation, he then demanded from him, "You know of those? What does that mean?"

Smirking, Xehanort explained, "They were the first discoveries Garland made an ancient long time ago, that are the reflections of a persons Heart!"

"A reflection of the Heart?" Kairi asked him.

"Yes, by interacting with them along with the Black Mage that assisted him in his experiments, the first Master of Darkness tapped into the way of gaining access to the Heart of all worlds, by experimenting on countless children!"
Gasping hearing this, Kairi couldn't say anything. However Sora asked, "They both experimented... on children?"

"Correct! In this plane you now stand upon, he sacrificed many to gain access to the sacred Realm known as Kingdom Hearts before that same Mage betrayed him and allied himself with the Warrior of Light!" Then looking at the illumination inthe dark space, he smiled as he remembered the fruits of his research he made long ago, "Then after a long time, he found the exact spectrum that was needed to make his way in, that created the Door of Light using the Hearts of those chosen children, sparing only his beloved Princess!" Then with bitterness as he gazed at them, he finished feeling his frustration grow, "It is the very same one you all have now stolen away from me!"

Angered thinking of how many people must have lost their lives in the pursuit of that way in, so he could take over people's wills. Sora angered told him, "What good can come out of that! Sacrificing people to gain control of everything!?" Then thinking of all the loss and grief that had been caused by Xehanort and this mysterious Garland in the ancient past, the Chosen Keyblader made a firm decision and declared, "I'm never gonna let anything like that happen again! I'll never sacrifice anyone like you, no matter what the reason!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Hearing this mocking evil laughter, immediately put him and Kairi on guard! As it did, they then heard him proclaim, "You're such a foolish child!" Then narrowing his nightmarish eyes, he told him, "Looking at you, fills with me disgust! You're just like that foolish King I once knew!"

This only made Sora and Kairi look at him furiously, then he told them, "He thought that if we were persistent enough, though peaceful means and no sacrifice we could change how people thought, and that we could unite everyone someday." His bitterness and hatred could not be hidden, what he felt for the man, as he continued to tell them, "But nothing came of it! For he never could acknowledge that one must be cruel, and sacrifices must be made to ensure that peace could truly reign!"

Hearing his views, despite him being warped Kairi couldn't believe that he truly wanted that and asked, "You really believe that you wanted peace?"

"OF COURSE I DID!" As he roared this, making her take a step back in fright with Sora. The two of them, then heard Xehanort continue snarling, "WE ALL DID!"

SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER!

Immediately the horrible tendrils all over his rotting body, coursed and wavered in agitation! As they did, the two of them then heard him say, "But that fool never learned! And because he could never be forthright-!"

FWOOSH!

It was then the two Keybladers saw with horror, Xehanort charge straight at them both! His long sharp pincers aimed straight at them with his Keyblade at the ready, he shouted, "I LOST EVERYTHING!"
Seeing him approach, Kairi then called forth the Shield and-!

SHINE!

She called a dome over them, to protect them from his oncoming wrath! However-!

SLASH!

His Keyblade 'Annihilation' glowed with the vicious red of the Fourth Fragment, who's power he still contained a small part of and in terror, they saw him cut his way through their defences and-!

SNAP! SNAP!

"Hey!" Agh!"

The two of them were caught by his horrible pincers and as he held them-!

SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER!

The tendrils behind him, wrapped themselves around their bodies! As they did, in horror it was then they saw-!

"ZZZZAAAAPPPP!"

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!"

The dark appendages light up with deadly power! They then inflicted them with horrible red power, that sapped them of their strength! As they gasped from the agony, Xehanort then told them with a chilling smile, "Now I will annihilate both of your armours, and then see if perhaps I can corrupt you both, so you will become new Vessels for my Dark Heart and with you both, I will take over the other remaining two here, using the power Garland has left behind in this space!"

SHINE!

Horrified at that possibility as the lines of the ritual site glowed with Xehanort's chilling red power, Sora cried out, "NO!" But he couldn't do anything, as he gasped from the pain. The two Keybladers were helpless, as they were subjected to his punishing blows and he attempted to take them both over and leave the rotting husk he was trapped in behind!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"NOZOMI!"

Hearing this call, as her consciousness stirred, the Keyblader asked, "What was I-?"

"NOZOMI! THEY NEED YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW!"

Recognising his voice, she woke up with a start and cried out, "Wairu!" Then getting up, she saw the horrific peril Sora and Kairi were trapped in, as Xehanort continued to cut away into their armoured bodies with the stolen light of the Fourth Fragment!

Her eyes widening, Nozomi cried out, "No!"

"You need to get him up! Wake Riku up right now!"

"Riku!?" Then remembering the power he contained, she realised and said, "Of course, Hari!" With that racing over to his still form, she went to awaken him!
Shaking him, she cried out, "Riku! Riku! C'mon, they need you now!"

"Urgh...!" However he wasn't waking up fast enough!

Seeing this, Nozomi cried out, "No!" Then looking back to Sora and Kairi worried for them beyond reason, her mind raced, then she asked, "Wairu! Do you have a spell that can-!?"

"Of course I do, hang on!"

Glad to hear this, she put her hands over her beloved and waited for Wairu's spell,

"Arising Light!"

GLOW!

His power covered Riku's body, and as it did, the Keyblader turned over and opening his blue eyes, gasping, he asked, "I was-?"
"Riku!" As she called out to him, the white-haired young man quickly focused on her. As he did, she told him urgently, "Sora and Kairi need you! Hurry up!"
"What?" He didn't understand, this was so fast to process that-!

"ZZZZAAAAPPPP!"

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!"

However hearing their screams, and then seeing what they were being subjected to. By the monstrous abomination before them grinning with the worst manic smile he'd ever seen. He felt something inside him snap!

FLASH!

He called out his Alliance Blade, then running fast he cried out, "STOP IT!"

SHINE!

With that he glowed all over with the power of the Fourth Fragment, that moved to his will and-!

SLICE! SLICE!

He cut through Xehanort's monstrous hold! Then-!

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!"

The abomination screamed in agony, feeling the deep cutting power that was the Scythe! Then seeing his prey fall from his hold as he retreated back, and looking at Riku, he hissed angrily, shouting, "YOU!" But before he could attack-!

"Luminous Sparking Tornado!"

Nozomi ran forwards and quickly sent him flying backwards from her own ferocious power! As she did this, and he landed some distance away, she raced back to Sora and Kairi with Riku following her! As she did, she cried out, "Are you guys alright!?"

"HAAA! HAAA! HAAA!"

Gasping from the pain, they'd inflicted upon him. Xehanort turning his red eyes to look at them, he felt his hate surge. Seeing their pathetic Camaraderie, as the dark-haired girl and white-haired boy, aided his victims. He couldn't help but utter, "You'll pay!"

They'd heard his angry utter, and quickly the group of heroes looked to his hideous form with widened fretful eyes, as he then spat declaring with his rage becoming unhinged, "I AM GOING TO MAKE YOU ALL PAY FOR INTERFERING WITH ME!"

SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER! SLITHER!

The tendrils behind him, sharpened and swung around viscously as he lifted his hideous body up with his many insectile legs. His angered gaze fully focused upon the four of them!

As he did this, despite their weary and frightened Hearts seeing the nightmarish creation he'd become. The Warriors of the Keyblade, knew they had to stop him, to have a chance at living! But most importantly, to save the trapped Heart that they knew lay within the depths of that rotting shell, for the living memories of those who'd fought by their side within their armours. Terra...