Chapter 16: Hollow prince


The fog had covered Lagdorian Lake, but it wasn't too thick, and in that fog stood a shadowy figure. He gazed at the water, unaware of the reason behind his visit. There was only one thing that drew him to this beautiful lake.

Memories.

Memories of a person who was very special to him plagued his thoughts, forcing him to stand here and gaze across the beautiful waters. But in his memories, this place would arouse feelings for that special person and the promise they made on these shores.

In his memories, there was something important about this person, her fair skin that glows in the night, her gracious lips, her beautiful blue eyes that shine as brightly as the twin moons in the sky. Yes this person was very important to him.

But at the same time…He felt nothing.

He could remember everything that was so clear, but now the feeling of emptiness was all he had, as he looked down at his hands.

He asked, "What happened to me?" as he walked to the edge of the lake and stared at his reflection in the water.

"Why is it that I can't feel anything?" he whispered. Suddenly, he felt as if there were eyes watching him. Immediately, the young man spun around, his wand drawn.

'Oh, woe unto those who have lost their hearts,' a voice was heard as he turned to the right and cast a powerful wind spell, but it missed its target.

"Who's there?!" The young man demanded answers.

The voice merely laughed. "Calm yourself; I mean no harm. I'm simply here to help."

"Help?"

"Tell me, when did all this happen?" The voice spoke again.

The boy scrunched his eyebrows as he tried to remember "... I was performing the marriage ceremony for Louise and Sir Wardes. He attacked me. And…everything went black." He dropped his wand holding his head with his left hand as he bore a frustrated expression.

"You feel nothing, there are others like you as well, those who have had their hearts robbed. Who became non-existent, and eventually disappeared into nothingness."

The boy paused for a moment as he looked to the ground. Then, he turned to gazed across the beautiful lake. "That might be better than the way I am now," he said. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life like this." He would rather dissolve into nothingness than go on living without a heart.

"What if I told you…I can help you get back what was robbed of you." The voice said as the man was intrigued.

"Again. You say you'll help me? How?" The man asked.

"If you agree to cooperate with us. I will see to it that you are made whole again… And that you're reunited with the person who was once important to you."

The man lowered his wand as he listened to the voice. This feeling was just unbearable, as his memories of this purple haired girl ran throughout his mind. He couldn't explain why but this strange pain surfaces in his chest. If he had a heart, could he be with her again, would he be allowed to enjoy her company as he seemed to in his memories beforehand?

As the fog began to clear and sunlight rained down upon the water, the man stared at it one last time. He felt the eyes watching him fade away mysteriously.

The man looked beside him and noticed a figure dressed head to toe in black, wearing a hood that was covering his face.

"...So do you agree with my terms?" He held in his arms the same coat that he wore, a sign of him offering his part of the deal, the man took the coat from him accepting the offer.

"A wise choice…" The man said.

The black hooded figure opened a dark corridor and proceeded to walk forward towards it. But he was stopped by the man,

"Wait a moment. How are you?" he asked.

"I suppose introductions are needed," the mystery man said as he turned around, pulling off his hood to reveal his face. His tan skin was complemented by long silver hair.

"But before I share mine, let me ask you. Do you still remember yours?"


(Castle-night)

Henrietta was standing near the glass doors that led to the balcony, gazing out into the night sky with a thoughtful expression on her face. The conversation she had with Sora and Louise had gone very well. If she was being truthful, it was because she still had the two of them as well as Agnès, the three of them were the only reason why she hadn't cave under pressure.

Henrietta took a deep breath as she turned away from the window and walked over to her bed. Sitting on the edge of it, she rested her hands in her lap. She was so full of anxiety she couldn't go to bed. How was she supposed to take charge of a whole country by herself? She doesn't have any experience at all.

The conversation she had with Louise and Sora helped to calm her nerves earlier. She thought back to her talk with Sora, and how he was prepared for anything that might happen.

"Wales…"

She held the ring on her finger and gently shed a single drop of water from her eyes for her lost lover. She stopped trying to hold back the tears. They began to feely fall from her eyes as she sat on the edge of her bed, the weight of her own responsibilities crushing her beneath their immense weight.

Henrietta couldn't help but be jealous of Louise, for having someone like him by her side. Someone who could protect her no matter what, someone who could arrive too her rescue in the nick of time.

Henrietta didn't have anyone like that. Especially since Wales had died.

"...I miss you so much!" The queen cried in between sobs "Why…Why did you have… How did it come to this? How can I live in a world without you… "

"Henrietta…"

Henrietta stopped crying for a moment, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"W-who's there?" She panicked. She frantically looked around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. Someone had called her name. She was sure of it. But how? Who had managed to get past the guards?

"Henrietta. Over here."

The frightened Henrietta looked towards the balcony door before she could make out a shadow standing there behind the glass. Immediately, she drew her wand ready for combat.

"You realize that you have trespassed onto royal grounds." She said, a threatening edge to her voice.

Vaguely, Henrietta could hear the faint sound of a very familiar laughter coming from behind the door.

Just then… the ring on her left hand started to glow, this shocked her. She pondered as to why the water ruby was beginning to glow. The wind ruby is still locked away. She ran from the door and opened the box that housed the late prince's ring but much to her surprise it was gone.

She turned back to the balcony and immediately opened it. She couldn't believe her eyes…

"Wales… It can't be…" She said as she looked at the man in front of her. But there's no way.

"Your eyes do not deceive you." Wales held his hand towards her showing the wind ruby on his hand.

"You remember, our oath on the water…" The tears couldn't be held in as they ran down her face, only the real Wales would remember their promise.

He looked exactly how she remembered him. His golden hair, his blue eyes.

This was no illusion. Rushing over to him, she threw her arms around his neck, crying onto his shoulder. "How? How is this possible? Wardes killed you! Louise and Sora saw it!" she asked her questions.

He slowly wrapped his arm around her lower back and pulled her close. "Henrietta, the person who died was my double. I managed to escape, but now, I need your help. Will you go to Albion with me?"

"No you can't!" She pulled away slightly and shook her head "If you and I go to Albion, they will kill us. And I'm a queen, I can't just leave my country."

Wales cupped her chin before pulling her face towards him "I love you Henrietta. I want to be with you." He gave her a soft kiss.

He pulled her away, and she looked directly into his eyes. It was strange, his eyes; that kiss. There was something different about him, whenever they were together his words and actions would make her heart stir, but for some reason, she couldn't feel it. The look in his eyes was so...empty, like there was nothing in him at all.

As if there was a shell of him standing in place.

"Henrietta?"

Henrietta blinked a few times as his words shook her from her bewilderment.

"Oh, it's nothing." She said,

"Well then, won't you come with me." He said, awaiting her reply.

"Yes. I'll come with you… I don't ever want to be separated again." She hugged him as the two of them kissed again. And again she couldn't feel the love behind this kiss… why?


(Academy of magic)

"Agnès, are you positive about this?" Louise said. Agnès went over the details of this.

"That's right. We looked all over the castle, but we couldn't find a trace. This had to have happened when I was taking the two of you back. How careless of me." The knight cursed herself for this failure. When she returned to the castle and went to Henrietta's chambers she noticed something was wrong; the balcony door was wide open too.

"Hey, don't blame yourself, Agnès. It's not your fault." Sora said to the blonde haired woman.

"Yes it is. I can't believe that they reached her the night I was gone. I have my unit looking everywhere for her as we speak."

Agnès said. There was a knock at the door.

"Captain!" Michelle came bursting through the door.

"Michelle, tell us you have information." Agnès as her vice captain.

"Yes ma'am. I believe we have." She said to the three who were all anxious. "After investigating, we believe that the queen is on route towards Gallia. Or more specifically, Lagdorian Lake. For what purpose, I'm not sure." She said before she gave them a stern look.

They all were relieved to hear this, especially Louise. But Agnès thought differently; she was glad to hear that they weren't not far, but for what purpose would they make it to Gallia. But she didn't have time to think about it, now was the time for a rescue.

"Thank you, Michelle. Get the horses ready!" Agnès ordered.

The knight gave a salute "Ma'am!"

Agnès turned to the two of them. "It would be problematic if the country were to find out that Queen Henrietta was taken. I need your help if we are to save her." She said to both of them.

"Do you even have to ask?" Sora said, picking up his shoes and grabbing his sword off the wall. Giving Agnès a serious expression "We're going to save her, I made a promise to help, so I'll help!"

"Then when you are ready, catch up to us. I will go on ahead and join the rest of my knights." Agnes said. "And be quick about it. If they get past Lagdorian Lake, we may never see Queen Henrietta ever again." She finished as she turned and raced out the door.

That last phrase made Louise freeze in horror. A look of complete dread filled her as she slowly looked over at Sora.

"I can't believe that she's been kidnapped already…" She said in fear, this wasn't just the queen, but also her best friend.

Sora gently rubbed her back still maintaining his stern look "Do worry, we're going to save her. Hurry up and get dressed, I'll get the glider ready!" He said Sora was about to leave.

Leaving Louise alone, she hurried to put on her clothes, as thoughts raced through her mind at lightning speed. What if they're too late? What if they get away with the queen? Tears welled up in her eyes, but she wiped them away, looking deep within herself and finding a wellspring of courage. They have to save her; they will save her.

Henrietta had personally said she would be relying on them. And right now, she needs them more than ever.

Louise was not going to let her down.


It only took a few moments before Louise was sprinting down the stairs of the academy.

The petite pink haired girl spotted Sora who was sitting on top of the glider with Mr.Colbert standing beside him.She ran towards the two of them.

"Mr.Colbert?" She said to her teacher

The teacher heard what happened so he immediately helped Sora grab the glider from storage. "Thanks again." Sora replied to Mr.Colbert

"Don't worry about it. Just be careful, both of you." Mr.Colbert said to the two of them.

"We will."

"Alright, let go!"

Louise climbed onto the platform of the glider and held on tight. As the glider slowly began to hover higher in the air, they soon started to fly away from the academy. Mr. Colbert watched his student and her familiar leave the school grounds, and all he could do was pray for their safety and success.

However his worries turned to shock as he saw Sylphid right behind him as he had a light scare. He had wondered why.

Sylphid watched as they disappeared into the distance only for her to fly straight to Tabitha's room.


The wind was violently whipping around Sora and Louise as they flew on the glider. If not for the circumstances, she would have enjoyed flying on this glider, feeling the wind blowing through her hair and seeing the trees beneath them. This glider handled much smoother than any dragon or griffin.

Sora's mind was focused on the direction they were supposed to go. He knew the general idea of where to go based on his previous venture to Lagdorian Lake, but it was a bit more difficult to tell from up here.

Up here though he looked down and saw the road they last took when last time they went to Lagdorian lake.

Louise sighed in frustration. "Can't this thing go any faster?" she asked. She wanted to hurry to the lake as fast as this thing could take them.

"It's going as fast as it can. We'll make it there."

Sora said as he kept his focus "Hey, how do you think they were even to kidnap her?"

"I don't know. But when we spoke last time, she mentioned something about a spy in the castle. Though I don't know if it's the same person."

"You think it also had something to do with Cromwell disappearing too."

"Maybe…" Louise was unsure. During the last visit to the castle. The queen mentioned to her that there might be another traitor based on suspicion. She also explained that the ring of Andvari that when they interrogated Cromwell he said that the ring was stolen by someone in black.

Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing. But then again, the Organization was best at using people as pawns; it wasn't really surprising.

"So the ring is gone, again… Didn't Montmorency say something about it having the power to give artificial life."

"That's right." She said "Or to be more accurate it can be used for controlling the dead."

"Controlling the dead…Like a puppet?" Sora asked

"That's right. Although I don't know what other abilities the ring holds."

The Keyblade wielder's question of why he needed something like that was put on hold as it was time for them to save Henrietta.


Meanwhile, while still ahead of everyone Wales was carrying the sleeping Henrietta as they rode to their destination on horseback. Henrietta was so happy as she dreamed away, or to be more accurate it was a memory of when she and Wales first met just a few short years ago.

Day by day they continued to interact with each other and gradually they soon began to fall in love with one another. Now they are on the way, to where they both made their vows to the water spirit. A place special to them.

On the ground Agnès and her unit were in hot pursuit of the queen. As they were catching up one of the knights noticed something, and saw none other than the stolen queen. On command the captain of the musketeer knights told her unit to ready the guns and aim for the kidnapper.

Wales saw them and gradually sped up. They musketeer knights raced after them on their horses. Henrietta woke up and asked Wales what was happening, she looked behind him to witness Agnès chasing after them with guns loaded.

"Tsk." Wales clicked his tongue and pulled out his wand, casting a powerful wind spell at the approaching knights on horses.

This was a shock to Henrietta. "Wales…That was my unit. What are you thinking?"

He looked at her "Don't worry, I wasn't really serious about hurting them. I just didn't want any interference."

"Interference?"

"I'll explain later; I just need you to trust me on this."

"But…"

"Remember your oath you made that night. That's all you need to do. Once we reach Lagdorian lake, let us reforge our oath."

Wales smiled at her, saying "I love you, Henrietta, now and forever." He said, resting his head on hers. She opened her eyes slightly, still unable to shake the odd feeling he was giving off.

Wales is alive…he's alive, but his eyes, something was missing from him.

As Agnès and her squad attempted to recover from the sudden attack, they heard the sound of gunfire. Looking over, they saw one of their own knights firing his rifle into the air. What shocked them was a strange, dragon-like creature in the air, as it also appeared to have hands and was wielding a lance.

"What in hell is that!?" Agnès said as they were all surrounded by them.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's not an ally." The one holding the gun said.

"Captain!" Michelle said anxiously

Agnès groaned "We don't have a choice." She held her pistol in her hand.

"We'll have to deal with these things if we're going to proceed. Guns ready!"

The blonde haired captain ordered her knight who all held their firearms and with a wave of her held, gave the signal to shoot.

Sora and Louise were still in the air, flying to the lake when they heard the sound of guns firing. Sora stopped the glider for a second.

"Did you hear that?" He said to Louise who heard it too.

"Yes. That might've been gun fire." Sora flew in the direction of the sound of shots fired.

Agnès and Michelle continued to fire their guns. A few of her knights lay on the ground, unconscious and bleeding, but no matter how many times they fired, the bullets kept going past them. Meanwhile, they took advantage, picking off the musketeer knights.

They seemed to be rather intelligent and they also seemed to be quite coordinated. And to make matters worse they were even a few of the dragons from the last time as well.

The women stood back to back, ready for anything, as one of the dragons suddenly disappeared and reappeared overhead, launching itself downward toward the knights, causing them to split apart. Just then, a Wyvern flew straight at Michelle, knocking her into a tree.

"Michelle!" Agnès cried out to her vice captain. Just as the Wyvern came flying at her again, but suddenly the dragon heartless was destroyed by a blue projectile. And soon the rest of them were met with the same fate.

She and Agnès looked up just as they heard the sound of a whistle.

"What the…" She looked up. Agnès as well, it was Sora and Louise riding the dragon from the other day. Sora brought the glider down to the ground and jumped off it as did Louise.

"Agnès!" Louise cried.

"You okay!" Sora cried to Michelle. He was about to put his hand on her shoulder but was swatted away her pride wounded.

Agnès said, "Now isn't the time to be stubborn." To her subordinate.

"Thank you both for arriving."

"Sora," she said, looking at the knights lying on the ground, "we need a healing spell."

"Right!" he shouted, raising his hand up in the air and casting Curaga on the knights on the ground and on Michelle as well.

Their injuries vanished and their wounds were gone.

"There, that should do it." Sora said.

But the moment he turned his back, a Wyvern came flying straight at him. Michelle caught wind of this and immediately pushed him out of the way. The Wyvern missed both of them as it was lifted into the air by a powerful gust of wind. Sora took advantage of this and began bouncing from tree to tree while summoning his Keyblade and striking the heartless.

Though he was caught off guard, landing on the ground, he wondered where that sudden gust of wind came from. Looking up into the sky, he spotted a familiar blue dragon and also a blue-haired girl with glasses.

"Sylphid! Tabitha!" Sora was surprised to see them.

"Yoo-hoo! Darling" Another voice was heard as a fiery redhead was waving at them.

"Kirche!" Louise shouted.

Sylphid flew down to them. "What are you two doing here!" Louise demanded an answer.

"Geez, that's the thanks we get." Kirche whined.

"Thank you." Sora said to the girls.

"Well of course, your Kirche wouldn't let anything happen to you." She gave a wink to Sora.

"But what are you guys doing here?" Sora asked once again but was interrupted by Agnès.

"Can we discuss this later!" She barked.

"Oh, right. Henrietta!" Sora remembered "The lake's just up ahead, right?" Agnès nodded in confirmation.

"You need to get to Henrietta before they take off! I'll join you there as soon as I can. But be careful, aside from these monsters, the mage that captured her is also rather skilled."

Sora responded with a thumbs up. He then told Louise to get back in the glider and to be ready for a fight. They both jumped into the glider and began to fly in the air with the other girls flying right beside them. Louise shouted at them, asking them why they were even there. Sora called out Louise, saying that now wasn't the time for that; they had a mission, and some help would be nice.

Louise gave a deflated sigh, and gave in. As they flew, Sora asked why the girls had come all the way out here. Tabitha explained that Sylphid saw the two of them leaving the school, and as such she became worried, and dragged her master and Kirche along.

Sora was grateful to the blue dragon for his help. He flew right beside Sylphid and rubbed her head. He had to make sure to play with her sometime or ask Tabitha if they could go on a flight together.

Getting to the subject, Kirche asked her own questions, like what were they doing all the way near Gallia. Sora explained to them that the queen was kidnapped last night.

The two of them couldn't believe what he said, the queen…kidnapped.

So basically this was a rescue mission. Did they know who it was?

Neither Louise nor Sora knew who had taken her. They only knew that they were headed to Lagdorian Lake.

"That sounds problematic."

"Yeah. That's why I think the odds might be better for us since we have you guys with us."

Kirche responded "Okay darling if it's for you."

"How about you Tabitha?" Louise asked as the glasses wearing girl merely nodded.

"Alright, let's go!" They all made their way to the lake.

As they made their way, Louise noticed someone riding a horse. She asked Sora to get closer, and with just a bit of confirmation, Louise recognized the purple-haired queen. But she wasn't alone; she was with her kidnapper. The rider made it to Lagdorian Lake, as did Sora and the others.

The waters didn't seem to be rising anymore, guess that means the spirit kept her promise. But more importantly they turned around and saw someone they never expected to see…The prince of Albion…alive.

Kirche and Tabitha were shocked.

"Is that…"

"...Wales."

Neither of them could believe their eyes.

"Wales is…that's impossible." Louise said she saw him die in her arms. How could he be alive?

Sora looked at this and was also speechless. He was directly exposed to darkness when he saved Louise. He shouldn't be here… Sora's thoughts were going a mile a minute when something in his head clicked.

'Wait a minute…He was exposed to darkness'…Sora had a gut feeling about Wales, and he felt his hunch was right.

Shooting across the lake, Sora and Louise headed straight towards them. It was just a second later that the glider reached the shore. Sora and Louise jumped off before the glider and Kirche and Tabitha got off of Sylphid. All four surrounded Wales as he held Henrietta close to him.

"Your majesty, your safe!" Louise said. She was relieved that Henrietta is okay.

"Alright, this is over! Hand over Henrietta!" Sora shouted to Wales.

"What a foolish thing to say. Henrietta came with me under her own volition."

"What?" Louise didn't believe it. "Henrietta! Get away from him." She shouted.

But Henrietta didn't budge an inch; she stayed close to him, slightly narrowing her eyes at her.

Henrietta stayed rooted in her spot, her face showing conviction of her actions. She knew perfectly well what she was doing.

And that scared Louise.

"Henrietta, please listen to us!" Louise desperately called her childhood friend.

Wales smiled at them. "You see, Henrietta doesn't want to go with you. She wants to be with me."

Sora's eyes widened as he saw the smile Wales gave. But it wasn't just the smile, but his eyes, they were empty and his expression was also fake. That confirmed it well.

'Wales…your…'

Lightning clouds flew right above them, as rain started to fall from the sky.

"Tell me Henrietta, how is Wales alive?" Sora said, turning his attention from the prince to the queen.

"This is Prince Wales. His double was the one that died that day. He told me himself."

Louise was looking between the prince and Henrietta a few times, obviously a loss for words at the situation. Sora however turned his attention back to Wales, staring into his lifeless eyes. The smile Wales had on his face…He had seen it many times before.

"Now, let us pass. It's time we be on our way." Wales said to them.

Kirche pulled out her wand and Tabitha helped her staff. "Sorry, but that's not going to happen!" They both used their respective magic and launched a combination spell at Wales.

But the prince raised his wand and unleashed a strong wind from his wand canceling out the spell and sending the girls backwards. Henrietta looked shocked at what happened, Wales was a kind man, why would he hurt them.

Louise called out to her classmates, as they struggled to get back up.

"Hah! I must admit you two are strong, but not strong enough to beat me." Wales said to the girls with confidence

"...Oh yeah! How about this!" Wales turned to Sora who then fell to the ground as he was attacked by a beam of light from his keyblade.

"Wales!" Henrietta cried out as she ran towards him.

Sora also ran to them but was stopped by Henrietta, as she was holding her wand and created ice spikes on the field, her breathing was ragged and was glaring at Louise and Sora.

"Sora, what are you doing?" Louise asked.

Sora gripped his keyblade "So…looks like I was right."

"What?"

"Louise, you remember how I told you how nobodies are born?" Sora said to Louise.

"Um, yes I think so…how when someone loses their heart, all that remains is just a shell of the person, right?"

"Yeah…However sometimes there are special kinds of nobodies, ones with human appearances. They also have the memories of the person they once were…That may look like Wales, but I guarantee you that's not him. Not completely."

"No…"

Henrietta helped him up "Henrietta! You have to listen to us, that's not Wales!"

"Enough, Louise! For the last time this is truly Wales, he told me that he loved me, and we are going to be together!"

"But this man, he may seem like he's from Wales, but he's not; he has no heart!" Louise shouted at the queen. The queen, however, didn't understand what she was talking about. Wales, on the other hand, did.

The prince breathed out a sigh as he turned his attention back to Louise "I'm amazed you figured it out. I'm sure Sora said as much, given his background I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

Sora paused for a few moments before the meaning behind Wales's words rang clear. His eyes widened a bit. "Wait…you, you know about me? Who told you?"

Henrietta looked at them in complete confusion. Whatever's going on it would seem that she was being kept in the dark on something.

"That doesn't matter. My only objective is to retrieve the Queen so I can get what was promised to me." Wales said, his smile vanishing again.

"Wales? What do you mean?" Henrietta asked, tears forming on the edges of her eyes before cascading down her cheeks.

He looked at the tears running down her face. "It's like she said," he whispered. "Henrietta." He placed his hand over his chest. "I still remember everything, Henrietta. I remember how much I loved you and our country...but after what happened to me, those feelings are all gone..." His voice cracked. "I feel nothing. It's rather antagonizing to have the memories but not the emotions to go with them."

"That's why I need you Henrietta… I need your help to get my heart back. Please Henrietta."

Henrietta felt her lower lip tremble as she heard his words. So…Wales didn't have feelings anymore, he only remembered the feeling he once had. That should be impossible.

The queen looked at the prince with clear conviction in her eyes. She then turned toward Louise and Sora, her staff raised. "As your Queen, I command you to step aside."

Both Sora and Louise looked at Henrietta with eyes-wide. "What!?"

"You can't go with him, Queen Henrietta. Your country needs you!"

Henrietta glared at her childhood friend "My country needs me! What about my needs!"

Louise stared at the Queen for a long time before stepping forward. "What do you mean?"

"Do you honestly think you could understand the weight of being a queen? How much of a burden it truly is. No you could possibly understand, you have friends and are surrounded by people everyday… You even have someone who is loyal, someone who can care and protect you from danger!" The queen shouted at Louise.

"As for me... I have no one like that anymore; I have no one to trust, and the love of my life was torn away from me. Corruption is in my castle as well. I... I have no one to turn to, no one I can rely on, and no one to share this weight with... How could you possibly understand any of that?"

Louise gave a blank stare at the queen as she finished letting out her feelings. Tears were running down her face.

Sora was a bit hurt by her words as well. But what stung more was what she said, about being torn away from the person you love.

He knew that feeling all too well. How many times has been separated from Kairi, how many times did a malevolent force pull the both of them away.

One too many.

But because of that, their feelings they both shared grew stronger, their desire to be one. Sora's expression softened as he understood the feelings Henrietta had… but this…this isn't right.

Wales was just manipulating her, taking advantage of her heartache. And that's not even the real Wales; the person standing next to her was nothing more than a ghost of his former self.


Agnès ran through the rain on her way to Lagdorian lake. She instructed Michelle to watch over their comrades while she traveled to the lake. Michelle was reluctant to follow orders. But the blonde haired woman had to remind her about their fellow knights. She continued to run as fast as she could but was stopped by an unknown person in black, hiding his face with a hood.

"Who are you?"


Everyone was still, but no one had moved an inch. Louise looked as if she were about to shut down; how could Henrietta just betray them like this... how could...

Louise stared at her childhood friend, remembering all the memorable moments they shared together as kids. Her entire life had been filled with people looking down on her because of her inability to use magic.

But Henrietta was her best friend; she'd never looked down on her. She never cared that Louise struggled with magic. All Henrietta ever was to her was her best friend.

Taking advantage of this, Wales pointed his wand and sent a powerful gust of wind aimed directly at Louise. Louise was petrified not from the attack coming towards her but for a different reason. Not because she was scared but before she had trouble processing everything.

At the last second Sora came and put up his barrier shielding Louise from the attack. The barrier remained up, Sora grabbed her shoulders and shook her a few times.

"Louise! Snap out of it!" He said loudly.

"Sora…" She looked up at him as tears were on the edge of her eyes. "How is this happening?"

"Louise, we don't have time to think about that now. Henrietta, she needs you!"

"But…" Another gust of wind slammed into the barrier.

"Listen, I can understand what Henrietta is feeling right now. But this isn't gonna solve anything. All Wales is doing is manipulating her emotions, you're her best friend, you have to get her to see that she isn't alone and that going with him won't help her at all!" Sora said

"But-But I don't know what I'm supposed to do!" Louise said. Sora said nothing but pointed his index finger at her heart. She understood what Sora was saying, just let her heart do the talking. She gave a small nod and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Sora dropped the barrier and stared down Wales and Henrietta. Sora got into his keyblade stance with Louise reaching into her blouse and grabbing her wand.

Henrietta narrowed her eyes a bit as she watched the two. Ready to attack as well holding her wand. "Louise Françoise… I am going to say this one last time. As your queen, I order you to stand down."

Louise only gave a single word to Henrietta "No!"

Frustrating tears formed in her eyes. Henrietta didn't understand why, why was she being so stubborn!? "Why not!" She cried

"Why won't you leave me alone!"

"I will not leave you. And I'm not saying this as someone who you came to for help, but…As someone who is your best friend." Louise answered "You're right, I don't understand what kind of pressure comes with being queen, and a lot has changed for me, but how I feel to you hasn't changed any more than it alright has."

"I know it must be painful, I know you must think that you're alone in all of this, but I swear to you, you're not! You have me, Sora, and Agnès. Even if it's two or three people. You need to know that we are here for you."

Henrietta's expression softened a bit.

Sora stepped up next "Listen Henrietta. I can understand how much you missed Wales, and I can understand how much it hurt when he was gone. But you gotta hear us out, just like Louise said, you do have people who are with you. We're here when you, when you have something bothering you, we'll give you an ear, if you're crying, lean on us and we'll give you a shoulder to cry on. Call on one of us and we will be there when you need us."

"But…I"

"Look at us, Henrietta!" Sora shouted "I can't explain it to you, but listen! That guy next to you might look like Wales but he really isn't! I know I only met him once, and it was just for a short time, but I could tell he was a good guy. He sacrificed himself to save Louise. But this guy standing right beside you, he attacked Agnès and her knight, our friends! Look at him, really look at him!"

"Does anything about him remind you of the Wales you remember? Would he hurt people without a second thought? Deep down, you know it too."

Henrietta heard the words they said and looked directly into Wales' eyes once more…and again his eyes had no light within them, his words from before had no meaning, and the kiss they shared last night, there was no love from it.

Not to mention he did attack Agnès and the others, he even tried to do the same with Louise.

The queen turned back to Louise and Sora who's eyes were begging her to trust them.

She shifted her body to 'Wales' "You…Are you…" Wales quickly acted and knocked Henrietta unconscious.

"Henrietta!" Louise cried to her friend.

"I'm sorry, Louise. But this is important to me." Wales apologize.

Sora yelled at Wales "Sorry. You can drop the act, we know you don't feel 'sorry'!"

Wales scoffed "You're right about that… I don't sorry for what I did. But that's why I need her, he promised to restore my heart to me if I joined him."

"Join him?" Kirche said, still lying on the ground.

Wales pulled on his outfit and flung it off his body. Much to Sora's shock was what he was wearing underneath. It was the coat that belonged to Organization XIII.

"What the—Where did you get that coat!?" Sora question.

Wales explained when he woke up he came to this lake, as if something was drawing him here, then out of nowhere a voice came to him, and offered him a deal if he agreed to join and cooperate, he promised to help restore the prince's heart to him.

"And you actually believe that?" Sora shouted. "He's lying to you!"

"What am I supposed to believe in…You can't possibly imagine what this is like!" Wales shot back. "He promised to give me back my heart. As long as I hold up my end of the deal, he will reward me for this!"

Sora could hear the mix of anger and desperation in his voice just like a nobody, the only thing they desire is a heart.

'The guy is not going to help you Wales, he's just using you!' Sora remembered how both the organization greatest abilities was to manipulate others into doing their work. They wouldn't give Wales a heart. They made that same promise to Roxas, Axel, and Saïx. But that was a hoax, all they were tools to be used a vesseles for Xehanort.

"Whatever…I'm tired of this chat. It's time that I leave for Albion, with the queen."

Click* The sound of a gun was heard behind Wales.

"...Over my dead body." Agnès appeared behind him and pointed her gun to his back.

"To think, the once prince of Albion. Alive and working with the enemy." The blonde haired woman said sternly.

"You again." The blonde haired prince said.

"It's over, return the queen and surrender quietly." The blonde haired knight said Wales gave a flat laugh. He slowly raised his hands up looking at Agnès once more.

"I don't plan on giving up this far ahead." Wales snapped his fingers.

(Play-Darkness of the unknown- Dragon version)

A whirlpool started to form in the center of the lake. What emerged from the lake was a giant water serpent that had to be 5 or 7 meters in length. It had dark blue scales and purple fins on its body with a large dorsal fin on its back, and long whiskers on its face.

The ruler of the waters: Leviathan

Leviathan let out a loud screech, causing everyone to cover their ears. Wales wasn't bothered by it as he reached back and grabbed Agnès by her wrist and gave her a strong kick to the stomach knocking the wind out of her. He quickly picked up the unconscious Henrietta and flew to the top of the water creature. Landing on top of its head.

The screeching stopped and Wales was all the way on top of the heartless as he stared down at them.

"Henrietta!!" Louise cried out to her best friend.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised." Sora narrowed his eyes, he was running to Agnès trying to help her off the ground. "Should have known he would have a heartless."

"Are you okay?"

Agnès shrugged it off, standing up on her own.

"This is nothing!" Agnès said "More importantly, her Majesty!"

"I know!" Sora said "You two stay here!"

"No way that's happening!"

"I am duty to protect the queen, so don't think that I will sit here and do nothing!" The girls declined, but that wasn't what Sora was talking about, oblivious they were dead set on saving Henrietta. But what he was referring to was how they were going to reach up there, the glider had only one seat, and the platform could only hold one person.

That's when they heard a small roar from Tabitha's familiar who walked besides Sora.

"Slyphid?" Louise wondered.

Sora gazed at the dragon "Do you want to help us?"

The dragon gave a bold roar "Alright then." Sora ran to Tabitha and Kirche. Taking a knee.

"Tabitha, do you mind if we borrow Slyphid for a minute?"

"No." The glasses wearing girl said, letting him have permission.

Kirche looked at Sora. "Darling. Be careful."

"Don't even think about it, just focus on recovery." He was about to stand up but Kirche grabbed him by the arm.

"Wait a minute!" She said as Sora came to her.

She grabbed him by the back of his head and gave him a kiss on the lips before pulling away.

"Wah, why?" Sora asked.

Kirche smirked "Just a little good luck. Now get going."

Louise was ready to blow up Kirche for that. Agnès however grabbed her shoulder and said to her to focus her energy on the monster in front of them.

Sora jumped on the glider and the girls climbed onto the dragon and they all made their way into the sky. Wales watched all three of them make their way to Henrietta.

Orbs of water formed around its head as they soon became and fired them off as projectiles at them, Sora began to maneuver out of the way as did Slyphid. With the girls holding onto her tightly Sora fired off a few rounds of lasers at the serpent heartless. Just as Wales had his wand in hand he started firing a blast of wind at the girls who were riding the dragon. But thanks to Sylphid's quick acrobatics, she was able to avoid them.

Sora continued to fire lasers at it and had to avoid getting hit by the orbs. He in turn fired orbs of light from his keyblade countering the water orbs.

The girls tried to get in close but Leviathan opened its mouth and released a strong blast of water. The girls watch the attack coming at them but Sora intercept using his reflect spell shielding them from harm.

"Sora!" Louise said.

Wales watch "I suppose he was right not to underestimate him." This young man was definitely skilled and his way of handling this bizarre dragon was phenomenal. But that wasn't going to stop Wales.

The heartless serpent dived underwater.

Louise cried out in fear that Henrietta was going to drown, but the heartless rose out of the water and was flying in the air.

That…honestly wasn't something Sora was expecting.

Leviathan lunged at them just before they broke away; the heartless was chasing after Slyphid, while Sora was flying alongside it. Following the movement of the sea serpent heartless, it moved rather fast despite its size, but Slyphid was faster.

Sora fired orbs of light that seemed to do some damage to it.

Magical energy started to form around the serpent as it. Its skin giving off the same red tint as the rock troll did. Sora fired a beam of light at it but it had no effect on it. Sora soon came to the realization that heartless defenses had increased.

Sora called out to Wales in hope he would just hear him out.

Wales didn't want to listen; he blasted his wind magic at Sora. As he did a nose dive straightening out. Now he was being chased as Louise called out his name Sylphid began flying into his direction.

Agnès loaded her pistol and pointed it at him but she was hesitant to pull the trigger, what if she missed and hit the queen. Louise said to Slyphid to get in close, Agnès asked what she was planning as she had her wand out, she pointed at the heartless and released her explosion magic in it, as well as two more times, but it was ineffective.

"What?!" The pink haired girl didn't understand why it didn't work.

Sora flew next to the girls "That's not going to work. Not as long as its defenses are increased."

"Then what do we do?" Louise said.

"Just keep attacking it!" Sora said firing from the glider and Louise released explosions from her want.

Wales laughed a bit bringing his wand in the air as the whiskers on Leviathan face started to flow with energy.

"No one will stop me." Three cyclones circle the heartless which only made this even more difficult. Sora had sent orbs of light but the cyclones that surrounded it were shielding it as well. Sora was unsure as well just what to do, how they were supposed to win with its defenses even stronger.

That's when Derf came out of the sheath. [Hey, if you guys need something, why not use the book of Invocation?]

"That spell book from Henrietta?" Sora asked.

Louise pulled out the book and started turning the pages, and to her shock one of the pages revealed itself to her.

"Did you find anything?" Sora asked.

Louise saw the inscription "Yeah, Dispel?" She wondered.

[That's the one! Okay Louise, start reciting the spell it will help big time.]

Sora asked the sword "But what is it supposed to do?"

[Like the name, it'll Dispel any magic currently in play.]

They all look at the sword, did he mean that this can disrupt any spell. That gave Sora an idea.

"Louise, get ready to start chanting." Sora said.

"What are you going to do?" Agnès asked.

"Here is the plan. I'm going to distract Wales while Louise focuses on the spell. Then that's done, I should be able to end this in one attack."

Louise looked concerned "Are you sure?"

"It's the best plan we have. We have to save Henrietta!" Sora was serious, it was reckless of him to use himself as bait. But what other options did they have?

"Just…Be careful." She said. Sora promised that he will be fine.

"Slyphid. Get them out of here!" Sora said to the dragon, she roared bringing them down from the sky. Sora held his keyblade with a tight grip. Sora flew straight towards him. Firing lasers from the glider but because of the cyclones it made it harder to land an attack. The heartless once again stored energy and fired another strong blast of water at him.

Sora avoided the blast, and was flying around Wales and the heartless.

"Wales!" Sora shouted "You need to listen to me! This guy isn't going to help you, he's just using you. He's not going to restore your heart!"

"Really! What makes you so sure?" Wales yelled at Sora.

"Because I know the Organization all too well. All they ever do is use people, they take advantage of your weakness, make you do what they want. They're not going to help you!"

Sora looked for some kind of opening as he glanced down and saw Louise, she was still reciting the spell. He brought his keyblade straight out. but because the cyclones were also rotating around Leviathan he could gey a shot in.

Leviathan opened its mouth and a magical circle appeared in the sky, lance-like projectiles began falling from the sky. Sora quickly brought up a barrier to protect himself from the attack as the water lances rained down.

After the attack, Sora began to fly towards Wales as he had to keep the plan in motion; he just needed to buy time until Louise could cast the spell. Time to make every second count.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Louise was intensely focused on the spell that was in the book. Agnès watched upward, seeing how a child like Sora could hold his own exceedingly well. She thought to herself, if he is this skilled in flying, she could only imagine what his sword skills must actually be.

Sora put his shield up once more, firing light at him. Wales didn't know what he was planning, but he also noticed that Louise and those knights were just standing on the ground; they seemed to be waiting for something. He also noticed the book that was in Louise's hand; was it a spell book? Was she reciting a spell?

A white energy started to cover Louise's body and the tip of her want. "Is that...?" Kirche asked.

"Void."

Wales watched Louise as well and had a bad feeling about what she was going to do. Her eyes opened and pointed at the cyclones and with her void magic, all three of them evaporated.

"What!?" Wales was shocked.

Sora smiled at this. He was grateful to Louise for pulling this off. Speaking of Louise, she held her breath and released it, having a sense of confidence that she was able to use the spell, even if it was just the first time. Now their hope lies on Sora to end this fight.

Sora flew in fast and began alternating between the lasers from the glider to the energy projectiles from his keyblade. Leviathan started to fly also but Sora was doing his best keeping up with it. Everywhere it moved the champion of light would follow. Wales was blown away with how well he was about to keep up with the beast.

"No, No!!" He held onto his wand trying to get a clear shot. But he was moving around too much. Wales couldn't find an opening and when he could see a chance to attack he missed. Leviathan's defenses were wearing down. And with one final attack from the keyblade, Sora jumped from the glider and gave the heartless one final strike crippling its defenses. Sora then rebound from the serpent back to the glider.

Wales couldn't believe this was he about to lose, no! He couldn't lose, he had a mission to carry out focusing all his magic power, he began reciting an incantation. But as he was focusing his aim, a pair of hands suddenly were wrapped around him. Holding him in place, he turned his head behind him and saw Henrietta who was doing her best keeping him restrained.

"H-Henrietta!?"

The queen was holding onto him tightly. "I…I don't know who you are! But you are not the Wales that I remember!" She said keeping a girl on him.

"Henrietta!" Sora shouted, getting her attention.

"Sora! End this right now!" She said to him

"But…" Henrietta was knocked back as she pleaded to do it. Sora clenched his teeth and growled. Flying with some distance between them as energy came off the glider.

"What is he doing now?" Wales said as Sora hovered his hand over the firing mechanism as he saw the heartless wavering. A brightly glowing sphere emanated from underneath the glider and with a final press of the button Sora yelled.

"It's over!" Releasing all of his energy, he focused it into a powerful laser that was aimed at the Heartless.

Leviathan shrieked, flailing in the air. Henrietta had nothing to grip onto and fell off of the head of the Heartless. Wales didn't have enough time to keep his balance either and followed her. The energy began to dissipate and the Heartless fell from the sky back into the water, taking the two that were still free-falling with it.

(Stop playing- Darkness of the unknown- Dragon version)


Leviathan fell into the Lagonian lake and disappeared beneath the water's surface.

Henrietta watched as Wales fell into the lake with a loud splash. Her eyes remained open as she began to sink deeper and deeper into the lake; she did not see Wales anywhere.

The queen's consciousness was fading away as she looked up.

'So…I really am all alone…' She thought.

Then there was a splash. Henrietta looked up with what little strength she had left, as someone was swimming down to her. She believed it to be Wales, but due to the lack of light, she wasn't sure. A hand grabbed her and they began to pull her close as they returned to the surface.

(Lagdorian lake-night)

Henrietta was staring at the lake on this starry night when she heard the voice behind her. She turned around and saw Wales, not the Wales from before, but the Wales she knew. But that's not all, there was also Sora standing next to him.

They both held their hands out.

Henrietta looked between the two of them, it felt like an indecisive choice was being laid out in front of her.

She slowly brought out her hand trying to grab Wales' hand but something stopped her. She backed her hand before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Instead using her eyes, she instead to her own feelings and chosen whose hand to take hold of.


Henrietta's eyes shot wide open as she began coughing up water. She gasped for air; her breathing slowly returning to normal. Life had returned to her.

"Henrietta!" Louise screamed, wrapping herself around the queen and cried. "I'm so glad…" she sniffled.

Henrietta was wondering what happened "What…?" She asked as she heard a loud sigh of relief. She looked to her right and Sora was just sitting on the grass.

"Thank goodness! You're alright!" Louise cried once more.

"But what happened?" Henrietta asked one more time.

[You remember falling in the lake, right? Well my partner here jumped right in to save you.]

[But just jumping from that high in the air. You're cracked, you know that?]

Sora laughed. As Henrietta's memories started to be more clear. That person who came all the way down to save her…so that was Sora.

She then asked what happened after that. Agnès explained that she was unresponsive. It was also Sora that saved her again, performing mouth to mouth resuscitation. She looked at Sora.

"S-So I was… Sora, thank you." Henrietta said.

Sora lightly shook his head, smiling at the queen. "Think nothing of it, Besides, I don't make it to shore by myself. You can thank Slyphid, she helped us get here." The dragon let out a light purr, lowering her head to Sora as he was petting the dragon.

"I promised that I would be there when you needed me, didn't I?"

The rain stopped and sunlight beamed all over. He turned around and offered her a hand. She slowly grabbed it, with the young brunette giving her a warm smile. The light that he was giving off was so warm and gentle, she couldn't help but think back to her dream. The queen blushed and her heart rate slightly elevated. Sora helped her up.

The queen asked what happened to Wales.

"Don't know? Most likely disappeared." Sora assumed.

"That being said, there's something you should know." Agnès said to Sora "Just before I was able to make it here, I was intercepted by a man who was wearing a black outfit. Much similar to the one the price-I mean, Wales was wearing."

"What!" Sora replied "What did he want, what did he say?"

Agnès looked away briefly "N-Not much." Sora noticed the expression the blonde haired knight captain had. He wondered what it was that he said to her.

"In any case. I think we should form a search party. I doubt they could still be here but-."

"Actually. There's no need for that." Sora said as the girls all looked at him confused.

"I know you're there, quit spying and come out now!" Sora said as a dark corridor opened right in front of him and walking out of the portal was the same guy in black.

"You!?"

The figure chuckled a bit. "So you were aware of my presence."

Agnès gasped a bit, that wasn't the same voice that talked with her in the forest.

"How could I not? Aside from the nobodies and Wales, something told me you'd be watching."

"But enough about that, what are you doing here?" Sora demanded an answer.

"I could say the same of you, Sora. But then again, I had warned you over and over again about the price of using that power wrongly."

Sora eyes slowly widen "Wait a…no. Y-You can't be…" He pulled off his hood and revealed his face.

"Xehanort!" Sora looked at him, but it wasn't the Xehanort from the current timeline but the one from the past, his tan skin, silver hair, and yellow eyes were all too recognizable.

"…It's been some time, Sora."

Louise, Tabitha, and Kirche all looked at the person, so this is Xehanort, the one that he and his friends beat but he was supposed to be an old man, how is he so young. Agnès and Henrietta looked at him as well as Sora, did the two of them know each other.

"But…How?" Sora was baffled.

"Did you truly believe that I was to return to my current time. No, my elder self had thought about the possibility where he would lose. So he had a contingency plan, where in case he failed, I would travel a little farther into the future."

"But it's impossible for you to travel through time, don't you need a version of yourself to do it.

"You think I didn't prepare for that."

A second black portal opened and another organization character appeared. He pulled off his hood "Hey kid, been a while." Sora's face was drained of color, as the figure revealed to be Xigbar.

"X-Xigbar!?"

Xigbar has a playful smirk "What's wrong, Sora. You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Your...Alive!?" Sora shuddered. Xigbar is alive.

"As you can see, we have already taken the necessary steps. Now time for the old to be discarded and the new to be given rise. Come!"

Xehanort called out. Just as more figures showed up at his call, four of them with their hoods down and two of their hoods still up. Among the hoodless black coat members was Wales, and three other adversaries Sora knew,

"Ansem, Xemnas, Vanitas."

And the last two drew back their hoods. The keyblade wielder was surprised but not as much as Louise and Henrietta. The first to show their face was Fouquet and the last was Wardes.

"Sir Wardes…" Louise froze up.

Wardes gave a bow "It's a pleasure to see you again, Louise. And Henrietta, congratulations on becoming queen. It's a shame I wasn't there."

Henrietta looked at the people in front of her. And much to her shock one of them looked the same a Sora.

"Allow me to give a chance to bear witness to the new Organization XIII!"

"A new Organization?" Sora repeated.

"That's right kid, we're back!" Xigbar exclaimed!

"Why?" Sora asked as Ansem smirked.

"If you want answers, you'll have to discover them on your own." Ansem said

"And while you do so, we will be doing our part, searching for new candidates to fill out our ranks." Xemnas finished. As he stared at Agnès giving her a smirk but she glared at him.

"So long, brother." Vanitas said. The queen amd Agnès were in that last statement, he called Sora brother...

Just as they all disappeared in dark corridors the members all disappeared. Agnès and Henrietta definitely felt like they were clueless as to what was happening.

What was that man saying, and how did he and Sora knew each other.

But as for the ones who do, shocked, surprised, baffled. There was no word to cover it, those were the people that the keyblade wielder defeated but apparently not. Now they are back with Wardes and Fouquet, and the prince, no, Wales was also apart of this too.

However none of them could feel what Sora was feeling. After everything that's happened, all the pain, blood, and sweat that he and the other guardians had to endure to see the organization end once and for all. And now they're back... Was everything…

Did it matter not.


End.