AN: Lol sorry this one took like two weeks exactly, buuut the last chapter was so big it was like 2-3 chapters at once, so if I WAS releasing them normally it would have taken like 3-4 days per chapter probably, and I would have been at this point anyways...sooo yeah! xD Still technically on schedule lol!
End of AN! We are so back. xD
Axel felt the impulse in his chest - the hazy image showed up in his mind's eye.
He knew where to go - just knew it.
And it wasn't like he could have refused - been there, done that. It hadn't been the funnest experience in the world, having your body hijacked and moved like a puppet on strings... Once was enough to get the point across.
So, Axel summoned a Dark Corridor and walked through it with a sigh. Better just to get it over with, whatever the guy wanted. Who the hell even knew at this point? None of what he'd ever thought was true...was true anymore. Not lately. Nobodies could regain Hearts? Recompletion? Xigbar was a Keyblade wielder? That Ventus kid he'd met ten odd years back was a Keyblade wielder, too? Xehanort wasn't some young genius scientist, but some old Keyblade wielder who snatched bodies, and had a whole grand plan for the Organization...? And there was something about time travel in there, too, for crying out loud!
The whole world had gone topsy-turvy - he was just living in it now, apparently!
He stepped out of the other end of the portal, into a barren world of dust, broken mountains, and rocky plateaus. But something to break up the scenery were all the strange cubes with green pulsing lights on them floating about - by the hundreds, even thousands. Several different strands of these cubes were extending out from the rest, reaching into the air to wind around each other, like intertwining vines overhead.
Axel spotted the others immediately - Demyx, Xaldin, Luxord, and Zexion. All of them were standing in a line.
"Guess I'm the last one here..." Axel murmured out, moving to stand with the others in the line. As soon as he did, he felt a thudding in his chest, and his body locked up! His mind started to fall away into the abyss of darkness, but he held on anyways - enough to notice Xehanort come walking out from behind a towering rock pillar. And the younger one, too (as crazy as that still was to believe).
The pair of Xehanorts came to stand before the former Organization members.
The main one stepped forward - that Keyblade of his appearing in a flash of light, held at his side. His golden eyes surveyed them all, moving from one face to the next. "Today would seem to be your lucky day," he began to speak. "as I find that I have no more need for any of you fools. As you are Nobodies, you will all be returned to your pitiful little lives, rather than facing a journey into the next world - so rejoice...and hope that we never cross paths again. This is a level of mercy I have afforded very few in my life before - and I will not be doing it again. It is more a matter of convenience for me than anything I do for you...and because I am confident that none of you will wish to see this face again."
Xehanort took another step forward. "However, in future, if any of you attempts to use your newfound humanity to interfere with my affairs, you will be cut down permanently and swiftly. Now: allow me to demonstrate...precisely how it will go for you, should you prove to be more foolish than even I could have imagined you people to be."
That Keyblade of his moved in the blink of an eye, cutting down Demyx with a slash of energy. Demyx was fading away before he even hit the dirt. Xehanort was immediately moving on to Xaldin; he thrust his Keyblade into Xaldin's chest and ripped it free again. Then, he was on to Luxord, with a quick horizontal slash to his neck. Zexion got the same slash, back in the other direction. Finally, the guy was right in front of Axel!
Axel tried to brace his mind for the whole impending death thing, but how could anybody ever do that?!
Almost at random, the memories of that last talk with Xikira came to the front of his mind again - all that "Recompletion" stuff she'd been blabbing on about. Seemed so confident about.
If it could possibly be tru-
As Namine and Roxas both leapt at Ardyn, the man waved an arm and batted them aside with a line of floating crystal weaponry.
The force of that simple, sweeping blow of his was so strong that it sent the pair of them flying off through a glass storefront, and crashing through two, thick metal shelves within - which fell on top of them as they landed in a tangled mess of limbs.
Lauriam, Elrena and Skuld closed in on Ardyn together; Lauriam running straight at him, Skuld leaping at him from above, her Keyblade shrouded in a massive energy beam, and Elrena darting around behind him while leaving two copies of herself behind.
Ardyn swirled his arsenal of weapons around himself, blocking and sending Lauriam flying backwards, blocking Skuld and throwing her back up into the air, and destroying Elrena's doppelgangers with single swirling slashes of blades and casting her aside - all simultaneously, and all effortlessly.
Aqua, Terra and Ventus charged at Ardyn together, next - Aqua going right, Terra, left, and Ven, leaping up high with a gust of wind magic.
Ardyn merely thrust out a hand, sending out a rippling wave of darkness that three of them away like a tidal wave.
The three armored warriors ragdolled down the street like broken toys: Terra was tossed high, coming down with a great crash onto a sleek and shiny car that looked really expensive; Ven crashed right on through a thick metal lamppost, breaking it in two and landing on his face (thank god for the helmet, Kairi thought); Aqua twisted in the air with a pink aura of magic around her, righting herself, and then she was lunging straight back for Ardyn with that pink magic surging out behind her like a rocket blast!
Ardyn raised an idle hand again, and a furious blast of blue lighting shot out toward Aqua, scorching the very air! Aqua did a barrel roll in mid-air and flew on past the lightning, slashing her Keyblade down at the man!
Ardyn ducked and twirled out of the way, laughing as he did. With a flash of blue, Noctis appeared behind him, twirling a lance and thrusting it forth. Ardyn vanished instantly, reappearing several feet to the left. He raised a hand, and powerful, concentrated pink energy took the form of a huge, curved scythe. He immediately turned and swung it for Aqua from several feet away. The curve of the weapon caught her around the waist, burning and causing pieces of her armor to fall to the ground, and Ardyn spun her around bodily and tossed her at the nearest building.
Aqua hit hard, the thick concrete shattering on impact behind her. She fell forward onto her knees, an armored hand grasping at her flank. Her helmet vanished in a flash of light, revealing an intense, pained expression. She was gasping with pain, wincing with each breath.
In an instant, Ardyn was there in front of her. He wasted not even a moment swinging a huge broadsword down for her neck, his expression twisted with malice.
Noctis appeared in a flash, right behind Ardyn, swinging his own sword for Ardyn's neck - already moving before he even got there - but, even then, he was going to be too late!
Kairi tried to get up again, tried to look for Sora, for Roxas and Namine, tried to...anything! But she couldn't have-
Suddenly an array of thin beams of blue ice magic slammed into Ardyn, freezing over parts of his body and sending him staggering to the side. He gasped, whirling, to see Gentiana- Shiva, hovering in the air before him. Several Shivas, actually!
"Ahhh, the Glacian...such a fondness for mankind you have!" Ardyn called out to her, straightening up and flexing his arm, shattering the ice around it with a pulse of dark energy. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to help your human pets destroy me for good, though...something you know better than anyone - don't you? You and the rest of your pack of so-called Gods."
Shiva and her copies flew toward Ardyn, swirling around him and causing a huge cyclone of icy winds to form in seconds. She flew up high, raising a hand, and dozens of ice spears formed over Ardyn's head - and were unleashed down onto him.
Ardyn screamed out as several of the weapons pierced his body, embedding themselves into the ground around him after passing through him.
He might have been immortal - but he could clearly still feel pain.
"kairi - hey - Cure!" the familiar, loved voice broke through the chaos of battle.
Green light shimmered around her, and Kairi gasped with relief as Sora's face filled her vision. She grabbed the hand he offered her and struggled back to her feet again. She reached up to rub the back of her head, giving it a shake. "Thanks, Sora," she said briefly, with a smile.
Sora nodded, giving a small grin in return. "Mm. Are you still up for this?"
Kairi opened her mouth - then hesitated. Stopped. She looked over to Ardyn, where he was batting away and weaving between all the various clones of Shiva - and sometimes, a teleporting Noctis, too.
She looked around at the city - that dark purple barrier enclosing the fighters now in an outright dome. Of course, the only fighters left were...the Keyblade wielders. All of Noctis's guards, soldiers, his "Glaives" they were all...gone.
Maybe...Aqua was right about this one...? Was it too much - too powerful? Too...
What difference had she made - had they made - against a man like this?
Immortal, obscenely powerful - and absolutely drowning in darkness.
Darkness was power, and all of this darkness was his power...
But what if they took it all away?
Would he be defeatable then?
She had used the trick before, on Riku, at Radiant Garden's castle - to clear his head and Heart, at least. Not necessarily to rob him of the dark powers he'd had at the time - but it still had done that, hadn't it? She remembered the aftermath of that fight, seeing Riku try and fail to call up the powers of the darkness to keep fighting them...
If they couldn't beat this man, this Ardyn, by fighting him directly...by strength or power alone...
"Kairi!" Sora was shaking her by the shoulder, worry still written on his face.
"I'm fine, Sora - come on! I think I know how we can beat him. Or at least weaken him enough to be beaten!" Kairi said firmly, turning and hurrying down the street toward the battle.
Sora followed her without question, his Keyblade in hand.
Kairi skidded to a halt, short of the fighting - and raised a hand to her chest, drawing a breath. She summoned her Keyblade to her free hand, held at her side. And she focused...inward...on her power, her Heart, her light...always there, always...
Aqua was leaping for Ardyn, slashing her Keyblade for him. Ardyn moved to block her with an almost bored look - and Aqua twisted in the air and went right over his head. She came down on the other side, a ghost of a smirk on her lips.
Ardyn turned to her, looking mildly confused. "And what do you look so pleased about? You missed me."
Aqua clenched a gauntlet of burning orange energy, and a dozen orange, magical mines appeared - and then exploded.
Shiva's doppelgangers all fired off beams of ice at Ardyn in that same moment, causing a huge mound of ice to form around the man.
"Terra - Ven - now!" Aqua called out.
Terra stepped forward, falling into an unfamiliar stance, his Keyblade held close to his body - the blade pointing backwards. Pink flower petals swirled around him - and then he blinked forward, leaving a streak of white energy in his wake through the very air, to reappear behind Ardyn.
The ice shattered, the air warped, and Ardyn, now freed, staggered away with a burning white wound on his flank.
Ven jumped out from behind a large truck, rolling right past Ardyn as he called out: "Wind!"
A massive, swirling cyclone of green, magical winds enveloped Ardyn immediately, picking up smaller vehicles and causing them to crash against the buildings around them. But Ardyn was lifted upward in a chaotic spiral, being smacked by debris as he went. When he reached the top, the vortex hurled him out and up higher into the air still - dozens of feet high.
Aqua, Terra, and Ven all raised their Keyblades, aiming at Ardyn from the ground below.
A few moments passed, and then they unleashed simultaneous barrages of attacks - their Shotlocks: Aqua sent out a stream of fast-moving orange and white projectiles that looked like meteors; Ven released a totally strange series of green, wispy particles that left dark bubbles behind; and Terra turned his Keyblade into a massive cannon held up on one shoulder, letting loose a huge beam of pure energy into the sky.
Terra's beam attack struck first, consuming Ardyn - then Aqua and Ven's stream of energy bolts began to disappear into the mix, hitting from all directions.
When it all cleared, their attacks dying away...Ardyn was hovering there in the air, surrounded by a dark purple energy dome that had scratches and cracks on it. Dark mist rose from his body, his breaths came in gasps. But he was still there - still very much alive and active.
He looked down on Aqua, Terra and Ven with a mixture of shock, rage, and pure confusion.
"Really now...what land do you hail from?!" he shouted out to them. "Such powers approach that of the Kings and Queens of Lucis themselves - and yet it is not..." Ardyn's barrier faded, and he teleported back down to the ground again. His array of weapons appeared around him - aimed forward. Poised to be sent flying at Aqua, Terra and Ven. "Who or what are you? Is this more gifts from the Gods? Hm?"
Aqua, Terra and Ven remained silent in the face of him, their weapons held in guard positions.
"Well, it doesn't matter, now does it?" Ardyn said slowly. "Whatever powers you were given, it's clearly not enough to defeat me. Nothing is. You struggle in vain, you know. I'll destroy you all, and then I will send this world into eternal darkness once more!"
"No!" Noctis declared, appearing before Ardyn with a flurry of blades. Ardyn reacted instantly, and a dozen blades locked with a dozen blades - a stalemate. Sparks flew between the pair. "I'm not letting that happen again!"
"Pity that it has to happen again," Ardyn retorted. "I don't know what you did to undo all of my work - the darkness cleared away, the people turned back to normal - even your beloved Lunafreya - but you won't be doing that again! This time, I'll make sure the darkness lasts longer than a mere two years!"
"That's never going to happen!" Noctis snarled.
"Oh, was it hard for you, Noct? To be alone those two years? Missing daddy dearest, and sweet Lunafreya - and all your little friends? With only the Demons for company?" Ardyn mocked. But his mocking suddenly turned more sinister, deeper. His face overtaken by a quivering rage. "You think two years is a long time?! It is nothing! I have lived in darkness FOR AGES!" Ardyn's voice was roaring, raving. But it wasn't even just rage, and hate. Kairi could hear it. See it, even in those eyes. It was pain - torment. It was...
"What do you mean?" Kairi spoke out, unclear why she had. She had to be focusing on drawing out her power! Not distracting herself.
Ardyn turned sharply, staring at her. Then he grinned widely. "Why not? Let's have it out, for ALL to hear! I've yet to properly introduce myself: I am Ardyn Lucis Caelum! And I was meant to be the first and founding King of Lucis - that is, until my dear brother, Somnus, betrayed me! He branded me a monster, murdered my beloved Aera in front of me, and cast me into 'exile'. Of course, his idea of exile was to seal me away in a tomb, with chains piercing my naked flesh. Then, he proclaimed himself the True King, and let time do its work, as the whole world forgot all about me. And after two thousand years, I must say...it's certainly worked out all right for him, hasn't it?! What a fabulous, thriving nation you have here: a fraudulent kingdom, headed by an unbroken line of kings and queens of an ill-begotten throne!"
"Are you saying you were locked up for...two thousand years? Tortured? All because someone wanted to steal your throne?" Kairi questioned, halting, still trying to focus. But her Heart was pulling her in another direction now...why?
"Yes...if there's a sorrier tale, I've not heard it. But don't weep for me, dear girl!" Ardyn spread his black-drizzled lips into a wide, manic smile. "I'm doing much better these days! I'm getting in two thousand years worth of fun in the sun - making up for all that lost time!"
Kairi looked to Noctis. "Is any of that true...?"
Noctis grimaced, straining against Ardyn's weapons. "He's told me the same story before, too. I believe it - but does it matter now?"
"DOES IT MATTER NOW?!" Ardyn raged. "IT IS ALL THAT HAS EVER MATTERED!"
Kairi stared at the man, seeing all the rawness of emotions on that face. His entire body was shaking with it, his fingers clawing at nothing as he raised a hand. She thought, she heard, she felt...and then she thought she suddenly understood what her Heart was telling her. She let worry, fear, anxiety, all of it fall away. She let her Keyblade vanish into thin air. She raised her now free hand to grasp the other, over her heart. She reached deep into the depths of herself, finding her light...drawing up its power in full now, in spades...
"What are you doing?" Noctis said.
"Yes, what is she doing?" Ardyn spoke huskily. "Ah well - she won't live long enough to do it, whatever it is!" He exploded with pink energy, blasting Noctis away, and turning to teleport to Kairi-
-and Noctis reappeared to intercept him again, stopping Ardyn only a few feet from reaching Kairi. Nearly within arm's reach.
Sora glanced at Kairi, indecision on his face. Then he gripped his weapon tight, and moved to stand in front of her with Noctis, raising his blade in his guard stance.
Kairi remained standing where she was, focusing on herself. A golden light began to shine from out of her body, casting out a warm wind. As her power grew, hotter and more intense, in the core of her chest...she gasped softly as she saw another light in the least expected place.
On Ardyn's arm, there was a glowing shroud of light magic...a light distinct from her own. Someone else's power - a mark, a trigger, or a trap left behind...? A light that while distinct, also felt familiar...Princess Luna's light...?
Aqua, Terra and Ven rushed Ardyn suddenly from behind, firing off barrages of fire, streams of ice, and a cascade of lavender energy spheres of pure magic.
Ardyn broke the bind with Noctis in that instant, sending Noctis's weapons flying up into the air. He lunged forward and seized Noctis by the throat, tackling him to the ground and pinning him there. He glanced up at Aqua, Terra and Ven, then raised a hand to conjure a dark barrier between them. Their attacks struck the barrier uselessly, causing the three to draw up short in surprise. A moment of hesitation.
But Ardyn suddenly had his own.
As he grappled with Noctis, suddenly he just stopped. He stared down at his own arm as he held it before himself. Confusion grew on his features. Then, fear and rage, as he began to growl like an animal, his free hand grasping the one now shining with light. He jumped to his feet, backing away from Noctis, his head whipping side to side, his fingers clawing into his own arm now, causing black ooze to well up and drip onto the streets.
And then Ardyn's head whipped around, looking at Kairi. He stretched out his arm to her, taking a staggering step forward, as if he couldn't even control his own body anymore...
Sora stepped forward to meet the man, his blade held higher, his face determined. He had to know it wouldn't end any other way than the way it had this whole battle so far...but he did it anyways. Did it for her. Just to possibly buy her time to do something - something he didn't even know what she was trying to do! But he did it, because he trusted her, because he believed in her, and because he-
Kairi unleashed her power in one blast, sending a huge beam of golden energy for the man. It washed over him, enveloping him completely and causing him to disappear from view. All she heard was the monstrous, reverberating screams. She held her attack, feeling herself already losing her energy, falling to exhaustion-
And then Sora was aiming his Keyblade forward - and a powerful, thin blast of light emerged from it, shooting out to strike Ardyn as well!
And then Ven did the same thing; he flipped his weapon around and took a step out from Terra and Aqua, and a golden light beam shot forth.
"Ven! What are you..." Aqua started, utterly confused.
Another golden blast flew in from behind Aqua and Terra, going right past them; Lauriam was there, gasping, his legs quivering, his body bloody and bruised, his hair a mess - but his Divine Rose Keyblade's end was glowing with light.
"The hell?" Elrena huffed out, grasping a lamppost for support, staring on with a scrunched face.
Skuld, beside her, gazed at the scene with a frown and a tilted head. Then, her features brimmed with resolve, and she held her Keyblade out and sent a beam of light to join the others. A golden glow surrounded her body, fluttering at her hair and clothing. Blue electricity crackled around her with mighty power!
Two more beams of light shot out from the side, suddenly, hitting Ardyn from the other side of the street. And there was Namine and Roxas both, weapons held in hands, aimed and glowing with energy!
Terra raised his Keyblade to do the same - and then, after a moment, so did Aqua.
Kairi held her powers as long as she could - until the exhaustion reached its peak, and she hit her limits. Her attack faded, and she fell forward onto hands and knees, the world spinning around her.
The light surrounding Ardyn grew and burst, casting blinding light in all directions - like a miniature sun, before slowly fading.
Kairi heaved a breath, clutching her chest, watching the beams of light from the others disappear, as they lowered their Keyblades.
Well, at least she hadn't...outright fainted this time...
But had it worked...? What she'd hoped to do? What she had done once before, for another person overwhelmed by darkness...? Her light, and Princess Luna's, and her friends together...had they...?
Kairi raised her head with all her strength, to look upon Ardyn.
Ardyn was down as well - flat on his back - a golden outline around his form. Swirling tendrils of darkness escaped him, evaporating into the sky. The light faded, too, leaving him...
Kairi climbed to her feet, stabbing her Keyblade straight into the street for support. She stumbled her way forward, approaching the man.
Sora didn't protest, didn't stop her - he walked with her, offering her his arm to lean on. To hold to.
Kairi accepted the help gratefully. When she was near enough to look down on Ardyn properly, she saw...he looked like a normal man again - not that twisted monster bursting at the seams with it all.
Ardyn groaned, opening his eyes and attempting to raise his head. He blinked slowly, raising a hand to his forehead. "Ahhh...what just...hit me?" His eyes found Kairi. "You? Was it you? You- you..." He trailed off, glancing down at himself. He sat up, raising his hands before his face. "What in the world did you do to me...?" he breathed out. "I feel...I feel..."
"Hopefully we purged you of all that- insane amount of darkness," Kairi informed him, breathless herself. "But what you do now, that's still going to be up to you-"
"Hold on just a moment!" Ardyn exclaimed, rising to his feet unsteadily.
Sora raised his weapon defensively to the man; Kairi did her best to raise hers, too, and do the same. It was hard to do while still clinging to Sora - with just one arm. Her whole arm trembled as she brought it up.
"Are you saying that you've just - what - cleansed me of my curse?" Ardyn spoke to Kairi, seeming to not even notice they'd raised their blades to him. He stepped forward, raising his hands in an almost pleading gesture. "That I'm no longer immortally damned? That I am finally...free from it all?"
"What're you saying - that the darkness made you immortal?" Sora gaped at the man.
"Yes...what are you saying...?" Ardyn said, drawing the words out.
"Yes, then, I suppose?" Kairi said cautiously. "I did get rid of it all - with a lot of help from Luna. Apparently she got there first; she tagged you with her light, and I just triggered it and...added to it. And then the others added to that, too."
Ardyn blinked at her. He stared, silently, for almost a full minute. Then- "Are you for real?"
"Yes."
Ardyn looked himself over again, touching a hand to his chest. His expression shifted several times in rapid succession. He held his hand out, palm up, staring - and nothing of note happened. His lips parted, his eye fluttered. "You- you really...did...didn't you? My Heart hasn't felt this light in two thousand years - the darkness, it's as if it truly has gone..."
"It is gone," Kairi confirmed softly. "I can barely sense any darkness in your Heart now."
"If this isn't a dream...I would royally love to believe you, dear girl..." The man gave a small laugh - nothing at all like the mad laughter of before. And then he fell back to the ground, landing flat on his backside. He sat there, put his hands over his face, and kept on laughing.
"What are you talking about?" Noctis spoke, coming to stand before Ardyn, gazing down on the man with an inscrutable look. "What curse? How could the darkness have made you immortal?"
Ardyn's hand fell away. He looked up at Noctis. Not with rage, or spite, nothing like that anymore. It was just...a weary, tired, and sad face. He sat up again, bracing on an arm very casually. "Ah...I never did get to that part of the story, did I? But why should I tell you - any of you? What would it matter now? Does any of it matter...?" He trailed off, his head dropping to his chest. He brought his arms in, shaking his head.
Kairi let Sora's arm go, shaking as she let herself fall to her knees more than actually...gracefully descend. She gazed at the man before her, and let her weapon disappear again. "It sounds to me like it does. Why don't you tell us?" she said quietly. "It might feel good to get it off your chest - after so long?"
Ardyn looked up at her, his lips parting. He stared at her for almost a full minute, like a human statue. Then- "To hell with it..." he uttered faintly. His shoulders fell, and he set his hands in his lap, looking rather morose. "Some thirty years ago, when I led the Infernian on an attack on this city - on the dearly departed King Regis - I was stopped from ultimately taking his life by the Almighty Astral, Bahamut. My vengeance was denied...and the reason given for it..." He looked to Noctis, with traces of bitterness and that hate again now. "I was told that it was my destiny to 'spread darkness' through the lands. That I was not to be the world's savior - but its sacrificial lamb! That I lived...only to die at the hands of the Chosen King. My existence, my immortality, all of it was just...a means to an end. To your ascension, Noct, and to the end of the Starscourge."
Noctis slowly lowered himself to one knee, looking Ardyn in the eyes. "How do you know that? What makes you think it's-"
"Because Bahamut himself told it all to me," Ardyn muttered, looking straight back at Noctis. Steady, even if tired and defeated. "'Thout shall be his sacrifice - the limitless shadow that ushers in the light.' I believe those were his precise words. He told me that I would find my reprieve from suffering at last, in death - and my revenge, as the Lucis line would come to an end on that same day."
"What?" Noctis gasped. "What do you-"
"He granted me flashes - visions of the end we would share together," Ardyn spoke on. "When you were to summon the power of the True King, you would sacrifice your own life alongside my own...ending the both of us together." On seeing the looks on their faces, he gave a great laugh. "Though if it's true what Lunafreya and this girl have done to me, I suppose we've all thrown a real spanner in old Bahamut's plans, haven't we? If I'm not to sacrifice my life, then neither are you. Neither of us must meet our ends as the Gods ordained...that must be such a relief for you..."
Noctis was speechless, rearing back. Turning away. He raised a hand, fist clenching...then he let it fall. "That can't- possibly be-"
"I'm afraid it's true, Noct..." came an unexpected voice.
They all turned to see Noctis's friend and attendant, Ignis, standing there. The other two young men were hanging back, guarding and tending to an unconscious Luna.
"Ignis...?" Noctis breathed. "H-how could you-"
"Do you remember...when I suggested we should end our journey?" Ignis spoke, pained and ashamed. "I suggested it because I knew the fate that awaited you...and I didn't wish for it to happen. I used the power of the Ring, and it granted me, too, flashes of insight into the future of our world. Into your future. What I saw...what I learned..."
"Ah...so that's why you fought so hard that day, against me - were willing to go so far..." Ardyn said, his voice subdued.
"Indeed," Ignis said simply. "I hope, in time, you'll come to forgive me, My King..." he addressed Noctis.
Noctis stood up, stepped forward, and put a hand on Ignis's shoulder. "There's nothing to forgive," he said firmly, heartfelt, eyes glistening. "Don't worry about it - ever. Alright?"
Ignis nodded. "Y-yes...of course."
"Well...that's all...well and good for you..." Ardyn began, groaning as he climbed to his feet. He wobbled on the spot, throwing out a hand for balance. "I, on the other hand...find myself less than willing to forgive two thousand years of suffering and darkness. An orchestrated life - and death. In my lowest points, I wondered whether my brother, and even my Aera, knew about this. That I would be a sacrifice, that my life, that the past two thousand years...that that betrayal, the rejection of the Crystal, the stealing of the throne...at behest of the Gods."
An icy wind and snowflakes swirled next to Ignis, as Shiva came floating forward - hovering beside him. Her purple eyes lingered on Ardyn. "I knew not of Bahamut's plans for our world - nor for the lives of the humans that inhabit it," she spoke, in soft, ethereal tones.
Ardyn gazed back at her, unafraid, and hard. "Is that so? Why do I find that hard to believe?"
Shiva's eyes narrowed - then, she relaxed again. "I speak only the truth, Adagium."
"What a neat and tidy title for your little sacrifice," Ardyn spat out at her. "But this man has a name - I'd really rather you used it! Or is that too hard for you? I know it makes it more difficult to puppeteer a man's life if you can't depersonalize him..."
"Ardyn Lucis Caelum," Shiva spoke slowly - acknowledging. "I did not know Bahamut's will - but now that I do know, I find myself opposed to it. Humans have suffered, all, enough - under darkness, and under-"
She was interrupted by a massive eruption of light in the sky - an explosion that parted the clouds and caused the entire world to shake.
Everyone looked up, as from out of the light came a distant figure. A figure that grew and grew as it descended upon the city - revealing how massive it truly was! A towering giant, clad in golden, extravagant armor, with horns, twin, red banners as capes hanging from its waist, and a long, armored dragon-like tail. They had four giant wings of gold and black behind them, spread wide...which looked to be composed of over a dozen, massive swords.
"W-what is that?!" Sora exclaimed, horrified.
"Bahamut," Ardyn spoke, in seething tones.
"Um, A-Aqua, what do we do?" Ven started, glancing over at her.
"Now you want to listen to me?" Aqua said tightly, rounding on him in disbelief. But her face was pale, and just as full of fear and doubt as Ventus's was.
Shiva suddenly floated upward, above them, her head tilted back - her eyes on the giant golden figure above even her. Above the entire city. "Bahamut - are the words of Ardyn Lucis Caelum true? Was all of this by your will?"
"Verily."
That was the lone, single reply, in a deep, powerful male voice that echoed across the city, and within the heads of everyone at once.
"The Frostbearer aligns herself with these interlopers. Those who would interfere in this world's destiny."
"No!" Kairi shouted up at the- God? Astral? Monster? "A destiny made and controlled by a single person isn't a real destiny at all - it's manipulation and oppression! It's cruel and wrong! And using people as pawns like this...that makes it something worth fighting against!"
Bahamut's head inclined visibly - and large (strangely pretty?) eyes found Kairi alone. She fought not to tremble under the weight of that gaze. "Very well. If thoust mortals would challenge thy authority over this world, let the lesson Adagium learned...be learned now by ALL mortals."
Bahamut's massive sword wings began swirling around him, light and energy crackling off his body...and then those huge swords came flying down toward them all in an instant.
"LUXU HELP!" Namine's voice suddenly screamed out in that moment, terrified. That instant before-
A massive, glowing golden dome of magical crystal suddenly flashed into existence over their heads - spreading out in all directions, over the tops of skyscrapers, reaching out beyond any line of sight. The surface of the transparent, massive barrier dome was filled with shifting circular rings, full of numbers and letters and other symbols. Circles within circles, symbols ringing symbols. A great canvas of...something.
The dozen giant's swords slammed down into the barrier from above - and stopped, with resounding booms across the world. They embedded themselves into the barrier, still. Harmless.
The circles of magic on the barrier's surface began to spin faster, suddenly, and hundreds of beams of pure white energy shot up into the skies - toward Bahamut!
Bahamut's swords vanished, reappearing in front of him, shielding him from the assault - but Kairi watched as he was forced backwards up higher into the air, his tail thrashing, his voice echoing out in either pain of frustration. Kairi hoped it was pain.
A small, golden pillar of light flashed in front of them all, revealing a familiar figure.
A dark-haired young man, wearing a simple shirt and pants, and a pair of boots. Nothing out of the ordinary - nothing anyone could ever think was special. In fact, they might even think he looked odd, to be here among this kind of chaos, and all these others in such varied and more colorful outfits...
Except that he was anything but what he appeared to be, Kairi knew.
Keyblade Master Luxu surveyed the area in an instant - his eyes finding them all, traveling from one to the next. Before finally landing on Namine and Roxas.
On sight of the man, Namine's face lit up - with triumph and glee as much as affection. "It worked!" she exclaimed, giving an outright hop out onto the streets, pumping her fists high. "I knew you'd-"
Luxu raised a hand in Namine's direction, and a swirling portal of golds and blues appeared directly behind her and Roxas. His fingers splayed in a sharp, snap motion, and then a stream of swirling blue particles and an accompanying wind funnel swept out to wash over Namine and Roxas. The pair were lifted off their feet and blown back into the portal in a second. It closed instantly behind them.
Luxu swung his arm out in almost an absent gesture, and a green light swirled around Kairi - and Sora, and all the others present.
Kairi felt instantly rejuvenated - in body and in magic. She jumped to her feet again immediately.
Luxu looked at her. At Sora, too. "Go home," he said, hard.
"We're not-" Kairi started.
A massive series of booms echoed out again, as Bahamut's blades slashed down onto the barrier - to little noticeable effect. Little, because a showering of crystal fragments did fall down onto the entire city like snow - or hail, really. The circles on the barrier swirled faster again, and a barrage of blasts shot out once more, sending Bahamut back into the sky again. But it didn't stop there, this time: the energy blasts became huge, twisting serpents that surrounded and sought after Bahamut, forcing him to shoot off to the side and begin evasive maneuvers.
"Sorry, who-" Noctis spoke suddenly, his eyes on Luxu.
"It's Luxu," came the short reply. "I guess we haven't seen each other since Traverse Town, have we?" Even as he spoke, he casually raised a hand in Kairi's direction - and despite her efforts to instantly brace herself...it was useless.
The winds swept her and Sora up together, blue particles swirling around them, and they were hurled back into a Light Portal!
Kairi hit solid ground, rolling. She gasped, pushing with weak arms - already starting to feel herself slipping into drowsiness.
She had a half second to realize she was on the beach of the play island back home before she succumbed to Luxu's magic completely.
In the aftermath of Luxu's actions, Aqua stared at the man for a long moment, her expression mired in conflict.
"No 'thank you?'" Luxu said, offhand.
Aqua glowered fully now. But- "Can I assume you have some sort of plan?"
"Good one - I love the double meaning in that phrasing," Luxu replied. "That's clever-"
"Shut up. Do something useful," Aqua bit out.
Luxu stared at her. He gestured vaguely upward.
"Right..." Even Aqua had no choice but to concede on that one.
But only that.
"My plan...is to keep this simple and sweet," Luxu spoke. "We take this fight to the sky - keep the people of the world safe - and we fight. Keep on the move, don't get in reach of those swords. Try to keep him occupied and off-balance; don't give him room to attack us. Even a single, solid blow is likely to be a fatal one."
"Agreed," Aqua stated, drawing out the syllables, as if every fiber of her being disagreed while still attempting to get the word out.
"Great," Luxu nodded to her. He summoned the No Name Keyblade to his side, turning his gaze skyward. "Now let's get up there and kill a god."