- Chapter 18 -

Saved from the Dark

Author's Note:

I see no one has managed to guess Sï'Lea's name yet. Here's another hint: it's Walt Disney's middle name.

...Okay, that was a pretty big hint, but whatever. I'll list the answers, and those who got them right, when the answer comes in.

World That Never Was, The Castle

Master Xehanort was once again seated on his throne in Where Nothing Gathers, waiting to hear of any news since Sora's team left Radiant Garden. He was well aware of Maleficent's faction, but as far as he was concerned, the dark witch was no threat to his plans; if anything, he was amused by her efforts.

At that moment, a dark corridor opened, and out stepped a tall man dressed in a black coat, the hood pulled up and shrouding his face from view. As he did before, Xehanort floated down from the throne and stood before the other figure.

"Sora and his allies have entered the dark realm," the man said, his voice a dull, zombie-like monotone. "They're most likely retrieving Aqua as we speak."

Xehanort smirked. "Excellent," he said. "And from there, it's just a matter of time before Ventus is revived. All according to plan."

The man just nodded, while Xehanort looked up to the high ceiling.

Yen Sid, you old fool, he thought to himself. Even when you plot against me, you further my plans.

As he thought this, another sinister plan crossed Xehanort's mind: a perfect way to capture Sï'Lea's apprentice.

Realm of Darkness, Dark Margin

The group exited the dark corridor and found themselves on the Dark Margin.

"Huh," said Lea. "Right on target. I thought it might have been a little off course."

Hikari looked around the beach. "Y'know, for being located in the Realm of Darkness, this place is actually pretty tranquil."

"Sure as heck surprised me when I reached it," West admitted.

"Okay, we're not here to sight-see," Sï'Lea cut in sharply. "We're here to find Aqua and bring her home."

"And Ansem the Wise," Nixe added.

The group made their way across the beach, and it wasn't long before they spotted two figures at the shoreline, one a blue-haired girl seated on the sand, and the other a tall blonde man leaning on a rock. Sï'Lea hesitated for one-eighteenth of a second before dashing across the sand towards the blunette, who promptly turned at the sound of her footsteps.

"Aqua!" Sï'Lea shouted excitedly. "It's you! We found you!"

"Sï'Lea?" Aqua said in surprise as she stood up just in time for Sï'Lea to catch her in a tight hug that nearly knocked her flat on her behind. After a moment, Aqua smiled and returned the embrace, tears of joy trickling down her cheeks. The blonde man, Ansem the Wise, just sat there calmly as the others reached them, and looked at Sora.

"Sora," he said calmly. "I knew you would come eventually." Sora smiled at him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said. Mickey walked up to Ansem.

"It's good to see you, Ansem," the mouse king said. "So... are you gonna make me ask?"

Ansem gave a small smile. "When the Encoder exploded, it sent me here rather than destroying me. I'm not so sure how it happened myself."

Sï'Lea and Aqua finally pulled away from their hug, and Aqua turned to Sora, Riku, and Kairi. It took a minute, but she recognized the three teenagers as the three cute little kids she had met so long ago. She walked over to them and smiled.

"Last time I saw you three, you were only this big," she said, holding a hand to her thigh.

Sora nodded. "Yeah, I remember you. You came to the Destiny Islands when I was only four. I still remember the promise I made to you to keep Riku safe."

Aqua smiled before turning to Kairi. "If I remember right, though, Kairi is from a different world than you two. I met her in Radiant Garden."

Kairi tilted her head in thought for a moment, and then replied, "Sorry, I don't really remember much about my life in Radiant Garden. I lost my memories of everything but my name when I arrived on the islands, and I can still only remember bits and pieces."

Aqua nodded, and then looked at Kairi's necklace. "So my spell worked."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Spell?" Aqua gently touched Kairi's pendant.

"When I first met Kairi, I had to save her from a group of monsters called Unversed. After it was over, I sensed her pure light and cast a protection spell on her by this pendant."

Kairi's eyes widened as some of her memory came back, recalling that very event.

"I remember!" she exclaimed. "You said that the spell would my light to the light of another when I was in danger. Someone to keep me safe."

Aqua giggled at that and looked at Sora. "It worked, all right." Sora and Kairi both turned red at that, before Aqua noticed West and turned to her. "Good to see you're safe, West. When that dark corridor swallowed you up, I couldn't help but assume the worst."

West smiled. "Actually, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I got out of the dark realm because of it."

Nixe stepped in at that moment. "So, you're Master Aqua?" she asked. "I'm Nixe. Sï'Lea's my Master."

Aqua gave her a smile. "You couldn't have a better person to have as your Master, Nixe."

Sï'Lea chuckled. "Aw, c'mon, Aqua. You're gonna make me blush."

Max cut in at that moment. "I hate to interrupt the moment, but Sora, now that we've found Aqua and Ansem, let's use that Lux thing Master Yen Sid gave you and ditch this creepy place."

"Yeah," Donald said. "Let's go already."

Sora nodded and withdrew the Lux from his pocket. He held it up high, and as if in response, the Lux glowed with a bright light, and a door-shaped portal of light appeared before them.

A look of relief crossed Aqua's face. "Light... I don't believe it."

"Come," Ansem said, standing up and walking to the Door to Light. "It's high time we leave this infernal place."

"After you," Goofy said.

As they all entered the Door to Light, the group failed to notice a tall, muscular man dressed in a black coat with the hood down, standing a safe distance away. He had amber-orange eyes, lightly tanned skin, and long, messy silver hair that reached to about his mid-back, some of it falling over his shoulders.

Xemnas gave a malevolent smile and subsequently vanished into a corridor of darkness just as the Door to Light did the same.

Mysterious Tower

The group exited the Door to Light to find themselves within Yen Sid's room once more. Aqua smiled as she looked upon the familiar room.

"It's so good to be back," she said. Yen Sid, seated at his desk, smiled.

"It has been a long time, Aqua," he said. Aqua turned to Yen Sid and bowed respectfully.

"Hello, Master Yen Sid," she said, as Yen Sid turned to Ansem.

"And you must be Ansem the Wise," he said. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Ansem just nodded.

"As much as we're glad we saved you, Aqua, there's another reason we pulled you out of the dark realm," said Mickey. "Where did you hide Ven's body?"

Aqua looked at him. "What does it matter, Mickey?" she asked, a tone of sadness in her voice. "Ven lost his heart over a decade ago, remember? There's no telling where it is now."

"That's not exactly true," Hikari said. "We did find his heart."

Aqua looked at her, surprised. "You did?" she asked. "Where is it?!"

Sora cleared his throat and tapped one finger on his chest. Aqua gasped at that.

"Ven's heart is in you?" she said. Sora nodded, and explained how he had encountered and accepted Ven's heart into his own as a young child.

"Now that that's settled, can you tell us where you hid Ven?" Riku asked. Aqua nodded.

"Ven is hidden in the Chamber of Waking," she said. "Deep within Castle Oblivion."

Riku looked at her, confused. "Sora and I have been in that place and searched it top to bottom," he said. "We never found any Chamber of Waking."

Aqua gave a small smile. "That's because only I can find it," she said. "I created Castle Oblivion."

Sï'Lea looked at her. "You made an entire world?" she asked. "How?"

Aqua looked at her old friend solemnly. "Xehanort destroyed the Land of Departure twelve years ago," she explained. "I used Master Eraqus' Keyblade to remake it into Castle Oblivion so Ven would be safe."

Sï'Lea had a sad look on her face. "Wow. I really have been gone a long time."

"Before we do that, we should go back to Radiant Garden," Ansem cut in. "I believe that I have something that belongs to you in my old lab, Aqua."

Aqua looked at the older man. "You do?"

Ansem nodded. "When my apprentices and I first found Xehanort twelve years ago, we also found a suit of armor and a Keyblade laying next to him," He looked over Aqua, noting her boots and the armor plating on her sleeves. "Judging by the design of the armor you're currently wearing, they belong to you."

Aqua smiled. "Well, let's go then."

"We'll bring you up to speed on everything on the ship, Aqua," said Riku.

The

Aqua sat there on one of the couches, a shocked expression on her face after Sora and the others brought her up to speed on everything that Xehanort and his incarnations had done in the past twelve years.

"I know this is a lot to deal with, Aqua, but you have the right to know what's been happening," Mickey said.

After a moment or two of silence, Aqua simply remarked, "It's all my fault."

Everyone turned to look at her in shock. "Gawrsh, Aqua," said Goofy. "What do you mean?"

Aqua drew a shuddering breath. "Twelve years ago, I fought Xehanort in Radiant Garden, after his heart possessed Terra's body. He stabbed himself in the chest with his Keyblade, and I dove in after him when he sank into darkness. I couldn't get us both out, so I sacrificed my armor and Keyblade to save Terra's body."

Ansem looked at her. "And that's when I found him in the plaza."

Aqua looked at everyone. "I'm so sorry, everyone," she said sadly. "Everything that's happened to you over the years, the fall of Radiant Garden, Xehanort's Heartless possessing Riku, it all happened because I let Xehanort get away."

Hikari shook her head. "No," she said. "You didn't do anything, Aqua. Xehanort is responsible for this mess, not you."

Sï'Lea nodded in agreement. "She's right, Aqua. You had no way of knowing that all this would happen. It's not your fault."

Sora nodded. "What's done is done," he said. "All that matters now is stopping Xehanort."

Aqua hesitated, then nodded. "You're right," she said.

Radiant Garden, The Castle

The Highwind touched down just outside of the castle gates, with the group disembarking. They didn't have to wait long before Dilan and Aeleus approached.

"Back so soon?" Aeleus said.

"Yeah, we had to drop someone off," Sora said, stepping aside to reveal Ansem the Wise. Both Aeleus and Dilan gasped in shock.

"Master Ansem!" Dilan said in surprise as they both bowed. "Please forgive us for-" Ansem raised a hand to silence them.

"I know you all weren't yourselves. You have no need to apologize," he said. At that point, Dilan and Aeleus noticed Aqua.

"Who is that?" Aeleus asked. Sï'Lea put an arm around Aqua.

"This is my good pal, Aqua," she said. "We found both her and Ansem trapped in the Realm of Darkness."

"And that armor and Keyblade we found with Xehanort years ago belongs to her," said Ansem. "They came back to drop me off and retrieve Aqua's property."

Dilan nodded. "Yes, of course. Right this way."

They opened the door and entered the castle, Ansem leading them to his study, where the members of the Restoration Committee were, along with Kyra, Rusty, and three new figures.

Two of them were dressed in white lab coats, one being an older man with long platinum blonde hair and green eyes, and the other a young man with blue eyes and silver hair that fell over his right eye. Sora and Riku both recognized them as Vexen and Zexion of Organization XIII, or more specifically, their Somebodies, Even and Ienzo (1).

The third person was a young man around Leon's age, if not a little older, with somewhat messy neck-length black hair, green eyes, and a scar on his face that stretched from above his right eyebrow to the bottom of his right cheek. Around his neck was a slightly tattered green scarf, and he wore silver armor on his chest, along with metal gauntlets the same color and tan shin guards. He wore a black undershirt and matching pants, with red straps across them similar to the design of Sora's pants, and black shoes. Strapped to his back was a katana, the blade slightly wider than normal. For some reason, the scarred man seemed... familiar to Kairi.

They all looked up at the group's entry, and gasped at the sight of Ansem. Even and Ienzo opened their mouths to apologize, but Ansem raised a hand and smiled, showing that all was forgiven. The scarred man approached Sora.

"You must be Sora," he said, holding out a hand. "My name's Sasuke Kazekiri. I've heard a lot about you from Squall."

Leon rubbed his eyes in annoyance. "For the last time, Sasuke, it's Leon!"

"Why do you keep insisting on this?" Rinoa asked. Leon just looked at her before deciding to change the subject.

"Sasuke was a soldier-in-training with Leon, Cloud, and Lightning back in the day," Yuffie explained. "He came back to us a little bit after Diablo attacked."

Riku looked at them. "Who's Lightning?"

"Lightning Farron," Leon replied. "Pink-haired girl, kind of an emotional tightwad, but nice when you got to know her."

"Either way, she was scary when you got her mad," Lea added. "I still have bruises from when I used to flirt with her and her sister Serah when we were kids." The others looked at him.

"I really hope that wasn't at the same time," Nixe said flatly. At that moment, Aqua stepped forward.

"We haven't met, but my name is Aqua," she said. "The armor and Keyblade that Ansem and his apprentices found next to Xehanort twelve years ago belongs to me. Part of the reason we came here is to retrieve it."

Even nodded. "They're sealed within the Chamber of Repose under the castle."

Ansem nodded. "Please follow me."

With that, he entered his old computer room with Sora's group in tow, Sora and his friends oblivious to the thoughtful look Sasuke gave Kairi as they left.

There's no mistaking it, he thought. She's Master Kaname's daughter. Thank goodness she's alive.

At that very moment, a corridor of darkness opened in the middle of the room, shocking everyone. From it stepped Zephyr and Tiger (2).

"Who are you?" Sasuke demanded, unsheathing his sword, christened Moon Cutter. Zephyr looked at him calmly, while Kyra and Rusty looked at Zephyr with interest.

"Buddy, put that sword away. I'm not here to fight," he said, before turning to the others. "My name's Zephyr. I'm an ally of Sora."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Leon asked.

"Because I'm the one who brought West to him in the first place," Zephyr replied, before going on to explain to them who he was and the order he belonged to.

"So what brings you here?" Aerith asked. Zephyr looked grim.

"I came to warn Sora," he said. "We have reason to believe that there's a traitor in my Order."

The World That Never Was, The Castle

Master Xehanort looked at the figure that stood before him, Ansem and Xemnas at his side.

The figure in question was a tall, powerfully built man in his mid-twenties with dark brown hair and matching eyes. He was dressed all in black, with black pants, boots, and a black coat with no undershirt, leaving his chest exposed. It was Kuro (3), the aforementioned traitor to the Order of Light.

Xehanort stroked his beard. "Tell me," he said, "why do you betray your Order?"

Kuro looked at him. "It's better to be at the right hand of the devil than in his path," he replied. "Besides, I'm sick of having to play second fiddle to that punk kid Zephyr."

Xehanort nodded. "Very well. Xemnas, commence the branding."

Xemnas obediently spread his hands, and in a red flash, his Ethereal Blades manifested. He walked over to Kuro, who realized what was about to happen and removed his coat.

"As your flesh bears the sigil..."

As Xemnas said that, his Ethereal Blade dug into the spot on Kuro's upper chest where the ball-and-socket joint began, searing down diagonally across his torso from his right shoulder to his left hip.

"...so your name shall be known as that..."

Kuro clenched his teeth and let out several pained growls as Xemnas raised his other blade and repeated the scarring from his left shoulder to his right hip, the two scars meeting in the center to form a perfect "X."

"...of a recusant."

Kuro panted as the pain faded away, blood slowly seeping from the scars on his torso. All the same, he grinned wickedly.

He was part of something far greater, the beginning of a new world.

Author's Note:

(1): Again, I know that Sora hasn't met Zexion, but he did fight his Absent Silhouette.

(2): Zephyr and Tiger are named for narrative purposes, 'cause it's not really necessary to keep describing them in every chapter they appear.

(3): Japanese for "darkness," if I'm not mistaken.

The character of Sasuke Kazekiri is the property of YamiChaos27, used with his permission. I own Kuro.

Also, I most likely don't have to say this, but Lightning Farron, mentioned by Yuffie and Leon, is from the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. The idea of Lea flirting with her, and her being a soldier-in-training alongside Cloud and Leon, is borrowed from PrismRain13.

The idea of Xemnas scarring the Recusant's Sigil into Kuro's chest was inspired by a one-shot fic I found, aptly titled The Recusant's Sigil. Yeah, that scene kinda creeped me out... and I wrote it!

Now, for more mental VAs (once again, just friendly suggestions):

* Leanne - Monica Rial (Yukari Sendo from Rosario + Vampire, Maki the Conch from My Bride is a Mermaid, Sakura from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle)

* Kuro - Patrick Seitz (Ragna the Bloodedge from BlazBlue, Keith Shardis from Attack on Titan, Ira Gamagoori from Kill la Kill)

* Sasuke Kazekiri - Johnny Yong Bosch (Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach, Vash the Stampede from Trigun, Lelouch Lamperouge from Code Geass)

Please R&R. Until next time...