Chapter 50: Struggle Against the Dark Army
The sounds of multiple blades clashing clamored throughout the vicinity. Stary animals ran in fear for their lives; even mighty predators shrunk to a measly gopher from the calamity. The ground was mutilated with the heavy footsteps of the two factions.
Despite the Heartless' preternatural abilities, the Shepherds displayed stone-cold resilience among the arid sandstorm of war. Although the creatures of the shadows had incredible power, they lacked the experience and training that breathed through every cell of the Shepherds. Instinct means nothing when it has no room to flourish.
The Shepherds have trudged through many battles, being imprinted with the scars of experience. From there, they would continue to hone their skills and learn from the past, preventing those scars from ever reopening. They wouldn't give these abhorrent creatures the satisfaction of a swift victory.
Soldiers on horses, carrying lances, charged straight for a group of Heartless; they, too, were on horseback, wielding the same weapons. It was a jousting match that forwent the sport; the only reward was leaving with your life. The soldiers rammed their lances into the Heartless, knocking some of them off the dark horses.
After one hit the ground, it met a grueling end from the polished blade of a knight. Looking over his shoulder, the knight saw a Heartless thrusting a sphere at him. Fortunately, the warrior blocked the tip with his shield; then, he retaliated with a downward slash, cutting off the tip like a feeble twig. He used his shield to knock the Heartless onto the ground.
An archer Heartless appeared behind its fallen ally, loading an arrow onto the bow; the string trembled with excitement to release as the Heartless pulled it backwards. It then leaped into the air, firing the arrow, which the knight deflected just in time. Upon landing behind the knight, the archer Heartless prepared another arrow, but was slammed into the ground by Vaike's axe.
Vaike grinned with pride as he stared down at the Heartless stuck to his axe like gum. "Aw, how cute. We gotta little showoff in the crowd. Let me show you how ol' teach does it. With style!"
He spun his axe around as if preparing a hammer throw. At the proper angle, he released the Heartless from his axe's sharp fang, and the creature crashed into some of its brethren. Vaike's smile widened; his teeth radiated with so much arrogance that it could blind the entire area in a burning white light.
A Soldier Heartless leaped straight for him; he held up his axe, deflecting the incoming claw attack, and then pushed it back onto the ground. Vaike stomped the Soldier's lower leg, forcing the creature to clutch it in pain. This gave him the chance to cut the Heartless in half with one full swing.
A Shadow crawled right towards Vaike, who swung downward, but it merged into the ground, and appeared right behind him. The Heartless slashed at the back of his lower leg, making him kneel over from the pain.
"Puny little insect!" Vaike said with a hiss. "Cheap tricks like that are only gonna add more fractures when I get a hold of you. Wait, do you even have bones?"
Another Heartless wielding a sword tried striking; Vaike held his axe straight up with one hand to catch the strike. Next, he delivered a punch to the creature's face, stood up, rammed the axe's head into the Heartless' stomach, and tossed it over his shoulder, making it land on top of the Shadow. Vaike finished the two off with an enraged strike, despising the notion of being humiliated by the creatures.
Looking upward, Vaike saw a Wyvern Heartless charge right for him, claws prepared to sink into his skin like a murderous knife. Right before the Wyvern could attack, its wing was struck by an arrow; the Heartless came to a halt, screeching as the receptors released agonizing wails throughout its body.
Vaike turned to see Virion preparing another bow for his arrow; he brandished a smug expression that would match Vaike's in a competition of who could pump more air into their already inflated heads.
"Hey!" Vaike said, displeased. "Didn't need help! Was inches away from clipping its wings!"
Virion raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "With those barbaric flails you call attacks? Afraid that would yield nothing but mild amusement for our unusual visitors."
With incredible speed and precision, Virion placed more arrows in the Wyvern's wings, as if it were being assaulted by irate wasps. Eventually, the Heartless could not sustain altitude, and ended up crashing like an airplane, sliding across the ground on its stomach. As the Wyvern slid, Virion leaped onto its back, firing more arrows at Heartless in every which direction. Each arrow hit their mark without error.
Sure, Virion was giving a ravishing performance…to himself, but he did have the skill woven into that silk, golden robe of confidence. He believed it was warranted. After hopping off the Wyvern, he fired another arrow into a Shadow that leaped at him. Turning to his right, he saw an Archer Heartless launch its own arrow at him. He jerked his head left to avoid it, and countered with his own arrow, knocking the Heartless over.
Another Heartless leaped for him. He had no time to load another arrow, and knocked it over with his bow. Then, he finished it off with an arrow to the chest. Virion seemed untouchable. But a dark cloud of karma covered the shining spot of arrogance. A Soldier Heartless slashed right across his cheek. Virion winced as fresh blood dropped onto his immaculate clothes like horrid ink.
The Soldier Heartless attacked again, but Vaike grabbed it by the neck, slammed it into the ground, and finished it off with a powerful strike. Another Heartless tried attacking Vaike; Virion was quick to recover and knocked it away with an arrow. More Heartless surrounded the two. A fissure formed on their overconfident shells; if struck, it would collapse into paled, lifeless pieces.
Throwing your life away over something frivolous would leave a splinter in your legacy forever.
"Guess it's time we give these guys a wake-up call," Vaike said, cracking his knuckles. "They're gonna wish we went easy on them."
Virion smirked. "I concur. We can partake in menial competitions where I humiliate you another time."
"The plight of a wishful thinker," Vaike said with a laugh. "Forever doomed to believe his own lies."
The two lunged into battle once more.
Focusing on the energy from within, a mage summoned a large sphere of fire, pulsating with an insurmountable amount of intensity; the flame's orange coat reflected off its wielder's eyes, sharing the same passion to fight. He then launched the spell at a Blue Space Pirate, which jerked its head right to dodge. Opening its mouth, the Heartless countered with a ball of ice, which left a trail of freezing air behind in its wake.
The mage held both hands forward, as if about to push the attack back like a ball. Another sphere of fire materialized from the palm of his hands, and it neutralized the ice spell upon contact; it melted into water, and fell onto the ground, providing nutrients for the dry dirt. A Yellow Space Pirate flew in front of its comrade, unleashing a lightning spell. The mage leaped back, dodging the spell just in time, feeling the static awakening his sleeping hairs.
Soon, a Red Space Pirate joined the fight; the three launched their spell simultaneously, conflating into an incoherent whirlwind of reds, blues, and yellows. The mage would not have enough time to defend himself; it flew towards him with the speed of a missile, which would explode into a mushroom cloud of various deadly colors.
A sage leaped in front of her ally, creating a dome of light, protecting them from the incoming attack. Once it died down, the sage converted the dome into a small orb within her hands; upon unleashing the orb, it transformed into an intense golden ray, which blinded the flying Heartless. This gave a Pegasus Knights a chance to fly in, slashing through the defenseless creatures with ease.
One knight named Cordelia, a woman with long red hair, thrusted her lance through a Blue Space Pirate's chest, making it screech in pain; she felt its freezing breath skate across her skin. Such unusual creatures, she thought. But she wasn't intimated by them; showing signs of fear was like an act of surrender. To show your inferiority towards the enemy. And she would never become a sprain that weakened the Shepherds' ankle.
Cordelia saw another Space Pirate rising from the left, and she threw the blue one into its ally; the two fell into the massive patch of colliding bodies below, landing on their brethren. A Wyvern rammed into Cordelia's Pegasus like a torpedo, sending the two spinning through the air. Her steed let out terrified neighs as the world appeared as a disoriented mess of blurry lines.
Cordelia held on with all her might, fighting against gravity's attempts to dismount her. She managed to regain control of the Pegasus, but it was still flustered from the ordeal; anxiety rattled through the steed's body like cold marbles, causing it to stir. It discharged rough, trepid air from the nostrils.
Cordelia tried calming her steed down, but mercy was not part of the Wyvern's nonexistent vocabulary. It charged right for them; all Cordelia could do was brace for impact, barricading her pessimism from reaching out and predicting the fatal results. But before the Heartless could strike, it was trapped within dark metal chains that appeared from below.
Cordelia looked down to see her savoir was Henry, displaying his usual, unnatural smile. "Praise the gods! I've got one! How fortunate! Can't wait to see how this beast squirms! Please, I don't mind you dropping in!"
Swinging both hands downward, the dark mage commanded the chains to pull the Wyvern towards the ground like a slender, paled hand, prepared to take its victim to the depths below the earth, where not a spec of comforting light was visible. Even Cordelia couldn't help but feel sweat trickle down the back of her neck. She showed no fear against the Heartless….
….but Henry was an anomaly that left even the most stalwart to hug their stuffed animal.
Kellam he used his tall shield to knock aside a few Heartless. A Soldier ran for him next; he tried tripping the Heartless with his lance, but it ducked underneath the attack, and leaped right for him, claws out, aimed at the knight's youthful, beating heart. Kellam brought in his shield, which collided the claws, causing them to shatter like glass. The knight's armor might give him the mobility of a sloth, but it, along with his shield, was impenetrable like an igneous rock.
As another Heartless leaped at him, he stabbed it with his lance, and slammed it onto the ground. He let out a dejected sigh. "Why are the ones who do notice me wish to inflict bodily harm. Do they take offense to my armor? Perhaps too much silver is a tad garish."
The Heartless carrying the shield appeared in front of the knight, knocking him backwards with its weapon; his metal boots slide across the ground from the incredible force. Fortunately, he regained control, coming to a halt. The dog-shaped shield snapped at its pray, with intention of chewing through the knight's armor like milk bread.
Then, the shield opened its vicious maw, releasing a fireball. Kellam deflected it with his shield, ran forward (as fast as his armor would permit him to run), and tried thrusting at the Heartless with his lance. But the shield caught the weapon, and began devouring it; all Kellam could do was watch in shock as his weapon got masticated like a twig.
The Heartless ran straight for Kellam when a beast-like animal rammed into it from the side; its amazing strength managed to knock the Heartless back a fair distance. After regaining its footing, the shield Heartless turned to face the beast, which glowered with unblinking, ruby-red eyes. Its short, pitch-black fur was ruffled from the savage desire to kill.
The front of its face was powdered with white fur; attached to its head were two long white ears. It stood on all fours, scratching at the dirt, producing a low growl that sounded like a distant earthquake. It charged straight for the Heartless, ramming into the shield; the two struggled against each other for a moment. Neither side refused to concede.
But the beast's desire to win was stronger, as it pushed the creature of darkness backwards; upon losing balance, the Heartless landed on its back. The beast prepared to charge again; it was intercepted by more Heartless. With a thrust of the neck, the beast rammed its head into one of them, and then swiped another one away with its claws.
Some jumped on the beast's back; it stood on its hind legs, making the Heartless roll off like unwanted tumble weeds. Then, the beast slammed its feet down on a Heartless; it became a dark fissure, forever trapped between the unbreakable jaws of the earth. Unfortunately, the thread of the beast's rampage reached its end. Heartless leaped on the beast's back, digging their claws into its skin like sand, in hopes of claiming their pulsating prize.
The beast tried shaking them off, but the Heartless' grip was too strong. Its only response came in the form of an agonized roar. More Heartless assaulted the beast, shredding off pieces of its delicate fur. The pain grew sharper, overwhelming the defenseless creature; fatigue started to take hold, squeezing out any vitality like a lemon. It was moments away from becoming a feast for the ravenous creatures.
Until Lucina ran over to help. The blade of the Falchion was engulfed in an ethereal glow. Upon swinging it, she knocked the Heartless off with a wave of energy. The injured beast was enveloped in a white light, and soon transformed into a woman with black hair; she collapsed right onto the floor from exhaustion. The woman's ears were akin to a dog's (the one's that drooped downward), and she had patches of black fur on her skin.
While Lucina shooed away the Heartless, Lissa hurried over to help by the woman, by casting a healing spell that removed any wounds.. Energy started to flow through the woman's body like a surge of electricity, and she attempted to stand up, albeit with some trouble.
Lissa assisted in helping the woman rise to her feet. "Are you alright, Panne?"
"I'm fine," Panne said, shaking off any uncomfortable knots that twisted in her body. "It was just like roughhousing with my Taguel friends back in the day."
Lissa leaned back with an uncomfortable expression. Remind me to never meet up with Panne for a lovely afternoon stroll in the fields. Unless someone else was there. Namely Vaike. He could use a few bops on the noggin, she thought. The three refocused on the battle. More Heartless appeared. Lucina gritted her teeth; the waves seemed endless. Strike one down, and another would squirm out from the cracks of unknown origin.
And unlike human beings, the Heartless' canaster of stamina never ran dry; while, right now, the Shepherds were waning, approaching the halfway marker at an alarming rate. But, in order for their plan to succeed, they had no choice but to continue fighting. The Shepherds weren't daunted by the task, however; around their hearts they carried a sealed locket, which contained the motivation to defend Ylisse at all costs.
Nothing could pry it open. They would fight until that last drop of vitality was squeezed out like a sponge.
Fredrick smacked a Heartless in the stomach with the middle of his lance; then, he slashed straight across the creature, and finished with an uppercut. Another Heartless rode in to strike at the captain's head. Fredrick knocked the Heartless onto the ground, stomped on its shoulder, and finished the job with a stab to the chest.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Validar watch with a content smile, relishing in their endless suffering – how they keep false hope propped up like a beacon, waiting for salvation to find them. It was fruitless. Fredrick despised that arrogant expression; it was forged with a hot iron of disdain for humanity.
Confident in the outcome of this battle, Validar created a dark portal, and took his leave. Fredrick glanced at the fortress; their chance for survival was now sheathed within the scabbard of Chrom.
Once drawn, their fate would be decided.
While the halls of the fortress were dim and dreary, they were at least inviting (unlike Ganondorf's humble abode; Luigi half expected spikes to thrust out from the ground). Only the flames from the torches greeted them with small, bashful waves. Their footsteps were muffled by the worn carpets. They walked through a few corridors, watching for any signs of movement; in particular, two marble-like yellow eyes from within the unlit corners.
After a bit of traversal, the four came to a halt at a long hallway. Towards the end were a small set of stairs that traveled upward to another hall. To their left was a door. Where it led to was anyone's guess. They remained still for a moment, back-to-back, watching for anything suspicious. The only thing they heard were the rhythmic sounds of their eardrums; and movement came from the flicker of flames reflecting off the walls.
With everyone assuming that there was no danger, the group's tension ebbed back into a tranquil sofa. At this point, they had to wait for the next phase of their plan to begin. Luigi's job was to keep track of Validar's movements (they were fortunate that he still had the Star Spirit tucked away in his robes), while Sora and Chrom would, on occasion, glance down the vacant ends of the hallway; nothing but pitch darkness stared right back at them.
Yoshi looked over Luigi's shoulder, watching the image of a star blink nonstop. He was bored. And hungry. Already his eyes were starting to droop from the weight of exhaustion. Yoshi started daydreaming about rolling through the various pastries in Ylisstol castle like a delighted piglet. Consciousness compressed into a tiny ball of slumber. Yoshi stared pressing his body against Luigi's back.
One can only guess what was going to ensue.
Meanwhile, Sora focused his gaze on Chrom; despite remaining composed, disquiet bumps started to form on his face. This was an unusual circumstance. Right now, he was forced to wait inside the intestines of the enemy's base, unable to assist his troops in any capacity. Worried thoughts scrawled across his mind, growing rapid with each stroke. How were his troops faring against the Heartless? Were they being overwhelmed? Maybe his presence would make a difference.
No, he had to have faith in them. Trust was a defying trait of what made him Chrom. Even when Robin sacrificed himself, Chrom had to believe that it was the right call – for the sake of everyone.
"Hey, your plan is awesome," Sora said with an encouraging tone. "There's no way it's going to fail. Ol' Validar's gonna finally get some color on his skin after this."
Chrom smiled. "Thank you for the kind words. I'm sure it is sound. But, if Robin were here, he'd have found fault in every minute detail. Would've chastised me until the sun fell in the east."
"That's just what best friends do," Sora said, placing both arms behind his head. "Always picking on ya. Trust me –Riku and Kairi always let me have it in surround sound."
"Surround sound?" Chrom asked, confused by the modern dialect.
Sora blushed from the mistake. "Erm, just a saying back home. It means I get an ear full from both of them." He glanced at the floor, a bit forlorn. "But, in a way, they do it because they want you to be better. To learn from mistakes. Sometimes you need another voice aside from the one in your head to guide you."
Chrom placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "And we're both going to hear them again soon. That's a promise."
Sora responded with a grateful smile; he was glad to have the background noise of his friends' voices (despite some minor interference from Luigi's protests). Sora couldn't begin to comprehend what it would be like if they went silent forever. Just then, the two heard a loud thump, and turned to see Yoshi's limp body had collapsed on top of Luigi.
"Hey! Mind saving the pep talks for later?" Luigi said, groaning. "The longer this dino is on me, the more likely I'll be ending up with a cane by my late thirties."
After Sora woke Yoshi up, Chrom helped Luigi onto his feet, saying, "At least your misfortunate wasn't severe. His stomach could have been filled with Ylisstol's delicate sweats."
Sora restrained the laughter from lunging out of his throat.
"Good to know his highness can divulge in a quip or two," Luigi said in a joking manner.
Chrom chuckled. "I have a little sister. Humor is practically required by sibling law."
Their good-natured banter was interrupted by the urgent sounds of beeps coming from the 3DS. Luigi glanced at it, and his eyes lit up like rising flames in a lantern. "He's on the move, guys!"
"Excellent!" Chrom said, thrilled. "Then let us make our pursuit!"
Before they could leave, Heartless appeared right in their path. In the back of his mind, Chrom had a hunch that an inevitable blockade would delay their efforts.
"Why do you guys even bother?" Sora asked, summoning the Keyblade. "You know how this routine is going to end."
"No tell me," Yoshi said. "Spoilers!"
Before Sora could open his mouth again, Chrom drew the Falchion, and said in a stern voice, "Stay focused. Less chit chat."
Everyone but Sora ran into battle; he pouted at Chrom, crossing his arms.
"I can have a little fun, y'know," Sora said, grumbling like a child that had been told to put away his toys. "Don't tell me how to fight the Heartless."
The group tried disposing of the Heartless in a hurry; each second that past caused their plan to waste away into failure. There wasn't a moment to lose! Although they did struggle against some of the new Heartless, including the one wielding the shield. Yoshi tried intimating the shield with a growl. And it was about as effective as a bumble bee buzzing in a bull's face. It responded with an ear shattering growl, knocking Yoshi onto the ground.
The dinosaur looked up the ceiling with a blank stare, sighing. "What it take to make Yoshi scary? Tattoos? Ooh, with frowny faces! Then me be bringing the spooks!"
Luigi hurried over (sighing at the dinosaur's conversation with himself) and knocked the Heartless' shield aside. Sora came in to deliver the finishing blow. Another shield Heartless appeared behind them. The shield itself launched a fire spell from its mouth; Sora deflected the spell with the Keyblade, and prepared to strike. Unfortunately, the blade ended up in the shield's tough maw.
Sora tried pulling the Keyblade out, but it wouldn't budge an inch. The boy smirked; he had more creative ways to free his weapon from a jaw that had the strength of superglue. And that involved a dash of lightning, which caused the shield to yelp, releasing its grip on the Keyblade. The Heartless was shocked from the spell, too, and stumbled backwards, right into a vertical slash from Chrom.
As the Heartless lumbered forward, Sora finished it off with one focused strike. With the halls cleared, they prepared to continue without reprieve. Once again, they were intercepted by Heartless. And to their relief, it was only two Soldiers – an encounter that would last the length of a shrew's tail.
"Do you mind?" Sora asked, growing annoyed. "We're in a hurry. Can't you bother us when we're watching slugs migrate?" He noticed everyone giving him odd glances. "What? Riku dared me one time." He shuddered. "Hours I'll never get back."
Sora ran straight for the Heartless, already foreseeing an easy, swift victory. But then, something happened to him: a sensation so bizarre, so intense, that it frightened him. Sora felt like two symbols collided with his chest, producing perpetual vibrations that rattled throughout his body. His heartrate was moving at the speed of a train, and it would not stop.
He fell onto his hands and knees; his breathing became rapid. Sweat trickled down the strains of his hair. What was happening? The Heartless prepared to pounce on him.
"Sora!" Chrom said, and he cut through the two Soldiers.
Everyone gathered around the boy, terrified by his sudden…panic attack? They didn't even know the proper classification to give it. To Yoshi, that didn't matter. He was immobilized, frightened by his friend's strange behavior. Luigi and Chrom had to think of a way to help him, and fast, before his condition worsened.
Sora continued feeling his heart pound against his chest, as if knocking to break free. All he could hear was his loud, harsh breathing. But then, Chrom's voice broke through, telling him to focus on his eyes; the boy obeyed, and looked straight into them, focusing on every detail of his blue irises: bright, strong, and supportive.
A sense of calm started landing on him like a light snowfall. The unusual beats started becoming slower. And slower. Until they were at a nice rhythmic pace. His chest was light again, as if ice melted from within. Yoshi exhaled in relief. Luigi placed a supportive hand on Sora's shoulder, instructing him to take deep breaths, quelling the anxious rumbles from erupting again.
Moments later, everything was still. His heart resumed its supportive duties without reflection. Same couldn't be said for his mind, which was compiling a list of inquiries.
"Are you okay?" Chrom asked. "What happened?"
"Dunno," Sora said, just as mystified. "My chest felt strange. Like my heart was bouncing around, getting faster and faster until it would explode."
"That IS peculiar," Chrom said, crossing his arms, in thought. "You seemed well up to this point."
Luigi took his pulse. "Hm. Nothing out of the ordinary." He hesitated with his next choice of words, knowing that stepping on the wrong one would set off Sora like a land mine. "Look, I know you're working through…some things right now. Are you sure all of this didn't accumulate into a panic attack?"
Sora let out a tiny snap, as if insulted. "Of course not. I'm always up for any challenge. But…this…wasn't like anything I've felt before."
"Maybe I should go on ahead," Chrom said.
Sora frowned. "No. I'm fine. We can't stop now. Not when we're so close." Luigi and Chrom had dubious expressions. They were concerned for his well-being. But Sora didn't want them to worry. "Please. I'm okay now. You gotta believe me. We can't waste any more time. You said so yourself, Chrom."
Yoshi prepared to interject, but his nose picked up a familiar scent. However, there was something different about it – something putrid, something foul. His nose followed the trail, leading to the stairs. A figure was obscured by the shadows, watching everyone with fixed eyes, calculating his next move.
Yoshi let out a growl at the figure.
"What's wrong?" Sora asked. He followed Yoshi's eyes to the mysterious figure; wordless, he stepped out from the shadows, carrying Kairi's lifeless body. "Riku!"
The silver haired boy stared at his former friend with unblinking eyes – completely still. But inside, the cogs spun at high velocity, producing a slew of different avenues to travel. And each one ended in failure. Except for one. It was his only chance. His hands tightened around Kairi's body; despite wearing gloves, he could feel her freezing skin sinking into his. Without taking his eyes off Sora, a portal appeared behind him.
"Wait!" Sora said, scrambling to his feet.
Chrom drew his blade. "Let me handle this. I did give you my word that I'd help you find her."
Before Sora could speak, Chrom, along with Yoshi, ran right for Riku. The boy's expression remained still as obsidian: strong and devoid of fear. Nothing could touch Riku when he felt the warm embrace of darkness provide him security, like his own parental figure. Chrom and Yoshi leaped straight for Riku, preparing to attack, when their strikes were caught by Sora's doppelganger's Keyblade.
Riku stepped through the portal; his gaze was still focused on Sora's bright blue eyes, until they were obstructed by a wall of dark energy. Upon leaping back, Chrom held his blade up at a diagonal angle, blocking an incoming thrust from the doppelganger. It then leaped into the ground, reemerging in front of Yoshi, Keyblade held overhead.
Yoshi was quick to block the incoming strike with his shield. The doppelganger charged its Keyblade with purple energy, and delivered a powerful horizontal slash to the shield, which made the dinosaur slide backwards. It ran right towards Yoshi at a quick rate, preparing to deliver a potentially fatal blow when Sora intercepted with his own Keyblade.
The two were locked in a struggle. But the doppelganger found itself losing control. Sora's good-nature expression had been washed away by a tide of anger. Riku, his best friend, had accepted the darkness, the element he fought against on a regular basis. How could he be so thickhead? What, over petty jealousy? It was sickening.
But Sora's plight with Riku wasn't the only cause for his sudden fury: "You're gonna regret trying to harm my little buddy!"
He pushed his doppelganger back, and followed up with a fierce fire attack, scorching the Heartless, making it dance around in a panic. Luigi swung his hammer in the doppelganger's chest, knocking it away, which gave everyone a chance to regroup.
"You alright?" Luigi asked.
Sora rotated his arm, feeling a second wind crackle within his stomach, like a thunderstorm in the distance. "Never been better! Sometimes hitting yourself is just the thing needed to work out your issues!"
"Words to live by?" Luigi asked, raising a confused eyebrow.
The doppelganger rose to its feet, livid for being humiliated by the group. It unleashed a wind of dark energy, making everyone brace themselves.
"We don't have time to engage in another battle," Chrom said in an urgent tone. "But I surmise that this fiend's intention is to waste it."
"Then go on without us!" Sora said. "Leave me to….us?" Sure. That was grammatically sound. "You know what I mean!"
"Are you sure?" Chrom asked. He felt a slit of guilt for abandoning them.
Sora gave him an assuring nod. "Positive. So this guy looks like me. Big deal. Still just another Heartless. Is gonna learn the hard way why you don't pick a fight with us."
"But he has no way of tracking Validar," Luigi said.
"May I borrow your contraption then?" Chrom asked. "I've had time to study its functionality. Should be able to figure out his location."
Luigi hesitated for a moment. Putting advanced technology in the hands of someone from a medieval world seemed dangerous for various reasons. But they were in a desperate situation. There was little choice. Besides, Chrom had proven his dependability to the others; they needed to show the same courtesy.
"Here," Luigi said, handing the 3DS over. "Just be delicate with it. Kind of important to our quest."
"You have my word," Chrom said. "Be safe, my friends. When next we meet, the task will be done. And we can bath in the radiant light of peace."
Sora nodded. He was confident in that belief, too. Chrom left through the door on the left, continuing his search. The three prepared their weapons as the doppelganger took Sora's familiar stance.
"Not gonna lie," Sora said with an awkward expression: "Never thought my worst enemy would be myself. Kinda deep, dontchya think?"
"Who cares?" Luigi said, feeing a nervous twinge. "This isn't the time to be cerebral! Let's just hope he can't copy your moves."
"Least we can tell which one the real Sora," Yoshi said, optimistic. "Fake Sora's hair combed a different way."
Luigi turned to the dinosaur, blinking. "What an oddly specific detail to pick."
Sora rolled his eyes with a smile. Every day he was grateful for Luigi and Yoshi's company. Right now, with Riku and Kairi's absence, he needed them more than ever. They were the force that kept his determination circulating like blood vessels.
And together, they were going to show this 'fake' the unrivaled power of 'all for one.'
The clean air was contaminated by the sickening noise of war. Loud, barbaric – it was never-ending. Drops of sweat hit the ground and evaporated before the merciless rays of the sun. Despite proving formidable advisories for the Heartless, the Shepherds were succumbing to the ill-fated limit bestowed upon mortals: fatigue. Each strike landed, each spell cast, removed grains of sand from their vital hourglass.
But the Heartless weren't bound to that imperfection; their physiology remained defiant upon the oppressive thumb of mother nature. Nothing made them languish in the slightest. Even when one was slain, another would rise, continuing in its brethren's footsteps, not stopping until its victim's chest was hollow like a withered tree.
But the Shepherds continued fighting, despite the aches and pain starting to creek through their bones. They had to keep the Heartless distracted long enough for Chrom's plan to succeed. But Fredrick knew that things could go awry; unpredictable potholes may lay in front of Chrom, delaying the path to victory. And if the battle wore on for too long, the Shepherds would tire, and make easy fodder for the Heartless.
Fredrick was not about to let a single body rest face first in the soil. Retreat would be imminent. For right now, everyone fought as if iron pumped through their chests. The Heartless couldn't even lay a finger on the royal skin of Lucina. Her moves were elegant; she displayed incredible agility; but her strikes with a sword was lethal. Even the strongest faltered upon feeling the sting of her blade.
She continued cutting through Heartless left and right, turning them into worthless specs of dust. Suddenly, a Shield Heartless knocked her onto the ground; another one lunged on top of her, but she held it back with the Falchion. She could feel the creature's cold presence tighten her face; its vicious claws were inches from shredding her skin apart like wrapping paper.
Fredrick hurried over, stabbed the creature in the back with his lance, and threw it aside. He helped Lucina onto her fight. "Are you alright, milady?"
"Yes," Lucina said, brushing off her clothes. "Was nothing more than a fluke."
Fredrick's eyes narrowed. "You're an incredible warrior. One who would not simply let a mistake occur. This is reflective in your performance right now."
"Y-You can tell?" Lucina asked, blushing in embarrassment.
Fredrick couldn't help but chuckle. "You fight exactly like your father. I know when something is off."
"Oh, dear." Her eyes darted away from his, feeling more uncomfortable. "I…I really didn't notice."
"Something is on your mind," Fredrick said. "That's why you aren't focusing." There was a small flicker of empathy in his eyes. "You're still worried about his majesty."
Lucina mustered a timid nod. All motivation she had to fight became numb from the prevailing concern that squeezed against her skull. Even after being reassured from Chrom, the thought of him perishing again still meandered around inside her, refusing to leave. She didn't want to see that future again – where an orange hue from the restless flames lit the night sky. To be mindful of the steps you took in every waking hour.
But most importantly, to not have the strength, love, and support of an incredible father.
Fredrick studied the concoction of emotions spinning around her face; it was on the verge of spilling outwards. His keen eyes scanned the battlefield, analyzing their current predicament, shuffling everything into a neat stack of thoughts.
For a moment, he remained silent. Then, he said, without looking at her, "Go to him."
"W-What?" Lucina asked, taken aback. "But I can't leave the battle!"
"We'll be fine," Fredrick said. His voice became firm and authoritative. "Besides, I won't allow anyone on my squad that has their mind on anything but the battle. Being with him should rectify the problem."
"This isn't right!" Lucina said, her voice growing louder. "I promised father I—"
"With his majesty absent," Fredrick said, not losing that dour tone, "I'm in command. That is a direct order! I'll take full responsibility for my actions." He looked over his shoulder, giving her a warm smile. "Do I make myself clear?"
Lucina found herself tangled in a net of guilt, dangling between two different thoughts. She wanted to stay and help the Shepherds ward off the threat of the Heartless. Her fighting abilities were an asset to them. But they were valuable to her father, too. And the more she weighed both decisions, the heavier the latter became.
She looked at Fredrick again. He seemed confident in continuing this fight without her. That was all the confirmation she needed. Her chest became light with relief. The fumes of worry had been expelled through an open window of resolve. Of course, she loved her country; she'd do anything to defend it. But Chrom was its heart; without it, inspiration would cease to stream through the spirits of many.
"Yes, sir," Lucina said with a burst of energy in her throat. "Thank you, Fredrick."
She left, knocking aside any Heartless that tried opposing her excursion. Fredrick's smile lingered; faithful, just like he father. She helped him save the future once. There's no doubt she'd do it again.
Sora and his doppelganger ran right for each other, clashed their blades together, and went by one another. After turning around, Sora swung at the doppelganger's head, but it leaned backwards. The Heartless tried countering with a thrust; Sora brought his blade up at a diagonal angle to block the strike.
Then, the boy went on the offense with an inward slash, but the doppelganger countered with a downward diagonal slash. Next, it tried thrusting at Sora's chest; he jerked right to avoid being stabbed. The boy conjured a Fire spell in his free hand. Noticing the pulsating orb, the doppelganger dove into the ground before the scorching spell connected with its face.
Sora was startled by its disappearance, but knew it couldn't be far. He scanned the carpets for any signs of a black blemish within its perfect coat. Before Sora could turn around, the doppelganger leaped out of ground, from right behind him, and delivered a powerful slash to his back. Sora's loud hiss of seething pain echoed throughout the hallway as if multiple snakes were converging around them.
Defying the laws of physics, the doppelganger began spinning in the air like a wheel. Sora, fighting through the pain, spun around, and saw the doppelganger fly straight for him; the duplicate Keyblade was pointed straight at him like an arrow to its target. With no time to move, Sora braced for impact, but Yoshi leaped in front of him, blocking the strike with his shield.
As the doppelganger landed on the ground, Luigi hurried over, delivering a powerful swing with his hammer, sending it flying over to the stairs. Instead of landing on top of the stairs, however, it merged into them. It appeared behind Luigi, stretched out his overalls, and snapped them back, causing him to him let out a high-pitched scream of pain.
Enraged, Luigi turned just in time to see the doppelganger merge with the floor. Its head reemerged to the left of Luigi; he tried slamming his hammer down, but the doppelganger retracted into the ground again. Out of his peripheral vision, Luigi saw the doppelganger stick its head from a wall.
Luigi launched a Blizzard spell; once again, the doppelganger retracted its head, preventing itself from becoming a frozen plaque on the wall. Then, the doppelganger leaped out from the ceiling, descending towards Luigi like a drill. He managed to catch the attack in time, but the doppelganger continued spinning. Luigi could feel himself being pushed towards the ground; his legs started quivering from the struggle.
"Stop!" Sora shouted.
The doppelganger was frozen in midair – a statue being held together by invisible strings of the unknown. Yoshi curled into an egg, and Sora kicked him right at the doppelganger. When the spell wore off, the doppelganger was greeted by the massive weight of a green spotted egg. The doppelganger flew back towards the end of the hall, but managed to regain balance, and land on its feet.
The Heartless then threw its Keyblade in retaliation; in spun through the air in a vertical manner, like a buzzsaw, on the hunt for firm meat to chew. Yoshi dove under the sharp circle just in time. Sora threw his own Keyblade, and the two collided with each other, stuck in a duel of spinning pinwheels.
Sparks lashed out from the spinning blades like a livid tongue. They let out agonized screeches like a distressed crow. Both Soras put their hands out, using their energy to push the Keyblades back towards the other. Neither blade refused to budge. The shrieking grew louder, as if pining for the suffering to cease. Sora could feel his arms tremble as if someone were jumping on them like wooden planks. But he didn't quit, and managed to overpower the doppelganger's Keyblade, destroying it.
The doppelganger avoided the incoming Keyblade by diving into the ground. This time, Sora was ready. As the doppelganger emerged, Sora slashed it across the chest; it stumbled backwards from the sudden strike. The doppelganger recalled the duplicate Keyblade, but Yoshi wrapped his tongue around its arm, preventing the Heartless from lifting a finger.
Sora was quick to deliver another strike, making the doppelganger reel in pain. Luigi tried bringing his hammer down, but, once again, the Heartless merged with the ground, ran past them, and reappeared on the other side. As he did, two more doppelgangers appeared beside it, wielding Keyblades of their own.
Luigi and Yoshi's jaws dropped in shock. Meanwhile, Sora's shoulders sank as if being weighed down by shelves. Half were filled with annoyance. The other half, discouragement. "I hate it when I have to fight me."
"Two was enough," Luigi said in a dramatic tone. "My heart can't bare anymore."
Sora looked at him in confusion. 'Two? But there was only" —he noticed a sly grin on Luigi's face. Sora glowered at him— "Dude! This isn't the time for your coping mechanism to kick in!"
Luigi grabbed his shirt collar, having suddenly spilled what little composure he had left on the floor. "Yes! It! Is! Do not deny it its earthly pleasures!"
"Look out!" Yoshi cried.
The three doppelgangers dove into the ground and sped over to the group, crawling like massive insects. One emerged right in front of Sora; when he slashed at it, the doppelganger turned to black power, and vanished, startling the boy. This gave another one a chance to thrust at him from the right. Sora was able to raise his weapon in time, knocking the duplicate Keyblade aside.
But he couldn't avoid a kick to the chin from another one, which knocked him backwards. Another one leaped out from the ground, preparing to strike, when Yoshi wrapped his tongue around its waist; he then slammed it straight onto the ground. Before the dinosaur could make another move, he saw another doppelganger appear right next to his tongue, raising its Keyblade high in the air.
Panic pulsated in Yoshi's chest, and he retracted the tongue, just missing the potential seismic wave of pain from rumbling in his body. The doppelganger that had been trapped in Yoshi's tongue earlier leaped high into the air, and brought its blade straight down towards the dinosaur. He leaped left, avoiding the strike. However, the Heartless' partner emerged in front of Yoshi in an instant.
With just moments to spare, Yoshi brought his shield up to block an incoming strike. But the force was strong enough make him stumble backwards. The one Yoshi avoided moments ago merged with the ground, appeared behind him, and used a giant foot to kick the dinosaur in the saddle; he was like a helpless ball being knocked between two paddles.
As he lurched forward, as if performing an awkward shuffle, Yoshi saw the other doppelganger prepared to deliver a downward slash. Yoshi kneeled, catching the duplicate Keyblade with his shield. Soon, the other doppelganger brought its Keyblade down, piling on top of the shield. Yoshi's legs started to tremble from their combined force; he was sinking towards the ground, and unable to find a spring of energy within his feet to push them off him.
But Luigi came in, swinging his hammer, turning one of the doppelgangers into dust. He rolled acoss Yoshi's shield, preparing a downward strike on the other one, but it hopped backwards. Then, the Heartless attacked with a thrust of the Keyblade, which Luigi knocked aside with his hammer. Luigi brought his hammer straight down, but the Heartless held the duplicate Keyblade up at a horizontal angle, blocking the swing.
It then tried stabbing Luigi in the chest, but he brought his hammer close to block. When Luigi tried swinging, the doppelganger dove into the ground again. However, the Heartless was now broadcasting the redundant drones of predictability; Luigi figured out its pattern. Upon sticking its head out like a gopher, Luigi cast a Blizzard spell, turning the doppelganger into a bodyless ice sculpture.
With a swing of the hammer, the Heartless exploded into a fragment of ice, spilling onto the dry carpet, leaving a temporary stain that further ruined its pale, unkempt glow. Another doppelganger appeared, however, pulling down on Luigi's hat, confining his vision to a prison of impairment.
While Luigi struggled to break free, the Heartless prepared its own version of Sora's spiral attack; before it was launched, Yoshi tackled Luigi to the ground. They both just missed the attack. It was close, too, as Yoshi's scales quivered like jelly before the intense cold energy flying overhead.
Meanwhile, Sora brought his Keyblade overhead, catching a strike from another doppelganger. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the spiral blast approaching them. This is my chance to do some serious damage, Sora thought. Delivering a fierce kick to the stomach, he knocked the doppelganger into the path of the blast, as it traveled towards the Heartless like a speeding truck.
Sora then used Blizzard to imprison its right foot in a sheet of ice. The doppelganger struggled to break free, but could not budge from the solidified vise. It was hit with the full force of the blast, and knocked across the room. Upon landing, the Heartless scrambled to its feet, battered, but not beaten.
Sora gritted his teeth in frustration. Riku captured his resilient nature without fail (or, as Luigi referred to it as: stubbornness). The unharmed doppelganger ran for Sora, but Yoshi, who was still on the ground, tripped him with his tongue. Luigi stood up, fixed his hat, and crushed the doppelganger with the hammer.
Sora turned back to the injured one – it survived more than a single hit. His eyes lit up in realization. "Guys! That's the real one! Keep any at bay while I take him out!"
Sora ran straight for his doppelganger; his eyes were unblinking like sharp knives, illuminating from the blinding light of success, not once pointing away from the target. Another doppelganger appeared in front of him, but it was flattened like gravel beneath the steam roller of Luigi's Gravity spell.
Another one attacked from the left. Sora caught the strike, and pushed the doppelganger over to the right, where Yoshi ran into it with his egg roll attack. The main doppelganger lunged at Sora, unleashing a string of combos. It was one of his attacks, and thus, knew how to counter. For the first few strikes, Sora blocked each one. As the doppelganger delivered the last swing, Sora leaped right, and then countered with an elbow to the stomach, making the Heartless double over in pain.
Sora smirked; the doppelganger had relinquished the controls of battle. He stunned the Heartless with a Thunder blast, then knocked it into the air with an uppercut slash. Next, Yoshi unleashed a barrage of kick into its chest, and then Luigi used his fire punch to knock the creature all the way across the hallway, right into a wall. The doppelganger fell over, vanishing into the ground again.
Sora had enough of being a foil for the doppelganger's tricks; it wouldn't work anymore. This Heartless was nothing but a fake, lacking the components that defined Sora – his ability to adapt in any situation, his fighting spirit, and, most of all, the compassion he had for other. He was engaged in battle with a mockery. A nobody.
As seen through the eyes of his former best friend.
Sora closed his eyes, dismissing all senses from their line of duty. Except for touch, which was front and center, ready to pull the trigger from the slightest sensation of cold. It felt like he had been fighting the Heartless forever, growing a deep understanding of them; they represented the pain that trickled across him like a shower of icicles.
But like with any form of pain Sora had experienced, he always knew how to alleviate it. The hairs on his right arm stood up like flags, alerting him to the doppelganger's presence. He spun away, allowing the Heartless to emerge, and finished the job with one, focused slash. The doppelganger stumbled back, grasping its chest, holding onto that single bead of life.
However, it, along with the doppelganger, dropped onto the floor, producing one final sound of collision before disintegrating into a cloud of darkness. Which soon vanished from reality. Luigi and Yoshi exhaled; they were glad it was over. But Sora didn't bask in the victory; instead, he retracted into the shadows of sorrow. His eyes were fixed on the spot that Riku once stood with Kairi.
That familiar image of him watching the sunset with them on the small island back home grew distant – a formless buoy that remained lost in a vast ocean. There were so many questions to rummage through; and yet, he knew that the answers would remain below the surface, out of reach. Not until they met again. Even then, would he want to bask in the knowledge of those answers? It was hard to stomach the idea: Riku, no longer his friend. Kairi, a hollow vessel that would remain inert without a heart.
Luigi and Yoshi noticed the contemplative, somber downpour on his face; it conveyed every thought he was scavenging through. Yoshi stepped forward, wanting to reach out, but Luigi stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.
Sora let out a loud sigh that made even the flames from the torches crackle with sympathy. "Seems whenever I'm so close, something always has to rope me back."
"Are you going to be okay?" Luigi asked.
Sora turned to him, trying to hoist up a smile, despite it wobbling before a crestfallen foundation. "I have to be. Especially now!" He needed to divert his attention elsewhere. "Chrom's going to need our help!" His smile changed to a playful smirk. "And you're going to need it, too, Luigi, after that 'two' line from earlier."
"Well, it was either that, or advising you not to look in a mirror for a while," Luigi said, grinning.
Sora snorted with laughter. "Oh, you're really pushing it, huh? I also hear mirrors give you seven years bad luck. Wanna test that theory with me?"
"Nah," Luigi said with a chuckle. "My luck isn't exactly up to snuff already. Could do without any additional perks."
The trio burst into laughter. Sora felt a release of dismal pressure from his chest. Laughter always seemed to extinguish those uncomfortable flames. Especially when friends were involved. But would they ignite again? Probably. The problem wasn't solved. Uncomfortable sticks would rub against each other. But, for now, they lay dormant, covered by multicolored leaves of elation.
"Thanks, guys," Sora said. "For always being here."
Yoshi licked his face. "Do me have to superglue the 'all for one' saying to your forehead?"
"But I wouldn't be able to read it that way," Sora said.
Yoshi narrowed his eyes. "Save the logic for the classroom, where every paper a buffet item."
"Let's just get going," Sora said, petting Yoshi's head. "You'll have all the time to lecture me later."
Yoshi smiled. "Fair enough."
With their spirits renewed, the three hurried off, using Yoshi's noise to lead them towards Validar. Chrom was going to need assistance. Because he was about to be flung into a treacherous, merciless cyclone that will yank at every physical and emotional cord of endurance.
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