A/N: Well, time for a confession. There is going to be a brief pause here. See, I was planning to finish ACT II while new chapters were published. But so many things have happened during that period. This includes the holiday season – a very stressful one at that. So I apologize that ACT II is incomplete. My plan is to get into gear and hopefully finish ACT II up by February. Date TBD. At the very least, you'll be getting the conclusion of the Paper World in this chapter. Thank you for your patience, continued support, and have a Happy 2022!
Chapter 59: A Storybook Ending
Emptiness leaned forward in the vacant bleachers, holding their silent breath, wondering what would happen next. Sora and his friends shared the same sentiment. Their guard didn't falter – not until the passage of time granted them sanction. It was then okay to fill the stilted air with their relieved sighs. De Void wasn't coming back anytime soon.
But everyone's thoughts continued working, despite the reprieve, scribbling down important notes in red ink. Memories of the past had disrupted the anarchic flow of De Void's plans.
"Looks like we're on the right track," Luigi said, feeling an uplifting current of hope.
"Yeah," Sora said. But a realistic foot remained planted on the ground. "But the darkness won't let her win. We're going to need something else we hope to free her."
"Like what?" Fable asked.
"Good question," Sora said, digging both hands into his pockets. Only one idea could be scavenged from beneath the uncertain crust. "Perhaps our best bet is to fight her. My Keyblade might be able to weaken the darkness long enough for her to remember."
Dread started cutting through Fable's calm, collected pages like scissors. The irrational thought of losing her friends grew deeper, especially after watching Mario and Sora's fight against Bowser. That image of them bathed in the Koopa's livid fire refused to dismiss itself from her sight – an annoyance that continued pumping her with worry.
"Are you positive?" Fable asked, appearing uneasy. "There has to be another way!"
"Seriously," Sora said, giving her a perplexed expression. "What's gotten into you?"
Before Fable could fabricate a convincing excuse, Peach said, "Sorry to interrupt, but what exactly is going on here?"
Realizing her question took presence, Sora decided to shut the book on interrogating Fable. For now. A mental bookmark would remind him of his spot later. Everyone recounted their adventure to Peach. She listened with intrigue, but a door of distress became ajar, growing wider from each troubling detail.
Peach was fearful for the existence of the entire world – to never again stroll through an elegant garden of bright, smiling faces that were her people. It would all be consumed by the darkness like a swarm of ravenous locusts. And yet, her tender heart didn't exhibit a resentful palpitation towards De Void. Especially after hearing her tragic backstory.
De Void was taken advantage of by an otherworldly predator – one that had trapped her in a greenhouse of misery. Those feelings cultivated into nothing but blinding vengeance. At this point, it was easy to assume that De Void was lost in the chamber of darkness, unsure as to why she was on this crusade.
"I see," Peach said, letting every sentence sprinkle on the crest of mind like gentle rain. Sympathy radiated from her eyes. "Poor thing. All that resentment has made her want to take it all out on this world. Can she be stopped?"
"Of course!" Sora said, once again raising the flag of his unwavering confidence. "We have to try! I lost a world myself. Not a good feeling to be stuck with. Don't want to see it happen again. I'll do whatever it takes. And I have my new friends, too. We'll work together to bring her down."
Peach smiled. "I'm not sure where you came from, or who you are, but you have my gratitude. You're a brave young man. Thank you for your selflessness in helping Mario and his friends."
Sora rubbed his head, flattered. He couldn't help but let some smugness peek out from the crevasses of his humble demeanor. Who wouldn't feel a bit self-important after receiving constant praise from royalty?
"You should probably stay here while we go after her," Luigi said, placing a sincere hand on Peach's shoulder.
Peach closed her eyes, a bit dispirited. "I would worry too much about everyone. I'd rather know what's going on. But you're right. All I'd do is get in the way. The best I can do is offer my continuous support. Please be careful. Look out for each other."
"We will," Fable said.
"Oh, and one more thing." Peach turned to address Sora. "Young man?"
"Call me Sora, your majesty."
Peach nodded. "Yes, of course." She pulled out something, and held it within her clenched, gloved hand. Cracks of light struggled in desperation for freedom through her fingers. "Sora, take this with you."
After she dropped it in his hand, Sora was shocked to see a familiar stone shaped object. The heartbeat of a stalwart individual pulsated throughout his palm. Another summon stone!? What were the odds!?
"R-Really?" Sora asked, startled by her kind gesture. "How come? We just met."
She leaned into him, speaking in a whisper. "Mario means the world to me. I saw how you saved his life against Bowser. Losing him would be the greatest tragedy. My heart would weep forever." She blushed, struggling to utter the next set of sensitive words. "I…love him. Continue to stand by his side. He's going to need all the help."
Sora understood those strong feelings that embraced the princess; the tail end of them brushed against his face. It was like how he felt about Kairi. He cared so much for her. If anything ever happened to her….no, he couldn't even bring himself to peer down that depressing alleyway. She was part of his reality. Riku, too. He refused to let them both fade away from existence.
And he would do everything to quell Peach's concerns of that grim future. "I promise. The two of us have been through so much already. Kinda hard for us to be separated."
"Thank you," Peach said with an assuring smile. "All of you….please be careful."
With good-byes exchanged (in which Mario and Peach hugged each other for a long time; they never wanted to let go), Sora hurried over to the bottom of the bleachers, tossed the Keyblade at the core, and they were whisked away into the forbidden, dark catacombs of De Void's memories.
For a moment, the pitch back void stared at them with unblinking, unwelcoming eyes. Then, a speech bubble appeared, belonging to one of De Void's royal subjects from the past: "Um, your highness?"
"Speak up now!" De Void said. "Don't waste my time by mumbling. I want a proper, clear voice."
"Y-Yes. Duly noted. Final preparations are underway. We'll be leaving shortly."
"Very well. Let's make sure to be in and out in a timely manner."
De Void mumbled to herself, sullen. "Staying too long only brings back the pain."
"Beg your pardon?"
"Were you eavesdropping on me!? How inconsiderate can you be!?
"N-No, your highness. I-I wasn't. Didn't hear what you said."
"Oh. Well, carry on."
Silence again. For a moment, the darkness continued staring, as if reluctant to let them peer behind its pupils. Everyone was anxiety. It felt like they were close to popping off a cork, releasing the truth in a giant burst. But maybe it wouldn't happen. They'd be stuck with such little information making the ensuing battle an intense pilgrimage of life and death.
But another speech bubble reignited their confidence. It contents were familiar to Mario, as if he had stumbled upon a dusty excerpt of forgotten memories.
"You!" De Void said. "What's wrong with you? You're the one who touched the comet! Legend has said from the beginning to never touch it! Don't you think a comment containing people's wishes might be the teeniest bit dangerous?"
There was another pause. The dust started to brush away, revealing more of the excerpt's contents.
"You'll help me find the Royal Stickers? Thanks. In that case, let me introduce myself. My name is Kersti. I'm the caretaker of the Royal Stickers."
With that last sentence igniting like a bomb, dispersing a mushroom cloud of vital information, the group returned to the observatory. Everyone took a moment to unpack everything that been presented. To Sora, this reveal meant nothing to him – a hollow answer that need to be filled with substance. But this Kersti was still a victim of the darkness. A pawn forced by a black hand to move across reality's chessboard, removing unsuspecting pieces against her own volition. It didn't matter if he knew her or not – the information they had would be sufficient ammunition in subduing her rage.
But the others recognize the name – a dormant memory was struggling to unearth itself from the subconscious dirt.
"Kersti," Fable said, thoughtful. "So that's who De Void really is? Why does that name sound so familiar?"
And that's when Mario removed all the dust, reading through the whole tomb. Shock and distress overtook Mario's entire being. He thought someone pulled off a cord attached to his heart, shutting it off for a moment. Upon being plugged in again, a surge of panic traversed through the sinoatrial nodes, making it pump at an accelerated pace. Mario waved his hands at everyone in a frantic motion.
"What's wrong, bro?" Luigi asked.
Mario explained the situation to Fable and Luigi. The two were horrified by what they learned. While left out of the bubble, Sora could tell that it was starting to deflate from the troubling revelation Mario presented.
"That's where I know her from!" Fable said. "She helped you on that one quest to recover the Royal Stickers!"
Mario gave a grim nod.
"Royal Stickers?" Sora asked. The bubble might be deflating, but it was still covered in a confusing haze.
"Oh, right!" Luigi said. He turned to Sora. "Every year, a Sticker Comet visits the kingdom. She is the guardian of it, hailing from the sticker world. Well, in true fashion, Bowser caused trouble, separating the Comet. Mario helped her find the pieces."
"So that's how she recognized you!" Sora said to Mario, recalling their first encounter.
Fable seemed a bit reluctant. "Mario….is it okay if I share a…let's say…opinion with you?"
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Luigi asked.
Sora elbowed him in response. Mario concurred; he wasn't sure what Fable was about to divulge with them. Judging from her body language, it wouldn't be pleasant. But letting her thoughts build up like uncomfortable pressure was far worse. After a tentative moment, Mario raised his hand, permitting her to proceed.
"Okay, thanks." Fable took a deep breath, soaking up the courage to speak her mind. "Mario…..SHE WAS THE WORSE COMPAION YOU EVER HAD!"
Everyone was taken aback by the sudden release of anger. It even knocked Luigi onto the floor, hoping the letters wouldn't break from the speech bubble and fall on top of him.
She jerked herself left and right like a livid firefly; her rambling poured like molten lava. "Oh, she was so rude to you and your friends! How did you tolerate her for so long? Even after saving her life, she's all like: 'What took you so long? You should never keep a lady waiting.' Ugh! Nothing but nasty things came out of her. Full of negativity. Never showing any appreciation for your efforts."
"Whoa, hold on a second!" Sora said, raising both hands, trying to build a calming dam to stop the uncontrollable flow of lava. "I don't know what chewing her out is going to accomplish. So she's rough around the edges. It wasn't her fault she ended up this way." He paused, as if realization trailed across his skull. "But maybe it's what drew the darkness towards her."
Intrigue managed to put a lid on Fable's riled emotions. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"I've fought many people who've embraced the darkness," Sora said with a dour expression. "They've solely lived off such negative feelings, like anger and hatred. Could practically taste it on the tip of my tongue. It's what the darkness lives for. Overtime, it grows so powerful….a person seems to forget who they are anymore, choosing to act on those feelings….they're only source of purpose. When the darkness invaded, maybe it saw her as the perfect host. It could've fed off her pain."
Fable's resentment towards Krista soon drifted around a corner of remorse. Perhaps she had been too rash in lambasting the Sticker Star Guardian. It wasn't her fault she ended up enslaved by the tight leash of darkness; what it saw in her was negativity – something that could be exploited for its own skewed agenda.
And Fable didn't want herself to travel down that same path: forced to obey the darkness' command, and hurt those that mean the world to her. And that's when the fear of losing her friends returned, far more formidable this time. Even with the reveal of De Void's past, Sora and his friends would still have to fight her.
Irony started jeering behind her, howling with laughter. Ever since the beginning, she was adamant in people following the rules of combat. But now, she didn't want them to fight at all. Her eyes had been opened to reality's blemishes – how fighting can lead to suffering. And sometimes, death, which served as a boarding pass to the unknown.
And it wasn't like Fable could just visit the Underwhere or Overthere to see them. De Void would erase the contents of this entire book. Sora and his friends would just end up as her first victims. Fable couldn't deal with the grief; they had changed her life for the better. She appreciated every fiber that held this book together. It was beautiful. And she didn't want to experience this world without them. To be robbed of her first true friends.
Maybe there was a chance to keep that prophecy from leaving the pages of fantasy, and ensure the safety of her new friends. While the others continued talking, she faced the lone mirror they had yet to explore. Darkness started protruding around it like dark tendrils, gesturing for her to enter its den of despair. Intuition nudged at her; she believed De Void was waiting for them on the other side.
Her purpose was clear; not even an indecisive wrinkle tarnished its fair skin. This was the only option to save her friends. No. Her family.
Luigi let out a heavy sigh. "Man. I can understand why she has that less than snuggly personality. Eternal regret for what happened all those years ago."
Mario lowered his head, as if a sudden unsightly growth of guilt pressed against it.
"Mario, you couldn't have done anything then," Luigi said, placing a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder. "You had no idea."
"But we know now," Sora said, feeling his chest tighten from a squeeze of invigoration. "That's the important thing. Which means we can help her."
The brothers both looked at him, surprised by his sudden confidence.
"You think so?" Luigi asked.
"We have to try!" Sora said. "I know what Mario's going through. A friend of mine – while not as severe Kersti – is letting the darkness consume him! Do you think I would let him vanish? Of course not! And I know you wouldn't want the same thing to happen, either, Mario."
Mario was inspired by Sora's determination. He had never met someone that radiated in so much positivity. It was infections. He could feel it seeping into his skin, making every blood vessel pop with enthusiasm. It wasn't Mario's style to quit. Especially on the people he loved. Mario nodded; his eyes brightened with renewed strength, ready to ram through any obstacle with the perseverance of a bull.
In all honesty, Sora wasn't sure what caused his mood to spontaneously combust into rushing flames of excitement. Helping people had always been an innate structure of his design. Maybe this was an experiment for him; to figure out how he'd apply this forthcoming knowledge for his inevitable confrontation with Riku. It gave him some assurance.
"So let's save you friend, then," Sora said, smiling. "You can count on me to help."
Mario nodded, appearing grateful. He and Sora turned to Luigi, who was nervus as usual. But he swallowed that fear into the pit of his stomach (for the moment; it was never a permanent resident).
"I can't feel my legs right now, but there's no way my big brother's going alone," Luigi said.
"Then what do you say, guys?" Sora held out his hand; the palm faced the ceiling. "All for one?"
Luigi and Mario placed their hands on top of his. Sora had unwittingly opened a bag of nostalgia. For a fleeting moment, he was back in Traverse Town, on the night of his journey, forming an alliance with Luigi and Yoshi. How he missed them both. They were emotional crutches that kept him from falling – a reminder that he was never alone.
And that's how he felt now, standing tall and fearless with his new friends. Nothing could ever diminish his spirits; they would succeed.
"And one for all!" Sora said. "Hey, Fable, wanna get in on this?" He started looking over his shoulder. "I know you don't have hands, but…"
And he was greeted by inexpressive nothingness. She was gone. This joyous moment of camaraderie had stepped into a cold, unnerving puddle.
"Fable?" Sora asked.
The three scanned the area with frantic eyes. Not a soul could be seen. Emptiness met them with disappointment. Discouraging ripples discharged from within that puddle at an accelerated pace.
"She couldn't have gone far," Luigi said, growing concerned. "Think someone grabbed her?"
"No one else knows about this place," Sora said, letting his eyes continue to drift off, searching for a hopeful spot. "Plus, De Void isn't exactly subtle when making an entrance." He began shifting through the last few minutes of their conversation. "Hmm…Fable has been acting a bit weird ever since we arrived at the Pit."
Their eyes widened in horror, as if the realization had steamrolled over all three of them. An invisible string of distraught thrusted their eyes towards the last mirror.
"Oh, no," Luigi said. "You don't think…"
"Wish it was about something else," Sora said, feeling restless saliva spinning in his throat. "Come on! No time to lose!"
Everyone hurried into the mirror, praying they wouldn't find Fable's strewed pages on the other side.
Sora exited first, arriving on a dirt pathway. It was nighttime. The black sky was infected with rashes in the form of stars. Despite Sora disrupting their trivial conversations, crickets continued their boisterous chirping. The warm air was still, holding its breath in fear of a great disturbance in the area.
Sora noticed, at the end of the long, narrow pathway was a gate; behind it was an outdoor theater. Floodlights glared down at it, illuminating every detail: the stage that had blue curtains, and the grass area for the audience to sit down and watch the splendors unfold. Sora gasped upon noticing Fable in the center of the area, confronting De Void. Mario soon joined the boy, and he gestured towards the theater.
They two sprinted with the speed of cheetah. Luigi exited the mirror, crashing onto the ground with the grace of newborn chick.
He sat up, brushing the dirt off his mustache, groaning in aggravation. "Ever. Single. Time. Well, at least this is one of the more comfortable surfaces I've fallen onto." Rustling went off in his ears like a siren. He spun to his left, noticing something moving in the bushes.
Luigi's body started to tremble from being strangled with fear. "W-What is that?" He took a deep breath, trying to loosen the anxious grip around him. "Come on. Don't get nervous now. Probably a little squirrel or something."
The bushes started to shake like a violent outburst.
"O-Okay," Luigi said, feeling himself retract into his overalls. "Maybe a squirrel who's let his diet get the best of him."
And then, a silhouette leaped out from the bush, charging right towards Luigi like an untamed beast of the night, seeking its savory meal.
Luigi's only response was to disrupt the weary sky with his screams of terror.
De Void looked over the empty stage – a foreshadowing for the state of this world: nonexistent. A place where she no longer endured the agonizing screeches of Toads. Or anyone else for that matter. Silence was the perfect symphony. As she continued staring, an air of familiarity about this place rattled her senses. But there was no reason to ponder the unimportant; it was worthless trivia that added little knowledge.
Soon, she felt a presence behind her, and spun around to see Fable, approaching with caution, prepared to engage with a weapon just as strong as a sword: reasoning.
"Oh, look," De Void said. "It's the little brave book with a knack for never staying quiet."
Fable avoided eye contact, as if guilt for her previous action tugged at them. Finding her courage, she faced De Void. "Listen, you and I haven't exactly been pals since we've first met. But I know the truth now. You don't deserve this kind of suffering. Especially after what happened to your father."
"That excuse is becoming redundant," De Void said, summoning her scythe; the tip of the blade was keen to bite down on the little book's front cover. "I have no father. All I know is that these Toad creatures fill me with anger."
"They were scared, okay!?" Fable said, keeping her fortitude from collapsing. "Toads aren't the bravest, but they live happy lives. Taking that away from them isn't going to solve anything. I know the truth, Kersti! You don't have to live with this pain! Cast the darkness away! We can help you!"
Kersti….that word resonated with her. What did it mean? Something from within heard the name, and started pushing against the darkness, shouting to break from its safe. De Void clutched the crown on her head. Her ears wailed from a tormenting buzzing noise.
"What's…happening…to…me!?"
Fable needed to keep assaulting her with words. "Your true name triggered something. Think hard. You're a better person than this. Everyone has their flaws, but they can overcome them with just even a tiny bit of effort. I know I need to work on mine. But we'll find away together. Put those intense feelings aside! It's the only way you can save yourself!"
De Void groaned from the endless barrage of buzzing. She released her grip from the crown; it flashed, revealing Kersti herself – an anthropomorphic sticker coated in an elegant silver. Her blue eyes were in a constant struggle with intense thoughts and feelings. The darkness would not let her escape its clutches.
"No….it's too strong," Kersti said, unable to yield before the darkness persuasive form. "I…have to live with the pain. It keeps me going!"
"Stop being stubborn for once in your life!" Fable said, growing frustrated. "You know that's wrong!"
But the darkness refused to unlatch itself from Kersti, in fear of regressing into a mindless, formless entity – unable to savor on a morsal of pain and suffering. She was covered by the darkness, as if being pulled back into its being by a cold, black, elongated hand.
"No….I will not succumb…" De Void said, trapping Kersti within her depressing sanctum again.
But Fable would persist. "Please! Fight it! Everyone has strength in…"
"Shut up!" De Void said, let her fury echoed through the vicinity. "Stop playing with my mind!" She released a beam of dark energy from her scythe, sending right towards the defenseless book. "
Time became stagnant from trudging through a marsh of Fable's petrified emotions. Every desperate plea to move had been stifled. Perhaps words weren't the answer, after all. Violent actions had silenced even a small syllable with a threatening roar. She braced herself, staring straight into the merciless gaze of the inevitable.
But, then, she saw something out of her peripheral vision – a red blur undaunted by said gaze. Turning to the right, she saw Mario push her straight out of the blast's trajectory. Fable was forced to watch in horror as it collided with Mario, causing an explosion, sending her spinning into the air. Upon regaining control, as the smoke clear, her worst fears planted itself deep within the earth of reality:
Mario was lying on his back, unconscious. Still and lifeless as a decaying tree, drained of its vitality from ruinous fungi.
Sora, who arrived at the gate, slid to a stop. "MARIO!"
It was the most frightening sight: Mario, the upbeat, cheerful hero of the Mushroom Kingdom reduced to a comatose slump. His positive, stalwart presence started flickering out of existence. Panic and dread combed through each of Fable's pages; each stroke became faster as the panic grew. Even De Void stared at Mario, trying to register the gravity of this situation; and with each passing moment, the weight became heavier in her heart.
Fable flew over to Mario, scanning him over from head to toe, searching for movement. "No, no, no. Don't do this to me now. Wake up! You're the hero of this story! You can't go! I won't let you! Even if I have to slap you silly!"
True to her word, she slapped him across the face nonstop, hoping to elicit some response. To her dismay, Mario's eyes didn't open – the gateway to his soul was barricaded shut, closed permanently like a once flourishing store. Sora lowered his head from a pang of grief; it traveled up his spine, clouding his thoughts in a repenting haze. He chastised himself for not being quick enough to help. This could've been avoided with ease.
But now, it was another regret Sora was forced to heft onto his shoulder, along with the failure to save Riku and Kairi on the night he lost his island.
"This isn't real." Tears started streaming down Fable's eyes like the droplets from a dark, solemn cavern. "You can't be gone. I just wanted to protect you. This is all my fault! I'm…sorry!"
Fable sobbed, filling the caverns with her uncontrollable sorrow. She pressed her face into Mario's chest to lament losing such an incredible friend – it was all she could do to mourn. De Void saw a glimmer in the darkness; it was of the wonderful memories she shared with him as Kersti. In a way, she finally fulfilled her dream to see the Mushroom Kingdom in all its magnificent glory.
She remembered the sights, the sounds, but, most importantly, the laughter. Mario never let his bright, cordial smile deteriorate from the rust of her harsh personality. He enjoyed her company – a sentiment she'd cherish like an heirloom. Now, because of her actions, he was gone. Because she refused to relinquish the past, and, overtime, it gained harmful mold.
Kersti peeked out from the darkness, like an ashamed child refusing to confront their parent. "M…Mario. What have I done? You're the only friend I had. I've lost you, too. I can never forgive myself. All I have is…" She retreated into the darkness, being cradled in its comforting arms, and remerged as De Void, liberated of her conscience. "…the darkness!"
De Void's first order of business was to erase the imagery that sent conflicting messages to her soul. She faced Mario and Fable, raising her scythe.
"Hang on!" Sora said, summoning the Keyblade. "I can help!"
Sora ran straight for them, and De Void vanished, reappearing right in front of his path. She swung downward, and Sora leaped back before being impaled by her blade and wrath. "Silly, boy. You think you could've made a difference. No one can. Pain is the only true release. It happens to all of us."
"I refuse to believe that!" Sora said, with unrelenting courage glazed on his face, continuing to shine. "That's so much more to life you're not seeing! The darkness is kinda limiting your options!"
De Void was unamused by Sora's blind optimism. In fact, the way he spouted off such tripe on a consistent basis was sickening. She planned to pummel that confident spark into the ground – to the point where it'd be stuck in the soil, and he would be rendered as a dispirited mess of a person. How the prospect made her tingle with delight.
She outstretched her hand, gesturing towards the theatre. "Look around you – clearly you're all alone now. No one is coming to help you."
De Void tapped the ground with the blunt of her scythe, and the two were encircled in a ring of dark fire. Sora could see the flames pulsate with ecstatic power. The air became bitter cold, as if being sapped of the atmosphere's nutrition warmth. Everything around them grew dark; even the stars grew meek from fear. No matter where he looked, Sora could not find a feasible way to escape.
"Why not give up?" De Void said, asserting her dominance over the teenager. "There's nothing left to fight for. Darkness is your only salvation – it will provide you with eternal comfort. It understands your hurt better than anyone."
For the first time since his journey began, Sora felt dispirited; he truly was by himself. Not even an encouraging voice held out a steadfast arm for him to catch in his time of doubt. He recalled the night he arrived in Traverse Town – when he sat on the stairs, pressured by the sneers of loneliness, telling him to quit.
Everything started to cave in around him; he was lost, confused, and scared. The world seemed overwhelming. How could you face it by yourself? His friends made that intimidating question easier to swallow. But no one was around. Riku had let the darkness dictate his actions; Kairi was a blank canvas missing the brilliant stroke of her beating heart; and Luigi and Yoshi were separated from him by the impassible cover of a book.
He was encased in a tube of isolation, squeezing out hope like fresh toothpaste. De Void's power was immense; he could tell from the intense chill prodding at him like a pitchfork. His strength alone would not be enough to stop the wings of her malice from taking flight, and covering this world within its dark feathers.
What could he do? It seemed daunting. He closed his eyes, dejected, continuing to feel his confidence tapering against the freezing air. But then, he didn't feel cold anymore; it was like a warm, reassuring coat wrapped itself around his arm. His right hand tingled with that gentle, soothing sensation, as if a loved one was stroking it.
Sora opened his eyes, and looked at the hand; the only thing in it was the Keyblade. No one else was around. For a second, he didn't understand what happened. But then he felt the sensation again – it was stronger than ever; to the point that it spread through his body, injecting with a renewed strength. It didn't seem possible. Was the Keyblade…showing its support?
He must be losing his mind. Then again, this whole journey had been strange. Why was this anomaly any different? But something about this comforting energy inspired him. It made him come to an important conclusion that reinvigorated his confidence.
Looking up at De Void, Sora smirked; his blue eyes radiated with determination. De Void was taken aback; how did he climb out from the massive pit of his slump?
"Nice try," Sora said. "You don't know me as well as you think."
"Wh-What are you talking about?" De Void asked, feeling a bit intimidated.
"See, I have something that has always turns the tables around on guys like you," Sora said. "And with its power at my side, there's no reason for me to give up!"
Sora held the Keyblade high into the air, causing it to emit a massive sphere of light – golden raindrops poured onto the dark flames, extinguishing them in an instant. De Void shielded herself from the brightness; it stung with the hot bite of the sun. Fable stared at Sora, stunned by his undying fortitude. Despite the odds, Sora prevented perseverance from falling out of his sleeve.
It instilled a renewed faith in their success.
De Void hissed before the assailing light. "What is going on?"
"The Keyblade chose me for a reason – to fight against the darkness!" The light soon vanished from the blade, and he rested it at his side. "It believes in me! And I believe it!" He then pointed it straight at her, gripping the hilt with all his might, never wanting to let go. "As long as I wield its power, you're all toast!"
De Void was aggravated by that optimism. It returned with a vengeance, stinging as hard as the light from the Keyblade. She had a new purpose now: to make every tenacious part of his being crumble into weeping debris. "Cocky, brat! Some mundane instrument isn't going to save you from me!"
"Prove it!" Sora said, with a daring expression, getting into his battle position.
"A statement you'll soon wish to have relinquished from your speech bubble!"
The fate of the Paper World's vast, descriptive pages was about to be wagered. And Sora had one shot to be dealt the winning hand. Taking his turn, Sora leaped right at De Void, slashing her right across the shoulder; she slid back from the force, shouting from the pain. Light peeked out from the gape that formed on her shoulder. She clutched it, blinding the light's view from seeing the vast world.
After taking a moment to recover, she glowered at Sora, feeling an acidic upheave of rage. "How dare you!"
She vanished, appeared in front of Sora, made her hand double in size through magic, and slapped Sora hard; he spun around faster than a weathervane during a harsh storm. The world had become an abstract landscape of random colors for a moment. Once he stopped spinning, Sora shook his head, regaining equilibrium in his vision. He rubbed his cheek to alleviate the pain from continuing its tap-dancing routine.
"Really?" Sora asked, smirking like nothing happened. "A slap in the face? That's the best you can do? At this point, the most damage you'll do to this world is scribbling over some text. With crayon."
"Don't threat, dear," De Void said, keeping her composure from spilling out a full pitcher of fury. "I'm about to make things much more difficult."
Sora threw the Keyblade straight at her, and she deflected it with the middle part of her scythe. This time, upon appearing in front of Sora, she slammed him between both her hands, crushing the boy like a fly. A symphony of bells played in Sora's ears from the loud clapping sound. Aches started scattering throughout his body like panicked vermin.
"O..Okay…I actually felt that one," Sora said, grunting from the harsh sensation.
De Void held the scythe over her head. "Delighted to hear. But apparently that wasn't sufficient. Let's rectify that issue."
Sora needed to stop smart mouthing her. It was bad for his health. As his turn started, he took a moment to recover from the attack. Exhaustion let out a soft whisper from his muscles. Still, it was faint. He could keep fighting. Instead of going straight on the offense, he analyzed the situation, letting it docket the next course of action.
Dark energy started building within the scythe's sharp nose; it would soon exhale a devastating attack that might be fatal. However, he noticed that De Void continued holding the scythe in the air.
Sora grinned; he had found the perfect conductor.
He launched a Thunder Spell right onto the scythe, zapping De Void's entire body, leaving her stunned for a moment. This gave Sora the chance to unleash a flurry of combs. Each one was sharp and fast, piercing the skin like a serrated knife through a firm mattress. After wailing in pain, De Void hovered a few feet back from the boy, taking slow deep breathes, trying to make the discomfort seem as real as an illusion.
Unfortunately for Sora, it worked. The attack was effective, but she wasn't tired in the slightest; rejuvenation occurred with the speed of an electron. She was beyond miffed with Sora's persistence. It was stubborn like superglue. But the human body didn't have that same luxury. It eventually surrendered to fatigue.
Or worse. And that was her focal point.
She lunged forward, preparing to strike at a diagonal angle. Sora braced himself for the attack. It did connect with him, but he didn't feel…anything. Not a single scratch left its lethal mark on his body. It was like being attacked by a hallucination. Suspicion blared out alarming sirens in Sora's head, and they become strident when he witnessed De Void snap her finger.
Sharp wisps of air bombarded Sora with fierce strikes, like being caught in a hurricane of knives. Sora gritted his teeth as he fought through the pain. But it wasn't enough, having knocked down his serene door. Sora keeled over, clutching his chest, feel the twinges skate across his body as if he were an ice rink.
The whispers of exhaustion turned into tumultuous cries of agony. Sora managed to stand up, but he trembled as the aches rummaged throughout being. De Void was satisfied. This was the pathetic state that best suited this meddlesome troublemaker. She was close to reaching the epilogue of the book, planning to give it a dour ending.
"Okay, you proved your point," Sora said, struggling to keep his feet on the ground. "You're tough. Maybe one of the toughest foes I've faced so far."
"Flattery is meaningless," De Void said. "Not when I hold the upper hand. Besides, why stop at 'maybe' when I can give it my all and annihilate you entirely? That'll give me your highest praise."
Sora winced; perhaps he was better of sticking to puns than one-liners. De Void charged her scythe for one final attack that would be true to her word. Panicked, Fable tried to encourage Sora to keep fighting.
"Normally I would," Sora said, "but my body has other plans."
That wasn't promising, Fable thought. The attack grew stronger. Hysterical wind surrounded De Void from the velocity of the attack. All Sora could do was brace himself, praying to keep s sliver of his hair intact. De Void was ready….until a familiar white egg with green spots splattered all over her. Shells rested comfortable over her eyes; they were drenched in yolk, spreading through them with a wonderful sensation akin to needles.
"Ow!" De Void said. "My eyes! What kind of repulsive creature throws an egg?"
Sora had to shake his head in disbelief; had exhaustion warped his perception of reality into a wishful fallacy? Did they find a way into the book? Seeing them again would take an edge off feeling like garbage on a hot summer day.
A speech bubble appeared in front of Sora and De Void. "Hey, repulsive creature has name, you know!"
The broken grammar – yes, it had to be him! Sora heard galloping footsteps approaching from behind, and he turned to see Luigi riding on top of a familiar green dinosaur.
"Y-Yoshi?" Sora asked.
"See?" Yoshi said, as he came to a stop in front of the boy. "Random stranger knows!" He became confused, being sprinkled with a dash of uneasiness. "Wait, should me be terrified that he knows name?"
Sora sighed in disappointment. Nope. It was the Yoshi of this world. Still, seeing both Luigi and Yoshi in any form managed to hoist his lips up into a smile.
Luigi hopped off the dinosaur. "This isn't the time! Grab him, quick!"
Becoming the personification of crutches, the two supported Sora from each side, hurried away from De Void while she was distracted, and met up with Fable.
"Luigi, thank goodness!" Fable said, finally able to consume a crumb of good news.
"Sorry I'm late," Luigi said. "Ran into Yoshi here while trying to reach you."
Yoshi looked around the area. "Me not sure how he got here, but it okay once me ran into Luigi."
"Okay!?" Luigi asked, glaring at him. "You planted your feet on top of my—"
Fable flew in front of his face, panicked. "Focus! Mario was hit hard!"
Luigi gasped upon seeing his big brother. Worldess, he rushed to Mario's side, and kneeled towards the side of his faces. After removing a glove, Luigi placed two fingers on Mario's neck, searching for a pulse. For the moment, not a single wave of pressure passed through the checkpoint of his fingers.
Luigi's own heartrate started to accelerate, racing through his veins like an out-of-control train on the verge of collapsing from despair. But upon pressing deeper, a small beat answered his desperate pleas. He sighed in relief, letting the quivering scatter across dirt.
"He's holding on by a thread," Luigi said, relieved. "Thank goodness I brought this with me." He pulled out another mushroom. This one had green spots on the shroom. "This should do the trick."
Luigi helped Mario swallow the mushroom, seeing it descend into his throat without any hinderances. He stood up and took a step back, letting the mushroom's mystical properties run its course. Luigi explained that it should completely revive him; it'd be as if not even a strain of hair was touched. Praying for the mushroom's success was all they could do to be proactive.
Fable wanted that second chance to help Mario, and apologize for her actions. She never wanted to go through life being weighted down by an anvil of remorse. Nothing happened for a few moments. Luigi's nervous beats made their triumphant return, marching at double the pace. Was this mushroom enough? He hoped it wasn't too late. Everyone else shared the phone line of his troubled thoughts.
Suddenly, Mario leaped high into the air like a rocket ship, startling the group.
"Yikes!" Fable said.
He landed with the flawless reflexes of young, spry cat. Everyone felt like a great worry floated out of their stomachs like a balloon. Words were inadequate in describing the joy and relief they felt for Mario's return.
"Mario always gain a free life in style!" Yoshi said, clapping his hands in amazement.
The group hurried over to check on him. Luigi was the first to make the inspection. "You okay, bro?"
Mario nodded.
"Thank goodness," Fable said, closing her eyes. Guilt perched itself upon her heart, making it sink with sadness. "Listen, about earlier…" Mario shook his head. She sighed. "You're right. Not the best time."
Yoshi faced De Void with a fearful expression. "Uh-oh! Mean lady almost got yolk off!"
Mario noticed Sora disheveled, tired demeanor, and appeared perturbed for the boy's well-being.
"I'm fine," Sora said, brushing his hair. "Give me a second." He cast the cure spell to make his wounds vanish, as if using a magical cleaning cloth. The boy was fully revitalized, prepared to take on any challenges life tossed at him, no matter how severe. "Gotta love magic! Alright, so what's next?"
Mario turned to Luigi, Yoshi, and Fable with a firm expression. Luigi appeared a bit dubious. "A-Are you sure about this, bro?"
"What's he saying?" Sora asked
"He wants Fable, Yoshi, and I to clear out of here," Luigi said, appearing uncomfortable, "in case things go south. You two are going to hopefully finish the job."
Sora faced Mario with a bewildering expression. "You want me to help? H-How come? Because of the Keyblade's ability to fight the darkness?"
Mario placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. Beneath his moustache was a trusting smile.
"Because you've been incredible companion," Luigi said (he tried his hardest to keep a fist of jealous from shattering his neutral expression). "We've come so far together. And the story is going to end exactly how it began: the two of us as a team."
Sora rubbed his head, flattered by Mario's praise. For a moment, he was flustered, struggling to pin the appropriate words to a board of appreciation. Each word fell from the board, until he stapled one on there. Standing tall and respectful, Sora said, "It would be honor!"
"Look out!" Fable said, panicked.
The group turned to see De Void thrusting a burst of wind straight at them. With incredible force, it knocked everyone but Sora and Mario away, leaving the two to face her alone. But it was a blessing for them. This is what they wanted. Their bond had grown through each conflict; losing momentum was not idea. This was their final battle, and they intended for the winning streak to be flawless.
De Void had reached her breaking point. The latch that kept her patience in check burst, releasing a livid steam. "How are you both still standing? Doesn't matter! I'll be thorough this time when I defeat you."
"The darkness is strong!" Sora said to Mario. "Weakening it might give your friend a chance to escape its clutches."
Mario nodded, trusting Sora's judgement without the need to question it before a jury of suspicion. He'd do whatever it takes to free Kersti being an involuntary servant of the darkness.
De Void scoffed. "Weaken me? Please. You have a better chance of leaving alive then beating me. And I can assure you the latter is not worth pursuing!"
"Nah, we'll take our chances," Sora said, as he and Mario got into their battle positions. "Where's the fun in running away, anyway?"
Tensions rose to astonishing heights. One false move would flick the switch of destruction. They had to stay focused; not a single thought should drift into the inconsequential. Both parties stared each other down, knowing what was as stake.
The final chapter had entered its first and only draft. What would be written on the epilogue remained to be seen.
De Void went first, throwing her scythe at the two, landing direct hits. Damage was dealt, but they ignore the bellowing cries from their bodies. Sora used his Gravity Spell to flatten De Void into the ground, appearing like a sewer lid.
Mario jumped above De Void, did a few flips midair, and tossed his hammer straight down, hitting her on the head. After landing on his hammer, he leaped into the air again, performed another flip, and fell onto her again, this time using his backside. So that's where Yoshi learned that move, Sora thought. Unusual, but effective.
Upon recovering from their combo, De Void raised her scythe, feeling the steam of her ire spread faster than before. Mario braced himself, but, in a twist, she vanished, appeared behind Sora, and struck him in the back. Painful tears leaped out from the boy's ducts in distress. Mario placed a concerned hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I'm…okay," Sora said, grunting, trying to channel out the aches. And it wasn't a fabrication, either. With Mario's support, he was able to shrug most of the pain off like simple dirt.
But that scythe of De Void's was most vexing. They needed to damage the exterior before conquering the innards. The two had the perfect stratagem concocted. Sora tossed his Keyblade again, which De Void caught with her scythe.
"How tiring," De Void said, unimpressed. "Adding some variety might actually make this fight worthwhile."
"Well, you're in luck," Sora said, smug. "That's exactly what I'm doing."
The Keyblade spun faster with the speed of a propeller, becoming coated in a blue mist. De Void's watched in shock as her scythe was frozen in a cold sheath of ice. Mario leaped over to smash it with his hammer; ice remains of the baleful weapon trickled to the ground, snuggling into their final resting place in the earth.
De Void tried retaining her wavering emotions from this untoward loss. "Bah. Who needs it? A weapon is just a showy instrument used to assert your dominance. My own strength will hurt much worse!"
Extending both hands outwards, her nails started growing to unnatural lengths, as if thorns grew out of them at an alarming rate. She disappeared, materialized in front of Mario, and slashed right across his face, caressing it with anguish. In an instant, she did the same thing to Sora, attacking with the opposite hand.
Both were hurt, but their determination plowed through the heavy snow of pain. Sora took his turn to heal them both of injuries. It was like the fight just started over from scratch (except for De Void, who was forced to retain the damaging vestiges). But Sora had to be cautious of how much he wasted; a near empty take means less efficiencies.
Mario went next, tossing his hammer straight into De Void's crown. For a moment, Kersti's silver form flickered from within the toxic smoke of darkness. There seemed to be hope. Maybe it was enough to reach her. But the black blinders shut immediately. De Void tossed the crown into the air; it hovered over the two with menace, like a dark cloud about to discharge sharp spittle onto their heads.
But nothing happened.
They noticed De Void's hand trembling, as if continuing to bark the mental command at the crown. Finally, a few spears rained down on the two. Although injured, they received insufficient damage. De Void clenched her fists, incredulous over what was happening. Did Kersti somehow intervene to soften the blow? There was still a chance! They had to strike hard, cutting away the dark branches that imprisoned her.
But De Void would do whatever it took to keep them from breaking. No matter what. She cherished bathing in every negative emotion. Why lose it? To revert into a formless, unfulfilled entity? Never! Sora ran forward, delivering a single, powerful, upward slash. De Void defended herself, but the strike left its aching incision. De Void reeled back, clutching her chest, trying to prevent an outpour of pain.
But Mario wouldn't give her the option. The dam was about to break. He jumped at her, spun his body around, and attached with relentless swings from the hammer. De Void couldn't bare the endless barrage of strikes; it was like pieces of her stamina kept dropping like pedals. Eventually, she would wither into nothingness.
However, she had one last attack guaranteed to finally pluck them from her path like worthless dandelions. Her hands tripled in size; she then clasped them together, forming the shape of a boulder. Perfect for crushing the duo into the soil like nails. It hovered above the two, prepared to initiate the countdown to their demise.
But as it plummeted down, the two caught it with their weapons. Despite their combined weight, the found it cumbersome to push her hands off them. But they never quit; they believed in one another. The two formed a strong bond that carried them through each battle. And it would improve as time progressed. Fighting De Void wouldn't be any different.
Trussing their strength together with a tungsten ribbon, they pushed her away, causing De Void to gasp in absolute bewilderment. This wasn't possible, she thought. How much power was submerged inside of these two? They seemed able to draw out a near endless supply. And it was frightening her. Her? Terrified of these two? How demeaning. But it was such a horrible sensation, snatching away every ounce of destructive joy she loved.
And she was about to never experience it again.
Sora and Mario nodded to each other. This was their chance to weaken her. The two tapped their weapons together. A brilliant yellow light joined them in a matrimony of pulsating energy. The Keyblade's blade doubled in length; the tip transformed into the head of Mario's hammer. Sora and Mario held the new weapon together, preventing it from collapsing because of the sheer weight of power.
"That dingy thing is supposed to hurt me?" De Void asked. She sneered. "Oh, no! Don't give me a headache! What ever shall I do without the aid of aspirin?" She soon regretted her mean-spirited quip, as the head expanded to triple its size. All that self-assurance retracted to the size of a meek rodent. "You know, maybe a headache would've been satisfactory. A nice washcloth would patch that right up."
They slammed it straight down on her head; she became a crushed piece of paper, lacking her proud straight lines, and dignity. Upon uncompressing herself, she stumbled backwards, feeling the full effects of their attack. Vitality had fallen through a weary, endless chute, where it could never be recovered. Sensing that Sora and Mario had the battle resting in their palms, Fable and the others returned to offer their support.
De Void, as she wandered through a morass of dizziness, was in disbelief. "How…how did this end up unfavorably for me? I shouldn't be at the mercy of these two menial fools!"
"Let me answer your question: Mario and I are unstoppable together," Sora said, grinning in pride. "Really, this should be obvious."
The dark vines around Kersti started receding from the flames of their efforts. More of her silver, plastic skin exposed itself. But her blue eyes remained stagnant in a disheartened pond. Mario cupped his hands, calling out to her.
Sad ripples continued flowing through that pond. "Mario…I'm sorry…I can't fight this."
"Yes, you can!" Sora said. "Self-doubt is the reason you feel this way.
"No," Kersti said, refusing to let her eyes meet theirs. "I realize how horrible I've been to you. To your friends. Why would anyone care for me? I should just fade."
Sora's stubbornness became boisterous. He'd not let her meet the same, potential fate as Riku. He started opening his mouth, but Mario placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. "What's wrong?"
"Let Mario deal with this," Fable said.
A part of Sora wanted to object. But nothing would change his mind. Mario knew he could reach out to her. Sometimes those we cherish would listen with wider ears. It wasn't Sora's place to intervene. The reverse would be true if Mario tried reaching out to Riku.
"Right," Sora said. Mario took a step forward, unloading every word, hoping it'd hit the emotional mark. Sora turned to Fable. "What's he saying?"
Fable translated: "No one is perfect. Everyone is going to face a difficult time in their life. Coping with your loss has been hard. It has affected your ability to be happy."
"I tried so hard to move on," Kersti said with a sigh. "I couldn't. All I could do was take my pain out on everyone else. And look what it transformed me into? No one would miss someone as heartless as me."
Mario responded with stronger conviction in each word. The sentences pierced the thick, obstinate glass wall, thrusting right into Kersti's heart like a warm needle. A single tear streamed down her face. "Y-You would? But I was rude to you the whole time. How can you be so understanding?"
Mario continued talking with a kind expression on his face. Fable couldn't help but feel tickled by a strange fuzzy sensation. "Awwwwww. He says it doesn't matter to him. She was still there as a support during his journey. That little bit of goodness was all he needed to see that she cared. And he promises to help her find that joy again."
"M-Mario," Kersti said, as more tears trickled from her eyes. That little bit of encouragement shattered the morose vase that kept her heart captive. It was free to breath in the light of happiness. One person cared for her well-being. She mattered. Taking her own life would fill Mario with grief.
The same grief she felt for losing her father. History would be steered off its course. Forever. Gaining fortitude, she pushed through the darkness. Everyone cheered for her success.
"No….what's going on….you fuel my anger!" De Void said, trying to keep the strings from loosening around her host. "I need you!"
But Kersti kept pushing towards the future – in more ways than one. "But I don't need you. Mario will heal my sadness; not make it worse!"
The struggled continued. In the end, Kersti's desire to live was stronger than anything else. She used it to catapult herself off the darkness' vile rubber band. De Void screamed in agony, reverting into a cloud of black energy.
"Alright!" Sora said, as he and the other cried out in victory.
Kersti flew straight into Mario's arms, pouring out every pent emotion into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Mario! I never meant to hurt you!"
The cloud started ascending into the sky, determined to devour a new victim, whom was in sight.
"It's not over yet!" Fable said, distressed.
Sora smirked. "Yes. It is!"
He leaped into the air, slashed right across the cloud, and made it explode into black power. As the darkness vanished from reality, De Void let out one last scream.
Her echoes were the last remaining fragments of her existence. And soon, they followed into inescapable oblivion.
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