Chapter 65: The Strongest Weapon

Sora and Fox returned to where they started upon arriving at the castle. To their right was a gate. Unlike the massive, stoic door, the gate had no expostulations of letting the two enter. They followed the path, walking alongside a battlement to their right. It wasn't long before the path came to an end. A purple magical line descended towards the ground.

Next to them was another crystal mechanism. This one was inexpressive, reticent, as if it repined being in the presence of company. But its attitude changed once Sora pressed his gloved hand against the brooding structure. A warm yellow light radiated from within the crystal's being, eroding its dour mood from existence.

Grateful for Sora's gesture, it summoned a platform similar to the one they first took to the castle. It ascended from below, connected to the purple line. After the two entered, the platform began its slow decent into the area below, where they would soon find themselves sojourned within the shadow's squalid cul-de-sac. It teemed with restless creatures waiting to be satiated by succulent, beating hearts.

Sora could feel the lukewarm air overcome by an aggressive, cold exhale. He hugged himself to shave off a lair from the air. Was this a presage for another Heartless attack, or did the paucity of light down below contribute to the sudden chill? Either way, the two stayed alert – their senses sharp enough to cut stone.

After reaching the ground, the two found themselves in another mountain-like area – although it was bereft of the waterfall's immutable, pleasant murmuring. Instead, they had to endure the spasmodic, unruly huffing of the breeze. Although they could still see, the vicinity was bedimmed in shade from the obtrusive structures overhead. The ground below the two was soaked with water. To the left were small mountain formations; opposite to them was part of the castle's structure.

A large two-sided door stood guard nearby, watching the mountains stare back with the same stolid expression. Fox inferred that the dungeons had to be behind the door. Opening it, however, would require swapping mental notes; and so far, through discussion, none were tantamount to a decent idea. Neither the union of Fox's technology and Sora's magic could make the door concede.

They were about to formulate a new plan when the Heartless appeared, leaving a laceration through their notes. The two prepared for another round, having settled onto a perch of their roles: Fox was offense, while Sora would take up the mantle of support. The Heartless were ones Sora hadn't encountered yet: dark, spherical creatures that had three tentacles; two on top that looked like soft horns, and one directly on its underside. Inside the creature's jagged maw was a blue abyss that welcomed an unassuming heart into its cold, empty abode.

Sora used his Gravity spell to make some of the creatures collapse onto the ground; Fox struck at them while bound to manacles of paralysis. Unfortunately, some avoided the spell, and flew straight at Sora. He tried using a Fire spell, but one of them dodged it. Another one rammed into him from the side, causing Sora to stumble right towards another one's mouth. He leaned back, but its teeth managed to slash across his arm. Sora winced as the paroxysm of pain spread like wildfire. But the chain of agony wouldn't surcease, as another Heartless rammed Sora in the head, knocking him into the wall.

They had their pray cornered, and were prepared to enjoy a scrumptious repast. But Sora would not let their insatiate hunger find even infinitesimal sense of peace. As they flew straight at him, Sora shouted, "Wind!"

Wisps of white wind emerged from his hands, and they flew straight into the Heartless, cutting through their skin with the efficiency of a hundred daggers. The wind was strong enough to knock all of them into the mountain wall, appearing like repulsive warts on its blue neck. Sora tried standing up, but sudden fatigue knocked him over, trammeling further movement.

Discouragement once again alighted upon his shoulders. Fighting the Heartless had become mundane; he never expected to be struggling against them now. It was embarrassing. He was endued with an ignominious stamp. This sense of weakness started deflating his confidence.

But Sora had to stop acquiescing with his inner critic, because it would prevent him from even gazing upon Kairi's glowing lineaments again.

"Sora, let me help!" a small, familiar female voice said. For a moment, Sora's vision was arrogated by a blinding yellow light, as if the sun overcame its torpor and decided to peer out through the clouds. Navi appeared right in front of him, hovering up and down, like a perturbed firefly. "I've been watching everything from a fair distance. I'll take care of your wounds."

Navi spun around's Sora whole torso, trapping him within a yellow tornado of magic. She sprinkled the boy with yellow orbs, which were absorbed into his body; a soothing warmth traversed throughout every section, dosing the flames of pain and agony. The empty canaster of fatigue had been replete with new vigor.

Sora stood up as his strength had surmounted exhaustion. A second wind chanted encouragement in his ears. He was ready to rejoin the battle.

Navi, however, was prepared to languor within the catacombs of a warm blanket. Her healing abilities required stamina, and, after using it, the needle pointed towards empty. She started tottering, but Sora caught her in his hands.

"Whoa, you okay?!" Sora asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," Navi said, taking a moment to catch her breath. "Healing someone takes the wind out of me for a little while. Need time to recover. Don't worry about me. Help your friend! Good luck! I know you're going to teach that naughty Riku a lesson."

"Thanks," Sora said.

As Navi departed, Sora couldn't help but feel an air of gaiety lift the soles of his feet. Losing both his friends and the Keyblade placed him within an inescapable ditch – where not one person would walk by and extend a helping hand. But sometimes, when life unloads a cesspool of issues on someone so quickly, hopelessness can seep into their pristine, content coat. It was overwhelming. You believe the axion there is no silver lining for your predicament.

Until you stop, take a deep breath, and reevaluate the gamut of tools at your disposal. Earlier, Sora remained in that ditch, convinced that he was alone. But, as he started to climb out, a light of realization averred that the assumption was incorrect. Sora saw Fox struggling against the Heartless, and a brush of brilliant ideas stroked against an empty canvas.

He pulled out a summon gen, calling forth Takamaru into the battle. His blade was already drawn, as if he had smelled the strong, squalid stench of the unjust beforehand.

Fox stopped, having stepped into a pothole of confusion. His face had been engraved into a blank stone over the appearance of this stranger.

"Okay," Fox said, a bit uneasy. "Really should consider cutting back on the barrel rolls, no matter how many times Peppy nags at me about them."

"It's good to see you, Sora," Takamaru said. "My blade stands with you against the opposition." He took a moment scan the area. "Where are your comrades? I'd assume they be present to assist."

Sora let out a heavy sigh. Although having the summon gems ameliorated his mood, their presences weren't the same as Luigi and Yoshi's. The two weren't just his friend; they had been inducted into his family. Impossible was afield, unable to influence their life with a litany of invective.

But now, the impossible followed Sora like a malicious shadow, polluting his mind with doubtful waste, convincing him that this situation, or any other, was insuperable.

"It's a long story," Sora said, trying to remain steady on a careening bridge. "Think you can help dispose of these guys?"

Takamaru bowed. "It would be an honor. Internal toil is the last sensation they will experience before being silenced."

The samurai leaped into the air and cut through one of the Heartless with little effort. Another flew right towards him, chomping at him with enthused hunger. But Takamaru threw a shuriken, which the creature caught between its teeth. Like its brethren, the Heartless met the same unruly end before the sharp tooth of Takamaru's blade.

Another one tried ramming into Takamaru's shoulder, but the samurai rested his blade there (with the tip pointing downwards), and blocked the strike. Looking to his right, he saw another fly right towards him. He hit the creature in the face with the hilt, making it falter for a moment. Fox jumped through that fleeting window before it closed by ramming his staff straight into the Heartless' side. Takamaru thrusted the blade under his arm and finished off the Heartless behind him.

With their combined efforts, the three cleansed the vicinity of the dark blemishes that infected this world. The freezing temperature had retrograded to an average cold. Better, but its presence continued nudging against the hairs on Sora skin, aggrieving them to the point of standing up on end.

Fox planted the dull end of his staff on the ground, and turned to Takamaru with an impressed expression. "Not sure who you are, but you got skills. Appreciate the help."

"Was my pleasure," Takamaru said. He let out a small chuckle, as the gravity of the situation started to lean inward. "Never would I have imagine joining forces with a fox that walks and talks. You truly live up to your distinguished titles of sly and cunning."

"Say, I like this guy already," Fox said. "Compliments me more than the insults flung at me from Falco's beak. Perhaps he needs a good sword poke in the tailfeathers."

Takamaru turned to Sora. "My time is fleeting. Once my lifeforce has replenished, I will be at your service. I pray that the conflict between you and your friends gets resolved. Which I know it will. Your friendship with them is immeasurable. It can never be effaced from your hearts."

"I hope you're right," Sora said, trying to keep diffidence from being eminent over his morale.

After Takamaru returned to his inexorable slumber, Fox turned to Sora with a playful smile. "So, looks like someone's been holding out me. Seems like had a bunch of pocket people waiting in the wing." He paused to digest the sentence just uttered. "Yep. Gonna take it easy on the barrel rolls."

"It's a lot more complicated than that." Sora pulled out another gem, as a second brilliant stroke slid across the canvas. "I'll explain later, but I think I figured out how to open the door."

Sora held up another gem to summon Jill in her drill. Immediately, she cracked her knuckles, zealous at the prospect of diving head first into a mosh pit of action

"Aw, was someone enjoying listening to silence's greatest hits?" Jill asked in a mocking tone. "Well, too bad, because now you're getting an earful of drill!" Her bombastic excitement tapered off into a disappointed whimper upon scanning the environ. "Wait, what's going on here? Where are we? Furthermore, where are my drill's hapless victims at?" She sighed. "This is lame. My services aren't fulfilled until my drill gets even a little messy."

"Hey, don't worry, Jill," Sora said with an assuring smile. "We have a job for you that'll make it tough to get the ruble out of your drill."

Jill sighed in relief. "Oh, that's good, because I—" Her sentence was cut in half by a scalpel of pure amazement. She was looking up at the massive, derelict castle with her mouth agape. Elation swarmed through her chest like mirthful bees discovering an entire garden that accrued a deluge of flowers. Riches of imperceptible imagination slept in solitude with this ancient beast's stomach.

"Uh, Jill," Sora asked, approaching her in concern. "You okay?"

Jill wrapped an arm around Sora and pull him towards her, singing: "Ah! Sweet mystery of life, at last I found out!" She then grabbed both his shoulders, tickled with glee. "Sora! Do you know what this means!?"

"If the thieving gig doesn't work out, you may have an adequate singing career?" Sora asked, as uneasiness pinched against his stomach like a needle.

Jill narrowed her expression. "No. Spooky old castle equals rare, exotic loot! C'mon, get with the program!" She released her grip on Sora, and examined the castle again. "Oh yeah. This place definitely reeks of reckless abandon! Which means someone needs to preserve those priceless artifacts left behind! We're going to be swimming in emeralds, rubies, and diamonds!" She reflected on her choice of words. "Well, not literally – that could potentially lead to painful cuts, but you know what I mean!"

Before Sora could open his mouth, Jill looked past him, noticing an inconsistency within his entourage. "Say, where is that giant iguana and fidgety fella you hang out with?" She saw Fox. "Who's the theme park mascot?"

"Theme Park mascot?" Fox asked, perplexed.

"Never mind," Jill said, waving a dismissive hand. She turned back to Sora; her smile sewn together by a thread of alacrity. "Whatdaya say we go in: eighty, twenty?"

Sora pretended to mull over the proposition, and said, "Not a bad offer. Guess twenty percent would be just enough to fill your drill."

"Look at you twisting words into tolerable comedy," Jill said, who couldn't help but snicker.

"Listen, we need your help," Sora said, trying to refocus the dial of their conversation. "See that door over there? Can you bust it open?"

Jill cracked her fingers together, which echoed throughout the area, exuding confidence. "You kidding? Are you trying to make my time out here as boring as possible? Step back."

Jill approached the door in her drill; after pressing a few buttons, the drill began spinning, letting out a whirring yawn as if it had been awoken from a restful slumber. She rammed the drill right into the door; the door screeched in agonizing pain as the drill pushed its thick skin. Sora and Fox had to cover their ears from the strident noise; it scratched against their ear drums like fingernails.

Soon, the door conceded against the overwhelming might of the drill, and swung open its stone eyelids, revealing a dark pupil that was insensible – a place that containing nothing but specters of a different time.

"Good going!" Sora said, pumping his fist.

"No prob." Jill's expression became drenched in sincerity. "Don't worry about the whole us finding loot or not. It would be nice, but…right now…there's no one I can share the richness with. What's the point if I can't celebrate my achievements with my family?"

"Well, right now, I appreciate even the smallest you've achieved," Sora said, gleaming with encouragement. "It brings us one step closer to going home. What you did right now makes a huge difference. Never forget that."

Jill's spirits rose from its dispirited convalesce, impelled by the prospect of turning back the clock to a period where life was normal – where her days were spent enthralled in the hunt for priceless artifacts. To receive praise and admiration for her sedulous thievery. Nothing pleased Jill more than hearing a concourse of loved one speaking in her ear canal. And she would not let them be silenced within darkness' empty vacuum.

"Guess you're right," Jill said. "Thanks for the pep talk. Let me know when you need my help again. Next time, though, could you at least have some Heartless for me the fight? I'd like to make it home without my arms falling asleep, y'know?"

Sora chuckled over her twisted priorities. "Promise."

After Jill vanished, the two began their trek into the dungeon following R.O.B's signal, all the while Sora explained the concept of his "pocket people" to Fox. Conversation proved invaluable as they walked through the dark, dreary hallways; uneasiness tried stalking them from behind, but talking incommoded the feeling from thrusting elongated claws into their nerves. Other than their voices, the hallways clamored from the two's footsteps.

If it wasn't for the various scones placed through the dungeon, pure darkness would've been endued as their unreliable guide, leading them towards nondescript dangers. Sora noticed ornate markings on the walls – complex shapes and design born of artistry. But nature coveted to become homogeneous with such beauty, as vines grew within the dungeon, leaving their incongruous mark.

Sora and Fox remained assiduous as they turned each corner, extrapolating that the Heartless would be waiting to lunge out from the shadows.

"Never been in a dungeon before," Fox said, feeling a trepid breeze. "Can't even imagine the poor souls that had to reside in here. Especially with the Heartless roaming about.

"Good idea," Sora said. "Let's not imagine it."

Foxed smiled, as if was drawn on his face by sentimental quell. "I'll tell you one thing: if Slippy was here, his googly eyes would be looking for the nearest exit. Good ol', Slip."

"One your teammates, I assume?"

"And childhood friend," Fox said. "We went to flight academy together. Not the greatest pilot but is one heck of a mechanic. Created most of our gadgets, including the portable version of R.O.B."

Sora chuckled. "Bit of a cowardly type, huh?"

"Does comfort eating on flies during the school play count?" Fox asked.

Sora's mind gazed through a telescope of the past. "Reminds me of Luigi." His bright mood was bedimmed by a crestfallen haze. "Wonder if I'll ever see him and Yoshi again."

"Sounds like you're close with those two," Fox said, as his eyes welled up with sympathy.

Sora stopped for a moment, leaning closer into the state of reflection; he practically saw the pores of his memories. "I would've never made it this far without them. Would've probably stuck in this place called Traverse Town forever."

"You'll see them again." He placed a commiserate hand on his shoulder. "I'm counting on seeing my friends again. For sure. Don't know how I'll do it; all I know is lamenting over them isn't going to do me any favors."

"Yeah," Sora said, sighing. "Guess that's true."

As the two continued, Sora still had his feet knee deep in thought. A realization interjected on his litany: he missed Luigi. The two had become such good friends, despite their personalities partaking in occasional scuffles. Luigi was a cautious voice that kept Sora's feet planted in the ground, preventing them from squirming loose, and walking into the dangerous unknown.

But – and Sora hated picking favorites – he missed Yoshi most of all. He became so close with the dinosaur; they connected on a deep, emotional level that couldn't be explained. His indefatigable spirit would hold Sora's up like pylons when doubt started losing balance. He ticked his senses with a gasp of laughter when the air was still from despondence.

And Yoshi's loving warmth reassured Sora that life always moved forward in troubling times; that hopelessness wasn't an everlasting recital of misery. One, final, pleasing note would bring the song to a peaceful, harmonious. How Sora wished he could give Yoshi a big hug, and let that negativity deflate from his body.

But right now, all he felt was cold. Regardless, he had to trudge through the sufferance. At least Fox would keep him from sinking into the depths.

The signal grew stronger, proclaiming that their destination was in close proximity. After walking up some stairs, they saw a lever confided behind metal bars.

"Yes!" Sora said, as a burst of optimism hoisted itself above his head. "Making progress!"

Fox remained alert, inspecting each corner of the halls with sharp, unblinking eyes. "Strange how they would make the lever this easy to access."

"Well, this castle has seen better days," Sora said. "Back in its prime, guards were probably all over this dungeon."

As if on cue, the Heartless appeared in front of the two.

"Okay," Sora said, in sudden shock. "Guess they're under new management." Fox glared at him. "What!?"

The two battle their way through the wave. Their strategy once again proved effective in subtracting the numbers. Although Sora knew the pavement could be smoothen by the Keyblade's presence. He had to stop heeding his inner voices expostulations. Worthless entreats would not make it reappear in his hand. Only his actions could forge the path towards reobtaining the Keyblade.

After defeating the Heartless, Fox used his blaster to destroy the bars entrapping the switch. Sora pulled on the lever, and two heard working machinery echoed throughout the dungeon. It was tacit that door was unlocked. Fox and Sora glanced at each other; they had accomplished their mission. But it was trivial compared to the challenge that lurked behind the door upstairs, waiting with malicious intent.

But postulating yielded no results. They had to step forward, fastening a strap of confidence around their shoulders. The odds loomed over them like an ominous precipice. But they couldn't give up on those they cherished. Quitting was unconscionable, like being stamped with an opprobrious mark. They couldn't live with the shame.

Once they took a moment to compose themselves, the two hurried back to castle's entrance. They were prepared to make one final stand against the Heartless.

For the ones they loved.

The Grand Hall stood as the nervous system for the entire castle. At one point in history, it teemed with brilliant minds exchanging ideas through elegant words. But now, nothing but silent air perambulated throughout the vicinity. What was once a place that opened its arms to all that breathed, metamorphized into a dark, reclusive cocoon.

The hall was divided into two sections: the first part formed a perfect square, with the Heartless symbol etched into a blue carpet on the ground. On each side of the carpet were three cauldrons, perfectly aligned with one another. Light blue flames were on top of the cauldron, waving to the other with perpetual regard.

Behind each cauldron was a glass panel that housed a prisoner – all female. Their lower bodies had been restrained within a rock formation. Yet there was no struggling; not when each one had been trapped behind a thick, glass layer of endless slumber. Sora had met four of the victims before: Princess Peach, Zelda, Dixie Kong, and Samus. But two would be unfamiliar to him:

The first was a blue vixen donned in nothing but a golden top, white loincloth, and sandals. Golden jewelry was attached to her appendages, including two bands on her tail, braces on her arms and legs, a beaded tiara, and a neckless. She did wear some protective braces on her arms, and shoulder pads.

Next to her was a young woman with long red hair. She was the antithesis of the vixen's wardrobe (or lack thereof), covered from head to toe in red robes, including a purple cape that wrapped behind her. Leaning against her glass prison was a mage's staff similar in appearance to Mia's. The tip had a strange wish bone-like design; attached to it was a golden, crescent moon shape. It was like a staunch, yet disheartened canine that refused to leave his master's side, regardless of their inactive state of mind.

If one were to walk up the stairs to the second section, they would be greeted by a fork in the path: an adjacent pair of stairs that curved upwards towards the top of a tall, octagonal, purple platform. The platform's scalp contained a pink, carpeted crop cut, with two golden hair clips that took the form of unusual control panels.

Looming over the platform, against the back wall, was a peculiar structure made of rusted bronze pipes that rose towards the ceiling. Some were straight, while others had slight curves, as they were huddled together, taking on the appearance of a dark, twisted organ. Only inharmonious wails of agony clamored from within their hollow chambers.

And at the center of this bewildering design of mankind was an opened door; it was in the shape of the Heartless insignia. Within its singular eye was a variegate of reds, blues, and greens, swimming around each other, as if trying to conflate into one, colorful entity. Yet some unknown force was preventing this ritual from transpiring

Back in the first section, hovering within a pink casket of energy was Kairi, still an outsider of the conscious world. The pink energy reflected off her pale skin, returning some vibrant colors to her being. But without her heart, the joys of life would pass by Kairi without a second thought, leaving her within an inconsolable state of emptiness.

Kammy Koop was perambulating around the area, trying to loosen the nervous tension in her weary legs. She glanced at her watch; impatience spines were pinching at her neck, pushing inward as time continued its interminable course forward.

Loud footsteps soon interjected into the hall's sullen monologue of silence. Bowser entered the room, stretching out his arms. His entire body had been wrapped in a lackadaisical cocoon, as if sheltered from the stressful, harsh winds of reality. This uncharacteristic aberration left Kammy in a state of inquietude. Was this a setup for Bowser to invite her into his peaceful hut? That way, he could terrify Kammy by shouting in her ear, causing the last hair cell to abandon ship.

No. His temperament had reclined into a sofa of tranquility. After letting out a relieved sigh, he lightly smacked his cheeks. "Nothin' like a good lava bath. Loosens up the skin."

"Your grumpiness – I don't mean to introduce on your peaceful respite, but shouldn't you perform the ceremony now?" Kammy asked, keeping worried feet off the inviting carpet of Bowser's serene mood. "After all, it's what you've been waiting for."

"Kammy," Bowser said, as any sign of his irritable behavior remained afield. "Sometimes you have to stop and appreciate the little things in life – like how the crying tears of intolerable mushroom folk help to produce a fresh morning brew of coffee. Or how my troops graciously accept their salary cuts for the greater good of our kingdom?"

"Wait a minute," Kammy said, being elevated onto a pedestal of suspension "Didn't you use those cut funds to acquire your muscle car?"

Bowser cleared his throat, trying to wend the conversation in another direction. "Regardless, that annoying Keyblade kid has been replaced by a less annoying Keyblade kid." He displayed his razor-sharp teeth through a wide, satisfied grin. "There's nothing he can do to stop me now."

"What about the plumber and his repulsive reptile?"

Bowser scoffed. "Mr. Green-Stache? What's he going to? Call for Mario to hide behind? He's too much of a wuss to challenge this much coolness." He cracked his knuckles. "But I suppose I've been holding it off long enough."

His gaze soon met with Princess Peach, trapped within a helpless slumber. Yet her radiance never eroded before the room's depressing glare. If anything, it seemed to illuminate the hallway in a white, elegant glow.

Or maybe that was just Bowser's mind's eye fabricating an illusion – dreaming of a perfect world. He saw his smile in the reflection of Peach's glass prison. It was an unusual sight for him, as if every reflection he gazed into was an imperfect infestation of crestfallen cracks. But with her, the image was immaculate; he saw every detail of his scaly smile and wanted it to remain frozen forever.

But the happiness was not just for himself, but his son, too. Peach was the only one that could cure his somber ailment. And it would heal without interruption. No one would deny him such elation anymore. Oppressive voices would be subdued within the infinite sands of darkness.

Especially Mario's. His high pitched, upbeat voice would never reverberate through Bowser's head again. He would be liberated of happy-go-lucky visage forever.

Bowser's chest expanded from confident pressure. He walked pass Kairi, walked up a few steps, spun around, and held aloft the Star Rod. "O purest of hearts! Reveal to me the keyhole!"

Pink energy beams emerged from within the chests of the prisoners, and joined together above Kairi, forming a shimmering sphere of light. Bowser watched with sinister delight as a sparkling line emerged from the sphere, converging towards the Heartless doorway, prepared to cajole the keyhole out of its multicolored refuge.

His body agued with excitement. Everything he worked for was coming to fruition. Before, his end goal was nothing more than a dream. Now? He was bestowing upon it the breath of life. Darkness will bring about the end but conceive a new beginning. And he will be the one to take that first step.

While planning out the map of his future, he failed to notice a scratch mark on its design. Only six beams of light were present in the ritual….

Sora placed his gloved hands against the door of the main entrance; his chest tightened in anticipation, knowing what awaited him. Not just the Heartless, but Riku; he would stop at nothing to cut the tightrope that led to Kairi, making Sora fall into a pit of his own failures. Without the Keyblade, he could feel himself losing balance already.

But he wouldn't look down at the pit; his focus was forward, towards success, where Kairi was waiting to gaze into the omnipresent visage of life once again. Sora glanced at Fox, who responded with a confident nod, engendering him with an encouraging nudge towards their destiny.

With a big exhale, Sora pushed open the door, hearing the gentle rumblings grumble in his ear, as if upbraiding him for disrupting its sleep. They soon arrived at the Entrance Hall, where guests' eyes were able to dine on an assortment of extravagant imagery. Although it was only regal with rats and spiders these days, the hall still exhibited unwavering pride.

The room itself formed a perfect circle. As the two walked in, they were greeted by large pillars, which held up a platform that encircled the outer perimeter of the hall. It was a second floor of sorts, where onlookers could gaze down and soak in every ornate detail from above. Or, they could take a gander at the large, blue chandler that hung in the center.

Ahead of the two was a green fountain; the statue was that of snake's head, venomous maw wide open, pouring out a perpetual stream of water, acting as the tongue. On each side of the statue was long strands of hair in the form of stairs. They lead to a middle floor that resided between the first and second.

Once you've reached the top of the stairs, there was another door that lead deeper into the threadbare interior of the castle. It was a sight to behold – a place permeated in an enigmatic mist. There was a story for its current state of existences, and the contents remained taciturn behind the castle's ancient walls.

But Sora and Fox had an exigency to address. Questions were expelled from a den of certainty. Their path ahead was absolute, uninterrupted by errant junctions. Sora tried to remain composed, although his heartrate started to increase, like a metronome that's lost control of itself. He posited that Riku would appear at any moment, his patience no longer able to be servile towards mercy.

Fox gripped the staff, keeping the anxious air from wriggling into his pours. "Don't let the pretty architecture allure you. Stay on your guard. The Heartless are close. Can practically smell them."

As the two walked forward, a familiar female voice whispered in Fox's ear, pressing the brake lever on all movement. His chest swelled, as if it became inflamed from an injection of intense, contradictory sensations. At first, he thought it was a comforting echo from his mind – an injunction that kept him going.

But he heard her voice again; it was louder this time. In fact, it felt like her steady, warm breath was stroking his ear canal, as with an affectionate stroke of the finer. He couldn't believe it to be true. It was too easy, he thought. But some form of curiosity supplicated towards rationality. Maybe he just needed some type of assurance that this was a ruse. Or, perhaps, a part of him had a predilection for the impossible to be true.

"Krystal?" Fox asked, spinning around to face the door.

Standing inside the main door was the blue vixen, resting her folded hands on her lap; she ignited the morose hall with a flicker from her smile. An atheistic of shock and bewilderment numbed his senses. It was her, alive and well. Standing right before him – her blue eyes were gazing straight into his. She was real, and a part of him wanted to acquiesce this assessment.

But this blurred notion was obviated once he put on a clear, rational lens. Something about her presence didn't rest well within Fox's stomach, festering, accruing into doubt by the second. Apathy daubed over her glistening eyes; any sense of ardor was lassitude. Much to his disappointment, Fox's empirical reasoning was proven true: Krystal's being morphed into the unwelcoming sight of a Shadow.

Fox could feel anger scrape away at sensible thought, leaving it strewn about as helpless dust, unable to quell the fury. He hated being deceived. It was like being mocked, as if the Heartless were delivering a message of failure – that he would be in reach, but would never touch her again.

"Oh, you'll wish you didn't do that!" Fox said, gripping his staff, letting the indignation pulsate into its form.

Sora spun around to see Fox run straight at the Heartless. As Fox lunged at it, the door closed behind him, leaving Sora trapped inside. He could feel the confident lump in his throat disintegrate, until it morphed into discouraging droplets.

He was alone again. The hall seemed to have become bigger and inescapable. Anxiety had belied Sora's eyes. How could he continue when everything around him seem unobtainable? He closed his eyes, reminding himself of the mental trinket that could never be stolen: his desire to see Kairi again. He opened his eyes: the room returned to its normal size, as if exhaling the nervous pressure along with him.

But Sora's moment of mediation was interrupted as a strong chill perched itself upon his neck with cold talons. And a familiar voice riddled with contempt pecked in his ear. "Quit while you can."

Well, at least Sora wasn't alone anymore. Pushing through the reluctant rust that tried holding him back, Sora spun around to see Riku standing in front of the fountain – an inevitably that couldn't be sidestepped. Luigi and Yoshi stood on each side of him. Sora wanted to be excited to see their usual, jovial countenances, but it was impossible. Not when that joy had been requisitioned by a firm hand of guilt.

Luigi tried remaining stoic, but sadness scintillated through his eyes; they were gateways to the truth, no matter how hard one tried being cozen. Yoshi glanced off to the side; he was disinclined to even face Sora's general direction. It would just cause the cascade of shame to patter harder on his head with a loud upbraid.

And yet, despite seeing Luigi and Yoshi in a discouraging light, he remained undeterred. He squeezed that trinket, not once releasing it from the thought of a doubt.

"No," Sora said. "Not without Kairi."

"The darkness will destroy you." In a flash of black and purple colors, a new, dark outfit materialized on Riku. His original attire was gone – the last remnant of his life as an islander. Now, he was a servant of the darkness, obeying every command without remonstrance. His new suit was covered with a mixture of blacks and dark blues. The Heartless insignia was etched into his chest, as a symbol of his loyalty to the darkness' rule.

He wore a black belt that had two pieces of cloth that flowed down each side of his waist. Luigi and Yoshi felt a strong cold in his presence; they couldn't help but shiver at its intensity. It wrapped itself around the two; making errant eye contact could make it smother the life out their souls.

Yet, they noticed Sora's courage didn't diminish before Riku's new form. He continued holding onto that trinket.

"You're wrong, Riku," Sora said, as his spirits let out a sonorous cry of strength. "The darkness can destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart. My heart will stay with my friends. It'll never die!"

Riku raised an eyebrow. "Stay with your friends? What, on a life support system? You've lost it, man. Guess hearing the sound of your own voice is all have left, seeing as how everything else has been taken from you. Stalling is all you can do, since you're nothing without the Keyblade."

"That's not true!" Sora said.

Riku clenched his hand into a fist. Dark energy began pouring out of the fissures like a fountain. "Well then. Sounds like I'm going to have to prove you wrong again!"

Riku launched a large, dark fireball from his hand. Sora grunted as he found his entire body had been paralyzed from the cold pressure of the attack. No matter much his neural impulses begged, every muscle remained obdurate, as if prepared to accept their fate. There was no contest; why prolong one's suffrage?

And Sora knew this was his fate. There was no escape. Good fortunate would not succor this time. Everything had a limit. Even the moments he had left. He tried his hardest to stand tall against oppression. He succeeded. But it didn't change the fact he was about to be eliminated from reality, and never see his friends again. They were people that reminded him of the beauty life provided; it could never be viewed through a singular lens. It was better to experience together.

But everything would be silenced: he'll never see their smiles, hear their laughter, or feel their warmth. And if the darkness took him, it wouldn't conciliate him with endless dreams of the past. Just a miserable, worthless void. They were gone forever. He would never get a chance to tell them how much of an impact they had on his life.

He would never get a chance to tell Kairi his true feelings for her.

But when all hope had faded into a small, white speck, a familiar white egg with green spots collided with the dark ball of energy. Sora shielded himself from the small explosion.

"What!?" Riku asked, in utter disbelief.

Soon, the explosion died, and the dust began to settle. Sora opened his eyes to see a certain green dinosaur standing in front of him, shield raised; stalwart flames spun within his usual, cordial blue eyes, and no one would ever extinguish them again. They were loyal, knowing that a true friend should never be left to dilapidate into a lifeless husk, devoid of everything that made them special. Yoshi would never be able to inure that guilt.

Riku glowered at the dinosaur. "You…."

"Me have a name, y'know!" Yoshi said with a loud snort. "It Yoshi! Remember it well! Because if you don't, me gonna spell it out with your silver locks! No one lay a finger on my pal!"

Sora felt like the emotional weight against his heart had been alleviated somewhat. Small tears of happiness swelled within his ducts. Finding such an incredible friend was rare. And today, he was considered the luckiest person in the world.

"You'd betray Mario?" Riku asked.

Yoshi's serious expression didn't recede before the grotesque truth. "Never in a gazillion years! But that no mean Yoshi betray Sora, either." The dinosaur looked over his shoulder, giving Sora the biggest, heartfelt smile, he could muster. "After all, he and I are best friends forever, right?"

Sora's mind was obstructed in a white cloud of emotions. He couldn't even begin to describe the feelings that spun around his head. Especially how grateful he was for Yoshi's loyalty; how he would never let their promise shatter before opposition. Their friendship was permeant.

"The best," was the only two, small words that creaked out from Sora's mouth.

Yoshi turned back to Luigi, waving. "Bye-bye, Luigi. Tell Mario me sorry."

Luigi and Riku's eyes met with each other's. He saw nothing but a cold indifference glazed across them. Luigi let out a small chuckle, realizing the truth about his decision to stick with Riku. "Hey, who said you could do that alone? We'll grovel at his feet together."

And so, Luigi left to join Sora and Yoshi. Keyblade or not, Riku didn't care for anyone but himself. He lived on a constant walkway of petty jealousy. And it would never cease. Sora had been there from the beginning – to help him find Mario without protest. Sora would continue do so, not out of perforce, but because it was in his nature to do the right thing.

Plus, Sora had inspired him to step deep within and uncover a tomb of new courage that remained dormant for most his life. He was grateful for Sora's positivity, despite their arguing. Luigi loved Mario with all his heart, but Sora had been placed on a pedestal of important people in his life. And he wouldn't let it become empty, serving as a reminder of his poor decision to abandon a friend.

"Luigi…I…" Sora said, as his words were twisted in a whirlpool of feelings.

Luigi placed a pert hand on his hip. "Whatever happened to all for one and one for all? Think we forgot about that? Can't break that vow. Besides, there's no one else I'd rather be with right now."

"Sorry, Sora," Yoshi said, giggling. "You stuck with us."

There were so many things he wanted to say right now. So many feelings writhing in different directions. It was hard to find the starting line. So, instead, all he said was: "Guys….thank you."

"Touching," Riku said, turning a cold, apathic shoulder towards their everlasting friendship. "Didn't need them anyways. All they'll do is be a nuisance."

Yoshi let out a fierce growl. Luigi pulled out his hammer, enraged. "Oh, I can show you how much of a nuisance I am!"

"They're just as useless as you are, Sora," Riku said. "How can you fight without a weapon?"

Endued with new found confidence, Sora glared at Riku, "Never bad mouth my friends like that! I'll have you know that I wouldn't have made it this far without them. And they made me realize that I don't need the Keyblade. Not when I have a better weapon. My heart."

Silence took a comfortable seat within the vicinity for a moment, witnessing the events unfold. It was frightened away when Riku burst into laughter. He hadn't laughed this hard in a long time. It felt refreshing.

"Dude!" Riku said, trying to quell the paroxysm from emptying his lungs into worthless sacks. "You have said some of the corniest things over the years, but this one knocks the Paopu out of the palm tree. Your heart? Are you planning to smother me with power of love or something? What kind of after school special logic are you trying to apply here? Seriously?"

Then he looked straight at Sora's physiognomy. It was rigid like an indestructible gemstone. An incredible weight of valor pressed against his eyebrows. And, as Riku peered into Sora's pupils, ravage sparks of determination snarled right back at him.

This wasn't the same person Riku grew up with on his island – the same person that shrugged off every dilemma with a goofy, good-natured smile. He was forced through a current, on occasion being thrashed about by life's hardships. Yet, he endured, imbibed with that knowledge of failures and success everyone faces in the real world.

His childlike wonder started stepping into the shoes of adulthood. Sora wasn't quite there yet, but Riku could catch a glimpse of those flames crackling with menace. Riku felt a strong pinch in his chest. Was he intimidated by Sora? No. Just his imagination. It had to be excitement over holding the advantage over him.

Yet, Riku remained silent as a mouse against Sora's bombastic resolve. "Maybe it does sound corny to some. But it means something to me! My heart helped me believe in myself. And that wouldn't have been possible without all the friends I made." He closed his eyes, stepping into the damp puddle of immemorial memories. "When I first arrived in Traverse Town, my heart was weak. It sensed the fear of loneliness. I felt hopeless. Then I met these two. They helped me find strength inside my heart, and I did the same for them. Same goes for all the other friends I've made. Sure, they're not here right now, but the positive impact they left will always stay with me. Even just one person in your life can help you find the will to go on!"

"So I don't need a weapon." Sora assumed his battle position; he was armed with a toy sword, but, more importantly, the drive to fight. Inspired by his speech, Luigi and Yoshi prepared their weapons, too. "My friends are my power."

Growing annoyed with Sora's platitudes, Riku materialized the Keyblade and prepare to go on the offense. Both he and Sora weren't hesitant to fight anymore. Not even halcyon childhood memories could warrant a cease and desist on their desires. Sure, Sora was still at a disadvantage, but weakness never existed in the first place – it was an illusion fabricated when he felt hopeless.

Being with Luigi and Yoshi reminded him of his own strength, and he would use it to reach the crest of victory. But before the fight could ensure, the magnetic pole of triumph Riku stood atop flipped over, causing everything he worked for to crash into the ground. The Keyblade vanished from Riku's hand of its own volition, as if repulsed by his unconscionable actions.

His hand was light as air. He was shocked and horrified. And it got worse. Sora's fingers started to tingle, growing more intense until the Keyblade reappeared in his hand. The reassuring weight had returned. He gasped with a conflation of surprise and joy. Sora gripped the handle, to confirm that his mind hadn't imprinted counterfeit imagery out of desperation.

No. It was real. Sora couldn't have been more relieved. Life had wandered back into its inner circle. His efforts had been rewarded. He would no longer suffer while those around him faced impunity for their actions.

Especially Riku. He was furious. "No! How!? I'm its rightful wielder!"

"A friend once told me that the Keyblade chooses its master," Sora said. "And after all you've done, it knew the truth."

"Nah," Luigi said with a sly smirk. "It's just embarrassed to be fighting for someone dressed like THAT. Fact, not opinion."

Sora and Yoshi exchanged silent chuckles with each other. The boy couldn't even begin to describe how much he missed sharing in the lighthearted banter with his friends. But Luigi's jeers became the coal that caused the flames of Riku's anger to burn with violent flickers. Sora and his friends have placed speed bumps in Riku's path to trip over, and he was beyond aggravated with them.

Sora didn't deserve to rescue Kairi. He was a dilatory in her revival. It would do nothing. Only Riku could save her. Having others meddle would keep the heavy chain on her imprisonment. He would never see her again. All he could do was take out the roots of this conundrum. It would allow Kairi to bloom.

Summoning his dark blade, Riku ran right for the trio. Sora gripped the hilt of the Keyblade with both hands, prepared to face his greatest challenge yet. But he wasn't deterred, not with the confidence he wielded.

Sora ran forward, receiving an extra boost of speed from the Keyblade's magic. Luigi and Yoshi were in awe at his awakened vigor. He and the Keyblade were in harmony with each other – one mind, one body, one purpose:

To slay the darkness.

Sora brought the Keyblade straight down on Riku. He brought his blade up at a vertical angle with one hand to block. Gold and black energy discharged from their blades, slithering away in fear of the incredible force. Riku felt the heat of Sora's attack bludgeon his skin. How did Sora dismiss time's established laws and improve in such a short amount of time?

Riku pushed Sora back, and tried countering with a thrust. With the Keyblade held at a diagonal angle – with the tip pointed downward – he blocked Riku's strike. Sora delivered a full horizontal swing, but Riku stepped back to avoid it. Going on the offense, Riku tried an inward strike; Sora swung the Keyblade upward to deflect it. Continuing his offensive spree, Riku tried a vertical, downward attack.

Holding the Keyblade with one hand, he thrusted the hilt upward, catching the strike with the knuckle guard. Sora pushed the hilt up again, knocking Riku's blade upward. Opportunity opened a lacerate for Sora to exploit. He punched Riku's straight in the jaw with an uppercut, followed by a lower slash to the rib. Riku winced as the pain started crawling through his body. Yet he swatted it away like they were cockroaches. Nothing more than an inconvenience.

Taking a free hand, Sora launched a fire spell. Fast reflexes prevailed, as Riku braced himself before the spell connected his chest. But it was strong enough to make Riku slide backwards. Fortunately, the magic of his suit repelled the fire from sinking into his skin.

Riku gritted his teeth in frustration; Sora wasn't better than him. Not then, not now. He had come too far to lose. Kairi's awakening was so close; he'd be the first to see life resuscitate its nurturing breath into her being. That motivation ascribed to a second wind. Sora threw the Keyblade at Riku, who vanished, reappeared in front of him, and kneed the boy right in the chin.

Next, Riku placed both hands on Sora's shoulders, pushing himself over the key bearer, landing behind him, and delivering a fierce kick to the back. Sora stumbled forward but regained his footing at a quick pace. While holding the hilt with both hands, Sora thrusted the Keyblade behind him to block an attack; then, he spun in the opposite direction, bringing the blade in low to deflect a sweeping strike.

Riku found an opening, delivering a horizontal slash to Sora's should. The boy clenched his teeth, taking sharp breaths to fight through the pain. He was still determined to hold onto that trinket. If he dropped it, the trinket would explode into hundreds of shards; no one would be around to reform it.

Riku prepared to launch another dark fireball, but a certain long tongue wrapped itself around his arm.

"Man, does this twerp have any attacks that don't come from inside his body?" Riku said, struggling to release his grip.

"You should be fortunate he practices good hygiene," Sora said with a weak chuckle, still recovering from the last attack.

Yoshi pulled Riku forward with all his neck strength. Luigi stepped in and knocked him across the room with an upward swing of his hammer. Riku slammed into a wall located on the middle floor; his back rattled like a distressed cobra's tail. He managed to land on the platform with his feet, and retaliated with a dark fireball.

Luigi leaped onto the top of the fountain to avoid the blast; he retaliated with a Thunder spell, forcing Riku to leap back into the wall. For a fleeting moment, he felt cornered. Such a humiliating sensation, he thought; it carried the insignia of weakness. But he ripped it off his chest. He was strong. Survival had been contingent on his own power. He didn't need it from anywhere else.

And he would prove that not only to Sora's group, but himself.

Yoshi curled into an egg, and Sora kicked it straight at Riku. The silver haired boy rolled out of the way to avoid being sandwiched between an egg and a wall. As Yoshi popped out from his shell, he had just enough time to lean back, avoiding Riku's horizontal slash. Holding the blade with both hands – bringing it up towards his shoulder – Riku thrusted straight at the dinosaur. Yoshi blocked it with the middle of his shield.

Riku continued his offensive streak with a downward strike; Yoshi brought his shield up again. He then tried countering by ramming straight into Riku. The silver haired boy placed his non-dominant hand against the flat part of the blade's tip; like a buffer to a train, he caught the shield, stopping Yoshi straight in his tracks.

He kicked the shield out of the dinosaur's hand, knocking it into the nearby wall. Riku followed up by elbowing Yoshi in the cheek, and brought the combo to its conclusion with a kick to the stomach. The force was strong enough to push Yoshi backwards a good distance. But he made a quick recovery, tuning out the painful cacophony with tranquil sounds of fortitude.

Noticing the shield next to Riku, Yoshi grabbed it with his tongue, and tried pulling towards the boy's feet; only he hopped over it just in time. With incredible speeds, Riku ran right for Yoshi, but, looking at his peripheral vision, he saw Luigi flying in, preparing to deliver a downward swing.

Riku came to a sudden stop, just missing the attack, and avoiding the potential of an incurable headache. Luigi swung his hammer upward; Riku, with the tip facing the ceiling, brought the blade close to the left side of his chest, blocking the strike. He tried countering with a thrust, but Luigi brought the hammer up at a horizontal angle, catching the blade with the head. As Luigi went to pry open a weak spot, Riku vanished from sight, startling him in the process. He reappeared to Luigi's left, kicking him in the hip; the force was strong enough to knock him off the ledge.

Suddenly, Riku felt an incredible, unseen weight press against his shoulders, and he looked up to see the Gravity spell floating overhead. Any second the universe's giant foot would stomp on him. Ahead of Riku was the one culpable for this spell…

"Force!" Sora shouted.

Riku dashed forward before he could be consumed into its heavyset being. Sora charged energy into the Keyblade, and tried delivering his finishing attack as Riku approached him. But his opponent disappeared before the blade connected with even a hair. Sora's eyes darted left and right, staying alert for any sign of movement.

He reappeared to Sora's right, swinging inward. With two hands – and the tip facing the ground – Sora rested the hilt on his shoulder, blocking the attack. He then faced Riku, swinging inward himself, only for the silver haired boy to parry and vanish again. Riku reappeared behind Sora, kicking him straight into the wall.

Riku tried thrusting at his back while defenseless, but Sora leaned left, and countered with an elbow to the face. He tried an over the shoulder strike; Riku teleported away, arriving back in the center of the first floor. Luigi, who had recovered from his fall, ran straight for him, and swung at a diagonal angle. Riku caught the head with his blade, and pushed Luigi aside, causing him to stumble forward.

Yoshi threw an egg at Riku, but he destroyed it with a dark fireball. Spinning around, Riku swung his blade upward to deflect another downward strike from Luigi. He unleashed a burst of wind from his opposite hand, knocking Luigi away from the fight. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Yoshi preparing to make a move. Riku debarred that future outcome by tripping the dinosaur with a low sweep kick.

Sora hurried over to rejoin the battle, by throwing his Keyblade at Riku, who side stepped it, and vanished again. He appeared above the boy, blade held over his head, ready to bring a permeant closure to their rivalry. But Sora kept that door ajar, as summoned the Keyblade just in time to block the strike. Riku pushed himself off the Keyblade, trying to gain some distance.

Sora was going to truss that gap. He thrusted the Keyblade forward to use Cloud's technique again. Riku blocked the first strike, but Sora's speed increased with each dash, making it harder to keep pace. Soon, Riku was trapped within a whirlwind of fierce slashes, unable to escape its mercy.

Sora delivered one powerful strike that knocked Riku into a pillar. Exhaustion made its uncouth presence known, violating the peaceful space of vitality. Riku got into a kneeled position, taking slow deep breaths; he watched as sweat poured down the strains of his hair. It was like watching fuel spill from a young, vibrant car. Any second it would no longer function due to being deprived of energy – it would be listless, unable to perform its duty – unable to make a difference in someone's life.

He heard the running footsteps of Sora and his friends approaching him. Failure prepared to make its official declaration of power. But he refused to let it acquire that position. Not when his promise to save Kairi remained etched in his heart. He had come too far to lost everything in just a few minutes. It would be all in vain. All his effort would be seen as worthless – barley worth being acknowledge. And he would not let that shadow of defeat cling to him.

"No…not yet!" Riku said, clenching his fist with dark energy.

He slammed it straight into the ground, creating dark wisps of wind. Sora and his friends tried fighting through it, but its endless exhale of Riku's desires would not cease. However, the chisel that carved that promise was used on Sora's heart, too. He would not let Kairi suffer in that eternal slumber. But Riku's ideology was hurting everyone else around him. Including himself. Sora would do everything in his power to keep that gash from becoming infected by darkness.

Riku's eyes widened in shock as Sora pushed through wind, and delivered a horizontal slash. He slid around the pillar to avoid the attack. He tried to retaliate by spinning in towards Sora with a slash. The boy brought the Keyblade straight up with both hands, catching Riku's attack with the hilt. He then swung straight down, pushing the dark blade towards the ground, along with Riku himself.

Sora kicked him in the chest, and followed up with a slash to the shoulder. Still, Riku forced himself to picture pain as an illusion of the mind. Although strings of reality started to discredit that illusion. Luigi came in close with a fire uppercut, but Riku leaped back at the plumber launched himself into the air.

Next, Yoshi tried a tail swipe; Riku deflected it by lifting the blade over his head with a half circle motion. Using his free hand, he unlashed dark wind, which knocked Yoshi straight into Luigi; the two rolled onto the ground like a misshaped, green tumbleweed. An orange light filled the side of Riku's vision, and he turned to see Sora unleash his spiral beam attack.

Riku cut through the first two beams, leaped left to avoid a few more, and ran around Sora to try and lose some others. But they continued to pursue him. So Riku leaped onto Sora's shoulders, and pushed himself high into the air, landing on top of the massive chandelier. He spun around with an upward slash to destroy the remaining blasts.

Riku launched another dark fireball at Sora, who jumped onto one of the pillars, and ran up it to the second floor. But Riku tried hindering his process with another burst of wind. Hearing the threatening howl, Sora stopped to let the dark wisps strike at the hapless pillar. Sora leaped onto the second floor, spun around, and threw the Keyblade at Riku. The silver haired boy knocked it aside with his blade, and launched another fireball in retaliation.

Sora recalled the Keyblade, and held it up to his face with both hands, catching the blast. Next, he tried a Thunder spell. Riku hopped backwards to avoid it, once again countering with a fireball.

Sora jumped into the air and prepared to attack with a flying kick. Riku caught Sora's foot with his blade, pushing him backwards. Although the boy managed to land safely on the chandelier. Riku ran at Sora with an upward slash, who leaned his head back to dodge. Next, he tried a thrust, but Sora parried with a downward, diagonal slash. Riku struck back by aiming towards Sora's face, but the brought his blade straight up at a horizontal angle – with both hands on the hilt – to block.

Sora swung downward, but Riku moved past him to dodge; then he turned around to deflect another strike. Riku went in with an over the shoulder attack, and Sora once again caught the blade with his own. For a moment, the two were locked into place; neither side would budge. A steel tower born of confliction. But it collapsed when Riku hopped back, and he vanished again.

Sora smirked; he was adroit in cutting down people's strategies like a razor-sharp machete. He waited for a shift in air circulation. When a sudden chill assaulted the side of his neck, Sora spun around, punching Riku straight in the face. He then rammed the Keyblade right into his stomach. Air liberated itself from Riku's chest in one loud gasp. Sora then kicked Riku towards the edge of the chandelier, and prepared for another attack.

Realizing he had no chance of defending himself, Riku leaped off the edge, landing on the ground. Upon spinning around, Riku had stumbled into a worse situation: Both Luigi and Yoshi attacked Riku simultaneously with their strongest attacks: Luigi with his fist, and Yoshi with his head. Their combined power sent Riku flying across the room, screaming.

He landed on his back, right in front of the fountain. The hall responded with sympathetic echoes of Riku's loud breathing. Exhaustion had taken its seat on the podium, with stamina cowering before its superiority. Every muscle throbbed as pain performed its scathing tap dance. Yet, despite better judgement enumerating the perforce of this battle, Riku was granted a stint of energy, and rose to his feet.

Sora approached him; his expression locked behind neutral bars. Although a hint of pity reared its head from between them. Still, nostalgia would not interfere with this battle. Everything Riku had done was fresh in Sora's mind – no, what the darkness told him to do. And it would continue to debauch him with sordid ideas. Not unless Sora found away to root out each toxic weed. Right now, actions would leave a greater dent than words.

"I'm sorry, Riku." Sora prepared to attack with the Keyblade. "It's over."

"Sora…wait…" Riku said, exhausted, raising a desperate hand. "You wouldn't strike your best friend down, right? We can still save Kairi. And everything can go back to the way it was!"

But Riku's pleas didn't vacillate Sora; his conscience remained obstinate like an immobile fortress. "Well, there's a problem: the fight's not over yet. And someone I know told me I can't show mercy to my opponent until their beaten."

Sora swung the Keyblade right at Riku's chest, knocking him straight into the fountain, causing its spittle to tarnish the dry floor. Aside from being tired and wet, Riku found himself caught in a turbulent river of different feelings: surprise, humiliation, failure, just to name a few. They thrashed about his head in a continuous loop.

But there was no time to think. Rummaging for what little vestiges of stamina he had left, Riku stood up, taking short, quick breaths, as if trying to extinguish agonizing flames in his lungs. Riku's new attire vanished, reverting back to his original clothes. Without another word, Riku retreated, not only to escape the trio, but the failure that had been conceived. However, it was indelible; that stigma would follow him like coat tails, flaunting a constant reminder of his defeat.

Sora watched as Riku ran up the stairs and left through the door on top. Despite obtaining victory, it was incipient. He was hopeful that letting the Keyblade speak with its sharp tongue would cut the strings the darkness' attached to Riku's back. No such luck. Nothing was easy. Just like reacquiring the Keyblade. All he could do was continue to trudge through thick sand until things became lighter.

He sighed in relief; at least things were somewhat back to normal. Sora wouldn't have to worry about dragging his feet across a pavement of reluctance anymore. Although, if this experience taught him anything, it was to have faith in your own skills. The Keyblade only enchanted his abilities, not grant them. Only Sora could figure out how to properly use them.

And he was grateful that the Keyblade saw merit in those skills. Back in Traverse Town, he wondered why the Keyblade chose him in the first place. After today, the clouds of doubt parted, showing him a glimmering truism.

"Thank you," Sora said, staring at the Keyblade with a smile. "I promise to never let you down."

But the Keyblade wasn't the only one he appreciated. He turned to face his friends, who had shown true loyalty – a concept seldom experienced by my many. It was hard to find stalwart companions. Only they could find you, and Sora was fortunate that they fell on top of him that fateful night in Traverse Town. He would cherish every moment of their kindness and support.

Tears streamed down Yoshi's face; his lip erupted into an earthquake of quivers. He couldn't keep the rampant emotions contained within his stomach anymore. Sora found himself catching the dinosaur's bug, as he couldn't stop the tears either. Yoshi sprinted straight into Sora's arms, giving him a tight hug, never wanting to let go.

An emotional avalanche slid down the unified mountain, pouring their hearts out through quiet tears. Luigi ran over and embraced the two, caught in the avalanche as well. The tight hug squeezed out all the tension that had flooded Sora's chest all day. Everything was okay now. Loneliness was no longer an interloper within his personal space. Luigi and Yoshi would prevent it from entering their safe circle.

The doors behind them open, and Fox hurried in, hoping he wasn't too late to help. But he stopped upon seeing the three all snugged within their warm greenhouse of unity. Fox smiled; he was happy Sora found his friends. Despite the odds rallying against him, Sora pushed through the crowd, and found the light at the end.

Although their journey had only begun, in this moment, Sora's heart won the battle.

Twitter: kingdomkey23

Facebook: kingdomkey23

Discord: Send me a message

Instagram: kingdomkey23

Deviantart: kingdomkey23

Twitch: kingdomkey_23

Cover Artist's Twitter: jitart1