The air thickened with tension as more Heartless emerged from the shadows, their grotesque forms surging toward Sora and his companions. Sora gripped his Keyblade tightly, ready for action.
"Here they come!" he shouted, glancing at Snow, who was desperately trying to shield Serah with his body.
"I won't let them touch you!" Snow declared, throwing a punch at the nearest Heartless, which staggered but didn't go down.
"Let's take them out!" Goofy urged, charging forward with his shield raised.
Sora lunged into the fray, his Keyblade slicing through the air, while Donald fired off spells, sending bursts of elemental energy toward the encroaching darkness. But as more Heartless lunged at Serah, she gasped, fear flickering in her eyes.
"Watch out!" Sora shouted, but before he could reach her, a blur of motion intercepted the Heartless.
"Get away from her!" Lightning Farron, Serah's older sister, appeared like a storm, her Gunblade gleaming in the light. With a swift motion, she dispatched the Heartless with precision, the creatures dissolving into nothingness before they could even lay a hand on Serah.
"Lightning!" Serah breathed, relief washing over her.
With the Heartless dispatched, Lightning marched straight toward Snow, her expression a mix of frustration and worry.
"Snow! What were you thinking?" she scolded, her voice sharp as a blade.
"Hey, sis! You know I'm just looking out for—" Snow started, his tone playful, using his favorite nickname for her.
But before he could finish, Lightning's fist connected with his jaw, sending him stumbling back. "Stop being so reckless! You're not a hero just because you think you can fight with your fists!"
Sora, Donald, and Goofy rushed over to Snow's side, concern etched on their faces.
"Whoa, why'd you hit him?" Sora asked, crossing his arms and glaring at Lightning. "He was just trying to protect Serah!"
Snow rubbed his jaw, wincing. "It's nothing out of the ordinary, really. Just a sisterly greeting," he replied sheepishly, trying to brush off the blow.
"Nothing out of the ordinary? You're lucky you didn't get hurt!" Lightning retorted, her sharp gaze now focused on the trio. "And who are you three, anyway? You don't belong here."
"Actually, we do belong here! We're on a mission to help!" Donald interjected, indignant. "We fought off those Heartless, remember?"
"I'm not asking for a recap, duck," Lightning shot back, her tone icy. "I'm more concerned about Serah's safety. She's an l'Cie, and I won't let anyone jeopardize that."
"Hey! I can handle myself!" Serah chimed in, stepping forward. "I'm not a helpless damsel!"
"Tell that to the Heartless," Lightning replied, her voice firm but her eyes softening slightly at Serah's defiance.
Sora sensed the tension between the sisters. "We're here to protect Serah from the Sanctum too. If they find out she's an l'Cie, she'll be in real danger," he said, trying to mediate.
"See? We're on the same side," Snow added, nodding toward Sora. "If we work together, we can make sure Serah stays safe."
Lightning crossed her arms, weighing their words carefully. "You think you can protect her? You don't know the risks involved with being an l'Cie. The Sanctum will stop at nothing to eliminate threats."
"Then let us help!" Sora urged, his determination unwavering. "We've faced worse than Heartless before. If the Sanctum is hunting Serah, they'll have to go through us first."
Serah looked at her sister, then back to Sora. "Please, Lightning. I want to trust them. They saved me from the Heartless."
Lightning's expression softened as she looked at Serah, and she finally sighed, relenting. "Fine. But I'll be keeping a close eye on all of you. You make one wrong move, and I swear—"
"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Snow interrupted with a grin, rubbing his jaw. "No punches, right?"
"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that," Lightning muttered, rolling her eyes but unable to hide a small smirk.
"Alright then," Sora said, feeling the tension start to lift. "Let's regroup and come up with a plan. If the Sanctum is targeting Serah, we need to prepare for anything."
As they gathered in a circle, Donald leaned closer to Goofy, whispering, "Do you think they always fight like this?"
"Seems like it," Goofy replied, scratching his head. "But at least they care about each other."
"Let's hope it doesn't escalate any further," Sora said, glancing at the sisters with a mix of admiration and concern.
Just then, the air crackled with energy, and a dark portal opened in the sky, sending a chill through the group. From within the shadows, figures cloaked in dark robes began to descend, their intentions clear.
"Looks like we don't have time to waste," Lightning said, her Gunblade already in hand, eyes blazing with determination.
"Let's show them what we can do!" Sora shouted, raising his Keyblade high.