Chapter 11 Twilight Town
"Kirito..." Asuna, still on the ice-cold floor from her desperate attempt to reach her fiancé, began to cry. Tears poured down her face and dripped onto the floor below. Everyone else stared in disbelief at what transpired. Sora's heart pounding as he wondered how something like this could have happened. The weight of his actions from entering first Castle Oblivion to now suddenly began to weigh heavily on him. His blind pursuit to keep a promise he had only just remembered had now cost them an important friend. Kirito was someone he had grown to care for and depend on throughout their journey thus far. And there were many others, both present and far away that cared for him in their own ways. Sora's promise to Yui suddenly came to mind. The young girl was distraught about being left behind by her family because the road ahead was too dangerous for her. While her parents consoled her, Sora had promised that he would make certain that they would come back for her one day. A promise that had just been compromised by an insidious group that left them with more questions than answers. The cocktail of anger, confusion, and guilt boiled in Sora's gut and was ready to erupt.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Sora screamed and ran towards the blue frozen mass that Vexen created. With Keyblade in hand he began to wail away at the icy blockade. His sudden outburst breaking everyone from their shock and even Asuna was taken aback. Every strike was fueled by his frustration. But no matter how fiercely he attacked, the ice would not break. In spite of this though, he still kept swinging. Seeing Sora so upset caused Goofy to reach his arm out towards Sora looking to comfort him in some way. But Donald stopped him, knowing that nothing would reach Sora in his current state. Soon enough Sora began to tire. His strikes becoming slower and more haggard. With one last swing, he fell to the floor breathing heavily. The reality of the situation finally settling in. Kirito was gone. And there was nothing he could do. And he to, began to cry. "It's my fault. All of this." his fingers dragged against the cold alabaster floor as his hands tightened into fists. "If I just never came to this castle, none of this would have happened!" Sora lamented.
Asuna struggled to recall any time she had seen Sora so distraught. He had always been the optimist in the group. No matter what challenges they came across, he faced them head on with a smile on his face. A trait that she and Kirito admired. But this castle was unlike any other world they had been to thus far. And tested us in ways that we could never have anticipated. Sora had reached his breaking point and now it was up to her to keep him together. She wiped away her tears, walked over to Sora, knelt down and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "Sora, look at me and listen. None of this is your fault. No one here is blaming you and Kirito certainly wouldn't. These people... No, these monsters. Hit us where it hurts the most. Our hearts. You have one of the biggest hearts I know of and that's why it hurts you the most. But that's also your biggest strength. No matter how hard things get, you never stop fighting to do what's right. That's why the Keyblade chose you and it's why we will always support you. So, I'm asking you, please don't give up." Asuna said. Despite the tears stinging his eyes, Sora listened to everything Asuna said and looked to his friends once more. And just as they did on the first floor, they all had warm, encouraging smiles. Just when it felt like he had hit his lowest point, here they were to raise him up again. "You're right. I can't give up. Not while I can still make things right. Thank You Asuna." He smiled.
Meanwhile in the lair of the organization, Axel, Larxene, and Marluxia were observing this series of events through their crystal ball. "Well, that takes care of Kirito." Axel said. "Good Riddance." Larxene replied. "Giving him a card though wasn't in our plans though. And getting rid of Sora messes with the Organization's plans as well." Axel said. "I trust you know what you need to do." Marluxia said. Axel turned his back to the pink haired man and flippantly waved his hand. "Haven't a clue, really. Maybe you could spell it out for me." Axel already had a good idea of what of Marluxia was implying, but he wanted to hear him say it. "Vexen has clearly committed a treasonous act against the Organization. You must eliminate the traitor." Marluxia clarified. "No taking that back later." Axel replied. And then a dark portal opened around Axel and began to engulf him as he left the room.
In another part of the castle, a dark portal opened and Kirito came tumbling out of it shortly followed by Vexen. "As promised, the door to unraveling that man's mysteries now stands before you. Alas we must also part ways here." Vexen said. "I didn't ask you to do that bastard!" Kirito exclaimed while drawing his keyblade and longsword. "Now bring me back to my friends!" Kirito lunged at Vexen only for him to immediately block with his shield and laugh. "You might not see it right now, but I just saved you. I took a bet on you. And I expect results. Don't let me down." Vexen batted Kirito away, Tossed the card he created to him, and then vanished in just as quickly as they had arrived and leaving Kirito alone. Kirito look at the card that had been forced upon him. An emblem of his current predicament. Its art depicted a castle set high in a grassy mountain side fixed between a pair of twin peaks that were connected to the castle by large golden chains. Before he could even think about what to do next however, the ground began to shake and a loud noise could be heard from the floor below. "Oh, what now?!" Kirito wondered as he headed down away from where he needed to go next.
Sora and the others made their way towards the door to the next floor. Sora took the world card from his pocket and tried to recall if he had ever been to this world, but for the life of him he couldn't remember at all. The card depicted a town with a large clock tower large bells hanging outside the roof. The town was surrounded by forest and the sunset gleamed in the background. "A card made out of memories from "the other side of your heart"? Hmm, I wonder what it does." Jiminy pondered. "We'll find out soon enough. It's the only one we have left. No other way to move forward. Or back for that matter." Sora lamented. "Don't worry Sora. Kirito can handle himself. He was the best solo player in SAO. If there's anything he knows how to do, it's how to survive." Asuna said. Once again, Sora offered the world card to the door. The door opened and we walked into the light.
We arrived at what appeared to be a large open market area of a town that nobody recognized. "Gawrsh where are we Sora?" Goofy asked. "Hmm... I dunno... I've never been here." Sora answered. "Me neither." Donald replied. A trolly came rolling by on the street tracks in front of the sweets shop. On the side was a banner advertising some kind of festival and more importantly it had a name. "Twilight Town. Was that a place we ever went to?" Asuna asked. "I don't think so." Yuuki replied. "I think the only one of us that could say for certain was Kirito." Strea said. "Maybe we just forgot about it like all the other stuff?" Donald hypothesized. "This is terrible. Our memories are practically gone." Jiminy lamented. "We'll be okay. See, look at this..." Sora grabbed the star shaped charm from his pocket "Naminé's good luck charm!" Goofy said. "There's a special memory that goes with this."
Sora placed his hands behind his head and began to reminisce. "One night, when Naminé and I were little, there was this meteor shower. Naminé started crying. She was afraid that a shooting star would hit the islands. So I said, if a shooting star comes this way, I'll it right back into outer space!" he then helt his hand up towards the sky and posed like a story book hero. "I was swinging this toy sword around the whole time. Naminé just smiled and said thanks. And then she gave me this. Naminé said she had this ever since she was a baby." Sora said. "And she gave it to you? Aww..." Donald said. "Yeah. So I promised her... From now on, I'd bring her good luck. That I'd keep her safe. But then one day, Naminé left the islands... and I forgot about her all this time. I really let her down... And now I've let Yui down to. I know you said I shouldn't blame myself, but I still can't help how I feel." Sora said. "I know that. And I'll keep saying it as many times as you need me to. It's not your fault Sora. Now let's go. We still need to figure out what the deal with this world is." Asuna said.
As we explored Twilight town's market street, we stumbled across a hole in the wall that led to a forest. And as we made our way through the woods, we stumbled upon an old mansion guarded by brick walls with spikes on top and a large ornate metal gate. As Sora looked at the old mansion a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. "What's wrong?" Goofy asked. "Something... feels really strange. I'm sure I don't know this place, but it's starting to feel like it's familiar to me." Sora said. "You must've come here sometime before." Donald guessed. "No. And that's what's strange..." Sora crossed his arms "It could be like with Naminé. You forgot lots of other stuff and that's why you remember this place now." Goofy said. "No, it's different... With Naminé, my memories sort of came drifting back to me. A little piece at a time. But not now. It's not memories. Just this idea that i must have been here before." Sora explained.
"So, feeling Nostalgic?" An all too familiar voice echoed over the mansion's front yard. Causing Sora to look for the source. A dark portal appeared in front of the mansion's gate and Vexen appeared. Everyone drew their weapons and got ready to fight. "Sora... a question then, for you... Your memories of Naminé or your feelings here. Which of the two of these is more real I wonder." Vexen smirked. "Naminé of course. Whatever it is that I'm feeling, i bet that it's just another one of your mean little tricks!" Sora retorted. This of course caused Vexen to chuckle. "The memory's wiles can be cruel. In its silence, we forget. In its obsession, it binds our hearts." Vexen explained. "Cut the riddles!" Sora demanded. "I told you. This place was created solely from another side of your memory. It is on the other side of your heart that the memory of this place exists. It is your heart that remembers." Vexen answered.
"You're wrong! I don't know this place!" Sora refuted. "If you remain bound by the chain of memories and refuse to believe what is truly inside your heart... Then throw it away. You are not a Keyblade master. Just a slave to twisted memories. Yes... exactly like my Riku." Vexen summoned his shield prepared to fight and this time it would be for keeps. "Your existence is worth nothing!" angrily taunted. "Like YOUR Riku? Worth nothing?" Anger welled up in Sora once more. These people had taken so much from them and now he has the nerve to say it's all worthless. "That's enough! YOU'RE the one who changed Riku! YOU'RE the one that took Kirito from us! Nothing matters to YOU! Every word you've said is a lie! I'd never throw away my heart! I'm gonna take you down and save Riku, Naminé, and Kirito! THAT'S what's in my heart!
Author's note: hey everyone. it's been a while. sorry that i kept you all waiting again. especially after the previous chapter. and i can't even say it's for good reason either. i've just been playing games, binging weekly anime, and recently kamen rider ryuki, playing yugioh, and desperately trying some place to play the digimon tcg. i know it can be hard to wait a year+ for a handful of chapters and while i can't say when this story will be finished, i can promise that it will be. and who knows maybe my writing pursuits will be reinvigorated once i get to more interesting material like 358/2 days and kh2. I'm especially interested in doing the former as with that game's story i would have an opportunity to do some original story content that can occur concurrently with Roxas's and the organization's story. As always i hope you're all doing well and that you stay tuned for future updates.