The Castle That Never Was looks nothing like a castle, you realize as you step off of the glowing green path. No, it looks just like a ship, with futuristic silver walls and open skies all around. The thought of Roxas and Axel living here is so depressing you can barely wrap your mind around it, so instead you focus your attention back on the group.
"Where to now?" you ask, tapping the tip of your black sword on the ground beneath your feet.
"Start walking. They'll be sure to find us eventually," Cloud replies, starting to walk forward.
You follow, cautiously. An ambush could happen any minute, and you needed to be prepared. You start to nervously fiddle with the headset in your ear, making sure it's secure. Anything is better than focusing on your surroundings. The castle was actually hauntingly beautiful, but you could admire it later.
"An elevator?" Reno asks, glancing back at Roxas and Axel.
You stare ahead, eyes landing on what looks like an industrial lift. It's huge, with three translucent walls. At least claustrophobia wouldn't set in with the size.
"Kind of. It's gonna take us where we need to go, though," Roxas agrees, stepping inside.
Once the last person sets their foot inside, a buzzing noise enters your ear and the fourth wall springs up behind you. The sensation of rising grows in your stomach, and you realize the room is flying upwards with a great amount of speed. The feeling only lasts a few moments, and before you know it one of the walls disappears and you're left staring at a winding staircase in the middle of the air. The walls of the new room are made completely of windows, and the night's sky surrounds you. A pale glow is floating in from outside, but you're unable to find the source.
"Why is everyone so quiet?" Zack asks with a small laugh, glancing around.
"What's there to say?" Genesis retorts, and silence once again falls as you start to walk up the short staircase and through a doorway into a new room.
Huge, vaulted ceilings are the first thing you notice, along with a balcony on the second floor. A thin platform is all that's on the first floor, giving the room a vast, empty feeling. [1]
"This is just a little too calm," Axel mutters, successfully voicing everyone's thoughts.
"Is it?" a voice echoes through the air, and your gaze snaps forward when you realize a lone man is now standing on the platform.
The hood of his Organization robe is down, revealing long sandy hair and bright green eyes.
"I heard you defeated Larxene," Vexen barks, a large blue shield appearing in his hand. He holds it in front of his body, bracing himself as his lips curl up in a sneer. "I won't be as easy."
"Yeah, right. What could you possibly..."
Xion trails off as she glances down at her feet, a tiny shriek leaving her lips when she realizes that her feet are trapped to the ground by large chunks of ice.
"You were saying?" Vexen mocks before raising a hand and spraying a stream of blades made of ice at the girl.
She raises her arms to her face defensively, but there's a flash of silver before the chunks of sharp ice fall to the floor. Cloud is standing beside Xion, his head facing the ground as his Buster sword blocks the girl from the attack.
"Go on ahead," Leon snaps, pointing his gunblade at the smirking Nobody.
"Yeah, we can take him," Genesis agrees, running a hand down the blade of his sword.
"Are you sure?" you ask softly, your gaze locked on Vexen.
"Positive," Cloud mutters as Axel snaps his fingers and the ice around Xion's feet melt.
"Pity. I'd give you a painless end," Vexen muses before charging towards the four SOLDIERs.
You can only watch in horror as his shield clashes with Genesis' sword, his free hand reaching out to blast Leon and Cloud with a flurry of ice. Your arm is suddenly grabbed, and you glance up to see Sora dragging you away.
"They can handle it," he assures you as he leads you from the loud battle.
"Hey, [Name]!" a voice calls out, and you glance over your shoulder to see Vexen watching you. "Tell your Nobody hi for me, won't you?"
Your heart drops to your stomach as he turns his attention back to Xion, blocking one of the bullets from her gun with his shield. Sora's grasp on your arm tightens as he rather forcefully pulls you from the room. Thankfully he was the only one to hear Vexen's comment, and truthfully he's the only person you'd want to know about your Nobody. Looks like Vanitas wasn't bluffing after all.
"You have a Nobody?" Sora asks softly, his hand gently falling from your arm. You look forward nervously, to make sure no one's eavesdropping. "Don't worry, they can't hear."
You glance up at the brunet, unable to hold back a smile when you realize he's watching you with a reassuring grin.
"Y-Yeah. I heard a rumor I had one, but... honestly, I have no idea what to think of it."
Sora releases a slight hum, clasping his hands together behind his back as your group starts to walk up an inclined hill on an outdoors section of the castle.
"Then don't," he finally suggests, his blue eyes darting down to you. "I can't imagine your Nobody being evil. You're too nice."
You start to laugh nervously, nodding your head a little as Sora continues to smile happily.
"Thanks, Sora," you murmur, staring up at the sky above.
It's dark, almost like outer space. Everyone is deathly quiet, all thoughts focused on the battle currently being waged between Vexen, Genesis, Leon, Cloud, and Xion. Suddenly, just as you're about to walk through a door ahead leading back into the castle, a small buzzing noise emits from the headset in your ear.
"Hey, guys?" Leon's voice carries through to your ear.
Your heart skips a beat.
"Are you okay?!" Zack asks, his finger pressing down on the headset in his ear.
"He's dead. We're moving forward," Cloud responds, and you release a sigh of relief as everyone starts to walk again.
"Thank God..." you murmur, placing a hand over your chest.
"Hey look, there they are!" Reno exclaims, pointing down below.
You peer over the edge of the balcony, eyes widening when you spot Leon, Genesis, Cloud, and Xion walking away in silence. Small wisps of black smoke are smoldering behind them, the remnants of Vexen.
"Let's keep going. They can catch up with us later," Noctis mutters, turning from the balcony and marching forward.
You take one last peek at the four departing figures before sighing again and following the eleven remaining SOLDIERs. Again, you find yourself standing outside, but instead of being greeted by nothing but dark skies, you're greeted by a hooded Organization member standing by the edge of the railing.
"We've underestimated you," an unemotional voice calls out, and you can feel a pair of eyes on your group. "Now, you fight me."
A glowing claymore appears in the man's hand, and a burst of wind blows back his hood to reveal long blue hair and a scarred face.
"Saix," Axel growls, gripping the chakrams in his hands.
"Traitor," Saix retorts with a small nod towards the redhead. "How is banishment suiting you? Pretending you have feeling can't exactly be fun."
Axel's emerald eyes narrow in a glare before he charges forward, his body engulfed in flames. He tackles Saix at full-speed, and the two of them tumble over the side of the railing. Your mouth drops open and you start to run after them, only to be pushed back by Reno.
"I'm going after them," he announces, hopping up so that he's standing on top of the railing.
He glances back, and Terra nods quickly.
"Me, too," Terra agrees, jumping up so that he's standing beside Reno.
"And me," Aqua adds, crouching down before taking a flying leap into the sky.
Reno and Terra follow immediately, and you race over. Your hands grip the railing as you glance down, spotting engulfing flames on a platform a few levels below. Reno, Terra, and Aqua are falling through the air face-first towards the fight, their weapons gripped in the hands.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. You weren't supposed to all be separated, fighting separate battles. This wasn't right...
"And then there were eight," Riku muses with a bitter laugh, glancing around the remaining fighters.
A pained cry suddenly echoes throughout the sky, and you glance back to see Zack kneeling on the ground. A purplish arrow is sticking through his shoulder, pierced from the back.
"Well, hello there!" a voice calls out, and you look up to see Xigbar floating upside down in the air, a grin on his face as he waves down at your group.
You ignore him, instead kneeling beside Zack as you place a hand on his injured shoulder.
"Pull it out," he orders, his voice harsh as his blue eyes lock with yours.
"But-"
You're interrupted as an arrow whizzes past your face, lightly nicking your ear. You release a hiss of pain, feeling the blood start to trickle down your cheek. Glancing up, you glare at the chuckling Nobody who's lazily reloading his gun as everyone else runs towards him.
"Take it out so I can kill him," Zack finishes, a fire overtaking his usually cool eyes.
You shakily nod, gripping the arrow with both hands. Without another word you pull back your arms as hard as you can, falling backwards with the force of your actions. The arrow in your hands disappears in a poof of black smoke, and you glance to the side to see Zack standing up. His body is coated in thick red blood, but he doesn't meet your gaze before he turns on his heel and charges towards the Nobody. Just as his sword is about to slice Xigbar's neck, the Nobody disappears into thin air.
"You guys!" Noctis yells, glancing over at Sora, Riku, and Roxas. "Get out of here, find Xemnas!"
"But-"
"We can handle him, just go!" Yuffie interrupts Sora, throwing a knife towards a laughing Xigbar.
"We came here for you to fight him, Sora. We're disposable," Zack adds, looking over his injured shoulder at the three confused men. "Get out of here!"
The three nod before taking off in a sprint, charging up the hill and disappearing into the castle.
"Such selfless people," Xigbar teases, resting his oversized gun on his shoulder as he studies the five remaining SOLDIERs. "You do know those three are gonna be killed, right?"
"Not with our secret weapons," Noctis grins, wiping some blood from his mouth after getting kicked in the face earlier.
"What, your scary swords? As if."
"No," Ven murmurs as he takes a step forward, pointing his Keyblade at the frowning Nobody. "Me."
Xigbar's eye widens in surprise as he studies the blond standing before him. Realization hits, and he takes a step back.
"Y-You couldn't be..." he stammers, sounding uncharacteristically nervous.
"Ventus? Yeah. Terra and Aqua are taking care of Saix."
Xigbar suddenly relaxes into a smirk, shrugging a shoulder lazily.
"Big deal, the three Originals. You've been asleep for a decade. I don't fear you."
Ven laughs in a bitter chuckle, twirling his Keyblade in his hand before narrowing his eyes at the Nobody.
"You should."
Just as he charges forward you feel an odd sensation run through you. You glance down, eyes widening when you realize darkness is growing around your feet.
"What the..."
Suddenly the darkness starts to swirl angrily, and with a scream you're pulled down into nothingness. You try to open your eyes but you can't, the pressure enough to make you feel like your body's about to give in and implode. It feels like death is coursing through you from your head to your toes. Just as soon as it began it ends, and you suddenly fall to the floor. You start to cough, gasping for cool air as you slowly open your eyes. All you can see is the dark sky surrounding you, and with a sense of panic you realize you're alone, kneeling on a platform on top of the castle. [2]
Oh God, oh God, oh God...
"Evening, [Name]."
That voice...
Your blood cools as you slowly peer over your shoulder, eyes landing on the last person you want to see.
"... Vanitas."
He starts to smirk, arms crossed over his chest as he takes a step towards you.
"Glad you could join me," he muses, crouching down before you. His head tilts to the side, golden eyes locked with yours as he studies your every move. A gloved finger trails down the side of your face, memorizing each twitch of your skin. The blood from the wound on your ear sticks to his finger, something that only causes his smirk to widen. "Are you ready for this story's final act?"
His laughter rings through the sky, piercing every sense of hope left in your body.
[♥]
[1] Where Sora fights Xigbar in KH2, I suck at descriptions.
[2] Y'know, where they first meet Xemnas. Where Roxas joins Sora's body with one of my fave lines, "Look sharp!" Again, I suck at descriptions D: