Chapter 15 (RIKU): Lightning Farron

Chapter 15 (Riku): Lightning Farron

        Riku followed his friends on the ground, taking out the Heartless that hindered his progress towards catching them.  By the time he reached the shores of Thebes, he noticed their figures vanishing towards the island.  Riku shook his head.  "I'll never catch them like this!" he exclaimed.  But as he was about to summon his armor, a loud scream caught his attention.  A beautiful red headed woman was being chased by hordes of Heartless.  Riku spun around and lunged at the enemies, standing in front of the woman.  "Stay back."

        "You don't have to tell me twice" the woman replied, a hint of snarky attitude in her voice.  She stepped behind Riku as he went to action.  

Defeat All of the Heartless While Protecting The Woman!

GET BONUS:

Riku: +5 HP

        As Riku dispatched the last Heartless, he turned to the woman.  "Are you alright?"

        "I'll live, if that's what you mean.  Thank you...um..."

        "Riku" the warrior replied.  

        "You look like a friend of Wonder Boy's" the woman replied.  "And any friend of his is a friend of mine.  My name is Megara, but everyone calls me Meg."  

        "Well, I'm friends with Hercules through Sora" Riku explained.  "I was actually on my way to find them.  With all of the chaos on Mount Olympus, I'm kind of surprised Hercules isn't here stopping it."  

         Meg sighed.  "Wonder Boy went to that island a few days ago.  His father told him that it was the perfect place for him to keep in shape.  I wanted to go with him, but he said it was too dangerous."

        "Why don't you go now?" Riku asked.  Meg pointed towards the water.  Riku looked and gasped.  Countless whirlpools and thrashing waves made sea based travel towards the island impossible.  "I see.  I'd fly you over there, but it may be too dangerous."

        "If Sora is over there" Meg grinned, "then I don't think we need to worry about Wonder Boy getting into this fight.  Holding down the fort until he does, however, is another story.  Hades and the Titans are already running amok over by the mountain.  And then there's that creepy guy that's with the blowhard.  Plus the Heartless."  Meg looked towards the peak of Thebes, where the mighty Olympus Coliseum had once stood.  "And Hercules worked so hard to fix this place after the last time..."

        "Has the Coliseum been shut down?"

        "Trashed and shut down" Meg sighed.  "If there's one person who got under Hades skin more than Wonder Boy, it was Sora.  He didn't want Sora coming here and ruining his plans.  So, he made the Coliseum his first target."  

        "If it's gonna take time for Hercules and my friends to get back" Riku offered, "why don't I take care of some of that collateral damage Hades has been causing?"

       "If you want to" Meg coolly replied, "then by all means, we could use your help, Riku."  Meg looked over towards the ruins of the famed Olympus Coliseum once more.  "We should start by the Coliseum.  I think some of Hades little imps might still be causing trouble up there."  

       "Then let's go!" Riku proclaimed.  He and Meg then began making the trek towards the ruins of the Coliseum.  

        The once mighty Olympus Coliseum had been razed to the ground thanks to Hades and his allies.  The statues and banners that once hung all over were shattered, torn, and thrown about the dusty ruins as though they had meant absolutely nothing to anyone beforehand.  Meg shook her head at all of the needless destruction.  "I honestly don't know why Hades would do something like this" she sighed mournfully.  "Does he not even care about the lives he ruined?"

        "I wouldn't expect anything less of a coward like him" Riku answered bluntly.  "People like him always go to hurt anyone who's weaker than them."  

        "And people like us tend to call it, 'Survival of the Fittest'" a menacing voice echoed throughout the ruins.  Hades appeared in front of Riku and Meg, a sly look on his face.  "Really?  You're still alive, kid?  This is what I get for subcontracting..."

        "Hades!" Riku snapped, his Keyblade flying into his hands.  "Why are you doing this?"

        "Mind your manners, Riku" the god laughed.  "Did you remember nothing of what Maleficent taught you?"

        "I'd like to forget that part of my life!" Riku replied coldly.  

        "Stop doing this Hades!" Meg pleaded.  "There's no reason to harm the people when all you're after is the Gods on Olympus."

        "Oh, my little Nutmeg" Hades feigned sympathy.  "Aren't we forgetting something?  Does Chump-cules fight monsters to protect the Gods?  No, he fights to protect people.  He was raised by people.  He cares about people.  And that is his great weakness.  His ability to care.  Even about you, his little girlfriend!"

        Riku stepped in front of Meg.  "Don't come any closer, Hades!"

        "Come on, Riku.  Do you honestly think I would dirty my own hands with something like that?"  Hades sly look turned into a menacing smile.  "I leave that to a very special pet of mine!"  Hades snapped his fingers.  From the ruins of the Coliseum, lunged one of Hades favorite weapons: the three headed dog and guardian of The Underworld, Cerberus!  Riku prepared to defend himself and Meg, but failed to notice Hades grab Meg's arm.  "I'll be taking the girl to go!"  Before Riku could react, Hades took Meg prisoner and vanished into the darkness.  

         "NO!" Riku yelled, but he was forced back into action by the lunging monster.  Cerberus roared and rampaged around the ruins.  Riku aimed his Keyblade at the demonic dog and sprinted into action.  

Boss Battle: Cerberus Part I

HP: 720

Battle Music: Tension Rising

Note: Survive for 120 seconds!

        As Cerberus roared and slammed his paws on the ground, Riku fell to his knee.  "This thing is vicious.  How the heck did Sora manage to take this thing down?  I don't think I can keep this up..."

        Cerberus dashed towards Riku for the kill, but was blasted away by a powerful beam of energy.  Suddenly, Riku felt himself being restored to full strength.  He jumped back up and found a mysterious woman standing beside him.  She wore a pale peach colored blazer and a brown skirt.  In her hands was a sword that looked as if it had been combined with a gun.  She put a hand on Riku's shoulder as he rose beside her.  "You should go for cover.  I can handle something like this."  

        Riku shook his head.  "No way!  You may need help."

        "Not from you" she replied coldly.  "Cerberus has been powered up by the darkness.  And not the kind of darkness Hades uses.  Now go!"  

        When Riku refused to budge, the woman took a deep breath and aimed her weapon at the monster.  "Then don't say I didn't warn you!"  Riku stood beside the woman as Cerberus prepared another attack.  

New Party Member: Lightning Farron

HP: 50

MP:110

Friendship: 60

Weapon: 

Blazefire Saber (STR +4, MAG +3)

Armor: 

Guardian's Armor (STR +1, DEF +4)

Accessories: 

Legion of One (MAG +3, AP +2)

Items: 

x3 Potions

x2 Ethers 

Abilities:

Army of One: Launch a ferocious assault on a group of enemies or a 

singular enemy (Costs 10 MP)

Zanetsuken: Obliterate a weakened enemy with one swift attack or 

a boss by one Health Bar (Costs 50 MP)

Fury of the Gods: Unleash a powerful Thunder based attack (Costs 10 MP)

Unity Force: Unleash Riku and Lightning's joint limit, 

Chaos Blades (Consumes All of Riku's MP)

Serah's Hope: Restore the HP of yourself or an Ally (Cost 99 MP)

Berserk: Boosts the Strength of the Wielder when HP is low

Item Boost: Boost the potency of healing items in the field

Second Chance: Ensures 1 HP remains after taking intense damage

Once More: Ensures 1 HP remains after taking damage from a combo

Lucky Strike: Increases the Drop Rate of Items

Boss Battle: Cerberus Part II

HP: 720

Battle Music: Vim and Vigor

GET BONUS:

Riku Learned Aerial Flash

Lightning: +20 Friendship

+30 HP

        Cerberus bucked one last time before collapsing into it's own darkness.  As the intense demonic force of evil vanished, Riku and Lightning addressed each other once more.  "Wow, that was incredible" Riku exclaimed.  

        Lightning did not react at first, but studied Riku.  "Well, thank you.  Your skills are also impressive.  However, I don't think you should be fighting the kind of darkness that is in this world.  Even wielding the Keyblade, you may still be outclassed."

       So she knows about the Keyblade too, Riku thought to himself.  "Then you must be Lightning."

      "I've been called that before" the woman replied, but she remained focused on Riku.  "But how do you know to call me that?"

      "There's a man in this world looking for you" Riku explained.  "After I was warned to stay away from him, I knew better to battle him.  But he was looking for you.  And he had Hades helping him."  

      Lightning lowered her head.  "So, you've finally shown yourself, Caius" she said softly.  She returned her focus on Riku.  "You shouldn't be here.  You should go home, while you still can.  Because if you thought the battle on Olympus was bad, that's nothing compared to what might happen down here in the city."

      "I can't" Riku argued.  "Hades has kidnapped my friend.  I have to find her."  A shadow passed over Riku's head.  He looked up and saw a winged horse flying over the Coliseum.  As the white stallion landed beside Riku and Lightning, a tall, well built and handsome man jumped off of the horse and looked over the situation.  

      "They weren't kidding when they said the situation here was bad" he said remorsefully.  He then looked at Riku and Lightning.  "I take it you two defeated Cerberus?"

       Lightning remained silent, causing Riku to nod for the both of them.  "He was given some kind of power even Hades didn't have."

       The man sighed in relief.  "Well, I'm glad something is going right for us."

       "But he kidnapped, Meg" Riku answered plainly, finally realizing that the man in front of him was Hercules.  

       Hercules gasped.  "What?  Where did they go?"

      Lightning pointed towards Mount Olympus.  "Hades returned to his throne.  The Gods have all but surrendered to the Titans at this point."

       "Then there's no time to lose" Hercules proclaimed, hopping back onto his steed.  "Thanks for holding the fort down for me.  I'll be sure to tell my father about your brave actions for Thebes."  

       "Wait!" Riku shouted.  "Are Sora and Kairi with you?" 

       Hercules shook his head.  "They're completing their training with Phil back on the Island.  I was on my way back to pick them up, actually.  Why?"

       "Just let them know Riku was asking for them" Riku replied, content that his friends made it to the island safe and sound.  "And to watch out for him."

       "Can do" Hercules agreed.  "Let's go Pegasus!"  The mighty winged stallion reared back and soared back into the sky.  

        Riku and Lightning watched him vanish into the clouds above, before either of them spoke again.  Lightning looked back towards the city.  "If you're hiding down their, Caius, I will make you pay for all that you've done!"  Lightning prepared to go back down into the city, but Riku grabbed her arm.  

       "If Caius is as powerful as you say he is, I can't let you go alone" Riku replied.  

       Lightning shook her head.  "No.  This is not your battle.  I don't want anyone else getting hurt on my account."

       "You saw how well we handled Cerberus" Riku protested.  

       Lightning cracked a faint smile as she removed Riku's hand from her arm.  "I admire your bravery, Riku.  But this is one battle I can't have anyone else fight in.  Caius has a power you could only dream about.  He would not hesitate to kill you.  And someone of your bravery should not be killed by someone as cruel and malicious as him." 

        "I'm not going to let you fight this battle alone!"

        Lightning saw fit to protest more, before the ground underneath them began to quake.  "We don't have time for this!  If you're going to insist on coming, then I need you to stay close."  Riku nodded and the duo sprinted back down towards the city.  

        Caius stood on the same balcony as he and Hades had before, as the skies darkened over Thebes and Mount Olympus.  But this time, he was not standing with Hades, but another man altogether.  The man sported a gray beard and a black over coat that revealed a white robe underneath.  His eyes were the color of open flame.  

        "The more I learn of the Keyblade's power" Caius spoke thoughtfully, "the more intriguing it gets.  How does one obtain such a power?"

        "It must be passed down to you from another" the man answered with a hoarse voice.  "Riku received his Keyblade when a feckless youth bestowed it upon him when he was just a lad.  And I cannot be certain if he is truly capable of bestowing it on another at this time, Caius."

        "A pity the power of the Keyblade must be wasted on someone so...inconsequential" Caius replied.  

        "Riku was once a capable warrior" the bearded man continued.  "But now, he has been tainted by the light in the hearts of those he calls friends.  I have been forced to relocate my ambitions.  And that is why I am here today."

        "You wish to see if I am capable of wielding a Keyblade, Master Xehanort?"

        "You will see in time" Xehanort replied distantly.  His eyes looked towards the figures flying past Thebes to wage war with the Titans on Olympus.  "For the darkness is patient in it's desire to absorb.  Today, I shall see if either of my unknowing pupils is ready to take on the task of becoming a Seeker of Darkness.  All but one of the seats has been filled.  And soon, the prize I seek will be in my grasp.  Soon, yes.  The X-blade will be forged and the gates to Kingdom Hearts unlocked!"