Chapter 17 (RIKU): Xehanort's Ambitions

Chapter 17 (Riku): Xehanort's Ambitions

        As Riku prepared to leave Olympus, he heard a faint clapping noise behind him.  Riku spun around and found himself face to face again with Master Xehanort.  The elderly villain clapped slowly as Riku stared at him with pure derision.  

       "I must admit, Riku" Xehanort chided, "you have proven me wrong.  I had believed the light made you weaker.  However, perhaps there is some truth to this ancient tale that friendship is what fuels the light."

       "It does" Riku snapped, preparing himself for a battle with the wicked warrior.  "It was how Lightning and I defeated Caius.  And it's exactly how Sora, Kairi and I will defeat you!"

       Xehanort grinned menacingly.  "Indeed?  I would like to know then, how can you possibly do so without them here to aid you?"

       Riku scoffed at Xehanort's observation.  "Seeing as how you had to send Caius out to do your job, I doubt you're as powerful as you claim to be anyway."  

      "You yourself should know not to trifle with the power and the ambition of the dark, Riku" Xehanort warned him.  "I doubt you would want to end up like that dense fool who became one of my vessels."

      Riku raised an eyebrow.  "Are you talking about one of Mickey's friends?"

     Xehanort's eyes flared.  "Correct.  That feckless youth, the one who is responsible as to why you can wield the Keyblade in the first place.  The one who despite good intentions, could not stave back the darkness in his heart."

      Riku gasped.  "Wait.  That man, on the Islands..."

      "Now you realize" Xehanort sneered, "I know more than you think I do, and more than I am willing to admit at the moment.  However, I do know something today that I didn't a few moments ago.  I do know what exactly drives the passionate fighting of the Guardians of Light.  And I know exactly, how to disturb this flow."  Xehanort called forth a portal of dark energy and prepared to venture into it's abyss.  "I am certain we shall meet again, Riku."  

      "Wait!  Stop!"  Riku charged after Xehanort and vanished into the darkness with him.  

        Riku found himself in a vast canyon.  The air was piercingly cold.  In the distance, Riku noticed objects lying in the dirt, abandoned by their owners.  As he studied closer, he drew back in horror as he recognized most of the objects.  "Those are Keyblades!"

       "This is the location of the previous Keyblade War" Xehanort shouted from above.  Riku looked at the top of the canyon and saw Xehanort standing above him, his own shadowy Keyblade in hand.  "Long ago, countless Keyblade wielders fought and died to obtain the most powerful weapon in the universe, the X-blade.  With it's power, it was said one could unlock literally anyone's heart or mind.  The greater prize lie in it's ability to awaken the true form of the ultimate light, Kingdom Hearts.  Here, thirteen years ago, I waged a smaller war with three Keyblade Warriors to obtain the X-blade.  Although I was successful at attaining the foolish boy as my vessel, I failed to obtain my goal because of rashness and impetuousness unbecoming of a master like myself."  

       Riku simply stared at Xehanort coldly.  

       "Perhaps you wonder why I am telling you this" Xehanort continued.  "Simple.  Because you know what will happen in this same battlefield in just a short time.  Twelve of the Thirteen Seekers have been found.  As have Five of the Seven Guardians.  It will not be long before I have my final Seeker of Darkness and you your Seventh Guardian of Light.  The Keyblade War will come, Riku.  But this time, it will come on the terms history had built for it."  

       "We won't fight in this war, Xehanort!" Riku proclaimed.  "It doesn't matter what you're planning.  We will keep the worlds safe forever if we have to!  But you will not get the X-blade!  Not while we're here to stop you!"

        "Ah, you remind me much of the youth whom I coerced into becoming my vessel" Xehanort noticed.  "All of this banter to speak of, yet you have no means with which to keep me from getting what I want.  Nor do you have the power to keep others from fighting in your place.  In the end, the pieces will fall in their predetermined place."

        Riku aimed his Keyblade at Xehanort.  "I will NEVER let that happen!"

        "You?  Please!  A weakling like you can't even keep my minions from infiltrating Disneyland.  Much less stopping my ambitions.  In the end, Riku, your denial of the darkness will be your undoing.  I have already foreseen your demise, boy.  You will fall the same way my friend Eraqus did.  You will die in your blind attempt to save another from your fate!"  

        "Another?"

        Xehanort leaped down into the canyon and stood in front of Riku.  "And once I have completed my plans, I will crush all who would dare to intervene with my plans!  Even foolish boys like you!"  

        Riku and Xehanort stared each other down until a shining light appeared in front of them.  "What?" both warriors shouted.  The light faded and Mickey emerged from it, his own Keyblade in hand.  

        "Mickey?"

        "Riku!  Are you alright?  I came as soon as I heard Xehanort was spotted!" 

        Xehanort fired a pulse of dark energy at Mickey, but Riku deflected it.  "We can talk later!  Come on, Mickey!"

         "Right!" Mickey nodded as the two turned on Xehanort.  

New Party Member: Mickey

HP: 100

MP: 100

Friendship: 100

Weapon: Star Seeker (+5 STR, +1 MAG)

Armor: N/A

Accessories:

Master Ring (+5 HP, +5 STR, +5 DEF, +5 MAG)

Items:

(x2 Mega Potions, x2 Mega Ethers)

Abilities:

llumination: Launch Fireworks at enemies, stunning them

Faithcharge: Send out an volley of energy balls

Sea of Light: Bathe the entire area in light, causing great damage to enemies

Curagun: Replenish all HP of all allies and remove any negative ailments

MP Hastega: Magic reloads at an incredible rate

True Mastery: All Attacks do 50% more damage

Item Boost: Boost the potency of items on the field

Second Chance: Ensure 1 HP remains after taking critical damage

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

Boss Battle: Master Xehanort I

HP: 800

Battle Music: Black Powder

GET BONUS:

Riku Obtained the Zero Gravity Element

Mickey: +10 Friendship

        Riku and Mickey hopped backwards and remained on the defensive.  Xehanort, however, seemed to have lost little energy in the battle.  He brushed some debris and dust off of his jacket and mockingly laughed at the two fatigued warriors of light.  "I cannot say I am pleased with your performances" he sneered.  "I had expected you two to become much stronger than when we'd last met."  

       "He doesn't--he doesn't even look worn out" Riku remarked, breathing heavily whilst trying to maintain his standing.  

       "Stay strong, Riku" Mickey cheered, though he too seemed submissive.  

       Xehanort stood straight and put away his own weapon.  "In fact, you two aren't even worth the effort.  It seems to me you still need more time to build your strength.  And I will be more than happy to grant you a reprieve, if you wish."

       Riku grunted.  "Not a chance!"

       "Careful, Riku" Xehanort chided.  "If you wear yourself out in this battle you cannot win, how do you intend to defeat anyone else when the time comes?"

       "Riku is not weak, Xehanort!" Mickey snapped.  

       "I will be the judge of his strength from this point on, little king.  If I left their training to you completely, they'd have a hard time picking flowers apparently."

       Riku lunged forward, but Xehanort called forth a gale of immense power to blast Riku and Mickey away.  "You won't get out of this, Xehanort!"

      Xehanort turned to leave, but Mickey darted towards him and swung his Keyblade at him.  Xehanort parried the strike with his own weapon, before blasting Mickey with a pulse of dark energy.  As the little mouse king tumbled back toward Riku, he caught his friend and gripped Mickey's body to him.  

      "I am most disappointed in you two" Xehanort snarled.  "Consider yourselves lucky I have things to do in other places.  In the meantime, perhaps you could learn a bit from your mistakes instead of making the same mistakes Terra made."

      "Terra?" Riku asked.  But before he could get his answer, Xehanort vanished into the darkness.  The gale swept Riku and Mickey into the air and began to toss and spin them around violently.  As Riku and Mickey flew towards the skies above their predetermined battleground, a beam of light shined on them and carried them away to safety.  

      Riku placed Mickey's unconscious body down on Master Yen Sid's desk.  Yen Sid overlooked his apprentice and nodded grimly.  "It is as I feared.  Xehanort has gotten stronger."

      "He'll be okay, right?" Riku asked, worried for the first time about Mickey since he had lost contact with him in Castle Oblivion.  

       Yen Sid nodded.  "Yes.  But he will need time to recover and time to train for what lies ahead.  You all will.  I will keep Mickey here until he has recovered enough for me to begin the final steps of his own training.  In the meantime, you will be in charge in Disneyland, Riku."

       "Me?"

       "The task that lies ahead is one I cannot assure will be safe.  I cannot trust the responsibility of leadership to someone as reckless as Lea or as inexperienced as Kairi.  And while I am certain I can count on Sora, I feel you are a bit more mature than he is."

       Riku stood erect before Yen Sid.  "Thank you for the support, Master."

       "While I have you here, how have things been going for the others?  What of Sora and Kairi?  Have they been progressing well?"

       Riku lowered his head.  "That's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about.  Mickey said, before I set off for my first world, that you and he were worried about Sora.  That he might be--well--he might go down the same path I did."

      Yen Sid nodded.  "Sora has a fire in his heart unmatched by many other Keyblade Wielders of his kind.  That fire can easily turn to rage should someone close to him be harmed.  And rage, is what drives many to seek out darkness in the first place.  It is what cost me a dear friend and one of his own pupils."

      "Do you mean Terra?"

      Yen Sid eyed Riku curiously.  "How did you guess?"

      "Isa and Xehanort keep bringing him up around me.  Was he the one who gave me the power to wield the Keyblade?"

      "It is possible" the wizard answered.  

      "Master, should I be worried about Sora?"

      "Riku, I can only tell you this.  You must trust in Sora, or he will never learn to trust in himself.  Sora connects many of the pieces of history still left unresolved.  In the end, the great battle of our time could be him against Xehanort.  Should that day come, you must be there to support him any way you can.  The bonds you share with him and Kairi, along with the ones they share with you and each other are remarkably strong.  Do not allow outside forces to tear your friendships apart."

      Riku nodded.  "I wish it could be as easy as that."

      "If Sora should ever be in danger of falling down the paths you once walked, I expect you to bring him to me so I may confide something in him.  Something, I think, he should have been told long ago."  

       "What is it?"

        Yen Sid cleared his throat.  "Alas, although you are a Master, there are still some things that must remain a secret to you.  If you are to understand, it must be Sora who tells you.  That is all I have to say on the matter.  You should report to Queen Minnie in Disneyland and tell her Mickey will be away for a while.  Sora and Kairi must know this as well."

         Riku saluted Yen Sid.  "Yes sir!"  Riku turned from Yen Sid's chamber and exited the room, leaving Yen Sid and Mickey in the room alone.  

        The old wizard stroked his long grey beard and placed his hand on Mickey's forehead.  "So much, so soon, will rest on your shoulders, Mickey."