Chapter 6 (RIKU): Wrath from the Shadows

Chapter 6 (Riku): Wrath from the Shadows

        Riku and Kairi's long journey through the Rose Garden finally led them to the throne of the Queen of Hearts.  Flanking the rose bush walls of the throne were card soldiers of every suit.  Two guards stood in front of the podium, blocking the two warriors from seeing who was on trial.  The Queen of Hearts, an ugly fat old woman, sat in her massive throne and glared down at the defendant on trial.

        "If it weren't for that Sora interfering, I would have been able to convict you before" the Queen snarled brutishly.  "Now that we have you back, we can resume our trial."  The Queen turned to the White Rabbit, who slumped next to her on his own stand.  "What are the charges?"

        "Assault on the Queen and attempted theft of her heart" the rabbit reminded the Queen.

        "I"LL DECIDE WHAT HER CHARGES ARE!" the Queen raged, causing the rabbit to tremble.         "I've done absolutely nothing wrong, as I told you last time" a soft girl's voice sounded.  "And Sora and his friends more than proved my innocence last time we were here."  

        "Isn't that Alice?" Kairi asked Riku.  

        Riku nodded.  "Wouldn't surprise me."

        "Silence!  You dare to defy me?" the Queen asked bitterly.  "When that black-hearted Sora returns looking to rescue you, I'll put him on trial as well.  But for now, you are guilty.  Why?  Because I say so!"  

        Riku shoved past the Card Soldiers and addressed the Queen.  "Your Majesty, this trial isn't any good if you don't have the real culprit."

        The Queen scowled as she glared down Riku.  "Nonsense.  I have my culprit right here.  Alice has already admitted to her crime of doing nothing.  Therefore, she is guilty."  

        "You still don't have the right person on trial.  The person who tried to steal your heart...was me!"  Riku drew his Keyblade and stood in front of Alice.  "If you want your revenge, come and get it!"  

        The Queen snarled.  "Guards!  Seize the Traitors!"  The card soldiers turned against Riku and charged at him.  Kairi leapt to Riku's side.  

        Alice smiled.  "Kairi!  You came!"

        Kairi turned back towards Alice.  "You have to find a safe place to hide.  This is going to get ugly."  Alice turned and ran off, but was surrounded by several Card Soldiers.  "Oh no!  We have to protect Alice!"  

        "They're all traitors!  Seize them at once!"  The cards all leapt forward to strike at the little band.  

Defeat All of the Card Soldiers while protecting Alice

Get Bonus: 

Riku: Learned Maelstrom

+10 HP

Kairi: +10 HP

        When all of the Cards fell backwards in pain, Riku turned his attention to the Queen of Hearts.  "Now do you see that Alice wasn't the one responsible."  The Queen didn't move.  

        "Is it true what you say?" Alice asked Riku.  "Are you indeed the thief?"

        Riku shook his head.  "No, but it was the only way to make sure no one got hurt.  Now, to finish this with Her Majesty."  Riku turned to face the Queen of Hearts.  But as soon as he made eye contact, the Queen disappeared into darkness.  In her place, a cloaked man wielding a powerful Claymore sat in her throne.  The skies around Wonderland began to darken.  Riku raised his Keyblade against the new foe.  "Xehanort!"

        The hooded figure laughed.  "Why do you think it's Xehanort?" 

        "Xehanort put his heart into each of you" Riku answered bitterly.  "I should figure I'm talking to one of Xehanort's flunkies right now.  Or, if he had the guts to fight me, Xehanort himself."

        The hooded figure pulled his hood back to reveal his face.  He had fairly dark skin, but it was an x that was over his nose and eyes that drew Riku's attention to him.  Kairi shuddered in fear.  "Not him again!"

        "It's not Saix" Riku explained to Kairi.  "It's his original self!"  

        Isa nodded.  "Isn't it curious, how frail and fragile a single world can be?  Rather like a heart, no doubt.  With one powerful being inside, the darkness begins to overtake it, swallowing all of the goodness and pureness inside, and causing it to implode in on itself."  

        Riku ignored Isa's monologue.  "What are you doing here?"

        Isa pointed at Alice, who drew back behind Kairi.  Kairi pointed her Keyblade at the former Organization leader.  "As if we'd ever let you hurt Alice!"  

        "It's not your choice, Kairi" Isa sneered.  "We have all been instructed to act against the Princesses of Heart without mercy.  Soon, even you will be begging for mercy against us.  Soon, once we've dealt with your pesky protectors, Sora and Riku."

        Riku laughed.  "And I hope you'll understand that we'll always be there to protect her!"  

        Isa grinned.  "You may wish to be forever her guardian, but can you really afford it?  Someday, she will have to face us alone, without you or Sora being there to guide her.  In the end, your wasted attempts to protect her will prove fruitless once we've assembled Master Xehanort's X-blade.  How will you protect anyone from that, Riku?"  

        Riku lowered his head.  "The same way I protected Sora from you.  I will never let you hurt my friends!"  Riku lunged forward to slash at Isa, but he simply swung his Claymore around and blocked the blow.  

        "For a Keyblade Master, Riku, you have many of the same flaws Terra had" Isa remarked scornfully.  "I would hope you can keep your darkness in check.  Otherwise, killing you won't be quite as exciting."  Isa pushed Riku back to the floor.  "Besides, it was Lea who rescued Sora in the end.  Were it not for his treachery, we would have had our Thirteen Vessels.  But no matter."  Isa snapped his fingers.  Surrounding the group were several dark creatures, but none of them were Heartless.  "Here me, my Unversed!  Annihilate these wretched fools!"  

        Riku turned to Alice and Kairi.  "Kairi, get her out of here!  I'll hold them off!  Go!"  

        Kairi was about to argue, but nodded and turned to Alice.  "Let's get back to Mickey!"  The young warrior held out her hand to Alice.  

        "Yes" Alice answered, placing her hand in Kairis.  The young Keyblade warrior led her fellow Princess of Heart away from the garden, leaving Riku alone to deal with the enemy.  

        "Good" Isa answered.  "Once I've eliminated you, she'll be the only line of defense for the special Heartless I have guarding Wonderland's exit to dispose of!"    

        "What?" Riku asked in terror.

        "Why trouble you in your final moments?" Isa laughed coldly, his Claymore finding his hands.  

Defeat Isa and his Unversed!

Boss Battle: Isa

HP: 900

Get Bonus:

Riku: +10 MP

        Riku rushed his foe, clashing violently with him.  Their weapons both began to emit the powers of light and darkness respectively.  Riku looked up into the sky, to see the moon shining down upon their battle.  He was about to brace himself for the onslaught, but Isa used his Berserking powers to glow with intense power, already aiming to rocket the boy off his feet.  

        "All shall be lost to you!" Isa shouted, blasting Riku away from the Queen of Heart's throne room with one ferocious assault.  

        Riku awoke in the Rose Garden.  But it was not the same Rose Garden from which he and Kairi had entered.  This garden was ablaze, with not a few large bushes torched by some kind of magic fire.  He looked into the sky, seeing a massive dragon like creature flying towards the Lotus Forest.  "KAIRI!" Riku shouted, dashing off after her.  

        Isa bowed down to another hooded figure, who had arrived on the scene.  "Everything is going as you have said, Master Xehanort."

        "With the two foolish children, yes" Xehanort answered, his gruff and bitter voice echoing throughout the now empty courtroom.  "But we still need time steering the boy into our clutches.  I underestimated the light in his heart.  In fact, it seems to dispel any and all darkness from even reaching his heart."  

        "Sora's darkness must feed off of his doubt and fear" Isa answered coldly.  "Should we keep prodding Riku and Kairi down the paths we have determined, as you had done with the others, we should have our prize yet."

        "Yet Aqua and Ventus each had their use" Xehanort lamented.  "But with Riku now devoid of any detectable darkness and Kairi being a Princess of Heart, what use can they be to us?"

        "As I stated before, Master" Isa reiterated, "Sora's darkness will have to feed off of the fear he has in his heart.  He doesn't fear the darkness as most of those guardians do.  Rather, he vows to destroy it."

        Xehanort chuckled briefly to himself.  "Then we simply have to put the fear of loss in his heart.  Not just losing in battle, but losing one whom he cherishes.  Frankly, from what we've been able to observe, either Riku or Kairi will do.  However, there is one slight flaw in our conception of this plan: the Princess cannot know of Sora's descent.  Her light shines in Sora's heart so powerfully, he would never succumb to my power if she knew of his danger.  As for Riku, I believe I have someone who can put seeds of doubt in him."