Kingdom Hearts: SfE Part 2 - The Final Keyhole and the Mark of Mastery

"I know....I also know we could defeat one by bashing it in the head a few times."Valerie said, slightly joking. Riku looked at the darksides, being reminded of the master of illusions in Castle Oblivion that made him almost believe he had turned into one of those...things.

 

"Well, let's go!" Eden didn't heed the warnings of everyone, instead just going into the fray, fire blazing. She burned a few neoshadows, but to get to the Darksides heads would take time she didn't have, and acrobatics she couldn't perform. Due to her loud surroundings, she could barely hear herself think. "RI! Get to the head!" and with that, control was his.

 

Valerie was distracting the darkside, shooting a few thunder spells at any other heartless that came nearby. Riku took his new freedom and went for the Darksides arm when it smashed it's fist to the ground. Riku jumped onto the fist, using extreme care to get to the Darksides head via the arms.

 

Edn bided her time until Riku was on top of Darkside's head, going in an all out inferno to deal massive damage. "There, that'll help." she huffed from over exertion.

 

"Woo-hoo! One down!"Valerie cheered as the Darkside collapsed. "And only a dozen or so left..."Riku sighed, looking to the path of heartless they would have to go through.

 

"It will be long, but I'll keep things heated to make everything easier. Go for the big ones, then the neoshadows!" Eden summoned forth more fire, wanting to regard Riku's earlier warning but could not under the conditions.

 

Riku took the advice and started taking out more of the larger heartless. Valerie groaned, taking care of the Neoshadows.

 

Eden kept pushing her heart, her fire, to keep going at full force. It was putting more strain upon her, but for now, she would cope with whatever pain this would bring afterward.

 

Gexln leapt over a neoshadow and came down with a swift strike from Darkness' Sorrow, slaying it. He then threw the Shadow Keyblade at another Neoshadow to distract it, then re-summoned the Shadow Keyblade and finished it off with a quick one-two strike from The Shadow Keyblade and Darkness' Sorrow. He let out a deep breath. "They just keep coming" he said.

 

Eden noticed the strain upon everyone, wincing at how pitiful they looked. She wanted to scream at them to go for the head, but that would stop her fires. And now was a dangerous time for that. "Balls to it." she groaned, yelling out in her own voice.
"GO FOR THE HEADS!" she painfully winced, going back within the depth of her heart.

 

"The heads....?"Valerie looked around. "Of the Darksides! It takes them out a lot faster than jabbing at them!"Riku explained.

 

"Riku, this is getting tiring. Surely there's something we have to help us out? A healing spell? Elixir? Anything will do!" Eden begged. She was complaining a bit, but she had been put under the most stress, something her body was still adjusting to after what seemed days ago her life was normal.

 

Riku was getting exhausted as well, spotting Valerie had his bag. "Valerie, can you toss me an ether?"he asked. "okee dokee lokee!"Valerie quickly got out an ether, tossing it to Riku before getting back to heartless slaying. Riku gulped down the ether, shuddering. "Much better..."he sighed.

 

Eden only huffed. It helped give her the strength to keep her fire going, but not enough to appease the growing pain within her. "Let's just hope that this will end soon..." she heavily sighed. "I'm getting heartburn over here."

 

Thats the last one! Riku grinned in triumph as the last Darkside fell. Now all that was left was the neoshadows. "Woo-Hoo! Go E-chan and Riku!"Valerie cheered. I'll handle these ones, you can stop the inferno...

 

Eden gladly stopped her flames, noticing the Neoshadows retreating due to their fallen leaders. "They're retreating!" she could almost cry, if she didn't feel the sudden painful pop of her dislocating shoulder due to the keyblade violently reacting to the Keyhole emerging from within the dark.

 

"Gaaaah!"Riku felt the pain too, trying to put the shoulder back in position. "Whats going oooon?"Valerie gulped.
(where the heck in a hamsterball is Kairi?!XD)

 

Eden painfully winced, taking control. "I'm gonna need a coma when this is over..." she winced. She noticed the keyhole, but without Kairi, they were stuck. She put her heart to it anyway, hoping RIku would do the same as she stabbed the Keyhole with her blade. It did an unceremonious click, but light did flow. She pushed her light out farther, and the Keyhole responded. It wasn't as strong as she hoped, and it was obvious more then one light was going to mimic Kairi's.

 

"And we still haven't found my body..."Riku groaned, his heart reacting to the keyhole for more light to shine. Valerie watched, not having a keyblade to offer....

 

Eden glanced a pleading look to Valerie, and even Gexln, though he had no heart of light to offer. "Help..." she begged, wincing. "Just a little farther..."
"Please, you could have asked for my help. I'll get going, with both your lights. The world needs it after all."
With that, the light surged, but a large fraction left Eden, and a good portion of Riku's remained as well. Their effort was rewarded in the glowing ethereal room. Laying besides the keyhole was the once decaying body of the Keybearer of Shadows. Though, his body wasn't decayed, and seemed angelic under the white satin robes.