No one but that strange man’s voice.
“Hey! I know you’re watching!” Riku called out. “So explain this! Where are the people in my memories?!”
“Do you truly want to see them?”
At the sudden question, Riku stopped in his tracks. “Of course I do.”
Why wouldn’t he? I want to see them. Sora…and Kairi.
“But you cast them aside,” said the voice.
I did. I left them. But…
“You longed to go to other worlds, and you passed through the Door of Darkness. Behind you, you left your family, your friends, your home—everything. All in pursuit of the darkness.”
“I cast aside the darkness, too!”
That’s right, Riku told himself. I left the darkness behind. I won’t let it tempt me anymore. And that’s why…
“And what do you have to show for it? First your home, then the darkness. Your heart only knows how to cast things away. It’s empty…just like that room. Like your memories. That’s why you won’t meet anyone. Your heart is hollow. Nothing remains but the lingering darkness.”
The words echoed through Riku’s head like a spell.
“You’re wrong!” he cried. “I rejected the darkness!”
That time. I did—even the king said so. I wasn’t about to become a puppet for Ansem.
“Did you really now…? Keep going, then. The one you long to meet is waiting.”
Riku looked up, and there was a great door in front of him. Through there would be the grand hall, where Maleficent had always been…
He ran toward it.
This was the castle chapel, magnificent with its tall stained glass windows.
And she was standing there. “I knew you would return, Riku.”
“Maleficent…” He faced her with Soul Eater ready.
“Oh, come now, what kind of greeting is that? After I took you in like a son…?” She stepped toward him with open arms.
“Don’t come any closer,” Riku said quietly. “Of all the people I could run into, it had to be you.”
“But of course. Don’t I love you more than anyone else in all these worlds? Here, come closer…” Maleficent reached out for him.
“I don’t think so!” He shoved her hand aside and jumped back.
She laughed softly, as if he only amused her.
“What’s so funny?!”
“Your heart is steeped in darkness,” she said. “And you can only see those who exist in that same darkness—like myself. It’s only natural.”
“No…”
My heart is steeped in darkness, so I can’t see anyone else…or I can only see people like Maleficent? he thought. That’s what she’s telling me?
“Be grateful you have someone to keep you company,” Maleficent went on. “Your heart is empty. If not for the darkness lingering there, you would be completely alone.”
“I’m not all that interested in your company.”
But is that really true? Riku wondered to himself. When I was all alone, who else was there for me?
When I saw those two, the king’s men, Donald and Goofy, messing around and laughing with Sora in Traverse Town—who else came to speak kindly to me?
“Is that so? You once turned to me to sate your hunger for the darkness. In the depths of your heart, you must have wished to see me. Who else can grant you the darkness you long for?”
Maleficent’s words wound around him sweetly, like a lullaby. Riku bit his lip.
“There was a time I did want you around. I surrendered my heart to the darkness. But now I know—you and your darkness have nothing to offer.” He took a deep breath.
She looked straight at him, into him.
“I’m finished with all that,” he told her. “If I’m stuck seeing people like you, people of the dark…I’ll take you out, one by one.”
He leaped at Maleficent with Soul Eater out to strike. She blocked the blow with her staff.
“Then, you mustn’t forget to destroy yourself last,” she replied. “For like me, you are one of the dark.”
“That’s fine with me! I turned to darkness because my heart was weak. And I hate that weakness!” He backed up, putting some distance between them, and then dashed in to attack again. “It’s like I’m my own enemy. Seeing people like you who embrace the darkness—I know I’m like that. It just makes me more disgusted with myself!”
The tip of Soul Eater grazed Maleficent’s chin.
“So you hate the darkness enough that you can only think to fight it?”
“I’ve heard enough out of you, Maleficent,” Riku snapped, breathing hard.
They could keep talking like this forever. It wouldn’t matter. He wouldn’t go back to the darkness.
“How your heart must be suffering,” she crooned. “I can almost feel it myself…”
“Just stop talking!” He swung at her, and she slid easily aside.
“Then, let me end your pain, Riku…with the wondrous power of darkness!” A dark aura surrounded her and grew, and Maleficent transformed into a dragon, spouting flames at him.
“—Tch!” Riku jumped back. He wasn’t sure how to fight something this big.
And then—
“Riku!”
He heard a voice from somewhere. But it wasn’t the same voice that had been following him…
“King Mickey?!”
“There’s no time to explain! Now! Hurry!”
Just as the king’s voice said that, the ceiling began to crumble.
“Your Majesty! Where are you?!”
“Don’t worry about that! Just fight!”
Stones from the ceiling piled up in front of Riku, giving him something to climb. “Okay—I will!”
He ran atop the pile and swung Soul Eater.
With every huge footstep, the dragon made the pile of stones tumble apart beneath Riku’s feet, but it was still much better than having nothing to climb at all.
“I won’t let in the darkness! Ever again!” He slashed up at the dragon’s throat. It let out a terrible roar and fell—then changed back into the witch.
“Maleficent…” Riku moved closer to her, keeping his sword trained on her head.
“Oh, Riku… You can’t escape the dark.”
“I don’t want to hear it! Just shut up!”
He brought Soul Eater down on her—and Maleficent’s body turned to glowing light and disappeared.
He stared hard at the light as it faded.
What if…Maleficent really did care about me…?
She was the only one who ever talked to me here. I really believed she understood me. But she was full of the power of darkness, and it brought her to ruin.
She was using me. I let the darkness in her take me in. But…
“King Mickey…?”
He was sure the voice he’d heard was the king. Maybe the king knew the answer. The king would know…
Through the broken walls, Riku found a door. He had to just keep going. And then…maybe he would find the truth.
He ran toward the door.
The air inside the dim chamber was strangely humid. And it wasn’t just damp, stagnant air—something else nasty seemed to fill the place. A man stood quietly in the middle of the room. His uneven blue hair nearly covered his eyes.
The man frowned, as if waiting impatiently for something.
Then a tall, fit man with short-trimmed brown hair appeared and stepped toward him.
“Don’t I even warrant a hello, Lexaeus?” said the blue-haired man.
“What is going on here, Zexion?” the other demanded. “I want an explanation!”
A third man appeared in the center of the room. His long, dull blond hair framed a horribly sallow face.
“Nice to see you too, Vexen,” said Zexion, the blue-haired one, without even looking at the newcomer. “Such a shame. Whatever happened to our bond as members of the organization?”
“How dare you—?!”
“Let it go, Vexen.” Lexaeus held up a f
orbidding hand at him.
A brief silence fell in the small gloomy chamber, and Zexion sighed heavily.
Lexaeus interrupted the quiet. “Now tell us, Zexion. What did you detect?”
“…Visitors,” said Zexion. “I picked up two scents in the deepest levels of the castle’s basement. One was Malefi—”
“Don’t be absurd,” Vexen cut him off. “The witch is gone. She cannot return from the realm of darkness of her own volition.”
“If you would let me finish… The scent belonged not to the real Maleficent, but to a very convincing double. Unfortunately, I cannot say much beyond that, as the double is no more—courtesy of our other visitor.” Zexion shrugged.
Aboveground, some enormous scheme was under way. Although…
“And who is that?” asked Lexaeus.
“I do not know for sure,” Zexion replied quietly. “But…the scent was very similar to that of our Superior. Nearly close enough to mistake it for him.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Vexen snarled. There was simply no way that could be.
To think anything could resemble their Superior so closely…
“Those are the facts. So…what shall we do?” said Zexion.
But that question already had an answer. They could hardly just stand by and watch the aboveground members carry out their plans.
“…For now, we wait. See what develops.” Lexaeus named the only conclusion. The three nodded.
Through the door was another hall of cold marble, the same as before he’d entered Hollow Bastion. And across it was the next door. Riku started toward it. There didn’t seem to be any Heartless in here.
The voice he’d heard, though—it had definitely been the king. Except Riku hadn’t seen him anywhere. Maybe he’d only imagined it.
“Why do you shun the darkness?” That low voice rang out again.
“Come on, weren’t you listening?” said Riku. “I know you heard every word I said to Maleficent.”
I’m not going to let anyone use me ever again. And I won’t use the power of darkness.
“Darkness is your weapon,” the voice went on. “It is time you learned—you must accept it.”
Riku looked silently up at the ceiling.
“Stop resisting. Accept the darkness. You have no choice but to serve me again!”
He felt the air waver. And then, he saw that man—the one who had taken control of Riku’s body, tried to make him into a mere possession. Ansem.
“I thought it was you,” Riku muttered.
“Oh? You don’t seem surprised.”
Showing nothing, Riku looked directly into Ansem’s face.
“All you’ve been talking about is the darkness. So I can assume you’re only here to pull me back in…to play puppet master.”
“Clever boy. I knew you’d be the best one to serve me.” Ansem moved closer, seeming to glide rather than walk. “And now, you’ll surrender to me again—”
“You’re insane! Not a chance!” Riku raised Soul Eater and slashed out.
“Fool.” Ansem blocked the sword with nothing more than his own arm and threw Riku back.
“Ngh—?!”
“Did you really think you could do me any harm? A weakling like you couldn’t even defeat Sora—and you had the darkness on your side.”
“Excuse me…for being so weak…” Riku staggered to one knee.
“Yes, you are weak. You need the darkness. Surrender. Bow to darkness. Bow to me.” Ansem walked to where Riku fell and took him by the arm.
“…That’s not gonna happen.” Riku turned away.
Ansem loomed closer, trying to look him in the eye. “Only the darkness can offer to you the strength that you need.”
I really can’t do anything unless I use the darkness…?
I lost to Sora. And Ansem, too. And there’s no one to help me. When there was, it was only the Heartless or Maleficent…only creatures of the dark. Riku’s eyes stung with angry tears. So I can’t do anything at all without the darkness…
“You’re wrong!”
The voice spoke again from somewhere.
“…Your Majesty?!”
A sphere of bright light drifted close to them.
“That’s right! Remember, Riku, you’re not alone.” As he heard the king’s voice, the light shone and poured into him. “Just believe. The light’ll never give up on you. You’ll always find it, even in the deepest darkness!”
“…I got it.” Riku stood up.
I’m not alone. I still have friends. I have the king on my side.
“I won’t lose to the darkness. Not today!” Riku aimed Soul Eater at Ansem.
“You think that feeble little light can save you from the darkness that I command?” Ansem rushed at him.
Riku raised the sword and blocked Ansem’s blow. “Give me all you’ve got. I’ll give it right back!”
He pushed, straining to throw Ansem back, but Ansem held him there, heavy as a boulder, and finally relented, laughing.
“What’s so funny?!”
“Ha-ha-ha!” Ansem’s laughter grew louder, and he spread both arms wide. “It seems you are intent on resisting the darkness. All right—then see it for yourself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Riku edged nearer, ready to attack again, but Ansem tossed four cards at him.
“These are cards crafted from your memories. Advance through the worlds they create, and soon, you will understand… No matter how much you chase after the light, you will never distance yourself from the darkness. There is no escaping it!”
“Don’t worry, I’m not running. I’ll enter those worlds, and in the end, if I haven’t given in to the darkness, then I win!”
Ansem didn’t seem to hear him at all, but only snapped his fingers. “I have one more gift for you.”
A dark glow surrounded Riku. “What’re you doing?!”
He tried to shake himself free of it, but the darkness clung to him. Something abhorrent seemed to stir to life inside his heart.
What…is this?!
“I simply tempered the darkness that yet remains in your heart,” said Ansem.
“You really still think I’ll rely on darkness?”
“Use it, or not—the choice is yours.” Ansem leaped lightly back away from him. “I’ll be waiting, Riku… For you to sense it and yield to the darkness within you!”
“Hey!” Riku tried to follow him, but Ansem simply vanished.
“The darkness within me…” Riku stared helplessly at his hands.
Darkness remaining in my heart… How long do I have to be stuck with it?
“Something…smells funny…” Even though Ansem was gone, Riku thought, it felt like the air had changed. “Is that…the smell of darkness?”
It was like that certain scent he’d always picked up from Maleficent, from Hook, from the Heartless—from all those who lived in the darkness.
And if he could smell it now…it must mean he was just one of their pawns. He still belonged to the darkness.
“Don’t worry, Riku.”
He looked up—and this time King Mickey was standing there.
“Your Majesty?! Wait…what happened? I can see right through you…”
Riku could see the king, but not quite—as if he might disappear any moment.
“Funny, huh?” said the king. “I can only send a bit of my power to this place. That’s why I’ve got a request for ya.”
“A request…?”
The king, even though he was hardly there, like a ghost, was looking right at him. “Listen, Riku. Just because the darkness has a hold of ya, don’t let go of who you are. You’ve got to fight the darkness inside you! It won’t be easy, I know. But please, don’t forget. Even in the deepest darkness, there’s always a little bit of light.”
“Light within the darkness…,” Riku murmured.
“You and me, we’ve seen it. The welcoming light far beyond the Door of Darkness—the light of Kingdom Hearts. It’ll show you the way. So don�
�t give up. Believe in the light. That’s a request from my heart.”
“Don’t give up. Believe.”
But the darkness is in me. All over me. I stink of it…
“Okay, Riku?”
“Okay… I’ll do my best,” said Riku, trying to trust the king.
If the light of Kingdom Hearts can even reach me… If it can shine on me, too, and not just Sora…then maybe I can believe.
“I’ll keep tryin’ to find a way to reach you. I’ll get there, I promise.” The king reached out with his hand.
Riku tried to take it but only passed through. “I can’t touch you… Are you an illusion…?”
“Don’t worry. We shook hands in our hearts. You and me, we’re connected, remember?”
“…Guess we are.”
But that connection felt so distant and fragile…he was a little bit lonely.
“Well, I gotta be going.” The king smiled up at him and disappeared.
“So I’m alone again…” Riku breathed a tiny sigh and went to the next door.
CHAPTER 2
RECALL
RIKU OPENED THE DOOR, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS a strangely colorful world.
“So I’m…in Monstro.” He stepped forward over the unsteady floor.
I met Sora in here before. Sora was just like always—except he was stronger than he used to be. It made me resent him somehow.
“What’re you doing?”
The voice addressed him out of nowhere. Startled, Riku readied himself to fight. But a face poked out of the shadows.
“…Pinocchio!”
“Gee, how do you know my name?” Pinocchio strolled up to him with a cheerful smile.
The wooden puppet with a heart. I wanted to know how it was that he had one, so I kidnapped him.
“Well…,” Riku evaded. “That doesn’t matter.”
“Are you all alone?”
“Yeah.”
Pinocchio stood in front of Riku, peering up into his face. “So am I!”
But as he said that, his nose grew. “Oops.”
That’s right—Pinocchio’s nose gets longer whenever he tells a lie. So that means he’s not alone in here, Riku thought. Unlike me.
“You’re not alone, are you, Pinocchio?”
“Um… No. My father’s here, too. Do you have a father?”
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