All That's Left [Alpha Draft] - Pt 13;

[keybearer]

Chapter 13: The Prince’s Wrath

Just as he promised, the badger led the group from the scorched remains of the forest to a damp, grassy field. Thunder clapped, and the wind slapped their faces. Raindrops splattered against their hair, backs, and the tombstones around them, cold and grey as the looming clouds. Equally grey was the lonely brick building at the edge of the graveyard, with a mossy green roof that’d seen better days and a tower where a lone bell hung in his silence. As they approached the church, a warm tingle zipped down Sora’s spine, and his ears swiveled forward. He took a whiff of the air, but the sour smell of the darkness blocked out all other scents. It was fishy, and he was half-tempted to scale the tower to get a closer look, but in the time he spent staring, the badger had already reached the front door. It’d be rude to keep him waiting!

The door opened with a soft screech, and the badger motioned for them to follow. Before long, they all squeezed into the tiny church, clothes sagging and drenched, while their wet hair clung to their faces.

Shaking off his damp fur, Sora hit the side of his head, freeing some of the droplets that’d lodged themselves in his ears. Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all collapsed in the wooden pews, limp and slumped over like a bunch of flour sacks. Shifting around, Riku folded his arms over the back of his bench, creating a cushion for his chin. He wiped his wet bangs out of his eyes and groaned softly, while the badger lowered his hood.

“I know it doesn’t look like much, but there was a time when this church was full of light. The people used to come here for a sense of belonging, and the ringing of that bell kept their hopes alive!”

Kairi looked down at her lap, frowning. “But I guess that changed once the Heartless showed up.”

“Not just the Heartless.” He looked out a cracked window, breathing a loud sigh. “Between the monsters, that no-good tyrant, and the Sheriff, it’s been so hard to keep our spirits up. And now that scoundrel’s gone and kidnapped innocent people! Just thinking about it makes me sick.”

“You got that right,” said Riku. “So, what are we going to do about it?”

Good question. After all, this church was no fortress. Other than a smile pipe organ in the corner and a wooden box nailed to the wall, the only things that stood out were the cold bricks surrounding them and a stained glass window at the far end of the room. Otherwise, the church was empty. Hollow, and just standing there left Sora with a tight, twisting sensation in his gut. Ears drooping, he collapsed near the wall and scratched his head. They couldn’t just sit around, right? Who knew what’d happened to all the missing villagers? Pure impulse told him to barge outside, scramble to the castle, and whisk all those people to safety, but his whole body felt like a bag stuffed with bowling balls, boulders, and bricks, and now that he’d stopped moving, he noticed his heavy breathing. How long had he been panting in the first place?

Lowering his hood, the badger peered out the window again. “Well, I’m not letting you kids leave until you’ve all rested up.”

Donald sprung to his feet. “But we can’t afford to wait! Those people need us.”

Riku moaned. “But don’t you get it, Donald? They’re bait. The prince probably had them captured so he could get under our skin.” His words cut through the air like a knife, and his ears folded flat against his head. “We go into the castle now, and we’ll be right where he wants us. Or where Luxord wants us, anyway.”

Goofy scooted to the edge of the pew, arms crossed and head tilted. “There’s somethin’ mighty fishy about all this. That portal dropped us right into the campsite, so there’s no way they could’ve followed us.”

Riku lifted his head, laughing dryly. “Exactly. If it was so easy to find, they would’ve caught Robin a long time ago.”

They could’ve trailed him on the way back, but even that seemed like a stretch in Sora’s eyes. Robin was a master thief! There was no way he’d risk getting caught, even on a romantic stroll. Especially when Marian was now a fellow fugitive. It was too big of a risk, and he seemed way too smart to take chances. Riku was right, and so was Goofy. There must’ve been more to it. But what? Heartless? A mole? Pure coincidence? With his face all scrunched up, Sora pressed his claws against his temples and exhaled silently.

This’d be way easier if I went back. I bet I could find out exactly what they’re up to!

“Hey, normally I’d be all for it, but they’re not the only ones who need rest.”

But Ven—

“Don’t get me wrong. I wanna go there just as much as you do! If I just had my body, I’d get up right now, march right through the front door, and deal with myself!”

Sora squeezed his shoulders, gulping. Ven, I—

“It’s not your fault, okay? Sometimes it’s just rough. I used to be a Keybearer, but now I’m just a spectator. All I can really do is talk, and it’s not like anyone can hear me besides you and Aqua…”

Mm. She’d probably be happier if you went back...

“But not if it means hurting you.” Ven’s words were gentle, and he even let out a little laugh. “Besides, she’d scold us both if I let you go overboard! And not just her. Riku’s right over there watching us, and so’s Kairi. How do you think they’d feel if you took off?”

Sora pouted. Hey, they didn’t have a problem before.

Riku’s ears twitched, and he lifted his head again. “Yeah, but last time, you gave us a heads up.”

Sora opened his mouth, then shut it, cheeks puffed up and eyes narrow. The fact that Riku could actually hear him was just too weird. Convenient, sure. Awesome? Definitely, but it made talking to Ven awkward, to say the least.

“Hey, why don’t you join us, silly? It’ll be easier if we’re all on the same page.” Kairi scooted over, patting the top of her pew and, while the stubborn part of him wanted to stay by the door, he soon pulled himself over to the others, dragged himself into the seat, and dug out his writing gear.

His pen tapped the page, and his brow creased. Then something clicked, and he let out a quiet gasp. ‘Maybe this won’t be so hard. Riku, Kairi—you guys have Keyblades, so when we do hit the castle, we can bust right into the dungeon!’

“Hmm.” Jiminy poked his head out of Riku’s pocket and pulled himself onto his shoulder. “The security was pretty tight the last time we dropped by. And if Luxord’s anything like those other Nobodies, he’ll probably have even more Heartless waiting for us.”

The badger growled, hands balled into fists. “But where’d he even get so many? Those demons look like they crawled straight out of the pits of hell, but no mortal man should have that kind of power.”

“There’s a lot of darkness out there, sir.” Kairi folded her hands in her lap, face falling. “Haven’t you seen how many stars have disappeared?”

“Now that you mention it, the sky has gotten a lot darker over the years.” He paced back and forth, grabbing his chin. “Is that weasel behind it?”

Sora shook his head. ‘No, an evil witch started it, and she’s gone now.’

The badger stared at Sora’s note, bending over and leaning forward. After a few seconds, he fell back against the wall, eying the ceiling. “First demons and now witches. What next? The devil himself?”

“Well, there was that big, black feller back in—”

Riku’s hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Easy, Goofy. You don’t want to give him a heart attack.”

“Hey, now. I may be getting on in years, but I’ve still got plenty of life left in me.” He thrust out his belly and put his hands on his hips, but his scowl faded, replaced by a gentle smile. “Anyway, what are you still doing down here? We’ve got some spare cots upstairs with your names on them.”

The cots weren’t anything special, just piles of hay in a stiff, wooden frame. Still, it sure beat sleeping on those hard benches, so by the time they reached the top of the stairs, Sora dashed to the nearest cot, flopped on his back, and gave a great big yawn. Stretching his spine, Goofy slipped under the covers of the bed on the far left wall. He rubbed his eyes and rolled onto his side, but his gaze remained locked on the door.

“Aw, c’mon, Donald! Why don’t ya take it easy for a while?”

“I still think we should go.” He grunted, stomping over to the window. “The King wouldn’t want us to nap at a time like this! He’d want us to get back on our feet, find the Keyhole, and save everybody before this whole world falls apart.”

“Ugh, that’s right.” Riku reached for his forehead, pressing his back against the wall. “We’ve been so busy we haven’t even looked for it yet.” Neither had Sora, and if anyone could sniff it out, it was him!

Sitting up, he crossed his legs and cradled his cheek in his left hand. He drew a few swirls in the corner of his notebook, then sighed. ‘The Organization wants you to seal the Keyholes, so we’ll be fine as long as Luxord’s here.’

Donald crossed his arms, expression as stiff as ever. “And what if they find us again?”

“Just leave that to me!” said Jiminy, hopping up onto the window sill. “If I see anything suspicious, I’ll let ya know right away!”

Kairi wore a small, tired smile as she plopped onto her cot. “See? We’ll be okay, and if you’re still not convinced, I’ll just use one of my Sleep spells.”

Donald shook his head furiously. “No way! Save that stuff for the Heartless.”

Riku looked to the window, then pushed away from the wall. “Okay, then how about this? We’ll keep it short. An hour tops. That’ll at least give Robin time to find us.”

“Hmm… good point, Riku.” Turning away from the window, he finally sat on the nearest empty cot. “But once they’re back, no more stalling!”

Nothing more needed to be said. Once they’d reached an agreement, the whole group settled in their beds. Sora wasn’t sure how long they spent waiting, because after a few minutes, his eyes grew heavy. His surroundings became a great big blur, then blacked out entirely. A mishmash of images passed him by, from a sandy, sunlit shore to a castle made out of gumdrops, graham crackers, and cupcakes, ruled over by a snarling dragon made outta black licorice. He was about to stab that dragon with a sword when the cotton candy clouds under his feet evaporated, he started plummeting through empty black space, and the next thing he knew, someone was prodding his shoulder with tiny fingers.

“Hey, wake up! C’mon, Sora. Everyone’s waiting!”

Sora batted his hand at Jiminy and leaned onto his elbow, pushing himself up with the speed of a sleepy slug. His eyes blinked open, and he took a glance around the room, spotting Riku over by the window. Otherwise, the room was completely empty, blankets thrown aside to reveal empty beds. The others must’ve already gone downstairs, so why wait?

Rising to his feet, Sora gave Jiminy a quick nod and joined Riku next to the window. Hey, you coming?

“Pfft. I was just waiting on you, you lazy bum.” He smirked and brushed straight past Sora, sauntering down the stairs without a second glance. Once again, Sora pouted and thumped his fist on the floor. That was so like him, saying something cool and cocky and then just leaving him in the dust.

Well, he wasn’t gonna stand for it! Once he scooped up Jiminy, Sora bounded all the way down the steps, and when he spotted two foxes, a chicken, a rat, and a big, brown bear, he picked up speed, printing as fast as his big, rabbit feet could carry him. His efforts weren’t unnoticed, either, because by the time he reached the group, both Lady Kluck and Marian whipped around, greeting him with weak smiles.

“Ah, there ye are. About time you joined us, laddie!”

‘You’re okay, right? What about all the villagers?’ In his haste, his words came out shaky, dripping with ink, but Marian’s gentle laughter suggested he’d gotten all worked up for nothing, and she reached out to pat his spiky hair.

“We’re all fine, Sora. It was just as Riku said; once we fled, the Heartless seemed to forget all about us, and from there, we had only the darkness of the woods to worry about.”

Jiminy leaned into his umbrella, his lips a flat line. “But what about the Sheriff? You’d think he would’ve at least sent his buzzards after ya.”

Freya nodded. “If he was smart, he would have used the Heartless to split us apart. He had the perfect opportunity to capture us, yet he’s proven utterly incompetent once again.”

“Yeah, I mean, Bushel Britches might not be the brightest bulb, but he’s been after us for years.” Slumping, Little John rubbed the back of his neck. “I dunno. Maybe we’re expecting too much outta him.”

“Well, I expect more from a would-be king.” She turned away, shouldering her spear. “I’d say it was too easy, but we lost far too many civilians as it is. That we even managed to save a few is a blessing in itself.”

“But you’ve every right to be worried,” said Marian. “That tyrant has no respect for those below him, and I don’t even want to imagine what he’s done to those poor people…”

“Bah, the scoundrel’s already taxed their pockets dry. What’s there left for him to take?”

A shiver raced down Sora’s spine, and he bit his lips, shutting his eyes tight. There was one thing they could definitely take. Something that’d add more ammo to the Organization’s plans. If Twilight Town was any indication, then—

“…Their hearts.” Kairi took the words right out of his mouth, horror written onto her face. “What if Luxord uses them to make more Heartless?”

“My, what a terrible thought.”

Bristling, Sora snapped towards the doorway just in time to spot Luxord leaning against the wall with a broad smirk on his long, weasely snout. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Sheriff stood right in the middle of the doorway, sword in hand, grinning like a hungry predator. At the sight of them, Riku slammed his fist down on the back of a pew, face locked into a grimace. Both Lady Kluck and Freya leaped out in front of Marian, while Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all drew their weapons, and Little John became the badger’s furry shield.

Oddly, Robin tipped his hat at the two, giving them a strangely bright smile. “Good evening! Here for a sermon? Well, you should have at least knocked before barging in.”

“But you all seemed so engrossed in your discussion…”

“Well, come along, have a seat, and I’m sure Friar Tuck will give us all a rousing speech.”

“Robin, what’re you doing?” said Donald. “You know they’re not here to talk!”

“Darn tootin’!” The Sheriff stomped inside, waving his sword as he spoke. “We’re here on official royal business, and we ain’t got time to deal with you chumps.”

“Well, you’re gonna have to make time!” He swished his staff, and Lady Kluck raised two big, feathery fists.

She started to stomp towards the duo when Marian grabbed her sleeve. “Klucky, wait. We mustn’t bring the fighting in here…”

“You heard her!” Brushing past Little John, Friar Tuck stomped clear across the room and shoved the Sheriff back. “Get outta my church, and take your horde of demons with ya!” To Sora’s surprise, he even started swinging his fists, forcing the Sheriff to back halfway out the door.

In the mean time, Robin sent Luxord a cold, piercing glare. “I believe he’s made himself clear.”

“Perhaps, but I’m afraid religion means very little to me.” With a snap of Luxord’s fingers, the Friar’s movements slowed, and his body stiffened up mid-swing, allowing the Sheriff to grab his arm and fling him out the door.

That was the last straw. Locking his eyes on Luxord, Sora flew across the floor like cannon ball, swinging flaming green claws at his waist. A wall of giant cards whirled around him, and Sora flew back, skidding into a pew. As soon as the cards faded, he took off all over again, and this time, Donald and Lady Kluck joined the fray, swinging feathery fists and unleashing an icy barrage. Instead of running, ducking, blocking, or even dodging, Luxord stood totally still, and four giant cards spread behind them, flashing with black X’s and red O’s.

The first of Donald’s icicles struck his chest, but he only laughed. The cards stopped flashing, the first marked with the O. Grey smoke burst all around them, and Sora’s head began spinning, while his limbs grew numb. The whole church became a blur, and when he tried shaking himself out of it, he found that he couldn’t move his head. He tried pushing himself up with his palms, but his arms still wouldn’t respond, and when he tried to stand, he tipped backwards, falling flat on his back.

“What’d you do to them!?” he heard Kairi shout, and when he tried to turn around, he saw two giant dice and Kairi’s feet rushing his way. Was that it, then? Had Luxord changed him, too?

“Why, I did little more than bring challenge to this game. Had they not acted so rashly, perhaps they wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

“That’s a dirty trick!” said Goofy, but Luxord’s only response was a chuckle. The two other dice started bouncing toward the door, and a few seconds later, Sora managed to wobble forward. He adjusted himself just in time to spot a flurry of giant cards shooting overhead. There was a dull THUNK mixed in with a couple of yelps. Before Sora got a chance to move, someone scooped him off the floor and dragged him behind one of the pews.

Warm orange light surrounded him, and he felt his whole body stretch. In one big burst of energy, his body popped back into shape, legs, arms, neck, and head all free from that tight, box-like form. Patting his arms, shoulder, and back, he glanced around and found Kairi kneeling next to him. Riku, Goofy, and Freya all lunged behind the pews, squeezing in next to Donald and Lady Kluck. When another wave of cards flew their way, Robin tugged Marian behind the neighboring benches with Little John just a few feet behind.

The cards kept flying over the tops of the pews, threatening to slice off their heads the second they got back on their feet. Just what was his problem? Didn’t the Organization need ‘em alive? Well, if he wanted to play cheap, fine. Two could play at that game.

Before making any sudden moves, he tapped Riku and Kairi’s shoulders, sinking halfway into the floor just to get his point across. The two shared a glance, then grinned, giving their silent approval. With his message clear, Sora sank all the way down and shot across the floor, swerving behind Luxord and springing up like a jack-in-the box. His timing couldn’t have been better, as the weasel had just flung two more cards, leaving his back wide open. So, naturally, Sora took that opening right away, dragging his flame-coated claws down his shoulder blades.

Yelping, Luxord staggered forward, and for a split-second, he stopped his assault. Turning on a heel, Luxord thrust his arm at Sora’s face, but Sora ducked, tumbled, and delivered a spinning kick to his side. The brief opening gave Robin, Freya, and Little John just enough time to scramble out the door, but when Sora took another swipe at Luxord’s back, the Nobody vanished in a puff of black smoke, and three sharp edges sliced across Sora’s chest, knocking him flat against the wall.

“A little help here, Luxord?”

“Tsk. Are you truly that incompetent?” Turning around, Luxord moved toward the door, but stopped when three fireballs soared at his back. Sighing, he ducked down, letting the flames fly outside, and flung another round of cards straight at the pews. With those giant, paper blades rocketing their way, Riku, Kairi, and Donald ducked down all over again. After rubbing his chest, Sora pushed charged for another attack, but instead of striking the Nobody, his face smashed into the door.

Could this guy get any worse?

Rubbing his face, Sora squeezed through the crack, zipping outside just in time to find Robin, Freya, and Little John all frozen like statues. Panting, the Sheriff scooped up his sword, and Luxord flung Friar Tuck over his shoulder, surrounded by swirling darkness. Bursting out of the shadows, Sora flew at the Nobody, but one last card spun at him like a buzz saw, driving Sora to a stop. The corridor wrapped around Luxord, then collapsed before his very eyes, leaving Sora alone the Sheriff and his three frozen friends.

“H-hey! You can’t just leave me behind!”

The door slammed again. Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all gaped at the crazy display. Soon, Donald’s hands started to shake, and he sent a lightning bolt crashing into the Sheriff’s head. Pushing her way between Riku and Kairi, Lady Kluck stormed outside, socking the Sheriff in the snout. After dragging his claws through the dirt, Sora flung himself at the Sheriff’s back, pressing all his weight into his shoulders. Keyblades drawn, Riku and Kairi strode in front of him, and Riku leveled Oathkeeper at his face.

“Wait just a cotton pickin’ minute! You don’t scare me!” He started squirming, knocking Sora into the grass, but both Donald and Lady Kluck leaped on top of him, Kluck glaring into his eyes.

“We’ve got you surrounded, Bushel Britches! Best you give up now, before we whoop ya all the way to kingdom come.”

To top it all off, Robin, Freya, and Little John started to twitch, prompting Marian to zip right over to the trio.

“Goodness, are you all right? Please, say something.”

Little John shook his arms, then stretched his back. “Ugh, I’m good, but that was some magic trick.”

“We’re fine, darling.” Robin started to reach for her hand, but paused, glancing around. “Wait, where’s Friar Tuck? Surely, he’s—”

“Gone.” The Sheriff gave a smug smirk, wheezing out a laugh. “That fat friar’s as good as dead now!”

Dead.

One word. Just one word, and it struck Sora like a bomb blast, sending him reeling back. Gasps and moans broke out around him. Donald’s staff smacked the ground before the Sheriff’s face, and Riku’s Keyblade trembled in his grip, his eyes shut tight and a deep frown on his face. It didn’t make sense. It had to be a bluff! What’d that badger even do to hurt them? All he’d done was offer a place to stay, so why threaten his life?

Robin turned to Marian, a strange glint in his eyes. “Could you be a dear and fetch us some rope?”

x.x.x

He’d found them twice now. First the campsite, now the church. Sure, it could’ve been a coincidence this time. For all Riku knew, they expected the group to hide here. Was he over thinking it? Did it even matter now? With Friar Tuck captive, they needed answers, and fast. Fortunately, with numbers on their side, there was no way the Sheriff was weaseling out of this one. Only a few minutes had passed, and Marian, Kluck, and Little John had already wrapped a rope around his bulging belly, pulling it so tight it pressed up against all his flab. They had him boxed in a corner at the front of the church, with Robin, Kluck, Marian, Little John, and Freya all keeping him locked in place.

Donald hovered behind them, thumping his staff in his palm, while Sora waited near the door, claws tapping against the floor. Kairi watched the proceedings with one hand over her mouth, and Goofy kept glancing between her and Riku, frowning and twiddling his thumbs. Without even realizing it, Riku found himself pacing and stopped, rubbing his forehead before he joined the others by the Sheriff.

“Well then,” said Robin, “care to explain yourself?”

“Ha! Not on your life, ya scumball.” The Sheriff tipped his chin up, cracking another smirk, though it faded when Lady Kluck leaned in his face.

“You don’t have much of a choice, Bushel Britches! Those beasties aren’t here to help you any longer.”

“Don’t be too sure, chicken fingers.” He took a deep breath, then shouted. “Heartless! Git over here!” But nothing happened. The shadows stayed still, no yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness, and the Sheriff scooted back. “W-what? C’mon, quit messin’ around! You’re s’posed to—”

“It would seem they’ve abandoned you,” said Freya. “Perhaps your heart was too weak for their liking.”

“Grr… That no good weasel! I bet he’s the reason they ain’t comin’.”

“So talk,” said Donald.

“And if I don’t?”

“Good grief.” He rolled his eyes, and smoke started swirling from his staff. “Don’t you realize who you’re up against?”

“’Course I do. I ain’t dumb.” Sure he wasn’t, though for now, Riku refrained from commenting. “But even if I do talk, who’s to say I’d tell ya the truth?”

“Gawrsh, he’s got a point there, Donald…”

“Gah! But what else are we supposed to do?”

“Well, we can’t stay here for long.” Robin looked down, shoulders drooping. “The fact remains that Friar Tuck’s been taken prisoner, and if our friend here isn’t bluffing, then his very life may be at stake.”

“Yup. If Prince John has his way, that fatso ain’t gonna last ‘til mornin’! And to think you fellas wanna waste time torturin’ me…”

“Sheesh,” said Little John. “I’m startin’ to think we shoulda gagged him.”

“I would gladly do so, if he weren’t still useful.” Freya moved closer, kneeling beside him. “Tell me, Sheriff, are you not insulted by Luxord’s behavior? You thought him your ally, yet he’s clearly abandoned you.”

The Sheriff snarled. “’Course I’m insulted! And if I wasn’t all tied up, I’d have him thrown in a cell faster than you can say ‘Oo-de-lally.’”

Hmm. Well, that was interesting. Maybe they could use it somehow. Tapping his foot, Riku watched the Sheriff for a few moments, then pushed forward. After all, it was worth a shot.

“Man, it’s gotta suck. Here you are, just trying to do your job, but he shows up, and suddenly you’re second fiddle. Bet Prince John hasn’t even bothered listening to your side of things.”

Little John’s eyes widened, and then a sly smile spread along his muzzle. “Hey, that’s right! Ol’ P.J.’s probably too busy watchin’ those silly card tricks.”

“Darn straight! And if that ain’t enough, more than half my men have turned into those monsters, and the ones who ain’t changed aren’t even here!”

Biting his lip, Goofy let out a muffled laugh. “But how come they ain’t with ya?”

“’Cause somebody had to stay and guard the prisoners, and there was no way I was gonna leave ‘em to a buncha creepy, back-stabbin’ demons.”

Donald scoffed. “If they’re so bad, why’d you use ‘em to attack us?”

“’Cause they’re the only ones tough enough to take on you freaks! And they were doin’ just fine up until…” He trailed off, grumbling. “Now, wait just a minute! You’re usin’ a buncha rhet’ric to mess with me, aren’t ya?”

“Nonsense,” said Robin. “We’re just as insulted as you, old boy.”

“Yeah right! You’re the last person on earth who’d ever worry about me.”

“Well, I suppose that’s all the information we’ll get out of him.” Turning away from the Sheriff, Robin’s gave the others a cold, grim look. “We’ll need to hurry. If Prince John really intends to kill Friar Tuck, then we’ve no choice but to stage a jailbreak.”

Standing up straight, Freya grabbed her spear off the floor. “I’ve no doubt it’s another trap.”

“Of course, Freya, but it doesn’t matter! If we do nothing, then he could die, and I believe we’ve got enough numbers on our side to take on a few measly guards. In fact, I bet we could create a diversion with ease.”

“Hmm... So, what if we make two groups?” said Kairi. “Half of us could create a distraction, while the rest of you break into the cells.”

Robin snapped his fingers. “A brilliant suggestion, Kairi! We could use one team dedicated to stealth, another to brute strength… Perhaps one Keyblade each, just as a precaution.”

Right on cue, Sora zipped up to the front of the church, raising one of his hands. Snickering, Riku crossed his arms and nodded. “Well, if he’s in, so am I. Somebody’s gotta keep him out of trouble.”

His words earned one of Sora’s trademark pout-glares, but Riku was totally immune. And, soon enough, the whole gang started breaking into teams. Donald, Goofy, Kairi, Freya, and Little John all joined together in one terrifying powder keg. A larger group meant a bigger distraction, which’d allow Riku, Sora, and Robin to slip in easily, provided everything went smoothly.

“You can leave Bushel Britches with us,” said Lady Kluck. “We’ll keep this scoundrel locked up tight.”

“But do be careful,” Marian added. “And Robin, please promise me you’ll come back safely!”

The two shared a kiss, but with time of the essence, they couldn’t afford lengthy goodbyes. Though Robin lingered by Marian’s side for a few seconds, a pat on the back from Little John sent him sprinting out the door and soon the others followed suit, leaving only Riku, the Sheriff, Lady Kluck, and Maid Marian.

He gave the Sheriff a white-hot glare, and even took a step closer, but instead of speaking up, he slumped, rubbed his neck, and turned back around. Dead silent, he moved toward the door, stopping only when he heard the Sheriff’s nasally voice.

“By the way, kiddo, ya better sleep with one eye open.”

Riku froze, tense as stone. “Or what? You’re in no position to make threats.”

The Sheriff shrugged. “Hey, it ain’t me you should be worried about.”

Then who? Luxord? The Prince? Was he trying to psych Riku out? Fists shaking, Riku was half-tempted to storm back inside and demand some real answers. Was this about the campsite? Was it all just a bluff? If he let his head flood with questions and uncertainties, there was no way he’d get anywhere, and he had way bigger fish to fry. Friar Tuck needed help, and for that reason above all else, Riku forced himself outside and joined the others on their trek toward the castle.

The rain only intensified, going from a light drizzle to a violent downpour. Each raindrop struck them like bullets and sent giant ripples spreading across the castle’s rounded moat. The black clouds coupled with the streaks of lightning gave the castle a foreboding light, amplified by the gargantuan stone wall wrapped around its exterior and the guards pacing back and forth along every one of its towers. After crossing the moat, the group flattened themselves against the wall, waiting and watching for the guards to turn away. The moment they turned their backs, Freya pointed to the top of the wall and leaped onto the nearest tower, thrusting her spear into the Howling Hoodlum perched up top.

The others climbed over the wall in short order, prompting gasps, mumbles, and shouts from the other side. Donald’s wild squawking broke out, joined by sounds of crashes, bangs, clings, and clangs. Smoke started rising over the wall, curling and coiling like slithering snakes. With the distraction well underway, Robin turned to Riku and Sora, waved his hand, and led the duo around the wall, to an open gate giving a full view of the chaos, as well as the wooden gallows.

Before them lay utter chaos. The Sheriff’s two buzzard henchmen scrambled across the grounds. The shorter, squattier of the two birds shoved another arrow into his crossbow, but before he let it loose, Goofy slipped behind him and smacked his shield against his back, sending him teetering over. The other buzzard flailed his axe wildly, knocking aside two wolves, whose yelps and lack of Heartless emblems proved that at least some of the guards were unchanged. Ice crystals gathered and froze the bird’s feet to the ground, allowing Little John to charge behind him and pummel him with his fists. The mines scattered across the ground set off loud, bellowing explosions, and several wolves, the buzzards, and Howling Hoodlums alike began whirling around in the air.

Something wasn’t right.

Riku hadn’t even summoned his Keyblade yet, and the Heartless were diving at him from all directions, snapping their jaws, swiping their claws, pounding the ground, and filling the air with waves of arrows. They hadn’t even gotten the chance to sneak. What they intended as a stealth operation fell apart before Riku’s very eyes. And, while the incoming rhinos, arrows, and Air Soldiers slowed and many of the Hoodlums collapsed on their bellies, those who’d slipped past Sora’s spells continued lunging at Riku without mercy. Gritting his teeth, he struck the ground, and ruptured the earth with rocky stalagmites, but while many of the Heartless burst into smoke, countless more continued swarming him despite his best efforts.

Moments later, wisps of black smoke began swirling around him, sticking to his clothes and his fur. Shielded by Dark Armor, Riku bolted through the Heartless pack just in time to spot Donald and Goofy thundering his way, breaking away from the others.

“We’ll take it from here!” said Donald, and he slammed the Air Soldiers into another bed of mines with a dome of high-pressured Graviga.

More arrows flew from the gate, striking four Soldiers in the spines. Despite this, the Armored Archers up top continued ignoring Robin, and when Kairi bombarded them with shining, white orbs, they only gave her a quick glance before setting their sights back on Riku. It was suspicious, to say the least. Was Luxord trying to mess with his head? Did he order them to focus on him and him alone? When more arrows flew into his face, Riku groaned, then rolled to the right, his body briefly stretching and shifting to a glowing streak of darkness.

He rematerialized near the edge of the gate, locked eyes with Kairi, and the together they thrust their Keyblades at the lock, piercing it with two beams of light. The gate swung open, and Robin zipped inside. Breaking away from the ruckus, Little John and Freya followed right behind him.

“Do you think you can keep these guys busy?” said Little John, halfway through the gate.

“Well, it’s not like they—” Riku paused, launching a Strike Raid at an Ivory Sentinel’s gut. “Just go. We’ll be fine!”

“I wonder what their problem is.” More arrows flew down, and Kairi leaped backwards, while Riku swatted the projectiles with a swing of his Key. “You’d think that Luxord would want us both under fire.”

“I know. It doesn’t even make sense.” Breathing in, Riku flickered up to the top of the tower and sent an explosion of Dark Firaga from his palm to the Armored Archers’ backs. Their bodies crumbled into ash, and their hearts took to the sky. Best to wipe out these Heartless now so they could save their energy for the prince. Sure, they’d end up releasing more hearts, but what choice did they have?

Over the next few minutes, Riku tried his best to keep the Heartless at bay, warping across the field and delivering quick swipes that froze them in place, allowing the others to finish the job. Soon, the dungeon door flew open, and Little John came sprinting out with his arms stuffed with moneybags. He was trailed by a whole slew of other fleeing critters, including the rooster minstrel and Friar Tuck. A few Armored Archers still remained, raining arrows over the battlefield, and Kairi surrounded the fleeing crowd with a clear, glassy barrier. Meanwhile, Little John and Friar Tuck ran up to a cart full of barrels, letting the barrels tumble to the ground, knocking the Heartless onto their backs.

Robin’s Arrows struck their chests, and the Heartless’ numbers dropped even further. Taking advantage of this brief opening, the citizens all piled onto the cart and Little John raced to the front, grabbing the handles and turning towards the gate.

“C’mon, let’s hustle before more of those freaks show up!”

Another Ivory Sentinel lunged at Riku, but Goofy tossed Donald into the air, and Donald bashed it on the back of its head, giving Sora a chance to zip forward and tear through its armor. As the Heartless fell, Riku swiveled toward the cart and raised his voice.

“We can’t turn back now! Somebody’s gotta settle the score with Prince John.”

“Well, you comin’, Rob?”

“And miss my chance to dethrone that tyrant?” Robin Hood laughed, turning his back on the cart. “Go on, Johnny. We’ll see you all back at the church!”

Pulling full speed ahead, Little John carried the cart across the courtyard and straight through the gate. Once he made it outside, however, the gate slammed shut of its own accord, and a bright flash flooded Riku’s vision, making him drop his Keyblade and shield his eyes with both hands. A loud THUD followed, and when he opened his eyes, he noticed a glassy dome had spread over the very top of the castle walls. Just to top things off, Prince John now stood outside the door, dressed in his long, blue robes, with a red shield in one hand and a shining sword in the other. Behind him, Luxord watched with that same, sick smirk as before, while Sir His poked his head out the crack in the door, shivering.

“S-sire, are you certain—”

“Silence, you rambling reptile!”

“But, Your Highness, this is madness! There’s far too many of them, and even with that darkness, you can’t honestly believe you’ll—”

“I said silence!” One swing of his sword blasted Sir Hiss with a stream of blue flames. Shrieking, he ducked behind the door at the last second, which only served to make Prince John’s scowl twist into a feral glare.

“Yes, well, if you insist on fighting, then at least turn your blade on your real enemies!”

“He has a point,” said Luxord. “Surely you’d rather exact your revenge on this band of meddling intruders.”

The prince’s head snapped toward Luxord, but his glare faded to a calm, blank expression. “Mm, yes, of course. And what glorious vengeance it will be!” Cackling, he swept his sword, and the blade burst into bright blue light. Black smoke crawled up his feet, coiled around his waist, and climbed all the way up to his head. “You all may have made a mockery of me before, but now it is I who shall walk away victorious!”

Riku clapped slowly. “Oh, I’m so scared…”

“Are you mocking me, boy?!” He lurched forward, baring his teeth. “I’ll have you know that I have the very powers of darkness at my command!” To demonstrate this point, he gave his sword another swing, but Riku sidestepped the flying flames and tossed retaliated with his own fistful of dark flames.

The blast flew at his toes, and the prince leaped aside. “Oh, I’ll have your head for this!” Ears back and eyes little slits, he threw himself at Riku, only for Donald to hop forward and coat the ground in a slick layer of ice. Clueless, Prince John stumbled over the frozen terrain and slid forward, straight into Goofy’s path. Once he drew close enough, Goofy smacked his face with his shield, and Robin struck his rump with two arrows, one after the other.

“Yeowch!” Springing backwards, the prince plucked the arrows out of his robes and whimpered like a little baby. Brushing his hands together, Robin approached the lion with a small, almost pitying smile.

“Having second thoughts, P.J.?”

“Never!” The aura surrounding him split off in waving tendrils, and he threw himself at Robin, swinging his sword in a rapid frenzy. Without a shield, Robin was forced to leap out of the way, but Prince John bolted right after him, sword extended, in a move Riku’d recognize any day.

But before his blade cut across Robin’s chest, Freya dived down, knocking the sword aside and pressing her spear against his neck. “You are a mockery to the crown and an insult to this kingdom! As Dragon Knight, I cannot allow your tyranny to go on any longer!”

Hissing, Prince John hopped back and ducked behind his shield. “Dragon Knights… Well, traitor, did you ever stop to wonder why your fellow knights left this kingdom? It’s quite an amusing story…”

A glowing sphere ripped Prince John off the ground, and Kairi dashed over to Freya’s side, striking the prince with an assault of glowing orbs. “Don’t listen to him, Freya! He’s just trying to mess with your head.”

“It’s all right.” She rushed at the magnetic field, thrusting her spear, but black smoke wrapped around the prince, and he vanished for a split-second.

“It was me!” he shouted, diving down from above, but an arrow struck his side, knocking him off course. With an opening staring him in the face, Riku kicked off the ground and smashed Oathkeeper into his back, sending him skidding across the ground and straight toward the jail door. Before he even got a chance to move, Donald rocketed towards him and froze his arms to the metal bars.

Yet, for some reason, Luxord stayed completely still, watching the fight play out from a distance.

A shadow slipped beside him, and Sora popped out of the ground. Hey, Riku, now’s our chance!

Right. The others could keep the prince busy for now. Grasping Oathkeeper in both hands, Riku held his breath and flickered over Luxord’s head, driving his Keyblade into his shoulder blades. The blow knocked him forward, but he spun back around, slicing Riku’s armored chest with a card. With so little distance between them, Riku didn’t have time to dodge, and his head struck the brick wall, making him cringe. Fortunately, the close range gave him an edge of his own, for when he swung his feet forward, he struck Luxord right in the gut, giving Sora a chance to strike his skull with a barrage of purple bolts.

Only one of the bolts hit its mark. The others struck the bricks below, and a flickering to the far left made Riku stop, swivel around, and lift his Keyblade just in time to deflect two more incoming cards.

“You’re out of bounds, Keybearer. I’m but a spectator in this match.”

“Like I care!” Riku pulled his Keyblade back, but froze when four cards appeared behind Luxord, flashing with X’s and O’s just like before.

Heh. So he was trying to pull that trick again, eh? So what if he stalled for time? Lowering Oathkeeper, Riku set his free hand on his back and watched the cards toggle by.

“Hmm. By the way, have you been following me?”

Luxord’s brows perked. “What makes you believe that I have?”

“Oh, just a feeling. The Sheriff said I should sleep with one eye open, and when we broke in, the Heartless didn’t even bother with Kairi.”

“And you believe I have something to do with it? Do recall that we need both your Keyblades, and a concentrated attack on you would bring unnecessary delays and bodily harm.” He said this all with a light, condescending tone, and his smirk sure didn’t help. That weasel was hiding something. He had to be, and he had every intention to find out what.

But that could wait. In the time they spent talking, Sora had swerved behind the Nobody, and with the first card about to flash to an X, Riku shouted, “Now!”

Bursting out of the shadows, Sora swiped at the card just in time. It froze on the X, matching the other three, and Luxord choked out a gasp. The cards flashed, and he hunched over, grasping his chest as if in sudden pain. Grinning, Riku and Sora gave each other a high five, then dashed at the Nobody side by side. They came close, too, but a slow, taunting ticking sound set off warning bells in his head. The whole world seemed to stop, and the next thing he knew, he was lying on his chest, Luxord nowhere in sight. Sora knelt over him, offering a hand, and once he climbed back on his feet, he found Kairi and Donald hurrying his way.

“Sheesh, Riku, you could’ve asked us for help!”

He brushed off his shoulder, smiling faintly. “You know how stubborn I get. Besides, you looked like you had your hands full.”

Donald pointed his staff over at the dungeon door, where a squirming Prince John wriggled helplessly under the ice. “Ha, that prince is a joke! Can’t even handle a little ice…”

Kairi shook her head, giving him a deadpan look. “Don’t get carried away, Donald. That ice can’t hold up forever.”

Case in point, the darkness once again wound around the prince’s body, pulling him from the prison door to the very center of the courtyard. And after brushing off his robes, he turned up his nose and glowered. “You infuriating insects! How dare you use witchcraft against me?”

Riku resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. “Aren’t you being a hypocrite?”

“No! I am the king! I make the laws!” And in another burst of blind fury, he launched himself at Donald, trampling over one of Kairi’s mines, flying sky high, and earning a face full of metal on the way back down, courtesy of Oathkeeper. Four more arrows then struck his rump again, and just like earlier, the prince shrieked at the sudden pain.

“I think I understand now,” said Robin. “You used Sir Hiss to hypnotize King Richard and his men! It’s the only explanation for the complete lack of loyal servants.”

“You’re… quite perceptive.” Prince John moaned, plucking out the last of the arrows. “Indeed, we set him and his little rats off on that crazy crusade!”

“Then Sir Fratley...” Freya’s spear started trembling. “He must have known that something was amiss!”

“You should have left with the rest of them, rodent! And you!” He looked to Robin. “How dare you make mockery of me with that stupid fortune telling—”

WHAM! Goofy’s shield spun right into his belly, shoving him against a wall just in time for Donald to fire off more icy clusters.

Giggling, Goofy grabbed his weapon on its way back. “Gawrsh, he sure likes to hear himself talk!”

“Quiet, you… you mean, mangy mutt!” He squirmed again, whimpering and moaning. “Luxord! Why isn’t this working?”

A corridor opened above a nearby tower, and Luxord leaned over the edge. “You’re letting your fear overwhelm your fury. If you wish to conquer the darkness, let rage be your weapon! Allow your thirst for vengeance to cloud any lingering doubts. With hatred as your creed, nothing shall stand in your way!”

“Yes… hatred. How I loathe that rogue and all that he stands for!” The ice began to crack, and in mere seconds, he broke away from the wall, sword drawn once again. “Always getting in my way!” He thrust his blade at Robin’s heart, only for Robin to duck and jab him with an elbow, while Freya pierced his robes with her spear. Even so, Prince John took another lunge at the fox. “Stealing and looting and ruining all my schemes!”

Teeth clenched, Freya drove the tip of her spear into the dirt, making the prince stumble long enough for Robin to fire off more arrows at his shoulders.

“You fool! Have you gone mad? That darkness won’t make you any stronger. It’ll consume you until nothing’s left!”

“It’s too late,” said Riku. “He’s too far gone!” The prince’s eyes began glowing yellow, and he broke into a fit of wild, maniacal laughter.

“Die! Die, you fiendish fox!” Each swing of his sword sent Dark Firaga flying. Luckily, Goofy slid in just in time to shield Robin from the assault, while Kairi sent a stream of magic flying into his back, and his movements slowed long enough for Robin to launch two more arrows at his ribs. Despite all this, Prince John continued flailing Dark Firaga like a madman, each fireball slowly drifting along the breeze. When Freya’s spear knocked him onto his side, he roared like a wild animal and rushed at her on all fours.

“I’ll kill you all! All traitors must perish!”

Moving next to Riku, Kairi reached for her necklace and winced. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen somebody lose their heart…”

“Yeah...” His gaze dropped to the ground, and his upper body sagged. “But once he snaps, we’re gonna have to take him out. There’s just no way around it.”

“Mm. Well, we’ve done it before.” She tipped her chin up, letting out a weak giggle. “And this time, we’ve got an even bigger group. Right, Sora?”

Sora nodded, though he kept his eyes up on the tower where Luxord stood, fidgeting in place like a cat ready to pounce. As a matter of fact, he snapped his claws, slipped through a corridor, and leaped at Luxord from behind. Instead of launching cards, Luxord slipped into a portal of his own, reappearing clear across the castle wall, on yet another one of the towers.

More ice crawled up Prince John’s feet, and while he hacked away at the ice with his sword, Robin snuck behind him, stood up on his tip toes, and plucked the crown straight off his head. Instantly, Prince John froze. He patted the top of his head, then let out a high pitched wail. From across the castle grounds, Riku could hear the faint sound of Luxord’s laughter.

“Now’s your chance! Prove to them without a shadow of a doubt that you are the rightful king! Take the crown back by force if you must. You already hold the winning hand!”

Lightning struck the earth surrounding him, scattering electrifying sparks. Covering his mouth, Riku jumped backwards, holding his breath as smoke filled the battlefield. The prince’s laughter shifted, raising in pitch, then dropping to a low bellow. The darkness surrounded him swirled and stretched, clinging to his tattered robes, his fur, and his entire being. Just like with Shere Khan before, a blackened dome spread across the courtyard. Within that dome, Riku heard something slamming and pounding at the walls. Cracks started spreading, a sign of what to come, and he looked to the others.

“Guys, get ready!”

Luxord vanished in a flash, but Riku hardly had time to dwell on it. After a loud, resounding crash, a giant, curved blade burst from the dome, shimmering red. A gold, clawed gauntlet clutched the blade, and a second swing shattered the dome, revealing a hulking, armored beast, embedded with a rainbow of gems. Emeralds formed a ring around its pauldrons. Sapphires ran down its arms. A cluster of rubies formed a familiar heart-shaped emblem on its chest, and a large, pointed crown rested atop its jagged mane, adorned with sparkling diamonds.

Donald gawked, rubbing his eyes. “That’s the prince? But he’s so big!”

Riku grinned, raising his weapon. “Hey, we’ve fought bigger and come out on top.”

Kairi set one hand on her hip and waved her Keyblade. “Well, just don’t let it get to your heads!”

There was no time for comebacks. Stomping its humungous feet, the Heartless made its slow, steady approach. Lifting its blade toward the sky, it struck the ground, rocking the earth and tearing the pavement with a web of wide, jagged cracks. The sudden tremors threatened to send Riku toppling over the edge, so he jabbed the tip of Oathkeeper into the pavement and leaned into it like a cane. Donald wasn’t so lucky and began wobbling toward the edge, but Riku grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, while Kairi grabbed his other hand for added support.

A black blur zipped ahead, springing across the pavement and sliding under the Heartless’ metallic feet. Once he reached the Heartless’ rear end, Sora popped out of the concrete and swiped at the backs of its legs, but the Heartless didn’t even flinch. Instead, it looked down at him and slashed the claws of its free hand, forcing Sora to flip backwards and duck to dodge a second swipe. Leaping on ahead, Robin dashed to the front of the Heartless, firing arrows into its big, glowing eyes. Though they hit their mark, the Heartless remained firmly in place. Its claws wrapped around the arrows, snapped them like twigs, and just as Robin started to flee, it smashed its sword into the nearest tower, sending bricks, wood, and shingles sliding in an avalanche.

Kairi squeezed her Keyblade’s hilt and sprung across the broken landscape. A swish of her Keyblade sent a flash of energy at the rubble, which stopped its descent and drifted around in transparent spheres. Breathing a loud sigh, Robin jogged past her and sent her a smile.

“Kairi, you truly are a life saver!”

“Just be careful!” she said, but when the Heartless sword came down over her, she shut her mouth and leaped to the left, retaliating with a row of glowing pillars. Unlike the previous attacks, her spell sent it skidding backwards, and it crashed straight through part of the wall, leaving a big, gaping hole in its place.

“Riku, lemme go!”

“You got it.” And as soon as he let go, Donald zoomed at the hole, snowflakes swirling around his staff. Riku followed suit, dashing over the cracks in the ground and sprinting at rapid speed. He heard the shifting and crumbling of stone, and the Heartless burst back into the fray, flailing its sword and unleashing a crescent beam of red energy. Immediately, Kairi thrust her Keyblade over her head, surrounding herself, Riku, Donald, and all the others with barriers that halted the Heartless’ attack.

Once the shields faded, Freya vaulted onto the top of the wall and jammed her sphere in a gap between the Heartless’ neck and shoulder. Sora joined her, scurrying up its arm and launching himself at its eyes. Unfortunately, the Heartless shook them both off without a single scratch, and when Riku hurled Oathkeeper at its waist, the Heartless once again stood unfazed. It let out a low grumble and crouched low to the ground, then shot up like a rocket, blade pointed toward one of the cracks.

The group scattered, spreading to the far edges of the battlefield just as the Heartless struck its mark. And, where before it created a tremor, this time a wide, circular wave washed over the terrain, forcing Kairi to once again cloak them in barriers, which shattered the moment the wave hit its mark.

Teeth chattering, Goofy stumbled to the right. “Gee, this feller ain’t pullin’ his punches!” Gulping, he lobbed his shield at its face but, but it bounced straight off without even making it finch. If that wasn’t odd enough, a lightning strike from Donald made it shriek and wail. Their weapons did nothing, yet magic seemed to knock it around just fine. It was almost like…

For a brief moment, the Heartless’ form shifted. Instead of a towering, armored lion, he saw a six-armed, mechanical giant with white sleeves and a cobra’s head. Its body hovered in a translucent, glowing bubble. Just as the people of Agrabah were unable to harm Kurt Zisa’s shield, this Heartless’ armor seemed nearly impenetrable. But just to be safe, Riku shut his eyes, slowed his breathing, and let his body drift away from the ground.

With Oathkeeper outstretched, he rocketed at the Heartless, shoving his entire weight into one single thrust. The weapon clanged and struck its knee, but its blade sliced across the front of his armor, smacking him against another wall. As he hit the floor, he spotted Kairi and Sora rushing his way.

Green light spread around him, and both his friends leaned in his face. “Riku, what were you thinking?”

Yeah! You’re usually not that reckless!

“I had to test a theory.” Pushing away from the wall, he pointed Oathkeeper at the approaching, armored beast. “Don’t you get it? It’s just like Kurt Zisa! If we want to wipe this thing out, we’re gonna have to use magic.”

Once more, the Heartless threw its giant fist forward, threatening to snap Robin in its claws. Lucky for him, his small size allowed him to slip right between its fingers, and he perched himself on top of a pile of bricks. “What if you used fire to melt through its armor? With the barrier up, now’s—” The Heartless’ sword flew at him before he got a chance to finish, and he dashed away before it sliced him in two. “Well, just give it a try!”

Metal did conduct heat, and with four magic users, they had more than enough fire power to go around. Twirling Oathkeeper, Riku lit ignited the tip with a twist of Dark Firaga. Nodding to one another, Kairi, Donald, and Sora all readied themselves, smoke rising from their staff and Keyblade, while green embers crawled up Sora’s claws. Giving a deep, thundering roar, the Heartless smashed its sword down again, rocking them as they ran toward the beast. The cracks spread further, so they started jumping, while Robin, Goofy, and Freya dashed in front of the armored lion and assaulted its face with arrows, shield, and spear.

“Okay, I think we’re close enough now!” Sliding to a stop, Kairi shoved her weapon forward, fire flying from the tip all the way up to the Heartless’ torso. She dug her heels into the ground and shut her eyes, keeping a steady spray of fire going. When the Heartless pulled its arm back to swipe, Sora launched himself onto its gauntlet and dug his flaming claws into its palm, halting its movements just long enough for Kairi to sidestep its claws.

He continued crawling up the Heartless’ arm, to its shoulders, neck and lunged right back into its eyes. This gave Riku and Donald the perfect opportunity to join in, and after sharing a smirk, the two of them unleashed a blast of whirling fire that melded with Kairi’s, spreading further and further, wrapping up its legs and clear up its body. Grabbing Goofy’s wrist, Freya dragged him down from its shoulders, and Sora dived down, shoving both his palms forward and blasting his green flames into the mix. In just a matter of seconds, the flames consumed the Heartless’ entire body, and something started shrieking from within.

The Heartless’ armored head few out of the flaming tornado, and a small, black figure leaped over Riku’s head, skittering toward the dungeon gate.

“Well, what do we have here?” Chuckling, Robin shot an arrow at the creature’s back, and it squeaked, rubbing its rump and sucking on its thumb. The fire died down soon after, and Riku, Sora, Donald, and Kairi joined Robin over by this puny beast. As he ran, Riku looked over his shoulder to find a dripping, bubbling gold shell, its missing head revealing a hollow core.

“I knew that armor was too good to be true.”

Unlike its menacing, armored shell, this new Heartless had a long, skinny body with exposed ribs. Its fingers were long and slender, stretching into needle-like claws. Gone were the jewels, the crown, and the mane, though its box-like snout and rounded ears bore a passing resemblance to the prince. Its confidence seemed to shatter without the armor protecting it, because when the group closed in, it screeched and scuttled backwards. Overzealous as always, Donald launched a fireball at its face, but when the flames struck, they instantly fizzled out, and the Heartless got back on its feet, unleashing a sharp, ear-splitting scream.

The sound was like nails on a chalkboard, squeaking rubber, and a fork on glass all at once. Worse, the scream let out a wide, rounded wave that slammed the whole group into the wall all over again. Ears ringing, Riku grabbed his Keyblade and took a few short breaths.

“Well, guess magic’s out.”

Robin picked up his hat and reached for an arrow. “Then it’s time we took center stage, Lady Freya! Our moment of glory has finally come.”

“So it has.” She leaped onto the wall, spear outstretched, and together with Robin, she charged at the Heartless, jabbing at its chest, while Robin assaulted its feet with his flying projectiles.

The spear jabbed right into its stomach, and the arrows pierced its arms. Once again, the Heartless screeched, but this time, Goofy shoved himself into its path, blocking the wave and knocking it straight back at the pipsqueak. This sent the Heartless toppling onto its back, and Riku gave a quick round of applause.

“Nice one, Goofy!”

“Aw, it was nothin’ special!”

Hissing, the Heartless got up on all fours and flew at Goofy’s side. It’s claws swept at his waist, but he ducked, stepped behind it, and smacked the back of its head. The blow sent it wobbling toward Robin and Freya, but when the arrows flew at its chest, it pulled a Sora and sank into the shadows at their feet. Slamming his palms down on the ground, Sora catapulted himself back into the fray, tackling the Heartless when it popped up behind them and dragging his claws down its back.

It sank down again, shooting across the broken terrain straight at Riku, Donald, and Kairi. Rather than run, the three waited and watched, and when the Heartless popped up, they charged together, beating its head, slicing its belly, jabbing its sides, and smacking its aside. On its way down, Goofy zipped toward them, hopped up, and knocked it back up like a tennis player striking a ball. As it flailed through the air, two arrows pierced it from below, and Freya shot down, driving her spear through its chest and pinning it into the ground.

Despite being skewered, the Heartless sucked in a deep breath and belted out another ear-splitting scream. As if expecting this, Freya held onto the brim of her hat and bounded out of the way, though the wave hit the wall, collapsing another segment of the wall. Mere inches away, Sora gulped and became flat as a pancake, sliding out from under the bricks. With a high-pitched cackle, the Heartless ripped the spear out of its chest and hurled it at Freya, but Kairi’s Keyblade whirled past the weapon, knocking it off course, and shoved the Heartless into the remains of the gallows.

“Your aim is impressive.” Freya smiled and scooped up her spear. “Now, if only this beast would accept defeat…”

“Hmm, perhaps we can keep it preoccupied.” Robin plucked the crown out from between one of the cracks, holding it high over his head. “Oh, Your Highness! Doesn’t this belong to you?”

The Heartless’ eyes literally lit up, and it scampered toward Robin on all fours. But, in true Robin Hood fashion, he nonchalantly tossed the crown like a Frisbee, sending it toward Freya, who jumped up, caught it on the tip of her spear, and leaped onto one of the shorter towers.

“If you seek the crown, then you’re going to have to steal it from us, just as you stole it from King Richard!” And when the Heartless started clawing at the wall, she sent it whizzing toward Goofy, who crouched low to the ground, then smashed it with his shield, just as he’d done to the Heartless earlier.

“Aw, ya gotta be faster than that!”

Swerving away from Goofy, the Heartless tore after the crown, now scurrying on its hind limbs, but just when it got within reach, Donald stuck out his leg, tripping the Heartless, and swatted the crown away with a puff of wind. It flew into Sora’s clutches, and when the Heartless slashed at his back, be used one of his big rabbit feet to kick it back, tossed the crown over to Kairi, and whirled around in that break dancing move. What, was he trying to be a show off?

The good news was, Robin’s diversion seemed to be working, as during this game of keep away, the Heartless stopped its screaming and kept trailing after the crown like a kitten chasing a ball of yarn. It ran around and around, not stopping for a moment, and while it kept on moving, its defenses were down. Robin seemed fully aware of this, as he loaded one more arrow into his bow, but before letting it fly, he looked to Riku and tipped his head toward the Heartless.

He understood right away, and the second Robin shot that arrow, Riku flew at the Heartless’ back, ramming into it once, twice, three times, again and again with no remorse until, at long last, he smashed the ground, unleashing an explosion of white-blue energy just as the Heartless caught the crown in its spindly clutches.

It let out one final screech as the blast washed over it, and then its body began flaking away. A small, singular heart arose from its misty black remains, and the barrier surrounding the castle cracked, bringing with it the full brunt of the downpour, raindrops rapidly flooding the cracks. King Richard’s crown clinked and rolled across the ground, and Robin snatched it up, tucking it beneath his arm. Now that the battle had ended, Riku drifted back down to his feet, letting his armor peel away. The others all approached, and together they examined the surrounding wreckage.

Then, out of nowhere, Riku started laughing.

“I can’t believe it! All that, and his heart was so small…”

“So he’s gone?” Sir Hiss finally poked his head out the door, ducking back inside when Freya turned his way. “Wait, don’t hurt me! It was all his idea! I simply—”

She grabbed him by the tail and dragged him back outside. “You conspired against our king, hypnotized him and his loyal troops, and allowed this kingdom to fall into a state of pure tyranny…”

“But I never—”

“Don’t even try it,” said Donald. “There’s no way you’re getting off the hook that easily!”

“And, didn’t you hear? There are several new vacancies in the jail.” Robin swung the door open. “What do you say, friends?”

Dismissing her Keyblade, Kairi placed her palms together. “Well, we don’t want him to get too lonely…”

“True, but I know just the fellow to keep this chap company.”

Just as they promised, the group made their way back to the church. Once they returned, Marian came rushing out the door, locking Robin in a tight embrace, while Lady Kluck, Friar Tuck, and Little John watched with soft smiles and, in Lady Kluck’s case, a tear in her eye.

“Oh, Robin! I’m so proud of you! Well, I’m proud of all of you, really.”

Lady Kluck nodded, a scowl on her face. “Aye, that black-hearted brat had it coming to him!”

“But what’s gonna happen now?” Goofy looked to Freya, who carried the crown in her arms. “Until King Richard comes back, somebody’s gotta keep things in line.”

“Mm. Sir Fratley and the other Dragon Knights are still gone, and without them, we’ve no proper line of defense.” She paused, looking to Robin, Kluck, and Little John. “Unless you’d all like to join me. I suspect King Richard would be thrilled to have people of noble spirit defending this land in his absence.”

“Me, a knight?” Little John tugged at the front of his shirt. “Man, now there’s somethin’ I never thought I’d hear.”

“Well, not an official knight, but a comrade in arms. You’ve certainly done more for this kingdom than a certain Sheriff…”

Riku’s eyes widened by a hair, and he looked to the door. “Hey, where is he, anyway?”

Both Marian and Kluck started giggling like schoolgirls, and soon Friar Tuck joined in the fun.

“Should we tell ‘em?”

“Ach, why tell them when we can show ‘em?” Lady Kluck reached for the door, pulling it wide open to reveal an… interesting sight.

The Sheriff lay flat on his belly at the front of the church, surrounded by several citizens. A whole warren’s worth of white rabbits used his back as a trampoline, while a pig, a shaggy dog, and a cat flung tomatoes into his face. Others pointed and laughed, and while the Sheriff squirmed, the rope combined with the bouncing bunnies kept him firmly planted on the floor.

“Dag nab it! This is downright demeanin’!”

“Oh, put a sock it in, Sheriff!” said Friar Tuck. “Nobody wants to hear your whining.”

Lady Kluck shut the door before any of them got a chance to hear his retorts, and with that, all eyes returned to Robin and Marian.

“You know,” said Kairi, “I bet you two would make great leaders.”

“Me? A leader?” Robin waved his hands and shook his head. “Nonsense! I’ve lived the life of a criminal for so long that I’m not fit to lead a country.”

“But I am King Richard’s niece.” Marian cupped her chin in hand, looking up at the sky. “I suppose it would be appropriate for me to tend to the castle in his absence, but I’ve no experience as a leader, and it’s all rather strange to consider.”

Friar Tuck moved between the two foxes, clasping their shoulders. “Aw, there’s no need to be so modest! Just let your hearts guide you, and I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”

“It would only be a temporary arrangement, until our king returns.” Freya chuckled softly. “And if you feel as if you’ve overstepped your bounds, I’m sure that Little John would gladly bring a healthy dose of realism.”

Riku shrugged, setting a hand on his hip. “Well, it sounds you’ve got your work cut out for you. Can’t say I envy you guys.”

Sora nudged him with an elbow, a wry smile on his face. Are you sure about that?

“Please, just being a Keybearer’s exhausting enough.”

Donald’s eyes popped open, and he let out a gasp. “Wak! And we’ve still gotta find the Keyhole!”

Hey, wait a second… Sora sniffed the moist air, squinting and crawling towards the church’s bell tower. Yeah, that’s it. I knew there was something weird about this place!

“Wait, so this church…” Riku eyed the tower, and Oathkeeper flashed back into his grip. “Sora, can you tell me where it is?”

He pointed his claw up to the top of the tower, where the bell still hung in silence. Was it really that simple? Was it hanging over their heads the whole time?

“Wait, so…” He looked back to Kairi. “You want to do this, or—”

She slipped her hands behind her back, shutting her eyes. “Don’t worry about me.”

Her approval was all he needed to proceed. Locking his eyes on the bell, he took a step back, then lifted Oathkeeper, its tip instantly bursting with light. The bell shimmered, and a Keyhole appeared, a bit worn with rust around the edges. The Keyblade’s light shot into the hole, filling it within seconds, and when the glow faded, the bell’s surface became smooth. The world’s heart sealed with a click, and Robin, Marian, Friar Tuck, and the others gaped at the whole display.

“Dang,” said Little John, “that fancy light show means our world’s safe, right?”

“As safe as it’s gonna be.” Donald sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Now that the Keyhole’s sealed, the Heartless don’t have a reason to stick around.”

Lady Kluck stomped forward, waving a feathered finger. “And what about that scurvy weasel?”

“Same as the Heartless,” said Riku. “He only came here for the prince, and now that he’s gone, he’ll probably find some other world to mess with.” And then the whole process would start all over again with some other hapless villain. Like a cycle, it’d just keep going until either the Organization succeeded, or they finally met their end.

Nodding, Robin took one last bow. “Then if this where we must part ways, then I wish you all the best on your journey!”

“And hey, if you’re ever in town, give us a holler! Maybe we’ll even have this place cleaned up by then.”

“I’m sure you will,” said Kairi. “Just give it time!”

They said their final goodbyes then turned their backs on the church. Giving one final wave, Riku and all his friends returned to the ash-stained forest just in time to watch the clouds drift away. The rain lightened, from downpour to sprinkles, until the air finally cleared. Rays of sunlight shone through the treetops for the first time since they arrived, filling Riku with warmth despite the brittle, black trees surrounding them.

Their journey here was a success. Despite a few road bumps, they’d come out on top. It’d been more than a year, but in some regards, nothing really changed. The Organization was still at large. Heartless continued to prowl, and together with their new friends, they’d saved a world, defeated a tyrant, and torn all the storm clouds away.

But despite the warmth, the Sheriff’s words rang in Riku’s mind, and he slowed his trek for a moment, staring back at the ash and the mud.

“…I’m probably over thinking it.”

TO BE CONTINUED