This is it everyone! The final chapter to my Dream Drop Distance fic. Lmao this story was in development as long as Kingdom Hearts 3 was. I'm glad I got to finish it just before Kingdom Hearts 3 comes out.

There are a lot of spoilers online. I had to block practically everything Kingdom Hearts related. I do not want to see spoilers, if you've seen any in the reviews. Your review will be deleted and blocked. Sorry, I do not want to have this game spoiled for me and for anyone else getting the game on release date. With that said, enjoy this wild ride.

Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 13: The Heart's Light

"What is taking so long!?" Lira snarled getting irritated by waiting. Lea should have finished his training by now with Merlin and the three good fairies. "All Axel has to do is wield the keyblade and we have to go save Sora, Riku, and Levina! It shouldn't take this long to summon an over-size shaped key!"

She was tapping her foot getting impatient with every second that seemed to pass by and then saw Lea emerge from Merlin's workshop. "Well?" She asked. "Did you do it?"

Lea ran his fingers through his spiky red hair shaking his head. "Nope," He replied. "Maybe I don't have what it takes to be a keyblade wielder."

Lira grabbed the front of his coat angrily or maybe it was an early mood swing. "You mean you kept me waiting out here for hours and you still couldn't wield a keyblade?!" She asked almost in a threatening manner.

"Hey, take it easy…," Lea gently brushed her hands off his coat. "It's not that simple. I can't just help outstretch my hand and boom, a keyblade will appear. These things take time."

"He's right you know," Merlin chimed. "Lea does have good intentions in helping your friends, but he has done a lot of wrong in the past. The keyblade chooses its master wisely and can't be granted to everyone."

"Well, if that's the case Xehanort or whoever is trying to harm us should have lost his keyblade a long time ago!" Lira snapped at the old wizard.

"If it were only that simple…" Merlin mused quietly remembering Xehanort as well as Eraqus in their youth. They would always visit this world to see his student and Levina's mother. Unfortunately, things changed once Xehanort accepted the darkness in his heart and found a new path that his heart was set on.

"Lira! Lea! Come on!" Donald's voice suddenly rang out from outside Merlin's home.

Hearing the mage, Lea and Lira ran outside. "What's going on?" Lira asked seeing Donald and Goofy in the gummi ship.

"King Mickey left to help Sora, Riku, and Levina," Goofy explained. "He hasn't come back yet."

"We think something's wrong." Donald added. He held Mickey's star shard in his hands.

Both Lira and Lea frowned hearing this.

"You mean to tell me King Mickey left without a word to any of us?!" Lira was seething.

"Calm down, Lira." Lea told her gently rubbing her shoulders. "I'm sure the king wouldn't leave in such a hurry if there was something really terrible going on."

"We gotta help!" Goofy urged their friends.

"Yeah, they're all gonna need it if they're going up against Xehanort." Donald added.

Lira held out her hand making her scythe appear from thin air. "If that no good royal rat knows what's good for him he'll stay out of my way or I might accidently chop his head off." She was sick to death of Mickey disappearing whenever there was something important going on.

"We can use the gummi ship to crash into the Sleeping Worlds!" Goofy told them.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Lea replied to the knight captain. "If Xehanort is as sharp as everyone says he is. He'll be expecting that. If we want to fight darkness, we'll have to use darkness."

"Absolutely not!" Donald quacked completely outraged by what Lea was saying.

"Relax…," Lea said. "You don't have to." He outstretched his hand making a dark corridor of darkness appear. "I've still got what it takes to save my friends with or without a keyblade."

Goofy and Donald jaws nearly dropped to the floor and they jumped out of the gummi ship.

"Gawrsh, guess we didn't need the gummi ship after all." Goofy said.

"We're wasting time," Lira told them. "Let's go." She said leading everyone into the dark corridor.

Riku looked around The World that Never Was. He frowned. There was no sign of Sora or Levina.

Komory Bat screeched landing on his shoulder.

"Did I finally make it out of the dream world?" He thought aloud. "We've been split up since the start of journey, because Xehanort planned it all. And that means…we're a long way off course from the Mark of Master exam Yen Sid gave us." He kept looking around for his friends.

"Riku!" Levina's voice rang out from the alleyway as she ran to him.

"Levina…" Riku said slowly as he saw running towards him and suddenly became flustered as the other girl was clinging to him. He wasn't used to girls crying on him or hugging him. That was something Sora was good at.

She was sobbing uncontrollably. "It's Sora! He's in trouble!" She told him as she cried.

When Riku heard Sora's name and trouble in the same sentence, the silver haired boy panicked. He tried to calm her down. "What do you mean Sora's in trouble?" He asked.

A whimper escaped her lips. "I…It's Xehanort…. he…that is to say my Dad…he tricked Sora so that he would fall to darkness and his heart would be asleep…" She sniffled. "I'm really sorry…I couldn't do anything to help him…!" She cried.

"Sora…" Riku was worried for his friend and looked at Levina. "It's not your fault…" He reassured her.

"I…It's not?" Levina sniffled lowering her head. "When I saw all that darkness consume Sora, I just froze…I wanted to help him, and I couldn't…" She looked like she was going to cry again which was something Riku didn't want because he wouldn't know what to say to stop her from crying a second time.

"We've all got trouble fighting the darkness inside our hearts," Riku explained to her. "I'm still struggling with it. Right now, we have to focus and help Sora."

Riku was right. Their friend was in trouble. Now wasn't the time to doubt and fear. "You're right…," She replied nodding her head. "We have to save him."

Flowbermeow bounced beside Levina wagging her tail in support.

"Come on let's find him." Riku said leading the way.

Levina followed beside him with their Dream Eaters by their side. "Sora?! Where are you?!" She yelled.

"Shhh!" Riku hissed to her. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Levina asked and then heard the sounds of a familiar Dream Eater whining. "That sounds like Meow Wow!" She looked around. "But where is he?"

"Over there!" Riku pointed to Organization XIII's headquarters. Meow Wow was at the top wiggling and rolling over.

"How did he get up there?" Levina asked. "More importantly how do we get up there?"

"Sora's got to be there." Riku said.

Now that Meow Wow, Komory Bat, and Flowbermeow were together, the three Dream Eaters sensed their companions plight and made a bridge of light with their abilities.

"Aww!" Levina cooed. "They're helping us!" She knelt down patting Flowbermeow's head and giving the Dream Eater one last treat.

"They have to stay here in order for this bridge to stay lit." Riku told Levina.

Levina frowned a little. "That means we're on our own…" She mumbled quietly. Her hands clasped around her wayfinder tightly.

Riku saw the doubt in her eyes. "Don't worry, we can do this." He reassured her. He seemed a little nervous before reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. 'How does Sora do this all the time? He's so calm around girls…' He thought sheepishly.

Levina nodded. "Yeah, let's go save Sora!" She smiled a little when she felt his hand squeeze hers.

The two raced up the bridge into the Organization's headquarters unaware of what they were about to face, but if Sora was indeed in there, they had to take a chance.

Once they reached the top of the bridge, the two keyblade wielders found themselves in the Round Room where the Organization had their meetings. There were twelve empty seats, but one had some one sitting on it. That some one was Sora.

"Sora!" Riku exclaimed.

"We have to get him down from there!" Levina cried out and frowned seeing that the boy had his eyes closed. She knew he was in a deep sleep.

"I'll get him!" Riku told her racing forward to help his friend.

Suddenly, Young Xehanort appeared from a dark corridor shoving Riku aside with a wave of darkness.

"Riku!" Levina yelled running over to the fallen boy.

"Hands off my new vessel." Young Xehanort told them.

"What?" Levina frowned.

"Vessel?" Riku asked as he slowly got up.

"Yes," Young Xehanort replied. "We originally had our sight sets on you."

Riku glared at this statement and Levina stood cautiously behind her friend.

"But you developed a sudden resistance to the darkness…" Young Xehanort said. "So, we did what the keyblade did, and moved down the list." He looked at Levina. "Your fear of the darkness made you inadequate for the job which is such a pity. Roxas…now there was a worth candidate, but he became too aware of himself."

"You're using everyone just to get what you want!" Levina shouted rudely to him.

"Not what I want," Young Xehanort told her. "Organization XIII's true goal is to divide Xehanort's heart among thirteen vessels. Thanks to you two and Sora, we learned that not all our candidates are fit for the task, but we managed to make up the difference. And, now Sora, is our thirteenth vessel, he's finally within our grasp."

"Thirteen….Xehanorts…" Levina gasped.

Riku looked around the Round Room as the other members of Master Xehanort's true Organization XIII appeared in the empty chairs most of them covered with their Organization coat hoods. This was his true goal all along.

"I am Xehanort from the most distant past," Young Xehanort explained. "My future self gave me a task – to visit the splintered versions of myself in many worlds, and ensure they gathered here today."

"From the past?!" Riku was outraged.

"There are restrictions to movement through time," Young Xehanort said. "First, you must leave your body behind to do it. Then, there must be a version of you waiting at the destination. Upon arrival, you can only move forward as per the laws of time. Henceforth, I cannot change what is destined to happen."

"Why are you doing this?!" Levina asked. She couldn't believe the what she was hearing.

"My most future self will arrive soon. Then, time for all of us to return to normal, and I will go back to my era to live the life fate has in store for me." Young Xehanort answered her. "He can vouch for that." Referring to the empty seat in the room that would reveal Master Xehanort.

Riku was shocked at what he was hearing too. They had to get Sora out of here now.

"Stopza!" Mickey yelled using a time spell to keep Young Xehanort frozen in time as he appeared in a blaze of light.

"King Mickey!" Levina smiled.

"I'm glad I'm not too late." Mickey smiled at them holding his Kingdom Key D keyblade.

"Your majesty!" Riku was relieved. They had another keyblade wielder on their side to fight.

"Just grab Sora and let's get out of here." Mickey told them. "I can't hold this spell for long."

"Right." Both Levina and Riku nodded rushing over to Sora.

Levina touched the arm of the white chair. "Sora…" She said seeing that the boy wasn't moving at all.

Being able to manipulate time himself, Young Xehanort was able to undo Mickey's time spell. He knocked Levina off her feet and into King Mickey knocking them both on the ground.

"Levina! Mickey!" Riku shouted. He then turned towards Young Xehanort surprised that he could still move. "How can you be moving?!"

"I said, hands off my vessel!" Young Xehanort snarled making his keyblade appear. It is predominantly colored in different shades of blue and is decorated with elaborate, spiked shapes. The tip is modeled after a stopwatch, while the teeth are diamond-shaped spikes that are connected by a black web structure similar to the design on the base of the top spire of Memory's Skyscraper. The Keychain shares the time theme represented in the blade, with an hourglass as its token. Its shaft resembles Young Xehanort's Ethereal Blades, as does the blade with its neon like glow. The Keyblade also includes attributes from Master Xehanort's No Name, such as the demonic wings at the beginning of the shaft, the horned lion head at the tip like the goat head on the other Keyblade, and the Gazing Eye.

"Begone!" Young Xehanort's eyes were suddenly glowing and that transported him and Riku to another world entirely in a cloud of darkness.

"Riku!" Levina shouted seeing Riku and Young Xehanort vanish right before her eyes.

Once Riku was able to see again as the void of darkness disappeared, he frowned realizing he was far away from his friends. It was a white room and the floor had a gigantic clock which was constantly turning. Strewn threads and gears were attached to six thinly shaped hour glasses with different colored sands.

Young Xehanort twirled his keyblade in the air holding it out and upwards getting into a battle stance.

Riku glared summoning his Way to Dawn keyblade. He wasn't about to let the battle end here. He still had Komory Bat's Dream Eater powers. "Dream Weave!" He shouted forming wings on his back. The extra flight would help him in this battle. Using the powers of darkness at his disposal, the silver haired boy was able to get an upper hand on Young Xehanort. Striking the young version of Xehanort and reappearing and disappearing when he had the chance to. He kept continuously striking the other with his keyblade.

Young Xehanort staggered back a little. He didn't realized this young keyblade wielder in training had so much power. Much like himself when he was at that age training to be a Master. The scars and scrapes he received from the keyblade only made him laugh.

"What's so funny?!" Riku yelled. "You're the one losing!"

"You have no idea of the power you possess." Young Xehanort replied forming a barrage of ice boulders at the boy.

Riku gritted his teeth trying to fly out of the way, but because his Dream Eater wasn't by his side, the effects of his dream weave wore off and he no longer had any wings. He fell to the ground in a painful heap and got assaulted by giant ice boulders. "Heal!" He cried quickly casting curaga and then looked ahead. He saw that Young Xehanort wasn't in front of him. "What?!" He was suddenly thrown across the floor as Young Xehanort appeared behind him. He was using and manipulating time to his use.

Young Xehanort used his keyblade and transformed it into a whip. He swung his keyblade at Riku but Riku was able to dodge. He kept using dark roll using the darkness to evade the attack and swing his keyblade once more at Young Xehanort. "Take this!" Riku yelled.

Young Xehanort wasn't even remotely phased. He started firing projectiles at him.

"No way!" Riku shouted quickly forming a protective barrier on himself so that the small dark projectiles would bounce off him. He caught his breath taking looking over at Young Xehanort.

The other keyblade wielder was also winded, now was his chance. Riku ran at Young Xehanort raising his keyblade at the other.

"Time Stop!" Young Xehanort yelled and for a moment everything stopped.

Riku nearly fell over as he was able to move again and saw a giant clock in the middle of the room ticking away. He didn't want to even think about what would happen if that clock struck midnight. He raced over to the clock and as he ran the clock struck reversing time to the point and time when the battle first began.

"What?!" Riku exclaimed still winded from the fight and then saw Young Xehanort in front of him who was fully healed and ready to fight again.

"You will wander here forever." Young Xehanort grinned striking Riku with his keyblade whip. He fell backwards against the floor slamming his back against the wall.

Riku slowly looked up seeing his Way to Dawn keyblade in front of him on the ground. He tried to reach for it, but Young Xehanort stepped on his hand.

The younger version of Xehanort aimed his keyblade at the boy. "With you out of the way there won't be any one else to protect Sora." He told him.

"You're wrong…this fight isn't over…! King Mickey and Levina are still there! They'll stop you!" Riku retorted struggling to get his hand free.

"I'll be more than happy to deal with that foolish king," Young Xehanort said with a smirk. "As for Levina, you won't be able to protect her wandering through the sands of time in an endless loop. Her heart will fall to darkness and we'll have another vessel on our side."

"No! You can't! Don't you care about her at all?! She's your daughter!" Riku tried to reason with the young master.

"She is nothing but a mere hindrance on my true goal. My future self will change all that once the X-blade is forged and Kingdom Hearts is unlocked." Young Xehanort replied.

There was nothing Riku could do. He lost this fight. He was going to lose his best friend and some one who he had gotten fond of over the past year.

"You fought admirably, but this farce ends." Young Xehanort raised his keyblade when he was suddenly knocked over by a furry of giant balloons exploding whenever it touched him.

Flowbermeow ran towards Riku. The tiny Dream Eater held Levina's wayfinder in its mouth wagging her flower tail at the boy. Meow Wow and Komory Bat soon joined their comrade.

"Flowbermeow?" Riku blinked. He then saw Levina's wayfinder in the Dream Eater's mouth. He carefully took the good luck charm from the creature and held it. The wayfinder led the way for the Dream Eaters to come and help him. "Levina…" He held wayfinder tightly. He would return to her once this fight was over.

The clock suddenly appeared again as Young Xehanort was flung against the floor from the balloons. Riku picked up his keyblade from the ground. He now knew that Young Xehanort wasn't his enemy in this fight. It was time itself he had to defeat.

Riku looked at the three Dream Eaters. "Let's finish this." He said and using all three of the Dream Eaters abilities his keyblade transformed into a giant keyblade. He gave it a few swings and it almost felt like Sora and Levina was right there along side him. Helping him destroy the clock.

"Are you okay, Riku?" Mickey asked as he saw the boy return from the strange time realm.

"Riku!" Levina ran to him quickly throwing her arms around his neck. "You're ok!"

Feeling Levina hug him, Riku's cheeks flushed and he smiled a little. "Yeah and I've got you to thank for it." He told her handing her wayfinder back.

The room around them suddenly started to move again as Mickey's Stopza spell faded away. Levina gasped seeing Master Xehanort sitting at the center on the chair that was empty before.

"Master Xehanort! We were right about you!" Mickey glared.

This was the first time Riku had seen Master Xehanort in his true form, not as a Heartless or as a Nobody, but as an old man who seemed to be wise and powerful beyond his years.

"All of this was decided," Master Xehanort said with a devilish grin. "My twelve selves would welcome me here on this day, when I would return a complete person. It is the future that lies beyond my sight."

"Why are you doing this?!" Mickey demanded to know.

Master Xehanort just grinned. He owed the small king an answer. "In ancient times people believed that light was a gift from an unseen land by the name of Kingdom Hearts. But Kingdom Hearts was safe guarded by its counter-part, the X-blade. Warriors vied for that precious light, thus beginning the Keyblade War. The violent clash shattered X-blade into twenty pieces – seven of light, and thirteen of darkness. And the only real Kingdom Hearts was swallowed by darkness never to surface again. I once tried to create my own light and darkness to form the X-blade, but the attempt ended in failure. In my eagerness I had lost sight of the correct way to achieve my goal."

Hearing all this angered the small king. "What you did back then changed the destinies of three of my friends!"

"You… it's your fault Terra, Ven, and Aqua aren't here with us anymore!" Levina seethed summoning her Starlight keyblade. She was about ready to strike the old man for all that he had done.

Riku quickly grabbed Levina's hand that held her keyblade. "Don't!" He told her. "That's what he wants you to do."

Levina held the hilt of her keyblade tighter. She knew Riku was right. She was so angry at the old master what he did to her friends.

Seeing Levina so angry, Master Xehanort just grinned. He wanted to see her angry so that he could eventually exploit all that anger she had.

"Destiny is never left to chance," Master Xehanort replied with a devilish smirk. "I merely guided them to their proper places. The broken boy who failed to become the blade. The misguided master who sacrificed herself for her friends. And the feckless youth who became my new vessel."

Mickey lowered his head in dismay. "I couldn't find a way to save 'em, but I wanted to believe their sacrifices stopped you for good." The small king said. "I should have realized you were up to no good when Maleficent started gathering the Princesses of Heart."

Master Xehanort's grin never left his face. He was nearly ecstatic knowing that the keyblade wielders were slowly putting the pieces together of his master plan. "Yes, they were all my doing." The aging keyblade master grinned. "I used the evil fairy to find seven pure lights for me, just as I prepared thirteen vessels to fill with pure darkness."

"But you failed," Riku told him. "Sora and the rest of us stopped you on both counts. Sora was able to save the Princesses of Heart and we defeated your trap in the Dream Worlds."

At this Master Xehanort sneered at the sleeping Sora sitting across from him with disgust. "Yes – that dull ordinary boy," He said realizing that he and Sora were more alike than any one ever seemed to realized. They both were on Destiny Islands with no goals or aspirations until the keyblade was given to them. "A keyblade wielder so unlike any I have ever seen." Sora was never bequeath a keyblade like everyone else, whether upon sheer accident or actually having a master handing to their successor. Master Xehanort had come to far to give up on his goal. "I have not abandoned by ambitions – the seven guardians of light and the thirteen seekers of darkness."

"Seven guardians of light?" Levina questioned.

"That must be us." Riku said with a hint of concern in his voice.

"There's three of us, and Sora, not to mention Terra, Aqua, and Ven…" Mickey stated.

"Yes, little king, perceptive." Master Xehanort teased. "But Sora and another on your side belong to me now. The other two are no lost and that puts you three guardians short."

Levina glared at him. She hated that he kept on taunting over the fact that Terra, Aqua, and Ven weren't here with them to help them fight.

"Then the thirteen seekers of darkness would be…" Mickey mumbled looking around the Round Room at the members of the Organization. "We're going to clash."

"This final clash will beget the prize I seek." Master Xehanort replied.

"The X-blade!" Mickey exclaimed.

"But first the thirteen darknesses shall be united." Master Xehanort then stood up from his chair making his No Name keyblade appear. He grinned almost delighted over the fact that his life-long ambition was finally about to come true at long last. "All the seats have been filled." He looked at Sora as he raised his keyblade. "And now the last vessel shall bear my heart, just like the rest!" He stated raising Sora's chair.

"No!" Mickey exclaimed.

"Sora!" Riku yelled.

"We have to help him!" Levina shouted.

As the three keyblade wielders made their way towards their fallen friend, Young Xehanort, Ansem Seeker of Darkness, and Xemnas disappeared from their seats.

Mickey immediately tried climbing up the chairs to get to Sora and was suddenly held in a choke hold by Xemnas.

"Your majesty!" Riku yelled getting tackled by Ansem.

"Riku!" Levina cried out getting grabbed by Young Xehanort.

Seeing that there were no more diversions, Master Xehanort waved his hand at his keyblade unleashing another part of his heart and pointed the No Name keyblade at Sora's direction.

"Sora!" Riku screamed.

The piece of heart that was headed towards Sora was suddenly blasted apart by a fury of flames.

"Did they make it!?" Mickey hoped.

Xemnas immediately realized who had interfered. "You!" He snarled.

Levina and Riku were happy to see Lira and Lea.

"Lira!" Levina smiled.

Xigbar was not in the bit pleased at all. "You're not supposed to be here, Axel!" He yelled at his former comrade. He turned towards Master Xehanort. "What now, you old coot! We're almost out of time!"

"Axel? Please, the name's Lea, got it memorized." Lea said with a confident grin and turned towards Master Xehanort aiming his chakrams at him. "What's the matter? You had your little script all planned out. Guess you didn't expect this plot twist."

Master Xehanort merely grinned as another member of the Organization charged towards Lira and Lea. This member had a familiar looking claymore and was about to skewer the red head.

Lea immediately retaliated by blocking the giant claymore with his chakrams and as they clashed the Organization member's hood fell back revealing Saix.

"No…Isa…" Lea said disheartened.

"We don't have time for this!" Lira snarled raising her scythe swinging it at Isa's direction, but he disappeared back to his seat.

Now that the three members of the organization were distracted, Riku, Mickey, and Levina swung their keyblades at their captors joining Lira and Lea who had Sora. "Right, let's get out of here before something else happens." Lea told their friends.

The Organization was not about to let this small set back deter them from their Master's true goal. Ansem Seeker of Darkness summoned his Guardian and made a grab for the heroes of light.

Lira pulled Levina back, but Mickey and Riku weren't so lucky as the Guardian grabbed them.

"Riku! King Mickey!" Levina shouted and then heard familiar cries from above them. The three standing heroes of light looked up seeing Mickey's star shard zig zagging towards them and clouting the Guardian on the head which made it release Riku and Mickey.

"Donald! Goofy! You made it!" Mickey smiled at his court mage and knight.

"Were we supposed to save them like that?" Donald asked holding his head shaking the stars from his eyes.

"I think so." Goofy said getting up.

Master Xehanort's time to achieve his plan was indeed up, but this didn't seem to bother the wise master. "We are out of time," He said as his thirteen darkness vessels slowly started disappearing and return to their timelines until they were needed. "Let us finish this at the fated place, once your lights and my thirteen darknesses have joined together in the Keyblade Graveyard!" With his final words the old master and his vessels vanished.

"Come on let's get Sora out of here." Mickey told everyone.

"Got it." Lea said opening a dark corridor.

Everyone found themselves in Mysterious Tower. Levina and Riku who had been taking the astray Mark of Mastery test from Yen Sid were now awake. Donald and Goofy looked at Sora worried. He still couldn't wake up.

"Gosh Sora, don't tell me your heart's asleep too." Mickey frowned. If only he had gotten to them sooner. All of this could be avoided.

"No…not again!" Levina was about to cry. The same thing had happened to Ven years ago. "Sora! Wake up! You have to wake up please!"

"Isn't there anything you can do to help him Master Yen Sid?" Donald asked.

"This affliction is not the same as when Ventus's heart fell." Yen Sid told them all.

"Isn't there anything we can do for him?" Riku asked.

"In your Mark of Mastery, you were to unlock sleeping keyholes. By doing so, you would have awaken those worlds from their deep slumber." Yen Sid answered. "By doing this you could also acquire the power to free a heart from its sleep."

"What does any of this have to do with Sora?!" Lira snarled. "If it wasn't for us we would have lost Levina and Riku too!"

"Lira, calm down." Lea told her gently putting his arm around her.

Lira gave Lea's hand a gently squeeze trying to calm down. "I'm just glad that they're safe alright.." Although she wouldn't admit it, Lira was worried about Sora. He was the reason why she and so many others that she thought she lost had a second chance.

The aging former Keyblade Master wizard turned to Riku. "Riku, you unlocked those keyholes within Sora's dreams. Therefore, it stands the reason that you have the power to awaken Sora's heart." He instructed.

"Me? I have to go back into Sora's dreams and wake him up." Riku looked at his sleeping best friend. The stupid smile on his face never left. He seemed so calm and peaceful. The silver haired boy just smiled. "I always had to do that when we were on the islands together. I would be doing all the work and this bum would be taking a nap."

Levina frowned a little. "But what if you can't come back…" She was afraid to lose any more of her friends.

"Levina's right, Master Yen Sid. Sora's heart is in the deepest abyss. There's no way Riku would be able to get out of there without being consumed to the darkness again."

"I'll be alright guys," Riku reassured his worried friends.

Levina took off her wayfinder and handed it to Riku. "Take this with you." She told him. "That way you'll find a way to come back even if things look too dangerous."

Riku smiled a little as she handed him her good luck charm. It helped him during his fight with Young Xehanort and he knew her wayfinder would help him once more.

"And if things get too dicey in there, remember I'll be able to bring you back." Lea said with a confident smile.

Riku stood up raising his Way to Dawn keyblade at Sora and dived into his heart one more time.

"Good luck, Riku." Levina said.

"He's a smart kid," Lira told Levina. "He wouldn't do anything this dangerous if he knew he would come back."

Diving into Sora's heart was a simple task. But what Riku found was something he could have never imagined. Complete darkness.

"This abyss…" Riku said with a frown as he looked around. He then saw Komory Bat flying over by his side. The bat was happy to see his companion again. "This is Sora's heart…" He mumbled gently petting his Dream Eater.

The darkness around them suddenly started to shape-shift and form into a familiar armor. It was Ventus's armor. The armor had protected Sora's heart when he first lost himself to darkness. Now the armor had taken on the darkness that was supposed to destroy Sora's heart. It even held Ven's wayward wind keyblade. The armor thought that Riku was an intruder inside Sora's heart.

"What…are you?" Riku asked. The answer he received was getting thrown across the dark abyss like a rag doll as the armor created tornados at the silver haired boy.

Riku went crashing against the ground holding his keyblade tighter.

Komory Bat flew over to Riku bestowing the boy wings again in its final act to help his companion out.

Riku was able to dodge and evade the tornadoes being launched at him.

The armor countered Riku's new form by spin-driving into him.

Riku gritted his teeth casting his dark barrier and drove his keyblade into the armor as hard as he could. "Take this!" He cried thrusting the keyblade into the armor.

The armor however did not seem to let up at all. The armor kept spin driving into the silver haired boy and hurled Riku backwards into the ground. The effects of Komory Bat's powers disappeared.

Riku struggled to get back up and then he saw the armor raising its keyblade upwards creating a shotlock command. Sparks of crackling light and darkness formed in the keyblade.

"No, stop!" He tried speaking to the armor. "I'm not here to hurt you! I just want to help my friend wake up!"

The armor raised its keyblade towards Riku's direction and then saw Levina's wayfinder laying beside the silver haired boy.

Riku blinked wondering why the armor didn't finish its attack and then saw that it was looking at Levina's wayfinder. He carefully picked it up Levina's wayfinder and held it out to the armor. "Is this what you want?" He asked.

The armor still had its keyblade ready to attack Riku. The armor's other hand gently touched the familiar star-shaped good luck charm. Its fingers touching the edges of the wayfinder.

"It belongs to a friend of mine; do you know her?" Riku asked.

The armor bowed its head, like it was sad. The armor hadn't seen this wayfinder or Levina in years.

Riku looked at the armor. "If your worried about Levina, don't be," He told it. "She's safe with us."

The anger the armor felt from the darkness inside Sora's heart suddenly faded and the armor cracked and faded away revealing Sora falling into the darkness as darkness in Sora's heart slowly started to disappear.

"Sora!" Riku cried trying to reach for his friend, but the darkness had sucked him in. Riku wasn't worried at all. He wound find Sora and that was a promise he intended to keep. He raised his keyblade shining it at a keyhole that appeared once the darkness disappeared. A beam of light shot out through the keyblade and Riku found himself on Destiny Islands.

The islands seem so calm and peaceful. The sun was about to set. Riku knew that he was still inside Sora's dreams. He was standing on the pier and slowly looked around hoping that his friend would be here. When he did he saw a familiar face. It was Roxas.

"Roxas?" Riku asked.

"What is it that your so afraid of?" Roxas asked.

"Huh?" Riku asked and thought about the answer. "Losing something that's important." He answered.

Roxas then disappeared.

Riku let out a confused gasp when Roxas disappeared and walked across the pier where he touched the beach. In front of him was some one that he never met before. It was Ven.

"Roxas?" Riku asked not realizing who this was. "No, wait…" He realized he had made a mistake.

"What is the one thing you care about more than anything else?" Ven asked.

Another question. This was getting out of hand. Riku thought about it and replied, "My close friends."

Ven smiled a little when he saw Levina's wayfinder in Riku's hand and then said, "Take care of her." Before disappearing. These words were echoed once before. Riku had said the same thing to Sora before they were separated on their first journey two years ago.

To this request Riku looked confused. "What is going on?" He sighed and then saw some one under the papou tree. "Sora!" He raced over towards the papou tree. It wasn't Sora. It was Xion.

"Who are you?" Riku couldn't remember who she was.

"Riku, what do you wish?" Xion asked.

"More questions…" Riku sighed a little leaning against the papou tree just like he always did. "I wish…to recover something important that I lost." Once Xion faded away, Riku saw a message in a bottle. He picked up the bottle and looked at it. "What's this?" He wondered.

"You were not the visitor I expected to see." Ansem the Wise's voice rang out from behind the boy.

Riku turned around surprised to see him. "DiZ? I mean Ansem the Wise, why are you here?"

"Perhaps I wanted to atone for events of the past," Ansem the Wise replied with a warm smile greeting the boy. "Even if no apology can undo the harm I have wrought. "I felt that I had to at least leave something behind. So, I digitized myself and my research, and hid them within Sora."

Riku looked at the bottle in his hand. "So, this is all your data?" He asked.

"Yes," Ansem the Wise replied. "A clue, I hope, to finding yourselves or your lost friends in your hour of need. The heart has always been quick to grow. Each exposure to light, to the natural world, to the people, shapes this most malleable part inside of us." He thought of the horrible damage he had done to Roxas, Axel, Xion, and Namine. "Nobodies are not different from us in that manner. Sora was the only one able to retain his human form without destroying his Nobody. That is a statement to the love in his heart for other people, and the bonds that tie them together. Perhaps he has the power to bring back the hearts and existences of those connected to him – to recreate the people we thought were lost to us forever. Our most precious treasures – even an empty puppet – or those lacking love in their heart – the trees of the forest, and the petals on the wind – there are hearts around us everywhere we look. And it does not take super human powers to see them. Surely we remember as children the way our hearts made everything seem so shiny, and perfect. Sora has a heart like that – uncorrupted, willing to see the good before the bad. When he sees the heart in something it then becomes real. When a connection seems broken, he may have the power to mend it. He has touched countless hearts, he has accepted them, and he has saved them. Some of those hearts – have never left him – whether they fell to darkness or trapped there – whether they sleep in the darkness of Sora's heart, or were welcomed into his warmth – they can be saved. All Sora needs to do is be himself and follow wherever it is his heart takes him. It is the best and only way."

Riku looked at Ansem the Wise holding the wayfinder in one hand and the bottle full of data in the other. "But Sora's still asleep…"

"Don't tell me he's fallen asleep again?" Ansem the Wise chuckled and smiled at the boy. "You have nothing to fear. Sora is awake now."

"What? But how?" Riku asked.

"You see by defeating the Nightmare imprisoning Sora, you freed him." Ansem the Wise replied with a smile. "Then, you came here, and were questioned by three young people. That was the final key to awaken him. You can go home now."

To this Riku was relieved. "Thank you Ansem." He said taking to the air.

"Young man I don't believe I know your name." Ansem the Wise told him.

Riku smiled and said, "It's Riku." He told the wise man as he returned to the real world.

Riku slowly opened his eyes and found himself back on Yen Sid's Tower.

"Riku!" Levina smiled happy to see he was safe and back in one piece.

"Don't hog it all, Donald!" Sora's voice could be heard yelling at Donald.

"Aw be quiet Sora and finish your tea!" Donald quacked.

"It sure is yummy!" Goofy beamed.

"I can't believe you've been holding out on us! This cake is fantastic!" Lira chimed.

"If you like that maybe we can have ice cream later." Lea said with a grin.

"Hey!" Riku yelled wondering what was going on while he was away.

Hearing Riku yell, Sora turned around and smiled. "Riku!" Sora hugged his best friend. "You're safe Riku!"

Riku was taken aback by the hug. "Hold on a minute haven't we got this backwards?" He asked. "Why are you having a tea party?"

"We were just hungry, that's all." Goofy chuckled.

Riku shook his head in defeat. "Are you feeling alright, Sora?" He asked.

"Yeah, I've never felt better. I felt everything that was happening, and I heard your voice." Sora said with a smile.

Levina looked at Master Yen Sid. "What about the test? Did we pass?" She asked the wizard.

Yen Sid cleared his throat. "More than anything I am grateful to all of you back here safe and sound. I am truly sorry for the danger I put you all in. However, this experience has revealed many truths, and we must gird ourselves for the battle at hand between Xehanort's thirteen dark vessels. I believe we need a new Keyblade Master. One with a new kind of power." He looked at Levina, Sora, and Riku. "The three of you did commendably well, but one of you took the risk to wake a friend." He turned towards Riku. "Riku, I deem you worthy as our new Keyblade Master."

"Alright, Riku!" Sora said happily.

"You did it!" Levina was just as equally happy.

"Me? I'm a Keyblade Master?" Riku as perplexed by Yen Sid's decision.

"You deserve it after all you've been through." Lira complimented the boy.

"I'll catch up in no time flat!" Lea said with a confident grin on his face.

"Huh? You want to wield the keyblade?" Sora asked.

"Of course, I was gonna save you all with a keyblade, but I just couldn't get mine to materialize," Lea said with a huff outstretching his hand. "Must be with the snap of the wrist or something."

And then all of a sudden, a keyblade appeared in his hand. The guard of Lea's Keyblade resembles his signature Chakrams, the Eternal Flames, as well as the Bond of Flame Keyblade, with a straight hilt rather than a cross-shaped handle. The blade and teeth take the shape of a translucent streak of yellow-orange flames, resembling those of the Frolic Flame. However, the teeth of Lea's Keyblade form the shape of a hook, rather than a closed loop. The Keyblade's chain links resemble Lea's Chakrams; the token also resembles a pure silver version of the weapons.

"WHOA!" Everyone exclaimed seeing Lea with a keyblade.

"That keyblade looks absolutely stupid." Lira grimaced.

"Aw come on, you know it suits me!" Lea replied a grin. "I'm supposed to be taking care of that baby inside you. I've gotta be prepared."

Hearing this Levina became completely ecstatic. "Lira! You're going to have a baby?!" She cooed hugging the older woman.

"That's great!" Sora beamed.

"Yeah, congratulations." Riku said.

"Well I was going to tell you eventually, guess I can't hide it anymore." Lira giving Levina a one arm hug.

Everyone soon departed the Mysterious Tower. Lea and Lira returned to Radiant Garden. Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey remained while Sora went to say goodbye to his Dream Eater friends. Riku was tasked to bring Kairi because Yen Sid knew she would be a valuable ally in their fight against Master Xehanort. Riku asked Levina if she could come with him. There was something he wanted to tell her.

"What was it that you wanted to tell me Riku?" Levina asked confused as they sat underneath the papou tree on Destiny Islands.

"First," Riku said. "I need to return this to you." He told her handing her wayfinder back. He reached for a papou fruit that was hanging on the palm tree. He remembered Ven's words to him. To take care of her. That her was Levina. "And to give you this."

"A papou fruit?" She looked at the star-shaped fruit. It matched her wayfinder.

"Yeah…" Riku said slowly embarrassed about what he was about to say next. "That way wherever you go I'll always be there to help you and protect you if you need it."

To this, Levina's eyes almost shined like stars. "R-Really?!" She squealed. "You mean you'll be like my knight in shining armor?!"

Riku's cheeks turned pink. "W-What? No…I'm not a knight in shining armor." He replied completely flustered by her words.

Levina giggled. "Thanks, Riku." She said placing her hand on top of his that held the papou fruit. She smiled. "I'm glad I've got you, Sora, Lira, and the rest of our friends with me."

Riku smiled looking out into the ocean as the sun began to set. The two of them sat side by side with their fingers linked against the papou tree. The battle with Xehanort wasn't over. The keyblade wielders and allies of light would have to face their fears and do what they can to prevent Master Xehanort from starting another keyblade war. However, they never think twice to keep each other safe from the darkness. Their promise an oath:

One Sky.

One Destiny.

That's right I used the new song titles as the final words for this chapter. I can finally hit the complete button. Everyone enjoy Kingdom Hearts 3. We're in for a wild ride!

Yes I will be writing a Kingdom Hearts 3 fic, but not any time soon. I want to be able to enjoy the game and soak everything in before I write a new Kingdom Hearts fic.

Review :)