Chapter IX
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Location: Kingdom Hearts
My body had grown considerably more massive. My broad sword had disappeared and my horns too. But I knew that this was my final form, my ultimate form. I tried using my wings to stop falling, but a force much greater than I could imagine was pulling my body down, paralyzing it. I saw many strange things during my fall. I saw darkness and light, existence and non-existence. I couldn't understand it, let alone explain it, but it was almost like pieces of wisdom rushed passed me as I fell. Many things passed through me, and for the brief moment that they were inside me I would learn something, but I as I would continue to fall that knowledge would fade. This place I was falling through began to defy all rules of reality, as I would sometimes be falling down, other times to the side and other times up. And as if nothing happened, as soon as I blinked it all went away.
I had been falling head first, and now I found myself with both feet on the ground with no repercussions whatsoever from falling at such a great speed. Instead, I was in the middle of an intersection between four paths. Wherever this place was, it was nighttime and several stretches of deep blue-grey clouds tattered the starlit sky. It seemed that every world in existence could be seen from this place. The four roads that began from under my feet were identical, yet I could feel a difference between each of them. One led to light, another led to darkness, another led somewhere and the last led simply nowhere. 'Am I supposed to choose which path I take?' I thought.
"One," that same divine voice from before, "Welcome home. Welcome to Kingdom Hearts."
"What? Who are you? Show yourself!" I exclaimed.
"You know what I am, One. Think. You do know."
I laughed in disbelief. "You don't mean… you are too?"
"Yes. I am a part of you as well."
"What am I? Why must I go through all this merely to exist?"
"One, all will be understood very soon. Trust in reality. Trust in yourself."
"But…" Everything in my whole life seemed like one big dream. A dream that would never end.
"Come, One. Let us merge. I am the final piece to you. You shall now be complete. With your 'rebirth,' you will understand the truth about everything. You shall receive all knowledge and comprehend all wisdom." The stars in the sky all accumulated into one bright star in sky, directly above me. The star then shot down, and pierced me.
An energy like nothing before erupted deep inside me. All that I had felt before combined could not be compared to what I was feeling then. I could feel my whole mind merging into one, my heart collecting into one and my body becoming 'real.' So many unanswered questions that echoed within me had been answered. Everything seemed so clear to me, and I felt myself being born for the first time into existence. All knowledge and wisdom seeped into me and I absorbed it all, becoming omniscient. After everything stabilized, I stood there for a few moments truly enjoying this feeling of being 'alive.' I thought back to everything that had happened to me, since my anti-birth as a Heartless until now. This moment, my new beginning.
My Heartless senses began to fade, and I would no longer be able to shift, or sense a world's heart. From this moment, I am. I truly am. With the stars gone, I felt a warm light touch my skin. I stared at the horizon, seeing the most beautiful sunset in the entire universe. I closed my eyes, feeling every ray of sun around me. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around knowing what to expect. Three familiar faces walked toward me and behind them: seven majestically dressed women. I recognized Alice of Wonderland and Jasmine of Agrabah, but I didn't need to sense the others to know who they were.
"Who are all of you?" I asked. I knew who they were, but I didn't want to be conspicuous.
The Keyblade Wielder spoke: "Hi. I'm Sora. This is Donald and Goofy. And this is Alice, Jasmine, Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Kairi. How'd you end up here?"
"I… I'm not quite sure myself."
"Who are you?" Sora asked.
The sun, as if to signal which path to take, appeared directly at the end of one of the four roads. I did not care where it lead, but I was determined to follow it. I have died as a Heartless, and was reborn as something entirely different. Something greater, worse and the same as everything. An entity that defies all rules, laws and boundaries. This is my path, this is my destiny. My journey had only just begun.
"I am One."