Chapter 9

WE RETURNED TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE FROM Gula’s hideout, unsure of what we should even say to each other now.

The whole town was abuzz, but not in the usual way.

“Anyway, I’m going back to the other Dandelions,” said Skuld. “Come with?”

Your gaze sank to the ground, and you shook your head no.

“It’s okay. I understand. Just…don’t fight when the time comes, okay? I want you to journey to the world outside with us, and I’m sure Ephemer would, too. Think it over.”

You nodded weakly. The inevitable, fated battle was coming, but not even I knew what choice you would make when it arrived.

“Well…see you later.” Skuld held out her hand to you with loneliness in her eyes. You clasped it in your own, only you were smiling. She couldn’t help but smile back.

Eventually, you let go, and she hurried on her way.

I looked anxiously up at you. “Are you all right?”

You nodded.

My only choice was to have faith in the path you had chosen. “Okay, then… Let’s head home,” I said with a nod of my own, and then we climbed the steps toward our house. We wouldn’t survive the battle to come if we didn’t rest at least a little—if fighting through it was even the right thing to do.

“Chirithy…,” you said.

“Huh?” I looked back at you.

“If I vanish, what happens to you?” You almost never spoke; this question was especially important. The answer would mean a lot to you.

My head drooped.

“Will you disappear?”

“Yeah…”

“Oh…”

The thought of that made me sad, but the idea of it happening to you was so much worse. You honestly were…

“What do you think, Chirithy? What should I do?” I could hear the pain in your voice. Your eyes were downcast.

“I don’t want you to disappear,” I replied. “It may not be what the Foretellers intended, but I’m your friend, not just your familiar, and I don’t want you to fight.” That was how I truly felt.

We were friends, after all. I ran over to you, and you picked me up and gave me a big hug.

“Thanks…,” you said, even though I was the one who was grateful.

But then…

“Whaaat? You’re not gonna fight?”

A voice came from up at the top of the steps. We separated and looked up to see the dark Chirithy.

“You gonna run away with the Dandelions?”

“You again. And the Dandelions aren’t running,” I retorted.

However, he responded by saying, “Yeah, yeah, something about keeping the Keybearers around into the future?” he replied. “You’ve probably already realized this, but doesn’t that mean abandoning a lot of your friends?”

“Who are you?” you asked. The black Chirithy snickered.

“You’ve been gathering the sins of this world into that bangle for a long time now, and you’re finally starting to convert it into dark power.”

“Sins?” you replied.

“Yep. You all called it ‘Guilt,’ but darkness by any other name is just as sweet.”

“That can’t be…,” I said quietly. I’d never heard of Guilt being the power of darkness.

“It’s all right,” the dark Chirithy continued mockingly. “You must know that this is just another part of our Master’s plan?”

“You’re wrong—that bangle is supposed to convert those sins to light…,” I pleaded desperately, repeating the same explanation that had been given to me.

The corrupted Chirithy just cackled. “Well then, how do you explain me? Why was I born? Did the Master fail to predict me, too?” He sneered.

We hung our heads. It can’t be… That shouldn’t be possible.

“Come on, haven’t you figured out what I am by now? I was born from your darkness. I’m your Chirithy, kid.”

After his announcement, the black Chirithy teleported from the street to a rooftop. We looked up at him in disbelief.

“That’s a lie!” I shouted. You only had one guide—me.

“At this point, what difference does it make if I’m lying or not? You see, I’m different from that Chirithy—I’m not always by your side, and I can do what I want.”

Just then, three monsters with black wings and clothing of the same color appeared. You had faced them before. They were Keyblade wielders that had succumbed to darkness.

They moved to surround us.

“What in the world?!”

“If you won’t join the final battle, then I’m going to show you my dream,” declared the dark Chirithy.

You immediately called upon your Keyblade.

“If you’re really his Chirithy, then why?!” Despite the danger, I had to ask.

If you disappeared, then so would I—and if the dark Chirithy really did belong to you, then so would he.

The dark Chirithy was still grinning, though. “Unlike you Spirits, we Nightmares exist to show bad dreams. We break all those connections tying us down so we can live free.”

“Spirit? Nightmare…?”

I remembered hearing about Nightmares from the Master, but this new information from the dark Chirithy puzzled me. Nightmares are free…?

Behind me, your battle had already begun.

You struggled to block and repel the attacks of the dark creatures that circled around you.

Were these the same ones that you had fought together with Skuld, or were they another set of Keyblade wielders that had fallen under the sway of darkness? They seemed much more dangerous than before—but then again, so were you.

You cast a spell with your Keyblade, which became a burst of light that sent the monsters flying. They didn’t get up again.

“You’ve gotten strong, huh? I’m glad,” commented the dark Chirithy as he moved from the roof back to the street. As the bodies of the fallen creatures and the dark Chirithy both rose into the air, a dark miasma rippled across them. “Now, let’s really see what you’re made of.”

As the creatures floated toward the black Chirithy, the dark aura consumed them, and the corrupted Dream Eater gradually swelled into something so enormous it didn’t resemble a Chirithy at all anymore. It was just a monster, a great and terrible horror with large black wings, huge arms with vicious claws, and wolflike jaws filled with sharp fangs.

We gasped.

From the dark cloud, a black light lanced out at you at blinding speed. You deflected one of the beams, then charged straight at the Nightmare and wounded its wings. Still, it managed to flap into the air to get momentum for a diving attack.

The beast’s strength was overwhelming; this was a whole different level from the three fallen Keyblade wielders you fought a moment ago. It might have been even stronger than the Foretellers.

Was this the power of darkness—the power of darkness you had collected?

I was a Spirit, and the dark Chirithy was a Nightmare. Where and how had our paths diverged? I didn’t know. Why had you created darkness? Who was behind this? What did they want?

You hit the dark Chirithy with everything you could muster.

Who knew whether that strength came from Guilt or from light? I certainly didn’t. All I knew was that I didn’t want you to disappear—not for my own sake, but for yours. I wanted you to live.

The dark Chirithy finally went still, then transformed back into his original form. He fell to the ground, where a black smoke rose from his body.

“Now, our bond is broken,” he said.

I cautiously approached the dark Chirithy. “Will you disappear?” I asked.

“For now. Let’s meet in another dream…”

And with those parting words, the corrupted Chirithy slowly faded from existence along with the darkness around him.

Another dream? What did he mean by that?

…A few days after that, we arrived in the wasteland that would later come to be known as the Keyblade Graveyard.

Even in the most hopeless of circumstances, people still want to hold on to a ray of hope, to those last threads of their dream, up until the very end. I had to believe that was why you had chosen to be here.

Each of the Foretellers and the members of their respective Unions had all assembled to discuss something.

This was beyond our power to solve. The battle—the final battle predicted in the Book of Prophecies—was beginning.

We didn’t listen to a word the Foretellers said. Maybe they were discussing what was about to happen here—what was going to unfold before our eyes.

Everyone held their Keyblades aloft and raised their voices in a battle cry. Then, they charged.

What was about to begin here? What was about to end?

The air was strangely electric; every sight, every sound is indelibly etched in my memory.

There was no time to think about the why of this battle. The foes before you were not the little monsters you were used to facing. They were former comrades.

Countless hearts rose from the fallen Keyblade wielders and floated into the sky.

Rain began to fall.

You directed your gaze skyward, and tears slid down your cheeks alongside the raindrops.

“This isn’t the end,” you whispered.

Master Aced appeared, his Keyblade drawn, and fixed you with a baleful glare. “You!” Not giving you any chance to respond, he launched himself toward you and brought his blade down. The terrifying wind generated by the blow whipped past your cheek.

“Didn’t I tell you before? You are unworthy, boy.”

It was a cruel thing to say, but you answered by readying your Keyblade.

“And still you wish to do battle? Such strength of will would be a great asset to my Union.”

Aced punctuated his confident remark by knocking you away with a single strike.

But you weren’t ready to give up just yet. You scrambled to your feet and sprang into the air, raising your Keyblade with arms that were twigs compared to Master Aced’s, and barely grazed his torso. The bear-masked Foreteller leaped back, and you closed the gap, slashing at him while he checked each and every blow. Eventually, the two of you broke apart.

“Incredible! You are worthy after all! You are strong! Wonderfully strong!” he cried with pleasure.

I’d never seen Aced with such a smile. Nothing made sense anymore.

“Which is why you must disappear, here and now, before you can become a threat!”

Master Aced brought down his Keyblade in a blow more powerful than any before it, and it took everything you had to dodge. He came after you over and over, but each time, you managed to avoid his strikes.

You couldn’t find an opening to launch a counterattack—or so you thought, when suddenly, Aced’s Keyblade was stopped by another’s.

It was Master Ira.

“Iraaa!!”

“Let us settle this, once and for all.”

Aced’s eyes burned with fury as he looked at the one who had protected you. Master Ira glanced at you for the briefest of moments, then leaped into the air. Aced followed him, and the two Foretellers vanished into the wasteland.

You watched them go, then sank down onto the ground. There were still plenty of Keyblade wielders fighting around you.

“It’s not over yet…,” you whispered to yourself. That was when you spotted someone—Master Gula. You sprang to your feet and burst into a run.

“Hey, I remember you…,” the Foreteller said, pointing at you. He seemed as carefree as ever, even as other Keybearers fought for their lives around him. “You look a little worse for wear. You okay?”

He was right; you were exhausted, but you nodded that you were fine.

“So we can get down to business?” Master Gula swung his Keyblade at you lightly, and you answered with your own. “That’s the spirit. This is a war, after all.”

A smile appeared on his lips, and then he closed the distance between you in the blink of an eye. His movements were so smooth and quick, you could barely keep up. Still, you successfully blocked his Keyblade and turned the tables with an attack of your own. You did your best to keep after Gula as he darted gracefully about the barren landscape, but when you tried magic instead, he only deflected the spell.

“Whoa, you’re tough! I didn’t come here to run myself ragged fighting you. No thanks,” Master Gula said, dismissing his Keyblade. “See you around.”

He then disappeared to somewhere with all of the same speed and agility from before.

You plopped down on the spot again. Nothing around had changed since your last fight; Keyblade wielders were fighting, wounding each other, and falling. And when they fell, their hearts floated up from their bodies and faded away.

You reached out for one of these hearts, but it slid through your trembling grasp, and drifted up into the sky.

“No! You can’t go…,” you cried out mournfully to the rainy heavens. So many hearts were vanishing into those dark clouds.

“You…”

The voice belonged to Master Ira. Maybe he had lost track of Master Aced, or maybe their duel was already over? Now, he was watching the sky like you. I wondered what was going through his mind right then.

“I will ensure you go peacefully…,” he said, but his hand remained at his side.

You jumped to your feet and tightened your grip on your weapon. You charged, but Master Ira simply stepped out of the way with ease. Still, you kept after him, giving it all you had.

Finally, your Keyblade landed a solid hit—or so you thought, when you realized he had finally summoned his weapon. A second later, he knocked you away. You came crashing to the ground, but you were on your feet again in no time.

“You’ve grown much. Well done. It’s a shame to lose a wielder like you. Truly a shame.”

Master Ira took slow, measured steps toward you and struck down with his Keyblade.

This time, I thought you were really, truly done for, but then someone attacked Master Ira from behind—it was Master Aced.

Master Ira spun around and stopped the Keyblade.

“I’ve long awaited this moment, Ira…”

Sparks flew as their Keyblades clashed together again and again.

“Aced…!” For the first time, Master Ira showed signs of anger as he checked an especially powerful strike.

“I’ll rebuild this world as its new leader!” his opponent roared, and something inside Master Ira seemed to snap.

“Had you not upset the balance, there would be no need!” He slashed out at Master Aced, and their vicious duel carried them to another part of the battlefield.

You slowly fell to the ground again—how many times was this now? You were near the end of your rope, I’m sure. Masterless Keyblades had been driven into the earth all around you, while a multitude of hearts drifted up into the sky.

The downpour became a torrent that soaked you to the bone, and I could hear the pain in your ragged breaths. You jammed your Keyblade into the ground, using it as support to help you stand upright.

Slowly, you began stumbling forward, because there was someone ahead of you.

“You’re…”

Master Ava.

“I looked everywhere for you,” you said, but the Foreteller avoided your gaze. “Why are you here, Master Ava? Did you come to stop the war, or…?”

Her eyes remained lowered, but her Keyblade thrust out toward you.

You swallowed hard.

“…Raise your weapon.”

“What happened…?” you asked, but Master Ava only raised her head and shouted.

“Raise your blade and fight!”

She brought down her Keyblade in the same instant, casting a spell that hit its mark. You did your best to weather the impact, but each attack was taking its toll. You still held your head high, rushed at Master Ava, and swung your Keyblade at her. She parried the blow, and the impact pushed you away from each other.

Your shoulders heaved with each breath; you were struggling now. Still, you weren’t about to give up. You charged at Master Ava once more, and when she blocked the strike, you were rebuffed yet again for I don’t know how many times.

“Why?” you gasped through labored breaths, ready to collapse at any moment.

“Some secrets aren’t for you to know… Leave this place. Go with the Dandelions,” Master Ava said as she dismissed her Keyblade and walked away.

At this point, all you could do was watch her leave, but not for long. Your eyelids fell closed, and you collapsed.

I ran over to you and clung to your chest. “It’s all right. You’ve done enough.”

You opened your eyes slowly, your breath faint, and patted my head.

Then the rain stopped. A ray of light pierced through a break in the clouds.

Countless scores of Keyblades were stuck into the wasteland, but none of their wielders were anywhere to be found.

…And time passed.

An approaching silhouette appeared in the distance.

“Is it my time…?” you whispered. To your fading consciousness, she must have seemed like a vision of the afterlife.

Or maybe you weren’t seeing anything at all by that point? I was starting to grow worried, when—

“Skuld…,” you murmured her name, smiling faintly.

She said your name as well.

When you saw who was standing next to her, tears welled in your eyes and spilled over. “We made…a promise…”

It was Ephemer. “I didn’t forget,” he said warmly. You smiled, too.

At last, you were reunited.

“You’re late…,” you whispered.

“I know. I’m sorry…” Ephemer held out his hand to you, and you held out yours. “We’ll go together.” He tried to help you up from the ground.

Light filled the world until it was impossible to recognize anything. Anything at all.

You don’t remember any of it now. The only thing you saw was a slightly unnerving dream.

You’re just going to take a little nap.

What kind of world will greet you when you wake? Will it be everything you hoped for?

The answer to that is up to you.