CHAPTER 9

HOLLOW BASTION

last princess

RIKU WAS IN THE LITTLE CAVE ON DESTINY ISLAND. Sora was with him.

A memory from when they were still small…

But even though he remembered it clearly, Riku wasn’t sure just how long ago this had happened.

Why had they gone into that cave?

“Hey, Sora.”

“Huh?”

“When we grow up, let’s get off this island. We’ll go on real adventures, not this kid stuff!”

Just then, the wind blew over the hole in the ceiling and howled—the sound Sora had thought was a monster.

“Sure…but isn’t there anything fun to do now?” said Sora, not minding it much. “Oh, I know! Did you hear about the new girl at the mayor’s house? I heard she arrived on the night of the meteor shower…”

Riku turned to look at the door behind them. A great big keyhole had appeared on it…

A little groan escaped Riku. He couldn’t even remember when that had happened. It hurt to try.

When? Right before they met Kairi—their secret adventure—when was it?

It was hard to breathe. He broke out in a cold sweat.

“That was reckless to bring her here without at least using a vessel,” said Maleficent. Riku was still hunched over.

This was Hollow Bastion, Maleficent’s abode—so called for its aura of vast emptiness. It was a gloomy place, as if the castle itself might be swallowed up by the darkness at any moment.

“Remember, relying too heavily on the dark powers could cost you your heart,” she went on.

Just as a drop of sweat fell from Riku’s forehead to splash on the floor, a low roar from somewhere echoed in the castle chapel. He shivered and stood up, but Maleficent never moved.

“A castaway… Although his world perished, his heart did not. When we took the princess from his castle, he apparently followed her here through sheer force of will.” Her eyes went narrow as she smiled at Riku. “But fear not. No harm will come to you—he is no match for your power.”

Riku looked up at her then. “My power…?”

“Yes—the untapped power that lies within you. Now, child, it’s time you awakened that power and realized your true potential…”

Riku was enveloped in a pale greenish glow…

The Gummi Ship sped smoothly through the Other Sky. Donald sat in the pilot seat with Goofy and Sora beside him, showing the new page from Ansem’s report to Jiminy Cricket.

“Let’s see now…” Jiminy began to read.

“He’s talking about Gummis!” Donald exclaimed.

The Gummi they’d just picked up had a bouncy elasticity to it, and it would indeed easily stick to another Gummi.

“There’s more,” said Jiminy, who read on.

“And that’s all we have so far.” Jiminy placed the new paper in his file with the piece of the report they’d picked up in Agrabah.

Sora folded his arms and cocked his head. “A door…”

“You ever seen anything like that, Sora?” asked Goofy.

“Yeah… On Destiny Island.”

He thought the door in that cave was probably the same as the door that Ansem’s report mentioned. When it opened, he’d been knocked back so that he couldn’t really tell what was happening, but somehow, it had felt like there was something terrible on the other side.

Goofy tilted his head, too. “And the keyhole is the same as the Keyholes that we’ve been lockin’ up.”

But that still didn’t tell them very much.

“It looks like there’s still more somewhere,” said Jiminy Cricket.

“I guess we’ll have to find it…” Sora folded his hands behind his head and looked at the pilot. “Are we at Hollow Bastion yet, Donald?”

That was the place Hook had been talking about.

“Well, about that… Er, I can’t find it.”

“Huh?”

“There’s a whole lotta nothing where it ought to be…”

“Shouldn’t we ask Cid to install the new navigation Gummi?” said Goofy, holding out the one he’d caught at the clock tower.

“Sounds like that’s what we have to do… But then, how’d Riku get to Hollow Bastion?” Donald frowned. It shouldn’t have been possible to travel between worlds without a vessel, like the Gummi Ship or Captain Hook’s pirate ship.

“…Anyway, we’d better stop back at Traverse Town,” said Sora.

“Right. Off we go.” Donald pulled back on the control stick and the Gummi Ship gained speed.

Riku…

Sora stared out at the Other Sky with troubled eyes.

Traverse Town was peaceful and welcoming.

When they opened the door of the Accessory Shop, Cid was puffing on a cigarette as usual. He waved. “Hey there! Sora!”

“We found another navigation Gummi!” Goofy handed him the gleaming Gummi block.

“Mm-hmm. So you’ll be able to open up even more routes with this. Okay, leave it to me.” Cid headed out to the Gummi Ship, leaving the trio behind in the shop.

“Gawrsh, I think we could use a break,” said Goofy, yawning. “It looks like we have some time, so why don’t we go over to see Aerith and those fellas?”

Beside him, Sora was lost in thought, staring at the floor.

“Sora!” Donald said urgently.

He finally looked up.

“Now just remember what Donald said to ya,” said Goofy. “No frowning, no sad faces.”

Sora smiled a little anxiously. “How can you be so cheerful? There’s still no sign of your king… Aren’t you worried?”

“Aw, phooey, we’re not worried about the king,” said Donald, stubborn with determination.

“He told us to go out and find the Key Bearer, and we found you,” Goofy went on. “So as long as we stick together, it’ll all work out okay! Ya just gotta believe in yourself, that’s all!”

Sora closed his eyes. “Just believe…”

“I believe in you.”

Out of nowhere, he heard Kairi’s voice. In the same moment, a strange feeling came over him.

It was a deluge of light—it led somewhere.

When was that…? It was like a dream he’d had on Destiny Island…but different.

In the midst of the dazzling light…a scene appeared.

“Where am I…?”

A little girl ran up to an old woman who was sitting in a chair. The old woman gazed fondly on the girl and slowly began to tell a story.

“Kairi?!” Sora called out, and the old woman vanished. The much younger Kairi was looking around anxiously. There was nothing else but bookshelves full of books. Sora floated in the air behind her.

“Kairi…” He reached out to her, but she disappeared, too, as if she was only a mirage. “Huh?”

Sora came to, and he was in Cid’s shop.

“What’s the matter?” asked Goofy, worried.

What just happened to me? Sora thought.

“Um, nothing,” he said, looking up to the sky.

Kairi, did you call to me…?

“Hey, all done!” Cid walked back into the shop. “I installed that navigation Gummi. But…are you kids actually planning on going there?” He frowned.

“You mean, to Hollow Bastion?” said Donald.

“Yeah, there. It’s basically Heartless central by now.” Cid folded his arms, looking grim.

“D’you know a lot about Hollow Bastion, Cid?” Goofy asked.

Cid closed his eyes for a moment and then spoke. “Well, I’m not gonna tell you not to go, but be careful. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

That was all he had to say on the matter.

“We’re going,” said Sora. “Riku’s there…and probably Kairi, too.”

“Well, all right, then…”

The trio left the shop.

“They’re going, aren’t they…?” Aerith stepped out from the back of the shop.

“Yeah… Never thought I’d hear the name of that place again…” Cid stared into space with his brow furrowed.

Hollow Bastion. It had once been the world where Cid and Aerith and their friends lived.

The enormous castle towered before them, surrounded by cliffs of water. Great bubbles and boulders were suspended in the air, and the place felt altogether mystical—or rather, uncanny.

This was Maleficent’s abode…Hollow Bastion.

“I know this place…,” Sora murmured, gazing up at the castle.

“Gee, that’s funny.” Goofy cocked his head. “You haven’t been here before, have you?”

A castle that he couldn’t have seen before, or even heard of—but somehow, he felt like he’d been here before…

“I don’t know why… I feel this warmth inside, right here.” Sora touched his chest. It was a warm feeling, not painful, and yet it seemed to squeeze him there tightly.

It was familiar somehow…

“Aw, you’re just hungry,” Donald said blithely.

“Hey, I’m serious!” Just as Sora was about to spring at Donald, a tremendous sound echoed from the watery cliffs. It almost sounded like a ferocious animal roaring.

“Quack?!” Donald jumped and looked around. At the moment, there didn’t seem to be any Heartless here, or any people.

“Let’s go!” said Sora. They climbed up to the castle by the floating boulders, heading toward the strange roar.

“No vessel, no help from the Heartless… So tell me, how’d you get here?” Riku said to the huge animal from a floating boulder.

The Beast had sharp teeth and claws, and he was looking straight back up at Riku.

“I simply believed. Nothing more to it.” The purple cape over his furry body fluttered in the wind. “When our world fell into darkness, Belle was taken from me. I vowed I would find her again no matter the cost. I believed I would find her.” The Beast’s low, rumbling voice rose. “I will have her back!”

“Take her, if you can!”

With a vicious roar, the Beast leaped at Riku, but he nimbly dodged and countered with his sword.

Growling, the Beast fell.

“Riku! Stop!” Sora’s cry rang out. Riku turned, the wind tossing his silver hair.

“So you finally made it. About time. I’ve been waiting for you, Sora.” Riku calmly went on. “We’ve always been rivals, haven’t we? You’ve always pushed me, and I’ve always pushed you.”

“Riku…?”

“But it all ends here. There can’t be two chosen ones.” Riku smiled faintly.

“What are you talking about?”

“Let the Keyblade choose its true master!”

Riku reached out, and the Keyblade began to shake in Sora’s grasp, as if a powerful force was pulling it away from him—then it flashed into light and vanished.

“Wha—?!”

“Wak?!”

“Hyuck?!”

The trio all shouted in shock. The Keyblade rematerialized in Riku’s waiting hand.

“Maleficent was right…” Riku’s fingers closed tightly around the Keyblade. “You don’t have what it takes to save Kairi. It’s up to me. Only the Keyblade master can open the secret door…and change the world.” He lifted it high.

“But that’s impossible. How can it be you…? I’m the one who fought my way here with the Keyblade!” Sora shouted.

Riku smiled broadly at him. “You were just the delivery boy.” He lowered the Keyblade. “Sorry, your part’s over now. Here, go play hero with this.”

Riku tossed a wooden sword to Sora. It clattered on the ground, and then Riku walked away.

“No…” Sora fell miserably to his hands and knees.

“Come on, Goofy.” Donald turned to follow Riku.

“Huh? But…” Goofy looked from Sora to Donald, the one brokenhearted on the ground and the other about to walk away. “I know the king told us to follow the key and all…but…”

Donald started walking, as if he meant to leave Goofy behind, too, in his hesitation. Goofy kept glancing at one and then the other.

“Sora…” Then Goofy helplessly followed Donald, too.

Donald’s steps paused. “Sora, sorry.”

And the pair left like they were running away from something.

What do I do…? What am I supposed to do now? Sora’s thoughts ran.

I don’t have the Keyblade anymore. I don’t know what to do. Donald and Goofy went with Riku… I thought they were my friends.

He felt like crying.

Just then the wind picked up. He heard a low growl. The Beast was trying to walk.

“Hey, don’t move. You’re hurt!” Sora rushed over and held out his hand, as if there were any way he could support the Beast’s weight.

“Why…did you come here?” the Beast rumbled, his breathing labored. “I came to fight for Belle.” He staggered to his feet again. “And though I am on my own, I will fight. I won’t leave without her.”

Sora looked at the wooden sword on the ground by his feet. It was just like the ones they had played with on Destiny Island.

Why did I come here…? What was I going to do?

Sora picked up the wooden sword and followed the Beast. “Me, too. I’m not gonna give up now. I came here to find someone very important to me…”

As if in response, the Beast looked up at the castle.

Pipes ran twisting all along the walls of the gloomy grand hall, wrapped in eerie silence. In the wide corridor leading to the grand hall there were six capsules, three on each side, and each capsule contained a beautiful girl. Alice…Jasmine…and the other Princesses of Heart, all gathered there by Maleficent’s machinations, all seeming to be deep asleep.

And in the center floated Kairi, as if suspended there by some mysterious power.

Without even a glance at the princesses in the capsules, Maleficent stood at the entrance to the grand hall and looked back. Her black cloak billowed.

“Oh purest of hearts! Reveal to me the Keyhole!”

Beams of red light rose from each princess and met where Kairi lay. The unified beam of light shone past Maleficent, across the grand hall, to the so-called Portal to Darkness. Where the light struck the portal, a great red Keyhole appeared—and in the center floated the crystallized power of the princesses’ hearts.

Sora and the Beast climbed up the steep path to the castle. It had seemed so far away before, but now they were seeing it up close. Sora stood before the gigantic gate, staring up at its towers. As if it had been waiting for them, the gate opened with a huge groan.

“Be on your guard,” said the Beast. “They’re close—I can feel it. Are you ready for them?”

Sora nodded and stepped inside. And then—

“Belle?!” the Beast exclaimed. In the middle of the dark corridor stood a woman in a yellow dress. The moment the Beast ran toward her, Belle’s form dissolved into darkness, and only a small Heartless was left.

The Beast let out a roar of fury and launched himself at the Heartless. Then the door to the passage in front of them opened, and Sora saw Riku, Donald, and Goofy there.

“Just quit while you can,” Riku said, unruffled.

“Not without Kairi!”

Riku frowned—and black fog surrounded his body. Now he was dressed in black, brandishing the Keyblade. “The darkness will destroy you.”

“You’re wrong, Riku. The darkness may destroy my body, but it can’t touch my heart.” Sora held up the wooden sword, determination in his voice. “My heart will stay with my friends. It’ll never die!”

“Really? We’ll just see about that!” Riku stretched out his hand and a blue-white light shot from it. Knowing it was too late to dodge, Sora closed his eyes and braced himself.

“Sora ain’t gonna go anywhere!”

It was Goofy standing in front of him with his shield out. The blue-white light struck the shield and fizzled out.

“You’d betray your king?” Riku snapped at Goofy.

“Not on your life!” Goofy looked back at Sora. “But I’m not gonna betray Sora, either. He’s become one of my best buddies, after all!” He gave Sora a wink and a thumbs-up, and then turned to Donald. “See ya later, Donald! Could ya tell the king I’m really sorry?”

Goofy held his shield ready toward Riku.

“Wait, Goofy!” Donald shouted. “We’ll tell him together!”

He ran over to Sora, too, and aimed his wand at Riku.

“Donald…”

“Well, you know… All for one and one for all,” Donald said without looking at Sora, as if he was still ashamed.

“I guess you’re stuck with us, Sora,” Goofy said, giving Sora an apologetic look.

“Thanks a lot…Donald, Goofy.” Then Sora stared hard at Riku.

“How will you fight without a weapon?” Riku spat.

“I know now—I don’t need the Keyblade. I’ve got a better weapon. My heart.”

Sora stood up straight and earnest, and Riku snorted.

“Your heart? What good will that weak, little thing do for you?!”

“My heart may be weak. But it’s not alone. It’s connected to all the friends I’ve made!”

Tidus, Wakka, Selphie. And Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Cid, Merlin and the Fairy Godmother. Alice, and the nameless flowers in the lotus forest. Tarzan and Jane, and Kerchak. Aladdin and Jasmine and the Genie. Pinocchio and Geppetto. Peter Pan and Wendy, and Tinker Bell, and the Beast. Everyone he’d met on this journey so far.

And…there were Donald and Goofy, and Jiminy Cricket, and the king whom he had yet to meet.

And Kairi.

All of those hearts were connected to his.

“I’ve become a part of their heart, just as they’ve become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then, if they don’t forget me… then my heart can’t disappear.” Sora stood ready to fight with the wooden sword. “I don’t need a weapon. My friends are my power!”

The Keyblade began to shine in Riku’s hand. And then the wooden sword Sora held glowed as well—and it became the Keyblade.

“No! How—?!” Riku stammered.

In Sora’s hand once again, the Keyblade sparkled and shone.

“This can’t be happening!”

Riku rushed at Sora with the dark sword. Sora blocked the heavy blow.

“Riku—!”

“Sora!”

That day on Destiny Island, when they’d fought with wooden swords—it seemed so, so long ago now. Riku and Sora had both become much stronger since then. Riku had the powers of darkness…and Sora held the Keyblade.

“We’re gonna fight, too!” Donald ran into the fray.

“Here we come!” Goofy ran at Riku with his shield up, and Sora jumped back. Then Goofy’s shield struck Riku, and Donald let loose some magic. With all the battles the trio had been through together, they had come to fight as one, completely in tandem.

And Riku was knocked back hard.

“Maybe I can’t win against you alone, Riku, when you have the darkness giving you power!” said Sora. “But…”

“But he’s got us, too!” Donald declared with a jump.

Riku, on his knees, grimaced and pounded the floor.

“Riku…” Sora offered a hand to help him up. But Riku only swatted it away and ran.

What happened…? Why?

Gasping for breath as he ran, Riku had only questions.

Is Sora really stronger than me…? Or is it something else?

We were always rivals. And I always won. Even if I lost, it would only be dumb luck.

Except when it was about that… About Kairi.

Maybe I’m really no match for him, after all…

“Know this.” The voice came from close behind him. “The heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade.”

“Who’s there?!” Riku whirled to see a man in a dark hooded cloak, shimmering with eerie bluish light.

“The Keyblade chooses. And it will not choose one without a strong heart.”

“Are you saying my heart’s weaker than his?!”

“For that instant, it was.”

Riku looked down in frustration. The hooded man stepped closer.

“However, you can become stronger. You showed no fear in stepping through the Door to Darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunge deeper into the darkness…and your heart will grow even stronger.”

Riku shook his head. “What should I do…?”

“It’s really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness—that is all.” The man slowly raised a hand toward him, and Riku’s body glowed with pale green light. “Let your heart itself become all-encompassing darkness…”

Maleficent stood before the apparatus in the grand hall, gazing into the portal.

“So, the path has emerged at last.” Beside her, Riku looked at it as well. His voice was somehow lower than usual. In the portal, the crystal of power shone red, illuminating them with a dismal glow.

“It will become the Keyhole to the darkness.”

A multitude of pipes ran toward the portal, and in its center, darkness swirled balefully.

“Unlock it, and the Heartless will overrun this world,” said Riku.

“What do I care? The darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use its power to rule all worlds.” A hint of a smile played over Maleficent’s face.

“Such confidence,” Riku remarked a bit mockingly. A Keyblade as black as night appeared in his hand.

“Oh?” Maleficent marveled at the dark Keyblade. But then her voice turned angry. “Impossible!”

Nothing at all was happening to the portal.

“The Princesses of Heart are all here!” she fumed.

Riku went on staring impassively up at the portal. “A princess who’s lost her heart will never be able to release her power.”

Then he turned to look at Kairi, where she floated in midair. His eyes were cold and cruel.

Then a shout rang from outside the grand hall, and they could hear the clashing of weapons.

“The king’s fools are here. I’ll deal with them myself. You stay here and guard the princesses.” Maleficent walked unhurriedly down the stairs.

As he watched her go, Riku’s body glowed with blue light.

Sora and his companions stood in front of the door, catching their breath.

“This must be the deepest part of the castle…” Sora stared up at the door, gripping the Keyblade tightly. He had defeated so many Heartless to get this far. He had met so many people and seen so many strange new things.

But maybe that would all come to an end soon…

Beyond this door would be Kairi. And Riku.

Riku…

We’ll get to run together across the beach on Destiny Island again. I just know it.

I don’t believe that you’re completely taken over by the darkness.

“Gawrsh, maybe the king’ll be there, too?” said Goofy.

“I dunno…,” Donald fretted. “But I bet we’ll find some clues!”

Behind them, the Beast growled. “Let’s go. …Hold on, Belle…”

Sora opened the door.

A wide corridor led to a soaring chamber, the floor decorated with a rose emblem. It seemed to be the castle chapel. They walked warily inside.

And then…there was the witch.

“I’m afraid you’re too late,” said Maleficent, looking down at Sora. “Any moment now, the final Keyhole will be unsealed, and this world will be plunged into darkness. It is unstoppable.”

“We’ll stop it!” cried Sora. “After coming this far, there’s no way we’re gonna let that happen!”

The Keyblade in his hand shone brightly, as if all the strength of his heart poured into it with a light that would keep the world from darkness.

“You pitiful fools. You think you can defeat me? Me—the mistress of all evil!”

The floor with the rose emblem lifted up with Maleficent upon it.

“Come, my minions!” She waved her staff and Heartless emerged from the floor.

“Sora!” Donald called.

“Let’s get her!” Sora rushed toward Maleficent and leaped up high, but a dragon-shaped Heartless knocked him back. “Donald, Goofy! Beast!”

“Got it!”

The other three trounced the Heartless that tried to attack Sora, and he leaped into the air again. “Now it’s one-on-one!”

“Is that what you think?” Maleficent waved her staff again and cried, “Meteors of heaven, unleash thy fury!”

Balls of light rained down on Sora. With a shout of alarm, he fell from the piece of floor that held Maleficent aloft.

“Sora!” Goofy ran to him and gave him a potion.

“Well? Do you still think you can be any match for me?!” Maleficent taunted.

“We’ll beat you, don’t worry!” Once Goofy helped him to his feet, Sora jumped at her again.

Donald blasted away a Heartless that swooped for him. “We’ve made it all this way fighting together!”

“And we’re not gonna lose to any darkness!” Goofy added.

The Beast roared, too, and lunged at a Heartless.

Sora swung the Keyblade at Maleficent with all his might, but she blocked his strike.

Even if she has more magic, she’s not stronger. Because real power comes from caring about other people!

“I’m…not gonna lose!”

Maleficent was thrown back by Sora’s power. He jumped down from the rose-crested floor and brought the Keyblade down on her.

With a terrible scream, she sank to the floor, clutching her chest.

“Did we win?!”

“No—how—could I lose!”

Darkness enveloped Maleficent, and without hesitation, Sora and the others leaped into it after her.

“…That little boy with just a Keyblade… How could he…defeat me…?” Maleficent groaned, clutching at herself in pain. Someone appeared behind her.

“Do you need any help?”

“Riku?!”

Maleficent looked up. It was the boy to whom she herself had granted the power of darkness.

“Wait, Maleficent!”

“…So, here we are all together.” Riku smirked at Sora, who had followed Maleficent.

“Huh? …Is that…?” Donald looked at the black Keyblade in Riku’s hand.

“Yes. A Keyblade.” Riku held it aloft. “But unlike yours, this Keyblade holds the power to unlock people’s hearts. Allow me to demonstrate… Behold!”

He turned and thrust the Keyblade into Maleficent’s chest.

“What— Riku?!”

Darkness surged from Maleficent where the Keyblade pierced her.

“Now—open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!” Riku called out as the darkness surrounded him.

“Riku!”

He glanced at Sora and then vanished into the dark.

Maleficent let out a high, fierce cackle as she began to glow with wicked green light. “This is it! This power! Darkness—the true darkness!”

Black energy blazed like fire, and in the midst of it, Maleficent transformed into a pitch-black dragon.

“What happened?!” cried Sora.

“…The darkness in Maleficent’s heart changed her form,” said the Beast. “She’s become a dragon.”

“C’mon, guys!” Sora rushed at the dragon, but she stomped her enormous foot on the floor. “Whoa!”

Sora lost his balance from the impact and fell, but he immediately jumped up again and struck out with the Keyblade from beneath the dragon’s chin down her throat.

The dragon roared and breathed green fire. Sora barely managed to dodge.

“Hey! Fira! Blizzara! Thundara!” Donald pelted out spells at the dragon’s head, and Goofy handed him potions to recover his magic power. The Beast made a running leap…

“Beast!”

The Beast slammed his weight against the dragon’s face. While she was stunned, Sora jumped again and struck.

“Got her!”

Their glances met as they landed.

“One more time!”

Sora and the Beast both leaped into the air again and attacked. The dragon roared as if to shake the castle at its foundations and melted into a ball of darkness, which sank into the floor and vanished.

Riku reappeared, murmuring, “How ironic… She was just another puppet after all.”

“A puppet…? What do you mean?” Sora demanded.

Riku turned to him. “The Heartless were using Maleficent from the beginning. She failed to notice the darkness in her heart eating away at her. A fitting end for such a fool.”

Maleficent’s black cloak lay tattered on the floor. Riku ground his foot into it with contempt. Darkness rose up and he vanished into it.

“Riku…” Sora stared at the dark energy that faded out after him. And there in its wake…a sheet of paper was left behind.

“It’s more of Ansem’s report!” Goofy hurried over but picked it up very carefully.

“…Now what do we do?” Sora said glumly.

“Well, first of all let’s find Kairi!” Donald told him.

They returned to the chapel where the first battle with Maleficent had taken place and looked around.

“Hmm… It doesn’t look like we can go any farther in…” Tilting his head, Goofy knocked on the walls.

If this was a dead end, there had to be other paths. They would have to backtrack and search the middle of the castle again.

But the Beast was staring at a corner of the chapel. “Belle’s heart… It’s here.”

“Here, where?” Donald waddled closer—and the Beast rammed his fist into the wall. “Wak!”

The wall crumbled to reveal a passageway.

“Belle!” The Beast hurtled in, and the others followed.

The passageway led to a mezzanine overlooking the grand hall. And there were the six princesses, asleep in their capsules illuminated by white flames.

“Belle…” The Beast fell to his knees before her capsule.

“Sora! Here’s Alice!”

“And Jasmine!”

Sora heard Donald and Goofy, but his glance went elsewhere, toward the enormous apparatus. Atop the stairs where all the pipes ran, there was something like an altar, where a heart-shaped gate stood.

And there—

“Kairi!” Sora ran up the steps to Kairi who was sprawled on the floor and knelt beside her to pick her up. “Kairi! Kairi, open your eyes!”

But she was totally limp in his arms, unmoving.

“It’s no use.” That was Riku’s voice.

And yet—there was something harsh and strange in the sound of it. What had happened to him…?

“That girl has lost her heart.” Riku looked down at him from atop the gate. “She cannot wake up.”

“What? You…” Sora gently set Kairi back down and stood up, glaring at whatever thing had taken Riku’s form. “You’re not Riku.”

The real Riku would never call Kairi “that girl”! he thought.

“The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last Princess of Heart still sleeps.” Riku jumped lightly down, almost as if he floated.

“Princess…? Kairi’s a princess?”

“Yes. And without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete.” Riku brandished his dark Keyblade. “It is time she awakened.”

“Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!” Sora readied his Keyblade, too.

“First, you must give the princess back her heart.” Riku pointed his Keyblade at Sora.

“Ngh!” Sora’s chest hurt… It was so heavy. He grabbed at his chest and fell hunched over.

“Sora?!” Donald called, running toward him.

“Don’t you see yet?” said Riku.

“Wh…what’s…” Sora groaned.

What’s happening to me? Is it…something in my heart?

“The princess’s heart is responding. It has been there all along. Kairi’s heart rests within you!” As he said that, Riku’s voice became something else entirely.

“Kairi… Kairi’s inside me?”

“I know all that there is to know.”

Sora lifted his face to stare at Riku. “Who…are you?”

“It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness!” Riku slowly stepped toward him.

“Quaaack!”

“Hey, you stay away from Sora!”

Trying to protect Sora, Donald and Goofy leaped at Riku—at Ansem—but he knocked them back and sent them tumbling back down the stairs.

“So, I shall release you now, princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door and lead me into everlasting darkness!” He brought the dark Keyblade down upon Sora’s head—

“Sora!”

It was Kairi’s voice. He knew he had heard it.

He raised his Keyblade and blocked the stroke of the dark Keyblade.

“Forget it! There’s no way you’re taking Kairi’s heart!”

The two Keyblades clashed.

“No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here.”

Kairi’s heart… Yeah. Kairi was always with me. She’s been right here with me all this time.

“I’m making them so the three of us will always be together.”

Riku and I lost each other. But Kairi’s always been here. In my heart, along with Donald and Goofy, and all the other people I’ve met on the way. We aren’t just connected. We’re together.

That’s why I won’t lose!

With a huge impact, Sora sent the dark Keyblade flying from Riku’s hand.

“Riku!”

For just a moment, he thought he’d seen the real Riku there—but then Riku disappeared. Sora kept calling his name, frantically looking around, but he was simply gone.

“Sora! Sora, look!” shouted Donald.

“The—the Keyhole…!” Goofy pointed. The depths of the heart-shaped gate roiled, crackling with energy like lightning bolts. Sora raised his Keyblade at it. But nothing happened.

“It won’t work! The Keyhole’s not finished yet!” Goofy yelped.

“What can we do?!” Sora demanded.

Goofy looked at Kairi. “Maybe we’ve gotta wake Kairi up… Kairi’s power…er, the last princess… Wait. If we can free her heart…”

Kairi’s heart. How can I free her heart when it’s stuck in me? Sora thought, touching his chest.

The dark Keyblade was there on the floor.

“A Keyblade that unlocks people’s hearts…,” Sora murmured. “I wonder…”

“Sora…?” Donald stared at him uneasily.

“You don’t mean—!” Goofy started.

Sora picked up the dark Keyblade and walked over to the sleeping Kairi.

“Sora, wait!” cried Goofy, but Sora only looked at the other two and smiled.

Right… I have to open my heart.

Sora turned the dark Keyblade so he was holding it backward and unwaveringly plunged it into his own chest.

This’ll set free Kairi’s heart.

He let go of the dark Keyblade, and it floated up, shining blackly, and dissolved into six glowing lights. The lights scattered and disappeared into the princesses.

“Sora?! Sora!” Goofy went to him, and before his eyes, a single light emerged from Sora’s chest. It drifted away and glowed above Kairi’s chest before it vanished.

“Sora, where are you?”

Kairi slowly opened her eyes. In the same instant the Keyhole took its complete form.

“Soraaaa!” Donald shouted, running toward him.

Kairi caught Sora in her arms as he fell—but there was no weight, and he turned to light that sparkled and vanished.

“Sora…?”

The last glints of light in Kairi’s hands floated up and faded. Donald jumped up, trying to gather them back together. “Sora! Come back, Sora!”

“No! He can’t be— I won’t let him go!” Kairi leaped to her feet.

A man’s voice echoed in the grand hall. “So, you have awakened at last, princess.”

Ansem.

His long silver hair fluttering, the man strode to Kairi’s side.

“The Keyhole is complete—you have served your purpose. But now it’s over.”

“Don’t make another move!” Donald glared hard at Ansem.

Ansem stopped short. “Impossible…”

Another figure appeared in front of him. Engulfed in light, Riku spread his arms as if to block Ansem from going any farther.

“Riku?!” cried Kairi.

“You’ve got to run!” said Riku. “The Heartless are coming!”

Kairi nodded to him and turned to flee.

“What about the Keyhole?” Goofy wondered.

“Wak! Let’s just get out of here!” Donald followed her and so did Goofy.

A single little Heartless jumped down from the stairs, trying to follow them.

“Kairi, hurry!” Goofy called.

She stopped to look back. “But I can’t leave them behind!”

Riku, who was holding back Ansem, and Sora who had disappeared…

“We can’t stay here!” Donald yelled to her.

“…I know.” Kairi ran down the steps that led from the grand hall to the chapel. The little Heartless trailed her.

Goofy saw it and jumped, startled. “There’s a Heartless after us!”

“I’ll take care of ’im!” Donald rushed at the Heartless, and shouting, he whacked it on the head with his wand a few times. But it just stayed there in a tiny huddle. “Confounded Heartless! Get lost, will ya?!”

The Heartless raised what seemed to be its face and looked straight at Kairi.

“Sora?” She had no idea why she would think that—and yet… “Sora, is that you?!”

She gazed at the little Heartless.

“Uh-oh!” said Goofy. “The rest are after us!”

Before they knew it, more Heartless had surrounded them. Donald and Goofy exchanged glances and jumped into the thick of the swarm.

“This time, I’ll protect you.” Kairi spread her arms to shield the little Heartless. All at once, the other Heartless pounced. She took the little one in her arms and fell, covering him, and the Heartless swarmed over her. “Sora!”

“Kairi?!” Donald and Goofy turned. They couldn’t see her through the throng of Heartless.

But suddenly a brilliant light shone out and blasted the Heartless away from Kairi. They glowed and vanished.

“What’s goin’ on?!” Goofy yelped.

In the center of the light, Kairi stood in Sora’s arms.

“Kairi… Thank you.”

She opened her eyes. “Sora!”

Donald and Goofy echoed her and ran to his side. More Heartless were already closing in on them again.

“Go! Now!” It was the Beast. They thought he had stayed with Belle, but he was there roaring and scattering the Heartless.

“Beast! Come with us!” cried Sora.

“I told you before—I’m not leaving without Belle,” he replied, still ready to spring at the next enemy. “Now, go! The Heartless are coming!”

“All right. Let’s get out of here!” They ran, Sora holding tight to Kairi’s hand.