Post by JADE on Dec 28, 2011 0:41:57 GMT -5
The air was stale and dry, blowing dust and small debris at them from various other areas of the world. The battlefield, or what was soon to be a battlefield, for one of the most historic battles ever to take place was filled with tension so thick that it was practically tangible.
Sora had rallied up a sizable group of not only Keybearers, but people who were able to stand their own in a battle-people who were fighting for the very same cause that he and his friends were fighting for; intergalactic freedom and to relinquish the holds that darkness had over innumerable hearts and countless worlds. It was a noble cause.
Over the past five years a certain group or villains had gotten together and formed what could now only be referred to as the Army of Suits-a group whose hearts were heavily tainted with darkness and called each other the various terms that one would identify with a deck of cards; for example-their leader was known as the King of Hearts. Each particular member was a part of a certain suit; Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs. It was a way to show the hierarchy within the group. The ranks within the group corresponded with how much power and authority you had. For example, the King of Hearts was, obviously, the leader, while someone like the Two of Spades is a lower ranked member, a grunt if you will. It was a peculiar group that, for the first few years of their existence, had managed to stay under the radar-sure they had overtaken a couple worlds but the members of the Army of Suits were so different from each other that no one ever suspected that they were related to one another. Each instance had been written off as an isolated problem rather than being linked.
When the heroes had discovered that they were, in fact, fighting against an organized group of villains rather than a few rogues here and there, they felt incredibly embarrassed for having not figured it out sooner. It seemed like an eternity since they began their quest of tracking down the Army of Suits, every time they’d arrive in a world that they suspected was under the influence of the Army they’d only come to find out that the members that were there had already left. It was like playing a frustrating game of cat and mouse.
All the chasing and disappointment had lead up to this moment, Sora and the others had finally tracked down the leader of the Army of Suits and they were positive that if they took out the leader then the whole operation would crumble and the Army of Suits would be no more.
But an eternity of sleepless nights and tiresome searches were now over, an almost surreal realization that the group of Heroes seemed to simultaneously come to. This was it. The final confrontation between them and the Army of Suits, there was no doubt amongst them that this would escalate into a battle between the two groups but none of them knew just how epic this day would be or that their exploits would go down in history books all across the universe.
Luna, like many others, looked across the relatively barren wasteland. The Queen of Clubs looked out at the group of 'heroes', little goodie two shoes trying to ruin their plans. It hadn't taken her much time to get her spot, far less to keep it, and she didn't want to lose it now. She too much enjoyed watching the little heroes fight the countless heartless she could summon, until they just couldn't fight any more. And while she didn't particularly like working for the King of Hearts, as she hated being a subordinate, she did like getting to control some of the worlds they took over.
Rune stood, arms crossed, in the open area. He hated waiting. And why were they waiting? For the dramatic effect it would give future stories? Their enemies were right there in front of them so why not fight? Why not just charge them? He may have sided with the heroes but he certainly didn't understand them. He stood at the front of a smaller, more separate, group of heroes. He'd been somewhat of an outcast when everyone had grouped together. He saw things a little differently than most heroes. If the only way to do the right thing was to do the wrong thing first, then why not? It was worth it in the end, he thought. The bad guys didn't play by the rules, and in most cases that meant you couldn't beat them unless you, too, bent the rules. He summoned forward his Keyblade. Misao rested a hand on Rune's shoulder to calm him. She was one of the few that understood his thinking. She'd lost everything because of rules and laws. Even her head, literally, once. To her knowledge, the collar she wore was the only thing keeping her head on her shoulders. Events from her past kept her too terrified to risk taking it off.
Kadence was nineteen now. Her last five years spent fighting and struggling to get her point across. Five years of more loss and blood shed than any young teen should have to see. Her brown orbs were black today, reflecting the darkening horizon. Those eyes roamed the barren wasteland; mind filled with thoughts of how fitting this place was for a final face off. So empty and yet so full, so full of things in their hearts and minds that they were fighting for. Her gaze settled on a familiar spiky brunet, a soft smile coming to her lips. Her 'sensei', as he demanded to be called back when they had trained together. The silverette beside him was familiar as well, but not exactly her friend. Of maybe he way. It seemed that everyone here was connected in some way, maybe not directly but certainly interwoven.
Her eyes, too, gazed across the lands, taking in different faces and remembering the events that connected them. She had a bond with so many, the King of Hearts in particular. He had caused so much pain, so much panic. He had destroyed countless worlds and even more people. She grimaced and tightened her grip on the blade that wasn't even in her hand yet. She wouldn't draw it just yet, not wanting anyone to see the bright flash of darkened light that it would emit. Strange that she stood on the hero side of the field while she bore a Heart of Darkness within.
She looked around in the hopes of finding her other half, but the blonde that was born from her wasn't there. The Nobody didn't want to take part in a needless battle, one that would only end in death. Adelaide was one of the few Nobody that didn't take part in the battle, instead, she had opted to watch from afar. Too far for anyone to see her, though Kadence must have felt her presence, yet close enough to see every individual battle.
Sora was the unspoken leader. He hadn't nominated himself like many a hero would have, his title was simply a given. The pure light that the boy exuded seemed to give everyone a bit of hope and courage.
“Well done! You’ve finally found us.” The man who stepped forward was a tall blond who spoke in a tone that was a mix of flamboyance and condescension. Sora immediately recognized him as the King of Hearts, someone he’d had several close run-ins with over the years. The King crossed his arms over his chest, his lips twisting into a smirk as he glared down at the assembled heroes.
"Took 'em long enough." A member of the Army chimed in, laughing. It was Luna. And though it was aimed towards all of the heroes, it was directed especially at Rune and, though unable to see her, Hild. She could sense the presence of her former master somewhere amongst them.
“Your reign of darkness ends here!” Sora took a step forward, waving his Keyblade around in emphasis, his eyes narrowed in determination.
Riku narrowed his eyes, clutching Way to Dawn tightly and moving to stand beside his best friend, “Release the worlds you’ve claimed now and we might go easy on you.”
The blonde’s lips twitched before a maniac chuckle escaped hit parted lips, “Hm, not likely. You see we’re one step closer to universal domination. There’s just one itty bitty nuisance that’s standing in our way that needs to be dealt with.” He paused to gauge the reactions of the heroes, “And for those of you who’re a tad too slow to understand the implications—“ The King sent a pointed glance in Sora’s direction, “—you’re the nuisances. But not to worry, we’ll be disposing of you soon enough. We’ll make it quick, but not necessarily painless.”
The telltale taunt caused the group of do-gooders to tense up, tightening their grips around their respective weapons, each and every one of them feeling the sudden tug of annoyance that urged them to step up and take down those cocky bastards who dared to stand against the Light.
“Fat chance! You may be an organized group of villains but we’re an organized group of friends, meaning that we’ll stand by and defend each other until the very end. You won’t take us down that easily.” Sora spat. A chorus of ‘yeahs’ and agreements sounded behind him and he couldn’t help the smile that twitched at the corners of his lips. His friends had his back just as he had theirs—this would be an easy fight.
“Well then let’s just see who’s superior—light or darkness.”
It was as if a whistle had been blown, both groups rushed toward each other simultaneously and moments later the sound of metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the empty valley as heroes and villains alike thrust their weapons toward their opponents in hopes of mortally wounding the opposing side. In that moment there was no in-between—you either supported the good guys or the bad guys, there was no in-between, no middle ground, everyone had their own side and that was who they were fighting for.
Misao took off after Rune, seconds before anyone else could even budge, following him like she always did, carrying with her the faux Keyblade she'd been given by Hild. For some reason, right now, it felt different in her hand. But there was no time to ponder that now. War was on the brink.
As war broke out, Kadence punched out her fist, drew it back, and called the power within her to summon forth her Keyblade. She let out a yell before running forward to join the fray. Quick and deft, all focus directed at her enemy. As she ran, like so many others, she mentally filtered through who she came in contact with. Sorted them into light or dark.
Yes, there was a division.
At least that’s how the two predominant groups saw things—black and white, good and evil, light and dark. But there was a much smaller faction of neutral fighters who tagged along to the battle ground to fight—not for good or evil—but for their own, personal reasons. One such fighter was fighting to protect his family back home. He knew that if things got too out of hand here then it would throw the balance between light and dark off balance which would throw everything into helter skelter and jeopardize the well-being of his family.
Just because Zachary Snowe was a Keybearer didn’t exactly mean that he had an affinity for living in the Light, in fact he was drawn more towards the darkness than anything else—but his views on what was right and wrong weren’t skewed like the vast majority of the villains and heroes here. He went by his own opinions and was simply here to ensure that the future of his family wasn’t in jeopardy—he was fighting for his wife and son back home. Zachary would strike down anyone who got in his way, whether they were self-proclaimed warriors of Light or working for the forces of darkness. Though that didn’t mean that he was necessarily here to kill everyone—he just wanted this stupid war to stop and for the order of the universe to go back to the way it was originally so that he and his family could just live together peacefully.
As the battle raged, two villains stood out amongst the majority. The King of Hearts, who had started it all, and his most loyal servant, the Ace of Hearts. The Ace of Hearts had followed the King since the very beginning, a loyal dog in every way possible. Despite having a distaste for war and battles, Akira followed his master into the mightiest battle of them all. A battle in which every member of the Army of Suits fought hard and long to achieve their common goal. They fought to the death if they had too and, one by one, the army fell apart.
It wasn't long before Akira was tired of fighting. He'd never cared much for the cause; he'd only ever cared about the King. Sure, he would admit that he hadn't been the most fateful, but he always ended up at the Kings feet. In the end, that's what would happen in the war too.
Nova hovered above the battlefield, torn as to which side she should be fighting for. Either side would help a part of her, so which side was the better choice? And would she linger forever if certain things stayed the same? So long as there was that little shred of darkness buried in the hearts of heroes? So long as she remained in the memories of others? She watched as the two sides charge one another and, even from her height above the battlefield, she could hear the clanging of metal-on-metal, of spells being cast and guns being fired. If not for all the bloodshed, the flashing lights from the spells might have been beautiful. Her other side, however, thought the scene was beautiful as it was. That side of her thought they all deserved oblivion.
Before she could even hope to join the fray, she'd first have to settle the fight that was raging within her. A battle of two hearts wanting control.
As the battle began to spread, Zachary called forth his weapon. A fiery Keyblade, born from the darkness. He charged into battle, not siding with either side of the war completely. The Light only wanted to shed light and happiness throughout the worlds. But they thought that getting rid of all the darkness would accomplish their goals. The Darkness wanted to spread its hold, some for selfish reasons while others were simply following the King of Hearts. Their methods for spreading the darkness were wrong. They were destroying everything in their paths.
Neither side was right and both were threatening the balance of the worlds. Losing just one pure-hearted Hero of Light could throw the worlds into chaos. Likewise, losing too much darkness would do the same. The balance was already being disturbed and that put his wife and child in danger. And that was something he couldn’t live with. He had to fight to protect them. And so, as the battle raged on, he lifted his Keyblade and struck down those who threatened his family the most. Those who fought for the most selfish of reasons. Those who did the most damage to the balance of Light and Darkness.
His own methods, though, put him at odds with the Heroes. For them, there were only two sides to this battle. The good guys and the bad guys. His actions against the Warriors of Light meant he was seen as a Warrior of Darkness. A claim that meant he had to face heroes one after another. He didn’t let that deter him though. He continued to fight hard, careful to keep the balance as best he could. And, for a long time, he and the few other neutral parties out there, managed to do just that.
But all of his victories were bound to attract the attention of leading fighter. Someone strong who led others into the battle. It was just his luck that he attracted the attention of two strong Keybearers. Both fought for peace and freedom, but neither understood what was happening around them. The battle that ensued was long and hard-fought, and no matter what he said or did to prove he wasn’t their enemy, nothing worked. It was good or evil out there and no one with that mindset going into the battle could change now. Not until the end came.
One bad decision on Akira's part led to a multitude of injuries. And while he couldn't die from them like a human would, he could certainly feel the pain of it all. With the pain shooting through him, all he'd been able to think about was the leader of the Army of Suits. The blonde was facing down death, much like their few remaining companions. Everyone was spread out, fighting their own battles. Dealing with personal grudges. Some even turned their backs on the Army and fled. Others switched sides for one reason or another. It was chaos. If not for his canine nature, he knew he'd have swapped sides as well. But he was in much too deep and his loyalty ran thick.
Finally though, he was free. And his final moments were spent lying there, blood pooling around him, watching his master fighting hard against one of the heroes that had cut him down. But he didn't regret leaving things like that. The last of his strength had been used to keep their leader alive. He'd put himself between the King and the one weapon that could take him down. A Keyblade.
Akira's world faded to black as the war raged on.
Zachary was among the last warriors standing. Not alone, by far, but still one of the last. The end of the war was near, and so too was his own final battle. He’d known for a long while that he wouldn’t be able to win. Not against two hearts as strong as theirs. Sora and Riku were, by far, two of the best warriors that the heroes had and all he could do was draw out the battle and try to make them understand his position. But one young man can only hold off the end for so long and finally that deciding blow was landed. The attack that ended that battle came from the Keyblade of Darkness and Zachary fell to the ground, beaten. His own Keyblade flickered in his hand, the flames threatening to go out. It reflected his own condition. And those final moments in his life were engrained within his personal weapon. His final thoughts. His final actions. And his attempt to reach the picture of his family that had fallen from his pocket.
When all was quiet once again, what was once a barren wasteland was now covered in bodies and ashes. Not many, when compared to the original numbers, were left standing. But those who had lasted wouldn't be the same. They would forever look back on this day and wonder if things could have been handled differently. Yet there were good things that came from the war too. Nobody's who were once lost were given a second chance. With help from Sora and his closest friends, who learned a little too late that everything wasn't just black and white, they were able to regain their lost hearts and live normal lives. Lives that they otherwise wouldn't have had.
Sora had rallied up a sizable group of not only Keybearers, but people who were able to stand their own in a battle-people who were fighting for the very same cause that he and his friends were fighting for; intergalactic freedom and to relinquish the holds that darkness had over innumerable hearts and countless worlds. It was a noble cause.
Over the past five years a certain group or villains had gotten together and formed what could now only be referred to as the Army of Suits-a group whose hearts were heavily tainted with darkness and called each other the various terms that one would identify with a deck of cards; for example-their leader was known as the King of Hearts. Each particular member was a part of a certain suit; Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs. It was a way to show the hierarchy within the group. The ranks within the group corresponded with how much power and authority you had. For example, the King of Hearts was, obviously, the leader, while someone like the Two of Spades is a lower ranked member, a grunt if you will. It was a peculiar group that, for the first few years of their existence, had managed to stay under the radar-sure they had overtaken a couple worlds but the members of the Army of Suits were so different from each other that no one ever suspected that they were related to one another. Each instance had been written off as an isolated problem rather than being linked.
When the heroes had discovered that they were, in fact, fighting against an organized group of villains rather than a few rogues here and there, they felt incredibly embarrassed for having not figured it out sooner. It seemed like an eternity since they began their quest of tracking down the Army of Suits, every time they’d arrive in a world that they suspected was under the influence of the Army they’d only come to find out that the members that were there had already left. It was like playing a frustrating game of cat and mouse.
All the chasing and disappointment had lead up to this moment, Sora and the others had finally tracked down the leader of the Army of Suits and they were positive that if they took out the leader then the whole operation would crumble and the Army of Suits would be no more.
But an eternity of sleepless nights and tiresome searches were now over, an almost surreal realization that the group of Heroes seemed to simultaneously come to. This was it. The final confrontation between them and the Army of Suits, there was no doubt amongst them that this would escalate into a battle between the two groups but none of them knew just how epic this day would be or that their exploits would go down in history books all across the universe.
Luna, like many others, looked across the relatively barren wasteland. The Queen of Clubs looked out at the group of 'heroes', little goodie two shoes trying to ruin their plans. It hadn't taken her much time to get her spot, far less to keep it, and she didn't want to lose it now. She too much enjoyed watching the little heroes fight the countless heartless she could summon, until they just couldn't fight any more. And while she didn't particularly like working for the King of Hearts, as she hated being a subordinate, she did like getting to control some of the worlds they took over.
Rune stood, arms crossed, in the open area. He hated waiting. And why were they waiting? For the dramatic effect it would give future stories? Their enemies were right there in front of them so why not fight? Why not just charge them? He may have sided with the heroes but he certainly didn't understand them. He stood at the front of a smaller, more separate, group of heroes. He'd been somewhat of an outcast when everyone had grouped together. He saw things a little differently than most heroes. If the only way to do the right thing was to do the wrong thing first, then why not? It was worth it in the end, he thought. The bad guys didn't play by the rules, and in most cases that meant you couldn't beat them unless you, too, bent the rules. He summoned forward his Keyblade. Misao rested a hand on Rune's shoulder to calm him. She was one of the few that understood his thinking. She'd lost everything because of rules and laws. Even her head, literally, once. To her knowledge, the collar she wore was the only thing keeping her head on her shoulders. Events from her past kept her too terrified to risk taking it off.
Kadence was nineteen now. Her last five years spent fighting and struggling to get her point across. Five years of more loss and blood shed than any young teen should have to see. Her brown orbs were black today, reflecting the darkening horizon. Those eyes roamed the barren wasteland; mind filled with thoughts of how fitting this place was for a final face off. So empty and yet so full, so full of things in their hearts and minds that they were fighting for. Her gaze settled on a familiar spiky brunet, a soft smile coming to her lips. Her 'sensei', as he demanded to be called back when they had trained together. The silverette beside him was familiar as well, but not exactly her friend. Of maybe he way. It seemed that everyone here was connected in some way, maybe not directly but certainly interwoven.
Her eyes, too, gazed across the lands, taking in different faces and remembering the events that connected them. She had a bond with so many, the King of Hearts in particular. He had caused so much pain, so much panic. He had destroyed countless worlds and even more people. She grimaced and tightened her grip on the blade that wasn't even in her hand yet. She wouldn't draw it just yet, not wanting anyone to see the bright flash of darkened light that it would emit. Strange that she stood on the hero side of the field while she bore a Heart of Darkness within.
She looked around in the hopes of finding her other half, but the blonde that was born from her wasn't there. The Nobody didn't want to take part in a needless battle, one that would only end in death. Adelaide was one of the few Nobody that didn't take part in the battle, instead, she had opted to watch from afar. Too far for anyone to see her, though Kadence must have felt her presence, yet close enough to see every individual battle.
Sora was the unspoken leader. He hadn't nominated himself like many a hero would have, his title was simply a given. The pure light that the boy exuded seemed to give everyone a bit of hope and courage.
“Well done! You’ve finally found us.” The man who stepped forward was a tall blond who spoke in a tone that was a mix of flamboyance and condescension. Sora immediately recognized him as the King of Hearts, someone he’d had several close run-ins with over the years. The King crossed his arms over his chest, his lips twisting into a smirk as he glared down at the assembled heroes.
"Took 'em long enough." A member of the Army chimed in, laughing. It was Luna. And though it was aimed towards all of the heroes, it was directed especially at Rune and, though unable to see her, Hild. She could sense the presence of her former master somewhere amongst them.
“Your reign of darkness ends here!” Sora took a step forward, waving his Keyblade around in emphasis, his eyes narrowed in determination.
Riku narrowed his eyes, clutching Way to Dawn tightly and moving to stand beside his best friend, “Release the worlds you’ve claimed now and we might go easy on you.”
The blonde’s lips twitched before a maniac chuckle escaped hit parted lips, “Hm, not likely. You see we’re one step closer to universal domination. There’s just one itty bitty nuisance that’s standing in our way that needs to be dealt with.” He paused to gauge the reactions of the heroes, “And for those of you who’re a tad too slow to understand the implications—“ The King sent a pointed glance in Sora’s direction, “—you’re the nuisances. But not to worry, we’ll be disposing of you soon enough. We’ll make it quick, but not necessarily painless.”
The telltale taunt caused the group of do-gooders to tense up, tightening their grips around their respective weapons, each and every one of them feeling the sudden tug of annoyance that urged them to step up and take down those cocky bastards who dared to stand against the Light.
“Fat chance! You may be an organized group of villains but we’re an organized group of friends, meaning that we’ll stand by and defend each other until the very end. You won’t take us down that easily.” Sora spat. A chorus of ‘yeahs’ and agreements sounded behind him and he couldn’t help the smile that twitched at the corners of his lips. His friends had his back just as he had theirs—this would be an easy fight.
“Well then let’s just see who’s superior—light or darkness.”
It was as if a whistle had been blown, both groups rushed toward each other simultaneously and moments later the sound of metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the empty valley as heroes and villains alike thrust their weapons toward their opponents in hopes of mortally wounding the opposing side. In that moment there was no in-between—you either supported the good guys or the bad guys, there was no in-between, no middle ground, everyone had their own side and that was who they were fighting for.
Misao took off after Rune, seconds before anyone else could even budge, following him like she always did, carrying with her the faux Keyblade she'd been given by Hild. For some reason, right now, it felt different in her hand. But there was no time to ponder that now. War was on the brink.
As war broke out, Kadence punched out her fist, drew it back, and called the power within her to summon forth her Keyblade. She let out a yell before running forward to join the fray. Quick and deft, all focus directed at her enemy. As she ran, like so many others, she mentally filtered through who she came in contact with. Sorted them into light or dark.
Yes, there was a division.
At least that’s how the two predominant groups saw things—black and white, good and evil, light and dark. But there was a much smaller faction of neutral fighters who tagged along to the battle ground to fight—not for good or evil—but for their own, personal reasons. One such fighter was fighting to protect his family back home. He knew that if things got too out of hand here then it would throw the balance between light and dark off balance which would throw everything into helter skelter and jeopardize the well-being of his family.
Just because Zachary Snowe was a Keybearer didn’t exactly mean that he had an affinity for living in the Light, in fact he was drawn more towards the darkness than anything else—but his views on what was right and wrong weren’t skewed like the vast majority of the villains and heroes here. He went by his own opinions and was simply here to ensure that the future of his family wasn’t in jeopardy—he was fighting for his wife and son back home. Zachary would strike down anyone who got in his way, whether they were self-proclaimed warriors of Light or working for the forces of darkness. Though that didn’t mean that he was necessarily here to kill everyone—he just wanted this stupid war to stop and for the order of the universe to go back to the way it was originally so that he and his family could just live together peacefully.
As the battle raged, two villains stood out amongst the majority. The King of Hearts, who had started it all, and his most loyal servant, the Ace of Hearts. The Ace of Hearts had followed the King since the very beginning, a loyal dog in every way possible. Despite having a distaste for war and battles, Akira followed his master into the mightiest battle of them all. A battle in which every member of the Army of Suits fought hard and long to achieve their common goal. They fought to the death if they had too and, one by one, the army fell apart.
It wasn't long before Akira was tired of fighting. He'd never cared much for the cause; he'd only ever cared about the King. Sure, he would admit that he hadn't been the most fateful, but he always ended up at the Kings feet. In the end, that's what would happen in the war too.
Nova hovered above the battlefield, torn as to which side she should be fighting for. Either side would help a part of her, so which side was the better choice? And would she linger forever if certain things stayed the same? So long as there was that little shred of darkness buried in the hearts of heroes? So long as she remained in the memories of others? She watched as the two sides charge one another and, even from her height above the battlefield, she could hear the clanging of metal-on-metal, of spells being cast and guns being fired. If not for all the bloodshed, the flashing lights from the spells might have been beautiful. Her other side, however, thought the scene was beautiful as it was. That side of her thought they all deserved oblivion.
Before she could even hope to join the fray, she'd first have to settle the fight that was raging within her. A battle of two hearts wanting control.
As the battle began to spread, Zachary called forth his weapon. A fiery Keyblade, born from the darkness. He charged into battle, not siding with either side of the war completely. The Light only wanted to shed light and happiness throughout the worlds. But they thought that getting rid of all the darkness would accomplish their goals. The Darkness wanted to spread its hold, some for selfish reasons while others were simply following the King of Hearts. Their methods for spreading the darkness were wrong. They were destroying everything in their paths.
Neither side was right and both were threatening the balance of the worlds. Losing just one pure-hearted Hero of Light could throw the worlds into chaos. Likewise, losing too much darkness would do the same. The balance was already being disturbed and that put his wife and child in danger. And that was something he couldn’t live with. He had to fight to protect them. And so, as the battle raged on, he lifted his Keyblade and struck down those who threatened his family the most. Those who fought for the most selfish of reasons. Those who did the most damage to the balance of Light and Darkness.
His own methods, though, put him at odds with the Heroes. For them, there were only two sides to this battle. The good guys and the bad guys. His actions against the Warriors of Light meant he was seen as a Warrior of Darkness. A claim that meant he had to face heroes one after another. He didn’t let that deter him though. He continued to fight hard, careful to keep the balance as best he could. And, for a long time, he and the few other neutral parties out there, managed to do just that.
But all of his victories were bound to attract the attention of leading fighter. Someone strong who led others into the battle. It was just his luck that he attracted the attention of two strong Keybearers. Both fought for peace and freedom, but neither understood what was happening around them. The battle that ensued was long and hard-fought, and no matter what he said or did to prove he wasn’t their enemy, nothing worked. It was good or evil out there and no one with that mindset going into the battle could change now. Not until the end came.
One bad decision on Akira's part led to a multitude of injuries. And while he couldn't die from them like a human would, he could certainly feel the pain of it all. With the pain shooting through him, all he'd been able to think about was the leader of the Army of Suits. The blonde was facing down death, much like their few remaining companions. Everyone was spread out, fighting their own battles. Dealing with personal grudges. Some even turned their backs on the Army and fled. Others switched sides for one reason or another. It was chaos. If not for his canine nature, he knew he'd have swapped sides as well. But he was in much too deep and his loyalty ran thick.
Finally though, he was free. And his final moments were spent lying there, blood pooling around him, watching his master fighting hard against one of the heroes that had cut him down. But he didn't regret leaving things like that. The last of his strength had been used to keep their leader alive. He'd put himself between the King and the one weapon that could take him down. A Keyblade.
Akira's world faded to black as the war raged on.
Zachary was among the last warriors standing. Not alone, by far, but still one of the last. The end of the war was near, and so too was his own final battle. He’d known for a long while that he wouldn’t be able to win. Not against two hearts as strong as theirs. Sora and Riku were, by far, two of the best warriors that the heroes had and all he could do was draw out the battle and try to make them understand his position. But one young man can only hold off the end for so long and finally that deciding blow was landed. The attack that ended that battle came from the Keyblade of Darkness and Zachary fell to the ground, beaten. His own Keyblade flickered in his hand, the flames threatening to go out. It reflected his own condition. And those final moments in his life were engrained within his personal weapon. His final thoughts. His final actions. And his attempt to reach the picture of his family that had fallen from his pocket.
When all was quiet once again, what was once a barren wasteland was now covered in bodies and ashes. Not many, when compared to the original numbers, were left standing. But those who had lasted wouldn't be the same. They would forever look back on this day and wonder if things could have been handled differently. Yet there were good things that came from the war too. Nobody's who were once lost were given a second chance. With help from Sora and his closest friends, who learned a little too late that everything wasn't just black and white, they were able to regain their lost hearts and live normal lives. Lives that they otherwise wouldn't have had.
