Kingdom hearts requiem of dawn 

CHAPTER NINE

Sora and Riku boarded the Gummi Ship in silence, the weight of their next steps heavy in the air. As they sat in the cockpit, Sora's mind raced with the feeling that he was close to understanding Noctera's next move. His heart tugged him in a familiar direction, to a place that had always been the start of something important.

"I think I know where she's going to appear," Sora said quietly, breaking the silence.

Riku turned to him, curious. "Where?"

Sora's gaze hardened, his voice filled with certainty. "Destiny Islands. It's where everything started. And... it's where the door is."

Riku frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "The door? You mean the one from the very beginning? The Door to Darkness?"

Sora nodded, gripping the controls of the ship tighter. "Yeah. The one we sealed all those years ago. If Noctera is trying to break everything apart, to let the darkness swallow everything... then she's going to try to open it."

Riku's expression darkened as he processed what Sora was saying. "But that door was sealed with Kingdom Hearts. How could she open it again?"

Sora glanced over at Riku, his face tense. "She's in control of Kairi now. And Kairi is the Princess of Heart. With that much light inside her, Noctera could force open the door and twist it for her own purposes."

Riku's eyes widened in realization. "Of course... Kairi's heart is a key, isn't it? Noctera could use her to unlock the door from the inside."

Sora's heart sank at the thought. If Noctera succeeded, the entire world—no, all worlds—could be flooded with darkness again. They'd lose everything.

"She's planning to start with Destiny Islands, the place where it all began," Sora said, his voice filled with determination. "We have to stop her before she can get to the door."

Riku nodded, his jaw set in determination. "Then we'll stop her. Before it's too late."

The ship took off into the stars, heading for the distant horizon where their journey had begun all those years ago. Destiny Islands—the place where their adventure had started, where the darkness first touched their world. And now, it seemed, it was where it might all come to an end.

As they flew, the two friends shared a brief, understanding glance. They had been through so much together, fought countless battles, and survived against overwhelming odds. But this... this felt different. This was personal.

For Sora, it was about saving Kairi. For Riku, it was about protecting his best friend from losing himself in the darkness again. But for both of them, it was about stopping Noctera before she could undo everything they had fought for.

The ship soared through the sky, heading toward their home—toward Destiny Islands. But in Sora's heart, the battle had already begun. The looming dread of facing Kairi again, knowing that Noctera was the one in control, filled him with unease. He wasn't sure how he was going to reach her, but he knew he had to try.

As they neared the familiar islands, Riku broke the silence. "If she opens the door... what do we do?"

Sora took a deep breath. "We close it. No matter what. Even if it means... losing her."

The words stung in his chest, but Sora knew the stakes. If Noctera succeeded, there would be no going back.

"We'll find a way to save her," Riku said, his voice firm. "We've always found a way."

Sora glanced over at Riku, appreciating his friend's confidence, but deep down, the doubt gnawed at him. He didn't want to think about what he'd have to do if Kairi was truly lost to the darkness.