Kingdom Hearts {Reader Insert}

27. The Battle Begins

You stepped into the portal. Everything around you was cold and black. You felt a chilling breeze move past you. There was no light or sound, but you knew you were moving forward. You couldn't see your friends. You were alone in the darkness.

Before you could process any of that a bright light washed over you and the warmth of the sun took the goosebumps from your skin. It was too bright to see, but you heard the familiar sound of waves moving across sand. You shifted in place and put an arm over your eyes. You recognized the feeling of sand beneath your shoes. As your eyes adjusted you saw light sand, teal waves, and a blue sky. Some soft clouds hung above you.

"Destiny Islands?" you asked yourself, trying to look around through squinted eyes.

"This world has been connected," a deep voice you recognized as Ansem's filled the air around you, though you couldn't see him, "tied to the darkness..."

In front of you, the small island and its bridge to the piece of land you were on faded and disappeared. You turned as the treehouse behind you also vanished.

"...soon to be completely eclipsed." Ansem's voice filled your head again. "There is so very much to learn. You understand so little."

The waves in front of you darkened to a deep purple and boiled. The island started to shake and you lost your footing before holding a wider stance.

"A meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing." His voice sounded frustrated and tired.

The island shook and then suddenly rose from the water. You stepped back as pieces fell away. In front of you was a cliff. The water settled around you and turned to a dark blue. The island stopped moving and you found the earth around you cracked. When you looked up, you found Riku standing at the edge of the cliff, among the cracks, staring out at the ocean. He had on that same strange armor you had fought him in before.

"Take a look at this tiny place," Ansem's voice returned. "To the heart seeking freedom, this island is a prison surrounded by water." You realized that the voice was coming from Riku as he lifted his hands and gestured with the words. "And so this boy," the voice laughed and Riku's shoulders shook, "sought to escape from his prison. He sought a way to cross over into other worlds. And he opened his heart to darkness." Riku's body turned and as it did it transformed into a taller man. The same silver hair grew from his head, but it was longer. He was tan, with striking golden eyes. A clasp in the shape of the heartless symbol sat at his throat as he grinned at you.

"Riku!" Sora's voice shouted next to you and you turned, surprised. Sure enough, he was standing by your shoulder. Everyone else was gathered behind the two of you.

"Don't bother. Your voice can no longer reach him where he is," Ansem told him. "His heart belongs again to darkness," his arm swung up in emphasis, "All worlds begin in darkness, and all so end. The heart is no different." He chuckled lightly and crossed his arms. "Darkness sprouts within it, grows, consumes it. Such is its nature. In the end, every heart returns to the darkness whence it came." Ansem's voice shifted and you realized he was gone. Spinning, you found him behind all of you. "You see, darkness is the heart's true essence."

"That's not true!" Sora shouted. "The heart may be weak, and sometimes it may even give in, but I've learned that deep down there is a light that never goes out!"

"Even you," you added, "somewhere deep, deep down have a light."

Ansem's arms spread and he lifted into the air before crossing them in front of him again. "So, you have come this far and still you understand nothing. Every light must fade, every heart return to darkness!" He shouted the last word forcefully and a form made of shadows appeared behind him. It looked like a giant, muscular heartless. The form lifted its hands and the sky darkened as lightning shot from the sky, aimed at you and your friends. You leapt out of the way, your hair standing on end as static filled the air and the battle began.