Facing Down His Dark Destiny (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories) in Gamer's Gaming

The Road So Far…

Riku’s journey through Castle Oblivion has taken a drastic turn. After making his way through the worlds of his memories and the worlds of someone else’s memories, Riku found himself on sublevel 4. Riku made his way through Halloween Town as Sora confronted the Organization in the castle’s upper floors. Sora had already defeated Vexen, leading to his defeat at the hands of Axel. As Riku made his way through the haunted realm, Sora took out Larxene. After Riku finished his journey through the world, he was confronted by Lexaeus, the giant tomahawk wielder. However, after a lengthy battle, Riku’s darkness took over and felled the Taciturn Stalwart. However, the rise of his darkness brought Ansem back and almost allowed him to overtake Riku’s heart. However, Riku was saved by King Mickey, who appeared and staved off Ansem. Riku regained himself, but realized that there was a very real possibility that Ansem could come back. However, as he made his way to sublevel 3, a tremor shook the entire castle as Sora defeated Marluxia. Riku was immediately thereafter confronted by one of the final two members of the Organization left in Castle Oblivion, Zexion. Zexion told him that Sora was indeed in the castle, but asked if Riku would truly be able to confront his friend with the darkness nested in his heart. After all, the Keyblade wielder was tasked with ridding the worlds of darkness. Zexion gave Riku the card that would lead him to his old home on the Destiny Islands and told him to discover the answers on his own. As Zexion disappeared, Riku raised the world card in front of the world door and walked through, afraid of what fate might be in store for him back on his home islands, and beyond…

Now…

Riku found himself back on the Destiny Islands and took a seat on the oddly curved tree out on the tiny lone island across the bridge from the main island. He was surprised at just how much he had missed the island winds. There had been a time when he couldn’t wait to get off the islands, after all. And it wasn’t that long ago. Now, being in his memory’s version of home, he felt nothing but relief. Riku hopped down from the tree and noticed a few figures standing off in the distance. Was that…? Yep, it was his old friends Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie. Riku yelled out to his friends, but they seemed not to hear him, so Riku crossed the bridge back to the main island and ran up to the dock his old buddies were perched by. They still seemed not to notice Riku standing there. Riku asked what was with them. He couldn’t remember having ever seen the three of them so quiet before. His friends, however, continued to ignore him. Riku asked if he had something on his face, hoping to get a laugh, at least, but there was still no response. Riku grew frustrated and asked them what was going on. Suddenly, the three kids disappeared and Riku was left by himself with nothing but questions…well, except for the Key of Beginnings card that had appeared in his pocket. Confused, Riku began to explore the island. All of the Heartless present were already familiar to Riku, including the Darkballs, Creeper Plants, and Tornado Steps that infested the islands. Riku began making his way north, creating a Black Room, with Black Fungii Heartless, followed by a Tranquil Darkness room and a Martial Waking room. Having gone as far north as he could, Riku turned west and made Teeming Darkness and Looming Darkness rooms in quick succession to increase his power. Riku turned south next, using a Mingling Worlds card that created a Tranquil Darkness room. Riku found the Key to Beginnings door in the western part of the room, but chose instead to continue south by creating a Moment’s Reprieve room. With a place to collect himself before whatever may lie ahead, Riku moved east, first, into a Sleeping Darkness room, before backtracking to the Tranquil Darkness room and progressing through the Key of Beginnings door.

Riku found himself back on the bridge out to the lone island. As he ran across the bridge, he turned back and saw Kairi standing alone. Riku spoke his friend’s name, but Kairi looked back with a neutral expression on her face. Riku began to ask if Kairi was okay, but the girl suddenly disappeared, as his other friends had. Riku, frustrated with everything, shook his head until a voice from behind him made him turn around. Zexion stood there, saying that Riku surely knew that his friends would disappear. Zexion explained that Riku had been to a number of worlds from his memory prior to this one and had only met the Heartless in each of those worlds. All that was left in Riku’s heart was dark memories. Riku’s memories of home were completely gone! Riku denied it, saying that he remembered everyone from the islands just fine. Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, even Kairi and Sora! They were all his closest friends. Riku bowed his head though, realizing even as Zexion told him the truth, that Riku was the one who had thrown away his friends. Zexion wondered if Riku had forgotten his actions. Riku had destroyed his home! Riku was enveloped in the darkness before finding himself standing on a small piece of land floating in the sky as a dark vortex swirled in the sky, high above. Riku remembered that this was what the islands looked like on the night that they were destroyed. Zexion told him that all of the islands Riku had grown up on were sundered, scattered to the winds. Many hearts had forever been lost to the darkness, all because of what Riku had done. Zexion pointed to Riku’s right. Riku followed the direction Zexion was pointing in to see a version of himself standing there. Zexion reminded him that he had hated being an islander so much, he had opened the door to darkness and destroyed the islands. Riku had been pulled into the darkness then and now, he belonged to the darkness. Zexion commanded Riku to look upon what he truly was. A moment later, the figure of Riku that stood nearby sunk into a pool of darkness and arose, a giant Heartless in its place. Darkside! Riku found himself in battle with the giant Heartless. Darkside attacked in ways familiar to Sora, but not as familiar to Riku, who had never faced his like. Darkside’s fist slammed into the ground, creating a puddle of darkness that spawned Shadows from below. He also shot out dark fireballs that homed in on Riku as he jumped around his humongous foe. Darkside also slammed his fist into the ground, creating shockwaves. However, Riku’s agility and strength won the day for him as he earned the Darkside enemy card for his victory. Riku looked around after the battle and, after a couple of seconds, saw Sora standing near the edge of the island. Riku called out to him, but Sora would not answer. Suddenly, a door appeared behind Riku. Riku ran up to Sora and asked if he was alright when, out of nowhere, Sora slashed around with his Keyblade and knocked Riku back. Sora leaped towards Riku, who just barely got his own blade up in time to deflect Sora’s attack. Riku told Sora to stop and asked if he recognized his old friend. Sora said he recognized him just fine and could see exactly what Riku had become. Sora jumped back and raised his Keyblade, firing a beam of light from the end that knocked Riku to his back. Sora asked how the light could hurt Riku. Had his friend really become a creature of the dark? Sora decided he wasn’t Riku anymore. Just a pawn of the darkness. Sora, saddened, raised his Keyblade and told Riku that it was time for him to face the light! A blinding light spread out from the Keyblade and engulfed Riku, sending him spiraling down into the light. Riku felt like he was fading, fading away into the light, when suddenly, Kairi appeared to him and told him that he couldn’t fade. There was no power that could defeat him. Not the light, not the dark. She told him not to run from the light and not to fear the darkness because both would make him stronger. Riku had a hard time believing that both the light and dark would make him stronger. Kairi said that the darkness inside his heart was vast and deep, but, if he could, he should truly stare into it and never try to look away. She said that Riku would never have to be afraid of anything ever again. Riku said that, all this time, he had tried to push the darkness away. Kairi said that Riku simply needed to be brave. He had to acknowledge that the darkness was there and never give in to it. If Riku could do that, he would gain a strength that was unlike any other. He would be able to escape the deepest darkness and be able to see through the brightest light. She told him to follow the darkness, as it would show him the way to his friends. Riku asked if he would be able to face them. Suddenly, Kairi became a double image…well, no, not exactly. Namine briefly appeared beside Kairi as Kairi asked, in two voices, if he wanted to. Riku said that he did want to, of course. And he would, with his strength. His dark strength. Suddenly, Riku enveloped himself in darkness intentionally, slashing forward and escaping the light, to cut through what appeared to be Sora…until it spoke. It was the voice of Zexion! Zexion said that it was impossible that Riku had escaped as a darkness overtook the form of Sora and returned Zexion to his true form. Zexion collapsed to his knees and asked how it was that Riku had managed to find him when he was trapped in the light. Riku told him that he reeked of darkness. Even light couldn’t block the smell. He figured the darkness had guided him right to Zexion. Zexion said that it was absurd and that he would make Riku see that all his hopes were nothing but a mere illusion. Zexion attacked Riku as three books floated around him. Zexion attacked by making copies of himself and by sucking up Riku’s cards into a dark vortex. Riku countered by attacking the books that Zexion left floating around the area, allowing Riku to disrupt Zexion’s powers and attack the illusionist directly. After using some of his more potent dark sleights and attacking at every opportunity, Riku stood triumphant over Zexion and received the Zexion enemy card for his victory. Zexion was reduced to kneeling in front of Riku after the battle. Zexion said that, after all of Riku’s protests, he was still like the members of the Organization, on the side of darkness. Riku said that he knew exactly who and what he was. Zexion asked when that had happened. Riku had always been terrified of the dark before. Riku yelled that he wasn’t scared anymore and rushed Zexion, slashing through the Organization member, causing him to fade away. With Zexion defeated and finding himself back in the Tranquil Darkness room, Riku returned to the Teeming Darkness room where a doorway had appeared, leading into this world’s Conqueror’s Respite room. Riku readied himself for whatever may lay beyond the door back in to Castle Oblivion before walking through into the unknown.

As Riku climbed towards sublevel 2, Zexion reappeared in the Organization’s underground headquarters, injured. He wondered what exactly Riku was. Nobody had ever worn the darkness the way that Riku had. It was impossible! Suddenly, two dark portals opened up nearby as Axel and the Riku Replica appeared. Zexion was startled at first until he realized it was the Replica in front of him, not the real Riku. Zexion figured they could use the Riku Replica to defeat the real one. However, Axel did not respond, much to Zexion’s confusion. Instead, Axel asked the Replica if he wanted to be like the real one. As the Replica nodded, Axel told him that all he needed was the kind of power the real Riku didn’t have. If he could get that, he could be a new person. Not Riku, or anybody else. He wouldn’t just be a copy of someone, but he would be unique, his OWN self. Zexion was startled, wondering what exactly Axel was saying. Axel ignored Zexion and told the Replica that Zexion was as good a place as any to start. Zexion yelled at Axel, saying he couldn’t do this, but the Replica lunged forward and grabbed Zexion by his rob, raising him off of the ground. As the Replica radiated darkness, Axel apologized to Zexion, but said that he had found out way too much. Meanwhile, Riku arrived on sublevel 2, only to hear a voice call out to him. Riku asked who was there. The voice said that he knew Riku could feel the grip that he had on Riku’s heart. Riku had let in the darkness. That meant that, very soon, Riku’s heart would become an all-consuming darkness. Riku said that he wasn’t like that now, but the voice told him that he was. Suddenly, Riku’s limbs shot out to the side. Riku was unable to move due to the power of Ansem inside his body. Ansem told Riku that the deeper the darkness ran inside his body, the stronger Ansem would become. Controlling Riku was effortless. Suddenly, a ball of light appeared and transported into Riku’s body. Ansem cried out and asked if the presence must interfere again. Mickey! Riku was finally able to move again as Mickey’s voice said that he was sure glad he had made it in time, and that his presence should keep Ansem busy for awhile. Riku got to his feet and turned around to find King Mickey standing right in front of him, body and all. Mickey apologized that he hadn’t been able to come sooner. Riku asked if it was really Mickey as he reached out to touch the king’s face. Mickey laughed out loud and said that it tickled. Riku sighed in relief that Mickey had finally arrived and that he wasn’t an illusion, gladdened that Mickey had finally been able to make it into the castle. Mickey said that he had promised Riku that he would find a way. Riku dropped to the ground. Mickey started, but Riku told him not to worry. He was just relieved. He had been alone for so long that having someone else around was a little overwhelming. Riku asked Mickey how he had made it into the castle. Riku had thought it was too far. Mickey said that he had found a card to help him and pulled out another world card. He, himself, had needed a way out of the realm of darkness when, suddenly, the card had appeared right in front of him. When he had picked it up, he had been able to see Riku’s heart beyond the darkness. That was what had let Mickey find him and he figured the card thought it’s place was to be with Riku. Riku took hold of the card and looked at it, figuring Mickey might be right. With Mickey there to join in his fight and another world door in front of him, Riku walked up to the door and raised the card in front of it, opening his way forward into a town on the edge of light and darkness…