The metal gates that had once blocked their path opened. Having defeated the remnants of Dracula's servants, the group could now advance deeper into the castle. They had to locate the place where Dracula was waiting for them.
But of course, they were halfway through the castle, and they had no idea where he could be. And if they started walking in every direction they could find, it would surely take them too long, especially with the whole place infested with Fallen.
Unless…
Kairi turned to Eve. "Did you happen to scan the castle?"
“It’s complicated. The place is too big for a thorough scan. It could take hours to scan the entire castle and get a map,” Eve explained. “But… I was able to detect several dark signals that stood out from the rest. And right now, several of those signals have disappeared.”
“It doesn’t take much thought to know who those signs belonged to,” Priere said.
“That’s right. Now, of all the signs in the castle, only two stand out above the rest,” Eve said.
Death and Dracula. Kairi already knew it could only be those two.
“And from what I can tell, the stronger of the two is at the very top of this castle,” Eve explained.
“Then we must go up,” Edea said. “What are we waiting for? Many people depend on us.”
Without further delay, the group began to move through the castle's interior, searching for a way to reach the very top. But that would be no easy task.
Legionaries, Armored Wargs, Sentinels, Guardians, Reditus Spectres, Iron Giants, Giant Bats, Hunters… the most powerful creatures among the Fallen guarded the castle's interior, prepared to defend every inch of the corridors to eliminate the group. But they, too, were prepared to fight tooth and nail to continue their advance through the cursed place.
In one of the castle's spacious stone rooms, after Edea had dealt with an Iron Giant using her katana, she noticed something on the floor grates in the room. As soon as she glanced through the grates, she jumped in fright.
“What’s wrong?” Nina asked.
“Look down there!” Edea pointed to the other side of the grates on the ground.
The group approached the bars, peering at what lay beneath them. It was difficult to see, as it seemed quite deep, but they soon understood why Edea had been startled.
Inacors. The bottom was infested with Inacors. And there weren't just three or a dozen. There were hundreds. Hundreds of Inacors piled up deep inside the castle beneath their feet, and there were possibly even more where they couldn't see them.
“So many Inacors,” Airy remarked upon seeing the sinister Incorporeals.
“Okay, if I’m not mistaken, those are the Nobody equivalent of the Fallen, right?” Makoto asked.
“That’s right, and the probability of one forming is very slim. It’s supposed to be a rarity in itself,” Eve said.
“That’s right. But do you have any idea how many Fallen must have been made to generate such a quantity of Inacors?” Eve asked. “The numbers themselves stagger me.”
“The Fallen are more numerous than we thought,” Kairi said, the group exchanging glances. “If we don’t defeat Dracula, none of the worlds in the Realm of Light can stop this army.”
“Neither those we know, nor any other world that could be considered fortified,” Makoto said. “I doubt even the gods of Olympus can stop this onslaught.”
“Neither they nor the Avengers,” Edea said.
“We need to hurry,” Nina said. “Hopefully, none of our enemies will think of sending the Inacors after us while we ascend.”
“Well, let’s go,” Kairi said.
The group began advancing again through the castle corridors, once more encountering the various Fallen guarding the place, against whom they were now quite adept at dispatching them without much trouble. The only real problem in this repetitive routine was the sheer number of enemies patrolling each of the castle's tunnels and passageways, which could easily exhaust anyone in their situation.
It was obvious they needed to find somewhere to catch their breath. No matter how much of a hurry they were in, or how eager they were to end it all, they needed to rest to regain their strength, or they would be too exhausted for the final battle. But the whole place was infested with enemies. And it didn't help that the layout of the castle rooms was completely haphazard.
But, strangely enough, the group managed to find an oddly bright room, unlike the rest of the castle, with a statue of an angel dominating the area. The strangest thing of all was that inside this room, there seemed to be no hint of darkness. Not even the presence of any enemy, as if darkness had no place in that small room. Given how tired they were, they decided not to overthink it and rested right there, sitting on the floor near the angel statue while Priere kept an eye on the entrance, hoping something might appear.
To their surprise, no enemy decided to enter the room and appear inside while they were resting, so they could afford to let their guard down and get some much-needed rest. During this time, the group began to talk amongst themselves, each of the girls trying to understand the existence of this strange room that served as a refuge in that place, but none of them could figure out why.
But Eve was able to scan the strange singularity of that room, and thanks to that, she discovered that several identical rooms existed throughout the castle. There was even one along the route they had taken to reach the pentagram room where they had fought Dracula's minions. They had simply overlooked it at the time. This knowledge pleased the group, especially Edea and Makoto. It meant they could map out a route between these rooms so they could reach them as they progressed through the castle, fighting the Fallen, and catch their breath from time to time.
Despite the urgency of the situation, Kairi couldn't object to the idea. Both Merlin and Master Aqua had taught her that one of a warrior's worst enemies was exhaustion. A powerful but weary warrior could have trouble against a weak but peak-fit one.
After regaining their strength, the group began to advance again through the castle corridors, encountering more of the Fallen who crossed their path. But eventually, the group managed to leave the castle's interior, now proceeding along stone walkways that extended around the exterior, connecting different parts of the fortress.
“Well, it feels good to have a change of scenery for a change,” Airy said, looking around.
“Yes, I was already feeling a bit claustrophobic in there,” Nina said, looking back.
“Don’t get used to it, we could end up back inside again,” Rena said.
“Seriously, this place is a real labyrinth!” Edea exclaimed.
“True, but every labyrinth has a path to the center,” Eve said.
“Eve, were you able to pinpoint Dracula’s location?” Kairi asked.
“I think I know where it might be,” Eve said, glancing up. “Do you see that structure up there?”
Eve pointed to a strange little tower that jutted out from the large main tower that crowned the fortress.
“That hanging guardhouse sticking out of the tower?” Priere asked.
“If I’m right, Dracula must be there,” Eve said. “The strongest signal is detected in that location.”
“Well, at least we know where we’re going,” Priere said, flapping her wings. “Anyone want to fly?”
“I highly doubt we can fly in from down here,” Nina said. “That guardhouse surely has some defense against aerial intruders. If we want to get in, we’ll have to use that walkway that connects the tower to the guardhouse.” She pointed to the connection between the guardhouse and the main tower.
“Well, seeing it that way…” Makoto said, looking at the large tower, noticing how it was connected to another tower with a clock on it. “It seems we can access the main tower if we go through what appears to be the clock tower.”
“Good thinking, Makoto,” Kairi said, looking down the path they were on. “And it looks like we’re heading in the direction of the clock tower. Let’s take advantage of this.”
“I just hope the bells don’t start ringing while we’re inside,” Airy said as the group headed towards the clock tower.
As soon as they entered the clock tower, the group saw that everything was identical to the rest of the castle. The only thing that distinguished it from the rest of the fortress was the large number of rotating gears and mechanisms one might find inside any clock tower. But here, everything was enormous. Even the gears themselves could be used as platforms to climb the tower.
But the problems were also within. Dozens of Fallen, including Skeleton Archers, Crossbow Armors, Bats, Lickers, and Stone Gargoyles, along with many other Fallen, guarded each section of the clock tower, making the ascent a grueling ordeal. Add to that the constant risk of falling to the ground from an enemy attack while climbing, and it became clear just how dangerous the place truly was.
To counter the enemy's threat, Rena, Nina, Airy, and Edea, using her Ranger skills, attacked from a distance with both arrows and ranged magic to eliminate any Fallen that might attack and threaten to bring the group down. The situation wasn't helped by the fact that some of the girls in the group began to feel dizzy as they ascended the perilous mechanical tower, a situation made worse by the appearance of all sorts of traps, from spikes on the walls to those embedded in the gears themselves.
Eventually, following the only path they could find at that moment, they managed to reach the top floor of the clock tower, which was a large room where they could also see the great clock of the tower, inverted from the interior point of view.
The group began looking around for a way to continue. But then Rena saw something approaching and jumped on top of Kairi, both of them falling to the ground. At that precise moment, Kairi saw a scythe whizz past, spinning right above them. They both quickly got up, and they all watched the scythe spin in the air like a boomerang before finally landing in the hands of a particular creature: a skeleton in a black robe with a sinister red glow in the hollows of its eyes, and a pair of black wings on its back.
Death.
“You. You were taking your sweet time showing up.” Edea said to Death.
“It’s a shame. I wanted to end this immediately,” Death said as it floated to the girls.
“With a surprise attack? I don’t know why I’m not surprised,” Priere said.
“I had planned to end this squabble painlessly and immediately. But it seems your friends want you to suffer unprecedented agony,” Death said to Kairi.
“If you really think that, then you’re even more stupid than people think you are,” Kairi said.
“You shouldn’t underestimate me, Princess of Heart. Until you awakened your Esper powers, I wasn’t able to lay a hand on you. But now nothing is stopping me from taking matters into my own hands,” Death warned.
"So? In case you can't see it, we outnumbered you eight to one," Makoto said.
“Perhaps, but let’s not forget that this is Death. It’s an adversary we shouldn’t underestimate for anything in this world,” Eve warned.
“You’re right. We’re practically talking about the second-in-command,” Nina said. “But I’m still worried about how someone managed to get Death to take orders from them.”
“When Master Dracula acquired his powers, he summoned me, and I answered his call,” said Death. “That is all you need to know.”
“So, your little secrets, huh?” Airy asked.
“Enough,” Kairi said, staring at Death. “Ever since our first encounter in Radiant Garden, you haven’t stopped haunting me with your monsters. But this ends here and now!” Kairi summoned her Keyblade and prepared to fight. The girls exchanged glances and also prepared for the confrontation, with Edea even taking on the role of Hunter.
However, Kairi extended her arm to the side, looking at the group. “Save yourselves for the real enemy. He’s mine!”
The others looked at Kairi, confused by her decision, but the reason was quite clear upon reflection. Death was the first enemy to directly attack Kairi some time ago, and now she intended to return the favor. With this in mind, the group moved away, searching for an exit from the room. Kairi, meanwhile, turned her gaze to Death, gripping her Keyblade tightly.
“You poor fool. That decision will be your downfall!” Death said to Kairi, as it held its scythe firmly.
Death lunged at Kairi, slashing horizontally with its scythe, but she dodged it by jumping over the attack, and taking advantage of that chance, she began to hit it with her keyblade several times until it used its weapon to block her attacks, finally pushing her back.
“Someone like you is a mistake that must be corrected!” Death exclaimed before hurling its scythe at her.
Kairi dodged by turning to the side to avoid the spinning weapon, though she had to repeat the maneuver when she saw the weapon return to her until it was back in Death's hands. Kairi wasted no time and began casting Firaga spells at her enemy, striking Death several times even though Death used her weapon to block some of the fireballs.
Death then raised its hand, causing several sickles to appear around it, floating in the air before it pointed its hand at Kairi, sending them flying in her direction. She, however, was able to dodge and block every single sickle Death sent against them.
“Twice you have returned from oblivion! There will not be a third time!” Death exclaimed before lunging at Kairi, slashing repeatedly with its scythe and forcing her to use her magic shield to block its attacks.
After blocking its attacks, Kairi launched an attack with her Keyblade against Death, but it vanished, reappearing a moment later above her head alongside several replicas of himself with his scythe raised above them. Suspecting what was about to happen, Kairi began to run, avoiding getting under the replicas, which launched a vertical attack against the ground, unleashing a pillar of energy where they struck, as at the same time as the replicas disappeared, leaving only the original Death.
After this, Death threw its scythe, but it began bouncing uncontrollably off walls and objects, making it almost unpredictable unless one focused on the weapon. After dodging the weapon several times, Kairi decided she'd had enough and unleashed her Esper Form, flying above the ground and avoiding the scythe until it returned to Death's grasp.
“You are nothing but an aberration that should never have been born!” Death exclaimed before extending its hand and causing dozens of sickles to appear and fly towards Kairi.
Kairi simply used her magic to destroy the scythes that were heading towards her, and took the opportunity to fly towards Death and hit it several times with her keyblade, but at the same time, avoiding several of its attacks with its scythe, finally moving away from each other.
After stepping back, Death hurled its scythe at Kairi, who had to dodge it, moving away from the weapon that seemed to have a life of its own. As soon as the weapon turned and returned to the Grim Reaper, it lunged at Kairi, unleashing a horizontal slash with its scythe, but she managed to dodge it by leaping over it and striking him with her Keyblade before retreating.
“I will exterminate the last vestige of the Order of the Phoenix!” Death exclaimed before throwing its scythe at Kairi.
When she dodged the weapon, the scythe began bouncing off the walls relentlessly, forcing Kairi to constantly watch its erratic movements to avoid being caught off guard from behind or the sides. Although in some instances the scythe passed too close to her, she received small cuts on her arms and legs as she tried to evade it. As soon as she had the chance, she used a Thundaga spell, striking Death to inflict further damage while she dodged the scythe.
When the weapon returned to Death, it generated a red orb in its hand, which he threw toward Kairi. Suspecting the worst, she moved away from the orb before it triggered a violent explosion of fire that consumed everything around it in front of Death.
“I will leave nothing of you! Nor of your friends!” Death exclaimed, watching the smoke dissipate.
Then Death looked up, seeing Kairi flying above it, before abruptly descending, clutching her Keyblade with both hands. In an instant, Kairi struck Death with all her might and magic, crashing to the ground.
Death's body shuddered momentarily after the powerful blow, its form slowly darkening until it became completely black. Then its silhouette began to slowly disintegrate until it vanished entirely as it let out a hoarse scream of agony.
Kairi breathed heavily after finally defeating the Grim Reaper, her torso bent and her hands on her knees. This enemy had been tough. How powerful would Dracula be in comparison?
“Kairi!” Rena exclaimed as she and Edea ran towards Kairi.
“Seriously, Kairi. You have no idea how glad I am to see you alive,” Edea said as she and Rena stood beside her. “But really, what were you thinking, facing that thing all by yourself?”
“This… was personal,” Kairi said, catching her breath. “It was the first to attack me, long before this began.” At that moment, Kairi reverted to her normal form.
“Understood. But next time, think of us before you go off on your own, okay?” Rena said, placing a hand on Kairi’s shoulder. “Now is not the time to go off on your own in this place.”
“I agree with you, Rena,” Kairi said as she stood up. “Come on, we still have a long way to go.”
Kairi started walking, followed by Rena and Edea, joining the rest of the group who were waiting for them at the exit of the ranch.
Resuming their journey, the group advanced through the clock tower's corridors, which seemed to descend from their current location, encountering more Fallen attempting to block their path. Nevertheless, the group pressed on until they were able to leave the tower via a stone walkway that appeared to lead to the main tower, whose entrance was guarded by a Guardian. Rena began by firing arrows at the Fallen, though it reacted by raising its shield. But Priere moved swiftly and struck the shield with its baton, exposing the Fallen. Nina seized the opportunity to cast one of her spells against the Guardian, destroying it and removing it from the way. With the path now clear, the group entered the main tower.
When they entered the main tower, the group was astonished by how different the interior was from the rest of the castle. The room itself was utterly immaculate and elegant, in stark contrast to the other rooms, adorned with countless paintings by various artists and in different styles, as well as suits of armor hanging stiffly on the walls like silent guardians, large wall-mounted cabinets, and enormous candelabras with lit candles.
Despite the luxuries, the place was still infested with Fallen guarding every corridor of the tower, including Armored Wargs, Legionaries, Reditus Spectres, Iron Giants, Hunters, and various Sentinels and Guardians who defended the corridors tooth and nail. These groups of defending Fallen seemed tougher than the other enemies the girls faced in the rest of the fortress, but they still managed to defeat them, mainly thanks to Priere's brute strength and Nina's magic.
At the same time, Kairi could feel the darkness growing stronger as they ascended the tower, a warning that Dracula was closer than ever. Reaching the highest areas required her to use her various Forms to confront the Fallen who stood in her way. But at least along the way, the girls managed to find some rest areas where they could replenish their energy. Something they constantly needed due to the fierce resistance they encountered.
After continuing onward and climbing the main tower, the group reached the top, where they found a small stone bridge with stairs leading up to a smaller tower connected to the main tower by the same bridge. Without hesitation, the group climbed the bridge's stairs to reach the tower, whose doors were locked before them.
Kairi stared at the doors. She needed no further proof that Dracula was just beyond them. The time had finally come to face him once and for all. Kairi breathed deeply, her eyes closed, gathering the strength to move forward. But then she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her turn around.
“Don’t worry, Kari,” Rena said, placing her hand on her shoulder. “You can count on us for this.”
“That’s right. We’ve come a long way, but we’re at the finish line now,” Edea said with a smile, giving a thumbs-up.
“We have faced and defeated all those who have stood in our way. To doubt our ability would be irrational,” Eve said, nodding her head as Moby and Leby floated beside her.
“I know what we are capable of, and that’s why I know we can defeat him,” Nina said, her hands behind her back.
“So what if we’re going to face the dark lord? We’re going to light up that cretin’s face!” Priere exclaimed, slamming her fist against her hand.
“I, for one, am ready for battle! When you are, let’s go in!” Makoto exclaimed, throwing a fist into the air.
“If everyone saw me right now, no one would believe it,” Airy said, receiving a look from Edea. “In any case, we’ve got your back.”
Kairi looked at the group, at the companions who had accompanied her since this dangerous journey began in Radiant Garden.
“Thank you. To all of you.” Kairi said, nodding her head.
Turning her gaze back to the tower gates, Kairi decided to move forward until she felt three hands land on her back and pull her forward, leaving her right in front of the gates. Surprised, she turned around, and for a brief moment, she thought she saw Sora and Riku, just like her mother, smiling as they looked at her before disappearing. At that moment, Kairi knew. It didn't matter where they were. Both Sora and Riku would encourage her in whatever she needed, just like her mother, in this life and the next.
Determined not to disappoint anyone else, Kairi turned to the doors. She placed her hands on them and began to push, causing the doors to slowly open, allowing the group to enter Dracula's stronghold.
At the same time, the hooded woman in the robes of the Order of the Phoenix stood silently watching from the foot of the stairs as the doors closed behind her.
The room was pitch black, making it impossible to see anything around them, but the group advanced slowly, their weapons ready for any surprise. Then, without warning, the room began to light up as candelabras attached to the pillars along the walls ignited with a sinister blue flame, until the entire area was illuminated, revealing a grand throne room decorated with demonic effigies on the walls.
And at the back of the throne room, seated on the throne itself, was Dracula himself, who was relaxed with his legs crossed and resting his head on one arm.
“It seems you have finally arrived,” Dracula said with a smile.
“You won’t be smiling so much when we’re done with you,” Edea said, pointing at Dracula.
He did not react to Edea's words, but simply stared at the group.
“Tell me, Dracula. Did you really imagine this scenario when you massacred the Order of the Phoenix?” Kairi asked Dracula.
Dracula sighed with his eyes closed before turning his gaze towards her.
“I simply did what I had to do,” Dracula replied, readjusting himself on the throne. “When the Gulgan told me everything that was going to happen, I knew that if I did nothing, not only would my plans fall apart, but I would simply get rid of the main problem.”
“But it didn’t turn out as you expected, did it?” Eve asked.
“That’s right,” Dracula replied to Eve before turning his attention to Kairi. “If Yen Sid hadn’t interfered, it would all have been over.”
“Both my grandmother and I would be dead, wouldn’t we?” Kairi said, gripping her keyblade tightly.
“No… I had planned to let the old woman live. She couldn’t be a threat.” Dracula leaned forward, his hands clasped before his face. “But you, you were a very special case.”
“Because was she the daughter of the Phoenix?” Nina asked.
“That’s right. The birth of an Esper is certainly very rare, and her power was practically dependent on the progenitor Eidolon,” Dracula replied. “At one point, I was tempted to let you live and raise you myself.”
“The mere thought of having you as a father makes my stomach revolve,” Kairi said, looking to the side.
Makoto then turned her gaze to Dracula. “So tell me, what was your grand plan? The one you didn’t want the Order of the Phoenix to ruin?”
Dracula closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again with his answer.
“The Keyblade War.”
“The Keyblade War?” Kairi asked, surprised by his answer. Did he really want to start a Keyblade War?
“That’s right.” Dracula settled back on the throne. “My plan was to use my army of Fallen to unleash a Keyblade War, hoping to recreate the 'Age of Fairy Tales'.”
“The Age of Fairy Tales,” Kairi said. “Merlin said it was the era that preceded the first Keyblade War and our current era. But then, why are you so interested in restoring that time?”
“That’s true. All that happened a long time ago. So long that no one could remember it,” Nina said.
“Oh, but I know it perfectly well,” said Dracula. “I come from there.”
“You’re crazy, man!” Priere exclaimed. “You can’t be that old!”
Dracula extended his hand toward a wall, causing it to light up, revealing what appeared to be a keyblade with a rectangular blue guard and a black hilt extending to a silver blade. The upper part of the blade had three protrusions: a five-pointed silver star forming the teeth, another with a single point on the opposite side, and the third, located at the tip, a simple silver orb. A small gold ring adorned the base of the blade, and a key ring in the shape of a gold star was also attached. Everyone was astonished to see the weapon on the wall.
“A Keyblade?!” Makoto asked. “But where did you get it?”
“It was mine,” Dracula replied, making them all turn to look at him. “It was the first one I got before I got a permanent one.”
“But then that means you are…” Edea began to speak until Dracula interrupted her.
“A Keyblade user? That’s right,” Dracula replied. “Furthermore, I participated in the First Keyblade War many years ago.”
“If that’s the case, how come you’re still alive?” Airy asked. “As far as I know, all that happened millennia ago.”
“Certainly, under normal circumstances, it would be so,” Dracula said. “When the war ended, I was one of the few who managed to survive the conflict that destroyed the known world. At that moment, I felt betrayed. Everything I had fought for was destroyed by the arrogance of a few. All of that caused darkness to consume me. It was then that I encountered Death, who was drawn to my darkness as much as to my natural power.”
“Over time, I began to create the Fallen with the help of Death and those who approached me for my power. Eventually, I ended up becoming the being I am right now, taking the name Dracula, which means like the Devil. Because now I am the devil that the light abandoned,” Dracula explained.
“Over time, I deduced that if I wanted to restore the old era, I would have to unleash a war like the one that destroyed it in the first place. And I had the army ready for it.” Dracula clenched his fist.
“But then you destroyed the Order of the Phoenix, and your world was sealed for sixteen years,” Kairi said.
“That’s right,” Dracula said. “Although I must admit that Xehanort’s approach to his two wars was quite successful.”
“Do you know Xehanort?” Kairi asked.
“That’s right. He visited my world long ago, before all of this. I was surprised by how interested he was in the age of fairy tales. We could have accomplished great things if we’d had the chance.” Dracula closed his eyes, looking upwards.
“But that’s the past.” He said, turning his gaze to Kairi and the girls. “Now I have the opportunity to plunge the worlds into darkness and unleash a new Keyblade War. One so great it will change the map forever.”
Kairi pointed her keyblade at Dracula. "That's not going to happen. I assure you!"
Dracula began to laugh at Kairi's words. As soon as he stopped, Dracula rose from his throne.
“It doesn’t matter what you try. I have everything prepared, Daughter of the Phoenix. Today will be the day the darkness rises!” Dracula extended his arm to one side, moving his cape aside.
Kairi prepared to attack Dracula, but he vanished in a pillar of light, suddenly reappearing elsewhere in the room. He spread his cloak to one side, unleashing a barrage of fireballs that forced those in their path to move aside. Rena seized the opportunity to fire several elemental arrows, but he shielded himself with his cloak, attempting to lessen the damage, until he vanished once more.
“Everyone, be careful! It could appear anywhere!” Eve warned, looking around.
Just then, Dracula reappeared, repeating the same gesture with his cape, but this time launching icicles in an arc forward like arrows. They were all lucky to dodge the attack, although Nina and Airy had to fly to avoid them, although they wasted no time and used their magic to strike him before he disappeared again.
After reappearing, Dracula raised his hand, causing dozens of electric orbs to appear in the sky, which immediately descended like lightning bolts, striking the ground below. Edea was nearly struck by one of the bolts, though Makoto was hit directly by one, stunned by the electrocution. However, Edea, using her White Mage skills, used Curaga to heal her from the attack, though this gave Dracula time to disappear again.
When Dracula reappeared, he extended his hand forward, causing crystal spikes to erupt from the ground toward Kairi, forcing her to move to avoid the relentless spikes that pursued her. Priere and Makoto, having recovered, had to break the remaining spikes on the ground, while the rest of the group had to evade Kairi and the crystal spikes that chased her. Fortunately, Rena shot several arrows at him, breaking his concentration with the impacts and forcing him to teleport away once more.
Eve was quick to detect him approaching, but before she could use any of her weapons, she had to use her shield to protect herself. She saw Dracula use his cloak like a claw to attack her, the force of the blow knocking her back. At that moment, Edea cast a Holy spell at him, striking him directly and forcing him to hide behind his cloak to mitigate some of the damage before vanishing again.
After reappearing, Dracula raised his hand, causing a ring of fire to erupt around the group, trapping them inside with no way to escape or attack. With another flick of his wrist, a massive pillar of fire began to rise from beneath Airy, who was fortunate enough to fly to the side to avoid the flames. Just as the pillar subsided, the ring of fire vanished.
“This cretin is really getting on my nerves,” Priere said, looking around.
“Don’t lose focus. Attack when you have the chance.” Kairi said, ready with her keyblade as she spun around him.
As soon as Dracula reappeared, he spread his cape to the sides while summoning several fire rocks that flew toward the group. The group moved out of the path of the burning rocks, and they were right to do so, because after flying some distance, the rocks caused a powerful explosion of fire around them, nearly catching the girls by surprise. After avoiding the attack, Kairi tried to attack Dracula, but he immediately teleported to another part of the room.
Upon reappearing, Dracula unleashed his barrage of fireballs at them, but this time Priere used her magic to fire a laser that blocked the fireballs. Simultaneously, Airy cast a spell against him, taking advantage of the distraction, until he teleported to another part of the room, from where he launched his icicles at them. Nina countered the attack by using one of her fire spells as a barrier against the ice attack, while Rena fired her strongest arrows at him.
After teleporting to another location in the room and beginning to summon descending thunder, the group began to spread out to evade the attack, while Edea used the opportunity to launch another Holy at him, forcing him to vanish. Upon reappearing, he sent his stakes toward Eve, who began to fly to avoid the attack, just as Priere hurled her baton charged with dark energy to strike him with force.
After another teleportation, Kairi noticed Dracula's presence behind her, ducking to avoid his attack with the cape, taking the opportunity to hit him with her keyblade, while Makoto lunged to hit him as well with her tonfas until he teleported away.
After reappearing, Dracula created a new ring of fire, trapping the girls inside, and then summoned his pillar of fire beneath Kairi. Fortunately, she managed to evade the attack, and this time Nina and Airy used their magic to attack him from above the ring of fire before forcing him to disappear.
Dracula quickly unleashed his fire rocks after reappearing, forcing them to retreat before they exploded nearby. But this time, Kairi launched an attack against him, supported by Rena's arrows and Nina's magic, managing to land several blows before he teleported away.
When Dracula reappeared, he didn't launch his fireballs, but instead unleashed a fiery explosion around him that caught them by surprise. Priere and Airy, in particular, were struck by the attack. Fortunately, Edea was nearby and healed them in time while Dracula teleported away.
After reappearing, Dracula raised his hand, causing electric orbs to appear again, but this time these orbs were right where the girls were, forcing them to constantly move to avoid them when they fell, since when they hit the ground, another orb appeared in the place where they were, repeating the attack several times.
As soon as he reappeared, Dracula prepared to launch another of his attacks, but Kairi anticipated him and delivered a powerful series of blows with her keyblade, eventually bringing him to his knees.
“Not bad at all, young lady,” Dracula said as he recovered from the blows Kairi had inflicted. “It seems I underestimated you. You are stronger than I thought.”
Kairi prepared to hit him again, but she immediately backed away when Dracula stood up.
“But don’t think you’ve won. I haven’t yet shown my full power,” Dracula said, extending his arms and generating a dark aura that covered the entire room.
When the darkness dissipated, the group found themselves in a different place, resembling a wasteland of red sand with a red moon in the sky. And before them now stood an enormous, dark, bat-like demon with wings on its arms and two horns on its head. The demon roared loudly at the girls.
“Is that thing really Dracula?” Edea asked upon seeing the enormous monster.
“It seems so,” Priere said. “One thing is clear. It’s uglier than before.”
"Whether it's Dracula or not, he won't defeat us so easily!" Kairi exclaimed, gripping her keyblade tightly.
The monster Dracula had become charged energy in his claws, immediately unleashing an electrical wave at them, causing the girls to scatter to the sides to avoid it. As soon as they had the chance, Kairi, Priere, and Makoto launched themselves at him to strike with all their might, but then Dracula exhaled a curtain of flames from his mouth, forcing them back to escape the blaze.
Rena, Eve, Nina, and Airy attacked from a distance with whatever they had at their disposal, impacting the monster's body with each of their attacks until it leaped high, causing a wave of dark energy around it after landing hard, forcing them to move away from it.
At that moment, Kairi leaped at him and began striking him with her Keyblade until he started slashing wildly at her, forcing her to defend herself from his claws, though she ended up getting scratched in the attack. Fortunately, Edea still possessed the skills of a White Mage and used them to heal her wounds.
Dracula began charging energy in his mouth, immediately firing a laser beam forward, forcing Kairi and the others to duck to avoid the blast. After dodging it, Rena began firing mana arrows at him until he leaped again, forcing them to move to avoid the dark wave that appeared after he landed.
Kairi began casting several high-level elemental spells, maintaining her distance from all of Dracula's attacks, but then Dracula let out a deafening roar. For a moment, Kairi felt all her senses go blank, unable to think clearly until the strange sensation subsided. And it seemed everyone had suffered the same effect, as some, like Airy and Makoto, shook their heads with their hands.
“This is a joke, right? Can he really stun us with a roar?” Edea asked, rubbing her head after recovering from the sensation.
Taking advantage of the situation, Dracula began charging his laser breath as he faced Eve. However, she quickly recovered and deployed her energy shield to deflect the laser attack that the monster unleashed upon her. Having also recovered from the numbness, Makoto charged at the monster and began repeatedly striking him with her fists and tonfas, quickly retreating when Dracula unleashed his fire breath around him to push her away.
The monster leaped again, shifting to another location, this time near Nina, who had to fly to avoid both the dark shockwave from its landing and its repeated swipes, using the distance to unleash her Sirocco magic against it. Priere seized the opportunity to use her demonic power to damage the monster, until she moved aside to avoid the electric shockwave Dracula unleashed against her. At the same time, Edea used that moment to cast a Holy at his back.
Dracula began preparing his laser breath, this time targeting Airy, who had to use her Zeta Flare magic to block the monster's attack, while Priere and Makoto began to physically attack him. But at that moment, the monster unleashed a deafening roar that stunned them all, leaving them at the mercy of the creature and its next attack, as it turned on Makoto and Priere and struck them with its claws, seriously injuring them and sending them crashing to the ground.
“Oh no! I’ve had enough!” Kairi exclaimed, frowning.
Seeing the situation and after recovering, Kairi unleashed her Esper Form and flung herself at Dracula, restraining him and forcing him back with blows from her Keyblade. Taking advantage of the moment, Edea began healing both Priere and Makoto, who groaned from the tremendous blow they had received.
Taking advantage of the opening Kairi's attacks had created for Dracula, Nina began unleashing her magic against him, careful not to hit Kairi, while Eve used her Nasod weapons to attack him from behind. The monster leaped again, dodging the three attacks and landing elsewhere, and threw his electric wave at Edea, who barely had time to react, narrowly avoiding the attack.
Kairi began attacking him again with her Keyblade and magic, soaring above the monster as he unleashed his fire-breathing fire around him, using her height to strike him repeatedly. And as soon as Kairi saw the monster about to roar again, she swooped down at him, striking him with all her might to silence his roar, before plunging her Keyblade into his chest. After that impact, a dark aura enveloped both Dracula and Kairi, consuming them as a powerful wind swept the rest of the group away.
When the darkness faded, Kairi found herself alone in a new room, resembling a white-walled space with painted images. The room seemed very spacious, and quite strange for where she was. Kairi, still in her Esper Form, began to look around to see if she could spot anyone else.
“Don’t bother. We’re all alone here.”
Kairi turned around upon hearing Dracula's voice, but instead of seeing him in his human form, he was wearing black and red armor that reminded her of Aqua and Terra's armor, but themed around bats.
“What is this place?” Kairi asked.
“You could say we’re at the midpoint between the real world… and whatever lies beyond,” Dracula replied as he began to take steps.
Kairi kept staring at Dracula in case he tried any tricks.
“Honestly, I don’t understand the problem with all of this,” Dracula began as he walked. “All I truly wish is for everything to go back to the way it was before that war that ruined everything.” He turned to Kairi. “We are all victims here. If it weren’t for the impulsive actions of those in charge back then, none of this would have happened.”
“It’s possible their actions left the worlds as they are… but starting another war isn’t the solution, because I’ve already been through one,” Kairi said. “Besides, the crimes you’ve committed are unforgivable, and I won’t let this go! Your reign of terror ends here!”
Dracula began to laugh at Kairi's words.
“It doesn’t matter what you try, my dear. If you want to avenge the dead, go ahead. After all, fate has already decided.” Dracula extended his hand, summoning a dark-looking, bat-like keyblade, which he held in one hand.
Kairi also readied her Keyblade, waiting for him to make the first move while maintaining her distance. Just as she suspected, Dracula lunged at her, unleashing several vertical blows, both upward and downward, which she dodged by moving to the side. He then launched several rapid horizontal strikes at her, forcing her to block them with her own weapon. Seizing an opening, Kairi began striking him repeatedly with her Keyblade until he swiftly blocked her attacks with his own weapon. As soon as she attempted another attack, Dracula delivered an upward blow that sent her flying before slamming her to the ground with another strike.
Kairi groaned, a hand on her head, after those two blows, making it clear that attacking blindly wasn't a good idea. She needed to know when to strike and when to retreat to avoid another similar surprise. After getting to her feet, Kairi backed away from him as he began launching his physical attacks, both vertical and horizontal, until she found an opening to strike again and land several blows. But this time, when she blocked his weapon, it retreated instead of continuing its attack.
Dracula chuckled softly, seeing that Kairi had learned her lesson, and began advancing toward her, unleashing swift thrusts with his Keyblade. Kairi was forced to block each attack until the final blow sent her flying several meters back. At that moment, Kairi unleashed several Firaga attacks at him, some hitting him, but others being blocked by his Keyblade. Despite these blows, Dracula lunged at Kairi, slashing across her blade in a cross pattern, leaving a dark trail in his wake even when he missed. Kairi immediately moved away just in time before the dark trail exploded.
Dracula launched another attack at her, but this time Kairi blocked every blow, unleashing a fierce counterattack whenever she had the chance, ultimately sending him flying with her final strike. Dracula then began to loosen his shoulders and head, clutching one shoulder with his hand as he chuckled softly. He then spun his Keyblade behind him at high speed, creating a suction effect that drew Kairi toward him. She quickly shielded herself with a magical barrier just as he unleashed an upward slash, avoiding being sent flying. However, she then had to retreat to avoid a downward strike from Dracula as he hit the ground with his Keyblade. He then unleashed a dark wave forward that caught Kairi by surprise, striking her in the process.
After receiving that blow, Kairi responded with a direct Blizzaga towards him which hit directly, but Dracula quickly responded by first launching several Firaga and Blizzaga towards Kairi, forcing her to create a barrier to block the spells, which she did well because several Thundaga fell on the place where she was, and it could have ended badly if she had not been inside that barrier.
Dracula then began launching vertical attacks at Kairi, which she blocked with her Keyblade, until he unleashed a powerful downward strike that caused a dark explosion at the point of impact, pushing Kairi back. Taking advantage of the opening, Dracula began throwing horizontal strikes with his weapon, finishing his combo by throwing his Keyblade, which spun around him, striking Kairi with these attacks.
After being attacked, Kairi used Curaga on herself to heal her wounds, though Dracula used this opportunity to unleash his absorbing vortex, pulling her toward him. This time, however, she dodged both the upward attack and the downward plunge and subsequent explosion, giving her the chance to strike him several times with her own Keyblade until her attacks were blocked by Dracula's weapon. He then began launching rapid thrusts at her, forcing her to dodge each attack.
Deciding to change tactics, Kairi took flight using her wings and began attacking him with her magic. He responded by unleashing his Firaga and Blizzaga spells on her, followed by several Thundaga attacks in the area where she stood. After dodging his attacks, she saw Dracula raise his Keyblade, causing a fire tornado to form on the ground beneath her. She was forced to fly to the side to avoid it, but at the same time, Dracula leaped toward her and began unleashing horizontal slashes with his weapon. She was forced to defend herself with her Keyblade until he slammed her back to the ground with a powerful downward blow. Kairi managed to cushion the impact with a strong flap of her wings before landing.
When Dracula landed, he began unleashing his cross-slashes at Kairi, leaving behind a dark trail that exploded later, easily dodging it. Seizing the opportunity, Kairi struck him several times with her Keyblade until it was blocked by his weapon. But instead of continuing her attack or retreating, Kairi leaped over him with a somersault and began striking him from behind, sending him flying with the final blow, though he managed to avoid hitting the ground.
Dracula recovered from the last attack, facing Kairi and provoking her with a smirk, though Kairi chose not to take the bait. Then, Dracula threw his Keyblade at her before vanishing. Suspecting something was amiss, Kairi dodged the Keyblade and backed away, at which point Dracula reappeared, seized her, and began slashing the ground with downward slashes that sent energy waves hurtling in the direction of each strike, forcing Kairi to dodge the waves hurtling toward her.
After dodging his attacks, Kairi counterattacked, launching her spells at him. He responded by sending his own magic at her, but she blocked it with her magic barrier. From a distance, Dracula hurled his Keyblade at her, this time unleashing both vertical and horizontal attacks after disappearing and reappearing. Kairi prepared herself and began striking him repeatedly until he blocked her attacks. However, Dracula then began spinning his Keyblade around himself at high speed, creating a cutting vortex that nearly struck Kairi had she not blocked it with her own Keyblade. The final blow sent her flying.
At that moment, Dracula threw his Keyblade before vanishing toward her. She dodged it effortlessly, ready to attack again as soon as he reappeared. But just as he reappeared and she grabbed the Keyblade, Dracula began concentrating immense power at its tip. Sensing the danger, Kairi flew away just before he slammed his weapon into the ground, causing a powerful explosion around her.
After the attack, Dracula began casting his Firaga, Blizzaga, and Thundaga spells at her, which Kairi easily dodged. The moment he began summoning the fire tornado beneath Kairi, she seized the opportunity to attack him with a swift combo of blows until she was stopped by Dracula's Keyblade. She immediately retreated before he could unleash his vortex of slashes around her, noticing how the attack was pulling her toward him, forcing her to use her wings to move further away.
After finishing his attack, Dracula threw his Keyblade at Kairi again before vanishing. Dodging the thrown weapon, Kairi braced herself for whatever he would use this time. Upon reappearing, Dracula began pulling her toward him with his absorbing vortex, but this time, Kairi decided to surprise him. She threw her Keyblade at him, teleporting herself to it and striking him repeatedly until Dracula blocked her attacks.
Dracula hurled his Keyblade at Kairi again before vanishing. Reappearing near her, he began charging his magic into the tip of his weapon, ready to unleash his explosive attack, but Kairi countered with her most powerful attack, creating a massive burst of fire that stopped him.
Following this attack, Dracula gripped his Keyblade with both hands, pointing it at Kairi. She quickly recognized the maneuver and his intentions, so she decided to respond in kind, aiming her attack at Dracula. Then, dozens of meteors appeared on one side of the room, while dozens of orbs of light appeared on the other. Immediately, both attacks began to rain down on the ground, causing explosions across the battlefield. As these explosions unfolded, Dracula and Kairi clashed their weapons together, dodging each blast and sometimes using them as cover for their next attacks.
When the mutual attack ended and the explosions ceased, Kairi saw Dracula channel all his power into his Keyblade, unleashing a beam of dark light at her. Kairi did the same, firing a beam of light in his direction, both attacks colliding and clashing. For a moment, it seemed Dracula's attack was gaining ground, drawing dangerously close to Kairi. But using all her strength, the beam of light turned red and began pushing back the dark beam until it reached Dracula and struck him directly in the chest, while a brilliant, phoenix-like figure emerged from behind him.
After this, Dracula dropped his Keyblade, which vanished, as he placed his hands on his chest and staggered backward, dark smoke beginning to envelop him. Then he extended his unsteady hand toward Kairi, who gazed at him coldly.
“The darkness… will never… disappear.”
After those words, Dracula's armor exploded in a blast of darkness, pieces of it flying in all directions, causing Kairi to shield herself from the blast. Then she turned her gaze to where Dracula had stood moments before. Kairi collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily, her hands pressed against the ground.
He had done it. He had defeated Dracula once and for all. Both his mother and the Order of the Phoenix had finally been avenged.
Kairi returned to her original form at the same time as everything around her began to change and transform, becoming the throne room where her fight began.
“Kairi!”
Rena's voice echoed behind Kairi as she and the rest of the group rushed toward her. Standing beside her, Rena and Makoto knelt, placing their hands on her shoulders.
“Kairi, are you okay?” Makoto asked Kairi.
Kairi turned her gaze to Makoto as she breathed heavily, nodding her head.
“You did it, Kairi,” Rena said. “You beat him. You beat Dracula.”
Kairi turned her gaze to Rena, showing a smile on her face.
The other girls were immediately pleased. Priere and Nina smiled at each other, while Edea patted Eve on the shoulder as Eve looked back, and Airy crossed her hands behind her head with a smile on her face.
Kairi prepared to get up so she could leave this place once and for all. But then something happened.
A sinister laugh echoed in the darkness of the room.
Suddenly, Kairi clutched her head, screaming in pain, startling the rest of the group. She felt an indescribable pain in her head, as if something were trying to force its way inside. She immediately placed her hand on her chest, as if something were violently trying to pierce her heart. The sensation was very strange. As if darkness were consuming her. As if her light were fading away.
When that horrible feeling subsided, Kairi began to breathe heavily, placing her hands on the ground. Makoto stood in front of her, putting her hands on Kairi's shoulders as she looked at her with concern.
“Kairi! Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Makoto began to ask her, her concern being more than palpable in her voice.
After taking a few deep breaths, Kairi lifted her head, looking back at Makoto. The squirrel girl stared at Kairi in shock as she met her eyes. Kairi's eyes were no longer blue.
They had turned red.
