Kairi could barely see her surroundings as she floated in a vast white space, but she no longer cared. She had done it. She had destroyed the heart of the world, and with it, the world of the Fallen, and at the same time, the curse that was bearing down on her. Dracula had finally been defeated. It was all over.
Kairi then glanced to the side, barely catching a glimpse of the woman in the red robe with her back to her. The woman began to remove her hood and turn around, revealing herself to Kairi for the first time since their initial encounter in Radiant Garden. Even so, Kairi could only just make out the woman's identity before everything went white.
When Kairi regained consciousness, she was no longer in that strange place. Now they were inside a room. It didn't take Kairi long to recognize what that room was. It was the room next to Yen Sid's study. That meant she was in the Mystery Tower. That meant they had found her after destroying the Damned City. Although she didn't remember there being a bed there.
Kairi got out of bed and headed towards the bedroom door, but as she passed the mirror, she paused for a moment before quickly turning around. Kairi could hardly believe what she was seeing in her reflection.
Kairi was still in her Esper form, not her normal form. Looking at her reflection, Kairi saw that her arms and legs were still those of a bird, and she still had her large red wings. The only thing that had changed was her hair, which, although still long, was at least its original color. At least in the reflection, she could see that her eyes were blue, as they should be. That left no doubt that she was free from the curse she had suffered in that dark world.
Shaking her head, Kairi headed towards the door, opening it and crossing to the other side to reach Yen Sid's office.
"Seriously, you've never played poker before? What a rookie's luck!"
Kairi turned her gaze toward the voice, and there she could see Nick Fury, Airy, Makoto, and Eve playing cards at a small table. Makoto seemed to be winning. At the same time, she saw Edea and Nina talking to Master Aqua and Lea, while Rena and Priere spoke with Terra and Ventus. Meanwhile, Xion, Namine, and Roxas were observing everything.
“Kairi!” Xion exclaimed upon seeing Kairi in the room.
They all turned towards Kairi, who timidly waved.
“Kairi, you’re awake!” Makoto got up from the chair and ran towards Kairi, hugging her tightly, surprising Kairi.
Edea was the next to hug Kairi, while the rest approached her.
“Kairi, don’t scare us like that again,” Rena said with a smile.
Kairi started smiling as everyone else began to laugh, seeing that Kairi was okay.
“How did we get here?” Kairi asked, looking around.
"To be honest, I have no idea," Fury said as she approached.
“Director Fury!” Kairi exclaimed upon seeing the man.
“You’re right. The last thing I know is that we all woke up here,” Priere said.
“She's right, Kairi,” Yen Sid said as he approached. “All we found with you was a small letter bearing the symbol of the Lords of the Abyss. Luxuria’s, to be more precise.”
“Mother,” Kairi murmured upon hearing him.
“It’s true that it’s possible your mother helped you get here. But that’s just a theory.”
“Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!” Makoto exclaimed. “Believe me, I didn’t want to wake up in the middle of nowhere.”
“Hey, at most, we would have ended up in Traverse Town,” Kairi said.
“That’s where we first looked when that world was destroyed,” Aqua said. “Believe me, we turned the city upside down looking for you, and we only stopped when Yen Sid told us you were here.”
“Well, I suppose this could be considered a happy ending,” Airy said, crossing her arms behind her head.
“That’s right, but first we need to talk about something,” Yen Sid said.
Kairi smiled. Then they all moved in front of Yen Sid's table, as he sat down in his chair, with Fury beside him, the rest of them on one side of the room.
Yen Sid coughed a little before speaking. “Kairi, I must be frank. In this short time you’ve been traveling, you’ve handled the dangers you’ve encountered masterfully. Including finding allies who have helped you on your journey, Kairi.”
Kairi nodded as Yen Sid continued. “Despite all the obstacles you encountered, you not only managed to uncover your origins and your past, but you also faced Dracula’s forces. You even managed to defeat him, a former Keyblade wielder from the Fairy Tales era. If this had been a Mark of Mastery exam, you would have easily passed.”
Kairi and the others smiled upon hearing his words.
“But that’s not all, gentlemen.”
Everyone turned to the speaker, and Makoto let out an angry gasp. "Who let that guy in?"
Inquisitor Melek entered the room, walking through it until he stood next to Yen Sid.
“Makoto, let him speak,” Yen Sid said.
“Thank you, sir,” the Inquisitor said before turning his gaze to the girls. “I must admit that what you have done is admirable. And I don’t say that every day, mind you.”
“By the way, excuse me for interrupting. What happened to the population of that world?” Kairi asked.
“We have moved everyone to a world where they can rebuild their lives, far away from the Fallen,” Fury said.
“If you’ll allow me,” said the Inquisitor. “All that is very well and good. That’s why I hate being the one who has to point out the gorilla in the room.”
"With that smile, I highly doubt it," Airy said with a mischievous grin.
The Inquisitor chose to ignore her comment and continued speaking. “I must emphasize an event that has occurred recently. And I refer to the fact that our Princess of Heart, or the Phoenix's Daughter as some call her, has destroyed the heart of the Damned City. And I think I can say that this is something that has never happened among you. Isn’t that right?” Melek asked, gesturing to Aqua and the others.
They all looked at each other in bewilderment at the Inquisitor's words. And he had good reason to be. They had never heard of a case like this before.
“Honestly, this is more of a Heartless thing,” Lea said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But the fact that a Keybearer did it…”
“You’re right,” Yen Sid said. “Never in our history has this ever happened. Not once. What’s most troubling is that news of these events will soon reach the largest known colony of Keybearers, Scala Ad Caelum. As soon as they learn they possess the power to destroy the heart of a world, there will surely be a great uproar over them.”
"And those who know little about Keyblades might fear them even more if they know they can destroy their world without the need for Heartless or anything like that," Fury said.
“So what do you want us to do? We can’t undo what we’ve done!” Edea said.
“Our only solution at present lies in an old saying that many won’t like,” Yen Sid said after a brief pause. “No good deed goes unpunished.”
“What?” Nina asked.
“Really?” Xion asked.
“You can’t be serious!” Makoto exclaimed.
“But she practically just saved us all!” Airy exclaimed.
The rest also showed their rejection of the idea.
Yen Sid raised his hands to calm everyone down for a moment and let him continue.
“Yes, I know this isn’t a pleasant decision for everyone, but we have to consider the evidence. Using both her powers as the Princess of Heart and her Esper powers connected to her father, the supreme Eidolon Phoenix, she destroyed the heart of a world, thereby destroying an entire world. Whatever the reasons behind this, we’re talking about what could be considered a very serious crime. If there were no consequences for this, many would begin to believe that we can do whatever we want without regard for the consequences,” Yen Sid explained.
That left everyone speechless.
Edea then looked at Kairi. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
Kairi sighed, her eyes closed. “They’re right. Whether you like it or not, I’ve destroyed a world with my own hands. And it’s our duty to protect worlds from darkness, especially as Princess of Hearts. What kind of message will this send to others?”
Priere snorted at Kairi's words while shaking her head.
“Furthermore, it should also be noted that since then, Kairi has remained in her hybrid form, when she should have returned to her normal form,” Fury pointed out.
“Well, yes, she’s right about that,” Rena said as they all looked at Kairi.
“Yeah. The only thing that’s changed is the hair color,” Priere said. “It’s more likely to be reddish.”
“My theory is that pushing beyond the limits of your magic has caused your body to become stuck in that form,” Yen Sid said. “You could say you’re under the effects of residual magic, most likely created by your last attack.”
“Well, we have to do something. It can’t stay like this forever. What would happen if Sora and Riku happened to return right now and saw her like this?” Roxas asked.
Kairi blushed at that possibility, covering her face with her hands and instinctively doing the same with her body using her wings.
Xion stared for a moment until she approached Namine.
“Hey, do you think we could end up like her somehow?” Xion asked Namine.
“Well, I don’t know. Remember that you’re a replica of Sora formed from his memories of Kairi, and I’m her Nobody formed from Sora, so who knows if we could. Although I’m not saying no to seeing myself in that form,” Namine replied to Xion.
“You can’t be serious,” Lea remarked, looking at both of them, which made them both look at him.
At that moment, Melek coughed to get everyone's attention. "I think I could suggest an idea that could kill two birds with one stone."
Kairi began to lower her hands, letting her eyes peek out.
“In the Imperium of Man, we have a system for punishing those who commit a grave transgression,” Melek said.
“The Imperium! I knew you and those big guys looked familiar!” Lea exclaimed. “Goodness, you’re the only ones in the world who look like that.”
“I also know who you are, Axel of Organization XIII. We have a very detailed report about the mess you made the last time you were on an Imperial world,” Melek said, looking at Lea.
“Hey! It’s not my fault! You all caught me in the middle, and I had to defend myself!” Lea exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “I didn’t know that substance was so flammable!”
“And when was that?” Roxas asked.
“Before you and Sora,” Lea said.
“Inquisitor, could you tell us what this system is all about?” Fury interrupted.
“Very well,” Melek said, sighing deeply. “We call this system ‘Penitent Crusade.’ Basically, they have to carry out a mission without reinforcements and not return until they’ve completed their mission.”
“Hey! Are you seriously going to send her on a suicide mission?” Rena asked.
“That’s not what I meant,” said the Inquisitor, raising his hands. “But I would suggest something to resolve both problems, related to your ‘crime’ and her current form.”
“Are you suggesting that she continue going to other worlds until she can return to her normal form?” Fury asked the Inquisitor.
“As I said before, that way we’ll kill two birds with one stone,” Melek said. “Although I have no idea how long this could last.”
Yen Sid's eyes were closed in thought. "It might not be as bad an idea as it seems." Everyone looked at the wizard. "Perhaps Dracula has been defeated and his world destroyed. But in the short time the Damned City has been free of its prison, the dark influence of its master could have affected countless worlds in unforeseen ways. In some cases, those worlds might be able to solve the problem on their own. But other worlds might certainly need help."
Yen Sid gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling. “Furthermore, Dracula’s defeat has left a power vacuum that others could fill. We must be vigilant about that.”
“And what about Kairi’s form?” Edea asked.
“She could use her powers while traveling, draining that residual magic until it no longer has any effect on her. But she would still have to be careful, because now she won’t be able to access the power of the other Eidolons while she’s in this state,” Yen Sid explained.
“That makes sense,” Kairi said, looking at her hand.
Priere crossed her arms, looking away, while Nina put her hands on her waist.
“Don’t worry, you can go with her if you want. She doesn’t have to make this trip alone.” That cheered some of the girls up. “But I don’t think all of you will be able to join her this time.”
Kairi stared at Yen Sid, confused, when she heard him.
“The truth is…” Edea began. “I think it’s about time I went back to my world.” Kairi and the others looked at her. “I admit it’s been nice traveling with you. I’ve had a great time going between worlds!” she said with a smile, but then she looked down. “But there are people in my world who need me. Besides, I have to watch over someone until he regains consciousness. I promised it to a friend.”
“Edea,” Kairi murmured, looking at Edea.
“Well, the thing is, we’ll have to let it pass too,” Rena said, standing next to Eve. “I’m not saying we shouldn’t help other worlds, but we have a duty to our own.”
“We left our mission to help you with this, but I think it’s time to return to the others. We still have much to do in our world,” Eve said.
“Well, that’s something,” Makoto said.
“You won’t be able to go either, agent Nanaya,” Fury said, making Nanaya look at him in confusion. “I plan to assign you another mission.”
“Ow!” Makoto exclaimed, feeling down.
Kairi looked at the others. “And you?”
“I think I’ll go with you for now. I still have to find Croix, who knows where he is,” Priere said. “The others will be fine where they are now.”
“I could continue with you, Kairi. Besides, I’m interested in learning about other worlds. And I’m curious to see how you’ll adapt to that form,” Nina said.
“I’ll stick with you for a while,” Airy said. “Even though it would be easier to stay in Luxendarc, I still don’t feel ready to stay there.”
“I see,” Kairi said. Then she turned to Edea, Rena, Eve, and Makoto. “Well, I guess this is goodbye,” she said, placing a hand on her opposite arm.
At that moment, Edea hugged her, surprising Kairi.
“I will miss you,” Edea said sadly.
Then Kairi silently returned the hug, while everyone watched in a bittersweet mood. In that emotional moment, Priere looked at Airy.
“Are you crying?” Priere asked the fairy.
“No! I just got something in my eye!” Airy exclaimed, looking away.
Priere smiled maliciously at their reaction.
“I don’t want to ruin this moment, but I have a question,” Roxas said, making everyone look at him. “How are they going to travel between worlds if the Gummi Ship is where the seal was?”
Kairi put her hands to her head in panic. “Oh no, it’s true! We left the ship there! Chip and Dale are going to kill me for sure!”
They all put their hand to their forehead with their eyes closed.
“Don’t worry. We’ve already taken care of that ship. Although we did have to keep Stark and Xanatos away from it,” Fury said. Kairi sighed at his words.
“However, I was thinking of an alternative method of travel. One that was faster and safer than the Gummi Ship itself, without needing to go through the Lanes Between,” Yen Sid said.
“Another method?” Lea asked. “You’re not suggesting using a Corridor of Darkness, are you? I don’t think that’s very safe without protection.”
“Relax. It’s a safer and simpler method than that.” Yen Sid said, now looking at Kairi. “Kairi, point your Keyblade to one side of the room.”
Kairi looked at him, confused for a moment, but then nodded and, invoking Phoenix's Legacy, pointed the weapon toward one side of the room. Just then, Yen Sid clapped his hands once, a flash erupting, and a white aura enveloped the area where Kairi stood. Immediately, a beam of light shot forward from the Keyblade, striking in the middle of nowhere and creating a wall of brilliant white light that appeared at that point, surprising everyone.
“What is that?” Aqua asked.
“It’s something I prefer to call a Corridor of Light in this case. It has a similar function to the Corridor of Darkness, but this one is made of light, so it doesn’t suffer the same side effects as the former,” Yen Sid explained.
“And why weren’t we taught how to use it?” Kairi asked. “It could have saved us a lot of trouble.”
“Because, unlike the Corridors of Darkness, controlling the Corridor of Light requires exceptional skill in every aspect. Without mastery of its use, the luminous corridor could randomly lead you to other worlds, and not to the place you want to go,” Yen Sid said.
“Well, look, that’s one point in favor of the dark corridors,” Lea said, rubbing the back of her neck.
“However, I have used my magic to manipulate the way the Corridors of Light you can summon work. They will take you where you need to be. In every world you reach, something will be happening that requires your presence. You must investigate and find out what is going on. But I warn you, I could send you to a random world. It is a minimal probability, but the possibility exists.”
“I understand, master,” Kairi said, nodding her head.
“By the way, I’ve also redirected this Corridor of Light to a special place you might want to visit. After all, you won’t be able to return for a while. Take it as a reminder of what awaits you when you complete your task,” Yen Sid said.
Kairi nodded again before looking down the brightly lit hallway. At that moment, Priere put her arm around Kairi's neck.
“Ready to go?” Priere asked with a smile.
Nina and Airy also approached, standing beside her, ready to enter the bright hallway.
“Kairi!” Kairi turned around at the sound of Edea’s voice, who raised her hand in farewell. “Good riddance!” she said as Rena, Eve, and Makoto did the same.
Kairi smiled at them before turning away. Without further delay, she and the other three walked forward until they crossed the Corridor of Light, disappearing inside it as it vanished.
Everyone stood silently staring at the space where she had been before the bright hallway, until Edea spoke.
“Well, how do we get back?” Edea asked. Rena and Eve exchanged glances at that question.
“Don’t worry, ladies. We’ll take care of returning you to your worlds,” Fury said before looking at Makoto. “Agent Nanaya, as I told you before, I have a special mission for you.”
In the world of Luxendarc on Eternia, in front of Eternia's Central Command, Edea ran up the fortress steps to reach her father, Braev Lee, and her mother, Marher, who were waiting for her at the top. She hugged her mother tightly, while her father placed his hand on her shoulder, a proud smile on his face. Edea looked at her parents with a smile, just as fireworks appeared in the sky, announcing the return of the Eternia Marshal's daughter. The three of them watched the fireworks display.
In Elrios, inside a vast white city, Rena and Eve were talking with Elsword and Elesis in front of a large, dark portal in the middle of the city, while the others stepped through it first. After nodding in agreement, the four decided to go through the portal to the other side, heading into the unknown.
In Radiant Garden, Ansem the Wise, Leon, and the rest of the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee were gathered in front of the computer to discuss how to improve the city's situation, unaware that Elrena was watching them from the shadows before leaving.
In Twilight Town, Barret was gazing at the horizon from the station plaza with Marlene perched on his shoulder, both of them enjoying sea salt ice cream. Suddenly, Barret glanced up at the station tower and saw Lea, Roxas, Xion, and Isa also eating sea salt ice cream. He waved to them, looking up, and they all waved back.
In Agrabah, Aladdin was flying over the desert with Jasmine, while the Genie flew close behind, performing strange, romantic antics. Suddenly, they noticed snow falling all around them and saw Shiva flying past, leaving a trail of snow in her wake. The three of them waved to her.
In the Colosseum of Olympus, Hercules was having a friendly match with Ifrit in the arena, while Phil gave him advice and ideas from the stands. And he wasn't the only one, as the members of the Pucelle were also watching the fight, with Culotte enthusiastically cheering on Hercules.
In the Multiverse, Matt Hatter, Roxie, and Gomez explored a vast forested region, avoiding pits and wild animals in search of a villain, while Lord Tenoroc watched them from his prison.
In Atlantis, Milo and Kida were finishing carving a large rock with the drawing of the late king under the supervision of Ramuh, and using Kida's crystal, the rock began to rise into the sky above the city, which was beginning to regain some of its lost splendor.
In Nottingham, after the return of King Richard, Robin Hood and Lady Marian were married in the town church to the joy of the people, while Prince John, Hiss, and the former Sheriff were doing forced labor in a small quarry in the town.
In Gallowmere, Sir Daniel Fortesque was back in his mausoleum in the churchyard, returning to his eternal sleep, while Diabolos sat like a gargoyle above the crypt entrance. Meanwhile, his soul had traveled to the Hall of Heroes, where everyone celebrated his triumph over evil, with the skeleton attempting to drink a glass of wine with a grin.
In another dimension, Will and Kuran were running across a dark beach until they reached the entrance of a huge dark castle, where they encountered Null waiting for them at the entrance, taunting them and tempting them with a hand to fight.
In one of the forests of Eckmül in Troy, Lanfeust and his friends were locked in a battle against Thanos and his pirates. None of them realized at that moment that they were fighting alongside a sleeping Titan, hidden in the undergrowth.
At Avengers Tower, Stark was working on his holographic computer while Hulk and Thor fought amongst themselves, testing his patience. Meanwhile, an image of Alejandro appeared on one of the monitors, indicating that his whereabouts were unknown.
In Magnolia, at the Fairy Tail guild, things were as usual: a party with constant, nonstop fighting, Gray and Natsu at the center of it all, while Erza tried to restore order in her own way, though she always ended up making things worse. Meanwhile, Lucy tried to stay out of the chaos behind her, sitting at the bar talking to Mirajane.
In New York, the Ghostbusters were talking amongst themselves as they climbed into the Ecto-1, immediately speeding out of the building into the city traffic, while Slimer decided to follow them closely.
At the Alfea fairy school in Magix, the Winx were attending class, learning advanced subjects under the watchful eye of Professor Lev, while Faragonda watched from the side of the classroom.
Above the skies of Manhattan, the gargoyles of the Manhattan Clan flew over the city on their night patrol, while Eliza patrolled on the ground in her police vehicle, without anyone noticing the presence of their winged guardians above them.
In the past, Anakin and Obi-Wan were talking inside the bridge of the Venator cruiser as it went through hyperspace, having what appeared to be a heated conversation between them, while the crew carried on with their routine on the ship.
In Township, Ryu, Bow, Katt, and Sten were leaving town for a mercenary mission, while Deis watched them go from the window of the group's building. At the same time, Mina flew over the town, watched by the locals.
In the world where the Order of the Phoenix once lived, the evacuated population of the Damned City was beginning to rebuild their lives outside the influence of Dracula and his minions, looking forward to a brighter future for all. The Chapter Master of the Phoenix Guard watched the citizens from afar before turning to the ruins of the Phoenix Tower, where a statue of Kairi in her Esper form stood directly opposite the entrance, pointing skyward with a replica of the Phoenix Legacy in a triumphant pose.
On Destiny Islands, on the small island near the coast, Kairi was sitting on the palm tree watching the sunset, while Airy, Priere, and Nina were leaning against the palm tree watching the horizon.
“I have to admit it. This world is truly beautiful,” Airy said with a smile.
“It seems like a good place to live,” Nina said.
“Yes, it is. And despite being a small island, it’s my home,” Kairi said with a smile.
“I really could stay here all day,” Priere said with his eyes closed.
The four of them stayed there for a long time, until Kairi got up from the palm tree.
“Well, we’d better go,” Kairi said.
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye?” Nina asked. “Even to your friends and family?”
“And let them see me like this? Imagine the commotion it would cause!” Kairi said. “Anyway, the only two people I want to see right now aren’t back yet.” She smiled, gazing at the horizon. “But as soon as they are, I’ll be there. I promise.”
The girls nodded as they approached Kairi, who summoned the Corridor of Light with her Keyblade. She didn't know where it would send her, but right now she didn't care. The four of them soon stepped through the luminous corridor.
Towards a new adventure.
