#he was torn apart too so i feel like keyblade weilders would always feel a little uneasy around him

[cinnabeat]

i love the idea that theres always gonna be something Slightly Off about ventus

[khtrashplatinumstars]

Ch. 11* ☆*~~~*☆

Location: Keyblade Graveyard

“Pain is being human Xemnas.”

“Really? It must take...incredible strength.”

To even hear this conversation over the rushing in her ears and the sound of her heartbeat was surprising. Lio was so focused on making certain that everyone landed safely, despite dropping everyone a good foot or two. She had gather the others by their links alone when by passing their battlefields along the way, landing where she had felt pieces of Xehanort disappearing. being parts of a Keyblade Weilder she could feel the small flickers of light within them disappearing, same as the rest of the Organization. If she was correct the younger time traveling one and the other, Ansem, were already dealt with, meaning that Xemnas disappearing was the final in the front lines for Xehanort’s army and judging by the fading feeling of his heart he too wasn’t long. All that was left was the old Master pawns in this fight.

A quick glance around the field, everyone was there and it didn’t seem that the sudden teleport nor drop seemed to throw them off too much. Wait, there were two missing, but she only felt one link snap.

“Wa, wait” She found it so hard to breathe her body felt like it was being ripped apart as she stumbled forward,nearly collapsing on top of Ventus, if Aqua and Terra hadn’t immediately reached out and helped her back to her feet.

“Are you all right?” Terra asked as she regained her footing.

Lio nodded, was no else feeling this suffocating magic?

“Luminary,” Xemnas called as those familiar pink eyes turned to him as his body begun to fade. “Olix wanted me to alert you that she is safe.”

Before Lio could respond the man was gone. Her gaze, along with everyone else on the battlefield turned to Xehanort high above them, twelve keys circling around him. The man’s voice was being drowned out by the rushing in her ears time and time again, only catching parts of his monologue, when she saw it. Something made her blood run cold.

 Kairi’s body.

“No…”

She watched in horror as the girl was stuck down. Through silence she watched the others attack Xehanort,being fended off easily, by the Master. The only sound that pierced through the silence was a scream of pain and anger, it was only when she found herself above Xehanort’s shield her leg raised in a high arch, angry tears in her eyes did she realized the scream was from herself as she swung her heel down, shattering the shield. Quickly pivoting as she pulled back her right arm, swinging forward without her gauntlet protection, punching through the second barrier put up to protect himself, which seemed to catch the man off guard as Lio grabbed the collar of his shirt pulling him forward.

“You’ve gone too far!” Lio hissed as she pulled him from his shield tossing him up.The Luminary flying after him refusing to give up her assault on the man.

The quick flow of strikes seemed to catch Xehanort off guard, use to go against a fighter who used a Keyblade and not Lio’s assault of punches and kicks. Even if he got to far away, she’d summon that annoying staff,transforming it to fulfill whatever need to get him back in range for her close combat.

“Enough!” Xehanort barked, as he swung pushing the woman away from himself, who jumped back her guard, refusing to drop as she glared at the man. “This is futile, Young Luminary. Even you are aware, that a Luminary can’t not use their weapon against a Keyblade Wielder.”

Lio huffed, he was right, Luminary’s were meant to protect their Keyblade Wielders, no matter the path one would take, “That may be true, but you’re not one of mine and you lost that title when you started this!” 

This time Xehanort was prepared for the Luminary to rush him, as he fainted with his blade, only to create a barrier. Lio hardly having enough time to stop herself landing against the barrier in a crouch, which triggered off an explosion sending the Luminary flying. This giving the old Master the time he needed.

“Kingdom Heart! I call upon your true form. Open now and show me the World to come!” He called as the X-Blade summoned darkness within the sky, illuminated only by the glowing heart that had taken the sun’s place.

“Stop!” Lio screamed her hand going to the X-Blade’s hilt. A surge of magic exploding around the two who refused to release the weapon.

“Foolish girl, you’re too late to stop it. Look at yourself.” Xehanort chuckled watching the woman struggle to keep herself together, cracks appearing in her skin, spread completely up her visible arm, and now creeping up her face, giving the same glow as Kingdom Hearts in the sky above them. “Eris was too foolish to have never told you that a Luminary is connected to Kingdom Hearts, you’re being torn apart from the inside out from the strength. She was always so busy trying to protect you from the outside world, from me. Going so far as to even put you in hiding and for what? To watch you fail, again.”

The brought Lio out of her rage,“What?” That split moment had the woman engulfed in light as she let out a gasp.

“Eraqus filled your head with such silly ideas, you alone should know that this is the only way.”

Lio swallowed a scream as wave after wave of magic flashed through her body further tearing it apart. “Don’t...don’t you dare speak ill of them!” 

“A foolish teacher and a foolish student.”

Another wave of magic flashed through the woman, as she struggled to hold onto the X-Blade before her. She didn’t want to believe Xehonart, but still she never figured how she ended up back in Stella Umbra.

“I suggest,” Xehanort chuckled, noting his opening, drawing back the X-Blade, before swinging down, “You take a seat.”

“Lio!” A cry came from the field below as Lio hurled to the ground.

 Aqua quickly casted a spell of ice, sending Ventus up toward the Luminary’s unconscious body hurling towards the ground, as Terra racing underneath the two. Ventus managed to grabbed a hold of Lio, the spell slowing their fall enough for Terra to leap grabbing the both of them before they could hit the ground.

“Lio.” Terra called, setting Ventus down as the other rushed over to them. “Lio, please wake up.”

The Luminary’s skin cracked like a broken vase, the light  of Kingdom Hearts spelling through the cracks, as hollowed pink eyes stared at Kingdom Hearts withing the sky. Her body gave a twitch as she gave a labored inhale, rapidly blinking her eyes as she panted heavily her body coming out of shock. Moving to stand as she collapsed surging with magic again and again, as she tried to get up and ignore the sensation of herself being torn apart but also keep herself together at the same time as she pulsed again and again.

“We have to go.” Lio whispered, her body flashing a bright light as more cracks appeared on her arms as she flinched at the magic running through her. “We have to go after him.”

“You’re not in any shape to do anything.” Axel stated watching Lio cling to Terra as she tried to get her feet underneath her.

Lio flinched closing her eyes tightly as she felt another surge of magic go through her, only relaxing and opening her eyes when she felt Terra squeeze her close to his chest, his heart racing against her open palm on his chest, a placid look to his face trying to hide his fear at her current condition. She knew the situation was bad, already having lost Kairi and Olix. Her eyes scanning the group trying to come up with some kind of plan to either get them out of there.

No! This was the final fight there was no backing down now. They had to make a stand here and now, Xehanort would not win.

That’s when she realized that the light surging through her was the same magic that her Keyblade Wielders used. Digging her heels into the ground, she stepped back from Terra, giving him a reassuring smile as she swayed a little. Placing a hand to her heart as she gathered the tether around her, ignoring the jolts of magic rushing through her. 

“Just because I’m down doesn’t mean you are.” She called, flashing a brighter light. Watching as everyone around her began to glow, her eyes locking with Sora’s, “He won’t win.”

Lio watched as everyone lined up before her, raising their Keyblades toward the heart within the sky. Watching as their combined powers pierced through Xehanort,as he was pressed through the sky. The battle field quickly becoming engulfed in darkness, as she quickly summoned her staff, collecting everyone as the field suddenly filled with light.

“Everyone all right!” Lio called, the ground was no longer underneath their feet, and she found herself in the middle of two tiers of their group. Their new battlefield was a sea of stars and despite the fact that she knew it was silent all around her she still heard the rush of what she could only believe to be Kingdom Hearts in the back of her mind. A quick check of tethers and she found all accounted for but one was flickering and bouncing around within the others. That’s when she noticed the missing brunette.

The woman shocked everyone as she suddenly released a massive halo around their group, only to find 13 figures surrounding them.

“Guards up everyone.” Aqua called, “These must be Xehanort’s XIII.”

“Lio, do you know where Sora is?” Riku called parrying one of the first attacks from their enemy's new form.

“His tether’s still intake.” Lio called without looking towards the silver haired youth as she shot a blast towards Roxas, who was parrying one of the XIII away from Xion, at the same time summoning a shield appearing behind Axel,who was covering Ventus. “I can’t pinpoint him at the moment, there’s a bit of interference but he’ll be safe wherever he is.”

“Are you sure?” Mickey inquired, noticing the Luminary’s skin was getting worse along with her pant.

“What about you?” Xion asked, watching the Luminary’s back, noticing the cracks along the shaft of Lio’s staff, the weapon no longer held in hand but being more of a beacon to keep the others drawn towards her.

“I’ll be fine,” Lio replied, a glance to her staff above her head, she figured that this form had held on long enough. It honestly should have shattered years ago, but the influx of power suddenly pumped into the owner was the tipping point. The woman hoped it won’t shatter just yet, sending another wave of magic forcing the XIII back, yet at the same time placed sparks of light within the others.

The Luminary watched as her Keyblade Wielders around her attacked and defended one another. The power of Kingdom Hearts filtering through her out into seven around her, mindful of being sure not to push to much on anyone at any time, yet also casting spells to fend off those of the XIII that might have gotten to for comfort, all while still attempting to pinpoint Sora and guide him back to where they currently were while he searched for whatever piece he needed. Not to mention the pain of trying to keep herself together. She absolutely refused to lose anyone else in this fight.

A flash of memory of her dragging Sora and Kairi back crossed her mind. She had hardly been able to reach out to them that time, only managing to snag their tethers before yanking them back to herself. A counter to the Spell of Awakening that Yen Sid had so carelessly supplied Sora with, and the youth had used it and ended in the afterworld! She in herself was almost stuck there when reaching out to them, wondering just how exactly it was that she survived, by all accounts it should have cut her life in half if not more.

“There you are!” Lio called suddenly, pulling up a shield around Sora and Riku as Sora reappeared, “Did you find it?”

Sora held the final piece up towards Lio, “That makes six.”

Lio gave a small cheer, only to watch as they were suddenly circled by the XIII. Casting a spell as she dragged everyone back towards her, creating a barrier around the barrier Aqua and the others had created, as the dark creatures stuck again and again.

“Uh, Ms. Luminary, we’ve got a problem.”Axel called, as the XIII made it through the first barrier and was now working on the second. Turning only to find Lio hunched over flashing a bright light again and again almost like a heartbeat that was getting faster.

“Lio,” Aqua gasped over her shoulder, not wishing to turn her eyes away from the enemy before her.

“Are you all right?” Terra called refusing to drop his guard if the creatures got through the barrier he was on the first lines to try and push them back.

Lio gasped time and time again,it was getting too hard to breath, each flash of light was temporarily blinding her again and again. Through unfocused eyes she watched as parts of the barrier surrounding them begun to shatter, she tried to keep them sealed in time, but with the XIII moving fast enough and working together, she herself trying to repair along with trying not to overload anyone with magic she found herself worried. She could hopefully get off another blast, it would maybe give the others enough time to escape, maybe she could teleport them away? No, with the amount of power going through her as well as her previous attempts at teleporting she was worried that someone would end up hurt or elsewhere, where she could put innocent lives in danger.

She would just have to leave this up to everyone else, they did wonderfully without her so far. She would trust them to end this fight. Crossing her arms at the wrist before her, she dragged in as much power as possible, ignoring the sounds of her body shattering, spilling further light as she hissed, “Be still!”

The XIII attacking the barrier froze as Lio  rose her arms, the cracks along the arms seeming to travel up her entire body at this point, bursting forth with light. A second spell surrounded the Keyblade Wielders around her individuality as she shined brightly. A circle of bright light surrounded everyone before exploding outwards sending the XIII flying managing to destroy most of them. The deafening silence suddenly filled with a resounding explosion.

The move being the tipping point as Lio immediately dropped into a comatose state. Unconsciously aware of all her Wielders but two being sent away, before she lost all their tethers.

‘Are you going to stay asleep?’

Lio huffed at the voice, it sounded so familiar, yet at the same time the inflection wasn’t one that she was used to hearing the voice in. Almost as if it was whispering to her.

‘They still need you.’

Lio managed to open her eyes at this, the overwhelming pressure of the magic of Kingdom Hearts was no longer effecting her and the cracks within her skin had disappeared along with the suffocating magic. She went looking for the voice but instead found herself surrounded by eight keyholes. Looking through each one, finding one of her Wielders in each one. She tried reaching out to them, but found a barrier within the way, no matter how many times she tried to grab them.

 Yet the voice calling to her didn’t belong to any of them. She found herself floating before a Keyhole of a familiar setting of the Keyblade Graveyard, finding two of her Wielders there instead of one. 

‘You’ve had them wait long enough.’

Lio turned as she heard the voice again, only to gasp as she felt a strong hand suddenly push into her back, forcing her through. She tried to turn at the last moment, yet only caught sight of a hooded figure, a soft smile was her farewell before the doorway closed to her.

Lio gave a grunt as she landed rather harshly, watching as the two she had seen turned towards her, “Looks like you found her, Starshine.” 

“Lio!” Sora and Kairi called rushing towards her, moving to hug her only to find that Kairi had passed through her.

“What, what’s happening?” Kairi gasped looking toward Sora and then Lio tears in her eyes.

“No, no don’t worry.” Lio smiled wanting to stop the panic, “You’re both fine, right now we’re still piecing everything together. We’ve got one more fight to go through, it will be a big one, but I’m sure that you’re aware of that.” She replied, holding out a hand towards Sora. “The others are on their way, but as of right now this last fight is yours Sora, will you be all right going in there alone?”

Sora smiled brightly, “As long as I got my friends I’m never alone.” He replied as Kairi took his hand. 

Lio gave a laugh, “That’s right, be safe. We’ll join you as soon as we can. You two look after each other.”

Sora nodded as he held Kairi’s hand tighter.

Lio rested a hand to his head, as the boy glew bright, she watched as the other Wielder's appeared behind the duo before her, “Let’s end this.” She called as Sora and Kairi disappeared.

“Lio!”

The Luminary looked up from where Sora and Kairi disappeared before her, finding the others racing towards her, clearly confused as to how they ended up back in the Graveyard of all places.

“Are you all right?” Terra asked, still not able to relax even when she assured him that she was.

“Are you feeling better?” Aqua inquired, noting that even though Kingdom Hearts was full, Lio no longer seemed affected by its power at least the cracks in her skin has disappeared and she appeared while again.

“Yeah.”

Axel blinked as he looked around, “What? Where are Sora and Kairi? They were just here.” 

Riku turned to the others as Lio motioned them towards herself as she moved towards the edge of the plateau they were standing on, “They were here right?”

Lio nodded, seeming to reassure Riku.

“As long as they’re together they’ll be all right.” Riku replied, as Lio gave a smile looking up towards Kingdom Hearts.

“But Kairi.” Xion muttered, only to look up and find Lio’s hand on her shoulder, something that Olix would do,they both did have a lot of the same quirks, that had brought back reassurance almost immediately. 

“Are you okay?” Ventus asked.

Everyone turned at the strange question, only to find Lio tears in her eyes, yet a bright smile on her face.

“Yes, we should follow Sora’s heart, the battle’s over.” She explained as her feet left the ground.