In a cataclysm known as the Nightfall, the worlds were almost completely destroyed by a harrowing surge of darkness.
In the shadows of the ensuing chaos a new group has taken shape. Led by an Aegyl named Kalos, the 11th Hour touts an esoteric knowledge of how to combat the darkness and restore the worlds. They might be the worlds’ best chance at survival; but nobody really knows enough about them to confirm or deny their claims.
On the brink of collapse, the universe holds its breath in anticipation. Of restoration? Of destruction? It is up to individuals like yourself to decide.
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There aren't enough praises in the world I'd like to give to wonderful coders for the Proboards community. The following have contributed to World Destiny in some way: W3 Schools for countless how-tos and countless of other souls who have helped get WD up to where it is.
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[/right][/b] A beam of light fell from the sky, striking down right on the back alley of the Marketplace of Radiant Garden. Inside it, a boy in armor materialized, sword at his side. As the beam disappeared, Tidus could fully be seen, shaking his sandy hair out of his eyes, and his trademark grin on his face. As he hefted his sword on his shoulder, he looked around, observing the new world. Determining that there were no threats, he sheathed his sword on his back and walked down the staircase, seeing the active marketplace in front of him.
As he walked down the stairs, he went to the first shop and rang the bell. Within seconds, the storekeeper walked forward, saying, "How can I hel..." Then, when he saw the Disney insignia on Tidus' armor, he said, "Oh, hello sir knight. May I be of assistance?" With a smile and a nod, Tidus began to ask, "Have you seen a silver haired bo..." then stopped as something caught his focus. Turning, he looked, feeling as if somebody...
was watching him.
((DUN DUN DUNNNN))
May 29, 2011 22:57:08 GMT -4
Last Edit: Jul 2, 2011 21:33:31 GMT -4 by Zephiris
Riku slowly shut the door behind him, then leaned back against it the minute the latch clicked. His head tilted skywards. What had he expected? For the answers to materialize from these people, who evidently knew little more than he did? For some contact from Sora or Kairi? From the King?
His attention was jerked from his thoughts as a flash of light beamed down from the sky. Riku straightened immediately. He could have sworn that he had seen. . .
Moments later he was jogging towards the central market area.
Once the shops and houses came into view Riku slowed, his eyes sharply surveying the area amongst its various states of disrepair. He didn't have to search long. A young boy stood chatting with one of the shopkeepers, sporting the insignia upon his armor that Riku had recognized from the door of Merlin's house. Disney Castle's.
If the RGRUC had the smallest inkling of what was going on, Riku was certain a Disney knight would know even more. But why was the kid here? Curious, Riku waited beneath the nearest shaded overhang, arms crossed, his aquamarine eyes trained upon the boy.
Th esword on Tidus' back was loosened a little bit, and he scanned the area intently. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, and all that he saw was people shopping, none watching him. Still, he kept a hand ready to go to his back, and he walked to the middle of the square, looking around again.
Upon closer inspection, he barely caught a glimpse of silver hair, and grinned. So, he was here? Tidus was just glad that the Queen was right, and slowly relaxed, looking at the area he had just seen the silver hair. Hopefully Riku would recognize him and come out, but he realized that the Keyblade wielder may want to stay low key.
Well, Tidus was on a mission, and he had to follow orders. So he sat down and once again brusher hair out of his eyes, waiting for Riku to approach him.
The kid had spotted him, that was obvious enough. What Riku couldn't get was why he just sat there expectantly. He arched an eyebrow. Didn't a knight have stuff to be doing?
For a moment there was a quiet, the streets of Radiant Garden peaceful for that moment in time. Then, suddenly, Riku's eyes widened a fraction. He leaned forward and shaded them for a closer look at the boy with the Disney armor. There was no way. He hadn't seen the kid in years. But sure enough - there was the sandy hair, the spunky movements, the odd style of wearing shorts that Riku'd never ceased to tease him about during their childhood.
Riku grinned.
"The hell, Tidus?" he called out, on his feet and approaching his old friend, smirking good-naturedly, "What's all this? Last I saw you, you were a scrawny git who could barely hold a sparring stick."
"Scrawny? Oh, thanks, Riku." Tidus grinned and ran a hand through his head before approaching his friend and going to pat him on the back, but unconciously pulling him into a hug. he then broke it and looked his friend up and down, saying,
"Look at you, Riku? You look way different then the last time I saw you. And you a Keybl-"
He cut off and looked around, lowering his voice before saying, "Queen Minnie sent me here saying you had a Keyblade. Is it true, because she seemed pretty sure about herself."
Of course. The King wasn't the only one who could help. Perhaps Tidus would know what was going on.
Riku glanced around. Radiant Garden was peaceful, oblivious to the keyblade wielder and the Disney knight. He supposed they all had their own issues or priorities, however trivial. Still. He was taking no chances.
“Not here. C’mon.” Riku led the way out of the main market square, pausing briefly before heading up towards the Bailey. Once there he carefully opened the gate at one end and slipped inside. The passageway inside was still terribly open, but the area was deserted. It would do.
Riku jumped on the stone ledge overlooking the ravines, sat with his back to the wall, and turned to Tidus again. With a grin he summoned the Way to Dawn, holding it out for his friend’s inspection.
“Well, the Queen’s two for two right now, I can tell you that. Are you going to tell me why you’re here now?”
(( Hopefully you can relatively imagine where they are. XD I utterly fail at RG anatomy – I’ll go run around it when I get home later and edit this post. ))
((Yeah, it's quite alright. I completely understood. xD))
"So it's true..."
Tidus sighed and leaned against the wall, running a hand through his hair, then turned to Riku. "Queen Minnie sent me on an assignment to find all of the sources of light I can. And since the Cornerstone has disappeared, I'm starting with Keyblade wielders."
Then he remembered something, and continued. "I forgot, you haven't been in the islands for a while. Well, after the Heartless attack, I was dumped off by the darkness in Disney Castle, though how I have no clue. Queen Minnie took me in and healed me, and even taught me of Keyblades and the such. I did return to the islands, but not before being made a knight." With yet another sigh, he placed his hands behind his head in a very Sora-like fashion.
Riku contemplated his friend more solemnly now, his brow furrowed.
"The Cornerstone of Light is gone," he clarified, feeling as if gravity had intensified with those few words. Now it was as if the air constricted his chest with their weight. "How did this happen? And the King - where has he gone? You probably already know this, but the Organization are back, Tidus. They've dragged their Heartless into the picture along with them. Something went wrong. They're supposed to be dead."
At this Riku resisted the urge to slam his fist into the cobblestone. What would that accomplish? Besides, he understood that aggravating the old wrist wound would not be the best plan of action, although remembering the source of the injury made him grit his teeth. He couldn't help but scowl as he listened to the rest of Tidus' news.
"And now here I am."
Riku looked up. A pause. His friend had come far since he'd last seen him.
"Well, you've found me," he said. Tidus' posture, so very much resembling that of another's, succeeded in conjuring a slight smile to Riku's lips.
Queen Minnie was gathering the light. The Cornerstone was gone. There were dark days ahead, and it was time to get moving.
Tidus really did punch the copbblestone at this, and felt the pain, but ignored it. "We can't go back to teh Queen without Sora and kairi, plus any other Keyblade wielders we can find. She and my knights will be fine at the castle. And as for tyhe King...honestly, I haven't met him yet, but I hope to soon.
Then, putting his arms down and looking around, Tidus said, "And why not stay here for a night? Heartless in Gummi Space suck. I need the rest, anyways."
He looked to the giant castle, marveling at its size, then looked to Riku. He had missed him all this time, and was just glad to see him again.
"Or...we could go back to the islands for a while. Sora or Kairi may be there, y'know.
Riku stared. Tidus hadn't known? He felt his heart sinking as he realized that if the Knights didn't know, this was a new threat. A new threat they were facing without their King, as his friend had just proven.
He studied Tidus, evaluating the tousled hair and tired look in his eyes. He did look like he needed rest. Riku, too, felt utterly drained, as the relentless stream of events finally seemed to be taking a toll on his body. The anger and the pain from hours before, the shock of being confronted by foes he'd thought he'd never see again and believed couldn't exist, the desperate search for people who would hold the answers - it was too much for one day. I must have been pretty damn dependent on the King, Riku thought derisively. Look at me now that he's gone.
Meeting Tidus was a welcome relief. He didn't need to be alone in this, as the teen's next words emphasized almost painfully.
"Or...we could go back to the islands for a while. Sora or Kairi may be there, y'know."
It was tempting. The blue waves and white sand were all very tempting. But -
"Tidus. I don't think. . . they are."
Or at least, Kairi wasn't. In honesty, Riku wasn't willing to face Sora and inform him of this new darkness in their lives. This was news that nullified all their efforts in the past two years. It made all their growth and accomplishments appear tarnished, fake.
Kairi and himself were a star and a moon. She pure light, he marking the boundary between light and dark. But if the two of them were bright, Sora, their sun, was radiant. Could he forgive himself, knowing he dimmed that, and deny Sora the peace on the islands that his friend deserved so much more than he? "I think. . . we should just -"
He trailed off, and sighed. "No. You're right. We need to go to the Islands. Can you get us both there?"
"Oh...well, I guess a visit wouldn't hurt, y'know..."
With a simple brush against the Disney insignia of his armor, it began to glow, and a beam of light appeared next to him. "If you've never rode in a Gummi Ship before, then you should be ready. Gummi space is infested with Heartless, and I need soembody to man weapons."
As he walked into the light, he smiled and said, "Let's go home." before diappearing.