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What if all was lost?
What if it was hopeless?
He cried endless tears that seemed never ending.
Who was I without them?
Without anyone, how could he say he was strong? He couldn't do a thing, it was them who helped him become who he was.
“Without them, I'm nothing.” Sora's voice broke and his body felt limp. “My power always came from my connections with them, so why am I one of the last ones?” He stared at the ground where all his tears fell.
I'm helpless without them.
However, he stared at him and smiled sadly. Riku hugged Sora before whispering, “I believe in you. You won't give up.”
Just his words alone could do miracles.
Did I have the strength?
But the enemy was still at large. Thousands of heartless were still coming.
They could destroy our hearts too.
He smiled sadly and walked forward just in front.
Wait, Sora thought in horror.
What was he doing?
“Riku!” Sora called out his best friend's name. Even calling him that left a sour taste in his mouth, no he was more than anyone he could ever ask for. Riku always lifted him up when he had given up. When he was weak, Riku was there to protect him.
So precious, yet so important—their closest friend.
He held out his keyblade and let out a cry.
He was facing them all alone, all for Sora.
But he wasn't enough.
Sora watched in horror as the heartless slowly consumed Riku's body. The darkness absorbed around him slowly climbing over him.
“I love you.” His words quietly reached Sora. His eyes widened after hearing that. Why did he tell me that?
“I'll die a million times for you if I have to.” Riku this time shouted as he held his keyblade, protecting Sora.
He couldn't believe those words.
Sora wanted to stop him. He didn't want him to do that. His eyes held an expression that he had never shown before.
And then Sora watched.
Nothing.
No one was there.
And he felt it. His heart is breaking.
Sora wanted to scream,
How could this be?
Why did he have to do that?
Why did he have to protect me?
And the thousands of heartless suddenly got him too.
And he felt it.
Oh.
So is this the end, Sora thought.
But before anything he felt a light.
Oh, it's him.
“Riku! Wait!” Sora called to the light that shines brighter than anything else.
And soon Sora felt himself drifting…
Where he was, not even he could say.
As he couldn't remember the last thing that happened.
But all Sora knew is that he got everyone's hearts back. Except he felt like he was missing something important. Sora couldn't tell anyone what it was when he didn't know himself.
But he forgot something.
And that's the sacrifice he made for everyone's safety.
The sacrifice he made… to save him.
His Life and His Memory