Sea The Witch, Riku! (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories in Gamer's Gaming

The Road So Far…

Riku climbs higher through the sublevels of Castle Oblivion, destroying the darkness inside of him and trying to find an escape from the castle. He has made it all the way to sublevel 5, growing stronger as he climbs. While Lexaeus and Zexion have been conspicuous by their absence, we do know that Vexen is doing his best to throw a monkey wrench into Sora’s plans to save Namine, using his Riku Replica as a pawn in his plans. However, we already know how that story ends. What we don’t know is how Riku’s time in the castle will end. Will Lexaeus and Zexion get off their asses and try to stop Sora’s friend from reaching him? Will Riku manage to rid the darkness from his heart? Does Vexen even realize how stupid he is for a smart guy to put himself amongst three people who clearly don’t respect him? Can Riku sate his hunger by fishing whilst in the ocean? Only Atlantica and the hallways beyond can hopefully answer some of these questions…

Now…

Riku arrived in Atlantica with the Key of Beginnings in hand and began wading his way through the Heartless threat once more. However, the enemies had completely changed. Riku found himself facing down Heartless he had never seen before. The jellyfish-like Sea Neons, the menacing Screwdivers, and the gigantic Aquatanks all played havoc with Riku as he tried to learn their tendencies. After a few battles in the world’s first room, Riku finally started gaining some familiarity with them and made his way to the room’s exit in the north. Using a Lasting Daze card, Riku moved forward. Riku moved quickly through the rooms of the underwater kingdom, first going north into a Tranquil Darkness room, then proceeding west through a Strong Initiative room, another Tranquil Darkness room, finally creating a Moment’s Reprieve room to rest before going through the Key of Beginnings door in the northern part of the room. But instead of taking that door, Riku went south to train, creating first a Sleeping Darkness room, then going east to a Stagnant Space room before going east once more into another Lasting Daze room. With the Heartless beaten to a pulp and Riku ready to face whatever trials lay ahead, he backtracked to the Moment’s Reprieve room and checked his deck before heading north through the Key of Beginnings door. Inside, Riku faced down the sea witch, Ursula, who tried to attack Riku with whirlpools, tentacle strikes, and magic attacks. However, Riku countered furiously and the sea witch stood no chance against the almost malicious nature of Riku’s attacks. After a fairly short battle, Riku stood triumphant, receiving the Ursula enemy card for defeating yet another large chunk of the darkness within himself. Back in the Moment’s Reprieve room, Riku went east to the Tranquil Darkness room. Inside, he found an exit into this worlds Conqueror’s Respite room. With yet another world saved from the blight of the Heartless, Riku progressed forward, back into the halls of Castle Oblivion.

As Riku made his way towards sublevel 4 of the castle, Zexion stood alone inside the underground headquarters of the Organization. Zexion suddenly gasped just before Lexaeus reappeared into the room through a dark portal. Lexaeus informed Zexion that Vexen was no more. Zexion agreed, saying that Vexen’s scent was gone and that it was Axel who had struck him down. Give an assist to Sora on that one though. Zexion said that he found Axel’s actions deplorable and bemoaned that agents of the Organization would strike each other down. Lexaeus said that their true problem was Sora. Vexen had proven to be no match for him, yet he was still under Namine’s control. Zexion said, however, that they cannot destroy Sora. Lexaeus agreed, saying that their Superior was in dire need of the hero of light. When light loses sight of the path, Lexaeus continued, they may find use for the dark. What they must do, then, is obtain the darkness. Zexion nodded. Riku. Of course. Riku, meanwhile, had reached sublevel 4. Riku removed the Halloween Town card from his pocket and noted that he only had the one card left. He wondered if, by getting through this next world, he might be free of the darkness. Whether or not it would, he could not be sure. What he could be sure of was that there was nothing else he could do besides go forward. So, raising his Halloween Town card in front of the door, Riku watched as the world doors opened before him. Riku stepped forward into the light, hoping there would be no more darkness beyond.