Mysterious Tower
First Appearance: KINGDOM HEARTS II (2006)
Origin: The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1940)
Sora would require great power to rescue the individuals King Mickey mentioned in his letter and wake them up from their sleep, so he agreed to take the Mark of Mastery examination.
He and Riku returned to the Destiny Islands shortly before their fall to darkness. After their raft was wrecked by a Phantom Ursula, they unknowingly unlocked the first "Sleeping Keyhole."
King Mickey and friends could not help but wonder how Sora and Riku were doing with their exam. Just then, a raven flew into the Mysterious Tower. It was carrying Queen Minnie's tiara and a letter: a message from Maleficent. She had kidnapped Minnie, and if Mickey ever wanted to see her again, he, Donald, and Goofy would have to return to Disney Castle.
Now that Queen Minnie was safe, King Mickey and friends returned to Yen Sid's Tower with a guest. Lea seemed to want something from Yen Sid. With Xehanort's return drawing ever closer, the sorcerer was forced to take drastic measures, and so he agreed to Lea's request.
King Mickey and the others were now very worried about Sora and Riku, but Yen Sid insisted that the two were still out of Xehanorts reach. After discussing various possibilities, the King stumbled upon the truth: having given up his body, Xehanort was taking advantage of the period of time when a version of him had possessed Riku. He had been manipulating events all along. The King set off to rescue Sora and Riku.
Sora was seated in one of the Organization's thirteen thrones, but the grey-haired youth knocked Riku away before he could get to his friend. The youth revealed that Organization XIII's true purpose was to transfer the heart of Xehanort into thirteen worthy "vessels." Now Sora was about to become the last of those vessels.
As if to drive this point home, twelve other figures materialised and filled the other seats. The youth revealed his identity: he was Xehanort's boyhood form. Just as he was gesturing to the highest seat of them all, King Mickey appeared and stopped time. He tried to rescue Sora, but someone lashed out at the King and knocked him away. Young Xehanort was able to move even when time was stopped! He and Riku fought.
No sooner had Riku bested the youth than time started to flow again, and Master Xehanort appeared in the highest seat. He told Riku and King Mickey about the "seven guardians of light" and "thirteen seekers of darkness" who were destined to clash and forge the χ-blade. They were too late; Master Xehanort's heart was snaking its way toward Sora, and Xemnas and Ansem were barring the way...
Just then, a blaze of fire stopped Xehanort's heart from reaching Sora. Lea had arrived right in the nick of time! The King and Riku were so shocked that they nearly forgot they were in danger, but Donald and Goofy arrived in a flash of light to save the day.
Master Xehanort had failed to claim Sora, but he assured all present that the clash between light and darkness was imminent. Then he and the other twelve members of the real Organization XIII dematerialised and returned whence they came.
King Mickey warned Yen Sid of Master Xehanort's true motives.
They needed to wake Sora up, and Yen Sid said that only one who had unlocked the Sleeping Keyholes possessed that power. And even if that person reached the abyss into which Sora's heart had fallen, they might never return from the darkness. But Riku had heard Sora calling to him, and knew he must be the one to make the dive back into Sora's slumber.
In the abyss, Riku was attacked by a suit of armour clad in deepest darkness. He defeated the armour and freed Sora from its defences, then watched helplessly as his friend sank into the darkness. Did he do the right thing? Only Sora's Keyblade remained. Riku took it and unlocked the Keyhole.
Riku's eyes blinked open. He was home, on their island. Figures appeared asking difficult questions: Roxas; another boy who looked like Roxas; a girl with raven hair. He sensed his answered mattered. When his eyes next blinked open, he found himself in the company of Ansem the Wise.
Ansem the Wise gave Riku his research data, which he hoped would serve as a clue when Sora or those connected to him were most lost. The love in Sora's heart would be the only way to save them. With that, the true Ansem assured Riku that Sora had awoken. It was time to go home.
Riku woke from his dive to hear what sounded like a celebration; were Sora, Donald, and Goofy having... a party? Sora threw his arms around Riku when he saw his friend was safe. Somehow, it all seemed very backwards.
Riku passed the exam. He had shown the Mark of Mastery, and so Yen Sid dubbed him a true Keyblade Master. Sora was happy to see his best friend receive such an honour. Lea, however, was still trying to get the knack of summoning his own Keyblade.
His... what? As if that weren’t enough of a shock, suddenly a Keyblade materialised in Lea's hand. He had become a Keyblade wielder!
Sora realised he had unfinished business. He opened the Sleeping Keyhole and ventured through alone. When he woke up in Traverse Town, he looked around for...
There they were! A moment later, Sora was surrounded by rowdy, but very happy Spirits. With a smile, Sora thanked them for all they had done.
As the new Keyblade Master, Yen Sid wasted no time in sending Riku out on his first mission: to retrieve a special guest, the seventh princess of heart, Kairi.
