Thanks to everyone who said it was good and I'll read Shadow's FF when I have more time. For now though I have a new chapter which I may edit and make longer - again, when I have more time. Anyway, here it is:
Chapter 7: The Last Reaping
As Riku followed Xehanort into a small and enclosed building, his hatred for the heartless grew with each and every silent and tortured step he took. When they finally stopped in the small space, Riku was near fuming. But he composed himself and said in his usual calm manner, "What are we doing here, Xehanort?"
Without his former mocking, Xehanort replied, "To show you the next world you will be visiting." He nodded to the middle of the dark and damp stone room, where a small pedistal was placed. With another nod of his head and a wave of his gloved hand, a white light began to shine in the empty space above the pedistal, growing and swirling until it was the size of a gypsy glass ball.
"You know of this place, do you not?" Xehanort said, a grin growing on his cruel and unfeeling lips as scenes of the world appeared in the misty orb.
Under his shadowy blindfold, Riku's eyes widened with recongition. Still, he couldn't say that he hadn't seen all of this coming. "Destiny Island. . .our island. . ." Riku said quietly. He turned his head away from the demonic orb to Xehanort. "You monster. . ." He hissed through his teeth.
To this Xehanort smiled, and that along made Riku's stomach churn. "Nothing I haven't heard before, dear boy. Now, for the list of names of the ones who will die. . ." Xehanort said, and with a burst of flame summoned a slip of yellowed paper with a few names scribbled onto it.
Riku grimaced as he read the names inscribed on the paper. "All of our friends back on the Island. . ." he whispered. "It's like the devil's paper. . ."
"It is the devil's paper," corrected Xehanort. "And those are the names he wants you to collect for him. Now, will you turn against your former friends to save Kairi?"
Riku was silent for a moment, but as he considered the consequences and values, he wasn't sure that he should go through with this. "I don't -" he began, but was interrupted by Xehanort's stern and commanding voice. "You don't have a choice!"
Riku closed his eyes. As much as he hated to admit it, Xehanort was right. "Fine. . .I'll do it."
Xehanort smiled and said, "Good, good. But we will have to let them see their killer's face, won't we? Their former friend, dear Riku. It will torture them to know that you turned against them in the worst way possible, and that you broke your seemingly-eternal bond of friendship. What will you say to them, Riku? To try and convince them that you really aren't turning into that which you most hate." Xehanort laughed histarically. "Well, you had better get going, dear boy. . ."
Riku narrowed his eyes, clenched his fists, and ground his teeth, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't defy Xehanort. "Fine. . ." He whispered hoarsely. "Fine. . ."
A dark portal opened in front of Riku without him summoning it, and he stepped through after snatching the demonic paper from the air. Without a second glanve back, Riku continued on to his former home, Destiny Island. His friends were waiting.
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As Riku stepped through to Destiny Island, the sunlight burned his eyes. Riku put a hand over his eyes - an ungloved hand. Wait. . .what? My eyes. . .the blindfold is gone! It was true. The blindfold that had covered Riku's eyes was gone, and with it the evil black coat that he hated so much. His former clothes were back on him, the ones he had worn before all of this started. "What the he-" Riku began, but was cut off by Selphie bounding up and saying to him, "Riku, you're back! Where did you go for so long?"
Riku was speechless. Was it all a dream? thought Riku. But he knew that it couldn't be that simple, for in his left hand was the slip of paper with the three names of his friends who would be dead. "No. . ." Riku shook his head. "No!" Riku closed his eyes. "No. . .I can't do it!"
"You have to, Riku. . .you don't have a choice!" Xehanort's voice rang out clear through Riku's head. He shook his head, but still he knew what he had to do to save Kairi.
"Umm. . .Okay then, Riku. Good luck with that," said Selphie, and she skipped off with her jumprope.
Riku sighed. "I have to go through with this. . ." In his hand appeared his Soul Stealer blade. "It's what I have to do. . ." Riku opened his eyes, and for a moment they reflected Xehanort's own eyes. . . but it may have just been a trick of the light.
__
Riku got up from the sand on which he had been lying on and brushed himself off with his free hand. "Well. . .then I suppose I have to get this over with once and for all. . ." Riku said, and his heart ached with the realization of what he was about to do. "When I kill them, the Island will die with them. Its very essence will be lost, and all of its meaning with it."
Riku looked down at the paper. It read:
Destiny Island: Reaping List
Number One: Selphie
Number Two: Tidus
Number Three: Wakka
Riku closed his now-free eyes and wrinkled the paper, stuffing it in his back pocket. "Fine then, Xehanort. I'll get rid of these three who you think are a threat to you," he said, but obviously knew that Xehanort only wanted Riku to kill these three because they had been his friends, not because they were a threat to him.
Riku looked around him, and saw that near the waterpool (and the doorway with the cavern inside) the three victims were standing and talking to one another. Selphie seemed to have told them that Riku had returned, for they were glancing around. Once they spotted him, they came jogging over.
"So you're back, ya'?" Wakka said with a grin on his face.
"Hey Riku! Where are Sora and Kairi?" Tidus asked him.
"See, I told you he was back!" Selphie grinned.
"I-I'm sorry. . ." Riku mumbled, and drew his blade on them.
"Riku! Whadda you doing?" Tidus asked, and took a startled step back with the other two.
"What's the matter with you, ya'?" Wakka asked, obviously shocked, but not as surprised as Selphie, who was shocked speechless.
Without another word, Riku slashed at the one who was closest to him - Selphie. She put a little arm out to try and block him, but his blade slashed through it and Selphie screamed in pain. Wakka and Tidus jumped to help her, but Riku swung his blade around, slashing through Tidus's chest and throat, and harming Wakka's arm, sending them both flying back. After a moment, Wakka leapt back to his feet, but Tidus remained lying on the now-blood stained sand, unmoving and not breathing.
Riku screamed inside of his head and turned back to Selphie, a tear in one eye. He stabbed his blade straight through her small, child neck, killing her immediately. He turned back to Wakka, who was staring at the bodies of Tidus and Selphie.
"Wha-" He began, but he didn't get time to finish, for Riku had decapitated him the next moment, and after a split second, the rest of Wakka's body dropped to the ground.
Riku breathed heavily and closed his eyes. "It's finished, thank God. . ." he whispered hoarsely.
God won't help you now. . . Riku said to himself. Your fate has been decided. Hell is the only place fitting for a monster like you! Riku screamed inside of his head.