Editing The World That Never Was

The world of [[Organization XIII]], it is home to a seemingly endless supply of [[Heartless]] and [[Nobody|Nobodies]]. The Heartless seem to spawn more here due to how close The World That Never Was is to the darkness of [[Kingdom Hearts]]. The Organization controls the world from the [[Castle That Never Was]], a massive fortress that floats weightlessly over the expansive '''Dark City'''.  

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Alley to Between}}'''|狭間につながる路地|Hazama ni Tsunagaru Roji}} hides a portal to [[Betwixt and Between]]. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey used this portal to get into the world, thanks to Axel's sacrifice. The alley way connects to the main route that leads to the Castle That Never Was. The first [[Save Point]] of the world can be found here.

Exiting the alley leads to the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Fragment Crossing}}'''|断片を紡ぐ道|Danpen o Tsumugu Michi|lit. "Fragment-Spinning Road"}}, a long series of winding streets that lead to Memory's Skyscraper. It is full of neon signs attached to vacant buildings as well as a power plant which seems to power some or all of the city. Many Shadow Heartless are here, but in ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'', they are eventually replaced with Nobodies. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey took this route on their way to the Castle That Never Was. [[Pluto]] also had an encounter with Axel here.

Following the Fragment Crossing is {{nihongo|'''{{a|Memory's Skyscraper}}'''|記憶の摩天楼|Kioku no Matenrō}}, an imposingly tall building that presides over Dark City, in a plaza near the cliffs surrounding the Castle That Never Was. At its feet lies a plaza staircase leading to glass doors, and on its face is a massive television screen, which displays memories of those nearby in ''[[Another side, Another story...]]''. In the corner of the plaza is a wrecked truck, flipped on its side. During his battle with Xemnas, Sora was pulled into an area that included Memory's Skyscraper, called [[Memory's Contortion]], in a battle similar to the one Roxas and Riku had. In ''Dream Drop Distance'', Memory's Skyscraper is accessible only for Riku. However, this is where Sora first landed when he dived into this world before being put to sleep.

The left road behind Memory's Skyscraper leads to the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Brink of Despair}}'''|絶望を望む断崖|Zetsubō o Nozomu Dangai|lit. "Cliff Overlooking Despair"}}, a cliff with a clear view of the hovering Castle That Never Was. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey arrive here and access the castle via a path using the Keyblade. It has the second Save Point of this world in ''Kingdom Hearts II''.

[[File:Castle That Never Was 01 KHII.png|thumb|left|Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey entering Nothing's Call.]]

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Nothing's Call}}'''|虚無への誘い|Kyomu e no Sasoi}} is one of the lowest known areas of the Castle That Never Was, acting as a sort of "basement". It appears to be the only entrance into the castle for people who are not members of the Organization. Sora, [[Donald]], [[Goofy]], and [[King Mickey]] enter the castle here. They are soon attacked by Nobodies, but make it to the next area. It is also here where Roxas fights Saïx when leaving the Organization in ''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]''.

The castle contains a number of dungeons, such as the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Soundless Prison}}'''|無音の牢獄|Muon no Rōgoku}} that lies near one of its towers, which appearance corresponds to the one seen in the '''Verge of Chaos''' in ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance''. Oddly, the bars of the cells are far enough apart that a prisoner could easily just walk out between them. Saïx uses the cells to imprison Kairi and [[Pluto]], informing them that they are being used as bait to force Sora to slay more Heartless. After he leaves, however, [[Naminé]] enters through a Corridor of Darkness to help them escape. In the ''{{c|Kingdom Hearts II|manga}}'' manga, Kairi escapes through the bars without help, but runs into Demyx as she and Pluto make their escape, and willingly returns to confinement out of pity when he begs her to keep him from being punished by Saïx.

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Crooked Ascension}}'''|歪みを貫く柱|Yugami no Tsuranuku Hashira|lit. "Distortion-Penetrating Pillar"}} is an area of the Castle That Never Was that seems to be a giant elevator that ascends and descends without actually appearing to do anything. While inside, Sora, Donald, Goofy and Riku may be attacked by either [[Samurai]] or [[Dragoon]] Nobodies if going down to Nothing's Call or up to Twilight's View, respectively.

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Twilight's View}}'''|黄昏から望む場所|Tasogare kara Nozomu Basho}} is a stairway leading to the next floor of the castle. Sora can meet a [[Moogle]] here and [[Item synthesis|synthesize]] new items. According to a flashback in ''[[Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix]]'', occurring at some point before ''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]'', [[Zexion]] and Xigbar discuss Xemnas's frequent visits to the [[Chamber of Repose]] and the discovery of [[Castle Oblivion]] here.

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Hall of Empty Melodies}}'''|虚ろなる旋律の空間|Utsuro-naru Senritsu no Kūkan}} is a large, two-part room sometimes used as a combat training station for the Organization.<!--In ''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days'', this room is where [[Roxas]] must complete [[Mission 10: Prove Your Endurance|Mission 10]], [[Mission 71: Prove Your Endurance|Mission 71]], and [[Mission 33: Break the Jars|Mission 33]].--> It is composed of a large platform over an indefinite abyss, with a recessed second floor accessible via Naught's Skyway and multiple high balconies overlooking the room. The domed glass ceiling provides a view of the castle's highest tower. When Sora, Donald, and Goofy arrive, Saïx taunts them and sics a horde of Heartless upon them, but Riku and Kairi arrive in time to help fight the Heartless on the upper floor as Maleficent and Pete watch. Xigbar enters and challenges Sora himself, but is defeated just as Mickey and Ansem encounter the scene, and the two kings leave with full faith in Sora and his friends. Afterward, Sora's group sprints to the second floor via the skyway and are reunited with Riku and Kairi. Afterward, the room becomes a haunt for [[Sniper]] and [[Assassin]].

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Naught's Skyway}}'''|虚空を辿る道|Kokū o Tadoru Michi}} is a small outside path in a high section of the castle. It overlooks the eerie red-tinged clouds of Dark City. This is where Mickey finds DiZ, who is revealed to be Ansem the Wise, being attacked by Nobodies. After they are defeated, the two walk off with Ansem's encoding machine. Sora and his companions pass through here in order to find King Mickey and Ansem the Wise.

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Proof of Existence}}'''|存在の証|Sonzai no Akashi}} is a multi-tiered mock graveyard for the members of the Organization. It contains twelve {{w|stele}}, arranged by the rank of each member from left to right then top to bottom, with digital panels in the floor before the stele acting as epitaphs depicting the member's title and weapon. Demyx's stele incorrectly has number XI instead of IX. These stele actually operate as portals to other rooms in the castle, while the doorway to the next room takes the place of a stele for Xemnas. The stele for the destroyed members of the Organization have been smashed, but the epitaphs remain active for those that are conscious—therefore the epitaph representing Roxas, who has already been reunited with Sora, remains active, although his stele is smashed, while the stele for Luxord and Saïx remain active portals even after their epitaphs go dark with their destruction. Zexion's own epitaph was damaged to the point it no longer depicted his weapon,<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania]]''''', '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "Probably because he's quite enigmatic. He's the only member who showed up with no weapons but it's not because he doesn't have his own weapon, it's more of because he died without fighting, so nobody knows what's his weapon. I have an idea on what his weapon is and I might have a chance of showing it in the near future so I'll keep it as a secret for now. That reminds me, in the World that Never Was, each XIII Organization member had a gravestone for them and each of those have a picture of their weapons and that's when Zexion became a problem for us. “Eh, we're gonna put a spoiler on Zexion's weapon there!?” (laugh) That's a bit too much so we decided to destroy the gravestone so that his weapon couldn't be seen."</ref> while Roxas's depicts the [[Oathkeeper]] and [[Oblivion]] he obtained after leaving the Organization. Sora and his friends pass through the graveyard on their way up the tower, but are forced to put an end to Luxord and Saïx in order to open the way to Xemnas.

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Havoc's Divide}}'''|混沌の狭間|Konton no Hazama}} is an area favored by Luxord. The area is sloped and leads to a steep drop downwards. The top of the area can be partially seen from Naught's Approach.

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Addled Impasse}}'''|惑わしの空間|Madowashi no Kūkan|lit. "Bewildered Space"}} is a large chamber with a clear view of the Kingdom Hearts moon, and appears to be where Saïx spends a large amount of time.

 

 

 

[[File:Why Do You Hate the Darkness 01 KHII.png|thumb|right|The Altar of Naught, viewing the remnants of Kingdom Hearts]]

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Altar of Naught}}'''|虚空の祭壇|Kokū no Saidan|lit. "Altar of Empty Space"}} is a giant tower that is high above the rest of the castle. Hidden off the side is a [[Sidecar Glider|glider]]. Xemnas often comes here to commune with Kingdom Hearts or present it to the other members. After [[Sora]] and his friends confront Xemnas here and he retreats into this Kingdom Hearts, the worlds create a doorway leading within so that Sora and his friends to follow him. The tower later collapses after Xemnas's Dragon Form collides into its side.

 

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Where Nothing Gathers}}'''|虚無が集う場所|Kyomu ga Tsudou Basho}}, known to Organization members as the {{nihongo|'''Round Room'''|円卓|Entaku|lit. "Round Table"}}<ref>'''''[[Roxas's Diary#Day 7: Entry 1|Roxas's Diary, Day 7: Entry 1]]''''': "Today they told us to go to the Round Room, where we met our new member, No. XIV."</ref>, is a circular room containing throne-like chairs ranging in height, where the Nobodies of Organization XIII can gather and discuss developments and for Xemnas to give out orders. There are thirteen throne-like pillars which each member uses as a seat, but these pillars can move up or down at the user's will, or at the leader's<!--The possibility of the thrones changing heights is also seen in ''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]'', when the throne where Sora's body is sitting lifts up.-->. Out of respect for their leader, the other members keep their thrones below Xemnas's, and later, Xehanort's.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Ultimania]]''''', pg. 502; '''Interviewer''': "During the meetings, the members of Organization XIII are sitting in chairs. Is the height of these chairs determined by things like their skills and abilities?" / ''' Tetsuya Nomura''': "No, the height of the chairs is not fixated, they move. That is to say, the height is up to each person. The leader, Xemnas, is always the highest and to be at the same height as him would have a pretty bad feeling, so the other members wouldn't do that." [https://www.khinsider.com/news/New-Nomura-Interview-Hoards-of-new-Information-388 Translation via TheWertle and Xaldin].</ref><!--explain as out-of-universe:  Mission Mode of 358/2 Days shows that the thrones change height based on how well the members of the Organization do on missions. -->

 

The seats are arranged in a circle with Xemnas at the prominent seat. At Xemnas's left are the odd numbered members, and to his right are the even numbered members, increasing in numerical value up until number thirteen, Roxas's seat.<!---, which is directly opposite Xemnas's. this isn't possible with an odd number--> The "fourteenth member", Xion, has no throne as she was neither a true member nor even a real Nobody, but a replica meant to absorb Roxas so she would gain his powers, thus the reason for the group's name remaining as "Organization XIII". In ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'', [[Riku]] and [[Mickey Mouse]] battle [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness|Ansem]], Xemnas, [[Young Xehanort]], and the other members of the [[real Organization XIII]] in Where Nothing Gathers, while attempting to rescue Sora, who was rendered comatose and captured by [[Master Xehanort]] to become a new vessel for himself, who sits in Xemnas's throne while watching the struggle. After the battle, Master Xehanort lifts the throne Sora is in and tries to put a fragment of his heart on him. Fortunately, [[Lea]] appears and rescues Sora. Shortly afterwards, [[Donald]] and [[Goofy]] also appear and literally fall on top of Ansem's Guardian, which had captured Riku and Mickey, just before the real Organization XIII vanishes and each of his members returns to its own time.

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!Area Map of the Dark City in ''Kingdom Hearts II''

[[File:Grey Area KHD.png|thumb|left|Roxas in the Grey Area.]]

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Grey Area}}'''|闇と光を紡ぐ庭|Yami to Hikari o Tsumugu Niwa|lit. "The Garden that Interweaves Darkness and Light"}} is a room in the castle that serves as a lounge for the Organization's members, as well as the place where the members receive their mission briefings from [[Saïx]]. The room is wedge shaped with one wall made entirely out of a giant window, out of which [[Kingdom Hearts]] can eventually be seen floating in the distance. The room has couches and tables spread around it, and Organization members are often seen lounging about between missions. There is also a [[Moogle]] here, dressed in the [[Black Cloak|Organization coat]], that allows Roxas to synthesize panels and access a shop that uses heart points as currency.

The castle has a room with a computer that seems to contain information on all the Organization projects including the [[Replica Program]] and [[Castle Oblivion]]. In the ''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days'' novel, this room is said to be Saïx's study room.

[[File:Day 357 02 KHD.png|thumb|Axel's bedroom.]]

The Castle also contains a library filled with literature on various subjects. In here, Axel finds a book titled "The Truth about Naminé," authored by Vexen. In the ''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days'' novel, this room is said to be in Castle Oblivion, and was Vexen's research room.<!--are we certain it's in TWTNW in the first place?-->

Each of the members of the Organization has an individual bedroom in the castle. The rooms are white with metal-like walls, a single bed with the headboard in the shape of the Nobodies' symbol and a window showing the heart-shaped moon of [[Kingdom Hearts]].

In ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'', only Memory's Skyscraper, the Brink of Despair, and the real Castle That Never Was are visited in the realm between. Sora visits a dream of a dream of the Dark City of The World that Never Was, which appears more contorted and ethereal than the city initially appeared in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', similar to the World of Nothing within Kingdom Hearts, while Riku visits a dream of the Castle That Never Was. Although the locations of the areas Riku visits can be pinpointed, whether or not the locations they visit exist in the real world version of the world is not yet known.

====Side:Sora====

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Avenue to Dreams}}'''|夢境の街路|Yumesakai no Gairo}} is a large urban area beginning with an enclosed alley featuring a save point and a Moogle hologram. Up a long flight of stairs lies a piece of destroyed building, blocking the path into the city that must be scaled to advance. Beyond is an area of twisting alleys surrounded by skyscrapers that can be scaled with [[Flowmotion]]. Several buildings are adorned in blue stripes with a geometric pattern and when stood upon, they rapidly elevate, throwing Sora into the air. Another building has similar white stripes and can be destroyed by using a [[Reality Shift]]. The pattern on these stripes are similar to the ones seen in the area of the final battle against Xemnas in ''Kingdom Hearts II''. Perhaps the most notable feature of this area is a stream of blue-green mist that falls from the roof of a massive tower extremely similar to Memory's Skyscraper and flows through the streets. The Castle that Never Was can be seen from this area, but instead of floating above a giant crater, it floats above several tall buildings. Beyond this tower, the pavement is revealed to be floating and broken, away from the rest of the city and leads off into a more urban area.

The Avenue to Dreams directly leads to the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Contorted City}}'''|歪みに満ちた街|Yugami ni Michita Machi|lit. "City Filled with Distortion"}}, which seems to emerge from a canyon of strange blue-green rock. This area does not have a save point. Much of the architecture here is coated in blue-green mist. Many buildings float of their own accord, attached to chunks of rock separate from the road, and several shake and swing. The blue markings appear again on the shaking section that is able to launch Sora skyward. Beyond several overturned buildings, a path of broken pavement and destroyed buildings forms an upward spiral. Neon strips and signs on the buildings can be traversed with Flowmotion. In several places, floating buildings marked with red symbols will hurtle toward Sora and must be destroyed with a Reality Shift or they will cause damage. Unlike the other areas, the Castle that Never Was cannot be seen from here.

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Nightmarish Abyss}}'''|凶夢の深淵|Kyōmu no Shin'en}} features a large open plaza surrounded on three sides by skyscrapers, with a crashed truck (identical to the one near Memory's Skyscraper) blocking access to a side-street. The fourth side drops off to an abyss that is spanned by floating skyscrapers laid on their sides, forming a mostly straight path between two cliff faces and leading toward what appears to be Memory's Skyscraper and the Castle That Never Was seen from the left. Several neon strips appear here that can be traversed through Flowmotion, as in the Contorted City area. It is the area where Sora fights Xemnas.

====Side:Riku====

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Delusive Beginning}}'''|幻想のはじまり|Gensō no Hajimari}} is the lowest known area of the Castle That Never Was, situated just inside the large spinning ring at the base of the castle. It is comprised of four hallways connecting to a circular central chamber, two connecting at the ground floor, two high above. In the central chamber rests an energy beam housed in an impenetrable shield that damages enemies of the Organization. It must be destroyed by entering the shield through a portal and using a [[Reality Shift]] on it. This will cease its attack, destroy the shield, and create a walkway to the upper levels.

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Walk of Delusions}}'''|幻惑の歩廊|Genwaku no Horō|lit. "Gallery of Entrancement"}} initially appears as a shifting maze. Scattered throughout the maze are devices that require the use of a [[Reality Shift]] to destroy. Once disabled, the layout of the area changes, with new pathways opening up leading to the next device. Once three devices have been destroyed, the maze disappears entirely and reveals the area to be a long, straight bridge leading from the outer edge of the castle to the castle itself, across the open area beneath it. The large spinning ring, the large crater underneath the castle, and several support beams can be seen from the walk.

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Fact within Fiction}}'''|虚実を紡ぐ回廊|Kyojitsu o Tsumugu Kairō|lit. "Corridor Spinning Fact and Fiction"}} is a large, open-air level at the top of the castle's spinning ring, giving a view of the mechanism that spins it. It consists of several high-walled passages and thick metal pipes. Along one passage, beams of purple energy move back and forth that damage any enemy who crosses them. Near the end of the area is a large circular platform where many enemies spawn. After a flight of stairs, there is a lift that rises seemingly magically to higher floors.

 

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Verge of Chaos}}'''|混沌を見下ろす場所|Konton o Miorosu Basho|lit. "Place Overlooking Chaos"}} is primarily a large, slightly curved balcony. The only way out of it is to take the elevator back to the lower levels, or to use Flowmotion on the massive pipes attached to the walls. Several other, smaller balconies sit on the wall with no way on or off but through Flowmotion. Eventually, up the wall, one reaches another small balcony attached to a larger one by a staircase.  A narrow bridge off this area connects to the multi-turreted tower, where [[Riku]] fights the [[Anti Black Coat]] Nightmare, that can be traversed by using Flowmotion on a large pipe. The roof of this tower is also considered a part of the Verge of Chaos. This very tower can be seen far away from outside the castle, where its location is on its left side.

 

[[File:Power Over Time 01 KH3D.png|thumb|220px|The arena Young Xehanort transports Riku to in order to battle him.]]

The {{nihongo|'''{{a|Sanctum of Time}}'''|時の祭壇|Toki no Saidan|lit. "Altar of Time'}} is an area visited only during the battle with [[Young Xehanort]]. After being possessed by his future Master Xehanort self, Young Xehanort transports [[Riku]] and himself to the Sanctum of Time in a similar fashion to how [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]] transported Riku to the facsimile of Kingdom Hearts in the final battle of ''Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories'' and ''Kingdom Hearts: Re:Chain of Memories''. The battlefield is a large circular area with several cogs and clockwork devices integrated below the floor as well as atop pillars on either side of the battlefield, and it is surrounded by six different colored hourglasses. The area as a whole resembles a fractured {{w|Sundial#Universal equinoctial ring dial|ring dial}}. Peculiarly, at certain times during battle, the poles sticking out of the ground cannot have Flowmotion used on them. Beneath the glass is a red Nobody symbol.

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Darkness's Call}}'''|闇への誘い|Yami e no Sasoi|lit. "Invitation to Darkness"}} is an arena-shaped area with a spiraling violet vortex below. Streams of darkness rise around the central area. This is where Riku fights [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]] the first time during his Mark of Mastery exam. A platform may appear in the area if Riku uses Reality Shift on Ansem.

 

{{nihongo|'''{{a|Darkest End}}'''|闇の果て|Yami no Hate|lit. "Edge of Darkness"}} is a long arena that has huge dark pillars that resemble the ones found in the [[Realm of Darkness]] and a violet spiral in front of the place. In the back, there is a bottomless abyss. This is the place where Riku fights [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]] in his second form.

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[[File:Minimap (Dark City) TWTNW KHDDD.png|404px]]

[[File:Minimap (Castle That Never Was) TWTNW KHDDD.png|404px]]

Riku ultimately prevails against Ansem and travels to Where Nothing Gathers, where Riku finds the unconscious Sora. The cloaked members of the True Organization XIII materialize on the thrones, and Young Xehanort prepares himself to greet the recompleted Master Xehanort. King Mickey interrupts and freezes the group with [[Stopza]], but Young Xehanort recovers and knocks him away, and summons a [[Young Xehanort's Keyblade|Keyblade]] to battle Riku. Riku defeats Young Xehanort just as Mickey's spell breaks, and Master Xehanort reforms.

File:Xigbar KHII.png|'''{{ns|Game|Xigbar}}'''<br>{{KHII}}

File:Saïx KHD.png|'''{{ns|Game|Saïx}}'''<br>{{KHD}}{{KHII}}

File:Luxord KHII.png|'''{{ns|Game|Luxord}}'''<br>{{KHII}}

File:Ghostabocky (Nightmare) KH3D.png|[[Ghostabocky]] (Riku only)<br>{{KH3D}}<ref>Do not appear anymore once the exit to the next area in the Walk of Delusions has been unlocked.</ref>