A/N: At last, I can finally write to my heart's content...as soon as I've rested enough, that is. :D This one-shot was requested by my dear friend KuroBlade, who happened to be the 200th person to add me to their favorite authors list. Needless to say, I'm deliriously happy with that fact, so this is my way to say thank you. He wanted to see a story in which Riku falls to the darkness once again, but manages to find his way back to the light with some help of his friends. I know it's short and I am a little rusty when it comes to writing about our favorite silver-haired guy, but I hope you'll like it. :) It takes place during KH3, and it's also my entry to the Summer Contest on the group KHplatonicLove on dA, with "Freedom" as a theme. Enjoy!

Thanks: My5tic-Lali, for beta reading this. :)

~ He knew then: he was going to die an utterly slow and painful death. There was no way out this time... ~

The darkness had never felt this threatening before. It made his insides squirm with uneasiness, because something just didn't feel right, even if he wasn't sure what this 'something' was. Riku was on his own this time and even though he was more than used to the darkness due to his past adventures, the little hairs on the back of his neck still stood upright. It felt as though he was entering a lion's den, with the lion waiting around the corner, watching for its prey to be close enough to make the kill.

Maybe he was just imagining it. It wouldn't be the first time his brains had fooled him like that, and during an important mission, too. The darkness had a way of twisting your deepest fears and spitting them out in a way that would make you think of it as reality. And that was when you would lose your mind. Many great warriors had fallen this way, so Riku considered himself as one of the few lucky souls that somehow got away alive. Whether he deserved to be lucky was another story, though...

But that didn't matter now. The question was, how was he supposed to get out of the dark? Riku knew better than to call for help. After all, he always attracted the wrong creatures and he didn't need any more trouble.

However, the instant he felt something thin, slimy and cold brush past his bare arm, his skin broke out in goosebumps. The silver-haired young man knew at once that he hadn't imagined anything; he wasn't alone here at all...unfortunately. This couldn't be good...

He suppressed a shiver and hoped that whatever-it-was wouldn't notice the slight quaver in his voice when he spoke, "Who's there?"

Someone (or something?) let out a low chuckle. "You don't know me? Well, then allow me to introduce myself. I'm what draws you so close to the darkness. I am that little voice in the back of your head that reminds you every day that you won't be strong enough to escape your dark destiny forever. I am you, Riku."

"Lies!" the silver-haired keybearer hissed, but he felt ice fill his veins.

Riku shifted his hold on the Keyblade so he had a better grip in case he had to dodge an unexpected blow. He looked around him, but it was as though someone had put a thick, midnight-colored veil over his eyes. Only endless black surrounded him as far as the eye could see and he didn't like it one bit. To add insult to injury, the deep, rumbling voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. He couldn't decide which way to face.

This made him feel so powerless and that fact wasn't making matters easier. Riku had to do something, but how should he know what direction to attack when it felt as though the unknown thing was nowhere and everywhere at the same time?

And how was that even possible? There was no enemy that could pull that off; make it sound like it had become one with heaven and earth...

A rather amused chuckle answered the young man's edgy glances and tense muscles as Riku did a desperate attempt at finding the source of the voice. "What's wrong? Can't find what you're looking for? Such a pity..."

He's stalling. Time to end this, Riku thought.

"Show yourself!" he demanded impatiently, his dashing aquamarine eyes narrowing in concentration.

A hauntingly familiar laugh, much like Ansem's, that echoed around the dark space and stirred up an old terror in Riku's heart. " Oh, but I already have, you foolish boy. If you open your eyes and heart to it, you'll come to realize that I'm already there...inside you..."

As soon as the creature said that, the darkness around him, inside him, became unbearably cold and suffocating. Riku's eyes didn't need to be open for him to feel how an icy cold hand grabbed his torso and squeezed him hard and slowly until it felt like his spine would break under the sheer pressure (and break it would). It was as though his lungs were filled with water, and he couldn't breathe.

This is how it must feel when you nearly drown.

Riku was trapped, like a rat, in the corner of his mind. A slave of his own past mistakes, ready to run him over. Once again, he hadn't been able to lock away the darkness inside him. The lock had come undone and now the darkness was imprisoning Riku as a punishment for his many sins...

He knew then: he was going to die an utterly slow and painful death. There was no way out this time...

Just when he'd given up on trying to stay awake for the sake of staying conscious and alive, he felt something break through the dark, suffocating ice that had encased him so easily. It was completely unexpected and out of place, but a warm light seemed to envelop him and Riku knew then, Sora was here. He'd found Riku. Everything would be alright again. He would be free soon enough. Free from this torment. With the light of his friends, there was no darkness that could have him in its power.

Relief flooded his body and mind, and he let his fate rest in Sora's capable hands. After all, the brunet young man had proven countless times that he knew what he was doing...or that he at least turned out to be lucky every time.

Meanwhile, Kairi sat down on her knees next to Riku and put a hand on his red-hot forehead.

She frowned lightly, not removing her hand just yet. "He's unconscious."

Her hushed voice seemed to come from far away, almost as though Riku was still under water and she was on the other side of this barrier. Still, no matter how tired Riku was, his ears automatically perked up.

"How is he?" Sora asked, his voice laced with worry.

"He's fine, Sora. You know Riku, he's strong."

As if on cue, Riku slowly opened his eyes at that moment. He had to blink a couple of times to get rid of his blurred sight, and adjust his eyes to the bright light. The room spun and nausea gripped his stomach. He didn't bother to get up immediately, knowing that it would only make him feel more dizzy. The first thing he noticed was that the air wasn't cold anymore. It was warm and pleasant and it smelled of that delicious pumpkin pie that Aerith had made for her guests not too long ago.

He was back in Radiant Garden again. Thank heavens.

As his vision cleared slowly, he saw his two best friends' worried faces. They were looking down at him with big, fearful eyes. Sometimes, they looked just like little children. Or perhaps that was Riku's weak side showing. Either way, it was a sight that he made sure to memorize.

"Hey there," Riku muttered with a hoarse voice, trying to smile.

He failed miserably at the latter, but the faintest upturn of the lips was enough to assure his friends that he would be just fine.

Sora exchanged a glance with his red-haired friend, before breaking down into a grin and practically tackling Riku. "Welcome back, Riku."

Freedom…it had never felt this great before.