The Light Within

by Fanglet and Fluffy

This is the intense story of five people’s emotional journey for security, peace, vengeance, and, ultimately, love. Reviews please...

1. The Beginning

Chains rattled quietly as Liara walked up to her Master, Ansem, and delivered to him a plate of fruit.

"Good, my dear. You can have this as a treat..."

The powerful man joked, delicately shoving a small piece of his food into Li's mouth, like she was a pet of some sort. She looked away as she chewed and swallowed, despising the man that sat on a throne before her with every fiber of her being. She disliked Ansem, and she loathed everything he did and everything he stood for. He was darkness, and she was light. She was not a princess, or else she would have been the strongest of them all because her heart was the purest.

That was how Ansem had come across her in the first place. She had been living in another world, and during Ansem's quest for the Princesses of Heart, she was taken along with them because her heart was so pure. When they found out she wasn't a princess, Ansem claimed that she was too beautiful to be fed to the Heartless and her heart was too pure to be thrown into the darkness. He tied her up and forced her to be his slave. She served his every whim, and disklied him more and more by the day. She had been taken away from the one she loved, Cloud, almost a year ago, and although she was getting used to living at Hallow Bastion, she missed him more and more. Her homesickness and love for Cloud grew each day, and it was quickly becoming unbearable.

Her hands were bound together with chains and her right foot had a weight on it. Ansem knew that she was smart and refused to let her escape. He sometimes took these bonds off, but rarely and only when she was exceptionally good.

"You have been good to me, haven't you my sugar blossom?"

Ansem asked, a gleam in his horrifying amber eyes. He pulled Liara closer to him, so that their faces were almost touching. In the beginning Li could barely handle these name callings, but now she tolerated them without any sign of weakness. As far as she knew or cared, her heart belonged to Cloud, even if he was with some other woman-she would not think of it, for her heart ripped apart every time she considered that Cloud would have abandoned her for someone else. She could not think about it, especially with Ansem so close, wanting to take advantage of her...

She nodded, feeling his bony hand around her chin as her head moved up and down. He sighed and waved for a few of his other servants to release her from her chains. She dared not smile, but thanked him kindly. He brought her close again, so close this time she could feel his vile breath on her lips. Those sickening amber eyes were so close, two haunting reminders of the pain he could cause her.

"How about a real thank you..."

he asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him all the way, embracing her with a kiss. His tongue snaked it's way into her mouth, and she tried not to gag as they kissed. Rather, as he kissed her. She would never return the favor, even simply to satisfy him and get him off of her, for fear that he might go farther. He had raped her once before in a terrifying display of power and lust, and she wished to never let him do such a disgusting thing again. The fairly young girl tried not to tremble against him, her fear strong, but her will to hide it stronger. She could see the lust in his eyes as his hand ran down her slender back and he finally released the kiss, letting her go and sending her back to her room with delight. He put his feet up on a stool and laid back as she left, waving a little good bye to her with a wicked smile on his face. He scared her, but she wouldn't let him know that, or he might try to take advantage of that.

Oh, Cloud, do you still know I exist? Do you search for me, or have you forgotten?

She wept, cold memories of Ansem rushing through her mind and vague images of Cloud with someone else fading in the back of it. She sobbed and ran towards her room in the high tower.

x.X.x

Cloud threw himself onto the wall of the side area to the Coliseum, refusing to let himself stoop down to crying. He wouldn't fall for this. He would fight whoever Hades told him to until he got to the finals, and killed Hercules. If that was even possible... He closed his brilliant teal eyes and collected himself, stepping back over to where Hades waited.

"That little punk is your next opponent, okay? Now, don't blow it. Just take him out."

Hades explained, blue hair flickering in anticipation.

"The great god of the Underworld is afraid of a kid? Sorry, but my contract says-"

Cloud began, but was cut off.

"I know! You think that I don't know? I wrote the contract! I know it says you're only required to kill Hercules in this tournament. But you've gotta fight that kid to get to him. Come on. Hey, it's like that old goat says: Rule 11: It's all just a game, so let loose and have fun with it! I mean, a casualty or two along the way is no big deal, right?"

Cloud left, forced to go and fight the little kid just to appease Hades...

x.X.x

"Geez. Stiffer than the stiffs back home. Still, suckers like him are hard to come by..."

The God of Death commented to himself, watching Cloud walk away in dismay. A creul smile fell upon his black lips as the man's forlorn figure disappeared.

x.X.x

Cloud began to fight the kid, Sora, but instead of killing him when he was given the chance, he put down his massive sword. He couldn't do it. Sora was just a child. He couldn't bring his sword against a child. Even for her freedom, Liara wouldn't have wanted it. Just then, Cerberus, the massive dog of the Underworld, stomped a heavy foot right next to the passionate man.

"Oh, right, there was one other rule I forgot: Accidents happen."

Hades added from the sidelines with a casual smirk, enjoying the show.

Hercules came out, and pushed the humongous dog off of Cloud. Cerberus had crushed him, gargantuan paws twice the size of even Hercules. The dog grabbed Cloud while he was laying there and Hercules had to pry him out if it's mouth as Sora and his team ran off. An unconscious Cloud recieved huge welts in his side where the dog had bite through his flesh, and so Hercules had to carry him off while Sora came returned to fight the guardian of the Underworld.

x.X.x

Tears streamed down Liara's downcast face as she ran out of the Lift Stop and out onto the large platform called the High Tower. She climbed to the top via wide and long steps, finally collapsing in a heap at the top, sobbing. She couldn't take it any more. She couldn't continue to live this life, if you could call it that. If you could call her unjust imprisonment, the daily trails she had to go through to please her 'Master', a life.

Liara forced herself to move her weight onto her arms and lift herself into a crawling position. She wiped away already drying tears and clear new ones, moving over to the edge of the platform she was laying on. She let herself fall back onto the platform as she looked over the edge, just as the sun was setting. The light cast upon her shining eyes as she gazed over the great abyss that surrounded Hollow Bastion, the same sunset she had looked upon with deep sadness, almost as bad as this, emptiness, and sorrow almost every day since her capture.

Ever since Li had been brought here, one thing had kept her waking up each morning, kept her from throwing herself over the very edge she so precariously hung over at the moment. Cloud... Would Cloud want her to die? Of course not. He was probably out fighting for her right now, battling off Heartless on his way to Hollow Bastion, risking his life to reach his true love. She laughed at the thought, a cold, merciless laugh that scared her. Why would such a handsome man such as Cloud do something like that just to reach her? It was all a joke. A horrible laugh. Her dreams were a joke, her imprisonment was a joke, and her very life was a joke. Cloud's love with her had all just been a game, and now that she was gone he was off living the life he had always wanted to live, a life without her to hold him down.

What was the point? She would never escape from Hollow Bastion, never escape from Ansem's lascivious clutches. She would never see Cloud again, and she would never be able to let the love that so strongly controlled her beating heart fly free, to be able to release the passion that drove her, she would never enjoy the sunset she saw now through watery eyes. Oceans had formed on the concrete below her, forming a great sea of dark around her, surrounding Li, sucking her into the Darkness. Why stay so light and pure? Where had it gotten her? She was drowning in the water, her own tears of betrayal and tyranny choking her. Her maudlin head sunk and she gripped the edge of the High Tower, wishing that she had enough strength left to push herself off the edge. To end her miserable life, to let herself die and stop the hell of this world. To never have to cry again.

But something inside of her told her that she shouldn't. That she wouldn't, because there was still hope. She couldn't. There had to be people out there trying to save the Princesses, and she could help. She could do something-anything-to stop Ansem. Whether Cloud still loved her or not, she had to continue, for the good of all of the worlds.

x.X.x

Cloud woke up slowly, looking around, the room drifting in and out of focus. There was a woman looking down at him, who pressed something cold on his forehead. His eyes opened farther and her form filled out, she had long brown hair and bright purple eyes.

"Hercules- He's woken up..."

she called out, and the great hero joined her. Cloud's teal blue orbs gazed up at them both, and he tried to get up, but moaned in pain and fell back, closing his eyes, a great wave of pain washing over him, strongest at three huge welts in his stomach. he had a white bandage over it, and his armor had been removed.

"It's okay... I'm Meg, and this is Hercules... You're beat up pretty badly, but you should be fine..."

the woman said soothingly, Hercules gazing down at him over her shoulder. He tried to move just a little again, more to access his damage then to get anywhere, and winced.

Hades...

Where was he? He had tricked him, sending Cerberus into the arena. Where was his sword? His armor? He needed them... He needed to get out of here... He had lost half of a year doing Hades' bidding, trying to earn his promise of Liara's whereabouts and freedom.

Liara...

His thoughts drifted to Li again as he lost consciousness, wishing that he could see her again. From what he had calculated, looking down at his chest, he had bled extremely badly, and he could only hope that he would survive, let alone gaze upon the beautiful face that he had once woken up to each glorious morning. He missed her... He had to survive... He had to find her... Rescue her... Liara...

x.X.x

"Doctor Finkelstein," Fang muttered in her usual dark manner. "This...heart...thing, it can't be done. You can't capture human...emotions, in a container."

"Now, Fang, don't give up hope!" Jack Skellington exclaimed in his usual cheery manner.

"Hope is a clueless human feeling that the species clings to in danger. It is futile to 'hope' for anything." Fang replied, looking up at the Pumpkin King's significantly taller frame.

"So doctor," Jack began, "What will be different this time? You know, to make it work?"

"This time, I will have a real human to add to the heart."

Fang snorted."And you," The doctor said, staring daggers at her from across the lab. "You will be fetching my human."

Fang stopped laughing.

"You will find this human at a place called..." The doctor scratched his metal head thoughtfully. "Uh, oh yes, The Destiny Islands."

"You mean I get to go to another world?" Fang asked, almost excitedly. Almost.

"Yes, you little whelp. Now off with you! Jack, help her off, will you?"

Fang and Jack left the lab and neared Halloweentown's main entrance.

"Here, this is a picture of the human we need." Jack said, handing Fang a small photograph.
Fang looked at the picture. The guy was... gorgeous. He had just-past-shoulder-length hair. Silvery. His eyes were the color of a tropical sea, yet rougher, and more turbulent. And, his muscles, lots...and lots...and lots of muscles.

"Whoa..." Fang uttered.

"Fang, you can stop drooling now...hellooooo..." Jack waved a bony hand in her face.
Fang shook her head.

"Sorry." She muttered.

"Here is your vessel." Jack pointed to a small ship, with a sleek black body and draconic wings.

Fang walked to the ship and sat in the open cockpit. She pushed a button to close the top, a tinted black windshield coming down to hide her presence in response. Outside she could hear Jack talking.

"She's called the DrakenBlade. Be good to her."

Fang gave a barely visible thumbs-up, and took of, fiery engines flaring.

x.X.x

Cloud finished buckling the last strap to his armor, attaching his long red ragged cape. He stumbled at first as he walked out of the little room he had been laid up in for 7 weeks, healing, his chest still hurting and the weight of his armor not taking away from the intense pain. He would have to get used to it, however, because the Heartless would not be forgiving to an unprotected human.

He sighed, walking through the lobby and nodding to Phil, who gave him a weary look. He opened the doors and walked out, beginning across the desert of the outside of the Coliseum, heading towards the main gates. When he was halfway through, a dark fog surrounded him, billowing wisps curling around his legs and neck.

"If it isn't my little servant... I believe we had an agreement, did we not?"

the great god of the Underworld asked with a sneer, and Cloud continued walking, face set. Hades stopped him.

"You broke the deal when you sent in Cerberus. Killing that kid wasn't in the contract, and I have a right to leave."
he started to walk again, but was held back once more by an invisible force.

"Oh... I suppose... but- if you leave now, how will you ever find your precious Liara?"

Hades added with a crude smile. Cloud's expression broke for a moment, and he forced himself to stay strong-Hades would never help him set his beloved free, he was just trying to trick him into killing the great warrior Hercules. He wouldn't buy in... He couldn't... He had to be able to find Liara on his own...

"I-I will. I will find her without the treachery of a demon."

Cloud explained, continuing to walk and breaking free of Hades. He paced himself quickly to the huge double doors, and threw his weight against them, refusing to let his weakness for Liara's freedom show. He wasn't throwing away his only lead to where she was, there must be someone else who could help him, someone he could trust. He would go to all of the worlds in turn, searching for her. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, but in his heart he knew that he would do anything to find her.

x.X.x

Liara had found new purpose. She wanted to learn more about Ansem, and more about what he was trying so hard to achieve. She had decided that she would best find this knowledge by searching for it in his vast library. She tried book after book, but never seemed to find anything that might tell her about the Heartless, or about Ansem himself.

She finally leaned against a bookshelf, exhausted from her search, and it moved. She stepped back, startled, and saw that a panel had been opened. Inside that panel was a book. She opened it, finding that it was full of parchment that had been written on. It was titled, 'Ansem's Report'. She opened it hastily, reading the entire 10 reports in a few moments.

She was frightened by what Ansem had written, and how he had conducted horrible experiments on so many people. She walked over to Belle, who had also been hanging around the library, searching for ways to banish the darkness and fight it. Liara showed the princess the book and she was astonished by it as well. They shared a deep gaze for a while, both thinking of what Ansem might have in store for them.

The princesses had been kidnaped so that Ansem would have the power to unlock the final keyhole, but Liara was an X-factor in the whole scheme. More like a toy to Ansem, a side dish to the main course. If anyone had the best chances for being hurt by the man, it was her. Belle realized this as well, and hugged the young girl.

Belle had been a sort of mother to Liara since she had stayed at Hollow Bastion, for, as all of the other princesses were kept in the Castle Chapel, Belle could go where she pleased. It was almost impossible to get around, however, because of the swarms of Heartless. Heartless guarded the castle as well, making it a hopeless venture simply to try to make it near the gates. Although Belle was just a few years older then 17 year old Liara, she had become a sort of guardian and maternal figure to the girl. She had been so alone after being taken away from Cloud, Belle could understand because of the Beast. All of the princesses had lost their loves, but Belle related best with Li and was the kindest.

"Belle..."

Li whispered quietly into the woman's silk gold dress.

"I'm scared."

x.X.x

Riku sat on the stem of the Paopu fruit tree, holding one of the star shaped fruits in his hands and spinning it around, thinking. bright blue waves crashed along the edge of his little island, and he gazed out along the horizon, pensive.

Riku's deep thoughts were interrupted when he saw what appeared to be a shooting star.

"Ugh, last time that happened, Kairi appeared." He uttered to no one in particular. "Maybe this time we'll get someone cute. Heh."

Riku suddenly realized that the shooting star was coming toward him. Straight toward him.

"Sh." He dove forward as the shooting star crashed into the bridge behind his cowering form.

The shooting star wasn't a star after all. It was… a ship?

"That's just a little odd..." Riku muttered, standing and dusting himself off.

The ship's cockpit opened and out jumped a short black blur...wielding a sword much to big for it.

"Not it," He thought, "Her." Her chuckled a little at his previous thought of a girl landing on the island.

"State your name!" The short girl shouted. "Who goes there?"

"My name is Riku, and keep it down. You'll wake everyone up." He called back.

"He's even more beautiful in person," Fang thought.
She lowered her oversized blade and began walking briskly toward him.

"You are to c-come with m-me to Halloweentown, under order of Doctor Finkelstein." Why was she stuttering? Taking people was usually an easy task. It was just cold. That was it. A little chilly.

"Oh, and a shrimp like you's gonna do what to get me there, hm?" His voice was deep, and mocking...almost challenging. Fang hated being mocked, especially about her height. Though, he was a good eight inches taller.

"Regardless of my height, you are coming with me."
The boy, Riku, responded,

"Right, whatever you-" THUNK!

Fang swung her blade sidelong at his head, so it hit flat. He fell with another resounding thud. Fang took hold of his body, and dragged it to the DrakenBlade. She hoisted him in beside the pilot's seat, and boarded. The glass windshield closed down again, and the engines roared.
She set course for Halloweentown...

x.X.x

Liara was perched on one of the taller slabs of floating rocks at the Rising Falls, thinking once more of the things that deeply troubled her heart. She watched the white fog that erupted at the bottom of the mountain, and observed the clear teal water plummet downwards toward the rocks at the bottom, crashing into the cold grey stone with a mighty roar. The water below, so peaceful and serene, was almost the color of Cloud's eyes. Cloud's striking eyes... oh how she missed gazing into them! Her heart yearned for him once more...

She shook her head, forcing thoughts of him to quiet themselves. She had to concern herself with how she was going to stop Ansem and rescue the Princesses, let alone herself. Just as she was thinking, still distracted by the rushing water and the colors of the tranquil waves, she heart footsteps behind her. She glanced back and saw Ansem jump to the rock she was on and Li stood up to face him.

"Thinking, dearest? I need you for something."

he announced, grabbing her arm fiercely and pulling her in the other direction, jumping up the the gate. He brought her up and into the castle, pulling her through a variety of Lift Stop areas until they reached the Castle Chapel. From the way Ansem was acting, it seemed as though something was wrong. Liara couldn't even venture a guess as to what, but she prayed it wasn't bad. When Ansem was angry.. people got hurt.

x.X.x

The DrakenBlade soared in once more for a crash landing at Halloweentown's Guillotine Gate. A fully conscious and loudly screaming Riku braced for impact.

"Are you crazy? You'll get us killed!"

Fang smiled. "Silly Riku, death is for humans."

The gothed-out gummi ship skidded to a screeching halt inches before reaching the gate, throwing both Fang and Riku through the windshield, through the gate, and into the courtyard fountain.

"Whoops..." Fang muttered.

Fang clutched the back of her head. "Ow." She looked blearily down to find herself sitting on a very dazed Riku's lap. He sat up, and for a moment their faces were but an inch apart. Fang jumped back. "Aaaugh!"

They scrambled out of the fountain, sticky with neon green goo.

"Ugh, what is this stuff?" Riku said, disgusted.

"It won't hurt you, paranoid." Riku looked down at the edge of the fountain as Fang spoke. A red gleam. Blood.

He shivered.

He looked up when she spoke again. "C'mon. The doctor's lab is this way." She turned and began to walk...and collapsed onto the twisted pavement. Riku ran to her side.

"Hey! Hellooo! Wake UP!" Riku shoved her unconscious body in an attempt to revive her. He suddenly noticed a stain on the back of Fang's head. A matching red gleam. Something clicked."Sh." He said for the second time that night.

"Musta hit her head on the way down." He thought. He picked her up and carried her to the gate she was walking toward a moment ago. Maybe this doctor guy could help. On'y one way to know. He pushed open the gate.

x.X.x

Ansem brought Liara into the adjoining room to the throne area and threw her to the ground. She only moaned quietly as she propped herself up into a sitting position, glaring up at him.

"And now, for the final test..."

he muttered to himself, pressing a few buttons on a keypad to reveal several machines. Liara had never seen them before, but they appeared to be appliances for creating Heartless. There were cages with various Heartless trapped inside all around the room. She looked up in horror, afraid of what he was going to do to her.

I shall conduct the following experiments:

Extract the darkness from a person's heart.
Cultivate darkness in a pure heart.
Both suppress and amplify the darkness within.

The experiments caused the test subjects' hearts to collapse, including those of the most stalwart. How fragile our hearts are! My treatments produced no signs of recovery...

experiments...

Liara had a pure heart... was he going to try and...

Ansem interrupted her thoughts by laughing evilly.

"You have served your purpose to me... Now let us see how strong your heart really is..."

he shouted at her, and lifted his arms to the high ceiling.

"I call upon the darkness within to seize her..."

He cried out, and thunder seemed to erupt in the castle chapel, waves of dark smoke billowing down from the ceiling. Ansem was smiling once more as Heartless began to spawn out of the ground and attack Liara. She tried holding them back, but had no weapon, and her magic was weakened by whatever power Ansem was currently holding on her with his call to the darkness. Her powers of good and light were useless against the great onslaught of Heartless, and waves upon waves of different types of the creatures surrounded her. Ansem was laughing hysterically, watching her be slashed and cut by his Heartless. She was bleeding badly, and it was becoming hard to breathe. She couldn't hold them back...

She was losing consciousness...

Suddenly the room was illuminated by a bright white light. Ansem's became full of shock and he was almost blinded by it, bringing up gloved hands to shield his face. Liara felt herself being lifted into the air. Her ragged and torn dress flowed around her, swirling in wide arches around the room. Her head faced upward and her arms spread out, as her soul felt suddenly pure and cleansed. Soon she realized that the light was coming from her.

She closed her eyes and let the power course through her, and when she opened them a great wave of pink light spread out from her and knocked the swarming Heartless to the ground. Almost a hundred tiny pink crystal hearts floated upwards as the Heartless disappeared, defeated. Ansem was knocked back as well, and was fighting back the waves with his own golden magic.

"ENOUGH!"

he shouted, releasing his death call and crumpling into a heap at the ground, no match for the power of the light. He tried to stand again, his heartless defeated, and faltered.

When the last Heartless was killed, Liara fell down, dress spread out around her, and passed out. Her strength had been spent on an unknown light and power of her heart.

x.X.x

Riku bursted through the door of Dr. Finkelstein's lab, and called out.

"Somebody help! She's hit her head."

Sally, who was sitting on a counter in the corner, gasped and covered her mouth.

Jack was in front of Riku in two strides, with a look of anger very uncharacteristic of him.

"What've you done to her?" Jack swooped down to Riku's face.

The doctor chuckled. "She's just playing it up because she's infatuated with this human."

Riku reddened for a moment, then spoke. "No she's bleeding, really bad!" He stammered. The doctor's expression turned grim.

"Put her on the table, and I'll patch her up."

Riku walked carefully to the operating table, and set Fang's lifeless body upon it. He shivered once again when he saw many fluid stains on the rusty old metal table. And straps...the table had leather straps where one's hands and feet might be.

"Now," Began the doctor, "tell me exactly what happened." He directed his electric wheelchair toward the table and looked to Riku for an answer.

"Well, uh, we crashed, and I guess she hit her head on the fountain out there." Riku motioned toward the door.

"It's a good thing you brought her in, otherwise, she might be dead in a matter of minutes." The doctor pulled a small black bag from underneath the table and opened it. He pulled out a few tools that Riku was not familiar with. Dr. Finkelstein cleaned the wound and shoved a rag into Riku's hand. "Direct pressure, boy. We have to stop the bleeding." The split oozed a little more and Riku quickly held the rag to it.

The bleeding finally slowed nearly to a stop, and the doctor stapled the wound shut, while Riku grimaced. How he did it without removing Fang's hair was a mystery.

"There." Said the doctor, "Good as new."

"Uuugh..." Fang moaned as she awoke with a screaming headache.

Riku heard a strange whooshing noise behind him and turned to see what had caused it...and a small black thing resembling an upright-walking ant, with glowing yellow eyes, peered up at him.

"Sh." (Third time.) "Run...HEARTLESS!" Riku scrambled back and into the table. Fang sat bolt upright.

"Come on!" She shouted, jumping up and grabbing her sword in her left hand, Riku's left hand in her right. She pulled him out the door and into the town square where the twisted citizens of Halloweentown ran rampant, panicked, and screaming, chased by a few variants of the heartless. Fang ignored the throbbing pain in her skull, and turned toward the graveyard. She ran, nearly dragging Riku behind her.

x.X.x

Liara woke up and found herself in the tunnels of Hollow Bastion. They were located underneath the castle, accessed by a passage in the water of the Rising Falls near the corner of the falls themselves. Great bubbles of air took you underwater and to the entrance to the hidden passages.

She was stored in a sort of prison, it was a hollowed out, stone room, with a heap of blankets in the corner and a bowl of greul in another. She sighed, looking out through a clear shield at the entrance to the prison. She stood, tattered skirt to her dress at her ankles now from being ripped.

What was that light? Where had it come from?

It had escaped from her heart somehow. Her heart was so pure that it refused to be taken into the darkness and she herself turned to a heartless. Now that Ansem had realized her full power, he had locked her up here for the fear of what she could do to his evil plan.

She hit the barrier with a fist, angered that she had lost her chance to save the princesses. But the light had not been fully under her control, although now that she knew that it was inside of her, she could use the power to do good. Possibly even to set herself free of Ansem's clutches. Where her hand struck the invisible shield a light radiated out of it, showing her that the entire opening had been sealed and that there was no way out.

She collapsed on the rags in the corner, trying to think of anything that she could do to pass the time, or any routes she could use to escape. Ansem's magic was strong, but… could hers be stronger?

x.X.x

Ansem walked through the many Lift Stop areas and pressed a large, globe like button to command the lift to move upwards. He walked onto it and the platform rose, bringing him to another area. He sighed, and continued making his way through various platforms until he got to a level with a gateway to the Castle Chapel. He didn't go in, however, but rather sat down with his back to the wall. How could this have happened?

First of all, how could he have been a fool enough to forget that there was the one out there? He knew that there was one person that was the complete opposite from the darkness, such an opposite that the being could combat the darkness with a mysterious power. The power of the Heart. The power of light. Yes, the pure being had darkness, no human is without it, but the levels of darkness and the size of it's shadow was minuscule.

When he had captured Liara he had not thought much of her pure heart, deciding that it was much like the hearts of the godly that he had destroyed experimenting on. He figured that in the end, after she had preformed her uses and he had lost interest in her, he would conduct a final experiment on her heart, the purest he had found as of yet, and see if all hearts would collapse under his pressure of the darkness. But he had underestimated the power in her heart.

She was the one.
The being that held the power to destroy the darkness, if given the chance.

Li had never realized that she held this power of light before because she had never been put in a situation where the darkness was strong enough to force her light to expand and shower them all with its brightness. When Ansem had tried to experiment on her, the light inside her heart had shown itself and she had realized that she held that power. She had used it to defeat great waves and masses of his heartless with a single thought. She was the only one that could truly defeat Ansem's Heartless in full, to say nothing of the Keyblade Wielder.

Ansem sighed, putting his hands on his face. He would get through this. He was all-knowing, he could make a plan to destroy both Sora, the kid that had wound up with the Keyblade, and Liara. It could be possible to kill the boy with Heartless, if he could find a Heartless powerful and willing enough to try such a task, the Heartless were determined to kill Sora, so it should not be difficult to recruit them to his task. Sora had to die, along with any of King Mickey's nosy subjects that may be traveling with him, or any other companions of that sort. The Keyblade would not travel alone.

But he would find a way to destroy the pesky boy, and gain the Keyblade for his own uses, to open the final Keyhole. He had the Princesses, thanks to his work with some of the other Dark Masters of various worlds, mostly to the great Maleficent for aiding him in full. He would leave it to them to kill Sora, a task that would be simple if not for the powerful Keyblade. But it would be done, he was assured by them. And if it came down to it, in the final moments of his quest, Ansem would kill the little boy himself.

But what about Liara? Ansem knew everything, everything except for the extent of Liara's gift. Could she break through the barrier he had set around her prison? She was confined below the castle, but could she escape? That he did not know, and so he had stationed swarms of Heartless everywhere, to injure her or alert Ansem of her presence should she escape. He didn't want her dead, although now that she had realized her power she was a worthy adversary. She could help him open the final keyhole, or have her other uses. He might even have to use her as a trade or bribe to someone destined to stop him. Whatever the case, someone with that much power that had been prophesied about was worth much more alive than dead.

He would figure this out, as he did all predicaments. He would solve the puzzle. He would win the game.

The coming of the Heartless had been far from stopped. The worlds would be controlled by the Heartless, ruled over by Ansem himself. The day of the final Keyhole would come, soon enough. And no one would stop him.

x.X.x

"Sh, sh, SH!" Fang shouted as the two of them ran to the lift in the graveyard. Riku was standing frozen by the rusty machine as Fang pulled out a zippo lighter and began to flick it, over, and over, and over again, with no response but a dull click.

Fang was still fighting the lighter (and losing) when a few more heartless materialized behind them. They all leapt for her as Riku swung at them with Fang's oversized sword.

He continued to fight the multiplying numbers of heartless while Fang worked with the lighter (still losing), and turned when Fang squeaked at the lighter, which had just released a gust of flame. She lit the underside of the platform. "Ha!" She proclaimed triumphantly.

"Time to go!" Riku said quickly, shoving Fang onto the platform and jumping up after as it rose over the spiked uneven fence. One last heartless jumped for Fang and Riku knocked it away.

"Thanks..." She said quietly, "For saving me..."

Riku looked at her and smiled. She smiled back.

Fang gazed at the top of Moonlight Hill and saw a humanlike figure, just standing, with what appeared to be a giant key.

The lift had dropped them on the opposite side of the fence, to the most beautiful part of Halloweentown. The curled hill where the moon could best be viewed. Almost romantic. Or it would be if it weren't for the evil heartless creatures swarming around the town. But that figure...

It jumped from it's post to run toward them and swing that strange key at Fang...Riku jumped ahead and blocked, shoving the figure off. "Why am I always getting attacked?" Fang shouted.

"The heartless have swords?" The figure shrieked. A boy, almost as tall as Riku.

"But not nearly as cute." Fang thought.

"Sora?" Riku inquired.

"Riku?"

"Sora!"

"Riku!" The shorter boy, Sora, jumped forward, Riku catching him in a hug.

"I take it you two are acquainted?" Fang asked.

"Fang, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Sora." Riku said happily.

More heartless came.

"Ugh, not again." Fang said, annoyed.

"Come on!" Said Sora. "We'll take my ship!" He turned and ran to the platform that would lead to the graveyard once more. They crossed into Town Square, and through the Guillotine Gate. Fang shook her head in dismay as they passed her totaled gummi ship. They boarded Sora's and he started the engines.

The ship lifted off of the stone pavement and shot into the sky, bound for anywhere but Halloweentown.

x.X.x

Liara woke up, noticing that the mush that she supposed was her daily meal had gone completely cold. Although it had not lost its appeal as an edible item, it did not look like something that one would pay any sort of munny for. She stuck a finger into the muck and felt the grainy texture of the unthoughtfully prepared meal. She sighed, removing the finger and bringing it to her mouth and tasting it. It was a bit like oatmeal, only the mere texture of it sliding down her throat took most of her will power to keep herself from gagging.

She ate a bit more of the disgusting gruel and sat down on the rags again, closing her eyes and imagining that she had just eaten something delicious, trying to mask the foul taste and smell of the discolored mush with some of her favorite foods.

She sighed and took one of the thin blankets and laying it on top of her, shivering. She was suddenly extremely cold. She felt empty, but the feeling had not been unusual since she had began living her life of captivity here at Hollow Bastion. She realized that it came when she was feeling particularly alone. Before she had belonged to Ansem, when she was with Cloud, she had never felt this way. She figured it must be a feeling of being unloved, of being alone, of being a prisoner in her own body. She felt like dying, and yet she knew that she had to live. She was born to do something. The worlds needed her. They still do. She had to help them, but how? Even now that she has realized her great power and the things possible with it, was it really any match for Ansem's darkness?

She shook her head, downhearted and confused. She didn't know how to go on. How to escape. She had been taking it one day at a time, but now all of her days had slurred into one long eternity. She had no clue whether it was day or night, locked underground in a place where no sunlight could reach it's warm arms down into, where the only sweet melody is the insane dripping of random water droplets from the rising falls above.

She shivered again, cold in her heart as well as her body. She had to do something. But what?

x.X.x

Cloud had to leave; he had to leave not only to get away from Hades but also to continue his search for Liara. He had one minor problem, however. He needed a vessel. He could not, unfortunately, just fly out into space to travel to different worlds. He needed to find someone with a gummi ship to transport him. But who?

x.X.x

After much argument between Sora and Riku over who would pilot, Sora was picked.

Fang had told them who she wanted flying without actually telling them.

"Riku," She had said, putting on her cutest face. "I want you to sit with me." She cocked her head just slightly.

Riku gaped.

Sora raised an eyebrow.

Riku shrugged and sat with her in the back seats.

As the arrived at the Coliseum, Sora pointed out a man sitting on the main steps. Sora landed smoothly, and Riku turned to Fang. "Why can't you land like that?"

"Because," She said brightly, "If I'd have landed perfectly, I wouldn't be sitting next to you."

He twitched. They got out of the ship.

x.X.x

Cloud noticed the ship docking at the Coliseum and immediately walked over to it. When they noticed him he nodded politely and introduced himself.

"My name is Cloud. I was wondering if I could catch a ride with you to a few different worlds..."

he asked politely. This was the only ship he had seen in a while, and could possibly be his only way out of the world. He just hoped that he wasn't asking too much...

Fang was the first to speak. "Maybe. That depends on where you're headed."

"Yeah," Sora continued. "We're kinda on our own quest."

Cloud sighed, looking down at the pair. He was taller then both of them, and older as well.

"My first concern is to leave this world. I doubt that your quest would continue here, this place is only a house of evil. Unless you seek Hercules, then there is nothing for you here. I would go where ever you are, as I am searching for something... but do not know where it is.."

He explained, eyes glazed as he thought, yet his voice clear. He gazed back down at them with a firm, but fairly questioning look. Although he would not let them know, Hades would most likely kill him if he stayed here, for as far as Hades cared, Cloud had betrayed him by not killing Sora. Perhaps Sora would remember Cloud's kindness in sparing his life, at the cost of Liara's only known chance for freedom. Perhaps because of that Sora would allow Cloud to join his party to another world. Or so Cloud could only hope and pray.

"Sure," Sora pronouced gleefully. "The more, the merrier, right guys?" He turned to his companions with his trademark grin.

Fang gave a wavering thumbs up. "Sure thing...heheh..."

"Feh..." Riku added without enthusiasm.

"Sora's just like Jack." For the first time since their departure, Fang fought back tears at thought of her Halloweentown friends.

"So it's settled!" Fang exclaimed. "We're off!" She turned to leave.

"Not quite." Sora grabbed her shoulder. "We're here for the games."

"Then you'll be disappointed..." Cloud intervened. "They have to clean it up after the last battle. There won't be any games for a while."

Sora was crestfallen. "But...B-but..."

"Hahahaha!" Riku was loving it. "Stop whining, Sora!"

"And we're off!" Fang tried again. This time they complied. Riku trying not to laugh, Sora slouching in shame, shooting death glares at Riku... but this Cloud fellow, just staring out into space.

They all, yet again, boarded the ship, and departed...

x.X.x

The group of now four adventurers on Sora's ship began to get bored with being quiet, and after about four minutes with absolutely no sound but the ship's engines, Fang just couldn't take it...

"WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE TALK? YOU PEOPLE ARE SCARING ME!"

Cloud said nothing, his mind was preoccupied.

He sat in the corner of the gummi ship, staring off into the wide space around them, blinking stars of worlds and such flashing by. Now, more than ever, he needed Liara. He had missed her so much, and had worked so hard with Hades to win her freedom from the horrible Ansem, but now that all of his work had been for nothing and almost two full years of searching were wasted, he was being ripped apart. Who knows if she was even still alive? What if she had killed herself, thinking him unfaithful? He could not bear the thought of her in Ansem's grimy fingers, him controlling her, calling himself her master. He spat in the corner of the ship, unable to control his deep hatred for the darkness, and for the master of such darkness, Ansem. He couldn't let his precious Liara stay in the clutches of such a man, praying each sunrise for Cloud to come and save her, and who knows what the vile creature was capable of doing. He shivered, not wanting to think of what the wretched man might do, continuing to search for something that wasn't there in the starry skies on the other side of the glass window.

Cloud sighed, looking back around the cabin. They wanted to share stories of where they were going and why. He thought for a moment, looking back out the window and answered, gazing at the blackened sky around them.

"I am searching for someone. I am here to seek revenge on a terrible man's crimes, and find that someone in the process."

he stated, not bothering to turn and face them.

"Now that you mention it, I'd like revenge on someone as well... someone who hurt me, a guy who left me for someone else..." Fang mumbled, suddenly finding her boots very interesting.

"Who?" Riku asked, looking slightly concerned.

She continued. "Grrr... A guy named Ansem..."

Cloud looked away from the window so quickly that Sora jumped. He gazed intently down on them, almost amused. He was quite a bit taller and older then they were, and for the moment they were captivated by his presence gazing down at them with bright teal eyes.

"Ansem!"

he asked quietly, attention directed towards Fang.

Sora tried to speak as well, failing miserably.

Riku followed suit.

"But, he-" Sora said.

"And you-" Riku began.

"Eewww..." They both said together.

"Isn't Ansem a little old for you?" Riku asked, looking more than a little freaked out.

"You guys know him, all of you?" Nods all around.

"He took Kairi from me," Sora said.

"He...he..." Riku shivered, unable to continue.

"Well, you see, I met him in Halloweentown." Fang began. "He found me...ugh, crying on Moonlight Hill. We talked and he took me across a few worlds. I..." She twitched. "Fell... in love with the creep... even helped him capture a few of the Princesses of Heart. And he betrayed me... leaving me for some chick named, oh what was it? Liara! That was it, some bimbo with a "pure heart". She seemed nice enough, but she had taken my happiness... I'll never forgive either of them..."

The others simply stared, Riku grim, Sora, mouth agape, and Cloud, quiet and unreadable as ever. Fang realized something peculiar... Cloud had fidgeted the slightest bit at the mention of Liara.

"Uh-ooohh..." Fang thought, worried that she had said something wrong.

"That's interesting... But, a question. If this... Liara, person, if she was pure of heart, why would she want to be with Ansem, who is the master of darkness?"

Fang had made it sound as though Liara had fallen in love with Ansem. If she had... Cloud kept his expression blank, and yet his eyes could not mask his complicated thought. To all but the extremely observant, he would seem nonchalant.

"I...You know I never really thought of that..." Fang mused. "I couldn't tell ya, though Ansem was extremely happy... I saw her once, guarded by the Heartless, she looked... sad, and deep in thought, like..." She looked up at Cloud, "Like you."

Cloud sighed. For once he was at a loss for words.

"She was... is... she.."

Cloud coughed, trying to find the right words and looking more distant then ever.

"You're looking for her, aren't you?" Fang said softly, looking up at Cloud, now even more afraid of her own words. She had hurt him. She knew it. Riku and Sora sat holding their breath, completely silent

Cloud nodded curtly. He could not deny what he felt, and he could reveal pieces of himself as they began to gain his trust. He sighed, glancing around at them.

"I love her. Over a year ago, Ansem stole her from me. He must have thought she was one of the Princesses of Heart. I suppose this was because of her pure heart and light, for she could spread the light to anyone. Since then I have been searching for her. Do you... know where Ansem is?"

He looked into Fang's eyes as he spoke, face still pale and hardened.

Fang broke their shared gaze and stared down in shame. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know...I, I might know where he is!" She brightened. "This place called, Hollow Bastion...he took me there once. It's a huge castle-"

"We know." Sora and Riku said in unison.

"I don't know how to get there though..." Fang shook her head in defeat. "I'm sorry..."

Cloud looked up intently, his face telling of his excitement, but it fell quickly.

"Could we find someone who does? Sora?"

He asked, a little too quickly for his usual quiet self.

"You may not want her back after this. She'll be crazy." Riku said, eyes wide, his voice full of fear. "You don't know the kinds of things he does to his captives." His voice cracked, and shook.

"Riku," Fang asked softly, putting a hand on Riku's shoulder. "What did he do to you?..."

"He...he...Fang, it hurt...so bad..." Riku broke down and started sobbing uncontrollably. Fang scooted over and took Riku in her arms. He continued to speak through his crying.

"He, he did it in between possessing my body. I trusted him, and he used me... Ansem is a rapist and a murderer!" Riku convulsed violently in Fang's embrace, and sobbed more onto her shoulder.

"Riku..." Fang continued to comfort Riku, while Sora talked.

"Riku, I never knew... how could he... Ansem..."

Fang, spoke again. "Guys, it's time we slept. We'll plan our attack tomorrow, but right now, we need rest!"

Riku slowly began to calm.

Clouds eyes went wide and his fists clenched. Ansem? A murderer... this he knew. But a rapist? This boy had been one of his captives... Clouds mind became a confused blur as thoughts raced through his head. His primary concern was... Liara. Had Ansem... raped her? He shook his head, standing (which was more of a crouch because of the small ship), and walked over to a little area they had set up for sleeping.

He threw himself in the corner, and without any blankets for warmth or any sort of sleeping item, he sat with his back to the wall, leaning over onto his knees, which were bent. His eyes were still full of rage as he looked down at the flooring. He felt extremely powerless. He knew that if Ansem had violated Riku, he was sure to have done the same to Li. His teeth clenched, and he had to use all of his will to keep himself from destroying something or breaking into madness.

The thought of Ansem touching her... His pulse quickened and suddenly his head ached. He was shaking, shaking like mad. He couldn't stop, he could feel tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. He looked away, refusing to let them see his uncontrollable weakness.

x.X.x

Fang led the tear-blinded Riku into their makeshift bedroom and watched him lay down. "It's alright, Riku, you're safe with us." She brushed a few stray silver hairs from his eyes and smiled. Riku shakily smiled back. Then, her smile faltered. Fang saw...no, felt a sentient rage radiating from Cloud's kneeling figure.
"You're worried about her?" Fang inquired to Cloud without looking away from Riku's face.

Cloud closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. He would save this rage for Ansem, when he met the bastard. For now, he had to take it one step at a time and get through this. Tomorrow they would be closer to Liara... She would be alive, and she would be... safe. If only... No... Cloud wouldn't let his mind stray to the horrible news Riku had revealed to them again. He was afraid he would lose it. He was still shaking a little, and he felt clammy and empty.. lost. He wiped a few tears from his eyes, still not looking up.

"You should get him to bed, he looks like he needs some rest."

He stated quietly.

Fang smiled again, "I'll do that. And I have to agree, Riku looks real beat... but somehow, you look worse yet." She finally turned to look at him. "Cloud, she'll be fine." Fang assured as Sora came up to them and flopped onto a makeshift bed without a word.

He shook his head a little, clearing his mind. He had to get some rest. If he over thought this, who knows what could happen. Fang was right, she'll be fine... But something in the back of his mind made him weary.

"I hope so..."

he whispered to himself quietly.

He laid his head back on the metal wall of the ship and closed his eyes, thinking of the times that he had spent with Liara before Ansem had stolen her. Before the worlds had been connected... before...

x.X.x

Fang woke up not an hour later, and sat bolt upright, covered in icy sweat.

"Augh!" She panted, trying to catch her breath after a terrible nightmare.

Riku sat up quickly, turning to face Fang beside him. He put an arm around her shoulders...and Fang clung desperately to his hand.

"I dreamt of it... the attack at Halloweentown, and everyone died, you, Sora, even Cloud, and Jack, Sally, the Doctor, and...and guess who was there in the town square laughing..."

Riku gripped Fang's hand.

"Ansem." He replied, sure of his response. He shivered again.

"Riku, I don't want to be anywhere near him again." Fang moved closer to Riku, and leaned into him. "I'm scared of him, Riku. For the first time ever, I'm afraid of him."

Riku sighed. "I hope that's not my fault." He said.

"No," Fang replied quietly. "It's Ansem's."

Sora and Cloud remained asleep.

Riku and Fang looked up in unison. And moved closer...

Riku's eyelids drooped and Fang lunged forward the slightest bit. Their lips met.

They held the kiss for a few seconds and broke apart.

"Fang-"

"Riku, I think I love you!" Fang blurted, and clapped a hand over her mouth, turning a brilliant shade of scarlet.

Riku put his arms around Fang and laid back down. Fang clung to him tightly, her head on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, observing it calming along with her own. She was a single step away from relaxing completely, and drifting into peaceful sleep in Riku's arms when, he spoke.

"Fang..."

"Uh-huh?"

"I love you too."