Chapter Four: The End

"Kingdom Hearts, it will give us what we have lost. It will return to us our hearts, and allow us to feel." Xemnas had called the Organization to the Grey Area to discuss their goal. "There is a boy, Sora, and he is the key to it all. Without him releasing hearts, we would not be able to accomplish this."

With those final words, Xemnas called darkness to him and disappeared. One by one, the other members left to carry out their own missions, until Axel was left in the large room with Saix.

"Have you seen Axim?"Saix asked, staring out the window.

"Uh, no. I assumed she was out on a mission you assigned for her." Axel tried to appear nonchalant, but was growing increasingly nervous. He hadn't seen Axim since the night they shared in her room, three days ago.

"I did. But she has yet to return. Am I right to say that you would like the honor of searching for her?" Saix turned and gave Axel a tight smile.

"And why would you do me that favor?" Axel crossed his arms over his chest.

"She was sent to Hollow Bastion to destroy a Pure-blood Heartless that appeared. You will search for her, and not return until she is found." With that, Saix disappeared.

Axel quickly called the darkness to him. The familiar cooling sensation of floating through nothingness came over him, and soon he stepped out onto Hollow Bastion. The castle he was in looked like it was about to fall apart. Thick wires stuck out everywhere and the whole place was empty.

"Way to pick a place to get lost in, this is gonna take hours," he sighed and started walking. He summoned his chakrams for protection, but soon saw it was pointless because there wasn't a single Heartless in sight.

He walked for what seemed like forever before he found a sign of Axim. He leaned down and picked up a piece of her cloak. It seemed to have been torn off in a struggle. He hoped she was okay. He grew more and more anxious as he walked through the castle. He found more signs of Axim the further in he went.

Finally, he came to a library and found Axim at a desk, sleeping. She had piles of books scattered all around her. Her coat was torn in some places, and her hair was even more wild than usual. It looked like she struggled with her mission and stopped here to rest.

He walked over to her and lightly shook her. It took him a few tries, but she finally woke up.

"Whazzagonon," she said sleepily. She looked up and her eyes widened when she realized it was Axel.

"Hey sleepyhead, I thought I had a sleeping problem," he said softly as he picked her up.

"Put me down Axel," she said roughly, trying to pull away.

"Hey, what's that for?" He set her back down and she collapsed. "Come on Axim, you're hurt. You gotta let me take you back to the castle."

"I- I haven't finished my mission… It was too powerful. It chased me through the whole castle. I had to hide in here." She looked down as if ashamed. Axel sat down and pulled her into his lap.

"It's alright, we'll both take it out, then return to the castle so you can get all fixed up. But use this for now." He handed her a potion. She took it and some of the color returned to her cheek and she was able to stand up.

"Okay, let's go," she said smiling at him. They left the library and walked down a hallway to the entrance of the castle. They hadn't met any Heartless since they left, and he hadn't seen any since he came to the castle in the first place. But he thought too soon, because at the entrance, a giant heartless was waiting for them.

"You just wait here, I'll handle this." Axel left Axim in the hallway, and ran at the heartless. Axim watched in fear as he battled the giant creature. Axel was quick, but not quick enough, and soon the Heartless was towering over him, ready to give a final blow.

"No!" Axim screamed, and ran from her hiding place. She summoned all of darkness around her and in her heart and thrust it at the monster. Axim collapsed and blacked out.

"Axim!"

"Axel, it's so nice here…"

"Please, don't disappear."

"I have to. I am not meant for this world."

"I love you Axim, don't go… I won't have anyone else…"

Axim opened her eyes and looked into Axel's.

"I love you too, I will always love you. But I put everything into that attack… To save you. I couldn't live with myself if you faded because of me…" She reached up and touched his face. A tear fell from his face and pooled on her cheek.

"No, Axim please… I can't go on with out you…." He sobbed, bringing his forehead to hers.

"You'll forget about me," she said, bringing darkness to her.

"No! I won't!" he yelled. She called the darkness into his heart and found memories of each other.

She lifted her face up to his and kissed him just as she tore the memories from his heart, and with the last of her strength she called a portal and pushed him through.

"Ax-," was all he got out before she closed the portal.

She sifted through the memories she had pulled from his heart and started to cry.

"You'll be better off now. You won't long for what has been lost," she said, closing her eyes as she faded from this world into nothingness.