KH2- Search of the Legendary Keyblades.

Chapter 2 The trial of the Epitaphs- Sephiroth's story (part 2)/ Sora's journey. Twilight Town

By Aerseph4eva

Disclaimer.......

Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me, no matter how hard I dream or wish. If it did, Riku would wear black leather trousers instead of his blue stocky ones and Cloud, Squall, Yuffie, Cid, Aerith and Sephiroth would have played on your team instead of Goofy and Donald.

Hey everyone. Thanks for the reviews. I really do appreciate them all!

Just to warn you guys that this chapter is 'very' long and I had to take out a huge chunk of the Aer/Seph section so that I can update quicker.

Now on with the fic.

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Another snap of lightning lit up the sky from its present dark slumber, and all was silent once more. The rain cascaded down the rooftops, scaling between the damaged bricks and mortar, pooling over the sides to the empty streets below. Dark shadows crept across the dilapidated buildings, merging into the night. They knew that within the darkness, this world was theirs. The Heartless had made Twilight town their home. Their feet pattered along with the rain, searching for their next meal, their next unfortunate victim that crossed their path. The wind blew harder, swirling the dirt and litter into the thick putrid air of fog and mist. Within a dark and dismal corner where the light from the lamppost resided with the darkness of the town, a figure moved, looking and feeling out of place in his new surroundings.

"Where am I?"

Sora blinked weakly, trying to discern his whereabouts. It was surely a gloomy place and the buildings looked nothing like he had ever seen.

"Where am I? It is so dark," the brunet said softly, as he struggled to rise to his feet, wincing sharply as he felt a shard of glass penetrate the leather of his gloves and nick his skin.

"Agh!" Sora groaned, pulling himself to his feet, staring in puzzlement at his surroundings.

"I am in some sort of town…. but it looks nothing like Traverse Town…." The teen mused to himself, as he swept his chestnut bangs out of his vision.

"I guess this is what that guy meant in the dream. I am in another new world." Sora took a few steps forward, eyeing the gothic buildings mottled in the shades of soot and dirt. A faint scuttle of sound rose to the brunet's ears as he turned around warily, his Keyblade instantly materialising into his vision, only to come across the wrapper of a food package.

"I need to be careful and stay focused," Sora muttered to himself as he moved out of his fighting stance, his grip still firm upon the handle of the blade. "There could be anything lurking around here." Then with deliberate stealth and care, the Keyblade Master crept across the cobbled streets, his eyes constantly searching for any sign of danger. Sora jumped at the high pitched squawk which came from his left, and his eyes flickered in the direction where a black feather swooped down from the sky and landed to his feet.

The brunet raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" he questioned to himself as he bent down to pick up the delicate item, which fluttered in the breeze.

"A feather."

'Follow the black feathers to the black witch with golden eyes.... '

Sora raised his head once again at the sound of the raven, which sat perched upon the room of a desolate building. Its ominous eyes stared eerily into Sora, as if welcoming the teen to a challenge...And then with an elaborate flutter of its outstretched wings, the raven rose upwards in the air, and into the distance, leaving the brunet bemused. He blinked for a few moments, eyeing the direction where the raven went before looking down at the feather, which glistened in his palm.

'Follow the black feathers to the black witch with golden eyes..... '

"Is this a sign?"

Sora shook his head at himself, and with a sigh dashed after the bird, causing the water on the pavement to spray up in the air after each footfall. His eyes scanned the sky for his target which remained just within sight as he sprinted onwards, taking no awareness of the buildings he passed, his only goal into catching up with the raven. His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the bird make a sudden turn towards his right. Quickening his steps, Sora turned quickly, smirking to himself when he saw that the street ended with a dead-end.

"Hey!" Sora called out as he saw the bird swoop lower down, that it was inline with the second story windows of the houses, flying straight towards the brick wall.

"Got you now birdie!" the brunet called out seeing that the bird had no where else to go-

- before choking out in disbelief as the bird passed through the wall.

Sora blinked, thoroughly confused. "Wha-?!"

"What is this place?" he cried out to the skies as he took a few careful steps forward to the end of the alleyway, feeling somewhat confused, yet having the urge to continue on. Reaching out a hand towards the brick, Sora gasped out loud as he watched it faze through the wall. Shaking his head to rid himself of his uncertainties, the brunet closed his eyes, before pushing himself towards the barrier, subconsciously expecting to feel an impact of a very hard wall.

He opened his eyes and he swallowed the breath in his mouth at the sight which stood before him. A long tower of black steps meandered at all angles towards the apex of a building that stood out in the distance. The decoration faintly reminded Sora of Halloween Town, yet it seemed this building...no... the castle was much more elaborately decorated to the levels of Hallow Bastion. The brunet took one careful step forward, then another along the narrow steps, gulping self-consciously that there was no rail to support him in he were to fall. And the breeze seemed to get stronger that it whipped the bangs of Sora's unruly long hair. Sapphire eyes looked beyond the steps to the castle and it was there he saw it. Upon one of the tallest spokes adjoining the metal gates to the entrance of the castle, the black raven sat, perched upon the metal structure, its dark, beady eyes gazing towards the black clad teen as if threatening the boy to leave the castle grounds. Sora quickly whisked his Keyblade back into his hand, after dematerialising it during his chase and started advancing up the stairs, keeping to the centre as his eyes stared, fixed at the bird which returned the Keyblade master's gaze. After reaching the last final step, Sora looked up at the raven who had turned its head towards the castle. The black gate creaked loudly as Sora pushed it open, as if it hadn't been used in a long time. Taking a few steps forward, Sora took in account all the things he saw. It was like he was in a twisted nightmare. Trees were mutilated and twisted beyond recognition of natural beauty. Metal spikes barred the teen from stepping into the 'gardens' of dead leaves and shattered glass. There was only one path that Sora could follow and that was to the large door which stood facing him, its thick wooden planks looking bare and rotten. The place was surely unwelcoming and Sora turned his head behind to see if the raven was still perched on the gate. It wasn't. Frowning to himself in confusion, the brunet turned only to gasp in surprise to see the raven swoop over his head, a mass of black feathers falling upon the gravel path before flying upwards and gliding into the castle through one of broken windows above. Sora knowing the signal, ran forward along the pathway to the door, somewhat surprised to find out that the door was unlocked and needed no input from his Keyblade. Stepping through the portal, Sora stopped again, confused at the sight which befell him. The place was stunning. Words couldn't do it justice. It had the sense of dark and an unearthly beauty that the brunet couldn't help but feel attracted to. He stepped across the red frayed carpet staring around the room. Long tapestries splayed the wall in regal colours of red and gold swirls and shapes. The flickering of dying flames upon the golden chandeliers was the only light that lit up the eerie atmosphere. Swiping away a cobweb which had got caught in his hair, Sora looked up the magnificent staircase which divided separately to the left and the right, adding to a regal splendour. The place could have been 'beautiful', and Sora couldn't help but think what the place would have looked like if it was restored to its original state.

"Um....Hello?" Sora called out, taking a few steps into the room, cringing in unease as the wooden floorboards creaked under the weight of his foot. Yet there was no response, nor did nothing creep out the shadows. The brunet took in a deep breath, brandishing his blade out in front of him, ready to fight whatever that hid in the depths of the darkness.

"If only there was more light in the room..." Sora grumbled to himself before face vaulting in surprise, as he felt the air suddenly go warm and all the candles flared to life. Sora blinked in wide eyed amazement, tossing his head left to right as more of the room presented itself to his vision, and that only the faintest of shadows darkened the otherwise brightly lit hall.

A creak on top of the staircase alerted the brunet that he was not alone.

"Who's there?" Sora ground out, whipping his head up before freezing in surprise, his eyes dilating at the figure that now stood there at the top of the staircase.

"Ah it was you who removed 'de silence of 'death from my K-a-rstle, Keyblade Master," a feminine voice said quietly, her words accenting a dark edge to the sound of the consonants. The figure seemed to glide down the steps of the staircase as if she was floating.

Sora tensed up, ready for battle. "How do you know who I am? Who are you!" he called out in warning.

The female cackled, flipping her head to the side, causing tendrils of long silver hair to cascade down her shoulders as she took one step after another down the staircase, each of her features becoming more prominent with every step. It was when her face came into the direct light that Sora couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Her face was emblazoned with intricate tattoos that surrounded her eyes in dark shades of purple and blue, contrasting sharply against her alabaster skin with its complex stripes of symmetrical beauty. The designs made her look fierce as a tribal warrior ready for battle, making her amber eyes appear brighter, her eyebrows more arched, her lips tight and dark to clash against her cold expression.

To Sora, she looked like an exotic goddess from the pits of darkness. A goddess of the Heartless world.

Her eyes glowed an unearthly amber and once again, Sora's mind was assaulted with the image of the Heartless, and he couldn't help but frown when an 'golden eyed male' came into his mind. Adorned in swathes of black and red satin in a rather provocative style, that revealed various scroll-like tattoos across her amble chest and her thighs, the woman, began to slowly descend down the stairs before pausing as her eyes fell to the Keyblade master.

Her blood red lips tightened to a frown as she stared down at the boy, unimpressed.

"So you are 'de boy every one ist looking for." The silver haired woman said coolly, turning to her shoulder to pet her raven. Sora refused to move out of his stance, wary yet bemused of the stranger. Although she had done nothing to him, there seemed to be an aura of mystery about her. She looked dangerous to say the least, but there was an exotic beauty with the tattoos that emblazoned her face. The extraordinary hairstyle which arched up like horns in a threatening style and her low evening gown that was flamboyantly decorated with long black feathers cascading down her back like a cape. Sora was entranced, to say the least.

"Who are you?" Sora questioned realising for the first time that the bird on the woman's shoulder was the same bird that he was chasing earlier.

Red lips twitched.

Black feathers suddenly sprouted from her back and Sora was alarmed to see the 'decorative feathers' were in fact two beautiful wings, in the shades of onyx. The woman stretched her wings to full length, causing the raven on her shoulder to fly off as its master suddenly took flight, black feathers dancing within the air.

The ethereal image reminded Sora of his fight back in the Coliseum where he fought against a breathtakingly beautiful angel. Tainted with the power of darkness, he adorned one long black wing on his left side and one hefty blade in his right hand. He was the hardest adversary Sora had challenged, and that even included Ansem.

'The legendary swordsman Sephiroth....and if...she has the same strength as he ....I'm done for....'

Sora's eyes dilated and his mouth suddenly went dry as the earlier image of what he called her ran through his mind...'The black witch with the golden eyes....the Heartless Goddess...'

A smile danced on the woman's lips as she landed on the ground before the brunet, looking up into the wide innocent eyes, reading his thoughts.

"Heartless Goddess?" She couldn't help but chuckle at the brunet's innocence. "How exotic and flattering..... Come here Keyblade child, there is a lot we need to discuss," she responded, raising her arm to gesture the boy towards her as she began to ascend the staircase once again.

Sora did not move. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" the warrior said coolly, gazing into her amber eyes, seeing nothing but a calmness that levelled his own.

The woman's eyes twinkled with mischievousness. "The question is Sora, what do you want for yourself?"

The brunet blinked, bemused by the question. Not waiting for a response, the dark female rose a single digit upwards in a gesture for the warrior to follow.

"Now come."

"Will you first tell me what you want from me?" Sora countered, still unsure of trusting the woman who had appeared in all mystery.

The woman paused mid step, her wings folding once more against her back. "I don't need nothing from you Keyblade master...." the woman said firmly with an undertone of irritation. "-but if you w-ant to see your Ri-ku and your other friends again, you should do as I say..."

Sora's face blanched at the words, half believing that he heard wrong. "You...you know of Riku?!?" he asked in bewilderment, his stance immediately breaking as he took a few steps towards the stairs to the silver haired woman.

"Where is he? Is he alright?" Sora questioned, his eyes brightening with hope and happiness to know that there was a chance he would see his silver haired friend again who he had missed for so long.

The woman shook her head, continuing up the stairs. "Just follow child, and I w-ill tell you of 'dis world and 'dis Ri-ku that you seek."

Sora followed the silver haired woman up the stairs,"......What is...your name......urrr.....miss?"

"I am Sorceress Ultimecia, feared w-itch of 'de dark arts and enemy of 'de Heartless," the sorceress said coolly, hearing the sharp intake of air rising from the brunet's mouth behind her.

Sora gulped. 'Aren't sorceresses more powerful than witches...?' "A sorceress? Wow. I'm Sora, but you already know that?" the brunet said nervously watching in interest as the feathers upon the woman's back flickered and flexed with each graceful step she took.

"Can I ask you a question, Lady Ultimecia? Where am I? What is this place? How do you know who I am, when I have never met you before?"

"All will be answered in due course," Ultimecia replied absently with a slight wave of her arms as she reached the top of the staircase, continuing onward down another hallway leaving the Keyblade Master to hurry to catch up with her.

"Oh.....alright," Sora replied with a nod following the dark sorceress' footsteps across the darkly lit corridors, laced thickly with cobwebs and dust. He stopped suddenly as Ultimecia suddenly turned and went into one of the rooms, the brunet following in tow. The room seemed to bear many instruments and to Sora appeared to look like a music room. He watched as the woman walked across the dusty floor to a large window which had fine cracks within the glass.

Ultimecia sighed. "Sit down child."

Not wanting to be impolite, Sora turned to look for a place to sit, deciding upon sitting on the piano stool, on the other side of the room. After getting settled, blue eyes looked upwards to meet amber and the black witch turned her head once again to look out of the dismal window before moving across the room to a cupboard. Opening the door, Sora watched in confusion as the silver haired woman pulled out various miscellaneous items followed by a black box. She walked across the floor and placed the box upon the piano, stroking it for a moment, her eyes glazing over with memories of the past. Her eyes darkened as a man with brown hair and stormy blue eyes invaded her vision, and she shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts.

She blew the dust off the lid causing the brunet to sneeze. Inside the velvet fabric was a large orb, from which Sora soon realised was a crystal ball, similar to the ones the gypsies used to use back in his hometown.

Ultimecia's red nailed fingers moved around the orb, where swirls of purple and black danced within the glass confinement.

"I have a lot to tell you, and so little time to do it," Ultimecia said coldly, taking one glance to look at the boy in front of her before moving her attention back to her crystal ball. Sora all the while sat transfixed on what was going to happen.

Amber eyes looked up once again and Sora felt his heart thump at the intense gaze upon him from the mystic stranger. "Child.....what do you know of your past?" the sorceress asked, her hands still moving around the orb as her eyes never left the Keyblade Masters.

Sora blinked, not catching onto her words as he tried to keep his fear from being shown. 'Her eyes are exactly like Ansem's!'

The silver haired woman couldn't help but roll her eyes in exasperation. Things were going to be harder this time than she thought. "Your home? Your family?" she pressed on, looking down at her crystal ball.

"Yes, I live Destiny Islands, a tropical place with my friends and my mother on the banks of the tropics," the brunet responded easily, the words sending a wash of painful nostalgia and loss.

'What is my mother doing? Is she alright? Where is Kairi, Wakka, Selphie and Tidus?.....and is Riku alright...?'

Ultimecia sighed. " 'Dis is going to be harder than I thought," she groaned, already expecting the said response. Placing her hands away from the ball for a moment to rest them upon the piano top, the silver haired woman raised her eyes to meet Sora's once again.

"Sora," she began. "....what you said was wrong. That place you mentioned 'Destiny Islands'.....It is not your home."

Sora blinked again clearly confused. "Excuse me?"

"Destiny Islands. Is. Not. Your. Real. Home." she repeated keeping her face neutral.

Blue eyes widened in surprised. "Hey wait-"

Her eyes glinted in irritation that her message wasn't being understood and therefore incepted the boy's protest with a fierce glare. Time was not on their side and there was so much he needed to know about the outside world. "Silence child. You do not know who you really are," Ultimecia interrupted frostily, turning her head away to look back at the windows and the war which rampaged beyond her steps.

Sora frowned sharply in protest, yet refrained from saying anything, feeling more confused than angry.

Ultimecia sighed, knowing that she had to start at the beginning before she told him what he needed to know. "When did your nightmare begin?"

Sora's eyebrows twitched recollecting the memories of the storm and the dream of choosing destiny? "It was three days before we were going to set sail for another world. That was three years ago," he replied, his voice lower than usual.

Ultimecia let the information pass between them irrelevantly. "Do you remember anything before that?" she inquired, looking at the boy's reflection through the window. "Your home, your life?"

"Why yes, I grew up with Riku," Sora replied easily without missing a beat.

Ultimecia shook her head. "No....what about other experiences than with just Riku?"

The Keyblade master frowned in thought. "I grew up with my mother."

'Now we are getting somewhere...' the sorceress thought as she contorted her shoulders upwards.

"Sora, what did your mother look like?" Ultimecia inquired.

Sora blinked, unprepared for the unexpected yet relevantly easy question. "She has....." he began before pausing, his mouth agape in surprise

He didn't know.

"I...I can't remember?" the brunet said in shock, his eyes growing ever larger when all that came was a blank.

'What did she look like?'

'What games did she used to play with me?"

'Did she look like me....?'

He couldn't even remember his own mother's name!

Ultimecia's lips quirked. "For your 'mother' didn't exist."

Sora's blood pulsed at his eyes took on a vibrant blue. "Yes she did!!!" he all but yelled, surprised at his own outburst however the sorceress took no notice, as if she already expected such a response.

"...........What do you know of your other relations.....?" Ultimecia asked soon after causing the brunet's mind to whirl.... He had never thought of his father before. He had never given a single thought about it.

Sora's face twitched in alarm not knowing what to think. The memory of his family was a blank void within his voiceless mind. "................."

His eyes had lost their fervour as his mind raced for a single memory that connected with his parents finding nothing. "What.....why can't I remember them?" Sora questioned in panic, as he rose to his feet, his stomach feeling unnaturally queasy as he all but stumbled over the piano seat towards the dark sorceress.

Sora tried to work his mouth, hearing the sound of the breaths were louder and more hesitant. "What.....what have you done to me?!? Tell me!!!" Sora said in decibels higher than his own tone, his voice shaking in confusion and loss.

Ultimecia's expression did not change as she stared down at the tearful brunet who was on the balance of losing his sanity.

"I have done nothing. What you have been experiencing is a dream," she said calmly. "....a idealistic world where one is either pure light or pure darkness...a dream of a child, so innocent....so unrealistic."

Sora shook his head fiercely, the woman's words hitting a chord inside of him that he didn't know existed, "A dream......No! I refuse to believe it!" the brunet cried out as tears threatened to glide down his reddened cheeks.

"Look around Keyblade Master, this is reality," Ultimecia said, turning around to be mildly surprised at the boy's quaking shoulders and angry face. 'Strange, I didn't expect him to act this way.' Taking a few steps towards the Keyblade master then thinking better of it as she walked towards the lone table in the room. Sora watched her warily, his chest heaving while his eyes were brightly lit with confusion and pain.

"This table," Ultimecia began slowly as she glided her painted nails across the old oak furniture. "See how it shatters?" And with those words, the sorceress raised her hand upwards and tightened into a fist. Her eyes never left the table as she watched it collapse in on itself, Sora still standing in silent surprise.

"How it burns?"

Flicking her gaze to the young warrior and with a sadistic smirk, she flicked her fingers upwards. And then the wood burst into yellow flame, burning through the wood till the ashes were only left upon the floor.

Sora's head rose up when he heard the sorceress speak once again, the magic awe lifted from his eyes at her dark look. "When was the last time that you bled Sora?"

"What?"

He looked down at his knee during his fight with the Darkside Heartless, yet saw no scab or any form of injury.

"Just before I came here.....I fought a Heartless on my Island..."

"Heh...so you have been hurt......But that was not what I meant." The sorceress whipped stray bangs from her vision. ".......I want you to recollect the memories of your most dreadful and dangerous fights in the Kingdom Hearts and other fantasy worlds you visited. Did you even see a single drop of your own blood fall?"

"Hey...I.." Sora began yet paused. Surely he had hurt himself within his past fights, but as much as he tried to think back on the endless battles, he had no memory of bleeding, only of the knowing pain when weapon met skin.

'I never cut myself.....never in a battle....inside the Kingdom Hearts....nor in the Coliseum.....When Sephiroth hit me with his blade.....I just felt weak and fainted......

Blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. "......what are you saying?"

"And your friends...A talking dog and duck. How realistic do they sound to you now?"

Sora blinked in confusion, before realising what the sorceress was insinuating. "They are real!" he protested sharply.

"They are figments of your imagination. Childhood fantasies. They don't exist. They never existed....." Ultimecia said bluntly, her eyebrows narrowing into a frown.

The brunet shook his head in disbelief. "No you are wrong. You're lying! Donald and Goofy are..." Sora began as he remembered clips and memories of his journeys through the many worlds. He could envision their Goofy's grinning face, and the many light hearted arguments he had with the duck mage when as they crossed to many exotic planets in a bright yellow and red rocket.

'It does seem like a fantasy.....'

Ultimecia seeing the frown upon the brunet's voice, nodded in approval to herself.

"You are beginning to understand," she said smoothly, turning around gracefully to move back to the piano, where her crystal ball lay in wait.

Sora still refused to accept the woman's words. 'Of course they exist....' "No.....they are real..." he repeated, yet to his ears it seemed that he was more trying to reinforce himself than that of the dark sorceress.

"Your friends aren't real," Ultimecia repeated, knowing that he would believe in due time.

"I know that you are lying!" Sora exclaimed jumping to his feet.

The sorceress waved her arm, nonchalant upon the brunet's action. "Sit down child..."

But Sora did not want to sit down. The Sorceress was feeding his with words which mocked everything that he stood for. Everything he cared about, and he wanted to know what the 'black witch' was trying to accomplish.

'Goofy and Donald don't exist....Then what about my other friends....The other worlds I visited?' Too caught up in his confusion, the brunet voiced his thoughts out aloud.

"But what about Riku and Kairi? Tidus, Wakka, Selphie? Leon, Cloud, Yuffie and Aeris?"

Ultimecia said nothing. It seemed that her words were not affecting the Keyblade Master like it did with the others. She frowned for a moment before twitching her lips into a wistful smile. "Whatever I say, you will not believe Keyblade Master....." the flaxen haired woman began, her eyes falling downwards to the crystal ball and the image which was hidden within its mysterious depths. ".....but what you will now see in the future, I pray your heart will find release."

"I don't believe you. None of your words don't make any sense. You say of my friends not existing when I know otherwise. Why are you confusing me? What are YOU trying to accomplish with me? So if none of these things you say don't exist, then what am I? What does everything mean?" Sora spoke, folding his arms against his chest in a protective gesture. He didn't like the feeling of being confused and lost within his thoughts. But the way the sorceress was speaking to him in a condescending manner was making him lose confidence in himself and his own true beliefs. Ultimecia's eyes flickered gold once more, and she could once again read the emotions and thoughts pooling inside the brunet's eyes.

"You will find out the truth soon enough Keyblade Master. You are still Sora, the Keyblade master of light, and you are looking for your lost friends Riku and Kairi," the sorceress responded.

Sora nodded. Those words made sense to him and the names of his childhood friends brought back the remembrance of what he truly wanted to accomplish before anything had happened. "How will I find them?"

"I will tell you shortly," Ultimecia replied. "Come, sit back down."

The Keyblade Master complied.

"Sora....tell me.....what is your main goal? What are you truly searching for yourself?" The sorceress asked.

Blue eyes looked downwards to his gloved fingers. "I.....I want to find Riku, and I want to bring peace back to my island."

Ultimecia nodded as her eyes moved around the orb, her eyes flaring golden every once and a while before her hands suddenly stilled and her face moved up to the Keyblade master's. "I see....look..... is this your island child?"

Sora peered across the piano top into the dark depths of the crystal ball, narrowing his eyes to focus on the white speck in the centre of the orb.

"I don't see-" Sora began.

flash

Blue eyes widened, as his mind was instantly jolted with images of his island from all angles. "Yes! Yes that's it!" the brunet exclaimed as he viewed the Paopu island and the tree were Riku used to sit all day. However there was someone else sitting in Riku's place. Wrapped in swathes of black leather, the androgynous figure stared outwards towards the sea, his face shadowed by the hood upon his face. Just as the figure's alabaster toned hands rose slowly upwards to unveil a sliver of bronze locks beneath its hood, Sora's blinked and he was once again in the dimly lit music room, where Ultimecia stood staring at him with a amusing smirk upon her tattooed face, having already seen the vision.

The brunet frowned. "Hey who is that?" Sora questioned, trying to bring back the image of his island and the black clothed figure. However as much as he tried to envision the past recollection, the picture refused to return to his mind.

The sorceress raised a silver eyebrow. "Who?"

"Who is that man in the black hood?"

Ultimecia smiled showing a perfect set of white teeth. "An unknown."

'How the ironies will soon reveal themselves....'

"I recognise him..." Sora muttered in thought before whipping his head up in realisation. 'Black hood and cloak....the one in the secret place.....and in the abyss.'

"...He was the one in my dreams!" The Keyblade warrior exclaimed yet was unsure of its significance.

"I know," Ultimecia sighed as she continued to sweep her hands across her crystal ball. "They are truly fascinating aren't they?"

Sora's eyebrow furrowed in question. "Who is he? What is fascinating about him?"

The sorceress shook her head. "It doesn't matter, lets just say he is the only person who understands how you are feeling...... and will come to help when the time comes."

"But what does he and these 'unknowns' have to do with Riku and Kairi?"

"..........You will see....." she muttered cryptically, sweeping her hand across the orb one final time as the light from within its depths flickered out and transformed back to its original dark hue.

".......It still doesn't make sense to me," Sora retorted, leaning back in his chair.

"It will as the time progresses on," Ultimecia countered.

"But....." Sora protested, his voice falling on deaf ears as Ultimecia made a display of putting her orb away.....

'I don't understand. All I want is everything to be normal again. How will I be able to find my friends....'

"...Your friends......They are separated within the boundaries of other worlds. All you need to do is search for them." The sorceress said after eavesdropping upon the brunet's thoughts.

Sora gaped at the dark witches' ability to search his thoughts. " But what about my other friends. Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, Cloud and the others I met? Donald and Goofy?"

The silver haired woman nodded. "You'll meet them too."

"When?" Sora asked.

"When you start your journey," Ultimecia replied with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"What journey?" The brunet said before he thought what he spoke.

The sorceress sighed. "The journey of finding yourself, and your destiny."

"Huh?" Sora blinked.

"You have a letter, from King Mickey no doubt," the pale haired woman said with a roll of her eyes, watching as the brunet reached inside his pocket to pull out the manila letter, before whipping his head up in shock.

"Hey! How do you know about this...?" Sora asked in confusion, looking down at the seal than at the golden eyes.

"Just give it to me," Ultimecia commanded in mild irritation, half snatching the letter from Sora's fingers. She pulled the letter from the envelope and scanning her eyes across the inked words, her eyes gliding across the paper with almost inhuman speed.

"I assume you want me to translate the letter since this is not in English," Ultimecia said, as she slid across the table to the brunet who shook his head.

"To put it in simple terms, this letter is your guide. In order to find yourself, you need to find the place of your birth, your lost friends, or more precisely....the person that you have been searching for all your life.....the person you have never met. Not even your imagination can create......"

Sora's expression was as blank as the front of the envelope. "Who?"

Red lips twisted upwards in a sinister smile as if playing with a dangerous secret. "Destiny will inevitably show....."

"But..."

"I...I have never searched for anyone other than my friends....."

"I know....That will be the end of your quest, when you have reunited with your friends.....and sealed the darkness......and uncovered their secrets.....it will be there in another dimension where you will need to find a door to reach the final chapter of your journey. ..." the sorceress said idly, raising her red nailed fingers to her lips and eliciting a silent whistle from her parted lips.

Sora breathed in deeply in an attempt to calm himself, and contain his conflicted feelings from the all knowing sorceress "Where is this door then? Where does it lead to?"

"It will appear when you find the 3 Legendary Keyblades to open it. Where it leads to, even a psychic such as I is unable to discern. But it will be beneficial to connecting the ties of your past together......and....perhaps.....reveal the secrets to the whereabouts of your friends if you still have not found them...." Ultimecia answered mystically.

Sora frowned. "Three Keyblades....can help me find where my friends are?"

".....this mission should be easy for the famous Keyblade Master who sealed off Kingdom Hearts, and besides by continuing with this mission, this will enable you to find more about yourself, find your friends, and find the secrets of who you really are?"

Sora was silent. "..........."

"You will enter new worlds, and encounter new and old friends and fiends on your journey to find the truth."

"You spoke of Riku?" The brunet questioned.

"Ah yes....the enigmatic silver haired boy.........Riku will return in due time, but I must advise you not to go looking for him as of this moment till he is himself again."

Sora couldn't help but jump at the sorceress' words. "Why? What do you mean by himself again?"

Amber eyes darkened and her mouth rose up into a scowl at the child's all too frequent interruptions. "Just do as I say. There are other events occurring around us, besides your own. It is imperative that you listen to my words."

Sora wisely remained silent.

A flap of wings from the right broke the tension in the air as Ultimecia turned to greet her summoned raven. The bird perched itself upon its master's shoulders causing the sorceress to smile, despite her cold exterior and gently stroke the nape of her pet's neck. Turning her head to give a side glance at Sora, Ultimecia moved her hand towards Sora, palm up. Closing her hand into a fist it caused the brunet quite some surprise for when she opened, it, a dull lead card was laid inside her palm. "Here. This is the first key for the train."

Sora blinked, confused yet again with the change of conversation. "Train?"

"My raven will show you the way to the train station," Ultimecia added, watching as her pet jumped off her shoulders and landed upon the piano table, tilting its head to stare at the Keyblade warrior in interest.

"Um....Train Station?"

"Your new transport to the new worlds, and the beginning of your journey," the sorceress finished as understanding dawned within the brunet's blue depths.

"So all I need to do is search the worlds for my friends....and 3 Keyblades or something to unlock the secrets of my past?" Sora said as he got up from the stool watching in interest as the raven moved flew up off the table to land upon his shoulder.

"To put it simply....yes......now...take this key."

Reaching his hand over to take the said item, Sora looked down at the item which in appearance looked more like a train ticket than that of a 'key'. "I guess I should thank you for helping me...and giving me a direction to go," Sora said, as he watched the sorceress move from the piano and walk towards the window sill, her wings facing the Keyblade Master.

As Sora made his way to the door, he looked down at the dark key and paused as a thought ran through his head. "Where will the train lead?"

Ultimecia was silent for a moment, as if unsure how to answer. "To your first world, where the first Keyblade is located....when you locate the weapon, return to me so you will be able to tell you where the next Keyblade is located."

"How will I be able to find these Keyblades?"

"By searching the world child and asking the inhabitants......And one last gift. Sprint shoes for speed, and ethers to replenish your magic," Ultimecia replied, raising a palm to the air to point at her cupboard, causing their doors to swing open and a stock of potions and various miscellaneous items to fall to the floor. Sora stared at the hoard of useful items for a moment in surprise before moving across the floor to pick up the much need needed items alongside a pair of black and yellow boots, crisscrossed with Velcro and silver zips. Slipping the boots on quickly, surprised at their lightness considering their bulky shape, Sora moved to pick up all possible items, deciding upon five turbo ethers and 3 high potions.

"Remember, the enemies outside are deadly. Don't tell them who you are or where you came from Keyblade Master, as you will never know who is a friend or a foe."

Tying the last potion into his red side pockets, the brunet raised his head in a nod of appreciation. "Thank you. Sorceress."

Ultimecia smirked. "You're welcome Keyblade Master. Just make sure you live so that you can pay me back for the potions and ethers."

Sora balked at the callous and somewhat unexpected response. Just when Sora believed that Sorceress was caring, Ultimecia's face darkened with unfeeling emotions and spiteful comments. "Um....I'll...try."

"See that you do...." And with that response, Sora watched as Ultimecia walked past him towards the entrance, placing one hand upon the wooden pane before passing through the door, a singular black feather gliding to the floor. Sora mouth gaped for a moment before falling silent as he rushed towards the door and flung it open, searching down the corridor only to find nothingness.

"I think a normal person would have been amazed at the reoccurring oddities with has become my life......" the brunet said looking upon his shoulder at the raven who returned his gaze.

'I guess this is the start of my journey...... I hope I have the strength and courage to live through it all....' And with that last thought, Sora and his 'new partner' left to find his friends, conquer the darkness and find three Keyblades which was connected to finding the secrets of his past....

..........................................................................................................................................

It felt like he had been waiting there for hours, and as he turned to gaze at the clock which loomed over the large oak table which was centred within the barren room, the Lord realised that he had.

"He summons me, just to let me wait." the male groaned out to himself, pacing himself against the worn carpet in irritation. His eyes flickered back

"To curse all that is good and wonderful, how long is he going to take?" The Lord cursed, pulling back his hood and flicking his long unruly bangs out of the way. Everything felt that it was annoying him, and today he had no patience. Stomping his way over to the table where a large gothic chair lay in wait, the brown haired warrior took a moment to gaze upon the old fashioned candle piece which held no source of light. Not really registering what he was doing, the brunet rose his hands up as if by impulse. Magic crackled within his fingers which caused the candles to flicker once, then twice before a roaring spiritual flame rose upwards to the wax before dying down, revealing three energised flames upon the candle stand. The resonating light lifting more of the room's unsettling darkness. Teal eyes flickered towards a red leather folder which the light had managed to reveal from the darkness.

He stared upon the black scrawl which was illegibly written upon a small white strip.

"Test subject 1437 aka Traitor."

'1437?.....Traitor?'

The Lord's face blanched in shock. A black gloved hand trembled as he opened the folder to the secrets which laid inside.

"WHAT THE?!"

"He has returned?"

"Why did he return?"

"Was it for me?"

"I told him to not return damn it!"

"26 October 2037. To my utmost surprise, the failure has returned to his kingdom. Fortunately no-one knows of the fool's return except I, and a few dedicated others and a few vague rumours. What drew him back to this world that he hated so much? He must have not severed all the bonds to the world he lives in. Foolish boy. Although, I believe that it is a waste to destroy him so meaninglessly. I can find out more about this anomaly...

How can he be so different than us? How can he have a spirit, yet he has no heart to beat from? Why does his eyes bear vengeful malice when he exists with no soul? He cannot be like us. His pigment of skin, his hair go against my original expectations. He is not a true Unknown. I am ashamed that I have created a failure experiment...... or perhaps....... I created him all to well."

The brunet's eyes narrowed. "Created?"

" I have been keeping this secret from everyone, the testing that I have managed to produce. I believe that someday my secrets will inevitably be found, and I will be placed upon the stake. But still, I cannot help but have the urge to search for the truth. The secret which separates life from one another. Our differences of opinion, our looks, dreams and very life cycle. There must be some connection to my unanswered questions......why our mind and bodies transform in the time of the change..."

The sound of footsteps caused the Lord to jump in surprise, closing the folder with a loud slam, looking towards the entrance as the door handle slowly moved. He looked back down at the folder, then at the door, deciding at the last moment to hide it inside his coat as the door opened and 'he' walked in. A man swathed in red strips of tattered cloths. The 'Master'. The brunet's eyes flared out in suspicion as he saw his Master.

"Why didn't you tell me he had returned?"

The Master blinked, as if accustomed to the brunette's random outbursts. "Who?"

Blue eyes flashed once again in irritation. "How would you not know? Why didn't you let me know 'he' returned ?" The brunet said, angered as he strode towards the other male till he was a few feet before him.

"You always said you were busy. I believed you did not need to burden yourself with the knowledge of the traitorous friend." The gold eyed male continued to stare at the candelabra on the table before turning to look towards his angered subject. "Besides, I have more important matters at hand." The red figure said mildly as he waved his hand in the air in dismissive gesture.

"With what?" the Lord asked sarcastically, placing his arms akimbo.

"Two new specimen....a male and female humans in fact." The Master countered as he walked past the dark clothed figure and moved towards table, heading straight towards his chair.

Blue eyes widened slightly in surprise at the change of conversation, before narrowing in suspicion. "Where did you find them?" the brunet asked, pondering in thought.

'The Master rarely uses humans in his experiments due to their weakness to survive....what is he planning....and what about my friend? Where is he?'

The red figure sat down upon his throne, sighing in the recognition of its hardness and firm wedged arms which suited the purpose of durability and age as opposed to luxury and beauty. Raising his amber eyes to meet bright blue ones, his lips couldn't help but twitch beneath the bandages at the look of apparent interest upon his subject's face. "That's what is interesting. They were found together in the castle gardens unconscious," The Master responded, as he crossed his legs over one another and rested his hands in his lap with comfort.

The Lord nodded, leaning against the other side of the table, however his eyes were not in the direction of his master, as they darkened with other thoughts that ran through his mind. "Were they assassins?" The brunet said after a while, folding his arms over his chest as he turned his head slightly to address the red cladded male.

The Master shrugged his shoulders with indifference, leaning back into his chair as he pasted a smug grin on his face. "...I don't think so, but one look at the male would say otherwise...." he replied, his eyes brightening at the image of the two humans in the dungeons. The woman's face who could be compared to the old statues in the church. And the other pale male....He was very interesting to say the least.

The Lord watched the looks which passed on the other's face, feeling himself frown when he saw the dark smile glinting from beneath the red bandages. "Why are you so happy..?" The brunet said after a while, feeling uncomfortable and irritated at the same time as he felt the red leather folder dig into his back as he leant against the table. At that moment, he had little interest with the humans his master had found and just wanted to read the notes upon his lost friend and then go out and search for him.

"I think she is the one that I have been searching for....." The Master responded, his grin rising higher upon his face causing the brunet to pause in his thoughts.

'The Master is far to happy for this to be a normal find.'

Momentarily forgetting about the current awareness of the leather bound folder and the secrets that were laid within, the Lord decided to give into his curiosity and find out what was so fascinating about the two humans that his master had found.

"Who?" He asked, turning around fully to gaze at Master who seemed to have more interest within looking at the flames upon the candelabra.

A pale eyebrow rose from beneath the layers of cloth. "Do you remember that I did an experiment a long time ago?" The Master asked as he moved to his feet walking to the dark haired brunet.

"You have done many experiments within the stretch of my life," the Lord responded with a shrug, causing the Master to chuckle in amusement as he walked towards the entrance of the room.

"True boy, but I am talking about a top-secret project," he countered gesturing the Lord to follow him. "I assume you would like to see them?"

"Whatever, just show me them, and then you can tell me your story," the brunet replied passing past the red clothed male and through the entrance

The red cloaked man grinned watching the brunet pass him before frowning darkly as he continued down the corridor. 'Impudent boy,' the red man muttered to himself as he followed in slow easy strides.

"Where are they?" The brunet asked after a moment, pausing his steps to wait for his Master, eyeing all the while the blandness of the corridor and the monotonous of the white doors which repeated one after another on both sides of the wall.

"In the secure lock dimension," The Master replied, quickening his steps and passing the Lord. "Perhaps in future it is wiser to let me lead," he added with detached amusement causing the brunet to scowl as he followed the red cladded figure along numerous corridors and though many doors and turns before reaching the destination they wanted.

The Lord stopped as he looked at the guards posted against the door and the severe lock system that was coded upon the door. He watched idly as the Master regarded the guard's salutes with a slight nod before dismissing them from their stations. Soon after they left, the Master turned towards the brunet and gestured him closer.

"...no-one....and I mean no-one is to know of them. I will tell you this password and that you must promise not to say it to no-one." he said firmly, his golden eyes darkened with a firm resolve for absolute acceptance.

The Lord nodded diligently as he leaned his head closer to hear the secret coding.

"...D...L...E...I...A...F...T...E...H.."

"How will I remember that?" The brunet asked incredulously as he watched the older male type in the keypad the said letters he muttered.

"Easily... The password is a merge of my future experiments I will conduct," The Master replied, pressing the enter key as the door unlocked and opened itself revealing a room of pitch blackness.

The brunet shrugged, pulling out a pen from his pocket to scrawl the confusing password down upon his hand. 'At least for one thing' the Lord thought with detached amusement. 'that even if someone found out about the password, they wouldn't be able to remember it.'

The Master waited until the brunet was ready before moving inside, the Lord following directly behind. The elder male waited till the door slid closed before clapping his hands. The action caused the room to be full of light and it was then the Lord choked out a gasp. Lying upon one large pallet were two figures. A petite. pink clad woman, whose face was surrounded with many long, curly chestnut tresses and bearing a serene expression upon her face......and alongside her.....was a boy....no....a man with......silver hair....long silver hair....

"It can't be....he....he truly has returned...."

..........................................................................................................................................

Riku chewed his lip lightly in thought, his eyes unconsciously turning back to the comet, which was the first glyph he saw at the very beginning, before he even knew its purpose.

"Hmm. I guess I'll start with the comet then, since I saw that one first," Riku said more to himself than the others behind him. He slowly raised his black gloved palm over the symbol, pausing for one moment to take a breath before slamming his hand down, hard against the tree trunk. Riku at once felt nothing, then slowly he felt a burning within his loins, which rose from his hand to that of his brain. A crackling jolt erupted within his mind and all he could see, hear and feel was the crackling heat of flames scorching his body. A pair of cat like eyes flashed into his vision and then he felt something jut through his stomach. He stared down in horror to see a silver blade protruding from his chest. The light suddenly turned to darkness, and it was in that moment Riku screamed out in agony, his nerves burning as if caught on fire. Tears sparkled beneath his eyelashes and as he opened his eyes and mouth in a soundless scream, sea green clashed with glowing aquamarine. Riku's face paled and let out an earth-shattering roar of pure agony as he felt the blade move from within him before being roughly wrenched from his side, his crimson life splattering upon the floor.

Blood dribbled down the side of his cheek as he dropped to his knees panting heavily. His eyes bulged in muted horror, barely aware of the shadow which stood above him.

His voice felt like it was clogged in his throat, causing Riku to hack out thick clotted blood upon the wet floor, the action using up the last of his energy.

'what happened.......why.....am I in....pain.....?'

It was getting considerably harder to breath....to think......to live...

His vision fazed and as he felt his body collapse within its own pool of blood, his useless Keyblade falling from his lifeless fingers. As he felt his eyes threaten to close for the final time away from the nightmare of blood and absolute pain, a warm green light enveloped him, barely hearing words, another had spoken.

..........................................................................................................................................

Mako eyes glinted in pure sadistic delight as he raised his bloodied Masamune higher into the air, his green healing materia shining within the darkness. "Cure 3," he whispered darkly, in a low tenor. Its power caused the owners long silver hair to whip about him until the spell had been finally cast. A sinister smirk twitching at the corner of his lips. Green mist dispersed into the air, surrounding the wounded figure and seeping into his wounds. The swordsman a moment to stare at the fallen weakling in minor distaste, his eyes ever glowing within the darkness. Seeing no movement from the healed teen, the dark clad warrior roughly wrenched the silver haired chin upwards with a gloved hand, taking a sadistic moment to gently wipe away the trickle of blood from Riku's chin and stare into his face.

'Pah...Only a child..'

It took little realisation on Riku's behalf to realise that he was alive, as a dark figure lifted the Keyblade warrior into the air and threw him across the floor. Riku's green eyes became wide and alert with anger and surprise, as he stared around his surroundings for the first time. He was lying in a gigantic ring of fire, the flames hot and unyielding against his back lighting up the black sky and ground in a flay out colour.

'A battle arena....' His eyes suddenly sharpened at the dark figure standing beside a pool of blood. Clad in a black leather trench coat that flapped in the wind and silver armour, Riku laid their in awe. Long silver snake hair glinted with the shades of the fiery flames that danced in the air, sliding down the warrior's shoulders and waist to meet his leather clothed thighs. But what enthralled the flaxen haired teen was the man's alabaster skin which seemed to glow across the distance, and his features....

This man bore a wicked expression upon his face, and seemed to have all of his keen attention upon the slick crimson droplets which marred his black leather boots.

Riku's eyes fell down to the extraordinarily long sword, coated in blood. His blood.

Riku's eyes narrowed in fear as he stared down at his chest surprised to find the place lacking of a mark even though his yellow top was coated with wet blood.

'It was him who attacked me........' Riku thought, remembering the green light as he fell to the floor. '.....and healed me....?'

His hand fisted against his chest dawning upon him before he even looked down at his hand.

Riku's eyes widened, sitting up in an instant. 'Where is my Keyblade?'

The swordsman's eyes flickered towards the movement of the other individual, his eyes emitting a eerie light as he held his katana at ease, as if examining the multitude of ways he could cross the stretch of distance and pierce the boy back on Masamune.

The warriors both stared at each other. Riku felt too scared to respond, the lack of weapon leaving him vulnerable, while the other warrior watched within the darkness amused, yet watchful of the young stranger. As Riku mind had countless things he wanted to ask. Who was this man? Why did he try to kill me? Then heal me? However just as the Keyblade teen was about to speak, the long silver haired swordsman gave a crooked smile before vanishing right before Riku's eyes.

'He disappeared.' Riku gasped out in surprise, staring in bewilderment at the now empty spot.

But before he had the chance to comprehend the unexpected phenomenon, black mist surrounded him. Rising to his feet in alarm, the silver haired teen felt the fine hairs on his neck rise in warning, and before his inner intuition could warn him, he felt himself pulled backwards by his hair into a firm body lock, knocking the breath out of him.

"Let go of me!" Riku yelled, fighting against the arms that locked onto his throat and waist.

The swordsman couldn't help but smirk at the child's feeble attempts to get out of his vice hold.

"I like to play with my toys before I dispose of them," the attacker chuckled, sustaining his grip on the squirming individual.

The Keyblade fighter paused mid struggle, trying to comprehend his enemy's words. "Is that why you healed me, to prolong my torture?" Riku all but growled, pulling his head backwards to head butt his attacker, pausing his move as the older fighter painfully squeezed his neck.

"Ugh-ahh..."

The swordsman chuckled, tightening his grip upon the teen as his struggling relented, as his goal changed from escaping to keeping a steady oxygen supply.

The dark, silver haired fighter watched in amusement, studying the boy closer, mildly curious at the colour of the boy's hair and familiar glint of his aqua toned eyes. He decided to voice out his curiosities.

"....what is your name boy?" the swordsman asked, bending his head down to the side of Riku's ear, seeing the pale green eyes gaze uneasily to his side.

"Speak honestly and I might delay the time of your demise..."

Riku, although hating to consort with the attacker's wishes relented his pride to save his life. "Ri..Riku.." the teen all but gasped as he felt the vice like grip clench slightly loosen against his neck.

The swordsman paused in thought, looking in the distance beyond the burning flames. "Riku? I know of no Riku...." he thought out loud with a shake of his head.

"Why are you here Riku?" the swordsman asked mockingly, loosening his grip on teen to kick him to the ground. Riku gasped out loud in pain as his head landed on the floor, chipping a side tooth on impact.

"Do you seek your own death?"

Riku shuffled backwards eyeing the long sword that was strapped upon the swordsman's back. "I come to search for the epitaph and find....." Riku paused as he thought of Odin's words. 'I want you to acquire Death's form. and free them from the darkness.....

"Then....you...must be....." Riku said, his eyes paling dramatically. 'This is the guy I have to fight....Oh sh...' His thoughts froze as he heard the quiet ominous voice of his attacker.

"........I am known throughout many worlds as different things..... A lab specimen. A hero. A god. An executioner. An angel trapped within the fall of man. A tainted demon......Each connected to one tie...Mass slaughter...Death has always been my speciality..."

Riku did not know how to respond to speech like that, yet his thoughts were silenced as another voice entered the arena, dripping with coldness and malice.

"Leave child.......I know what you want.....you won't take him. You will die before my son will be taken away from me.''

Riku's head turned left and right to find the source of the voice, unsure whether he was hearing things or not.

"Introduce yourself my son, to your next victim."

"I am Sephiroth. The epitome of death; my own lord and master..." the swordsman said with a formal bow before moving back into position

'Sephiroth?!?!'

Riku stood up.

Riku's face drained dramatically at the name and the dark voice which crept within his mind, remembering Mickey's earlier words, and the surprise strike to his chest, before he even realised he was being attacked.

'Sephiroth....he was once known for being one of the most greatest fighters of this universe."

'Die foolish boy.'

And with the angered exclamation as Riku's only warning, Sephiroth slowly drew his blade and in an instant he was gone. Riku's eyes widened in horror once more as he felt the dark smoke surround him once more. Learning from his earlier mistake, Riku dived to his right as he heard the sound of Sephiroth thrusting his Masamune blade towards him. However, Riku unfortunately didn't anticipate the length of the blade and cried out in pain as he felt the sword barely graze his left side, causing him to flinch as the fine streak of red oozed down the side of his tattered yellow top.

Leaving no time to stare at his new injury, Riku ducked just in time to dodge a fatal slash to his head. Sephiroth chuckled in amusement to himself as he drew back his blade, before pivoting around to take another slash at Riku's face. The silver haired teen stumbled back in surprise and pain, as he cradled the side of his face, where crimson blood slithered down the side of his cheek.

"Damn you," Riku seethed, as he watched the long haired swordsman smile sweetly in response before lunging forward for another strike. Riku all the while barely dodged and rolled to evade Sephiroth's long blade, as it plunged once again into the floor, inches away where his head once lay. Rolling quickly to his feet and wincing as the flames licked his bare arms, the teen was once again aware of the barrier of flames keeping him locked within the ring with the skilled swordsman.

It only took a blink to be next gained surprised by an unexpected kick to his face forcing him across the battle arena and onto the other side of ring.

What repulsed him most was the sound of his evil laughter, and the sound of his heavy footsteps as they slowly made his way to his form. Wincing in pain, Riku struggled to his feet once more, his face tired, yet his eyes still held the fire of his spirit. He refused to give up.

"I can't fight him weapon-less.....I need to find my Keyblade...." Riku panted, the mere mention of the mythical blade caused it to magically summon into his right hand, while his other cradled his wounded chest..

"Stop my son."

Sephiroth paused in his advance immediately, his sword instantly being moved back into his sheath as he resumed a stoic position, his face lacking emotion. However what interested Riku most was how the swordsman had his head raised upwards....

'Like I said....You will never win boy....'

'Look above.....'

Riku paused, confused at the sudden break of battle. "What the-" he muttered, as he rose his head to gag in surprise at the pink bulbous mass which shadowed the whole arena.

"-Fk?!?" His pale eyes widened in disgust with the surprise of seeing a tentacle waving above his head, thick slime glinting off its tip.

Impudent boy!

Riku who was unable to speak, watched as the slimy mass of tentacles and grunge suddenly dropped downwards landing with a disgusting squelch to the ground. At eyelevel, the monstrosity looked far smaller than it did when it loomed over the teen's head. Sephiroth all the while stared at the mass, and if Riku weren't so caught up in his amazed horror at the new 'creature', he would have noticed the swordsman's glazed expression. Riku all the while stood amazed, trying not to gag at the same time as he watched the mass of slime turn, as two long purple tentacles extricated themselves from the centre of the blob, rising upwards in a spiral before falling down lazily at the creature's side. Then with a flick of the purple limbs, the blob shuffled around slowly, its movement causing loud and disturbing sucking sounds as the pink ball struggled to turn itself around. It was then Sephiroth rushed towards it side, and for a split second Riku had the feeling that Sephiroth was about to attack 'it' as he attacked him earlier. He surely wouldn't blame the blood thirsty swordsman, for Riku couldn't help but feel a rather uneasy aura emanating from the creature, his fingers itching around his blade to rid himself of the abomination before him. However, it seemed that Sephiroth was actually helping the creature turn around. It was when it was fully turned around that Riku gasped. Beyond the pink bulbous form and the dancing tentacles, was a humanoid face, which looked vaguely feminine albeit its unnaturally blue pallor. Two long slits of garnet blinked from beneath white eyelashes. Its thin purple lips looked like they were structured lower on her chin than that of a normal human, giving her a spine-chilling appearance as a snake like tongue crept from beneath the folds. A small dark pink mass of foam-like substance huddled above the creature's head, and it only took a few seconds for the silver teen to realise that it was not an ugly hairpiece but a.....

'A brain?!? I think I'm gonna be sick...' Riku thought, his face turning green.

Yet what he saw next paled the image of the alien woman's face, were the actions of Sephiroth that caused his jaw to slacken in horror. He blinked, thinking that it was a mind trick from losing so much blood, as he watched legendary swordsman move to stand before the 'thing,' before falling down on one knees. Luminous Aquamarine were eyelevel with glowing red. It was then, the impossible happened. Bile threatened to rise up in Riku's throat, as Sephiroth bent his head to crush his lips against the pink blob monster.

'$&&?!?!?'

The teen was unable to choke up a groan of disgust as the swordsman's pinkish tongue crept out and latched upon the alien's black slug like appendage, sucking as if he were a child in the arms of his mother. However, Riku knew very well that Sephiroth was no infant, and the actions he was doing on that thing, were far too erotic for his young adult mind, and plainly downright wrong. Sephiroth paused in his kiss and pulled back slowly. Purple saliva dripped down his lips and chin, causing Riku to turn his head away, while Sephiroth licked off the residue before rising to his feet, his eyes on the alien all the while.

'What the hell is this?!?.......I expected a fight......not sexual alien fantasies.......'

"No way..." Riku shuddered again in disgust. 'I did not see that....' he thought in denial as he looked at the relationship between the mutated alien looking thing, and the dangerous silver haired swordsman stroking the monster's face adoringly.....and then he saw the 'pink brain' again.....

'I am in a nightmare.....'

Red eyes turned to the younger silver haired fighter, as if sensing the Riku's disgust towards the swordsman and itself.

"Enjoying the view, boy?" The alien asked snidely, as she gently pushed Sephiroth out of her vision, so that she had a full on gaze with Riku.

"N-n-n.-no..." Riku replied uneasily, instantly recognising the same snaky feminine voice that filled the room earlier.

"Wh-what....are you.......?"

The alien turned her face to the swordsman standing beside her, one of her tentacles seductively stoking the lapel of the silver haired warrior's trench coat.. "Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth's eyes seemed dazed, as he spoke the words with detachment, not even looking at Riku as he addressed him. "Her name is Jenova...My mother."

'Jen-....' Riku balked, his eyes growing wide at the final word the swordsman spoke. .

"why.....no....that's just....incest.....no....gah..." The silver haired teen shook his head, unable to get rid of the images of Sephiroth and Jenova from his young, yet imaginative adult mind...... 'His mother....it's not possible....they look....nothing alike.....and......ugh.....'

"Sephiroth is a very special son to me. A perfect angel of death. He is mine to do what I ask of him....he is my puppet to control for all eternity....And no-one is taking him away from me," the alien all but growled, raising one of her appendages to tap the dark clad swordsman on the shoulder, causing Sephiroth to turn to her attention. Jenova turned her head and started whispering into her son's ear, every once and her while, her tentacles flicked and snapped across the floor.

Slowly enough, a smile soon crept upon Sephiroth's face. "Yes mother... he is a human traitor.......and a weakling....." he mumbled, nodding in agreement to the alien's words.

"And you know what we do to human traitors, don't we my son?" Jenova pressed on, all the while giving sinister looks towards Riku, who did his best not to appear fazed at how the pair were plotting his demise.

The swordsman nodded in understanding as he brandished his sword from his sheath once more. "Yes mother..."

Goodbye boy......and die a bloody death.......

Sephiroth's eyes glowed once more and his face went suddenly blank. Then in an instant, he teleported once again in a flair of long black feathers.

Riku tensed, bring his Keyblade up in a block as he felt Sephiroth's presence materialise before him, and the long thunderous Masamune crashing over his own blade. Sephiroth smirked in amusement as he leapt back gracefully and then charged once again under the encouragement of his mother whose tentacles leapt up and down in the excitement of battle.

Kill him my son.......kill him swiftly.......

Hurry and finish him my fallen angel.........

The two silver haired warriors both wore identical expression as they fought, their blades clashing and parrying, yet more often than not Sephiroth managed to penetrate Riku's defences and slice the teen's torso. Riku's chest heaved in pain, his yellow top looking like it had seen better days, as its tattered fabric somehow managed to stay upon its owner's scratched and bleeding form. The battle continued on, and it seemed to Riku that he was barely attacking, as all his time was taken up upon defending from the extraordinary long sword, not wanting to experience being impaled on the blade again.

'He is too close........I need to get some distance........and I am desperately in need for a healing spell...' Riku planned out, all the while dodging and blocking the vicious fights from his silver haired enemy, each of his moves with the intent to kill.

As Riku fell to the ground from a vicious kick to his side, the young warrior had the fleeting thought of using his 'flip attack' to stun Sephiroth and at least get an attack in. But the image of the idea fell from his mind as his eyes caught upon the long sword blocking his strike, and piercing through his chest as he somersaulted upwards. Deciding to roll across the floor, Riku heard the reoccurring clash of metal above his head, as Sephiroth's blade followed his defensive movements, slicing a few silver hairs from the top of his head. All the while, Jenova continued to chant and exclaim out profanities or shriek out in joy as the fight progressed on. Getting enough distance from the swordsman to get back to his feet, Riku ran as close as he could to the flames of the barrier, giving him as much distance away from Sephiroth as possible and enough time to summon a quick yet weak cure spell to his wounds.

'You cannot save him'

'Death will come to you swiftly.'

'In the darkness...No-one will be able to hear you scream...'

'You will become another puppet to me.'

'you will submit to me...'

Riku's face grew hateful at the words Jenova implied, and if she was going to treat him like she did her 'son'...

"No way!" the silver haired teen spat, as he rose his Keyblade to eyelevel and moved into a fighting stance getting ready for Sephiroth to come after him.

Show him your power my son!

The swordsman paused in his advance, his eyes luminous within the darkness. "As you wish mother," he said softly as he dropped his stance.

Riku paused, unsure what was going on, but he had an apprehensive feeling that whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.

Sephiroth's smile grew absolutely wicked as he sheathed his sword and placed his hands out before him in prayer. The words were quiet, half audible to Riku who was standing safely away, ready for whatever attack the swordsman was attempting to summon before him.

As his eyes were glued to Sephiroth, Riku was not aware of the pale lilac mist that slowly formed around him, moulding into dancing glyphs before penetrating into his body, unknowingly sucking the energy from its victim.

Sephiroth's eyes glowed, his sombre voice rising to the finish of his chant.

"Sin Harvest...."

Then there was silence....

Riku blinked, looking around him to see what monster Sephiroth had unleashed, yet there was no sign of anything..... However the swordsman was smirking at him, as if he still was in control of the fight.....

It was then Riku felt it, and before he had the chance to realise what had occurred, he felt himself collapse to his knees.

"What the?"

"You sapped my energy.....?!?" Riku gasped, trying to get to his knees with difficulty, his fingers barely able to hold the Keyblade in his hands.

Sephiroth chuckled, with quickly turned to dark laughter, his shoulders quaking at his sides as if he had enjoyed a secret joke. Shaking his head to compose himself, the swordsman wiped away at the platinum bangs which crossed his vision, before drawing out his katana once again.

"Excellent my son...." Jenova cackled, her tentacles slapping across the floor in uncontrolled ecstasy. "..Finish him!!!!!!!"

'Oh shit.....I need to heal myself quickly...' Riku thought in alarm, as he began to administer the healing spell from his Keyblade, a blur or black and silver surrounded him.

"Cur-aAGHH!" Riku screeched out, his eyes suddenly going blank at the familiar excruciating pain that filled his mind and soul.

".....Deja vu....." Sephiroth chuckled in sadistic enjoyment as he jutted the blade further into Riku's torso. "But this time.....we aren't playing......"

The Keyblade blade clattered to the floor, his eyes bulging. Red blood trickled down the side of the teen's mouth, pooling upon the floor from his wound. White tears trickled down the side of his face......

"N-no...."

Riku was far too gone to hear the sadists words, the images surrounding him fading away into a mass of shapes and colours. Of red and black flames, and platinum silver...

'It's all over...I failed...'

Blue eyes looked down at him from above, in a shaft of beaming light....

'Sora...'

Riku's eyes glazed over as he felt himself falling backwards, his eyes fading to Peridot as his soul fell into darkness....

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Oh no! Poor Riku! The fighting scene brought back my own memories when I fought Sephiroth in the Coliseum at L49, and lets say I didn't even manage to get his HP bar to budge, and I was killed within 45 seconds of hearing the One Winged Angel theme.

sweatdrop Come on! I can't be the only one who had a quick and somewhat embarrassing defeat with Sephiroth on my first try... (And I thought that I was good at RPG games. pouts)

Anyway, back to this fic. I assume that a few of the readers will be confused with the storyplot considering characters which have yet been revealed.

To condense this chapter down...This is so far what has happened.

Sora has entered Twilight Town, and met the black feathered witch with amber eyes, Ultimecia AKA villain from FF8. He is on a journey to find Riku, and Donald and Goofy. Yet at the same time, find out what his true purpose is, and the secret of the black cloaked unknown with brown hair.

The Lord and Master. They are in the dimension of the unknowns. The Master is the red clothed unknown who is connected to science and pure evil. The Lord however is cold and distant, yet is far from heartless, like what is expected characteristic of his dimension. He is confined and isolated among his world and seems to bear a past with the traitor and a dislike for the 'Master' .

The traitor....nope...it is not an original character. The brief written description may give you a hint of who it could be..... dare to guess?

As for the prisoners... I think my description is easy enough to know who they are... and as for the last line that the Lord quotes.....that connects to the traitor.

The Lord's identity will be revealed in the next chapter.....(which may not surprise some of you).

As for Riku's fight....what do you expect....Sephiroth vs Riku. Advanced superhuman vs young human boy. As for the Jenova scene.....yeah.....I was disgusted to at the thought of what Seph did......but it adds to the narrative......and all will be explained in the future chapters....

One thing though. Don't worry Riku fans...he isn't dead...well not yet anyway......

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What do you guys think? Could you please review so I know that you guys are still reading. I look forward to reading your reviews. It seems to me that a lot of my favourite fanfic authors have not uploaded recently.

One question...Do you think this chapter is too long? Or do you like it that way?

Ja ne

Aerseph4eva

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