I'll Be Your Light

by CrystalRainstorm

Iva, a girl of 15, is thrown into chaos when her home gets attacked by Heartless. Lost and alone, she latches on to the only other person near her - Riku. Can she help save him from destroying himself? What happens when he's gone? And how will Iva manage on her own? In progress, will most likely be in multiple parts.

10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 (after crossover)

I had just decided to get up and stop moping around when the ship shook violently. Chester fell to the floor with an odd squawk. I got off of the hammock as gracefully as I could, and stood still while Chester clambered up my leg to my shoulder. As I was thinking about leaving to go check out the source of the shaking, a knock sounded on my door. It opened before I could answer, and Riku let himself in.

I suppressed a glare as he walked up to me. His face was carefully blank.

"I need you to let me in to the room where you put Kairi. Sora is on the ship."

"Why do you need to get in there?"

Riku's eyes flashed gold – or was it just the poor lighting in the ship? Dread washed through me as he stared me down. He didn't reply, but I could tell his shoulders had tensed up. I held out for only a few moments before looking away, sighing.

"Alright, whatever."

The trip to their room was silent. Chester's claws dug into my shoulder as I walked, and I felt a little better knowing that I wasn't the only one feeling the tension. Riku hovered close by once we stopped in front of the door, and I could feel a strange vibe emanating from him. When had I gotten this uncomfortable around Riku? I shook off the thought and focused on banishing the forcefield, which gleamed as it disappeared. The sudden loss of energy caused me to sway, and I nearly fell over, saving myself by bracing against the wall. Chester made a sound of worry from my shoulder.

Riku brushed past me, entering the room swiftly. I heard Wendy's sound of distress, but before I could go in to calm her, Riku was walking back out, carrying Kairi. The door slammed shut behind him, and suddenly a cold chill went up my spine. I stepped back from the door, wary. Riku was already gone.

"I suppose we should follow just to make sure that Kairi is okay…"

Before I could make a move to follow, the ship shuddered as a crash sounded from the front. Chester dug his claws into my shoulder to prevent himself from falling. I braced myself against the wall and waited to move until the rumbling had subsided.

"What do you think that was, Chester?" The small Heartless stared at me wordlessly. I sighed. "Well, we were headed that way, anyway. Maybe Hook knows what just happened." I grimaced. "Ugh, did I seriously just imply that we were willingly going to look for Hook?"

I mentally prepared myself as I made my way to the other end of the ship towards Hook's cabin. Chester hooked his claws over both my shoulders and hung on my back as I ascended the ladder at the end of the hallway.

Hook wasn't there, but Riku was, gently setting Kairi down on the bed set in the wall. He gave no indication that he knew I was there, but the slamming of the trap door shut wasn't exactly subtle, so I guessed he was just ignoring me. Before I could speak, the door to the main deck flew open, an irate Hook bursting into the room.

"Boy, I should have you walk the plank for giving me orders aboard me own ship!"

"I'll give orders if I feel like it. It's your own incompetence that wasted our time as we searched for the girl you wanted. She's not even one of them."

Hook blanched just as Smee snuck into the room. The first mate inched his way along the walls to stand beside me, looking panicked. "What? So Wendy's not one of the chosen ones?"

Riku shook his head calmly. "There are seven, supposedly, and Maleficent says she's not one of them."

Maleficent? When had Riku had a chance to speak to her?

"Hoist anchor as soon as possible. Leave all dead weight behind, including her." His voice was monotone, completely devoid of emotion, and it scared me. What had happened to him?

Hook gaped at him. "After the trouble of capturing her? And why those seven? What is Maleficent planning, anyway?"

Riku shrugged. "Who knows? As long as it means getting Kairi's heart back, I couldn't care less."

I wanted to speak out, but Hook kept going. "You're wasting your time! The Heartless have devoured that girl's heart. I'll stake me other hand it's lost forever."

Riku looked down at Kairi as she slept. "I will find it, no matter what."

Smee took a timid step forward. "Uh, Captain…"

The captain whirled around, the feather in his hat flailing comically. If not for the serious conversation I had just heard, I would have laughed. "What?"

"The prisoners have escaped." Prisoners? "What's more, Peter Pan is with them!"

Hook cursed. "Blast that Peter Pan! All right, then! Bring the hostage to me cabin, Smee! Hop to it!"

Smee scurried out of the room, probably to try and bring Wendy to the cabin we were currently in. I doubted that he would actually manage to bring her – Wendy was not the kind to go quietly, and especially not for a man like Smee. Hook left through the door he had come through, striding out onto the deck.

Riku turned around, finally acknowledging me. "Iva."

I blinked at him warily.

"We may need to leave at a moment's notice. Stay in here."

"Who are the prisoners Smee was talking about?"

Riku's eyes darkened, and he turned away. "Just Sora and his new friends. We don't need to worry about them."

"Was that the crash I heard?"

He nodded. We fell into an awkward silence. I made my way over to the bench set into the wall opposite Kairi and sat down, reaching up to pull Chester from my shoulder. His claws reluctantly left my skin, and I knew that he had actually drawn blood this time. I thought about trying to heal the scratches, but I still felt drained from the barrier I had made, so I decided against it. Chester curled up in my lap, seemingly ready to wait a long time.

I wasn't sure how long we sat in silence. Riku began pacing after a time. Occasionally, I heard sounds of fighting, which I assumed was between Sora and the Heartless.

My hands fidgeted uselessly in my lap, picking at my pants and patting Chester occasionally. He eventually got tired of my restlessness and moved off my lap to sit beside me on the bench. Riku continued his pacing in silence, his hands shoved into his pockets.

Thud. "Ow!"

"Watch where you're going, Sora!"

"I didn't realize this door was closed!"

Riku whirled around at the sound of voices coming from the trap door, and then quickly scooped Kairi into his arms. He glanced at me before retreating to the door to the main deck. I stood, gathering Chester and moving to stand by him.

Kairi looked as if she were sound asleep, but something felt off. If Maleficent was telling the truth, Kairi had no heart, and she was just an empty shell. I felt bad for her.

The trap door sprang open, allowing Sora, Donald, and Goofy to clamber into the cabin. Sora and Riku locked eyes for a moment. They didn't seem to notice I was even there.

Sora opened his mouth to speak, but a large shadow sprouted from the floor, the mirror image of the boy in front of us. I recoiled from the sudden surge of darkness, clutching Chester tighter in my arms.

Riku stepped back just as a whirl of purple and black appeared behind him. The cold of the darkness seeped into my skin, giving me goosebumps. Riku met my gaze, and his eyes softened, reminding me of how he was before he found Kairi. He adjusted his hold on his friend and reached out to touch my arm. He guided me by the elbow, more gently than I expected, through the weird blob of darkness behind us.

The world went black and I was surrounded by a cold that chilled me to my bones – and then, just as suddenly, we were back in Maleficent's castle, surrounded by green gloom.

Riku staggered and fell to his knees, clutching Kairi closer to him.

"Riku!" I bent down next to him, dropping Chester in my haste. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he snapped, causing me to recoil. I heard footsteps behind me, and turned to see Maleficent standing beside us, glaring down in distaste.

"It was reckless to bring her here without at least using a vessel," she said coldly. "Remember, relying too mheavily on the dark powers could cost you your heart."

Before Riku could respond, a booming roar sounded through the castle, rumbling in my chest. Riku stood carefully and brought Kairi to a nearby bench – had that always been there? – and then turned to look towards the source of the noise.

"A castaway," Maleficent explained. Riku glared at her. "Though his world perished, his heart did not," she continued. "When we took the princess from his castle, he apparently followed her here through sheer force of will. But fear not," her voice turned sickly sweet. "No harm will come to you. He is no match for your power."

"My power?"

My stomach sank as Maleficent continued. "Yes, the untapped power that lies within you. Now, child, it's time you awakened that power and realized your true potential!"

Maleficent raised her arms, and a chill ran through me as I watched Riku become enveloped in a green aura. He flexed his hands as the aura faded, standing up straighter. I stepped forward just as he recovered, reaching out to him. "Riku, please don't do this –"

"Oh, what do you know, Iva?" He glared at my hand hanging between us. My emotions snapped, and I felt myself lashing out in anger even though I didn't want to.

"I know that this is wrong! Riku, you can't just give in to the darkness for your friends! How can you help them if you're lost?"

A wave of magic emanated from where Maleficent was standing, and in a flash of green, she was gone. I paid the flames no attention, instead stepping closer to Riku.

"Please don't do this. Just let me help you! Let me be the light that brings you out of the darkness!"

Riku scoffed, swatting my hand away with more force than necessary. "I don't need you, Iva. I never have. So just get over it and find something useful to do with yourself. Even Maleficent has given up on you." He turned to walk away, leaving Kairi behind.

I tried to follow him. "Riku, please –"

"Oh, just stop begging already! You're pitiful," he said coldly. A rush of cold filled the room, and Riku vanished through a dark portal again, leaving me alone.

I realized I was shaking. I couldn't believe he had shut me out like that. Was I too late to save him? Had he already succumbed to the darkness? Chester pawed at my leg, but I ignored him.

Find something useful to do, huh? Fine. I glanced one last time at Kairi, sleeping soundly on the bench, before I stepped out of the room, intent on finding the source of that roar. If you won't help him find his light, then I will.

I made my way through the maze of a castle towards the entrance, where I assumed the roar had come from. I heard sounds of fighting as I walked through the huge front doors, and followed them to the lift that went to the Rising Falls. If I turned around, I could see the balcony to my room on the side of the castle, overlooking the falls.

The lift stopped on the highest floating rock, giving me the perfect viewpoint to see where all the noise was coming from. A few platforms down stood a massive beast in a purple cloak, snarling viciously at a boy with silver hair. I could only watch as Riku struck down the beast, standing triumphantly over it even as a boy in red ran up to stop him.

I couldn't hear what Sora and Riku were saying, but I did see the exchange of weapons – somehow, Riku had gotten ahold of Sora's Keyblade, and left his friend with nothing but a wooden sword to protect himself. Sora's companions left him reluctantly, following Riku as he made his way back up towards the lift.

We locked eyes as he passed me, but no words were said. The odd trio took the lift up towards the castle while I watched in silent anger.

I took a moment to gather myself and looked back down to where Sora was helping the beast get to its feet. Filled with sudden resolve, I made my way down, jumping carefully to the platform where they stood.

The beast took a defensive stance in front of Sora, and I held my hands up in peace. "Wait! I'm here to help!"

"Hey, haven't I seen you before?" Sora asked, stepping out from behind the beast. I glanced away.

"Yeah, you have. I'm Iva. I was helping Riku look for Kairi."

"Oh! I saw you on Hook's ship!" Sora frowned. "But, then why are you here?"

I met his gaze and told him the truth. "Something is wrong with Riku, and I don't think I can save him alone. I need your help, and from the look of things, you could use mine." I took a step forward, lowering my hands to my sides. "I can use magic, and I know my way around the castle well enough. I know where Kairi is – I can take you to her."

"You know where she is?" He looked hopeful. "Then sure! I wanna help Riku, too."

I turned my gaze to the beast. "I'm sorry for how Riku treated you. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." My eyes fell to a wound on the beast's side, blotchy red with blood. "Oh, let me heal that for you!"

"There is no need," the beast said in a deep voice. I assumed it was male. "I'll be fine."

"No, please, let me help," I insisted, digging in my bag for the last Ether I had. I popped the small cube in my mouth, immediately feeling the relief from my magic returning. All the magic use had been draining, and it seemed like I wasn't going to get a break for a while. I stepped closer to the beast and held my hands near his wound, focusing on knitting the skin back together.

I remembered how bad I was at healing magic, but after a time, the wound closed. My hands fell to my sides, limp with exhaustion. I hoped I could make a detour to my room in the castle to see if I had any more Ethers stashed in my drawers.

"We should go," I said. "It's not safe out here, the Heartless are ruthless."

"Lead the way, Iva," Sora said cheerfully, propping his wooden sword on one shoulder. How could he smile after what just happened? I shook my head and turned to face the castle.

The climb was uneventful, thankfully, but there were already Heartless along the path to the front door. I reached up to grab the handle, pulling hard.

The door was locked.

"Are you kidding me?" I yelled, tugging at the door. "Dammit, Riku!" I turned to Sora and the beast, fuming. "We're going to have to go find a way to unlock this door. There has to be a way in."

We made our way around the perimeter of the castle, eventually ending up in the waterways. The beast was invaluable, quickly disposing of Heartless while Sora tried to cover his back. I used my staff to keep the stragglers at bay, but refrained from using my magic – I doubted I could use much after all I had done already. In the back of my mind, I was grateful that Chester was nowhere to be found. I didn't think the beast would take too kindly to a Heartless pet.

The waterways were pretty straightforward, and after a time, Sora took the lead. He led us through the gates to strange switches on the walls, eventually causing a loud click to sound from somewhere outside.

"I think that was the door!" Sora exclaimed, hurrying back towards the exit.

"I sure hope so," I said quietly, following him outside. We made our way back to the front of the castle, fighting off another small horde of Heartless. The castle doors loomed over us, taunting.

The beast stepped forward and grabbed a handle in his huge paw-like hands, tugging with all his might. Slowly, ever so slowly, the doors opened, and Sora and I slipped inside to the main hall.

"Be on your guard," the beast said as we entered the hall. "They're close, I can feel it. Are you ready for them?"

I felt a rush of darkness to my left, and looked to see a woman in a lovely yellow dress standing in the hallway. The beast gasped, apparently noticing her.

"Belle?"

The woman vanished, replaced by a Shadow Heartless, its bright yellow eyes staring straight at the beast. He started shaking, then let out a roar, causing me to step away from him in shock. He sprinted towards the Heartless, disappearing as the door closed behind him, separating him from Sora and me.

A voice sounded behind us. "Quit while you can."

Sora and I turned to see Riku standing with Donald and Goofy. Sora's friends looked at him sadly as he stared Riku down.

"No. Not without Kairi."

"The darkness will destroy you."

I watched in horror as Riku's appearance changed. His clothes were enveloped in darkness, giving rise to something that looked more like muscle than clothing. The symbol of the Heartless was emblazoned on his chest. I gripped my staff tighter, my knuckles turning white.

"You're wrong, Riku," Sora spoke up, his face determined. "The darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart." He placed a hand on his chest, looking down thoughtfully. "My heart will stay with my friends. It'll never die!"

Riku scoffed. "Really... Well, we'll just see about that!" His hand was suddenly engulfed in purple-white flames, and he thrust it forward, sending what seemed to be a dark fireball straight at his childhood friend.

"Riku, no!" I jumped in front of Sora, throwing myself in the path of the fire even though it terrified me. I shut my eyes, trying to brace myself for the impact… but it never came. I opened them to see Goofy standing in front of me, his shield held high.

"Sora ain't gonna go anywhere!"

My jaw hit the floor as Riku spoke. "You'd betray your king?"

"Not on your life!" Goofy lowered his shield a little. "But I'm not gonna betray Sora, either, 'cause he's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together!" He turned around, looking past me to give Sora a thumb's up. He then turned back to Riku and Donald, waving. "See ya later, Donald! Could ya tell the king I'm really sorry?"

The duck stomped his feet. "Hold on, Goofy! We'll tell him together!" He sprinted towards us, moving past me to stand next to Sora. He looked up sheepishly. "Well, you know… All for one and one for all."

Goofy laughed. "I guess you're stuck with us, Sora!"

Sora stared at the floor, seemingly overcome with emotion. "Thanks a lot… Donald, Goofy."

"How will you fight without a weapon?" Riku asked snidely from the other side of the room. Sora looked up at him, his eyes bright.

"I know now I don't need the Keyblade. I've got a better weapon – my heart."

Riku scoffed. "Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?"

"Although my heart may be weak," Sora started, "it's not alone. It's grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all the friends I've made. I've become a part of their heart, just as they've become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then… if they don't forget me… then our hearts will be one." He pulled out the wooden sword from where he was storing it in his beltloop, taking an offensive stance, Donald and Goofy flanking him. "I don't need a weapon. My friends are my power!"

The Keyblade flashed in Riku's hands, disappearing in a burst of light. I watched in shock as it materialized in Sora's grip. Anger clouded Riku's face, and he summoned a different sword, one shaped like a demon wing. My stomach fell as Riku glared at his childhood friend.

He's going to actually fight Sora! I can't let this happen!

I silently stepped forward, placing myself between Sora and Riku. I heard Sora's sound of confusion behind me, but paid him no mind. I stared at Riku defiantly, holding my staff close to my side. "Riku."

"Get out of the way, Iva."

"No!" A small flare of magic well inside me, responding to my emotions. "I won't let you hurt your friend. I don't care what it takes." I shifted my weight, ready to move. "This isn't you. I know you don't actually want to hurt Sora. So I'm gonna stop you."

He laughed, holding his sword high. "Fine, then."

Riku lunged first, and it was all I could do to dodge it. Had he gotten faster, or was I slower from all my magic use? I blocked another swipe with my staff, then deflected a thrust. He came at me holding nothing back, pushing me back towards the side of the room with relentless attacks.

I swung my staff out in a desperate attempt to knock him flat, but he ducked beneath it. When had he started fighting with his left hand? Suddenly he was behind me, and I felt a sharp pain in my lower back as he jammed his elbow into me, causing me to stagger.

He moved up, bringing his sword with him, and the world went white.

I stumbled to my knees, nearly faceplanting into the pillar beside me. What happened? This pain was worse than the burns on my leg. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. All I knew was pain.

Distantly, I heard voices calling my name. I watched as Riku ran off in slow motion. Had his clothes changed back? Was that fear on his face? Oh, god, it hurt.

Sora was kneeling in front of me, holding my shoulders gently. "- Iva! Iva, talk to me! Donald, you gotta heal her!"

"Wha?" I managed to say. Sora stared at me with worry in his eyes.

"You're gonna be okay, I promise! We're gonna help you!"

Donald hurried to stand by Sora, his staff held high. "Cure!"

I groaned as my mind cleared. The pain hadn't lessened, but I could think. I looked down at myself and realized I had an arm held tightly to my right side. Carefully, I moved it away, only to cringe as I saw it smeared with red.

He actually hurt me.

A gash marred my side, reaching from my ribs almost to my navel, but with all the blood I wasn't entirely sure how big it actually was. I gingerly placed my arm back over it, trying to put pressure so it didn't bleed as much. Tears sprung to my eyes at the contact.

"Donald, do it again!"

"CURE!" Another wave of clarity, but no less pain. I gasped at the sensation.

"Did that help? Iva, talk to us!"

I took a deep breath – or at least as deep as I could manage. "Don't waste – your magic. I – I think this – won't heal with magic," I managed to say, biting my tongue after to stop the tears. "There's a – there's an infirmary down – the hall… I need to – to patch this up."

The effort of speaking left me winded. The beast came into my field of vision, a huge hulking figure. He held his arms out as if asking permission.

"Allow me to carry you there," he said quietly. "You helped Sora when I could not."

I nodded, unable to force myself to speak again. God, it hurt. Why wasn't Donald's magic working? He seemed like he was better at healing than I was, but – and oh, god, the beast picked me up and I nearly screamed in pain. I bit my lip so hard it bled, filling my mouth with a metallic taste. I lifted a shaky hand -the one that wasn't currently trying to hold my blood inside me – to point to a hallway off to our right.

The beast stepped carefully, but his every moved refreshed the pain anyway. I nearly blacked out when we got stopped by Heartless – when had they gotten inside the castle? Sora and his friends dispatched of the group quickly, and then urged me to point them in the right direction.

Thankfully, the infirmary wasn't far, and we reached it not long after that first batch of Heartless. The beast set me gently on a bed, trying not to jostle me too much. I gasped as I finally leaned back. Sora, Donald, and Goofy started looking through cabinets, gathering materials to try and patch up my side.

"Hey, I found an Elixir!" Sora exclaimed, running to stand beside me. "Here! Maybe this will help!"

I took it with a shaky hand, and Sora helped me drink it slowly. This did cause the pain to lessen, and I felt a rush as my magic returned. I felt refreshed.

I looked over to the table beside me, which was now covered in first aid supplies. "Um. Does anyone know how to dress wounds?"

"Wait, did that Elixir not heal it?" Sora asked, cocking his head to the side. I shook my head, moving my arm and grimacing.

The Elixir seemed to stop the worst of the bleeding, but the wound was still there, red and angry and painful. I reached out for a bottle of water on the table, grabbed a rag that someone had placed there, and set about trying to clean most of the blood off. I was glad that my shirt was black, but my pants still showed bloodstains on the top edge, the different reds clashing. My denim jacket was probably ruined, the sleeves almost black with blood where they were tied around my hips.

Goofy stepped forward to help, and since he seemed to know what he was doing, I let him take the reins. He picked up the piles of gauze and started wrapping it around my waist, tying down pads directly over the wound to keep pressure on it.

Once he was done, he stepped back to inspect his handiwork. I let my arms fall to my sides once he gave me a nod.

"That should hold for now, but we really need to get ya to a doctor!"

"I'll be fine," I protested as I untied my jacket from my waist. I dropped the bloodied denim onto the bed behind me as I stood on shaky legs. The beast reached out to steady me, and I took his arm gratefully. "I have magic, I can fight from a distance. I'll just need you guys to keep the Heartless away from me. I'll support you as best I can."

Sora gave me a worried look. "Iva, you're really in no condition to fight…"

"And I'm in no condition to stay here without protection. I'll be safer with you, and I know my way around the castle." I took a deep breath, wincing when it pulled at my wound. "I have an idea of where to go. I don't think Maleficent has moved Kairi. They'll be waiting there."

"I can carry you if you'd like," the beast offered, his voice rumbling through my chest. I shook my head.

"No, thank you. I would prefer to stand as long as possible." I took a tentative step forward, then continued towards the door once I felt confident that my legs wouldn't give out on me. "Well, let's go."

Heartless attacked us around every corner. I stayed back and let Sora, Goofy, and the beast do most of the fighting, sending only the occasional spell their way. Donald focused on healing the party – it seemed he could tell that I wasn't very good at healing magic. The going was slow, but steady. The most challenging part was the long lift ride around the outside of the castle – it stopped halfway to the next station, and we were bombarded by Wizard Heartless. My wound throbbed with every movement as I dodged spells.

After what felt like an eternity, we arrived at the hallway to the chapel. A menacing presence filled the room before us, and I called the party back to warn them.

"What is it, Iva?" Sora asked, running up to me. "Are you okay? Do we need to stop?"

"I'm fine, Sora," I assured him, tightening my arm around my waist. The bandages had already turned dark red with blood, but it didn't seem to be breaking through, so I kept quiet. "I just wanted to warn you – I think Maleficent is through there, in the chapel. I can feel her presence. She is… not happy."

The beast growled and glared at the door. "Neither am I! She will pay for taking Belle from me!"

"I just wanted to make sure you were prepared for a fight," I said, straightening. "But if you are, then let's get this over with. The faster we get through her, the faster we can get to Kairi." I took a steadying breath. "And it seems like it's only going to get worse the longer we wait."

Sora's eyes turned steely with resolve. "Yeah. Let's do this."

As I expected, Maleficent was waiting for us in the chapel. She sneered at me as I walked beside the beast.

"I'm afraid you're too late," she started, turning her gaze and sly smirk towards Sora. "Any moment now, the final Keyhole will be unsealed. This world will be plunged into darkness. It is unstoppable."

Sora's Keyblade appeared in his hand as he took an offensive stance. "We'll stop it! After coming this far, there's no way we're gonna let that happen!"

Maleficent frowned and slammed her staff on the floor, rising up on a platform that began to float above our heads. "You poor, simple fools. You think you can defeat me? Me, the mistress of all evil?"

Before I could react, the fight had begun. Maleficent shot bolts of purple lightning at the entire party. I jerked my staff up and attempted to deflect it, but the force still sent me staggering back. I gasped as the pain in my side worsened when I caught myself.

"Iva, move!" the beast yelled. He practically tackled me to push me aside, sending me hard into the wall. My vision went white, and I heard a loud bang as something impacted the floor where I was previously standing. Something heavy pushed down on my shoulders and I collapsed to my knees.

"Stay here," the beast growled, pushing me into a corner between the wall and a statue. When had the statue gotten there? Was it always there? Or did the beast move me? Before I could ask he was gone, and all I could hear were the scattered sounds of Maleficent's magic and Sora's grunts of effort as he attempted to beat her down.

The room was quiet after a while. Or was my hearing just messed up? My ears were ringing. I forced myself to sit upright and slowly worked my way to standing, using the wall and my staff to keep myself up. Footsteps that sounded too distant approached me, and suddenly Sora was in my face, his hands on my shoulders.

"Iva! Are you okay? You're not hurt any more, are you?" I shook my head, and he quickly continued talking. "Maleficent went through this weird portal thing, so we're going to follow her. Stay here! You're in no condition to fight!"

"I'm in… no condition to stay on my own, either," I managed. My voice sounded weak. My head felt funny, too – had I hit it when I hit the wall?

"Don't worry, Goofy is gonna stay here with you to keep you safe." The person in question waved cheerily from behind Sora. "You're gonna be fine, okay? We'll be right back!" Sora released me and immediately turned around, running towards the back of the chapel. My vision began to clear, and I noticed a strange purple and green orb floating near the back wall, which Sora and Donald disappeared into. I figured it must be some kind of portal.

Goofy walked up to me and held an arm out. "Would ya like ta sit down? Yer lookin' pretty woozy there."

I let him guide me over closer to the weird portal thing, and he helped me sit down on the stone steps.

"How's yer bandage doing?"

"It's fine. It's holding up."

"Do ya want me ta look at it?"

"No, thank you. But I appreciate the help."

We sat in silence until Sora returned. I couldn't decide what to look at – as soon as Sora began to appear in the room again, a loud grating sound emanated from our left, almost as if a heavy stone door were opening. I focused on the door, and realized a passage had opened in the chapel that wasn't there before. I remembered that this passage actually lead to the grand hall, where Maleficent was keeping the princesses.

I stood carefully and turned to Sora, who looked strangely singed. He must have noticed my puzzled look because he sighed as he brushed his hair out of his face.

"She turned into a dragon."

My mouth fell open slightly, but I shook my head and spoke. "This passage will lead us to where Maleficent was keeping the other princesses. If we're lucky, Kairi will be there with the others."

"Wait, what? Others?" Donald rasped.

"Yeah. The other princesses of heart. I don't really know what they're for, but… Maleficent was collecting them. We should try to get them out, too."

"Yeah, we'll try!"

Sora marched straight through the new opening into the hallway, and the rest of us had no choice but to follow. I hoped I would be able to be useful later – the wound felt like it was draining all my strength. It seemed even worse than the burns from a lifetime ago.

The Grand Hall was creepier than I imagined. Lined up against the walls were crystal cases, housing each of the princesses of heart. I saw Jasmine suspended in one of them and felt an overwhelming surge of guilt for putting her there. Sora glanced over them, and, not seeing Kairi, immediately moved on to the large curved staircases leading up to a strange multicolored swirling… thing. The shape reminded me of the symbol plastered on some of the Heartless.

There, at the top of the steps on the platform, was Kairi's unconscious form, laid unceremoniously on the floor.

"Kairi!" Sora shouted, running up to her immediately. Goofy tried to follow, but something prevented him from approached, and he instead bounced back down the stairs. Donald shouted in surprise. I hurried to the top of the stairs and held my hand up – and met solid resistance.

"It's a magic barrier," I said, mostly to myself. "We can't get to him. And I don't have the strength to break it…"

We watched in silence as Sora knelt beside Kairi and cradled her in his arms. "Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!"

A voice sounded to our left. "It's no use."

We turned as one to see the source of the voice – there was Riku, sitting on top of the great swirling thing, his clothes tainted by darkness. My breath caught in my throat. He continued speaking, unfazed.

"That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up."

Sora gently set down Kairi and stood to face Riku, his expression guarded.

"You… You're not Riku," he stated.

"They Keyhole cannot be completed," Riku continued, ignoring Sora, "so long as the last princess of heart still sleeps." Here he jumped down from his perch – though his descent was slow, as if he were floating down rather than falling.

Sora's expression turned to confusion. "The princess…? Kairi's a princess?"

"Yes," Riku said. His voice sounded odd, as if two people were speaking rather than one. "And without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time she awakened."

"Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!"

My hand on the barrier clenched into a fist. I had to get through it, I had to go help Sora, I had to save Riku –

"But first, you must give the princess back HER heart," Riku said, raising his arm and pointing a sword at Sora's chest. It was different than the one he used in the fight with me. This one looked almost like a Keyblade. Sora reacted immediately, clutching his chest and falling to his knees. Donald called out to him, jumping beside me and ramming into the barrier uselessly.

"Don't you see yet?" Riku said coldy. "The princess's heart is responding. It has been there all along. Kairi's heart rests within you!"

That took me by surprise. How could Riku know that? How could he have ever guessed that Kairi's heart was inside Sora? It didn't make any sense.

"Kairi… Kairi's inside me?" Sora turned to look over his shoulder at her body lying still on the floor.

"I know all that there is to know," Riku said, drawing attention back to him.

Sora glared. "Tell me. Who are you?"

Riku smiled then, but the smile sent a chill up my spine. "It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness." He pointed his Keyblade at Sora again as he stepped forward slowly. "So I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!"

Riku raised his Keyblade, and I shouted wordlessly to get Sora's attention. He was looking away, staring down at Kairi, he wasn't going to be able to move in time and I couldn't just let Riku kill his best friend –

In a flash, Sora blocked the strike with his own Keyblade, his face determined. "Forget it!" he yelled, pushing with such force that it sent Riku staggering back. "There's no way you're taking Kairi's heart!"

We were forced to watch on the sidelines as Sora and Riku fought, best friends pitted against each other. I knew in my heart that Riku didn't want this, but it still hurt to see him cloaked in darkness. Their blades clashed, and sound and sight blurred together. I raised a hand to brush away the forming tears – now was not the time for crying. I didn't have that luxury.

Ages passed while they fought. I was struggling to stand by the time it was over. I wasn't even entirely sure when it had ended – I just heard a clang as Riku's Keyblade dropped to the floor. Sora reached out to him, but was suddenly facing empty space.

Riku had vanished.

"Riku!" Sora and I yelled in unison. My hand fell forward, no longer pushed back by the barrier. Donald and Goofy sprinted past me to stand by Sora in front of the swirly thing.

I just stared at the space where Riku was dumbly, slowly staggering towards the group. Riku couldn't be gone. Could he?

"Sora! Sora, look!" Donald shouted, grabbing our attention.

"The Keyhole!" Goofy said as he pointed animatedly at the swirling mass.

"What can we do?" Sora asked, stepping forward.

Goofy shrugged. "Maybe we've gotta go wake Kairi up."

"I think you're right." Sora placed a hand on his chest. "If we can free her heart… But… but how?"

I realized distantly that Sora was moving, but I couldn't focus on him. The world was starting to get blurry around the edges, and all I could think about was Riku.

"A Keyblade that unlocks peoples' hearts… I wonder."

"Sora?" Goofy said, questioning. Then, suddenly – "Sora, hold on!"

"No, wait!" Donald screeched. I turned my head towards Sora just in time to see him holding Riku's Keyblade with a smile on his face –

And then he stabbed himself in the heart.

A burst of light poured from his chest, scattering several golden orbs through the room. One of them floated slowly towards Kairi as Sora closed his eyes, seemingly content. I watched in numb horror as the Keyblade disappeared and Sora started to fall backwards in slow-motion. The golden light descended onto Kairi, and as her eyes flickered open, I felt a sudden dark presence emanating from the huge heart-shaped door that Riku was guarding.

Donald was yelling Sora's name, and Kairi jumped to her feet and sprinted to him, attempting to catch him in her arms. The moment she touched him, Sora burst into a million flecks of light, and he disappeared. I heard myself shouting out to him, lunging forward and stumbling when my legs wouldn't support me. I fell to my knees, one arm pressed to the wound on my side – I could feel the blood seeping through again.

Donald was still shouting. "Sora! Come back, Sora!"

Kairi looked heartbroken. "Sora, are you really – No! He can't be! I won't let him go!" Her eyes sparked with a fire that I didn't know was possible.

The dark presence grew behind us, and I turned to see a black and purple portal open out of thin air. A tall man with long silver hair and striking golden eyes stepped out, his arms crossed. When he spoke, his voice reverberated in my chest, and I recognized him from that one night on Hook's ship.

"So, you have awakened at last, Princess. The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. But now it's over." He stepped towards Kairi, but Donald and Goofy jumped in front of her, weapons drawn. I used my staff to steady myself as I forced myself to my feet and prepared to send a spell his way.

"Don't make another move!" Donald snapped, waving his staff at the man. I saw Goofy whisper something to him, and Donald just shoot his head before replying quietly.

The man suddenly stopped moving, but I doubted it was due to Donald's words. He looked like he was struggling against some invisible force.

"Impossible…" he grunted, scowling. Before him, an image started to form, transparent but colorful.

And then Riku was standing in front of us, his arms thrown out at his sides. "No! You won't use me for this!"

"Riku!" I yelled, stepping towards him. I heard Kairi say his name, too, but it didn't matter. Riku was here, Riku was okay, he was alive –

"You've got to run! The Heartless are coming!"

"No! I won't leave you!" I said. He locked eyes with me, his expression pleading.

"Please, Iva. You have to get her out of here. I can't hold him back forever – it's not safe here!" He groaned and leaned forward, his eyes shut as if in pain.

"Riku!"

"Just go!"

Shadow Heartless began to seep from the walls, closing in on the strange door beside us.

A hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned to see Kairi staring at me earnestly. "Let's go! He can handle this!"

I looked at Riku one last time before shutting my eyes tightly and turning away, resolved in my decision to come back as soon as I could to get him. I couldn't leave him here alone. I just had to get Kairi out.

I joined the others at the top of the stairs, and we began to make our way back outside the castle. Before we left the hall, Goofy called out, "What about the Keyhole?"

"Let's just get out of here!" Donald replied.

Kairi took my hand as we ran, and eventually pulled my arm over her shoulder in an attempt to help bear my weight. The wound was bleeding freely now, making my hand slick with blood.

We made it all the way to the entrance hall when Kairi stopped at the top of the stairs. Goofy looked up from his position near the fountain at the bottom and called up to us.

"Kairi, Iva, hurry!"

"I can't leave them behind!" Kairi called back. I tightened my arm around her shoulders to get her attention.

"Kairi, we're in no shape to stay here. We have to get out and make a plan!"

"We can't stay here!" Donald yelled up. Kairi huffed, but helped me get down the stairs as more Shadows emerged from the door behind us. One Shadow ran up to Donald and just… stood there. It didn't attack.

"A Heartless is after us!" Goofy yelled, yanking his shield up.

"I'll take care of him!" Donald turned and whacked the Heartless on the head with his staff. "Confounded Heartless! Get lost, will ya?"

Yeah, like that'll work. I focused my energy at the top of my staff, ready to send a bolt of ice towards it, when Kairi dropped me like a sack of potatoes. The sudden loss of support had me falling sideways, and I barely caught myself with my staff.

"Sora?" she said quietly. "Is that you?"

"Kairi, no! Don't go near it!" I called, but she ignored me, and instead dropped to her knees to embrace the Shadow as dozens more piled on to them. The three of us called out her name, and I was suddenly blinded by a flash of light. When my vision cleared, Kairi was standing in the same spot, unharmed, and embracing her was Sora, as if nothing had ever happened.

They stood like that for a moment until Donald and Goofy picked their jaws off the floor and yelled his name. Just as Sora and Kairi jumped apart, the Beast entered the room from the hall above, knocking aside several Heartless.

"Go! Now!" he roared, swiping his huge paw to knock more Shadows out of the way.

"Come with us!" Sora pleaded.

The beast shook his head. "I told you before, I'm not leaving without Belle. Now, go! The Heartless are coming!"

Sora stood still for a moment, then nodded. "All right. Let's get out of here!" Sora turned to me and immediately offered a hand, which I gratefully took. As we sprinted out the main gate, I managed to get a few words out.

"Sora, I… I'm glad you're… okay," I panted. My vision was getting darker, and it was harder to focus. I didn't hear his reply.

Somehow, against all odds, we made it back to their ship at the Rising Falls. Before I knew it, we were flying away from the castle, which was overrun with Heartless.

My last thought was of Riku.