Hi, I wrote the two chapters previous to this one after each other. Because I did this I accidentally updated the wrong chapter first. So i would probably go back to Chapter nine first just to understand what an earth was going on in chapter 10... SORRY!


Riku.

I sat on the old tree of the Island. It's palm leaves sheltered my eyes from the suns tropical rays. My skin kept burning under the suns tropical rays. I watched the pale blue water lap against the islands beach. The birds voices echoing throughout. And on the bridge far from my sight is where i had sent Kairi away from me. Out of sight, out of mind. I began to smile.

One of the warmest memories I had was chasing after Sora after playing Hero's. Sora pretending to throw fireballs behind him to get me, and myself pretending i could fly. The warm rays on my arms had made me feel so light and free. I leapt after him and then Kairi ran into Sora, and then I fell over them too. We would laugh and all the darkness faded away. Even when we got back, sitting right here, laughing and no longer dreaming of adventures was a true paradise.

My shadow beat crept next to me and rubbed its spinney head against my side. It let out a loud grumble as it lay in the shade. "Ah so this is where i could find you." A deep voice echoed behind me.

I didn't bother turning my head. "What is it now?"

"Nothing much. I was just wondering if you wanted some company."

"Company from you?" I laughed bitterly.

"No I brought Axel for you."

I turned to face the old man. He wasn't there. All i saw was a tall hooded figure with strands of red hair poking through, and one yellow eye. "Your looking burnt." Axel grumbled and shifted uncomfortably under the heat. "Was it always this frikin hot!"

"You'll get used to it in a few moments." I sighed.

My creature turned to Axel and hissed. "Be nice. Axel is a friend not an enemy."

Axel jumped over it and landed beside me. He leaned against the tree and sighed allowed. "Why are we targeting here? You know better then this Riku."

"You know why."

"Just because I know doesn't mean I don't understand."

"I am just testing out my strength."

"THIS IS YOUR HOME!" Axel yelled at me.

My creature's ears pricked and he snarled at Axel. "Anyone would think that you have a heart again." I felt myself scowl at him.

"Please... Anywhere else Riku. Anywhere!"Axel wouldn't look at me. When i tried to look at his face his green eye was tearing. "I can't hurt these people... Anyone else and i promise i will do what you ask... But not here!"

"You will do it Axel... Do it or i will kill her. I will kill Kara, and i will make sure Namine becomes unrecognisable."

I could see Axel tremble. His voice was growing hoarse as he turned to look at me. "O... I... Please..."

Axel's eyes met mine. One of his eyes looked stern and cold while the other seemed to be compensating for his entire normal emotions. "I am serious Axel."

Axel turned away and began to walk across the beach towards an old hut. "I said I would stay with you. Not because of power or numbers, because your a friend. But when your threatening me, your own family, and the people we care about, I cant take it Riku. You say i am heartless, but at least I have a conscience and right now you are stretching mine. You so much as touch Kara, Namine or anyone else. I will not forgive you. Not this time. Go somewhere else. you never know. They may come on our side on their own like I did."

I turned and saw the back of Axel. I began to laugh. I jumped of the trunk of the palm tree. I lunged forward and pushed my hand through Axels back, and forced the shadows inside. Axel collapsed and began to cough. "Tell your conscious I said good bye." I laughed hard, and i didnt even notice Diz behind me.

"I thought you wanted a real friend not another slave."

"His conscious was irritating me."

"He still holds onto his loved ones. I would have thought you would have done the same. You are meant to control the heartless not be used by it." Diz voice sounded worried.

"What do you suggest?"

"Take out the shadows when you are done destroying Destiny Island. Just don't expect him to be happy."

"Your letting me do this?"

Diz looked at me and laughed. "its funny how you think I have the power to stop you and the care. You are the ruler of darkness do as you please. Just be aware of the consequences."

He then disapeared in a large cloud of thick black smoke. Axel turned to me, his eyes yellow and cold. "Come on. We have to do some visiting and it's time for your punishment."

We stood on the shore of the water. We began to cross it slowly, the waves barly touching our feet and affecting our balance. Eventually we began to see our home. The small houses aligned and filling our sight. As we grew closer to the empty shore there was someone watching from their garden. She wouldn't be here for long.

Sora.

Roxas and I sat awkwardly in the car. Leon had agreed to drive us home for the weekend. Looking for Riku had been a strain, and me and Roxas both agreed that the one thing we could do with was sadly our mum.

Roxas was trying hard to practice his magic in the car. He had now been able to go back in the past, but only within his memories. His armour had also changed. Instead of being the golden armour with the two horns, it changed into a thin armour as white as snow. It had a pale blue visor and the chainmail shone under the white plates. He loved the cold.

"Stop trying to create time holes in my car!" Leon barked concentrating hard on the road.

"But I have to practice!"

"NOT IN THE DAMN CAR!" Leon barked.

Rinoa had come with them and sat awkwardly in the front seat. She looked dazed as she stared out of the window. "15... years." she mumbled.

"Yes Rinoa. Fifteen years." Leon was agitated. "I swear when i get a hold of that bitch..."

"Whats going?" I began, and to my horror both of their eyes turned and glared at me.

They both whipped their heads back and started a conversation, which made Roxas and I feel more and more uncomfortable.

"we have been asleep for fifteen year!" Rinoa exclaimed, placing her hands in her head, "And she tricked me with illusion magic!"

"Calm down." Leon muttered. "At least it wasn't our fault."

Rinoa pulled her arm out and forced it towards Leon. Leon hit the brake hard and i felt my head swing forward. Roxas and i yelled out as our heads hit each others. "That's it! i am walking!" Roxas shouted at the pair. "You two can't even get along for a car drive! what is wrong with you? We know what happened but for gods sake! Their are other things to worry about right now then your pettiness towards each other! Even me and Sora behave better then you! Grow up!"

I couldn't help but agree with Roxas. I followed him out of the car and didn't even bother to look at Leons and Rinoa's faces. As we stepped outside, we found ourselves closer to home then we expected. They didn't bother aying goodbye and spun the car around.

As I looked around, I realised this wasn't the same road that we grew up in. The sky was no longer clear blue and warming. It was blood coloured. Thick, sickening and unwelcoming. Before I even managed to look back at the car, I saw a shadow hound lunge of roof of a house. It run passed us down the side road which led to our house. "Mum!" I hsouted and ran after it.

"Sora!" Roxas called after me and i could hear his footsteps trailing away as i pushed myself faster down the path. The house began to engulf in darkness, The sky now turning black and crusty , like the dried blood we saw of halloween town and Mechania. NO! anything but this please... anything but this.

As i ran through the backyard of the house, i saw my mum kneeling down before me. Beside her was Riku's dad. A stern looking man with cool grey eyes and silver hair which hung lazily on his shoulders. He had hold of my mums hand. "MUM!" I shouted.

"SORA DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" she screamed at me.

I found my body freeze. In a line was every mum and dad of our small group. Even Kairi's and NAmine's parents were placed in the line. "Why are you like..." Roxas stammered behind me.

Before i could move, a red headed figure stepped forward. His yellow eyes and stained black skin looked down at us and began to laugh. It wasn't a human sound. It was dark, and twisted. With every breath looked almost unnecessary. "On Your knees." Axel laughed at us.

"What the hell are you doing!" I shouted at him.

I could feel my body tremble. Something inside me was growing angry. I could feel heat sweeping through my veins. I looked to my left to find Roxas standing still. His face was pale, and his eyes began to fill. "NO! NO! NO! NO!" he began to cry out, "Not you... Anyone but you..."

"I said on your knees." Axel's voice changed. It became cold and the very sound made my body shiver.

"Roxas..." My mums sweet voice broke the tension. "Don't worry honey. It's okay." I could feel my body calming. Her sweet voice. "Axel sweetie, let us go. You don't want to do this. It's okay, it will be all over now. No one is going to hurt you."

"Shut the fuck up you useless whore." Axel growled and slammed her back down to the ground. "I have had enough of your bullshit. You don't know your doomed do you."

"Axel... there is good in you! we all know it... dont let this get the better of you." Riku's dad now tried to stand.

Axel turned quickly and raised his leg. Riku's dad was sent into the wall of the house, and I could feel the earth shake. Riku's dad was slumped against the wall, blood escaping the side of his head. When i looked at Axel, his face looked cold. He moved his hand and commanded a number of tall gangly heartless. One moved quickly over to Riku's dad and stabbed it's hand through his chest. The sound was horrifying. The heartless twisted its hand and pulled out white flesh. Before Rikus dad could react he began to wretch and heave as the heartless began to crush it.

I couldn't take it anymore. Why? WHY? i felt my body shake and i began to rise "STOP IT!"

"Oh? it has a voice." Axel then summoned a blade.

The blade was red, and it didn't hold the shape of keyblade master's. Axel held it close to our mothers face. It began to burn her cheek. "Axel... DON T!" Roxas screamed at him and pushed ice forward.

The ground became frozen, but Axel barely seemed fazed by it all. Axel held my mother by her that and sliced across her neck. I felt my body stop and grow cold like the ice below us. As the blood oozed from her neck to the floor it froze instantly making cherry coloured snow.

Axel dropped her body. Our mother clasped her throat and began to choke. I ran towards her. Before I could get close a hound appeared and bit hard into my arm. Roxas sliced the creature, but as it screamed and fell, Axel had pushed his blade towards Roxas' face and missed. He then slashed down and the blade barely touched his skin. Roxas stepped back. Axel lept backwards and struck Kairi's parents down as well.

The garden which we grew up with was now littlered with red snow and bodies. I felt all the words escape my throat, and a meek voice took its place. I collapsed to the floor beside my mum. She was breathing hard and gasping. As i touched her hand, she grabbed me with her free arm and began to try to talk. Roxas had reached beside her and began to hold her throat to try to stop the bleeding. My body was trembling as i stared at her pale face. "I... am... so... proud..." She gasped hard and struggled.

"I fucking hate you Axel! I HATE YOU ALL! HOW COULD YOU!" I screamed.

My mother soothed the side of my face, and i felt her cold hand creep down and slide away. "No mum, your not allowed to go! its us! your not allowed. Sora cure her... SORA!"

I couldn't move. I felt all the magic drain from my body. I couldn't even use my will to use my keyblade. I scooped my mum in her arms and held her close. I felt her wet clothes against my skin as i cried into her. Axel had now began to walk towards the exit. "WHY!" Roxas screamed.

Diz had stepped through the gate holding a pice of black and white flesh. He slammed it into Axels chest. His skin turned from pale to his normal shade, and his skin became less blackened. Axel fell to the floor and clutched to Diz's long robe. He was breathing heavily. "Calm yourself."

"What... What have I done!" Axel screamed allowed and began to cry out. "You promised i wouldn't do anything like this!"

Diz placed his hand on Axel's head and stepped aside from him. I rose and felt the cold air push around me. I turned from my mothers body and ran towards Axel. Axel let me hit him. He didn't even resist a little. As i felt his chest slowly break under my punches, i looked at his face. He was crying.

As i moved to punch his face a cold hand touched mine. My mum held my hand and pulled me off him. her throat still cut and bleeding slowly. "No more baby." she stroked my hair with a blood soaked hand. "No more. It's not his fault... See he is sad... Promise me baby... Promise me my little boy will be good.. You can't hurt your friends... He is sorry baby look at him."

She then let go and kneeled over Axel. "I am sorry... i am so sorry i didn't mean... i don't know what is wrong with me!" Axel cried.

She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. "I... forgive you." I heard her whisper, and she fel to the ground once more. This time her breathing had completely stopped.

I felt my body stiffen and drop. "NOOOO!" I screamed, as i shook her shoulder's frantically. "Wake up... Wake up mum!"

Axel rose up and picked her from me. He walked towards the end of the path and placed her gently infront of Diz. Diz reluctantly sat beside her and checked her over. "Do... something." Axel stared at her body. "I didn't want to hurt my friends... you said i wouldn't hurt them!"

"Calm down. Unfortunatly Riku changed his plans. I am sorry this happened to you Axel. there is nothing I can do for her. Here." He handed Axel a red liquid.

"What-?"

I found myself slumped to the floor. My mum is dead... What do i do now? Riku... Riku killed all of our families... Why? I felt Roxas walk past me. He stood before Axel and began to wail. Axel stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him. Roxas didn't care. "I am sorry! He would have killed Kara and Namine... I can't let her die! I begged him to change places, but then it all went dark " Axel cried out and broke away from Roxas' hold.

"It's... okay... We forgive you." Roxas replied.

I realised then the true reason this happened. It would never be Axel's fault. He was being controlled. But that bastard will pay! he will pay one way or another!

Diz summoned a portal. Out of it walked Zack. He was in only his combat pants and looked sleepily around. Before he could say a word Diz broke the silence. "Take these bodies to your room. I want to try and reverse this." Diz mumbled.

I felt a lightness appear, but it was short lived. "You said you cant reverse this." He warned and kneeled beside our mum. He pulled out a hankerchief and wrapped it around her neck so we could no longer see the deep gash oozing the dark liquid.

"Doesn't matter. Do it. But leave the one infront of me. She may be better off somewhere else."

I could hardly move or breath. I watched him carry each body one by one. Before long i found myself cradling my mums frozen body. Her eyes were closed and she was smiling. I smoothed back her hair. Roxas sat beside me and we just stared at her lifeless body. her brown hair hung loosely on her face. "We are never going to see her smile... Never feel her warmth when we get home and she grips us..." Roxas began to mumble.

Zack then stopped before us and bent down. "Come on guys... Time to say good bye." Zack said softly.

Axel couldn't even look up. He was sat watching the cherry snow. His body frozen. "Thank you for your service Axel. You have been help to me once again, however i feel that it may be best that you go back to your friends in the light."

Axel didn't look up or respond. I could see his face well with anger and he rose and slammed himself into Diz. "You DICK! i have worked for you! done everything you asked! you promised this would change! No more killing! you said i wouldn't hurt my friends and i could protect Riku from that phyco bitch!"

Diz hardly fazed by the impat made a polite cough and continued "Go home Axel. Your days in the darkness have come to an end. It is clear to me now that you are unable to hold the darkness or use it. You have a true Keyblader's heart."

"What about Namine!"

"Zack and I will keep her as safe as we can."

Zack had pulled our mum off us. She was now dangling in his arms. He began to carry her to the portal when he stopped near Diz. "I told you to keep them away from Riku. Now look what you have done old man. Your unbelievable"

Diz unfazed by his colleages reaction ignored him and closed the portal behind Zack. "Come now children lets get put of this place"

I rose up and walked out of the garden. As we began down the road, Riku appeared at the end of the road. "Did you like my punishment? I told you not to- He smiled darkly and threw something. It passed me and a cold gust of wind forced its way down the alley way. He then slipped past me as I tried to grab him and before I could turn my head he had hit Diz hard. Diz was thrown against the fence. "Run!" Diz called out to us. "You won't beat win this fight!"

Axel heaved Roxas over his shoulder to prevent him from trying to attack Riku and then grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away. Diz began to lift himself up and muttered something. I looked back and saw Riku's expression freeze. I could feel the weight of the air disappear. "What's going on?" I began.

Roxas got down from Axel's shoulders and dragged me across the path and began to run. "I froze this part temporarily. Come on we have to go Sora."

"But-."

"Don't let our mum's sacrifice be in vain!" Roxas barked.

He was right. She had sacrificed herself. But i will force Riku into the light no matter. I will get you! We ran towards another portal. As we eventually passed through it, we found ourselves in Axel's home, with a confused Demyx staring at us. Axel was gripping his arms frantically trying to rub the blood from them. As for me. I felt my body tremble. I began to hit the floor as hard as I could. Roxas came over and held my shoulder, whilst Demyx began to try to calm Axel.

Axel drank the red liquid, and his eyes faded into their green, and his skin no longer plagued with the dark patches. He coughed heavily and sank to the floor lying back. "Kill me Demyx..." He mumbled.

I felt my anger tear up my insides. "Don't you dare feel sorry for yourself! Don't you dare let my mum's death mean nothing! She forgave you! So do what's best for us all and fight back!" I began to force Axel to stand.

Roxas couldn't move. He just stared at me in awe. "Get up Axel! Get up! If you give up I will never forgive you!" I carried on screaming at him.

Roxas oushed my hands of him, he bent down and looked Axel in the face. "I need you... We need you... Kara... She is waiting for you Axel! She needs you! I need you! Please! I need you! i want Namine back! I want my mum back! Unless you help me no one will get what they want accept Riku! I thought there was good in him but there isn't! we need to stop him now!"

Axel began to stand up. "Okay... For you guys..."

Axel then began to walk up the stairs. As he reached his room I could hear the door slam behind him. Underneath where Axel had lay was a pool of blood. But it wasn't Axel's.

Axel had stayed in his room for hours. We told the full story to Demyx, who happily offered to let us live with him and Axel. Although the thought of staying with our mothers killer kept playing in my mind. Roxas kept hissing at me every time i mentioned it, and he kept looking at me wishfully hoping that i could forgive. We then started talking about plans and methods of massacring all heartless, which surprisingly cheered me up. We had then phoned Cloud who had been told what happened from Zack. When we explained our side, and about Axel, he just mumbled something and cut of the phone. Tifa on the otherhand was much more sad, and she was crying down the phone.

Eventually Demyx reluctantly went upstairs into Axel's room to tell him of our plans. Roxas and I followed only to find Axel leaning on his hands sat on his bed. His hands and clothes soaked in blood, and mirror shards scattered over the floor. He was gasping for breath and clutched to something. As we stepped forward, I felt the hot air sweep around me. The air around me felt angry and it began to suffocate me. "Stop... Stop looking at me! I am sorry! You know I am sorry... JUST GET AWAY!" Axel's cries caused the air to turn to flames.

It scolded my skin, and I heard Demyx summon his blade, and put out the flames that were spreading across his room. He then doused Axel with the water, and i could see a mist form around his body. "Dude knock it off. It isn't your fault Riku is such a prick! He made you do it! There is nothing that could be done."

I could feel Demyx's words piercing through my body. "Axel.. Demyx is right! Your no good to us like this!" My voice was shaking.

Roxas glared at Axel, his eyes were as frosty as his ice blades. "Is this what Namine, my mother and Diz have deserved from you? Self pity? You know what i can;t wait to get my hands on that bastard and ring his fucking neck! But i'll tell you something, Axel, if you don't help me and snap out of it you will loose a lot of people as your friend!"

I walked forward and pulled the closed hand from Axel's face. He opened it willingly and there was a small piece of white flesh. "Is that..."

"Yeah... It's the only thing that seems to be keeping me sane."

"You call this sane?" A girl's voice echoed through the room.

Kara was in the doorway. I moved out of the way and she knelt infront of him so her eyes could look up at him. Her eyes were not as cold as Roxas' had been. "Enough now. we made a deal remember? You made a deal with Diz... Now we know where he is right? we can save Namine. I promise you I am not going to die!. At the very least not through Riku." She whispered softly

Axel held out his hand with the white flesh. She closed his hands and pushed it away. "Keep it... Come on get some sleep. I will be downstairs okay? We will all be downstairs..." her voice suddenly changed and became more cheery and playful, "hurt yourself one more fucking time though."

I headed downstairs and found a small package with the words, Just for the twins. Inside it was four things. A pair of deep blue eyes, a white heart and a note which read the crippling words: May your mother always be with you and watch over you. Love Riku and Kairi.