"You have some nerve to show your treasonous face around here." Axel chided with a smile on his face, holding his Chakram to the back of Marluxia's neck.

"Hm, "Marlusia mused, "I believe Vexen would beg to differ-" He remarked as he summoned his scythe, almost slashing Axel back.

"Hey, give me some credit here, had to play the part didn't I?" Axel smirked as he played around with the his Charkrams in his hands.

"Why the sudden change of heart Axel? If it weren't for your needless meddling, we would have the Organization in the palm of our hands."

"Hoping to replace Larxene are we? Sorry, but you know as well as I do that she's long gone." Axel mocked as he saw Marluxia's smirk dampen slightly. "Big plan, use Naminé to rewrite Sora's memory piece by little piece, turning him into a weapon to take over the Organization. Did I miss anything there, Marluxia?!"

Axel slashed at Marluxia again, but the rose haired man dodged gracefully, blocking the Chakrams thrown at him by spinning his scythe;The Chakrams burning away the petals that were produced by Marluxia's scythe as Axel caught his weapons.

Axel stood stall, glancing at Marluxia coldly. "Remember the order: "You must eliminate the traitor." I always follow orders, Marluxia. Larxene paid the price for disloyalty when she disappeared… In that name, I will annihilate you.

'That line's not you." Marluxia informed as Axel shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, had to try it once, you know."

Axel disappeared for a moment, his Chakrams caught against Marluxia's scythe, but Axel flinched back as the blade of the weapon began to glow. Axel tried to block against the wave of pure energy with his Chakrams his weapons vanishing as his feet hit the floor. Immediately, Axel re-summoned his weapons, flames dancing upon the blades as he prepared a supremely powerful fire spell. But Marluxia only smirked at this as he waved his hand to materialize something, which made Axel gasp slightly. Holding his rage back as standing before him was a familiar golden haired boy in a black coat.

"Is that your shield? Won't do you any good, I'm afraid."

Marluxia mused to himself for a moment, "I wonder about that, you've had a soft spot for strays." he said, petting the reflection as Axel's magic faded from an incomplete spell. Axel glared at the man before him, flinching at the reflection began to crack, shattering before his eyes as Marluxia destroyed it- him- in one strike.

It's not him, he's safe at home...

Axel had to remind himself, the only thought that prevented him from charging directly towards the man in a wild fury. Marluxia was known for playing wicked tricks, though his illusions weren't as powerful as Zexions, they were real enough to shake him.

"This version was more delicate, I do wonder however; how durable the original would stand against you." Marluxia remarked as Axel noticed that his expression wasn't on him, hearing a gasp, he turned his head to see 2 familiar faces.

"Oh?" Axel smirked, as he saw Sora's horrified expression as the replica stood between the two, defensively summoning his weapon of darkness as he stood between a rock and a hard place. "I would say that's cheating, wouldn't you? Then again-" Axel snapped his fingers, triggering an already present spell surrounding Marluxia, that in a second consumed him, not even giving him a chance to scream. Out of the corner of his eye he saw replica shielding Sora from the flames.

As the fires dimmed down, Marluxia was scorched, fallen to his knees as the scythe disappeared in his hand as he began to fade. Axel glared down at him holding contempt in his eyes, until he heard a familiar voice speak up from behind him.

"Wha...what's the matter with you?! Don't you care about your friends?!" Sora exclaimed as the replica held him back from his outrage.

"Care? Didn't you friend over there tell you?" Axel asked as he placed a hand over where his heart should have been. "We're completely heartless beings, no room for feelings, no room for friends. Got it memorized?" He said as he re-summoned his weapons.

"You call this an advantage? I'm disappointed in you Marluxia." Axel mocked.

"I would call it, incentive." Marluxia said as he snapped his fingers.

Sora gasped as his friend suddenly dropped his weapon of darkness, almost falling over if he hadn't been caught. "What did you do to HIM?!" Sora demanded as he held his friend's lifeless boy in his arms, his eyes now lidded, lifeless.

"I've merely turned him back to what he was before, a tool to be used. Sora, if you wish to save your friends, then you must defeat Axel to proceed." Marluxia smiled maliciously at the chaos he'd created between the two, sealing the door to the final floor as he disappeared. "Until next time...Sora."

Sora eyes widened in shock the man before him vanished, almost at peace so unlike the rest. He glanced at the red haired man who stood over him, weapons at the ready.

"I don't want to fight you Axel!" Sora pleaded as he saw flames dance around Axel's hands again.

Axel simply scoffed. "Now, Sora. We've got more in common than you might think. Though the same goes for me, I'd really rather not fight you..." He admitted scratching the back of his head, "But I can't leave any loose ends now can I?" He sent his Chakrams flying towards him, as Axel himself disappeared.

Sora looked around for a moment as instinct took hold. He immediately held the silver haired boy close as he held up his hand, summoning a barrier. Reflecting the Chakrams as Axel punched the reflecting shield, smirking in amusement as he was sent flying back. Landing on his feet as he caught his Chakrams, almost proud as the boy glared at him angrily.

"Heh…" Axel smirked as he caught his smile, his eyes widened in suprise as he caught his smile.

Hey wait...am I enjoying this?

The red-haired man smiled brightly as he erupted with laughter, holding his head as something sparked within his chest. "You really are something else!"

...

...

Axel knelt down as Sora casted his most powerful spells, finishing off the older man who smiled as he began to disappear.

"You're better than I thought you'd be. It was worth guiding you this far." He admitted, lowering his head slightly in respect.

Sora tilted his head in confusion, "Huh? What d'ya mean?"

For a moment, the nobody could feel something spark within his being, the same feeling he had whenever he spent time with his best friend. Something strong enough to trigger a bittersweet smile, as he realized that the boy looked at him with the same eyes, filled with genuine kindness.

"Sorry," Axel said teasingly as he lifted his head towards the boy. "I would hate to kill the suspense."

"Axel!" Sora reached out towards him, feeling a sudden bubbling of sadness as the red-haired man disappeared before him.

"...let's meet again sometime."

Sora rested his hands over his ears as he could hear the man's words echo in his head, wondering what may have been as the door before him unlocked.

...

...

Sora knelt down next to his friend as he placed the silver haired boy's back against the wall, still unresponsive as Jiminy stood before them.

"Is he going to be okay?" Jiminy had to ask.

"No idea, but if his memories were messed with, then Naminé should be able to fix him right? So all I have to do is find her." Sora reasoned, as he stood up, facing the final floor, "I'll go ahead and find Naminé you stay here with him Jiminy; I don't wanna leave him alone."

"But-" Jiminy looked up to his friend, heavily concerned. "Are you sure you'll be alright Sora?"

Sora looked down to his friend, kneeling down so the cricket wouldn't have to strain his neck. "I will, don't worry Jiminy, it won't be like when I first got to this castle. After all, we have to leave here together, don't we?" He held out pinkie towards him, to which the cricket couldn't hold back a chuckle of amusement as he held onto his friend's finger.

"Of course, because we promised each other didn't we?"

"Yeah," Sora nodded happily, "Once we find Naminé, we'll all go home together, back to the people that are waiting for us." The two completed the oath, smiling at each other hopefully. But Sora couldn't help but kneel next to his friend once more, hugging him gratefully. "You too, Friend; I promise, we'll find a way to help you." He swore as all that now lay for him, was the final floor. Beyond that, a friend that was waiting for him to find her again...

Omake:

Sora was thrown by the horde of monsters into a dark abyss, unable to ascertain where he was. He lifted his head, the key-shaped weapon in his head. He had used it to defeat those monsters of darkness before, so now at least he had a chance.

"Kairi!" He called out as could see that he surrounded by floating rocks, cracked as though they were containing light. Instinctively, he placed a hand over his crown charm, gripping the weapon in his hand as he walked around for a long while. All along the way he kept calling out for his friends, for anyone that may have fallen from the islands, but no one else responded.

He sighed to himself, looking up to see that there were no stars in this place, nothing that could help guide him back home...but ultimately he shook his head.

"I have to find my friends!" He told himself as he chose a direction to sprint off into.

...

The monsters within the darkness of this place were significantly stronger than the ones from the island. They took a more human form, longer limbs that dealt more damage and ganged up on him in groups. Only the determination to find his friends within his place helped him pull through the battles, all of them ultimately leading him towards a shoreline.

"Huh?"

In the distance, standing before a light that looked light the sun stood a familiar figure. Immediately his heart began to race as he walked closer.

"Riku!" Sora exclaimed happily as he raced towards his best friend, only faltering as he saw that an intense dark aura radiated around him like a burning flame, preventing the boy from approaching any closer. "Riku!" Sora called out again as he tried to reach towards the darkness to his friend, all along the way the darkness pained him. As he was about to touch him, Riku turned his head, looking directly towards Sora...with glowing eyes.

"The boy you seek is no longer." A voice spoke from Riku's mouth, but it wasn't his best friend, there was no way...

"What...did you do to Riku?!" Sora demanded as he rose to his feet, furious as the person before him grinned, pointing his weapon towards him.

"Sora, you are the final key, drag along with you the remaining light that Riku holds within his heart!" The person ordered. But Sora had no time to respond as Riku's body shifted, the darkness that was previously surrounding him, transforming him into a giant monster that towered over him. One that was hollow, bearing no sign of a heart as it summoned more monsters around itself.

Sora gripped the weapon in his head, having no time to fear the monster that had taken away everything that he cared for, the island, his family, Kairi...but no more.

"Give me back Riku!" Sora shouted out as he ran towards the giant monster, along the way taking out the smaller monsters that it had summoned.

...

The creature knelt in defeat, it's body vanishing as all that remained was his best friend, his head hanging as he stood before him.

"Riku!" Sora called out, panting from exhaustion as he ran to his friend. He slowed down as a smile drew on his face as his friend lifted his head, his normal sea foam colored eyes reflecting back towards him.

"Sor...a?" Riku murmured as he reached towards his best friend.

Sora was about to return the gesture, almost taking his best friend's hand in his. "It's okay, everything going to be oka-"Sora gasped as he couldn't react fast enough as weapon of darkness that had manifested in Riku's hand. Mercilessly slashing him as he heard something break, a sudden warmth removed that was close to his heart.

"Ri..ku..."Sora rasped as he fell to his knees, the weapon in his hand disappearing as he could feel his entire body going cold.

/Notes/

- Marluxia is a huge jerk, but he is the third prettiest of the Organization peoples, so...at least he has that going for him. :T

- Replica is out of commission, poor boy, he at least protecc tho

- Don't mess with Axel's kid, he loves his kid.

- If I were a kinder person I would have had Axel help Sora escape from the castle and adopt him along with Roxas and Xion...ah well.

- I want ya'll to remember that promise between Sora and Jiminy, because it's important.

-As for the Omake:

- Takes place between the island and Sora giving the key to Kairi, as he falls into darkness. More will be explained in Riku's side, (some of it will be saved for down the line :3c)

- Sora loses his crown necklace here, so he didn't have it with him all the time he was in Castle Oblivion...yayyyy