Weirdly enough, the castle's curse had had no effect Kairi. As the possessed winds had swept Aqua and Roxas to who knows where, Kairi had just stood her ground. The same winds that berated her friends with the force of a tornado simple washed over her like a sea breeze lazily wafting over Destiny Islands. As the two keyblade master were separated from her, she tried to wrap her head around what was happening.

Even when the wind finally died and the doors slammed closed behind Aqua and Roxas and she ran towards one, forcing it open, all she found was an identical, totally empty, white room. She chewed on the thought of waiting there and letting the others find her, or even leaving the castle and heading back to the Gummi ship. But she dismissed both thoughts almost instantaneously, she had no time to wait, she had to save Sora.

And as she began her search, an idea came to her. Was that the reason why the castle's spell had not affected her?

She had to save Sora.

When she thought of the reason why she had come her, it was never to find Ventus, it was to save Sora.

To know where Ventus was but not search for him, that was what Aqua had said was the only way to actually find the sleeping boy. That could be the only explanation.

As she walked, lost, through the unfamiliar corridors and rooms, each one near identical to the one before, she met no one and heard no one. For all she knew the others had been blown right out of the castle. There was no way of knowing. So she walked, with an aim in mind but no direction or destination known.

The only sounds were her own steps, the had just barely ended before merging with the one she had just taken. How much time had passed? It was impossible to tell. Her legs felt tired, and she wondered how big could this castle possibly be?

But then she thought, what if she had just been walking in circles all this time?

What if she was under the castle's spell afterall?

What if she were cursed to spend the rest of her days, lost?

What if the others had already found Ventus?

Or what if they were looking for her?

Or what if they were suffering some unimaginable torture from the spell?

What if…?

Then another thought came to her, causing her heart to race, the blood to come rushing past her ears, deafening her steps. Her thoughts making her sway, forcing her to hold on to the walls for support

What if she were too late?

What if the Organization had already found Ventus?

What if it Vanitas had finally taken full control?

What if Sora had been completely lost?

But Kairi shook her head, her red hair obscuring her vision as she forced the thoughts to the back of her mind.

She would not think like that. She had trained these past months, she had become stronger, that would not be for nought.

With one hand still on the cool wall she closed her eyes, trying to quiet the deafening pounding of her heart.

With each breath she took, the rush dimmed but, as she concentrated she could feel a vaguely familiar sensation. It had been many years since she sensed anything like this, like a brush of a feather against her heart, whispering to her like a compass where she should go. The last time she'd felt something remotely like this was back in Hollow Bastion. Back then it had led her to a Heartless that had appeared like any of the others but who held Sora in its core.

Was this the same mysterious power of that time?

With renewed energy and confidence Kairi ran through the corridors, following this feeling without question.

She ran, stopping only when her path was blocked by a towering white door. In many ways it was the same like all the others she'd pass through, cold and quiet and covered in a multitude of symbols, some familiar, others alien. But behind this door, she could feel something, a presence… no she could sense the light of another's heart. Without hesitation she pushed past it and walked in.

The room she entered was impossibly high, symbols rose around her, making the walls seem even higher. There were no windows but the room was filled with a cold white light from an unknown source. In the center of the room, was a small stand, a handful of steps off the ground, upon it was what looked like a throne and in it, looking painfully small, was a boy.

He had messy blondish brown hair and pale skin… and looked exactly like Roxas! Kairi walked carefully towards him, he was so still she almost assumed the worst until she was close enough to see the slow rise and fall of his chest.

"Ventus." She breathed, as she looked at his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful, it almost pained her that they would wake him to this world of hardships.

"Seems you were a little faster then me." a sniding voice reached her from behind. It took all her will not to spin around and yell his name. Instead she clenched her fist, allowing the warm feeling to spread up her arm as her keyblade, Destiny's Embrace, filled her palm with its familiar presence.

"Not even going to look at me before you attack?"

"I won't let you have him, Vanitas."

"Oh, I do wonder which him you are referring to. Is it the sleeping boy before you? Or this husk of a body I've taken over?"

"Sora is still in there." She blurted out, finally turning to face the speaker.

She hated what she saw. Her childhood friend perverted into a being of Darkness. Sora's once warm blue eyes were now a cold gold, his once brown hair was streaked with silver, an Organisation XIII cloak was draped over him.

Vanitas let loose a maniacal laugh that sounded nothing like Sora's when he saw her.

"It's so adorable, you actually believe that."

Kairi bent her knees and pointed her keyblade to her side, much the way Sora fought, the way he had shown her how to fight.

"Get out of my way, girl." Hissed Vanitas, all amusement now gone from his voice.

"Over my dead body."

"Oh, that can be arranged." and he charged at her, Void Gear barely having manifested as he raised his glowing hand, the two keyblades crashing as the fight began.

"Sora, you've got to fight him." Kairi yelled into the boy's face, trying to push against him. But he slid his weapon against hers, pushing Destiny's Embrace sideways as he lunged once again. But Kairi quickly recovered, pivoting to block the attack.

"There's no one here to hear you." Whispered Vanitas into her ear, sending shivers down her spine, "Sora is gone."

"Then I'll just have to drag him back!" She yelled, elbowing her opponent in the stomach.

Vanitas stumbled back, not having expected such an attack. Without hesitation Kairi followed tout suite, Vanitas barely guarded in time. Kairi deflected his attack by grabbing his wrist, twisting it, and which one swift movement, kicked him behind the knees, knocking him to the ground as Void Gear was sent flying across the room.

"What kind of fighting style is that?!" complained Vanitas, panting as he rubbed his wrist and Kairi pointed her keyblade at his face. "It's not normal!"

"My weapon is pretty much a just a decked up baseball bat, nothing about me is normal." She countered.

"Then it's a good thing backup has arrived."

Kairi had not expected the voice that came from the entrance. Another voice from her childhood, this one still young however. Riku stood at the door, a group of hooded figures on either side of him, his eyes, just like Sora's, were amber. But upon seeing him Kairi knew that this wasn't her Riku, he was too young, he looked near exactly as Riku did the first time they had left Destiny Islands.

"Data Riku." said a raspy voice, as an older, skeletal hand pulled back one of the hoods to reveal a shriveled old man. "Help Vanitas, we need him relatively intact for this final phase."

"Very well, master." said the Riku look-alike, casually walking towards her as 'Way To The Dawn' appeared in his hand. Kairi took a calming breath, her weapon never leaving Vanitas neck while her eyes never left the advancing Data Riku.

Would she be able to hold them off?

She counted 12 enemies before her, 12 of Seekers of Darkness had now been collected and her she was, the only Guardian of Light.

If the twelve of them chose to attack her at once, this battle would be over painfully quickly, she doubted she could even handle Data Riku and Vanitas on her own. But she couldn't give up. She couldn't afford to loose. She had to protect Ventus until her allies, at least one, found their way here and she knew, one way or another, they would.

Thinking her distracted, Vanitas tried to kicked her knees from below her. However Kairi jumped back, dodging an attack from Data Riku in the meantime. Obviously angry, Vanitas's stretched out his hand, Void Gear zoomed into it like a trusty dog.

Kairi raised her weapon, now on guard, keep herself and the others a good distance away from Ventus. After all they had been through, she would not let ventus fall into the Darkness's hands.

So she continued to fight. Her breaths becoming sharper and more strained. Blood began to seep from newly forming scratches, her clothes cut where she failed to block, her skin already turning a darker shade where the attacks hit. But even like this she continued to defend, never once did she permit the enemy to take a step towards the sleeping teen.

But Kairi also knew they were toying with her. From Xehanort's wicked smile and his followers obedient silence, if they wanted to take Ventus, the old master just had to say the word, both kairi and him knew there was no chance that she'd be able to hold all of them off alone. His smile told it all, xehanort had won, she was just fighting on borrowed time.

"Seems the doppelgänger has appeared too." Growled Data RIku, as Kairi feinted and knocked him into his partner.

"Tsk!" was Vanitas only response.

Doppelgänger? Kairi spared the throne a quick glance. Lying before the throne like some bizarre offering was Roxas, looking identical to Ventus, his skin just as pale, his breath just as undetectable, just as death-like.

That quick glance was all they needed.

"Finish her!" Yelled Master Xehanort, an urgency in his voice. Kairi turned, the sharp edge of a keyblade crashing into her temple. She staggered back and, through blurred vision, saw a dark shadow fall over her. She felt strong arms around her wrists. She tried to struggle but her weapons was sent flying as she was pushed face first onto the cold floor. Her arms restrained behind her, a knee pressed on her back as Data Riku pushed down with all her weight against her useless struggling.

"Vanitas, finish him of." Master Xehanort ordered as he led his group further into the room.

"With pleasure." Sneered Vanitas through Sora's face.

"Sora you've got to fight!" She yelled, earning her another hit in the head. Kairi saw stars but her voice continued to flow. "Fight him! You can't let them win! I know you are stronger than this!"

But if Sora heard her he made no sign as he walked past the still sleeping Roxas, his grip tightening on his keyblade as he stood before Ventus.

"Like I already told you," he snarled ,"Sora is no longer here!" And he raised his weapon.

"Noooooooo!" She shrieked and through her struggles she saw two things. The most obvious was Roxas's sudden awakening and miraculous blocking of Vanitas's, the other was much smaller, almost indistinguishable but Kairi was certain she'd seen it- Vanitas attack has slowed with her yell, his eyes, for the briefest moment, had flickered to blue.

Sora must have heard her!

Hey y'all, Luna Pendragon here, thanks so much for reading and thanks for being so patient. I know the chapters have been a little staggered but I'm going to do my best to finish before KH3 release (because I know you'll all be too busy playing to read this ;) ) so what do you guys think? Hope the story hasn't gotten to boring but drop a review, I always love to hear from you guys! Until next time- Luna Pendragon.