"I don't go by that name anymore!" she shook, her words wavering as the memories flickered through her straining mind, having locked most, if not all, of her past away, ignoring it from the time she'd escaped her hell.

"A rose by any other name, my dear," despite the calmness to his tone, she could feel his growing irritation, Sarafina able to sense the moment building with tension between herself and the man. Worry refused to ebb as the mans' presence supplied her with doubt that she would be safe, that she would leave the Graveyard without injuries, be them physical, mental or emotional. Her friends… an illusion. Her love… an illusion… Why…

"I don't care," her gaze grew wide, eyes lifting to Riku as he stood directly ahead of her, having put himself between her and her father as if to shield her from the man and what he had planned. It seemed to catch her fathers' attention as well, a flat stare replacing his amusement as his focus had shifted what she knew he thought was not worth his attention.

"Pardon?" her father replied forcefully, his tone making it clear that it physically irritated him that he had to speak with another while all he obviously wanted to do was torture and taunt Sarafina. She knew the man too well, despite having not seen him for years.

"I don't care," Riku repeated with the same air and disinterest to his tone, Sarafina watching him with concern, "I don't care what her name is, what she is, who she was," awe gradually replaced it, warmth slowly building in her chest, "Xaila, Sarafina, Xehanort's granddaughter," the silverette shrugged, the lilac-haired girl feeling the warmth spread, "I don't care," he took a step back, her being able to feel some heat radiating between the narrow proximity.

"None of us do!" she heard Aqua from her side, glancing towards her to see the pure and genuine smile gracing her lips as their eyes met, the comfort and reassurance pouring from the woman like the heated water from a tap before taking a nice bath.

"What she has with all of us, those idiots included, isn't some illusion," Terra joined in, Sarafina letting her gaze drift to her other side, the brunette man sharing a smile with her as well before directing a scowl towards her father. The look of pure boredom was evident on his face, unbothered by the care that they all shared.

"We're friends," Axel spoke up from behind her, Sara turning her head to see the hefty and warm smirk playing on his face, "Partners," he shrugged, his eyes locking with hers for just a moment. The warmth, the comfort, reassurance and happiness. She could feel it building her back up, overshadowing her fear, apprehension and anxiety.

"Family," her gaze was directed ahead and to her side, landing on the ravenette beside Riku. Vanitas seemed serious, his posture, his tone. He was ready for a fight, his resolve firm and unwavering in his voice… He, along with everyone else… they were ready to fight for her. She could feel the corner of her eyes burning, itching to let an overwhelmed tear slip from her duct.

"As delusional as my daughter, it seems," her father sighed heavily, Sarafina's attention falling back to the horrid man to see the distaste for them obvious on his face. She watched as he spared her a dark look before he turned away to face the young boy standing a little ways away, petting one of the monsters that crouched at his booted feet, "Valon," her father called to him casually.

It was a signal, however. She watched with instant alarm as the boy raised his arm, hand lifting and splaying before waving it back down with a bit more speed. And it was as if a gate had been lifted, the mass of dark creatures taking over their sight as they were rushed, lights flickering as Keyblades were summoned and swung! Even she called on her own, reflex taking over as she was suddenly back to back with Riku, the two keeping track of each other while fending off shadow after shadow, yells and grunts being sounded by the others in the sea of darkness that surrounded them.

The creatures swarmed them, Sarafina barely able to see where each of the others were until they actually swung their weapons, the group having been spread further apart as the monsters rushed and backed them. She was worried, immediately thinking that this was what Xander had wanted so that he could take her again. But then-.

Without warning, she was spun, fighting another, bigger, type of shadow creature as Riku had turned them and then aimed his blade over Sarafina's shoulder. Getting the hint, she aimed her own Keyblade, both sending a bright beam towards the thing. It was struck, the light engulfing it and clearing the space it had taken up.

Her gaze narrowed in confusion as she noticed the lessened sea of creatures, more than half having disappeared… along with the boy. He was gone. She looked everywhere, gaze flickering. She could see Xander, but the other one…

"Where's the kid?" she voiced her thoughts, fluidly following Riku's lead as they continued fighting what monster had been left behind. She felt as though the kid must have used a portal to leave or had maybe found himself a place to watch the battle without risking getting hurt himself.

"The guy your old man called Valon?" she recalled her father using the name, though it didn't stop her from wanting to keep her distance by continuing to call him kid, he felt wrong to her, yet… oddly familiar, "Who cares?" the silverette questioned rhetorically as he spun them again to ward off more of the shadows, a few being struck and bursting into smoke with each hit they received.

"I do!" she couldn't tell whether he'd just left or was watching from a safe distance, having been unable to gauge him, she didn't want to risk not having an eye on him, "There are fewer monsters and I can't see him anywhere!" and that seemed to catch his attention, flickering his eyes around while taking out a creature here and there.

"AXEL!" the moment she'd heard Roxas' cracking shout, Sarafina threw her gaze towards where she'd last seen the redhead, seeing the black blast originating from the dark shroud the creatures gave her father. He'd attacked for the first time since she'd woken up in the Graveyard.

Her blood ran cold, sound muffling, time slowing as she saw the blood spurt from the flame wielders mouth, body doubling over as the blast had struck his side from his mid-section to his thigh. She watched as he hit the floor hard, straining and growling as the pain no doubt spread through him like a wildfire that even he couldn't control.

"Roxas! Get to him! I got your back!" she heard Sora snap after he'd joined the group along with Ventus at some point, seeing the two fighting alongside the others and aiding where they could, Terra and Aqua having a better defence as they had more power to hold off the larger shadows. And Riku, she was continuously defended, noting that they were slowly getting closer and closer while she was still fixed on the redhead that had fallen. She'd caused this…

"Ven!" her gaze snapped around again, minor relief lacing her veins upon seeing Vanitas defend his other half, getting hit but not falling before sending a wave of his darkness through the sea, Unversed exploding from his power and joining the battle with them as their own comrades. This was her fault…

"I need to stop this," she muttered quietly, the words leaving in a breath that no one could hear. She had to save them from what she'd started, from what she'd caused. This wouldn't have happened if they hadn't met me.

Her thoughts spiralled, tears building as she watched Terra get hit, knocking aside but striking and taking out the monster that hit him, blood slowly colouring the side of his compression shirt but he still didn't stop. He continued fighting, ignoring his pain that she could almost feel herself.

She had to STOP this!

She took a step away, a shadow suddenly appearing in her peripheral. Though before she could react, she heard a gunshot, loud and ear-splitting, echoing through the Graveyard and drawing all attention, even the monsters that had them surrounded. The silence grew, eyes fixated towards a wall of portals, but none from their own darkness-users.

"So, you started the fight without us?"