Duel of Friends

This was it, Hollow Bastion's main castle, massive halls and ancient artifacts scattered around.

Maleficent's main castle, once home of the great Ansem the Wise. It was once considered a monument to learning and justice. Once upon a time, the people of Hollow Bastion would come here to ask the great Ansem for pardon or favor, to read in the local library and educate themselves free of charge. Anyone could enter, and anyone could even take refuge. It was a place of beauty and light. But now that time has gone, taken by the darkness.

The hallways were massive yet regal, and everything had a sense of refinement. Yet underneath it all there was an air of sickness to it. Perhaps a sign of the darkness that corrupted this place for so long. Some of the walls had vines growing through them, many of them green and sickly a few sharp thorns growing from them. Sora kept his wits about him but the Beast looked defiant as ever as they began to head deeper into the castle.

"You smell it too." Beast sniffed. "That sent of darkness."

Sora nodded his eyes darting to the walls expecting to be attacked. "I'm surprised no one's come to attack us yet."

"I think those creatures can feel fear."

Sora raised a eye brow. "Fear?"

"Yes," The Beast nodded as he turned another coble corridor, "I think that even if they act like mindless monsters, there is still a bit of fear left in them. I should know."

Sora took note of that last comment. But for a monster he did not seem mindless. If anything what he just said was quite profound. It reminded him of something Riku would say before he turned. That sort of wisdom that only he could give.

Sadness came across Sora face as he thought of those good times. Even when he was young whenever Riku would spout something philosophical it would always fascinatie him. Sora being someone who mostly considered the simple things in life preferring to do rather than think. But right now, all he could do was think, think about what was going to happen the next him he and Riku confronted each other again. No Keyblade, no friends, just a beast and a wooden sword. And Riku having the power of darkness under his command would make this battle even Sora knew he was not about to win, at least without some sort of miracle.

"Get ready." Beast muttered again as they neared another door his claws clenching. "The smell has increased, and so has the darkness."

Beasts servants felt a bit nervous as they all huddled close by Lumiere was lighting the way in Sora's hand with his fire but even then it just gave the atmosphere a more sickly glow.

"Just a little further, master." Lumiere warned. "Be careful."

"Nervous, Sora?" Jiminy asked popping his head from his pocket.

"Yes."

"Don't be, have faith."

Sora chuckled bitterly. "I could use a little more than faith at the moment, having the Keyblade would be nice."

"Perhaps, but it's better to have something than nothing."

"Hush, it's time." Beast slowly approached the door and opened it.

Slowly the group entered the main hallway of the castle. A large open area, made mostly of stone and marble in the center was a fountain in the shape of several lion heads that was attached to a small staircase leading up to a second level just a few feet above. It was quite, perhaps too quiet. There was something unnerving about the silence-a sign of trouble to come.

"See anything?" Sora asked holding Lumiere high to light any dark patches. "Seems too empty for its own good."

The Beast was silent, his ear twitched and he turned around and gasped.

Belle was standing there, in her laced golden dress smiling right at him. But slowly darkness began to take her, as she began to transform into a Heartless.

In his anger the Beast began to rush towards her, the servants chasing after him before the door slamming shut leaving Sora alone in the hall.

"Quit while you can." Sora turned, Riku was standing right in front of him wielding the Keyblade, Donald and Goofy both with him.

Sora eyes narrowed, "No, not without you and Kairi!"

Riku stood tall glaring at Sora as the two stood each other down. But this time there would be no running, no hiding. Sora was going to either free his friend from the darkness or die trying. He could only hope that Donald and Goofy would help free Kairi's heart from whatever darkness entrapped it should he not make it back. But right now, it was he had to focus on the duel.

"The darkness will destroy you!" Riku extended a hand as dark energy began to wrap around him, covering his body in a strange blue and red flesh suit, the Heartless emblem sans the red X in the center.

Sora looked shocked yet calmed himself, finding his center. "No, you're wrong Riku! the darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart. My heart will stay with my friends, it will never die!"

"Oh really? Well we'll see about that!" In his anger Riku conjured up a ball of energy and struck.

Everything slowed down in Sora's mind, he didn't have time to move, he closed his eyes waiting for the impact. Yet nothing came, instead he opened them to see Goofy standing before him his shield protecting him from the energy.

"Sora ain't going anywhere!" Goofy said defiantly.

Riku eyes narrowed. "You'd betray your king?"

"Not on your life, but I'm not gonna betray Sora either. He's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through!" Goofy turned to smile and give Sora the thumbs up before turning to Donald. "See ya later Donald, could you tell the king I'm sorry?"

"Wait!" Donald shrieked "We'll tell him together." Donald rushed over to Sora now, not even batting a eye to Riku. He looked up a tinge of guilt on his face before sighing. "Well, all for one and one for all right."

Sora looked at Donald Goofy he didn't know what to say, he could feel a small tear run down his cheek and smiled. "Thank you, Donald...Goofy."

Not even bothering to remember Riku was still in the room he grabbed both into a big hug.

"How will you fight without a weapon?" Riku barked returning attention back on him.

Sora shook his head. "You still don't get it Riku, I realized now that I don't need the Keyblade. I have a better weapon, my heart."

"Pfft, your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?"

"Although my heart may be weak, its' not alone. it's grown with all the friends I've made. And the ones I still keep with me to this day. If they don't forget me, then our hearts will be one."

Riku scoffed. "Then you must think I have the loneliest heart of all."

"No." Sora shook his head. "Because I think of you all the time. See Riku, don't you get it?! My friends are my power!"

Suddenly a urge came to him Sora as everything around him went suddenly still, and quiet. No noises, no voices, just his own senses as he slowly extended his arm and pointed it right at the Keyblade in Riku's hand. He concentrated with all his might, and felt a powerful warm feeling emanate through him. This sense, it was nothing he ever felt before, it was strong, powerful, yet also good, happy. Utterly and purely happy. The light must have had a effect for it engulfed the Keyblade and looked as if it was burning Riku causing him to let go as the blade vanished from his hand and zoomed in a straight line towards Sora who clutched it without hesitation.

As he opened his eyes Sora saw the Keyblade in his hand once again standing before him tall.

He had done it- he had finally managed to summon his Keyblade.

"Wow!" Donald gasped.

Goofy looked stunned. "You really are the Keyblade master."

"No." Riku whispered clenching his hand. "It was mine."

Before another word was muttered the room began to darken, Sora felt a child in the air, as the scent of pure darkness encircled him and Riku. Then from the void a cold yet familiar voice spoke, and while they did not appear it definitely was one that was heard before, and it was not a good omen.

"Know this, a heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade."

"That voice." Sora muttered looking for it.

Riku sneered as his fist clenched. "What? You saying my hearts weaker than his?!"

"For this instant it is. However you can become stronger, you showed no fear stepping through the darkness, it held no terror for you."

"Riku, don't listen to that voice!" Sora pleaded becoming worried now as the darkness seemed to grow in the room. "I know that voice it's belongs to the hooded man from the Island!"

"Let your heart open, you've been become darkness itself."

"Riku-"

To late, all of his pleas went unheard instead his friend continued to be consumed by his own hatred and vanity. Holding out a hand he summoned forth his own weapon Soul Eater and readied himself pointing the tip right towards his former friend.

Sora sighed and readied his own Keyblade, it would appear that they would fight.

And fight he did.

Sora dodged and swung his Keyblade to defend from Riku's attacks. Their blades clanged and spat against one another as they dueled in the main hallway of Hollow Bastion's main castle.

Riku was swift and struck as fast as he possible could while Sora tried his best to dodge, using all the skills he used at the Colosseum, dodge roll, Ragnarok, Blazing Inferno, any and all abilities he and the Keyblade could muster he used, just to keep himself alive.

Still though he wasn't the swift and skillful fighter that Riku tended to be.

While Sora was fast. Riku was ruthless in his assaults. His Soul Eater was a sharp blade indeed, and Riku was always a faster attacker than Sora, who was known to not have the most quick wit. But with Donald and Goofy's help he was able to doge as many of the deadlier attacks as possible, magic especially came in handy from time to time.

"Give up Sora! You can't beat me!" Riku shouted as the two locked blades his snarling face directed at his former friend. "You've always been weak!"

"No Riku-" Sora said pushing back. "Your the weak one, but I'm going to help you get strong again."

Riku took offense and kicked Sora back causing him to tumble, but he quickly got up again as the two began to fight through the halls going farther and farther into the castle. He kept up a steady pace, for while Riku was stronger, Sora was at least a faster runner. Now it was a chase.

Donald and Goofy did their best to keep up as well but they were just too slow and the battle started to become more of a personal issue than anything else.

As Sora continued to fight he realized that many of Riku's attack felt more and more uneven as the battle moved forward, less calculated and more hectic. It slowly began to hit him that Riku was becoming frustrated the longer this went on. Not only did he look physically weak, but his mental state must not have been in the best capacity for a while now. Even when he mentioned that his heart was the loneliest, it must have been true. Riku must not have had many people to talk to and Maleficent couldn't have made for the best of company.

He used this almost mental incapacitation to his advantage managing to avoid attack and think on his feet. Riku was starting to become more and more predictable as the two continued to strike blades against one another.

Suddenly, Riku jumped onto the wall running sideways to get behind him and tried to strike but Sora was quicker and managed to block. Once again, the two locked blades and Sora could see a desperation in his eyes. Bloodshot and sickly yes, but there was still sadness in them. Now perhaps was a chance to break through to him.

"Riku-remember when we met." Sora said trying to make talk. "That was considered the best day of my life."

"Really?" Riku snickered. "How times change."

They broke the lock but Sora was now on the offensive he didn't want to let up. "I didn't have any friends. But for some reason, I liked you, I wanted to hang out with you, and you just accepted it. Maybe that doesn't sound like much to you, but it meant everything to me, and it still does."

Riku scoffed as he continued to fall back. "Really? You? Friendless? You're Sora, everyone loves you! Everyone wants to be friends with you. You always get everything!"

"If I have everything Riku, then why aren't you, me and Kairi back home?"

Riku's eyes widened for a few moments before he counter attacked. "Home? Home?! There isn't anything good there! Just broken promises and hurt."

"Home doesn't have to be the island, Riku." Sora said as he pushed back against Riku's assault. "It just has to be you guys...Mom….the ones we love."

Again, Riku struck but Sora dodged yet the tip of the Soul Eater almost struck his chest. He had to stay on his toes to avoid the constant barrage.

Sora sweated heavily, Riku attacks started getting more aggressive and more erratic. If he wasn't careful enough he was going to get himself hurt and Goofy could only apply his shield when he was close by. Yet he couldn't let himself get his friends hurt, he felt that this was a duel between two islanders, each trying to prove who was the stronger. It was a duel that Sora had been battling since his childhood. No one else could interfere, and no one could get hurt because of it.

Still Sora hoped he could get through to Riku through some sort of reason, there had to be a spark of light still in him.

"Remember the time after dad died? You were there for me when even my mom was too sad to handle it. You being there really helped Riku, I looked up to you then, and I still want to now."

As their blades clashed and clanged against one another Riku felt a burning sensation in his chest that caused him to loosen his grip on his sword. Sora noticed and used this to his advantage but was quickly deflected.

"I don't know who did this to you, Riku." Sora shouted with a sad glint in his eye. "But I'm sorry."

In another moment of rage, Riku punched Sora in the face causing him to fall back. This time he toppled for good. He felt a prick around his neck. Riku had pinned him down.

He lost.

Riku kept the tip of his Soul Eater close to the tip of Sora's neck, Donald and Goofy stayed close yet feared if they move Riku would strike.