Dawn was still over an hour away when Roxas began to notice the pattern.

4:14 — Sleeping. The pain jostled him from his slumber, and he quickly chalked it up to the nightmare he'd been having. He kept seeing the face of that boy with the helmet, eyes wide with fear and confusion. But, Roxas told himself, it was just a dream. He rolled over and closed his eyes, trying to forget those images and let himself drift away again.

4:49 — Sleeping. He shot up in bed, half expecting to see Xemnas still there with his fingertips dug sharply into his abdomen, as if to claw the creature right out of him. Roxas blew a sigh of relief when he found his bedroom empty, glad for once to be alone. Another dream. He figured he'd gone to bed too late and upset his internal rhythm a bit, and perhaps he should have expected a restless night.

5:18 — Sleeping. The nightmares grew more disturbing every time his head fell back to the pillow. The horrendous sight of the mysterious entity tearing its way out of him, the torturous sensation of Zexion's cold scalpel carving his flesh, the sound of himself choking on his own blood, desperate to scream yet unable to make a sound. It was too real to just be a dream. Roxas was jolted awake once more, panting, his forehead damp with sweat, and convinced that he could still feel the pain.

He quickly gave up on sleeping, lest the nightmares drain away the last of his sanity. His journal lay still open on his nightstand, his pencil having rolled onto the floor. He skimmed through the list of times he'd recorded, and some simple math put a knot of anxiety in his chest. Pains were striking him twice an hour, and had been since four in the morning. Even as he roamed about his room to dress himself and prepare for the day, they came according to that schedule, each one clenching a little tighter than the last. 5:50 — Brushing teeth, 6:20 — Taking shower… The spasms continued without any triggers. No emotions, no nightmares, no outward signs of distress. Roxas was barely able to swallow down his nerves in time to answer the knock at his door and greet Zexion, who had unexpectedly come to visit him just after seven.

"Good morning, Roxas," he smiled politely as the door closed behind him.

Roxas frowned slightly. "You didn't have to come all the way up here."

Zexion shifted in place, dropping his eyes as he excused himself. "It was… along my path. Sorry for the surprise. How are you feeling today?"

Roxas' glare did not waver in the least. "I feel like shit, thanks for asking."

Although he was obviously uncomfortable, Zexion was not about to be intimidated out of doing his job, and as he set his tools and instruments on the desk in quiet resolution, Roxas felt a little guilty for giving him a hard time. He softened his demeanor, complying with the scientist's demands as he approached the bed.

"I'll make the examination quick and let you rest," Zexion said, warming up his hands as Roxas lay on his back, awaiting his daily dose of poking and prodding.

"Is Axel already gone?" he asked, wondering if maybe he could pay his friend the visit he didn't get to have last night.

Zexion jotted some notes on his clipboard in between segments of the exam. "Yes, he and Xigbar left well before dawn."

It was disappointing news for Roxas to hear that he'd missed Axel yet again. It felt like ages since he'd last seen the man. He couldn't even bother to say goodbye before going on his mission? Roxas wondered if maybe his friend was avoiding him — a thought that he quickly wished he hadn't entertained.

Zexion was at least honest about making the examination a quick one, hurrying through each step and hastily scribbling his measurements in between. He was nearly finished, packing up his materials and glancing through the log in Roxas' journal when he gasped softly. He turned his full attention on the record Roxas had written, his expression becoming increasingly troubled the further he read. Despite this, he kept the tone of his voice relatively even, asking his questions very clinically and without any outward emotion behind his words. "Tell me about the pains, Roxas."

The concern Zexion had failed to conceal was enough to set Roxas' nerves alight once more. He gulped, now trying just as diligently to hide his own anxiety as the scientist was trying to hide his. "It's all right there in the journal."

"Yes, I see," Zexion observed warily. "Seems the thing doesn't want to let you sleep. Were you dreaming, perhaps?"

Roxas hesitated for a long beat, avoiding the man's eyes as he muttered his answer. "I don't remember."

It seemed as though Zexion was stalling, waiting for that next spasm to strike. Indeed, the clock was ticking, and the pain was due to return any moment. Roxas bit his lip, preparing for his cover to be blown when it did, but as the seconds dragged on in awkward silence, it seemed that even Zexion could no longer justify his presence. The examination was over, and there was nothing left to discuss. "Okay," he said, defeated. "You're doing wonderfully with the tracking. Keep it up, Roxas."

He was infuriatingly slow to leave, but eventually the door did close behind him, and at last, Zexion was gone. The pain was right on cue, as if the creature was waiting for the scientist to vacate the premises before continuing its assault. Roxas' belly constricted violently enough that he thought he might be sick, and he staggered off the bed and into the bathroom where his stomach made good on its threats. He vomited several times over the next few minutes, although with nothing to show for it. He'd not had a meal in twelve hours, but the retching did not stop until its point was made. Clearly, the monster inside him was upset. Somehow, Roxas had managed to offend the creature and now he was being punished for it. It was the most logical conclusion he could draw just then.

Exhausted, but unwilling to sleep, Roxas obediently rested in bed as he was ordered to do in the hopes of settling the agitated state of both the entity and himself. He tossed and turned as usual, struggling to achieve anything resembling restfulness. The pain gripped him several more times over the next two hours, and he soon began to feel a sense of foreboding. As each one hit harder and with greater intensity, they also happened more often. Three of them per hour. Then four. He dutifully recorded each one in his journal — 9:31… 9:45… 9:56… The gaps between them were shrinking, and Roxas couldn't help but question what would happen when the spaces were closed up. Would it just be constant? What did it mean?

By late morning, Roxas could no longer find a comfortable position in which to lie on his bed, and he wondered if maybe a warm shower would help. He figured if it could do nothing for the pain, it might at least help him to relax. He climbed out of bed and hobbled toward the closet to undress, tensely anticipating when the next pain would hit. He took only a brief glance at his reflection, prepared to cringe at his haggard appearance again when he saw it. A bright, crimson stain on his white sheets. He blinked, praying the mirror was just playing tricks on him again, but when he whipped around to see for himself, the image was confirmed. There, on his bed where he'd just been sitting, was a sizable pool of his own blood.

He dashed into the bathroom and stripped completely, intending to search for a wound. His skin transcended a new shade of pale when he saw the streaks of blood running down his legs. His investigation was short, given the limitations his size placed on him, but he knew he would not like the answer when he found it. He hadn't been cut, he wasn't stabbed, and he quite immediately decided that he didn't want to know where it was all coming from.

He stood frozen in his shower stall, watching the droplets hit the tile and racking his brain for a solution. He couldn't tell Zexion — who could predict what he might do to him? He couldn't tell Saïx — he'd surely alert Xemnas and then Roxas would be in real trouble. Part of him wanted to just go back to bed and pretend it wasn't happening. But the pains were still coming, the blood continued to flow, and rational thought rapidly drained from his head as his mind was clouded by panic.

Axel. Roxas decided he'd try to find Axel. He'd go down to the grey area and ask Saïx if Axel had returned from his mission. It was nearly time for his shift to be over, and perhaps he'd be back early. Using the precious few minutes he had between pains, Roxas collected his bearings and threw on some fresh clothes before heading out the door.

The pains stopped him in his tracks several times as he hurried down the halls as fast as his heavy body could carry him. He was about to round the last corner when he heard the voice of Xemnas, having a quiet discussion with Saïx.

"What a shame," Xemnas whispered. "That it has come to this."

"Sir?"

"Something truly extraordinary has happened inside the boy. Something even I could never have predicted," he explained cryptically. "Roxas has a heart of his own. I am almost certain of it. And, I believe that it has interfered with the experiment."

He sighed before continuing softly. "In a way, things are playing out exactly as they were designed. Roxas was never meant to survive. I just didn't think it would take this long."

Roxas felt his throat clenching as he listened. It took nearly all of his self control not to march around the corner and demand further elaboration from the Superior. This passing conversation he overheard, the bits and pieces of this twisted plan that he caught by mere chance, was not enough. There was more to the story, and Roxas needed — no, he deserved to know the rest.

"Inform Zexion that he is to remove that creature from Roxas by the day's end," Xemnas went on, clarifying nothing of his previous statements. "This clash has reached a stalemate, and the time has come for us to end it once and for all."

"You do realize that that thing will fight tooth and nail for its survival, even going so far as to kill Roxas in the process?"

"I am very well aware," Xemnas replied rather sharply. "We will be putting the boy out of his misery."

Even Saïx's responses were increasingly apprehensive. "Understood, sir. I will have Zexion begin the preparations immediately."

"Saïx…"

The way he called to his subordinate just then was in a cadence so subdued that Roxas might have believed that the man felt regretful of his orders. He could hear the hesitation and uncertainty when the Superior spoke, just like he had the previous night when he came to visit.

"I am not without compassion," he continued, regaining a bit of his authority as he did. "I want Roxas heavily and discreetly sedated."

"I see," Saïx's voice elevated in curiosity. "You do not want him informed."

"There is no need to upset him."

"And what of Vexen?"

There was some time before Xemnas finally answered. "If he is not found by sundown," he took a long, ragged breath. "We will call off the search."

There was a solemn tone to Saïx's acknowledgement. "Yes, sir."

Roxas couldn't believe what he'd just heard. They were going to kill him. All this time, it was planned that he would be sacrificed. He wasn't just supposed to find Ventus and host him, he was going to become Ventus. This months-long transformation of his body, the pain and the illness, and now these final stages — it all must have been part of the process. He was slowly deteriorating as the creature inside him — whoever Ventus was — ate away at everything that made up Roxas. Vexen and Zexion proposed the project, Xemnas approved it, and everyone else in the Organization stood by to watch the carnage from the comfort and safety of their thrones.

Roxas had no time to be afraid for his life. He was just trying to decide his next move when the pain returned. He doubled over, slapping a hand over his mouth to stifle a choked cry as the driving pressure pummeled him into submission. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple while he rode it out, praying Xemnas and Saïx couldn't hear him. Every second, he listened for their footsteps approaching, straining his ears through the persistent ringing and bracing himself to run. Thankfully, they never seemed to take notice of his presence. Their conversation trailed off in the distance as they made their way down the hall in the opposite direction, just in time for the spasm to begin gradually subsiding.

He was running out of time. The pains continued to strike at frighteningly regular intervals, stronger and meaner each time. He could feel the warmth of blood steadily pouring out of him. He had to get out. No matter where he went, he couldn't stay at the castle, couldn't stay with the Organization any longer. There wasn't a soul he could trust, no one to turn to for help now, and in that deeply vulnerable moment, backed into a corner with his very life hanging in the balance, Roxas began to feel very alone — more so than he ever had.

Fear chased him for every step as he ran back up the stairs. He hadn't a clue where he could go now. His options were limited, the risks were astronomical, and the outcome of the experiment remained a glaring unknown. It was entirely possible that he was already too late. But, with his mind set, determined to flee, he rushed to his room to collect his belongings, knowing that the moment he left this castle, he wouldn't be coming back.

Everyone Axel had spoken to about the new world had described the place as beautiful. They used such colorful terminology as dazzling, lush, and a wonder to behold, that he was prepared to walk into a fairy tale the moment he'd set foot outside the dark corridor. But after nearly six hours of sitting with Xigbar — hunched over in a thicket of bushes where they'd been all morning, watching the inhabitants patrol the entrance to their camp — Axel quickly discovered that as lovely as this particular world could be, nature simply didn't impress him. The scenery quickly became a tiresome sight, with everything being the same drab shade of green. The animals were a near-constant guessing game of adorable or terrifying, making it impossible to determine which ones could kill a man with just a scratch and which ones just wanted to nuzzle his ankle with their noses. And, despite the thick leather of their coats, their boots, their gloves, and even the added protection of their hoods, a number of insects found their way to their skin, biting them stealthily and leaving itchy welts in their path. Axel already hated the new world, and his first shift wasn't even over yet.

Back and forth, the two monitored the native men until they had the pattern memorized. Security at this particular base was rock solid — not a single opening where the main gate was left unattended. Additionally, there were several others posted atop the high walls lining the perimeter, ready to fire at anything that crossed their line of sight with their antiquated muskets. Axel couldn't see how they'd ever get inside, and it was only a few hours until noon, when the supposed trial and subsequent execution was to take place.

Xigbar released an impatient sigh. "I could take every one of those bastards out right now."

"Well, don't," Axel hissed. "They might hurt Vexen if you do."

"I'm tellin' ya, if we just storm the camp and start mowin' 'em down—"

"That's not the plan," Axel exasperated for what felt like the twentieth time. "There's too many of them, and they'd kill all of us and Vexen before we ever found where they're keeping him."

Saïx had designed their plan of attack with utmost care, having considered almost every possible outcome when drafting their script. Around the clock, teams were recording the layout of the base camp, monitoring the guard rounds, counting heads, and drawing tracks, ensuring they could traverse the place in their sleep if they had to. For everyone's safety, and to avoid contamination, stealth was to be the main method of operation. They were to sneak in, find Vexen, sneak out to a designated location a safe distance away, then leave through a dark corridor. And yet, for all the days and nights they'd spent watching the inhabitants' movements, they still couldn't find where Vexen was being imprisoned, and hadn't any idea how they were going to get inside the camp undetected.

Axel and Xigbar continued watching the guards make their rounds, scanning for even the slightest break in their defenses, only to come up short with each rotation. Xigbar, after a while, was clearly not paying attention to their work and was instead studying Axel with his eyebrow raised suspiciously.

"Hey," he muttered, masking any indicators of emotion in his tone. "You worried?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "What kind of question is that?"

"A serious one."

Now it was Axel who lifted an eyebrow, but he did not answer Xigbar's question, instead turning his attention back on the roaming guards they were supposed to be watching. Xigbar, unwilling to let the issue drop, reached out and gripped his shoulder, speaking with a very different voice than he'd just been using.

"We'll find him," he promised. "And he's gonna take good care of Roxas."

It was the man's sudden softness which drew Axel's eyes away from the mission. Xigbar was smiling quite warmly, almost tempting him to smile back in appreciation of the unexpected gesture of support. Even with only one eye, Xibar could see right through him — could see right through anyone, in fact. The man had a talent for reading people, cracking them open like books and absorbing every detail of their thoughts until he could extract a weakness to exploit. But, he wasn't exploiting anything now. Axel could simply tell that his concern was genuine — an instinct in which he'd never placed so much trust until today.

He was just thinking of something to say, struggling to find the right words that would explain the multitude of chaos in his head when something caught his eye just over Xigbar's shoulder. "Shit, who's that?"

Xigbar turned, following Axel's line of sight until he saw them, too. There was another group of people, dressed in very different attire and carrying more traditional-looking weapons, closing in from a hundred feet away. When they'd reached a small clearing, still a fair distance away, they scattered and took their positions, crouched behind trees and shrubs with their eyes fixed on the high walls of the base camp.

"Looks like a recon team… from the other faction," Xigbar crawled a few paces toward the group, his voice rising with intrigue. "Ooh, I wonder what they're up to? An ambush, mayhaps?"

"Shh, get down!" Axel whispered harshly as the man crept further away from his post. "Xigbar!"

Xigbar paid him no heed, and Axel was forced to follow after him in a huff. He thought of how he'd explain the insubordination to Saïx, and how the especially testy man would respond to their reports. There wasn't time for distraction on a mission like this, and Axel was already preparing for the scolding they'd receive when he heard howling and sounds of a commotion. He popped up his head from the brush and saw some sort of giant beast engaging in combat with the group of warriors.
Startled, Xigbar fell backwards with a gasp. "What the hell is that thing?!"

It was quite possibly the ugliest creature Axel had ever laid eyes on. The monster had the appearance of a massive, carnivorous plant. Its main component was a large central pod with a wide, weeping mouth lined with red, thorny teeth. It walked on the barbed, segmented legs of an insect, and it attacked with a mess of vines that seemed powerful enough to squeeze the life out of an adult human.

"A Heartless?"

"It doesn't look like any Heartless I've ever seen."

Axel squinted, trying to get a better look at the beast's body. He couldn't find a Heartless emblem anywhere, but this thing was clearly no ordinary wildlife. The small group of people fought diligently with their bows and spears, but were sorely mismatched for such a foe. Axel and Xigbar watched in horror as the monster wrapped a vine around one of the unfortunate warriors, lifting him effortlessly off the ground and dropping him into its enormous mouth, swallowing him whole. Axel and Xigbar winced, turning their heads in pity and disgust, but it was just as hard to listen to the natives screaming as the monster stamped out life after life with ease.

"It's going to kill all those people," Axel said shakily. "We've got to destroy it!"

"And blow our cover?!"

Axel paused at Xigbar's point. With their target just behind them and seemingly unaware of the battle taking place just outside their walls, he wondered if it might be the better choice to turn tail and run. If they were spotted by the men with the muskets and recognized by their coats, Vexen's situation could take a turn for the worse. But there was little time for soul-searching. The sound of another warrior being eaten was what set his mind, and he turned to Xigbar with greater urgency. "If we don't, it could get to the camp where Vexen's being held!"

Xigbar took only another moment, cringing as he watched the creature consume yet another innocent person. He gulped audibly and agreed with a reluctant nod. "Alright, let's do this."

The two quickly abandoned their mission and joined the fray, rushing at the beast with their weapons brandished for action. It was clear that their presence had surprised the native fighters, who stared at them in confusion as they approached. But, to Axel's relief, their response was not hostile, and they seemed not to be afraid of him or his comrade. Their focus remained on the leafy monster, towering over them all on its stalks and appearing to grin menacingly at the prospect of fresh meat.

Whittling the monster down was a slow and calculating process, and this particular creature did not play nice. It whipped its massive vines around, striking with the force of a heavy club, strong enough to break bones. Axel and Xigbar dodged every swipe with flying leaps, bouncing all over the arena and aiming to avoid being the next victims dropped into its toothy, gaping maw. While the freeshooter searched for a weak spot to target, Axel shot fire magic spells anywhere he could land them, much to the delight of the inhabitants who stood back and watched him in awe. His chakrams spun like sawblades, cutting swiftly through vines and stems before hurtling back to his hands. As well as it was going, their enemy was determined. Having no interest in playing with its food, it abandoned its fight with Axel and Xigbar and turned back on the natives, whose bows and spears had no effect on the hungry predator. Axel tossed a chakram to intercept the beast, but his attack missed. In retaliation, he was quickly struck by a vine and thrown several feet away, skidding to a halt on the rough dirt. The impact knocked the wind out of him and he lay there in a daze, barely clinging to consciousness as he listened to the warped sounds of frightened warriors bellowing at their ruthless foe in futility. The lingering ache in his ribs and shoulder were now screaming at him in protest, and his vision was blurring slightly as the canopy overhead spun and swayed, but after a few seconds he staggered back to his feet, determined to finish this battle once and for all. He was blinking the stars from his watering eyes and shaking the dizziness out of his head when a blood-curdling scream made his stomach drop.

"Axel!" Xigbar cried out in terror. "Don't just stand there! Help me!"

His comrade was being dragged along the grass by the leg, captured by one of the creature's vines. The sinister, dripping mouth was opening once more, preparing for its next meal. Axel broke into a sprint, dashing toward the beast with a piercing roar. He closed in and grabbed Xigbar by the arms, yanking him as hard as he could, but the vine would not let go. With little time and not much forethought, Axel jumped right to his last resort and allowed the embers of rage to burn up inside him, focusing that energy until he could wield it like a weapon and blast this monster into oblivion where it belonged.

"You asked for it!" he taunted the enemy as he activated his limit break. In a powerful explosion of fire and smoke, he leapt into the air and unleashed a flurry of strong, high-speed attacks. Flames swirled around him as he hacked away at his opponent until it collapsed to the ground, stunned. Xigbar took the opportunity to crawl away, directing the other people to stand clear while Axel built up the biggest fire spell he could cast, his chakrams spinning in his hands faster than could be seen by human eyes. When the final limit was ready, he hurled his weapons with all of his strength, scorching the monster with a devastating explosion as he cut through its middle and left it in pieces, dead at last.

He'd half-expected to hear cheering when the battle was over, but all that followed Axel's finishing blow was an eerie silence. He fell to his knees in exhaustion, panting heavily as he scanned the field for his comrade. Xigbar was a few feet away, flat on his back and just as breathless.

"You okay?" he called to him.

"I'm definitely gonna feel that in the morning," Xigbar grunted. "I'm getting too old for this…"

Axel slowly climbed back to his feet, searching all around them for any sign of the native warriors they'd fought with, but they were nowhere to be found. Assuming they'd all fled when they had the chance, and equally wary at the possibility of a second monster spawning in place of the fallen first, Axel hurried over to pull Xigbar off the ground.

"Guess they didn't want to stick around for the after party," Xigbar observed, wincing as Axel brushed the dirt and twigs off his coat. He was hurt, but thankfully his injury wasn't serious.

"And we shouldn't either," Axel replied, noting that not only was their shift over, but they were in fact a little late. "Come on, old man, let's go."

He ducked under Xigbar's arm and hoisted, supporting his weight as they limped into the dark corridor to return to the castle. His own ribs and shoulder were practically on fire and he knew he'd overdone it. But he gritted his teeth and stayed silent, knowing that Saïx would take notice of any discomfort he showed and immediately remove him from the search rotation.

The arrhythmic tapping of their unsteady stride was met by only the haunting silence of the empty Grey Area. Axel had grown so accustomed to seeing activity in that room — the music from Demyx's sitar, the turning of pages in Zexion's book, the shuffle of Luxord's cards. He'd often look forward to the opportunity to wind down with his brothers at the end of a long work day. Now, all that greeted him were bare walls, vacant furniture, and an unsettling sense of stillness. It made Axel uneasy to be in there.

The sudden loneliness was short-lived, however, as Saïx briskly entered the room to meet them. "Axel, Xigbar. You've returned," as predicted, his eyes immediately fell to Xigbar's hunched-over form. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

Xigbar grinned at him and shook his head. "Only my pride," he chuckled, winking at them both. "I'm gonna lie down. Later, boys."

He staggered down the hallway toward the staircase, leaving Axel and Saïx alone in yet another uncomfortable silence, avoiding each other's eyes. It was clear that they shared the same thoughts, neither one having to speak a word as they remembered the events of the previous night. The harrowing revelation of Saïx's condition. The gut wrenching sight of him crumbling to his knees in despair, crying for the first time in over a decade. The images were forever burned into Axel's memory. More than any of it, what stunned him was the poignant truth that of all things Saïx had to cry over, it was Axel who had been the catalyst. Those tears were spilled only for him, as if the man had been saving them for just such an occasion. If it were possible, Axel might have found the sentiment moving, knowing that his old friend, his former lover, still cared for him that deeply.

He was the first to make his way out of the Grey Area, taking slow steps in an effort to hide his uneven gait. Saïx followed hesitantly, seeming to want to speak but still struggling with the words. He found his voice after a few moments, softer and less secure than before. Axel filled with warmth as he recognized the sound right away. His human voice.

"Are you alright?"

Not a word about the mission. Nothing about Xigbar or Vexen or the new world at all. Once again his thoughts, his concern, was reserved for Axel and only Axel, who this time smiled at the gesture. "I'm just fine," he answered, bending to peer into the man's downcast eyes. "How is Roxas?"

Saïx whipped his head up with a quick flash on his face. An emotion that Axel hadn't expected to see. "I haven't seen him today."

"I saw that look," Axel frowned. "What is it, Isa?"

Saïx turned away, only for Axel to take his chin and nudge him back. After several seconds trapped in the heat of Axel's glare, Saïx relented. "He's not well, Lea. That thing is hurting him," he whispered. "Please, understand that our options are limited—"

"What happened to him?" Axel repeated more firmly, his fingers never falling from Saïx's chin. The man cringed, averting his gaze as he was forced to continue his explanation.

"Xemnas… wants to extract the entity from Roxas before nightfall. Whether we get Vexen back or not."

"But that'll kill him!"

"Yes, it might," Saïx carefully wriggled out of Axels' grasp. "But so will leaving it in there. Lea… I tried. I bought us as much time as I could afford. At this point, Roxas might be better off…"

He didn't finish his sentence, and Axel was grateful for that. He paced the floor, thinking. Indeed, for all these months, they had the luxury of time, allowing them to stall until they could solve this impossible puzzle, but now that time had run out. He scratched the back of his neck, racking his brain for answers and coming up pitifully short. Maybe Saïx was right. Maybe Roxas would survive the procedure. Maybe removing it would be the better choice. And, Axel thought, maybe he could cling to some hope from that.

"Lea, are you bleeding? Lift your coat."

"What? I'm not—"

Axel cut off the moment he saw it. Saïx had been examining a spot on the floor. There were bright red droplets glistening against the white tiles in tiny puddles collected just beside the wall. They were small enough to be missed by anyone not looking for them, but numerous enough to be more serious than a harmless nosebleed. Upon close inspection, Axel could see that they were fresh.

"Isa, that isn't my blood."

The two shared a look, saying nothing but silent prayers as they raced through the halls and up the stairs at full sprint. Axel led the way despite his limp, and in no time they had reached the door to Roxas' room. "Roxas! Are you in there?" he called out for his friend, knocking gently to conceal his anxiety. "It's me. Can I come in?"

There was no response. He knocked a few more times, hearing only silence in return. Saïx stepped away from the door, keeping his distance. "I'll wait outside. Go."

With a nod, Axel entered, finding Roxas' room a disheveled mess. The boy had few belongings, but what little he owned was strewn about the room haphazardly. His closet had been torn up, his drawers cleaned out, and among the chaos, there was no sign of him anywhere. Axel was about to turn around and look for him elsewhere when he spotted something that made his stomach drop. The sheets on Roxas' bed were stained with blood, instantly confirming his suspicions about who had been bleeding in the corridor.

The bathroom door opened and Roxas stumbled out, panting and looking pale. He jumped when he saw Axel standing there. "Axel!" he exclaimed, backing away. "What are you doing here?"

"Roxas, are you alright? What's wrong?"

Roxas shook his head, wiping sweat from his brow. "N-Nothing. I'm fine."

He rushed past his friend, avoiding eye contact with him as he headed in the direction of the closet. He retrieved a small backpack and started making his way toward his desk. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks, his knees appearing to weaken, and leaned against the wall with a pained look on his face.

"Roxas!" Axel bolted to his side. Roxas had doubled over, dropping the backpack and clutching his stomach. He couldn't speak but for panicked whimpers, and for the moment Axel was just as speechless. He took the boy's arm and tried to lead him to the bed, but Roxas refused to move from his position, instead just keeping his head down and huffing rapidly. After several seconds, his body relaxed. The whole ordeal, from beginning to end, was one of the most frightening things Axel had seen in a long time.

"Roxas… talk to me. Tell me what happened."

Roxas took a moment to catch his breath before dismissing Axel's requests. "I have to go."

He picked up the backpack and began filling it with belongings he pulled out of a drawer in his desk. His journal, a series of colorful sea shells, ice cream sticks and other small trinkets he had collected throughout his time spent with the Organization. Axel stared at him in disbelief. "What do you mean? Go where?"

"I don't know. I just have to get out of here."

"Why?"

Roxas didn't answer. When he had emptied the drawer of his desk, he crossed by the bed on his way to the door. The same pain seemed to strike him once more, and he grunted loudly as he doubled over again, grabbing the bed for balance and sinking to his knees. Axel rushed over and knelt beside him, searching desperately for a cause for his pain. He couldn't immediately detect any wounds that would explain the blood, and was wary of asking the boy where it was coming from. Roxas covered his grimacing face as he leaned over the side of the mattress, his fingers tightly gripping the bloody sheet as he began wheezing again.

Axel struggled to catch his own breath. "Roxas…" he whispered as calmly as he could manage. "It's hurting you. Let me take you to Zexion so he can—"

"No!" Roxas interrupted with a shout. "He's done enough. I'm leaving!"

"Roxas, if you leave now, it could—"

"I'll manage!"

Roxas slowly rose to his feet again and tossed the last few items he'd collected into his backpack. Axel watched in shock as he zipped the pouches and slung it over his shoulder, apparently intending to just walk out without another word. It was crazy. It was stupid. Roxas was a fool if he thought he could just take off at a time like this. Axel couldn't even begin to imagine what he was planning to do.

"You don't mean…"

Roxas did not turn back. "Please, don't follow me."

"You could die, Roxas!"

Roxas sped toward the door, but Axel cut him off, blocking his only exit, trying any tactic to convince him to stay. To his surprise, Roxas summoned his keyblade, ready to fight his way out of the castle if he had to. Axel gaped at him, taken aback by the lengths to which his best friend was willing to go just to get away. But he stood his ground. He'd lost Roxas once, and he wasn't about to let it happen again. Unwilling to battle with the boy in such a condition, he refused to equip his chakrams in response. He met his friend's determined glare with one of his own and held up his hands, ready to take the blows unarmed.

Just then, Roxas yelped with pain, dropping his weapon and falling to the ground where he groaned and whimpered as he clenched his fists against the floor. Axel joined him and gently laid a hand on his back. He could feel the boy's torso spasming violently, more so than he thought his small body would be capable of. It ripped him to shreds to see his young friend suffering like this and having not a clue how to help him. Roxas had already endured so much. When was it enough?

"Roxas…" Axel begged helplessly as the convulsions died down. "What can I do?"

Roxas was out of breath, face flushed and drenched with sweat. He could barely summon the strength to sit upright. His eyes, wide with pain and fear, were a sight Axel would never forget. In an instant, he remembered that day that he'd brought his friend back to the Organization. He remembered the nightmares, the images of those same frightened eyes, that chilling expression of betrayal which haunted him for so long. He gasped at a sudden painful catch in his chest — a pang of guilt if he ever saw one.

Roxas never gave him an answer, but instead raised his arm and manifested a dark corridor at the other end of the room. In his momentary distraction, Axel was unable to stop him from shooting to his feet and barreling into the portal out of sight.

"Roxas, wait!"

"Go after him, Lea. Bring him back."

Surprised, Axel turned, seeing Saïx standing in the open doorway. "Isa, what if—?"

"Go!" Saïx demanded urgently. "Now, before it closes!"

Axel froze, having only a split second to decide what he would do. He'd made a promise. He'd made several promises. He brought Roxas back because he needed him. His orders be damned, he needed Roxas in his life. He fought with everything he had to bring his best friend home, traumatizing them both in the process, but in the end, he'd thought it was worth it. He thought he'd done the right thing. He couldn't allow himself to regret it. Not when Roxas meant so much to him.

Now, Roxas needed him, and Axel was again called to bring the boy home, no matter the cost. He was hurt, he was afraid, and this could very well be his last night alive. Axel steeled himself against the images from his past and the doubts of the future. Whatever was about to happen would be the ultimate test of their shared resolve. He wasn't sure just who or what he would bring back, but if he didn't try, he would never know.

Sharing one final nod with Saïx, Axel climbed off the floor and raced over to the corridor, leaping through just before it closed behind him.

I haven't got much to say this time around except that I am so excited that we're approaching the story climax at last. It's been a long time coming. Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Don't forget to check out my tumblr, Ostelan Excruciasm, and follow me on twitter ostelan. Join us in the KH Discord Server, too! /ffy5E8G

Peace and Love,

Ostelan