Note: Hello, faithful readers of KH fan fictions…yeah, just a warning, I'm a little energetic, and this is a sad chapter, so even I don't know what to expect. I'd like to thank the two people who reviewed my chapter, can I point out, only two! Uh…yeah, sorry there. Anyway, the reviews I did get were very kind, so I thought I'd go as fast as I could to get the next chapter up. Just a quick reminder, I still need worlds, people! Someone already E-mail me with the idea of the world from Legend of Dragoons, and, since I've played the game, and liked it, I'm going to use it. But, I still need many more! Please, either include it in your review, or E-mail me (Millennium_Spirit_2020@hotmail.com)! I need your input everyone!

            Riku opened his eyes, shuttering as a blast of frigid wind swept by, threatening to send him into a bout of hypothermia. Why was it so cold here, wherever he was? Coming into a kneeling position, then climbing to his feet, Riku glanced right and left, yet there was no sign of anyone. His hands slowly grasped about for the keyblades, and he was relieved to find both of them by his side, resting there, like loyal pets who wouldn't leave their master's side.

"Diana?" he exclaimed, searching the surrounding for a sign of his new acquaintance. "Where are you?"

His voice echoed back at him in sheer mockery, and he glared back at the white nothingness. How very…insane…nothing suddenly seemed. When he had been in Kingdom Hearts, to be surrounded by something aside from darkness…to be away from the Heartless; it was all he ever wanted. Now, this was an example of his wish, it seemed, and he didn't like it. Something about the extreme whiteness seemed more…threatening than the darkness ever seemed. Unwilling to just stand there a moment longer, he started walking forward, with no apparent clue exactly where he was heading. He was going…somewhere, wasn't he? He had to be…although the landscape looked no different, he had to be moving. Right…? As he continued forward, he let out a gasp as water splashed out at him, spraying into his face. He knelt down to feel the surface of the 'ground'. He was walking on water… Astounded by this new discovery, he walked, ever more cautiously, forward. He looked down to see his own reflection, flickering back at him. His hair had gotten longer…too long for his choice. He seemed worn…tired. Even though he tried his hardest to look strong, energetic, and full of life, as he looked down at himself…it just didn't work. Feeling slightly defeated by his own appearance, he chose to look up into the 'sky'. White as far as the eye could see. How bizarre. He chose to look back down; at least, there was color there. Faded colors, but color all the same. As he walked, his eyes remaining locked on themselves, as a staring contest between Riku and his reflection ensued, a voice came echoing from off in the distance. One so familiar, it made Riku jolt up from his activity, and look forward, nearly stumbling over his own two feet.


"Sora?" he shouted, taking a few steps forward. "Sora, is that you?"

            Only about fifteen feet away, Sora stood, his arms crossed as he watched Riku.

"There you are! I wish you wouldn't run off and disappear like that!" he laughed, waving for Riku to come join him.

After a few moments, his voice took a more serious tone, "We don't have all the time in the world, you know."

Riku had absolutely no clue what Sora was talking about, but he really didn't care. He had found him, and, this time, they weren't inside Kingdom Hearts. Wait…that was a dream…wasn't it? No…no, it had been far too real. So…what was it then? And…was this the same?

"Are you coming, Riku?" Sora called out, looking back over his shoulder to see his friend.

"I'm coming!" was his reply, as he ran to catch up with Sora.

As he ran forward, the surroundings became more distinguishable and realistic. Everything about him took on a light-blue color, the 'sky' taking on a darker shade of sapphire. As he ran, small beads of water leapt up and dashed onto his face, light and refreshing. What had once seemed so frightening now seemed gentle and kind. Riku couldn't help but laugh as he caught up to Sora. He threw his arms around his old friend and hugged him tightly, laughing. Sora stood there, and then awkwardly patted Riku's back.

"Are you…okay?" he asked, as Riku let him go. "You're sure your nerves aren't shot or something?"

"I'm fine." Riku replied. "Let's go."

Of course, Riku had no idea what they were going to do, but whatever it was, it had to be important. With a nod, Sora led him forward, hand locked on his keyblade. Riku watched it and looked back at the two in his hands. Some reason, he felt something was wrong. As they walked forward, Sora suddenly stopped, and Riku looked up at him, taking his eyes off the blades. Sora motioned forward with his hand, and Riku's eyes trailed upward, to see three doors sit before him.

"They are…?" he asked, in astonishment.

"Yeah. The Three Doors." Sora replied, nodding grimly.

            They were familiar, doorways they had seen before. The first was the simple wooden door that had always been in the 'secret place' back in Destiny Islands. Simple and bland, it seemed very plain next to the others. The second door was the intricate white door, Riku had seen it only once before, and that was with Maleficent. However, he also knew it had appeared on Destiny Islands after he left. The third was the doorway that had connected Hallow Bastion to its keyhole. A strange, dark gateway. Taking small steps forward, he looked back at Sora.


"Wait…you know about them?" he asked, obviously confused.


"Yeah. Remember, Sarain talked about them." Sora reminded him, smiling. "Surely, you would remember Sarain."

"I remember him…" Riku said. "But…I thought…when did you…? Oh, forget it."

Although he was confused, Riku wasn't going to make himself look like an absolute idiot. The doorways…they were all so mysterious. Ambling forward aimlessly, he ran his hand down the smooth surface of the wooden door, remembering Destiny Islands, and the times they used to have. Still, he pulled away quickly. This was the doorway that had changed all of that. The one that brought darkness into their world…wasn't it? So…what was it Sarain had said. Three doors, one to light, one to darkness, and one to a balance. They were to seal a door, open a door, and leave one, as is. Each keyblade wielder…. Suddenly, it struck him. Each…there were supposed to be three of them. But, here he stood, still holding two keyblades.

"Sora. There were supposed to be three keyblade wielders, weren't there?" he asked, turning back to look at Sora, who was running his hand up and down the white door, much in the same fashion he had done the wooden one.

"Yes, yes there were." Sora replied, sitting beside the door. "But…we never found the third one, remember? And, there's no time to look. Sarain, Kairi, everyone gave their lives for us to make it this far. We can't turn back now."

"Gave their lives? They're dead? Sarain and…and Kairi? Dead…? No. No, it couldn't be true."  Riku thought, shaking his head. "No…it's not fair."

Sora, seeming to understand how Riku felt, shook his head slowly. He looked back at the way they had come from, then, took in a sharp breath.

"Riku! Heartless!" he exclaimed, pointing off into the distance.

            Riku turned to see the ever-familiar black plague heading in their direction, squirming, wreathing towards them. Eyes wide, he tried to estimate how many there were. Hundreds…thousands...millions?

"Sora, we can't possibly defeat them all!" he exclaimed, looking over at him. "We need to do this fast!"

"I know!" was his quick reply. "One to light, one to darkness, and a balance. Seal, open, and 'let be'. So…we open the door to light?"

"Seal the door to darkness, and let the balance be?" Riku finished, nodding his head. "But, Sora, which is which?"

They both backed away from the doors, trying to get a good look at them all. The wooden door… that was the one that had connected the islands to the darkness. So, surely, it was the door to shadows. But, he doubted the black portal that had connected Hallow Bastion to its keyhole would be light or the balance. And, what was that white door? Was it light? It surely seemed pure enough…

"Which is which, Riku?" Sora asked desperately, pleading eyes turning to Riku. "I…I don't know!"

Even though, all this time, Sora had seemed confident, now, he was breaking. Breaking and shattering under the extreme pressure. He was shaking and he looked as if he were going to cry. Riku didn't blame him. Here they were, making a choice every single person in every single world would be affected by, without time to think, because there was a river of death rushing towards them. It was enough to make anyone panic. Enough to where even Riku was starting to panic.

"Damn it…all right! Let's just choose! The door to darkness?" he finally said, looking to Sora.

"You'd think it'd be the dark portal…" he mused slowly, and Riku nodded.

"Fine! Who can seal doors?" he replied.

"Not me…" was Sora's response. "I can open them…"

Riku darted forward, in front of the portal. One of these keyblades had to work… Suddenly, his own keyblade started to vibrate. He slowly let go of it and it shot into the dark portal, and the gateway slowly sealed shut. A deep sound emitted afterwards, and Riku took a few hesitant steps back, slowly shaking his head.


"Okay, what door do we open?" he asked, taking a deep breath and releasing it. "I think…that white door. It has to be the light. It has to be."

Nodding in agreement, Sora stepped before the white door and held his keyblade out. It, too, started to vibrate, and shot into the white door, and the door slowly opened. Riku wanted to see what lay beyond it, but the screeching of Heartless shot through him, more violently than the keyblades had shot into the doors, striking a nameless fear into his heart. He stepped forward, and held Sarain's keyblade towards the wooden door. Nothing happened. He gave the blade a swirl about, pointing it at the door. He focused his whole mind and will on the keyblade and door…yet nothing happened.

"We need the other keyblade wielder!" he cried out, dropping the key and turning to face Sora.

The boy was standing there, watching the Heartless grow nearer. Features were now distinguishable within the giant mass of shadow, small intense eyes, and claws lashing left and right, swords flying, the occasional spark of magic. Riku paced slowly to his friend's side and looked over into his face. Tears were running down Sora's face, hitting the watery ground below them, causing ripples to flow everywhere.

"We've failed them." he said slowly, his voice starting to break. "All of them."

Suddenly, Riku felt himself crying too, and he watched as his own tears fell and hit the water below him. Sora was right, they had failed. The Heartless were closer now…much closer. Sora looked over at Riku, then faced the Heartless. He spread his arms out, stretching them as long as they would go, his eyes locked on the one in front. A position Riku had once taken, under the same circumstances. This was it. He had accepted fate, and now, it was time Riku do the same. They had failed and they would die.

"I'm sorry, Sora. I never could make you or Sarain proud." he said, also spreading his arms wide to accept the Heartless and the hand fate had dealt. "I'm sorry."

"You wanted me to be proud?" Sora asked curiously. "Riku…I was always trying to live up to you."

Before Riku could respond, there was an outcry, and what felt like a wall came slamming into him, sending him flying back. He opened his eyes to see pure darkness overtaking him. A clawed hand reached out and gashed his right cheek, while the powers of fire and lightning struck all around him. He cried out, well, he tried, but no sound would leave him. It was as if they were in a vacuum, one that nothing could escape from. He looked over to see Sora, who was also looking at him, with a strangely calm expression. Riku nodded and closed his eyes, and let death carry him off into peaceful slumber.

            "Riku? Are you in there?"

"Who…who is it? Sora…Sarain…Kairi…Diana…?"

"Riku, please, wake up!"

"Who…?"

"Diana. You were dreaming."

Riku stirred quickly, eyes bolting open as he shot up so quickly, he nearly toppled back over. She gasped, and held him by the shoulders to steady him. His keyblades were still lying by his side…all had to have been a dream. But, after a few seconds, he knew it was more than that.

"You…okay?" she asked, slowly releasing him.


"Yes, I'm fine." he replied, standing up, and grabbing the keyblades. "Let's get going."

As they walked off, Riku reached up and touched his right cheek, where a deep gash remained, freshly bleeding.