Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;

CHAPTER 8:

The next thing he knew, Riku was on sand, a beach that seemed to stretch on forever in every direction. Kairi lay next to him, still completely unconscious, something had happened to her, but she was still very much alive. Everything in this new world seemed still, but Riku could feel the air around him thicken and tremble, something was happening, and the sudden transition of passing through that portal had disrupted his senses for a moment, making it temporarily impossible to see or hear anything.

Riku had no time to marvel, however, at how fast his senses came back when a screech of pain, 'Sora!' His mind screamed before he had a chance to. Within seconds, Riku was up, following the sound without really seeing where he was going.

-----

Sora seethed, he had not meant to scream out like that, but it hurt, that blade Traid had burned when it cut, due to the blue/white fire that ran up it. The flames licked that blade hungrilly, but neither the blade nor hilt were scarred, melted, or singed in any way. Traid had even touched it, and no burns marred his smooth skin. Sora remembered how silken and soft that skin was, and it was memories like that that took more effort to push away when he was trying to bury himself in concentration. He knew Traid was still trying to control him, the honeyed voice, smiling green eyes, and grace that seemed he were made of water, flowing gently from one move to the next

Sora himself was not completely lacking in graceful maneuvers, dodging and twirling out of the way of that fire-shrouded blade, like it was some sort of dance, they Keyblade an extension of his arm. The one thing separating him and Traid was that Traid fought with the intent to kill, the man had nothing to lose from his point of view. Sora could not bring himself to kill this man, no matter what lies and manipulations Traid had tried on him, it simply was not right to take another's life.

Sora had allowed him a moment to marvel at the blade when Traid pulled it out of its scabbard that seemed to materialize at his waist. The sword really was fantastic, even the crosshilt was made from metal, but Traid assured him it was cool to the touch, at least to him it was. Sora doubted that to him, it would be cool, probably hotter than the flame itself, and Sora knew just how hot that flame was. His left arm hung limply at his side, seared and burning, but Sora had pushed it from his mind. The only reason he was still holding the Keyblade was because he had seen the move coming and had a chance to spin away from it. (Sora's right handed, at least, in the game he was...I play that WAY too much.)

Almost before Sora had a chance to prepare himself, Traid charged him, his lips pulled back into sneer, intent upon his victim. Sora wasn't quite prepared for this, in all his duels with Riku, they'd always held back, for fear of truly wounding the other, a simple friendly combat, but here, Sora realized, was not the time for holding anything back.

/Bring light to the darkness./

'I won't kill him!' His right arm ached, Traid's blade crashed against his own with shattering force. Sora had almost tumbled backward from the force of the impact. But he planted his feet, stood his ground, and held his own against the crushing force that was the white haired boy before him.

"I didn't realize the light of all worlds is so weak," Traid laughed callously at Sora's determined scowl, "and how much do you really think you are capable of with only one arm." He seemed to be holding his blade right where it was with one arm and minimal effort Only the sweat on his face betrayed the actual effort it took him to face Sora. "If the Bearer is so incapable, perhaps the Keyblade really does need another master."

"Concentrate on fighting me, not rambling." Sora smirked, and suddenly dropped from Traid's field of vision. Sora had thrown himself so suddenly on the ground before the momentum of pressure Traid had placed on his blade could take his head, or any other part of his body for that matter. Swinging his legs around, Sora tripped Traid and leapt quickly and nimbly to his feet before the other had hit the ground. Holding the Keyblade pointed at Traid's heart, Sora allowed no smirk or smile of triumph to cross his face, "Surrender now before someone gets hurt."

Traid's only response was to snarl and stretch his hand out, palm facing Sora. Shock passed so quickly across Sora's face before he made an effort to throw himself to the side, but not fast enough. A current of searing hot air slammed into him, smoldering his clothes and burning flesh, Sora was thrown feet from Traid. He tumbled twice before coming to a hault, lying on his stomach, the Keyblade just out of arms' reach. Sora coughed up a small stream of blood and wiped his mouth weakly. He made a small effort to lift his body, which was crushed just as he had with Traid's booted foot coming down on his back, pressing him into the gritty sand. Sora grunted and tried in vain to move from under his position. He could feel the heat from that fire on his neck, singing the hair that stood on their ends.

"The proper position for one such as yourself. You are not of the royal blood and do not deserve to polish the Silver Heart Throne much less sit upon it." Traid smirked and picked up the Keyblade upon seeing Sora feebly try to reach for it. "The true master is now in control."

Sora was not exactly sure of what happened next, but he heard Traid gasp and curse, and suddenly he was glowing in a blue-ish-white aura and Traid had been thrown off him and quite a few feet away. Lifting his head up, Sora saw a hand in front of his face, and looking up a bit more, Riku stood over him with a bright smile on his face, relief overly-evident on his face. Sora snatched Riku's hand and leapt up, grabbing Riku in an excited and warm embrace before Riku knew the brown haired boy was off the ground. Riku laughed easily, the first time in days and returned it heartily.

Sora stepped away and looked into Riku's eyes, looking for the world like he had just uncovered some great mystery, "Y-you and I have-"

"Yes, we've been bonded since birth. There's a lot we weren't supposed to know for a while, but I guess this kind of puts it out in the open huh?"

Sora nodded happily.

------

Traid stood up, anger seized his heart, and he spit out a tooth that had broken when he was hit by that blast that had to have come from the Guardian. What was his name? Traid shrugged, it did not matter now and would not any other time.

"I had the blade," he muttered, struggling to his feet, "and it disappeared. That brat will loose those bonds that hold the Keyblade to him willingly when I finish with him." He could see Sora and his Guardian ahead of him, completely disregarding him as if he were some average harmless servant. Brushing blood away that had tried to drip into his eyes, Traid smirked, "Suffer."

-------

Riku's head jerked up suddenly, he pulled Sora to him closely and raised his palm up and a barrier flared to life around the two, a bright light that seemed to suck all other light into it. A swift current of air slammed into it, causing a horrendous crash louder than thunder to sound around them. "Sora, we've got to-" He was cut off suddenly when he felt Sora jerk away from him, limping and still holding his left arm to his side.

Sora stepped beyond that barrier, and Riku could not help but gape when the barrier disappeared, like Sora had sucked the power right into himself. The glowing around the Bearer flared brighter and the Keyblade appeared in his hand as if it were a second thought. Sora's gaze was fixed upon the sneering form of Traid before him. Within minutes it seemed, the two were face to face once again. Sora's face could have been carved from stone, but Traid did not even flinch, even at the abnormally cold voice.

"You stole Kairi's heart, tried to kill Riku, and lied to and manipulated me. Your heart is carved from darkness though you believe yourself defending the Light. I will show you what true light is."

An aura of itself pulsated from the keyblade, Sora suddenly felt something synchonize with him, like someone else's heartbeat became his own. He took a moment to look at the Keyblade before his mind spoke to him again.

/Bring light to this darkness./

Before he truly realized what was happening, Sora plunged the Keyblade into Traid's heart. Tears gushed down his face when he saw the startled expression in those glittering green eyes. Light flared like wildfire around them, engulfing and embracing them, shielding the two from view.

Within the barrier of light, Sora was forced to let go of the Keyblade, power rushed from it and the source of the light barrier came from where the blade was burried in Traid's chest. Dark liquid leaked out of Traid's back, to be carried into the light and lost, probably burned away.

Before Sora had the chance to pull away, Traid grabbed his arm, a genuine smile crossing his face. His green eyes lit up in pure innocence. Sora looked toward him, tears streaming down from his eyes faster now, but before he could say anything, he was pulled into a warm embrace. Traid petted his head fondly and Sora crushed himself to the older male. "This was my fate Sora, I had to do this."

Sniffles and sobs broke Sora's voice, but he eventually said, "You really do walk in the light."

"But darkness harbored in my heart. I had to know where I belonged, and I suffered so much without my light."

The light stretched between them, building so brightly as to blind anyone who looked out of the corner of their eyes at the spectacle. Suddenly, it exploded in shimmers and all Sora saw went black.

A/N: Ok, I'm ending this now because I've just fought this stupid chapter since I started writing it. Ugh, I'm so sorry this took a bit to get out, but like I said, I've been fighting it to bend it the way I intended all of this to come out. Even still, there were things that just didn't work how they were supposed ta'. Well anyway, here it is!! . It's so gloomy outside that it's hard to be cheery...it'll always be weather, whether u like it or not I suppose.

Umm, the last few chapters maaaaaaay not be out for a while. Reason: Right now, at this moment, I'm at my grandparents' house and have been here since I began writing this. But, now I'm going home, (I live like four states away) and our computer crashed. We're trying to get another one, but I'm afraid I'll have to be posting from the library, if that. It's reaching the time of year where biking somewhere won't be an option for long. I'm sorry about this, but I'll try and get my comp at home up and running ASAP.

Good news, I'll be in a car for eight and a half hours tomorrow, which means, plenty of time to write stuff and think right?

I'm really sorry this chapter may have sucked and not been very interesting, but it's not over yet. There's more to come and hopefully it'll all be good and make you happy.

TTFN!