Chapter 14

- Flashback -

"Trey? What're you doing?"

"Forgive me." Trey hissed and drew his keyblade. Coral drew back, as did Magoto and Satsuka.

"What-?!" Satsuka cried as Trey leapt at him, Satsuka barely had time to draw his own keyblade as Trey struck.

"Trey!" Magoto cried out in shock as he attacked viciously.

'This is the only way.' Trey thought with pain. That was when Coral stepped in, with his own sword, he fended off Trey's attacked.

"Stop it!" He cried. "We're allies! How can you-?!"

"For the good of all worlds, I must kill us all!!" Trey cried and bore down with his power, the power of darkness. It appeared like a wellspring beneath Coral, grabbing at him. He cried out as one dark tendril lashed forward and pierced his leg.

"I . . . won't let you WIN!" Coral snapped in defiance.

"There is no winning side to this. We must all lose to win." Trey said calmly, and closed his eyes, the others thought if to say a chant, in truth, it was to stop tears from leaking.

"Goodbye." He hissed, and gave a final slash. Cutting Coral across the chest, he fell into the darkness. Then Trey turned to Satsuka and Magoto, both summoned their weapons.

"Heartless!!" Satsuka screamed in fury. "You were one of them all along!!" He cried. Magoto glared, hatred burned in her eyes.

"I will NEVER forgive you!!"

"May the light purge us from your hell." Satsuka whispered. "And may Tarn have mercy on your soul." He hissed, before leaping into to attack, Trey fended it off with difficulty, on the battle raged, neither side seeming to win.

'I must win, to save them . . . and the worlds.' Trey thought softly. He leapt away from Satsuka and swung his keyblade till the point faced his opponent.

"Final Darkness." He whispered. Satsuka's eyes widened. Yet before he could do anything, black lightening flashed, and struck him, he fell back, Magoto barely had a chance to cry his name before she too was killed. The tears flowed freely on his face now.

"Forgive me. But it was all that could be done." He murmured, hoarse voiced, then, the lightening struck him too.

- End -

Trey blinked the memories away in his new body. He and the Riku boy were one now, but he chose to keep the information of those days locked and hidden. No need for both of them to suffer. They were almost there, to the place called Hollow Bastion. He could feel it in his bones, Coral still hated him, and who could blame him? The last time they had met . . . no. It hurt too much to think about that. He spared a glance at the Kairi girl and felt his heart lurch. Magoto's descendant. She would hate him too.

'Magoto . . .'

---

KLANG!

Metal upon metal struck as Ansem was forced back.

"What?!" He demanded as Sora grunted.

"Nice try Ansem." He hissed. Ansem scowled.

"A second spirit must have bonded. Dammit." He swore. Leon growled at took this chance to attack Ansem, the two went at it as Sora stumbled, trying to regain his footing. Ansem felt sweat run down his face, with a second spirit discovered, his powers were weakened considerably. Mind control was not an option anymore. He scowled. Leon was forcing him back with all the power he could. Ansem swore and summoned what heartless he could, Leon, being forced to deal with them, had to back off as the villain grinned wildly. Turning to Sora, his grin widened.

"Now keyblade wielder. Let us see what you can do." Ansem hissed, and suddenly struck. Sora dodged it, wincing as the sword grazed his shoulder but swung his keyblade into attack position. The teen then dashed forward, keyblade set to strike. As he swung down, Ansem dodged it, however, for some unknown reason, the keyblade stopped in mid strike to face the keyhole. And Sora's vision went white.

- Flashback -

"Hey, Suka!" Trey called out laughing. Satsuka turned to look at his friend and grinned.

"Just need to find one more. Then we can all go home." The teen murmured, looking at his keyblade. Trey nodded.

"I miss everyone."

"And I bet no one misses you." Coral teased walking up, sword slung over his shoulder. Trey smirked.

"No, the girls are probably all pining." He cried out while throwing his arms up dramatically.

"Are you at it again?" Magoto demanded from behind him. Trey smiled innocently.

"Who? Me?" Coral snorted.

"Yes you. Egotistical maniac." Trey sighed, then stiffened.

"Does anybody feel that?" He asked.

"Feel what?" Satsuka asked looking at his friend. Trey took a step back.

"It . . . I . . ." He tried.

"Trey? Trey look out, you're going to fall if you don't stop." Coral said frowning. Trey continued walking backwards. One step at a time.

"Trey?!" Satsuka screamed in panic as his friend neared the edge of the cliff. The other two had already started forward. Trey paled in panic as he realized what was wrong.

You can never seal the final world. . . Darkness cannot exist without light. And light cannot live without darkness. A voice whispered. The youth's eyes widened.

'What?'

Your hearts feed the darkness. Only if taken by darkness will the darkness in the worlds recede. . .that, is the fate of all of the star chosen. The purity of your hearts with purge the darkness from the worlds once more, you can never seal the worlds. Trey heard no more, as he took that final stepped and fell down the cliff, head first, into the jagged rocks and rolling waves.

- End -

Sora froze.

'Sat . . . . suka?'

---

"This way." Riku said sprinting down the hall. The others behind him.

'He's here. I can feel it.' Trey whispered to Riku through a mind link.

'Who?'

'Him. The former keyblade wielder of Truth. My rival and former . . . friend.'

'Satsuka. . . . Satsuka is here!' Coral said excitedly to Tidus.

'Who?' Tidus asked curiously.

'We were great friends, he and I, we battled darkness together and we almost would have won too, if not for Trey.'

"We're here." Kairi whispered. "Past this door . . . lies the room which connects the portal to this world, to the heart of this world." They all stopped in front of the door. Tidus paused, before shaking his head.

"Come, we find Sora now." And he strode forward.

---

'The final world . . . the world of which we did not seal.' A voice whistled through Sora's mind.

"The . . . world you did not . . . seal?" Sora repeated dimly. Ansem took a step back.

"It can't be . . ." He hissed.

'We did not. Because of . . . him.' The voice continued as the main door behind them opened. Sora turned and saw . . . Riku? No . . . not Riku, it looked like him, but he was . . . there was some sort of dark haze around, like a ghost. A ghost of . . .

"Trey." Sora hissed. Although, he wasn't quite Sora anymore. Riku stopped dead in his tracks.

"Satsuka." Riku said, nodding his head.

"Coral, it is good to see you again." Satsuka said with a nod to Tidus who blinked, then his eyes turned amber.

"Satsuka, it has been too long."

"Far too long." Then he looked at Kairi.

"You are . . . no. Not yet. You are not yet her little princess." Satsuka said fondly looking at Kairi. Kairi blinked.

"What?"

"Your . . . Your highness? Kai?!" A man said hesitantly, the group turned, inadvertently, they had forgotten about Vincent, up until this point. He stood there in disbelief, his gaze fixated upon Satsuka. But the minute he had said the word 'Kai', Sora shoved his way into consciousness and fell to his knees.

- Flashback -

"Saora!"

"Sarah. Come on, say it with me Kai." Sarah teased.

"Saora!"

"Kai!" Sarah cried in mock exasperation.

"Ha, ha. Saora and Vincy!!"

"Your highness . . ." Vincent said sweatdropping. "It is Vincent . . ."

"Vincy!!"

Sarah and Vincent sighed.

- End -

"Die Keyblade Wielder! And let your heart be swallowed by darkness!" Ansem suddenly broke in and aimed his sword for Sora's heart.

"Sora!"

KLANG!
Sparks met on sparks as blades collided. Sora blinked, no, both he and Satsuka blinked, they shared views as one at the moment, both struggling to control.

"If anyone will kill the Keyblade Wielder of Truth, it will be me. Not you, you sack of sideslipping ooze." Riku/Trey hissed. He stood in front of Sora, Keyblade held in firm position as it fended off Ansem's assault. Ansem was forced off, his eyes widened in shock. Riku glared.

"Now, if you're so eager to see blood, come at me!" He challenged his keyblade in the air, a pool of darkness gathering around his feet, and his eyes held a sort of feral look. Ansem glared, then responded by summoning his guardian.

"Very well, but why should I be the first to make a move? If you'll indulge me, I prefer it that you come at me." Ansem hissed, eyes glinting with malice.

'Let me handle this scum.' Trey whispered to Riku. Riku sighed.

'Just leave me a little bit okay? I owe this guy several beatings. THOROUGH beatings.' The silver haired teen grumbled releasing control. Trey stifled a chortle.

'As you wish.' The darkness around Riku's feet flared for a moment, black inky tendrils rising from the pool, and they wrapped themselves around Riku, before sliding off his form and settling into its pool again, but it seemed even blacker then before. Ansem sneered.

"Couldn't let that immature boy handle this?" He asked, voice laced with venom and scorn. Trey smirked, lips curling into a sneer.

"It's been so long since I've killed you, I thought I should get some more practice Espan." Trey hissed. "No matter what form you take, no matter what body you possess, you're still the same evil, sadistic, homicidal madman on the inside. Your soul will never change, stop trying to make it." Trey growled venomously. Ansem smirked.

"Figured it out finally have you?"

"I figured it out a long time ago."

"Say what?" Tidus demanded. "What the hell is going on here?"

'Espan . . . Espan . . . I don't like the sound of that name, it fills me with terror. . .' Coral whispered to Tidus. 'I know it's familiar . . . but I've only been awake for so long, my memories haven't fully returned.'

'It's okay man. We'll work it out, but on the other hand, these guys can sort out their differences, but right now I see a few people who need a little bit of help.' Tidus thought looking over at where Leon, Aeris and Cloud who were all had their hands full with the relentless horde of heartless. The creatures seemed to have discovered a multiplying trick somewhere because every time one vanished, two more popped up in its former ally's place. Tidus ran forward, and in one fluid motion, his hand reached for the sword on his back, pulling it out from his sheath, he jumped into the air and slammed the blade onto the head of a heartless, it vanished in a puff of inky black smoke. Only to reform into two.

'Uh . . . memo to me, chopping them does not work today.' Tidus thought sweatdropping as two shadows squirmed around him.

'Geez man . . . what gave it away?' Coral demanded.

---

'Trey. . .' Sora thought softly, looking at Riku as he and Ansem battled with words. Suddenly he shook his head. 'No! Not Trey! That's Riku! Riku who helped me! He's my friend!' Sora thought desperately.

'No! He IS Trey.' A voice insisted. 'He is the one who betrayed me, he will betray you as well! You cannot trust him!' Sora groaned and clutched his forehead with his hand. Ansem saw this from the corner of his eye, and suddenly his malevolent grin broadened. With a feral grin directed at Trey . . . he vanished in a wave of light.

"What the-?!" Trey yelped looking wildly around, only to see Ansem . . . no, Espan appear behind Sora. Sora spun around, which was hard to do from his position on the floor, his eyes widening he groped wildly for his keyblade.

"Get away from me!" Sora spat still trying to find his weapon. Espan's grin grew even wider as he placed his hands on Sora's shoulders and forced Sora's eyes to meet his, and suddenly Ansem's golden eyes were gleaming.

"He betrayed you Satsuka. Why not take revenge on him now?" Espan asked, weaving power into the words, the fool of a boy was so weak from self conflict that it would be easy to put him under again. Sora's eyes began to dull as his spirit started winning the fight for control.

"He will . . . die by . . . my sword alone." Sora's lips whispered as Satsuka fought to emerge. Trey's face twisted in pain. Gripping his keyblade tight, Trey set himself in attack position.

'Oh gods . . . I'm going to have to kill him again . . . oh gods no . . .' Trey thought feverishly as Satsuka, his one time best friend and rival now stood before him, his mortal enemy. Satsuka, in Sora's body, grabbed the keyblade and faced Trey, positioned to attack as Espan moved away smiling. Trey gritted his teeth.

'Suka . . . please . . . . if one day you find out . . . I hope in my heart you will somehow let me beg forgiveness . . .' Trey thought sincerely as Satsuka glared.

"It's time to die traitor." He hissed, and raising his keyblade, dashed forward at Trey, just as the wielder of darkness did at the same time, both ran at each other, weapons raised, Trey's face was twisted in fear, Satsuka's in anger. As they drew near, Satsuka's blade suddenly struck down, Trey braked and backed up one step raising his blade to block the blow, sparks flared as the blades met. Jumping away, Trey rushed Satsuka, blade at his side and poised to swing at the mid-section. Satsuka blocked the blow with ease, before spinning to his left striking a blow at Trey. Trey's sword rose speedily and deflected the blow, slightly, Satsuka's sword grazed off his arm, leaving a thin cut, blood dripped down his arm. Biting his bottom lip to concentrate, Trey swung his sword back with startling speed, Satsuka swerved to dodge it, and succeeded, barely. The sword grazed a cheek, leaving an equally thin cut that also let loose a few drops of blood. Satsuka glared.

"It ends now traitor." He hissed, and suddenly waves of light radiated from his form. They rose like smoky tendrils, vanishing into the air. Satsuka, raised his sword and slash down on empty air. A sudden whistling sounded, and in the silence that followed, that one split second of quiet, a wave of white came rushing at Trey, who was so stunned that he had not the mind to raise his sword to protect himself.

The white wave collided with Trey and a white explosion ensued. From the cloud of dust and fading white energy flew Trey's battered form, it collided into the wall behind him, causing spider cracks to shoot through the wall as Trey's form slid to the ground. Landing on his feet, he cursed as his suddenly weak legs forced him to drop to one knee. Panting harshly, a thin line of blood trailing from his lips, he was forced to look up when a silver blade was pressed beneath his chin.

"Too bad Trey. I always thought you had more potential then this." Satsuka whispered. His eyes glinting with malice, they didn't suit Sora's face at all, for Sora's eyes were always filled with kindness, hope and the prospect of adventure. Satsuka's eyes held only death and hate. Trey closed his eyes and dropped his weapon, acceptance of his fate.

'I'm sorry Satsuka, Magoto, Coral . . . I have failed you all.'

---

Tidus forced a heartless shadow off of him and glared at the assailant who got back to its feet and started dancing around again.

"Augh there's no end to these things!!" Tidus growled stomping on a shadow that attempted to attack him. A sudden bright flare of light and an explosion brought his gaze back to the area of where Riku and Sora had been along with Kairi and that stupid idiot bad guy. His jaw literally dropped to the ground.

"Riku! Get up! GET UP!" Tidus screamed as he dashed forward, intent on saving his friend, only to be forced back as shadows barred his path. Tidus growled.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU F---ING LITTLE PIECES OF SHT!!" Tidus screamed and swung his sword in an arc, slicing through all of them, in the one instant it took for them to regenerate, he dashed forward.

"That kid is reckless." Cloud commented as he thunder spells a few wyverns and then turned his attention to the annoying little floating sparkle things.

"Cloud behind!" Aeris cried fending off a Behemoth with Yuffie. Leon scowled as he jumping into the air and with his sword tip pointed down, aimed for the giant heartless's head.

"It's no good you idiots." A voice said mockingly. "They'll just keep regenerating, and sooner or later, you'll be against hundreds of them, millions." Sephiroth, from his corner in the room said, he was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"Thanks for the cheerful outlook!" Yuffie snapped at him sarcastically as she threw a star at a shadow splitting it in the middle. Sephiroth sneered.

"I was stating the truth."

"Can it goth boy!" Yuffie snarled at him as she hammered away at the Behemoth. Sephiroth shrugged.

"Alright then, oh, by the way girl. Behind." A sudden yelp of pain followed by a flurry of curses made Sephiroth's lips curl upwards into an almost visible smile.

---

Satsuka's face was grim.

"Die." He said softly and raised his sword, with a paused breath he suddenly swung his sword down on Trey's helpless form.

"NO!" A voice yelled, and with it came a burst of light. It stopped everyone in their tracks, a cry so full of anguish, yet hope. The light grew in waves, and the heartless, turning to the light, let out an unearthly shriek before being shredded to non-existent particles by the pure light. Leon gaped. Everyone, including Satsuka, Trey and a half panicked Tidus turned to the cry's source. Kairi. Or . . . it looked like Kairi.

"Magoto . . . ." Trey whispered his face paling as terror, shame and guilt washed over his visage. She smiled at him, her eyes had turned from blue to a resonating green, and her smile was kind. Walking up to Satsuka and Trey, she stepped between them and kneeled down in front of Trey's form. Placing her hands on both sides of his face, she looked him squarely in the eyes. Taking a deep breath, she held the sad smile in place.

"I've been thinking for the many years we've been reincarnated, every time we were reborn, and every time you destroyed us, you always cried. Even the first time." Trey's eyes widened.

"W-what do you mean?" He demanded, trying to make his voice arrogant and cold, but failing as it cracked. Magoto smiled.

"What cause did you do it for?" She asked softly. "Why did you kill us Trey?" Trey blinked surprised, his mouth opened in shock but no words came out, and then . . . an unexpected tear, just a single one, fell down his cheek.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." He stuttered.

"Why did you kill us? What was the reason?" Magoto repeated patiently, Satsuka blinked, Coral too stirred.

'What is Magoto talking about?' Coral whispered to Tidus, and the teen could tell his spirit was confused and perhaps . . . afraid. Trey winced, then averted her gaze.

"Trey . . . look at me." The command of Magoto's voice, forced the spirit to do so. When his eyes met hers, he couldn't help it. He blurted out the secret in a hoarse voice, a voice that sounded like it had been keeping back tears for a long time.

"Because if we had sealed the last world then we would have locked away all darkness! And light cannot live without darkness, if we had sealed the last world then . . . we would have destroyed the darkness and light together! And in doing so kill all of mankind's' hopes, dreams . . . our very souls! You would never have understood!" He cried, his eyes were filled with pain as every time he had murdered them and himself, every time he had been forced to kill his closest friends for the worlds, every incident, every terror, every single time he had killed Coral, Satsuka, Magoto and their carriers replayed in his head.

"Mankind cannot live without hope! They'd have no reason to go on! We'd have killed our worlds rather then save them!" He pleaded, anguish filling his every word. "It was the only way! And god how I wished it wasn't! I'm sorry Magoto. I'm sorry!" His gaze fell to the floor, eyes gleaming with shame, and tears that threatened to fall. "I'm sorry. . . Satsuka . . . Coral . . . I'm . . ." He trailed off, unable to finish. Satsuka openly gaped.

"Trey . . . you . . .? But . . . why didn't-? Why didn't you-?"

"Why didn't I tell you?" Trey demanded. "Because you idiot!! I KNOW you! You would have disagreed with it, you would have said it was all a lie and that we should try anyway!!" Satsuka opened his mouth in protest but Coral, who had just taken of Tidus interrupted.

"He's right Suka . . . you would have said that. And so would have I. As would have Magoto." Coral whispered softly. Satsuka blinked, then shut his mouth looking lost. Instead he spun around, his keyblade suddenly vanished. Trey, with the aid of Magoto got to his feet leaning on her. Trey thanked her softly, before looking at Satsuka.

"Satsuka . . ." Trey whispered.

"I told you not to call me that." Satsuka snapped. Then he sighed and looked at Trey, the spirit was startled to see tears formed at the corner of Satsuka's eyes. "I told you my friends call me Suka. Although I must've been the lousiest friend ever, I'm sorry for doubting you Trey." Satsuka said softly, his gaze averting Trey's. Trey stood stunned, before smiling sadly.

"No, I beat you in the lousiest friend category. Sorry Sat- . . . Suka." Trey whispered. Satsuka turned to look at him and grinned lightly.

"Friends again huh?"

"Yeah." Coral wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve sheepishly.

"Aw damn you guys . . . you're gonna make me cry." He said in a whiny voice. Trey chuckled as Satsuka shook his head smiling. Magoto smiled.

"We're a family again." She said smiling. "But I think it's time . . . we let our carriers back out." She suggested softly.

"Agreed." The other three said at once and relinquished hold. Kairi suddenly found herself supporting a Riku who winced in the sudden flow of pain, Tidus made a face at the snot on his sleeve and Sora blinked, looking around.

'I am sorry for taking over like that. Can you ever forgive my rudeness? I hope to become friends . . . trust is sort of needed for what we are.' A voice whispered in Sora's head. Sora blinked.

'Satsuka?'

'Yes.'

' . . . Meh, people do stuff they regret. You're forgiven.' Sora thought cheerfully. He could feel Satsuka smile.

'Thank you.'

'No problem.'

"C'mon guys, I want out of here." Tidus said running up, Sora, Riku and Kairi nodded.

"It'll be good to get things back to normal." She said looking at Tidus smiling, then she turned to Sora, her smile dropped like a rock and her eyes widened in fear.

"Sor-!!!" Sora blinked, then his eyes widened as pain sprouted in his back, suddenly blood welled up in his mouth and he choked it out as pain flared through his stomach.

" . . What . . . the . . .?" He whispered looking down, a sword had pierced straight through his belly, blood flecked the ground in spots. Riku and Tidus gaped in open shock.

"Sora!!" Kairi screamed. "Sora! Sora-!" Her voice slowly began to fade as he fell to his knees. With a rough jerk, the sword was yanked from his body, and Sora turned slowly, his eyes meeting golden cruel ones.

"Goodbye Satsuka, and goodbye little carrier Sora." Espan hissed, eyes glinting with malice. Then Sora's world went black.

Disclaimer: I do not own, SO LAY OFF! OC are mine, so is plot, that's it, now go away.