Riku continued to run from the spot where he slipped. He kept on running away from the defeat he hated. Even with the darkness on his side he couldn't defeat Sora and his two sidekicks. He kept running until his breathing was starting to get heavy and he took a break.

The Keyblade had abandoned him after Sora had given his speech. While Riku was furious from his humiliation, he was also a little curious. He had discovered from the evil witch Maleficent that he was the rightful wielder of the Keyblade that had resides with in Sora's grasp, and only the Keyblade can unlock the secret door that could save Kairi's heart.

"Why? It was mine." Asked the puzzled teen out loud. A deep voice from behind Riku had responded to Riku's question.

"Know this. The heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade." The voice belonged to a ghostly figure that was covered in a brown cloak that had a hood covering his face. Riku asked the glowing figure with an accused tone

"What? You're saying my heart's weaker than his?" The hooded figure merely nodded to the swordsman question and responded with a tone that sounded like he was a teacher teaching a student.

"For that instant, it was. However, you can become stronger. You showed no fear in stepping through the door to darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunger deeper into the darkness and your heart will grow even stronger." Riku struggled with the answer. He didn't seem to understand this mans attentions. Whoever he was he seemed to know what he was talking about (maybe he can be trusted) he thought.

"What should I do?" asked the platinum haired teen.

"It's really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being, become darkness itself." Riku seemed pleased with the answer. (If I have to submit to the darkness to protect Kairi and get revenge on Sora then I'll do it.)

Riku called forth the darkness to enter his body, his heart, and his soul. A green aura surrounded Riku and the hooded man floated towards Riku and merged with him. In an instant Riku's wounds had immediately healed and his Heartless uniform had returned looking brand new like it was never in a battle. Riku could feel the dark power flowing through his veins and yet he felt something else. Something that was deeper within his heart.

"Do not be alarmed." Spoke a voice. Riku jumped backed and looked around and then he figured that it came from within his head.

"Who are you?"

"It is I the one who gave you the power you wanted so much." Riku then figured who it was he was speaking to.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness." The separate entity stated.

Riku gasped from the answer.

"The famous researcher? The one that created the reports about the Heartless?"

"Yes. I have become apart of you. It was the price for wanting this power. Do you except it?" But Ansem had already known that there was no way Riku was going to deny this power now that it had seduced him. He could live with another voice in his head.

"Good. Now Riku I'm going to merge my power with you. So we shall become one and defeat the Keyblade Master, and open the Final Keyhole, but first we need a new weapon. Soul Eater is a magnificent sword, but we need something else to even out the playing field. Not to worry I have a plan." Then Riku walked to the door leading to the Grand Hall and looked over to the six capsules holding the six princesses. Riku stretched out his hand and summoned the six hearts to his being. Then he casually strolled up the steps over to where Maleficent was standing in front of the giant heartless shaped keyhole. He looked over to the witch and Riku gave out a mental gasp. He could see the darkness surrounding Maleficent's heart. He couldn't believe that she couldn't feel the darkness slowly eating away her heart.

"Yes it seems she's a puppet to the Heartless, but do not fear for we are too strong to be swallowed from their grasp." Riku didn't even have the slightest feel of worry. Nothing could touch him now that he had this new power flowing through him. He decided to let the witch know he was present at committing about the keyhole.

"So, I see the path has emerged at last." It was strange how his came out. It was Riku's voice, but at the same time it was a different voice speaking to the witch at the same time. And the words, he didn't plan on speaking those words to her. It seemed that Ansem had more or less control of their actions and body movements. It didn't matter to him. As long as he had this power, and Kairi was saved he could care less.

"Yes. The Keyhole to the darkness."

Maleficent answered with a cool voice as if nothing was different, but deep down she knew that something was different with the boy. She could feel his presence of darkness right when he came through the hall's door. It was Riku, but at the same time it wasn't. It took her a second to figure out who had possessed him, but then she recognized Ansem's darkness flowing within Riku's heart. She was surprised under her calm mask to discover the purpose that Ansem had kept Riku, but it didn't matter for soon she would have ultimate power.

"Unlock it and the Heartless will overrun this world." Riku stated.

"What do I care? The darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use its power to rule all worlds." Riku chuckled with amusement at the sorceress's answer. (What a fool) he thought.

"Such confidence." Then Riku stretched out his right hand again and concentrated on the princess's hearts that he had captured and used his dark powers to shape the six hearts into a solid form and called forth a black Keyblade with a red handle guard surrounding it. He clasped the dark looking weapon with his right hand. Maleficent's eyes turned big when looking upon the new key that had been created in front of her eyes.

"Oh! Impossible! The princesses of heart are all here!" The witch turned her head towards Kairi's ice cold body lying on the center of the floor.

"It must be her." Spoke the witch. Riku turned his head toward the sleeping girl and stated

"Without her heart, she will never be able to release her power." Then a screeching sound was heard from outside the room that caused the two villains to turn their heads to the entrance.

"The king's fools are here. I'll deal with them myself. You stay here and guard the princesses." Maleficent walked down the steps and headed to the door while Riku watched her like she was a prey about to be killed.

"She maybe a mere puppet of the Heartless, but she maybe a useful puppet to wound the Keyblade master." Spoke the possessed teen as he summoned a portal of darkness and disappeared.

Riku watched the fight of Maleficent against the Trinity and Beast with amusement. It seemed the witch was beaten and disappeared through a portal to a different room entirely. Riku had followed her and appeared behind her with fake concern.

"Do you want some help?"

"Riku." The dark warrior turned in response to the person calling his name. Behind him stood Sora, with his two companions and the Beast ready to finish Maleficent off. Donald looked down at the dark Keyblade that was in his grasp with shock.

"Is that-"

"Yes. A Keyblade. But unlike yours, this Keyblade holds the power to unlock people's hearts. Allow me to demonstrate..." (Time to make yourself useful witch) though Riku. He turned around towards Maleficent with speed that made his previous moves look like a joke. "Behold!" he shouted as he stabbed Maleficent in the heart.

"Wha-"Stuttered the witch as darkness poured out of her chest.

"Now, open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!" Then he turned around towards the group and gave them a chilling smile as the darkness surrounded Maleficent.

"Riku!" Bellowed out Sora as he disappeared through a portal. He knew that wasn't his friend. Something changed in his friend from a few hours ago when they last fought. His suit was all patched up and his wounds were healed like he never had any. The thing that scared Sora the most was Riku's voice. He could hears his former best friends voice, but at the same time he could hear something else a voice that sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't think about it now as the black dragon came attacking head on at Sora with it's greenish flames.

Next chapter: Riku's Revenge

"It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness."

"Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!"