Chapter 13

"Such a shame the boy had to die.. He would've made a fantastic Dark King..." Ansem said, trying to hide his smile from Riku. The young man saw what he was hiding and stop up, glaring at the evil figure in front of him.

"You did this to Sora didn't you?" Riku asked, searching Ansem's golden eyes. The man put an innocent face on for Riku, pretending he didn't know.

"I- he.." Ansem started, stuttering his words. Riku knew he was lying by his eyes and by his voice as it cracked.

"DIDN'T YOU!" Riku screamed, tears going in his eyes. It would be worse if Sora did kill himself, but Ansem killing him... it was terrible. Dying at the hands of the Darkest creature... it was asking to be killed. But did Sora ask to be killed? Was he sending Riku a message that it wasn't Ansem's fault, but it was Sora's own for asking a death?

"Yes, I did. But... he asked for a final fight... but I don't even understand the boy... he was supposed to be the ruler of Darkness... but why? Why throw that away?" Ansem asked as he looked at Sora's body, looking on with a trace of sadness himself. Riku kept staring at Ansem, understanding that even the most evil man could be sad for Sora.

"You would never understand. Neither of you. I understand the boy. But why Ansem! Why actually take that challenge of one last battle!" came a scream from behind them. It was Serena, starting to cry while running down the stairs toward Sora's own body, looking at him and back at Ansem. "Why Ansem! So you could actually feel powerful for winning? Winning isn't important! His life hung in that balance, but no! You dismissed that, think you wouldn't hurt him! But look Ansem! You did!" she added as she stood up, hiding something behind her back.

"Serena... listen to me! You don't understand!" Ansem pleaded, walking forward to the enraged woman.

"I understand completely! And you know what Ansem! You deserve to die, not Sora!" she yelled as she shoved a scythe into Ansem's chest as she let go, blood on her hands. "It's only fair Ansem... it was your life that was supposed to be taken, not Sora's" she whispered as she backed away from Ansem. Riku looked at Serena, then back at the dying man with a smile.

Ansem's Darkness inside bursted out. It was in the form of a mighty dragon, showing how much of his heart was consumed. It turned out, his whole heart was eclipsed in Darkness. Serena looked on as she saw Ansem fall to the floor, his body evaporating.

"Serena.. How come Ansem's body is gone and his Darkness came out.. But not Sora's!" Riku asked as he looked at where Ansem once stood and to where Sora was lying still.

"I'm not sure Riku... maybe he's only knocked out for the moment... we can only hope..." she replied as she bent down to where Sora was and tried to find a pulse, or to at least hear the faint sound of a heartbeat. "No pulse, no heartbeat... but why isn't he gone? Why is he still here?" she asked herself as she looked around the room and back down again. "He might not be dead... nor alive. But he was already unliving, undead... but he was staked in the heart.. It pierced him! I saw the whole thing!" she said aloud, confused in many ways, trying to find the source of why Sora was still here.

"Maybe he has a purpose? Not his time to go? Maybe he's trying to find his way back? But Ansem disappeared immediately..." Riku suggested as he looked at Serena who still was puzzled.

"It was Ansem's time, he no longer held a purpose. But this boy, I think he might be fighting... I had a long conversation with him. He wants to go... but why would he want to? I couldn't get that answer. Wait... how did he become a vampire Riku?" Serena asked as she stood up and waved a hand, making a small table and book appear. "Come on now, we don't have all night. He might leave any second now." she added.

"Something about a Dark Gem.. The details aren't very clear to me.. Donald! Do you remember?" Riku asked the duck, looking behind him, almost forgetting they were even in the room.

"Yes of course. Sora's friend Elric placed a Dark Gem inside him, thinking it was a Healing Gem. He was attacked by a Howler after the Gem was placed, so Elric had to seal Sora's heart, along with the gem. I think the gem still resides in him, if I'm not mistaken." Donald quacked as he looked at Serena's book.

"Thank you... duck... now. It says in this book that if a Dark Gem is held inside the heart, nothing can penetrate it unless it becomes unlocked or unsealed, much like a lock. And Sora, being the keybearer, would have the power to unlock it. But he's a vampire... the Darkblade and any other weapon penetrating the heart, would penetrate the Gem's power. Most likely, he's only in a coma-like state. We just have to hope he comes out of it. But he might not... I'm not too sure. We should get out of here. I believe the Heartless will invade, seeing as there is no leader. I'll see what I can do for now... I might not be able to do much here. If I can't make it out, I'll find a way to contact you. No leave! I don't want you to get caught in the swarm of Heartless!" Serena demanded, pushing them out. "Don't worry, I have advanced magic knowledge, he'll be safe, no go!" she added as she slammed the door.

Riku ran out of the Castle Gates to the Rising Falls, waiting on Serena to come. He tapped his foot after minutes went by, worrying if she was injured, or worse, dead.

"Maybe she's hurt? I should go help her... it shouldn't take... eighteen minutes!" he said as he paced back and forth looking up every few seconds to see if she's arrived.

"Riku... it's only been four minutes. Now don't worry yourself. There won't be another death here. Don't get bipolar on us kid." Donald said with a laugh. Riku nodded as he calmed down a bit, still a bit paranoid. "I wonder what she's up to. Maybe she knows a way to get him back..." he whispered as he looked up at Hollow Bastion.

"I wonder if this will actually work.. If not, I'm afraid I'll just have to carry you down, careful of the Heartless things. But seeing as Ansem is gone, you'd be the rightful King. No harm would come to you if you're still alive... and why must I talk to myself! I swear I'm going mental..." Serena said aloud, walking about as she looked over her spell book. "This should do it. I just have to try and place in more Dark magic inside that gem... but that means.. I need my wand... now where did I put that piece of wood? Ah! Right in front of me.." she said, talking to herself once more as she looked at the still unconscious Sora laying on the ground. "I could imagine this will hurt..." she said as she drove her wand in his chest, saying an incantation.

She smiled as she could hear the faint click as the Gem was powered with magic once more. She looked at the boy, hoping any progress was made, but he still laid stiff on the floor. Serena gave a sigh as she removed the wand and threw it behind her. "That really worked. Wait.. It did!" she gasped aloud as she saw the slightest movement. She clapped her hands happily as she grabbed her wand and made a flick of her wrist, sending her equipment back to where they belonged. She pocketed the wand and carried Sora down to the Rising Falls.

"I think I see her!" Riku exclaimed as he hopped off the rock he was sitting on and saw Serena practically running as the Heartless gathered and ran after them. She ran up to Riku.

"Come on let's go! He weighs a ton! Now hurry they're coming!" Serena yelled as she motioned for them to get the Gummi Ship and leave as fast as they could. They climbed aboard while Serena carried Sora to a bunk and walked back in and sighed as she sat in a small seat. "With all that running and fighting you'd think the boy would weigh less!" she exclaimed as she sat back in her seat.

"Sora weigh too much for you weakling? Don't blame you. Every time he sprained his ankle back at our home world, I'd have to carry him from the Island all the way to our boats and then I had to row back to the hometown, carrying him back to his house. So I completely understand. What did you do I might ask?" Riku replied with a laugh.

"I did a little magic. And the duck, he's a Mage isn't he? And the dog, he's a Knight? I should've known when I laid eyes on them. Anyway, I'm skilled in magic, I'm a Sorceress in fact. One reason why Ansem wanted me to follow him in Darkness. And yes, I did lie to you about the prophecy, Ansem's was right. Also, I don't work for King Mickey, sorry I had to lie. But I wanted to gain your trust. Anyway, I did a difficult incantation by refilling the Dark Gem in his heart with Dark Essence. He should be awake soon. He did move a bit in the Hall. I heard the Heartless right when he moved. Obviously they think he's the new King. So we might have a slight problem." she replied, taking a deep breath after her ramble.

"That would explain it. And slight? I think that's a major problem! The Heartless will surely be on our tails! They may not be the smartest creatures, but they know who's their King and if someone's trying to take them away. Just hope more Heartless won't invade. Then we'll be in deep sh-" Riku went on but was interrupted by a thud in the back of the Gummi Ship. "Goofy! Go see what's going on back there! It might be a Heartless for all we know." he yelled, steering the ship as Serena aimed the laser beam.

"It better not be an invasion. If it is, I'll be very angry. Noone likes me when I'm angry..." Serena warned as she gritted her teeth and scanned out the window, hitting anything in her path.

"Ahyuck, it was only Sora. He fell out his bed." Goofy responded as he walked back in and sat down. Donald looked at him and squinted.

"Well, did you put him back in his bed?" Donald asked as he looked at Goofy, sure of the answer.

"No, was I supposed to do that?" came the response as Serena and Riku laughed.

"You seriously just left him there? You dimwit!" Serena said laughing. "Go pick him up and put him back on his bed. Better yet, Donald go do that. We can't trust Goofy on anything, no offense." she added as she went back to aiming the laser beam. Donald went back there and came back, a second later with an odd look in his eyes.

"Donald, what's wrong? What happened back there?" Riku asked as he looked behind him and back to the front view.

"He... he doesn't seem too happy... not about him falling out... but, he just snarled at me in a 'go away' tone. I'm not sure you want to go back there. He's not very pleasant. Serena, maybe you put too much Essence in the gem.." Donald went on as he stared in front of him, as if he went crazy. She looked at Riku and he nodded for her to go back there. She stepped down the hall as she opened the small cabin door.

"Sora? Sora!" she screamed as she looked at him...