Chapter 15

The thing was dark as night itself, placing a dark hand it appeared over Sora's mouth, hiding a scream from the young boy. He struggled as he kicked the thing, finally pushing it off him. Finally, a battle. He thought as he grabbed his Keyblade. He got into his signature battle stance, but as he tried hitting the creature, his Keyblade disappeared in thin air. It can't be! I can't lose my weapon! He thought as he looked around, getting knocked off the balcony by the creature, landing in the shallow water of the Alley connecting to the passage that led to the Secret Waterway.

Sora hit his head against the edge he fell onto. It dazed him slightly, making him lose sight for a minute, just enough for the creature that was attacking him to make a large gash against his face, cutting his cheek. The creature disappeared into the night, as if Sora only imagined it. He was weak as the blood spurted out of his cheek, making him unable to move as he tilted his head with his eyes open, the water rushing to his eyes as two people ran onto the balcony ahead.

"Where's Sora! What was that noise!" Riku asked immediately, not even glancing below the balcony as he looked at Serena with a half asleep look. Serena laughed and shook her head as she looked at Riku.

"Go back to bed, you were imagining things again. Now go on, and don't let the spiders get you." she joked as she made a hand gesture for him to go back to the entry of the hotel room.

"Right, those.. Spiders.. Will pay..." he said sleepily as he trotted back to the couch to go asleep. Serena laughed as she looked below as she caught a glimpse of red. She gasped as she ran through the Hotel and into the Second District, finding the secret passage to the Alley.

"Sora! What did you do to yourself!" she asked as she looked at him. He was slightly bruised she saw, but most of the damage was healing. She noticed the deep gash and knew it was a battle. She dragged him out of the water as she made sure he was breathing. "At least whatever attacked you didn't harm you critically. Better lock the doors next time..." she muttered as she dragged him back to the Hotel.

The following morning Riku asked if he dreamed the whole event. "No Riku, it was real. At least he wasn't really hurt. Now we have to wait until sundown in order to actually go anywhere. Maybe we can figure out why Aerith was so frightened. It's not like her to get so scared." Serena said as she sipped her coffee.

"But, I have the Keyblade. I found it next to my bed when I woke up! How did that get there though? Maybe.. Maybe you were right? Maybe I do have to be the new Keybearer seeing as the old one is to lost in Darkness now. I wonder why I never got it sooner." Riku muttered, stirring his coffee and looking at Donald and Goofy who insisted on sleeping in.

"Hm, I don't really know. Ansem never told me about the Keyblade really. He only told me prophecies and about how you all were. I can't understand why he never talked about the Keyblade, seeing as it holds so much power." she replied, examining the object that Riku held. She heard a thud, almost laughing out loud, figuring Sora fell out of bed again. "That boy moves around to much in his sleep. I'm not even bothering to go fix him again. Might as well not disturb the vampire. They can be cranky..." she warned, remembering how he hissed loudly when she didn't get there fast enough to close the curtains.

"Yeah, the Keyblade is a very mighty weapon. Used to lock... locks and everything else. Along with destroying Heartless. I figure because I'm Light now, the Keyblade wants me to be it's new owner. But, oh well. And yes, best to leave the young one alone." Riku agreed, putting away the weapon and getting up to go turn the TV on. Serena sighed as she put the cups away and looked out the window. She saw a trace of black and movement, so similar to her, but she dismissed it and went on with her day, trying to make it as normal as possibly.

"Sora! Finally you woke up you lazy boy!" Serena said as she looked at the boy. He waved a hand as he plopped on the couch, examining his scar.

"What happened last night? I can't remember anything but falling off the balcony... oh well. Hey.. Has anyone seen the Keyblade anywhere? I can't find it, I've been searching all night." he said, his red eyes darting across the room as he watched a spider on the wall.

"About that... it... it returned to me Sora. I guess the Keyblade can't be in your hands as it thinks of you as evil since you are King of Darkness after all." Riku stated as he looked cautiously at Sora, afraid he might have an outburst, but was surprised by his reaction.

"Really? Cool. Now I don't have to be all... heroic anymore. It's your job now Riku. And don't remind me that I'm King... it's not a very nice feeling to know you rule all Evil." he said as he narrowed his eyes on the spider. He jumped up and snatched the small spider, examining it before he squished it with his bare hands.

"Seriously Sora, that is gross..." Serena said, wrinkling her face in disgust. Sora smirked and held some of it's guts in front of her face.

"Want some? Tastes good, come on.. Try it!" he said mockingly as he watched her scream and jump off the couch. He laughed as he wiped the guts on the couch, getting up. "Come on, we should leave now. Nothing to do here..." he said as he walked out the Hotel room and into the Second District.

"He seems more than pleased to not be a hero anymore..." Riku said absent mindedly as he dismissed the fact that Serena fell off the couch. He looked at the door in worry, having a sense something wasn't right.

"Well he is Dark and all Riku. And that was very nice of you for helping me up!" Serena snapped, getting up and shivering at the thought of the spider. "I loath spiders. Those things are gross and deserve to die..."

"But Riku didn't do anything to help you..." Goofy said as Serena laughed hard. Donald smacked him upside the head.

"Dummy! It was sarcasm you doofus!" Donald quacked getting up and shaking his head. Serena laughed harder as she looked at Goofy's confused face.

"Poor Goofy... anyway. We should be going Riku. Don't lose yourself into Thinking!" Serena warned jokingly as she got up and followed Sora, but was confused to find him not in the Hotel Lobby, nor anywhere else in the Second or First District for that matter. The gang followed after searching the Third District and finding not a trace of the young vampire. "Where could he be? Why would he run off like that?" Serena asked looking at Riku.

"I'm not sure, but I have a feeling something isn't right. Nothing at all could be right... he seemed cheery in the Hotel, but I know it's a lie, I have a feeling he left us for our safety. He knows something we don't, I can feel it..." Riku whispered as a faint breeze blew past, sending an eerie feeling into Serena as she looked at the World Exit doors with sadness in her eyes.

Sora landed the Gummi Ship he "borrowed" at the World Entrance. He arrived back at Twilight Town, with a sick feeling in his stomach. He could sense something wasn't right in this town. And his premonition was right. He saw Marluxia running up to him, bowing as he entered the world.

"My King! Something is terribly wrong!" she said with a panic look in her eyes. Sora scowled as she called him "My King". He looked at her with an intense glare in her eyes.

"I don't want to be called King, Lord, or Majesty. Is that clear! Nor your Highness! I won't have it. Now what is the problem?" he asked as he looked around the empty place, sensing the trace of either Howler's or Heartless.

"The Howler's, Sora. They ran through here, five packs of them. I couldn't save any of the other members of the Order. They are long gone, I'm the only survivor of the whole attack. We were ambushed! Nothing we could do..." she went on. Sora stopped her as he pointed ahead, drawing the Kantana sword he "borrowed' from the Weapon Shop in Traverse Town. He stabbed Marluxia in the back with a smile.

"Not the only survivor anymore. I have a feeling you are a traitor, I also have a feeling it was your fault this place was ambushed by Howler's. If my feelings are right, you certainly deserve this death. Enjoy your afterlife in Hell Marluxia." Sora said with a grin as he took out the sword and walked toward the over towering building. Die with Honor was written on the Kantana blade. He also "borrowed" a long black cloak, the ones the members of the Order wore. He smiled as he stepped forward the place where he would last step.

He walked to the roof of the building, hearing the Howler's approaching, along with every other species of Heartless as the bowed. They weren't very intelligent, but they could sense what was happening. Sora dismissed the bowing as he looked around at the roof. Everything was so silent, he could hear a ship arriving at the world, knowing who it could be. He sighed as he finally grabbed the Kantana word as he remembered something he knew. Noone can save you now... you're doomed if you ever killed yourself again... He nodded, knowing what he needed to do. He looked at the Heartless creatures, looking as if they were hoping they could find their Light again.

Sora heard the World Entry doors open as his friends looked in confusion at the bowing Heartless. They didn't attack them, which confused them even more. Serena was the first to see what was happening.

"Sora!" she screamed as she tried pushing through the crowds of Heartless, but they stood like a chain, blocking them from reaching Sora. It would take to much for Riku to fight his way through, and Sora knew it.

"Serena, we're too late..." Riku whispered as he looked up and stopped Serena from hitting her way through the Heartless.

"No... Sora..." she whispered as she cried, looking up at him and mouthing a Don't do it to him. She watched as she would if they were at a firework show, watching the fireworks shooting into the air. But this was no firework show, it was a death show.

Sora smiled, knowing noone could stop him. He aimed the long Kantana and whispered one last I'm sorry as he had flashes of all the happy times with his friends and all the bad times as he struck himself in the chest with the Kantana, spinning around as he fell backward off the building. Serena looked away as she cried even harder as he fell off the building. Riku could make out, even from the distance they were, a faint smile on Sora's fast as he hung his head, bowing along with the Heartless. There was a loud crash as he hit the pavement. Once he hit a sense of rend grief spread through the crowd of Heartless. Every single Heartless returned to a human being, ones with normal lives. Riku and Serena looked on with tears staining their eyes as they watched the happiness that filled everyone's soul. Sora's body disappeared into a dark mist. There was no sign of Darkness.

Every human left Twilight Town except for Riku, Serena, Donald, and Goofy. Serena rushed over to where he laid, hoping that he'd come back. She felt a tap on her shoulder as she turned around and saw a little boy who looked about the age of twelve.

"I'm sorry Serena, but it had to be done. I told you you'd see me as a different person. I'm allowed one last goodbye." the boy whispered as he gave Serena a tight hug, tears streaming down his face that filled his sapphire blue eyes.

"Sora... no... I don't want you to goo..." she whispered as she held onto the little boy who was smiling. He let go and looked at Serena.

"Don't worry, I'll always be in your heart. Remember Serena, I won't forget you." he said as he waved good bye and walked away and disappeared. Serena cried as she watched the boy she cared for and thought would never kill himself again. She waved back as she clutched her heart and whispered.

"You are never coming home, never coming home..."