Chapter 2: Darkness Within

"Excellent." Malificent turned, "Follow me." Riku obeyed, but he was questioning himself. Why had he said yes? What was that feeling in his heart when she promised him power? He shook the questions out of his head and ran down the hallway, Malificent was in a room, a green glowing orb in the middle. "Here, look." Riku peered into the orb, and he saw a sort of green and black bat wing thing.
"What is it?" Riku felt confused. What was the importance of this bat wing? "The Souleater. A dangerous blade made of condensed darkness itself. It is aid to absorb the souls of the beasts slain by it, giving their power to it's wielder. Why don't you give it a try?" Riku looked at her then reluctantly reached into the green orb, and drew the sword from it. "Ok, now what?" Malificent smiled and hit the floor with her staff; A trap door opened under Riku. He fell about 10 feet, then landed perfectly on his feet. He seemed astonished. "How did I…..?" He stop talking and turned, he was face to face with a giant purple monster with a huge horn. Malificent's voice came from above,
"It's name his Behemoth, don't worry about killing it, we can regenerate another. He's one of are guards, we're hoping he'll be trained enough to hope us protect the final key hole while we collect the princess of heart, but I'll explain that later. Good Luck!" Riku looked back at Behemoth.
"You ugly lump, lets see what you got!" He put his blade on his shoulder and put up his hand, provoking Behemoth to charge. The purple beast put it's horn down and ran towards him. Riku stood stationary. The beast picked up speed, just a few meters form him now. Riku smiled, then sprung up, grabbed the horn, and swung on it's back. The sword had made a surge in his power, and he felt invincible. He drove the sword into the beast's thick back, tearing through it's strong muscle, and eventually hitting what he believed to be bone. He twisted his sword, and the beast fell. He had snapped it's neck with one thrust, he jumped off the now lump of purple heaped on the ground. A dark glowing ball flew out of it's mouth, and hit Riku's sword. He felt the surge grow stronger, and his power was growing.
"Very good, Very, very good!" Malificent came from the shadows. "you have proven yourself worthy Riku, worthy to control the shadows. The moving shadows of night; The Heartless!" Riku smiled "I'm am honored Malificent, honored." Riku knelt before her, she raised her staff.
"I give you the power of darkness, all who fight from the shadows will be yours to control. Now, rise soldier of darkness, rise and go devour the planets of our galaxy in shadow"
"Thank you Malificent." He stood up and held the blade to her.
"No, you have proved yourself to me, you may keep the sword." Riku nodded then turned and walked away. "Wait, don't you want to rest after that fight?" Malificent was shocked at his ability to take out Behemoth so quickly, but she didn't show it directly.
"A little" Riku turned back to her, she walked down a side hallway.
"Follow, I'll show you to your room." Riku did as he was told and they came on a large wooden door. "You may rest here, all of your things have out transported here by our messenger heartless, so don't worry about that.
"Thanks" Riku opened the large door and walked in. It was a elegantly furnished room. Oak headboard on the bed, and black silk curtains. A white oak bureau, and a crystal mirror. "Nice room, interesting," he rolled his shoulders and put his sword on the bureau. He sat on his bed, his shoulders against the headboard. He wasn't tired, but he soon fell into a deep sound sleep. "He was falling, it was dark, but not regular dark. The blackness seemed almost solid, but it wisped by him like water. He hit the ground hard, but it wasn't ground exactly. It was dark everywhere, and he felt like he was floating on a pool of black abyss.
"Hello Riku!" The voice was deep and solid.
"Whose there?" Riku was holding his sword in his left hand and it was raised in fighting pose.
"Oh, I'm sorry for introducing myself." A man stepped out of nowhere it seemed. He was tall, he had long silver hair and a black and red heart was tattooed on his bare chest. "I am the scientist who discovered the heartless, I am Ansem." He bowed, smiling a horrific smile.
"And why are you here?" Ansem's smile broadened.
"I want your soul, and your power, and you will give it, or I will take it, forcefully"
Riku smiled "Take it? You try, and I will rip off that black heart on your chest, then take the black heart that's probably behind it." Riku put his sword up, and smiled.
"As you wish, you are a fool, but I can accommodate you." Ansem drew a double edge spear with silver to pronged blades on each end of it. Riku charged, but Ansem sidestep him easily. Riku fell foreword with his own momentum and flipped over, rolling to his feet. Ansem was gone.
"Show yourself, NOW"
"As you wish" Ansem flew at him stabbing with his spear rapidly. Riku blocked several, but Ansem was too fast. The spear pierced Riku's chest. As it drove deeper, blood ran down the handle, and the cracking of Riku's ribs was heard distinctly. Soon there was a bright silver light, and Riku was blinded momentarily. When the light faded, Riku stood alone; He felt his chest, nothing; He looked around, no one.
"Where are you?" Riku turned in all directions, he saw nothing but blackness.
"I'm here!" Riku turned quickly, nothing. "Haha, you are a fool. Hahaha" Ansem's laugh echoed through his ears as Riku sat up in his bed, sweating bullets and pale. He got up and looked at the mirror. He saw Ansem's face in the reflection, smirking at him. Riku fell backwards, stuttering.
"N…..no, I….it….can't,..b..b..be"