Sora and Kairi sat next to a wood fire staring out at the sea in silence. The orange, hot flames flickered- licking at the sky almost as if trying to taste the stars. It was about twelve by Sora's estimations, or though he couldn't be sure. Neither of them spoke- afraid of what might come of a conversation in this dark desolate place. Nothing but the ocean made a noise, galoshing against the sand on the beach. Eventually it got too dark and too tiresome to stay awake and shortly Sora fell into a deep slumber on the cooling sand.

'Exiled! Exiled!' a spiky red-haired man dressed in black robes muttered as he walked down the dark spiralling stairs and into the gloom. Sora watched, hovering over his dream that seemed so real.

'Exiled like that buffoon! Disgraced on my search for truth? If only Master Marluxia was here… he'd take care of those lying, evil scheming monsters! Organization indeed!'

'What are you talking about?' Sora asked the man, but he appeared not to hear him and kept walking and mumbling, mumbling and walking.

'Marluxia can't be Dead! He can't. Without him it will be impossible to find Kairi!'

'What about Kairi?' Sora yelled beginning to see where this dream was going. The man finally arrived at the bottom of the stairs and tugged open a small creaky wooden door. He entered and Sora followed, finding himself in what looked like a cramped underground laboratory of some sorts. The man headed for his desk which sat square in the middle of the room, but stopped. Another sat in the red-heads chair, hooded and robed in the same clothes as he.

'If you're here to eliminate me for the Organization, don't bother. No one can beat me.' The hooded entity just chuckled, 'Hey don't you laugh at me…' but he stopped recognising the other man's voice, '…Marluxia?'

The hooded one lowered his hood revealing himself to indeed be the man Axel had been muttering about on his way down the stairs.

'Master! I apologise. The Organization- Twain he exiled…' he was shushed by Marluxia with a tiny hand gesture,

'Axel.' Marluxia said addressing the man, 'Do not apologise, anger is good. You must fuel it. Build a purpose for your rage.'

'Yes Master. But where have you been for the past year?' Axel enquired. Sora watched still, increasingly confused,

'About.' The man replied simply, 'I have been searching for a way into the island world.'

'Into?'

'Yes, after the banishment of… well you know who, I did some research and discovered he was right. Destiny Islands is not of this world. It is a pocket world. A world which I have been trying to find an entrance into.'

'You believed that lunatic master? You do no what he accused you of?'

Marluxia smiled,

'Humour me. What do you think he said that was so wrong?'

Axel stumbled, 'Well, Master he accused you of evil! He told everyone you wanted his daughter so you could exploit Kingdom Hearts for your own dark means- actually he accused you of everything that the order has become in your absence, that's why I was exiled- for standing up for the original morals of the Organization.'

'Hmm…' Marluxia began, 'You're still as innocent as you were during our last meeting Axel.'

'What do you mean master?'

'I mean, Axel that everything I was accused of was true.'

'What?'

'Don't you see my boy, that there is so much more power to be had if we use kingdom hearts darkness?'

'You… you betrayed me?'

'Ha. Think of it not as a betrayal, but more of a…change of heart. You are still welcome to share in the spoils Axel.'

Axel gave a bitter laugh,

'I thought you were a hero Marluxia, but you're just as bad as Twain and the others. Goodbye master.' He held out his arms and with a poof of red flame summoned to circular fighting blades into his fists,

'If this is how it must be,' Marluxia drew his Scythe from the holster on his back, 'Then goodbye old friend.'

Sora awoke with a start, sweating buckets. It was still dark. He stood up and watched Kairi sleeping peacefully across from him behind the ashes of the dyeing fire.

'Oh kai…' he whispered sitting down beside her, 'who are you really?'

He stayed with her until the sun rose.