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"Sora! SORA!" Kairi screamed as the two Keybearers disappeared without a trace as soon as they clashed.

"Relax Kairi." Axel soothed, "Roxas is trying to bring Sora back to his senses. I hope he is successful, for Sora's sake"

"What'll happen if he fails?"

Riku stared into space and murmured with head bowed,

"Then Roxas will have no choice but to fulfill his duties as the Bearer of Light. He will have to….destroy the Darkness."

"But that means—"

"Yes." The older boy shed a small tear, "We'll…..lose Sora completely."

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Roxas was hard-pressed and surprised at the power of Darkness was this strong in his lighthearted Other. He barely kept Sora at bay with what appeared to be to him pure luck. Roxas did not really want to hurt his Somebody by dual-wielding, so the blond Nobody played offensively, mostly defending himself from the raging hero with the Oathkeeper while attacking with the Oblivion. Sora snarled and kept raining blows down on the white blade with the powerful Ultima Weapon, clearly intending to slaughter his other half with the pointed blade.

Even so, Roxas knew that there was still hope for his Somebody. Each time Sora could have ended him, the Keybearer hesitated. On top of that, Sora was slower and more clumsy than normal. Knowing his Other, this was a bit unsettling for Roxas.

"What's the Matter Sora?" the Nobody taunted lightly, "I could have finished you off ten times already! Where is that spark? You know the thing that allowed you to BEAT ME LAST TIME?"

Sora growled and nearly chopped Roxas in half, his rage unfounded and his eyes green with Malefiscent's evil tint.

"I don't know who or what you are BUT I WILL DESTROY YOU!"

Roxas reluctantly whacked his attacker HARD, sending Sora head over heals. The two clashed blades again and sparks flew as the raging fight continued.

"Sora do you remember why I'm here at ALL? Do you remember HOW I came into being? HOW I was BORN?"

Maleficent's voice cut through the Keybearer's response as she hissed mentally, her voice slicing his very will as she fought for control over the hero's heart.

Sora hear me! Pay no heed to this Nothing being! He speaks nonsense and all he has accomplished is successfully isolating you from your friends. They suffer while you dawdle here—FINISH HIM!

"Shut up witch!" Roxas hollered dodging another three Strike Raids and throwing one of his own. His charge was met as he felt the Ultima slice into his chest, Sora's laugh overlapping Maleficent's evil cackle as the Weapon came away smeared with blood.

Roxas grit his teeth, THAT DOES IT! I hoped I wouldn't have to stoop so low as to bring HER into things but it looks like I have NO CHOICE!

"I guess Kairi gave her heart to the wrong person. She SHOULD have given it to RIKU!"

Instantly, Sora stood down, his head swimming with memories as he was thrown into a flashback: the chapel area of Hollow Bastion, a giant Keyhole—his fight with Riku/Ansem/Xehanort's Heartless, stabbing himself with the Dark Keyblade—it all came back to him in a swirl of soundless but powerful images.

The boy dropped to his knees in front of his panting Nobody, his blue eyes remorseful as he cursed himself for ever giving in to his fears.

"Roxas….I'm sorry. What was I thinking? The Darkness isn't going to free Kairi and Riku escape. I knew that beforehand but I was frightened and the Darkness preyed on that fear. I'm so sorry. Please, we have to get back and help our friends, we gotta get them out before its too late!"

Roxas smiled in relief but shook his head, "Maleficent still has control over part of your will, Sora. Here, in your heart, you are free from her influence. Mostly because I've been here protecting it from the Darkness. However the rest of you—your MIND, it's, well it's a prison."

"A prison?"

"With Maleficent as its Jailer."

The scene around them slowly changed to a dark, rank cell, and green smoke covered every inch of it. The witch's cackle resonated off the slimy, shackle laden she appeared in spectral form in all her badgirl glory, her hand reaching out as if to grab the boy by the throat and slowly squeeze the life from his being.

Roxas swatted the hand away with his blade as he continued with clenched teeth,

"She wants your will, Sora but if you become her manican its over for ALL of us! I can help you out but YOU have to make this choice on your own in order to be free of her cell! BREAK THE CHAINS SORA, or are you her PUPPET? Somehow I doubt THAT very much or am I wrong!"

Malefiscent growled at Roxas and reached once more to her victim, whose fears had again shackled him to the ground, rendering him defenseless.

"That's right child. Listen to the one with no heart. Let him lead you back into the Light. YOU FOOL! Light will bring NO hope for you or your pathetic friends its FAR too weak! Have you learned NOTHING from Riku?"

The chains fastened to Sora's limbs broke as he faced his captor, eyes blazing and the Power of Light radiating from his being as he snarled at the witch.

"I learned PLENTY from Riku, Malefiscent! I learned that no matter how deep the Darkness, Light will CONQUER IT! Roxas was right…..I'M NOT YOUR PUPPET!"

Maleficent laughed mockingly, her tone unfazed by the hero's outburst,

"Such courage. You ignorant child! You're mine wether you fight back or not. The Darkness has already snared you, Keyblade Weilder. Your time in the light is nearly at an end. Isn't that right, Roxas?"

The Nobody nodded, hanging his head.

"She's right, Sora. I guess Ansem the Wise was right….I AM a denizen of Darkness. I'M growing stronger, but you are struggling to stay standing. Soon, the Keyblade will be too heavy for yu to lift let alone wield.I'm not doing this on purpose, Sora. It's just kinda….HAPPENING. If I could I would give your strength back, but I can't. If you don't find your Light, I'll drain you completely. Find your TRUE Power, Sora! Find it and use it to break free of this prison—before it becomes your GRAVE!"

Sora dropped to his knees, suddenly too weak to even stand up and panting heavily as the Darkness threatened to styfle him. Chains sprung up again to claim the boy once more, curling around his midsection and constricting his lungs until he could not even draw another breath.

Sora was sure it was over and would have blacked out had the Oblivion not hacked the chains to pieces, freeing the hero from the deathtrap.

"Thanks Roxas!"

The Nobody grinned and created a portal, motioning his Other to get in while he fended off the still appearing chainsnakes.

"GO! I'll cover you! I don't think you can get back on your own since I'M the one who brought us here. HURRY! And Sora….."

"Yes?"

The Nobody grinned slightly, his eyes hidden by the shadow of his hood.

"Take care of Namine."

Sora nodded a bit confused by the sincerity in the tone of the alegidly Heartless—and therefore logicly EMOTIONLESS—being that was his other half.

"I will." I have no choice. Namine is half of Kairi and I WILL protect Kairi.

Roxas smiled and continued to battle the chains.

"Thank you. NOW GET IN THERE HURRY! I can only keep it open for so long. GO! NOW!"

Sora leaped through the Corridor of Darknes, not knowing that as soon as he passed through, the hole closed, trapping Roxas inside Maleficent's prison.

TBC