Chapter 51

The next round was announced. "AAAAANNNND NEXT, these combatants shall show each other no mercy...Mario versus Captain Falcon!"

Mario and the other fighter were teleported to the stage. Roxas gauged the other one and saw that he was very fit. His muscles bulged out. His red helmet and grey uniform made no sense, but still...

"BEGIN!"

Immediately, Captain Falcon lunged at Mario, with fire surrounding him. Mario dodged, but Captain Falcon quickly followed him. Mario threw his fist at him, but Captain Falcon dodged it and backed off. Grunting, he tried to hit Mario with a flurry of kicks and punches, but Mario stepped back, distancing himself from Captain Falcon. Before Captain Falcon could move forward, Mario landed a kick on his chest.

"Auuughh!" cried Captain Falcon as he got kicked back. The audience cheered up, yelling for Mario to keep going. He uppercutted Captain Falcon, making coins appear from his head. Captain Falcon flew upwards into the sky, landing on his face into the ground.

"He stole his money?" asked Roxas.

"Nope, that is just what happens in these places," muttered Demyx. "Boggles your mind, huh..."

Captain Falcon got up. "This is not over, Mario..." He held his right hand back, bending his knees and facing Mario as he charged up. Mario took an defensive position.

"FALCON PUNCH!" Captain Falcon roared and aimed his fist at Mario. Fire exploded forth from his fist, creating a shape of an falcon as it hit Mario. He was pushed back multiple feet towards the edge of the stage. Mario rushed forward, countering with an enlarged fist that nearly pushed Captain Falcon off the edge. The muscular man tried to kick at Mario, but Mario grabbed his foot and threw him over the edge. Captain Falcon fell to the bottom of the stage.

"AND THE WINNER IS...MARIO!" cried the announcer. Everyone cheered as Mario was teleported out of the stage.

Roxas looked at the stage and saw something that made him chill. He saw Vanitas walking on the stage, holding his hands up in the air.

"Time for the death of dreams."

Suddenly, the area around the stage began to shake. The ground tore apart, and countless people were sent to the bottom of the newly formed pits. Everyone panicked, trying to run from the stage, but it has became a cage that no one can fly away from. No one's powers seemed to work.

Roxas tried to go towards the stadium, but he was repelled back by a forcefield. "What's going on?!" cried Roxas.

"Everyone here shall stay eternally asleep." Roxas turned around to see a cloaked figure. It raised its hands up, engulfing Roxas in a sphere.

"What are you doing?" asked Roxas. He tried to destroy the sphere, but he was unable to materialize his keyblades.

"You are too weak to fight me," said the figure. "Don't worry, Roxas...just stay here and sleep for an eternity."

Roxas felt too tired. He tried to fight off the urge to sleep, but his eyes began to close on him. He was trapped, and what made it even worse for him was that his own body began to feel heavy.

"You will soon provide us with the most powerful weapon ever made, Roxas," said the figure. "For a long time, we needed the powers of light and dark to inhabit one's body. And as it so happens...you are the chosen vessel."

"What...is this..." Roxas tried to talk more, but he was close to being unconscious.

The figure took off the hood, revealing a woman's head. "I am Erika, leader of the Keyblade architects. We have been waiting for the chance to get you unguarded. Don't worry about your friends, they will escape this world...without you. You have an important destiny at hand..."

"What do you need me for?"

"Again, don't worry. You will be informed of what we need in the nearby future. Meanwhile...fall back to sleep, my love."

"What the-" Roxas suddenly fell asleep.

"Yes, my keyblade wielder...while dreams shall be altered forever, you will remain in peace." Erika looked at Vanitas, who stood at the center of the stage.

"And soon...I will reconnect the two pieces and reclaim what is mine."