Chapter 9:

Whirlwind

A/N: I know that there may be some negative feelings for the way Riku was treated in the last chapter but it was part of the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any characters used therein. The character Will does belong to me however.

Warnings: Blood, Gore, Violence, Sexual Situations, Sex, Offensive Language, Nudity, Torture, Objectionable Political Views, Rape and Dark Humor.

Pairings: Zack Fair x Aerith Gainsborough. Roxas x Axel.

Summary: The group make a final desperate push for the compound and is met with the full fury of the enemy forces. Meanwhile Riku learns a truth of himself he was unaware of.

Special Thanks: CrystalMeltdown for your review of the last chapter and Jade-Eyed-Jinchuriki for your support. And to everyone who still reads this fic.

Riku became slowly aware of himself as he floated downstream. Opening his eyes he was confronted by the familiar sight of death. Charon sat behind his desk ever documenting the forsaken. At first the cloaked figure paid the silverette no heed and continued about his business uninterrupted. Riku rose to his feet though he was not nude this time, he was clad in a suit of armor not unlike that which Fenrir wore the time they saw him battle the creatures. He was devoid of a helmet but he ran his hands over the etched armor plates, through the leather of his gloves he could feel the gentle rise and fall of the symbols. He was amazed by the craftsmanship.

"Oh. You've returned already?" Charon finally noticed Riku. Riku's aqua eyes flashed to the figure, he had been slightly startled by Charon, He was eased by the appearance of a chair across from death, it was padded and more of a throne than a simple chair. Taking his seat Riku looked around as his surroundings were shifted to a grand hall. There were statues depicting the greatest of heros and villains: Hercules, Beowulf, Hector, David and many others were displayed facing their greatest challenges. The statues glowed blue while they themselves were a strange pale green.

"What's going on?" Riku said absently. He was too enthralled with the armor and grand hall to think clearly. His thoughts returned to his ordeals and he felt a pang of despair race through his veins. He could still feel Xigbar breathing on his neck and hear Saix' taunts and jeers. Shivering, Riku slumped to the floor whimpering. The cold stone was of little relief to the silverette's terror.

"You died from your wounds." Charon replied. He had waved his desk away and now sat, attention fully fixed on the crumpled form of a man before him. Charon pulled back his cloak to reveal deep set eyes that shone bright blue, long black hair bordered his thin pale face. He looked tired, deep lines sat under his eyes and around his mouth. Running his hands through his hair Charon looked around expectantly.

"And the others? Are they alive?" Riku looked up from the floor.

"Yes. They are racing to that compound you've been searching for. They've yet to notice your death."

"It's better they don't yet. Sora and Will would be heartbroken." Riku commented as he pushed himself up to his knees. Sitting back on his legs he looked at Charon, hoping that death would be merciful.

"Indeed. They are very troublesome." A familiar voice called. To Riku's right Fenrir appeared.

"What's going on?" Riku wondered allowed.

"Your Ot'pel'bas. It is the challenge of Knighthood. You bear the mark but you are not yet a true knight." Charon supplied.

"Then I will go back?"

"Yes. But you must begin your challenge or you will never return." Fenrir spoke coldly.

"What do I have to do?"

"It depends upon the Knightly order. Sora is a Defender, his would entail saving one who is innocent and cannot defend themselves. William is a Imperator, it means 'Warrior of many skills, master of none' in the old tongue, he must overcome his own rage and learn the discipline to lead. He is the furthest away. You are a Martyr, you must resist betrayal and learning the art of proper sacrifice." Fenrir stepped closer.

"Betrayal? Who would I betray?"

"William. To a lesser extent Sora, but William predominantly. I cannot tell you how to survive your challenge, that is for you to discover. I can say that yours will be difficult. There is another who sleeps within you, a very powerful figure." Charon cut in.

"Who is in me?"

"A warrior known as Sephiroth. His survival was the purpose of you and your brother's existence, to those who created you." Fenrir spat.

"I was created? Like in a lab?"

"Yes. Though unlike so many others who were simply empty shells, you and your brothers had spirits, souls if you will. That is why you were chosen, yours was measured to be the strongest. That is why they infected you with his aura, now it is awakening." Fenrir idly cleaned his fingernails.

"Could he overtake me?"

"If you allow him to. In order to have a vessel that is adequate to support his power, one who has a spirit that is equally as powerful as his is needed. That's how this works. You can drive him from you." Charon gave a small smile.

"And if I can't?"

"He will kill William. Without the king any hope of saving the Earth from Ioth's grasp will vanish." Fenrir spoke attentively. His condescending demeanor had evaporated into urgency.

"I see. And the rest of us, are we important?"

"All thirteen are necessary to the survival of Earth. Should any of you die before Ragnarok then all hope is lost." Fenrir answered.

"I thought that was Norse mythology. In fact who is Ioth?"

"Ioth is the God of Chaos. All that is in this realm comes from his physical body. He sacrificed his physical form to gain greater power. His minions have destroyed millions of worlds. There are fewer than 10,000 that remain. This is our chance to hold the line." Fenrir knelt down and patted Riku on the shoulder.

"We fight for Kiyona, his daughter the Goddess of Life. She bargained for all of her children to have a chance at peace. She chose to be eternally separated from us, unable to influence us, so that we could earn a place where there is no fear, terror or hate. Should Ioth succeed then all that will be gone, he will assimilate everything back into himself and return to Si'ar." Fenrir's voice quavered slightly.

"Okay. And what about all of this mythological stuff? I doesn't make sense." Riku shook Fenrir's hand off as he stood.

"Long ago the Earth was inhabited by a very advanced society known as the Asunae. These are the ancestors of modern mankind. They had access to power sources far beyond the imagination of you or your contemporaries. They could power cities without harming a single tree or animal. They knew how to live in harmony with their surroundings despite having vast cities and powerful armies. The armies were necessary for the defense of their civilization, many of the creatures you see now roamed freely and without consequence. These brave soldiers often fought hordes of them alone. Though they could tap into the spirit energies you are only now learning with much more adeptness." Fenrir spoke strongly.

"I see. What happened?"

"The Fall. Our cities became corrupted over many millennia, to the point where they turned on each other. Millions were slaughtered. It was only after the cities were returned to the Earth that the full weight of our actions hit us. We wept for months begging for intervention, when none came we resolved to resurrect our society. To protect our secrets we divided the lessons and knowledge and scattered it all across the globe. This is why each civilization arose with such differing technologies and beliefs. Many of our citizens were turned into beasts and for an immeasurable time they reproduced their wicked offspring. It took a great deal of time but we were able to bring some back to their heritage. Those that were left had openly embraced the corruption and were beyond saving." Fenrir looked around absently at the grand hall.

"You say 'we', 'our' and 'us' a lot. Why?" Riku asked skeptically.

"We seven. Myself, Ba'al, Odin, Isis, Leviathan, Artemis and Fu Xi were the rulers of the seven cities at the time of the Fall. It was our resolve to repent for our actions that led us to become the guardians of Earth. Once Ioth is defeated we will be no more. We will face our judgement." Fenrir had gone pale and tears slid down his face. The memories of his brothers and sisters being raped and murdered at his own hands had shattered his heart a thousand times over. There was little left to the once proud king, but what remained was fully dedicated to the cause.

"That's why you're so hard on Will. You don't want him making your mistakes." Riku breathed.

"Yes. I know all too well what unchecked anger can bring. My efforts have been fruitless thus far. Perhaps you can resolve this, he seems to be more interested in you than idle friendship." Fenrir spoke.

"Well, I suppose that is mutual. I find him strangely charming. Him and Sora both." Riku whispered.

"William needs to learn to trust in others. You can teach him that. Sora must overcome his grief if he is to ever become a full knight. The three of you together could overcome much and resolve many of your troubles if you allowed it. Remember, nothing is fated, it is all about choice and determination. If you three love one another then you must fight for it, otherwise it will fade and become the worst kind of hatred. I know that as well." Fenrir cradled his head in despair.

"What was his name?" Riku asked.

"Hmm? How did you...?" Fenrir looked on in wonder.

"Please. I've been dealing with my own sexuality for so long I can spot someone else who is in pain a mile away." Riku smiled.

"It was Sephiroth. He was our finest warrior and wisest general. We were secretive. Had I been open about my 'sexuality' then I would have been ousted. I had to have children to carry my line and many other troubles forced me to concentrate on other matters. Eventually I stopped calling for him. After the Fall he blamed me for everything, particularly our relationship and grew to despise me. He became a wanderer and whenever there was a great battle or calamity he was there, fighting or increasing the damage. His heartache has driven him quite mad and he searches aimlessly for the one he calls 'Mother'. He is also known as Samiel the Angel of Death." Fenrir choked back a sob.

"I'll help. Maybe I can convince him that you still care for him, that you are sorry." Riku pipped up. Fenrir's eyes went wide.

"It would seem you know more of the role of Martyr than I thought. I doubt seriously that he will listen to you. Yet, I feel somehow relieved that you will do this service for me. Thank you for that, it has given me hope that I had long abandoned. I think it is time to teach you the ways of war. Follow me." Fenrir strode past Riku and walked through a set of enormous double doors. They appeared to be made of wood, but the blending of red, blue, white, gold, green, silver and black gave it a supernatural appearance that radiated magical energy. The grain was tight in the wood, much like a fine rosewood but the tendrils of other colors wove through elegantly and when looked upon closely each color formed a pattern of a different animal, red bear, blue fox, white wolf, gold eagle, green hawk, silver shark and black raven. Pausing briefly Riku admired the craftsmanship and noticed a strange rune next to the handle on the right door, it shone purple. Riku touched it instinctively.

"Let us begin, young one." A husky voice sounded in Riku's mind. He knew it was Sephiroth and could only imagine what was in store for him.

Aerith looked back at Riku's limp form. His body rocked with the motions of the Humvee and he had stopped breathing. She felt for a pulse and had made not that there was not one that she could feel. She had tapped Zack on the shoulder, tearing him from his efforts to utilize the radio in the front of the vehicle. She had whispered to him that the silverette was dead and he had told her to remain quiet. They could not afford any distractions he had told her. She had to agree, Will and Sora were the ones leading the group now, keeping them safe and distracting them from their current task would get them all killed. Still she felt guilty. Not only could she not save the younger male but she couldn't say anything until they arrived where they were going.

"How much farther?" Will hollered down to Sora. The whipping air made it difficult to hear without shouting. They were zooming down the broken highway and shattered landscape faster than was safe but they needed to get to their destination without further delay. They had been fortunate thus far in that they had not encountered any resistance. A heaviness to the air told them that their luck was on the verge of souring.

"About fifteen miles!" Sora shouted back. No sooner than he did there was a screech high in the air. Turning and looking high into the sky Will could just barely make out the silhouettes of harpies darting through the clouds. They were escorted by larger figures that Will could not identify just yet but he knew it wasn't good. Angling the machine gun upward he prepared for the onslaught.

"Contact six o'clock high!" Will shouted at the truck.. Tidus and Tifa shouted incoherently as the first sortie began. Fifty harpies dove down on the vehicles and the loud booming of the machine gun filled the air with short bursts of thunder. Yuna held her head and screamed, not familiar with a noise so loud. Aerith had to cover her ears as well. Zack looked out the windshield a blank stare on his face, memories of his last mission roared to life in his head. Sora cringed at first but soon he was able to accept the sound without pain. Large, hot brass cases fell down onto the back seat and one down Yuna's shirt. She snatched it from between her breasts with a shriek. About unfamiliar howls sounded.

"Ammo! I need ammo! Get along side! Over here!" Will shouted to the truck as he pointed to his left. He conjured fireballs and sent them at the harpies as quickly as he could but the sky was fast growing dark with a living storm cloud of creatures. The rough terrain sent both vehicles bouncing constantly and it was difficult for Tidus to get along side the nimbler Humvee. They managed to however, though it took some inventive driving which resulted in the loss of roughly a third of the supplies in the truck and nearly sent Demyx flying out with it.

"What caliber?!" Tifa shouted over the chaos.

"50 BMG! Hurry the fuck up!" Will shouted angrily. An enormous feathered creature dove down its claws poised to strike. Will ducked slightly to avoid the worst and try to grab for Bak'frelm. He was impaled through the left shoulder and drug from the Humvee high into the air. Bak'frelm clattered to the floor. Blood pouring from his would Will did his best with his free arm to keep the creature from crushing him. It took all of his strength to do so.

"Someone get on that fuckin' gun!" Sora shouted.

"It's mine!' Zack hollered back and climbed to the machine gun. Demyx heaved open a wooden supply crate and grabbed a pair of steel boxes with the appropriate markings. The ammo cans were tossed with surprising deftness and Zack reloaded the gun and fired on the diving harpies. The creature that held Will circled high above and Zack calling on all his training and experience sent a single shot at the creature. It shaved Will's right leg and struck the creature in the neck. With a gurgling cry it lifelessly soared to the ground. Will managed to break free from its grasp and angle for the Humvee. Summoning a red aura around him he braced for impact.

"Holy shit!" Sora shouted as Will smashed onto the roof and bounced forward able to just barely grab onto the vents in the hood to keep from falling off. Blood stained through his bandages and he coughed up more onto the hood. Vision blurring Will hooked his feet and hands into what spots he could and slumped forward. Rocking with the motion of the Humvee, Sora knew that Will had passed out, and though he knew that he should be careful with his powers he concentrated and extended his aura out calling on his allies once more.

"Don't stop for anything!" Zack bellowed. Yuna had stated shaking with fear and Aerith's attention was on her. The Earth let out a low moan and from its bowels arose eight riders with the black armor that Ventus, Aqua and Terra. They fired bows and struck with swords. Forming a wall of protection around the two vehicles they adeptly kept what Zack, Demyx and Tifa could not away. Sora's head felt light and he could barely make out the road amid the tight knit blurs in his vision, it was the only dark color blur present. Blood flowed freely down his nose and ears and from his eyes. His head throbbed but he kept on because everyone was counting on him. Will was out cold and Riku was in no condition to fight, it was up to him.

"Don't worry Ma Deuce'll bring us home!" Zack shouted euphorically. A shadow flew past the riders and landed on the hood. Zack attempted to fire on it but the bullets simply passed through. The shadow drew it's sword, dark as night and glimmering with small blood drop like gems. Lifting is sword it went to strike Will. The world halted for a moment. Sora felt a pangs of guilt and rage flow through his body, he could do nothing to save his friend. Neither Riku or Will could be saved by the brunette, was there no one he could keep safe?

The shadow's blade did not strike Will however. Instead a massive red dog tackled the shadow. Rolling off the Humvee the red dog held the shadow's head in its maw and bit down crushing it. Rising the dog raced to catch up with the vehicle, the riders did not strike at it as it passed them by so Zack held his fire. It came to Sora's side.

"Forgive my tardiness Lord Knight. I am Nananki Chief of the Hellhounds. I have come to protect our king." Nananki's mouth moved like a human's the words flowed like a human's. On an ordinary day this would have given Sora a heart attack. Ordinary had been passed by weeks ago and Sora simply accepted the newcomer with a smile and a pat on the head. Nananki didn't seem to mind as he smiled broadly.

"Can you get Will off the hood?" Sora asked. Nananki nodded and ran forward. Hopping onto the hood he quickly grabbed Will in his massive jaws and threw him onto his back. With Will's head cradled between his shoulder blades Nananki leapt from the Humvee and followed closely next to it. A new onslaught of creatures dove upon the group and the dark shadow of one that was even more massive than before hung over the ground. The shadow of a dragon.

Panting heavily Riku grasped the blade that Fenrir had handed to him. It was a far less ornate version of Yggelmir, lacking the odd runic characters and inlays. Yet it was the exact weight and balance of his sword. He and Fenrir sparred for a long while, every move was followed with detailed instructions from the guardian. In short order Riku found himself striking faster than any human could otherwise and he quickly forced the older male to take their practice with acute concern. Progress had been made and Riku was certain he could handle Ygglemir to great effect once the time came.

"This will suffice for now. You must build upon this knowledge. Remember what I have taught you and you will do just fine." Fenrir praised the silverette. They sheathed their weapons and walked to a pitcher of water on a small wooden table next to the double doors. The room was round and decorated with arms and armor as high as the ceiling went, which Riku estimated to be about 500 feet. Weapons he had never seen dangled freely ready to be taken and used. He had tried to snatch up a spear or axe when they began but Fenrir insisted on the short sword. The ruby color walls were smooth and were difficult to climb or jump on being polished.

"I will be able to do all this when I get back?" Riku asked taking a swig of water.

"Yes. Remember that control is very important. It may very well be the difference between a successful leap and a long fall." Fenrir cautioned.

"I want to ask you so much more." Riku began but the guardian waved him to silence.

"Its time you went home." Fenrir smiled and all at once everything went black. Riku felt heavier as he floated along as if something was grasping at his feet. Despair tickled the back of his mind as he felt the auras of his comrades return. Sora seemed to be pained but doing well. And the others seemed to be fine though he could feel their terror. Will on the other hand was not simply pained he was near dead. Dread filled the silverette as he crossed the threshold between life and death.

Regaining consciousness was much easier this time and Riku looked around confusedly for a few moments before he realized he was in the back of a rapidly moving vehicle. Ears ringing and black ooze running from his various wounds Riku swore he heard Zack yell out 'Dragon' but that couldn't be right. That's what the twice resurrected male thought before he leaned forward over the back seat to see Aerith giving him a look of horror and through the window a wall of fire along their right side mere feet from them. The heat was delayed in registering with Riku.

'Do not fear young one. Such a weak creature cannot harm you.' Sephiroth taunted. Riku quickly pushed him to the back of his mind. Though his right hand came up and was engulfed in a black orb of its own volition. It aimed for Will who laid atop a red dog which Riku somehow knew was a Hellhound and it launched at the defenseless man. Riku willed it to stop and it did. Clutching his right arm he strained to bend the energy to his will instead of Sephiroth's. It was difficult but the energy dispersed with a brilliant flash and when Riku regained his sight hoards of crumpled Harpies and Griffons crumpled to the ground their bodies broken.

'You win this time.' Sephiroth spoke smugly. Riku paid him no heed as there was still the matter of the dragon. Without hesitation Riku snatched up Ygglemir, it had been sitting on the floor next to Bak'frelm, unsheathing the sword Riku did not notice he was completely naked. The resurrection and usage of such power had burned off his bandages. The black ooze no longer flowed freely and he opened the door behind Sora and climbed on the roof. Startled Zack gave a double take and raised an eyebrow in confusion. The dragon angled low ready to unleash its fury on them.

'Just like I did with Fenrir.' Riku breathed calmly and leapt high. Sword back in his right hand Riku led first with his left hand. A ball of energy formed and just as the dragon went to breath Riku let the energy erupt. Another flash filled the air and the dragon screeched with blindness. Not missing his chance Riku struck with Yggelmir at the dragon's neck. It cut deep and there was much blood that rained down on him. Feeling a surge of energy Riku grabbed the wound with his free hand and tore it open. He then dove into the dragon's throat and hacked his way down into its body. Unable to stop the intruder the dragon screamed its agony to the heavens. Riku quickly found his prize and wrenched the dragon's heart free. With a mighty cry he pushed himself forward and cut his way back out. Falling through the air he took the opportunity to devour the dragon's heart, its blood filling his belly quickly. He felt his muscles tighten to an impossible extent and even his manhood seemed to be affected by the action.

"Did Riku just do that?" Sora asked quietly as he looked up to see the dragon falling to the ground and a small pale figure falling toward them. Sora prepared for the worst expecting him to hit just like Will had but the silverette landed on the roof with a soft thud and made his way into the front seat next to Sora. He was covered in blood, though not his it made Sora sick, perhaps it was the rotting flesh stench it gave off. Riku quickly dressed in the clothes he was handed by Aerith. A simple pair of camouflaged pants and boots. No underwear or socks since they wanted to minimize the clothes he soiled.

"Are you ok?" Riku asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." Sora said without looking.

"I'm fine. Fenrir trained me to do some new tricks so that's why I was able to kill the dragon."

"Oh. I wouldn't think you could learn to kill a dragon while you were passed out."

"I was dead. And it was very intense training. Actually from what Fenrir said dragons are nowhere near the most powerful of the creatures that have been let loose. Just some of the biggest."

"Oh wonderful." Riku laughed at Sora's sarcasm. The silverette was still trouble by the revelation of his birth but he kept it to himself. Sephiroth too hung heavily on his mind but he thought only fleetingly of the crazed warrior. Riku looked over to Will who simply bobbed along with the motion of Nananki's running, limp and weak. He had never though of Will as being weak but perhaps he was. That must have been Sephiroth's thinking and Riku shook his head to clear it. Will had gotten them this far and he would be damned if he let him die when he could help.

"This must be it." Sora said astounded as they crested a hill. There was a road to their right that led past a line of pine trees toward a high stone wall with a high gate. It unlike the surrounding terrain was completely untouched by the calamities. Smiles abounded and Sora turned onto the road ready for their journey to be over. The stopped at the closed gate. It towered four stories into the sky and had a strange symbol painted on it, it was not unlike those found on the swords given to them by the guardians but still its own unique image. There was an intercom in front of the gate and Sora pushed the red button on the upper half of the box.

"Who the fuck is that?" A hoarse voice came.

"Um. This is Sora, Roxas' brother. And my friends." Sora answered sheepishly.

"Oh. Damn. Come right in I'll get the gate." The voice answered and within seconds the gate swung open and the two vehicles drove through. There was no need to drive quickly on the paved driveway as everything seemed to be peaceful though everyone was guarded. They rounded a corner past another line of trees and were met with five large free standing structures: a large three story main house sat in the middle, two long single story buildings sat on either side of the house, a large boxy building was placed between where they were and the house, and last there was a two story guard tower in between the box and house. It was a large complex indeed and there were no fewer than thirty people roaming about in the courtyard like area that was between the semi-circle of buildings.

"We made it guys. We fuckin' made it!" Zack exclaimed from atop the Humvee. They all let out joyous shouts feeling as if they had reached the promised land. Sora felt sorry for those in the group that had died along the way, in particular Tidus' sister, she had been a friend of Roxas' but it couldn't be helped. Sora's thoughts turned to the limp form on Nananki's back. Will hadn't so much as moved since he passed out and no one had any idea what his condition was. Worse yet was they had none of the potion that they had the last time he was so grievously wounded and he hadn't told them how to make it. Too many troubles ran through Sora's mind and they began compounding with worries about others: Riku, Roxas, Tidus and Zack in particular.

"Sora!" Roxas burst through the front door of the house and made a mad dash at the Humvee. Sora parked and shut off the engine. Opening the armored door with a grunt Sora had no time to brace himself before his brother had him in a death grip of an embrace. Sobbing and laughing at the same time Roxas squeezed his beloved brother as hard as his small frame would allow. Sora was content to smile and let his brother have his way, glad that no harm had come to him.

"I'm having trouble breathing. Mind easing up?" Sora groaned out.

"Oh. Sorry. I'm just so hap-Ah! What the hell happened to your eye?!" Roxas exclaimed.

"Fuckin' mino got it. Kill 'em though. Not a big deal really." Sora replied nonchalantly trying to appear to be much more of a bad ass than he knew he was.

"Yeah right! That's a big fuckin' deal. Oh, whatever. I'm just glad you're okay." Roxas sighed.

"Yeah. We all made it through in decent shape. Selphie didn't make it though. Sorry Rox." Sora decided it would be best to tell him sooner rather than later. Roxas bit back his sobs, he was caught between joy for his brother's safety and guilt for the loss of his friend.

"Anyway, we got lots of supplies in the truck. Thought we'd contribute something to this set up." Zack patted both Sora and Roxas on the shoulder. They looked at him with a mixture of sadness and understanding. He sported a goofy grin that had not graced his face in weeks and Sora preferred it to his stoic and hostile demeanor of late. Maybe things were looking up finally and the worst was over.

"Can we get some help?" Riku called. He rolled Will off Nananki's back to find a massive talon imbedded in his shoulder, it didn't come out the back and that made Riku worry that it had curved inward toward his heart. Cradling the burned male in his arms Riku attempted to heal what damage he could but was immediately halted by Sephiroth's will. Knowing he could not afford the battle at this moment Riku gave up his efforts to conserve his strength. After a few minutes a large group consisting of all their companions as well as Roxas, and several of the people who had been in the yard formed around them.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Roxas asked.

"Of course. Will's a tough bastard." Sora spoke absently. Somebody growled behind him. Turning Sora came to look at a fuming redhead that towered above him, he was at least 6' 5", though he was lanky and wore a long black coat. He had two tear drop tattoos under his green eyes. He made a beeline straight for Will only to be met by Riku's glaring eyes.

"Outta my way! I'll kill that fucker!" Axel roared.

"Stop being such a drama queen!" Roxas shouted. He fell on deaf ears. Behind Axel was another red head and a bald black male, both of whom were pushing a gurney toward the group. Riku laid Will down on the ground and stood to meet Axel's fuming gaze. They stood in silence for a moment.

"Move now!" Axel shouted.

"Not a chance. What the fuck makes you think I'd let you do a damn thing to him?" Riku's voice was cold, not unlike Will's. There was certainly something strange going on.

"After all the shit he said to me and Roxas?! You think I'll let him get away with that?!"

"If it wasn't for him we wouldn't be here."

"Oh, bullshit! I know his type. All big tough macho fuckers 'til the cards are down then their the biggest pussies on Earth!"

"Ask Sora."

"It's true." Sora answered.

"Don't matter. He needs an ass kickin' and I promised to gi-" Axel was cut off by Riku's hand smashing into his trachea. Coughing and sputtering Axel fell to the ground and rolled in panic and pain. Riku grabbed him by the hair.

"Now you get this straight asshole. You threaten anyone else in my group and I'll fuckin' skin you alive. You touch Will and I'll beat you so bad even you mother or Roxas there couldn't recognize you. Get the picture?" Riku snarled inches from the redhead's face. Roxas screamed for Riku to release his lover and the silverette soon found himself being shoved to the back of the Humvee by Zack and Tidus. Will was collected and placed on the gurney and hauled into the house.

"I outta-" Roxas began.

"I'll take care of it." Sora cut in. Roxas simply threw up his hands and helped Axel to his feet. They both glared at Riku as they made their way to the house. Zack and Tidus along with everyone else dispersed to unload the supplies and attend to their own business.

"What was that?" Sora demanded.

"I got angry."

"No shit? Well when did you become all Will-like?"

"I don't know. I just couldn't stand anyone threatening him like that."

"Because you love him?"

"I don't know that yet. But I want to try and find out."

"Uh huh. What do you mean 'find out'?"

"I want all three of us to be together. I think it would work well."

"I don't know why you think that. Will's an asshole and I don't get along with him well enough to suck his dick or anything like that. And we're off topic."

"You asked me. I felt angry and hurt that anyone would do that to someone who's wounded so badly. And he's done so much to help us it's not fair for him to be judged for some off-color comments now is it?"

"No. I guess not. Goddanm. Why can't anything be easy?"

"Because we wouldn't have anything to strengthen us."

"I guess."

"Listen. Fenrir told me of a way that Will could be healed."

"And?"

"I need your help."

"For what?"

"It takes the melding of at least three hearts together who love each other to perform the ceremony properly."

"What did I just say?"

"Sora I know that you don't know what to do right now. Neither do I. I don't know how I feel about you or Will but I just want you to try and help him. We owe him that much don't we."

"Yeah." Sora sighed exasperated.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." Sora muttered as he walked off. Riku was hopeful that he would side with him in the end.

'Well that was fun.' Sephiroth taunted in Riku's head. Growling Riku pushed the warrior's will to the back of his mind. In retaliation Sephiroth made all the memories of Riku's rape and torture bubble to the surface of his conscious mind. The shock hit Riku hard and he doubled over in pain, his stomach emptied itself of bile and he fell to his knees wheezing. The cruel warrior made him feel everything all over again.

'You cannot win.'

'I can try.' Riku replied stubbornly.

A/N: So here we are at the end of chapter 9 and at the compound. This is actually not the way I had originally intended the chapter to go. Riku was going to be the one still wounded but with the revelation of Sephiroth being in him I decided that he needed to be a bit more aggressive, that along side his ordeal in the previous chapter are what brought on some drastic changes to his character. Sora of course is torn between who he thinks he is, who he was told to be by his parents and society and what Riku wants him to be so his decision will not be made lightly. Anyway hope you all liked this and I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks.