Author's note: Gosh, my chapters keep getting shorter and shorter...I have to work on that. This chapter is mostly battling so it was quite...meticulous...to type. I hope it came well!

Also, for any of you who really like KH music, listening to the song "The Encounter," (The song where you fight Disney bosses i.e Hades, Scar) is very fitting to this chapter. You can find it on youtube if you want to listen to it while reading. (I know some people can't listen to music and read though) Anyway, i won't stall you any longer!

Chapter 4: Decent Into Darkness

Sora is beginning to feel just how tired he really is. His arms and legs are beginning to ache, and his heart is hammering in his chest at a million miles an hour. Defeating a dragon, traveling through the towers of the castle, and defeating countless heartless and nobodies all in one day has left him feeling very exhausted. However, he knows he can't stop now, for his heartless, Dark Sora, is ready to duel with him.

The three warriors of the light, and the three warriors of darkness stand in the middle of the throne room, silent. The rain blowing in from outside, as well as the lightning, stops momentarily. The air is as still as the combatants themselves.

Suddenly, a tremendous bolt of lightning crashes from the sky, and an almighty crack of thunder quakes the entire castle.

As if by signal, everyone brandishes their respective weapons of key blade, shield, and sword, and take to battle.

"Let's go!" Sora charges ahead of his two friends, determined to finish off his counterpart as quickly as possible. The two leap simultaneously into the air, and proceed to clash their key blades together rapidly. However, the Sora of light is having difficulty keeping up with his other self.

"Why is he so fast? It's like he can predict what I'm about to do!" Now, Sora is merely trying to fend off attacks, rather than just dish out his own. The Dark Sora finishes a combo, propelling his enemy backwards several feet. Although it's been blocked, it leaves Sora vulnerable.

Dark Sora cuts a downed pillar it half, and with his key blade, bats it right his weakened opponent. Sora gets up his weapon just in time, but merely deflects it, and in result, is thrown on his back from the force of the blow.

Link isn't doing much better with his battle. Dark Link uses his shield more than his sword, and wastes no time in bashing his opponent away with powerful thrusts. This makes Link become fatigued very quickly, as his sword arm can't take much of the force being inflicted upon it. His shield doesn't seem to help either, because whenever it's used, Dark Link easily strikes it with a sword combo, resulting in it being knocked away several feet away from Link.

Dark Link then kicks his opposite down on the floor. Link is dazed momentarily, and can't focus. Suddenly, he regains his vision just in time to see Dark Link in the air, ready to drive his sword through Link's skull with a mighty thrust.

Link rolls out of the way just in time. However, his hat ends up being striped from his head. As he gets up, he sees that Dark Link has stabbed through the stone floor, impaling the precious green hat that Link is so fond of.

Goofy has been trying several "Goofy Tornadoes" on his counterpart, but every last attack is being deflected. Finally, Goofy stops momentarily.

"Garwsh, you're pretty tough," Goofy says while panting heavily. He then assumes his trademark defensive stance with his shield up in front of him. Dark Goofy mimics him, and holds his shadowy weapon ahead of him as well.

The two are on opposite sides of the room, not moving. Suddenly, the two charge each other, like freight trains on a collision course. They run faster and faster, the wind spiraling around their floppy ears. The two collide with such force that they shake the room enough to bring what few pillars that remain standing falling to the ground.

"YAAAHHHOOOHOOOIIIE!!!!" The Goofy of light loses the battle, and is blown up to the sky through the already cracked ceiling, leaving a large hole in his wake. About a minute later, he falls back through the hole, and makes contact with the ground with his face.

Sora, Link, and Goofy are exhausted, and are tired of fighting a losing battle. The three lie battle wound weary on the ground, their limbs shaking with fatigue.

Goofy stands up shakily. "I'm not sure if I can take much more of a pounding…"

Sora replies. "You can and you will! We can't just give up!…But you have a point. I can't seem to land a hit on myself. This is crazy…"

Goofy starts to snicker.

"What's so funny about getting our butts kicked?"

"It's just that I think I could beat you in a battle any day! The shield is mightier than the sword!"

"Oh yeah!? Well…hold on…" Sora ponders this for a moment. The warriors of dark were approaching to make battle yet again, but if they kept fighting like this, Sora was sure he'd lose. "You know Goofy, I think you have a point there. Link, you could beat a guy with only a shield couldn't you?"

Link looks confused at first, but a slow steady grin spreads across his face.

Sora continues on. "Exactly! I'm sure you're battle worthy too, but you're just too slow for me! Everybody…SWITCH!"

Sora, Goofy, and Link change opponents. Sora runs toward Dark Link, Link runs toward Dark Goofy, and Goofy runs at the Dark Key Blade Master.

Goofy reaches his opponent first. Dark Sora is startled momentarily, but quickly starts hacking and slashing with his demented key blade. Goofy on the other hand, does what he knows best and defends with his trusty shield. The key blade ricochets off its surface over and over again as Dark Sora attacks try to pick up the pace.

Goofy is almost having fun. "I knew Sora wasn't so hard!" After being bombarded by another flurry of attacks, Goofy decides to turn his defense into offense, and bats the key blade away like child's play. He follows this up with a few Goofy bashes and finishes with an uppercut led by his shield, sending Dark Sora flipping head over heels to the other side of the room, and out through a stained glass window.

Link has recovered his shield and takes to Dark Goofy. Link finds that the dark warrior's shield is quite flimsy, and wastes no time in deciding to do away with it.

Dark Goofy charges in the same freight train like manner as he had before. However, Link merely sidesteps it. His opponent wheels around and tries again, but this time Link uses his own shield and stops him dead in his tracks. Dark Goofy hits Link's shield like a brick wall, and his round weapon cracks right in the middle.

Link flashes a quick smile, and then executes a quick spin attack, sending Dark Goofy flying through the roof, just as his counterpart had earlier.

Sora is doing what comes naturally: dishing out speedy attacks with his trusty key blade. Although Dark Link has a shield, he is being knocked around like a rag doll. Sora then decides to knock his opponent in the air and disarm him.

Dark Link has no experience whatsoever with midair battle, and subsequently loses both his weapons due to Sora's key blade strikes. He then delivers a mighty blow to Link, sending spiraling in mid air.

Sora lands on the ground near the same pillar he was hit with earlier. He copies his former opponent's attack and bats it right at the still airborne Dark Link. He's hit like a fly being smacked with a fly swatter, and crashes to the ground with the pillar resting on top of him. The dark warrior then explodes into nothingness.

Goofy relaxes and looks around the room. "Did we get 'em?"

The trio looks around the silent area.

"WE WIN!!!" Sora and Goofy grab each other's hands and prance and spin around the room.

Link decides to take a huge sigh of relief, and sits down on the floor.

After a few minutes. The trio meet in front of the throne itself.

"We have to find out where Zexion and Ganondorf went. Any ideas?" Sora looks at his two companions, but both shake their heads. "Darn…Where are we supposed to go from here?"

Just then, Sora's key blade appears in his hand and points to the throne like a magnet. "Apparently this is a door of some kind…ok everyone, step back!"

Sora stands a few feet from in front of the throne, and with both hands, points his key blade at it. The tip of it starts to glow, and a beam of light shoots to the throne's backrest. A transparent keyhole appears, but after a minute or so, nothing happens.

"What's the big deal? My key can always open doors. Why not this time?" Suddenly, in front of the luminescent keyhole appears the symbol of the Triforce. "Ohhh…Link, I need your help!"

Link walks up to Sora, a bewildered look on his face. Sora directs him. "This key blade can open doors, but I think we need your help too!"

Link looks at the Triforce in front of the key hole. Without a single look of hesitation, he places on of his hands on the handle of the key blade. The insignia of the Triforce appears on his left hand once more, and the beam of light pointing at the throne grows stronger and brighter.

After a few seconds, the beam disappears, and the throne itself cracks into many pieces. What's left behind it is a very old looking stone door with a gray handle.

"After you Mr. Link," Goofy says. "After all, it's your princess to save."

Link nods and smiles, and places his hand on the door handle.

Sora stops him. "Wait a sec! I think you'll need this." Sora pulls something out of his many pockets, and hands it to Link. "You just don't look right without it." Sora gives Link a toothy smile.

It happens to be Link's green cap, with a slight tear still in it from Dark Link's malicious stab to the ground. He puts the cap on his head, and adjusts it to make sure it fits properly. He then turns to Sora and Goofy and gives them a look as if to say, " Does this look better now?"

Goofy and Sora give Link a thumbs up and say simultaneously, "Much better!"

Link smiles, and places his hand on the handle once more, and pulls. What lies behind it, is a very dark, narrow passageway that leads steeply downward with a single staircase. Cold air blasts from inside, and they can hear strange sounds from the inside.

Goofy gulps. "Ya d-don't think they're havin' a p-party down there do ya?"

Sora half smiles. "Maybe not the party we wish they were having…"

Without another word, the three travel down the cold, narrow, stone passageway, not knowing what could lie in store for them.