Sora had expected himself to plummet to his death, but instead the boy

floated gently onto another of the strange platform, only this one depicted a blond

haired woman dressed in a blue ball gown.

Sora settled gently onto the platform, as he did the sword reappeared in his hand in a flash of light.

You have gained the power to fight. the voice explained to Sora, who took a few moments to practice

with the blade.

Thats it, now you have got the hang of it! the voice spoke again, this time it sounded delighted that Sora had managed to

swing the sword with ease.

There shall come times when you will have to fight. the voice began as strange creatures began to arise from the paltform.

The creatures were only a few feet tall and prowled about upon clawed hands and feet, their yellow lamp like eyes scanning the space ahead of them,

while their antennae atop their head twitched in time with the beat of Sora's heart.

"What are those thi --?" Sora began to ask the voice, but one of the creatures lowered itself until it was a low shadow upon the

ground, when it was in this form it slithered behind the boy.

Look out! the voice warned, interupting him in mid sentence, Sora heard the warning in his head and he turned just as the creature sprang.

The little shadow creature swiped at him with deadly claws, Sora barely managed to bring up his sword in time to block the blow.

The creature's claws were deflected by the sword blade with a clang of metal, Sora could feel the small creature as it tried to find a way past the sword,

Sora was surprised by its strength and its will to destroy him.

"I dont think so, there is no way you are getting your claws on me you little freak!" Sora shouted in challenge to the creature, he then shoved the beast back

and with a swing of his sword disposed of it.

The moment his blade swung through the little creature, it evaporated in a cloud of shadow. Sora couldn't believe that he had managed to slay one of the

creatures, but his victory was short lived, for the remainder of the shadow creatures now prowled about Sora, their antennae twitching in time and their

glowing yellow eyes searching for an opening in his defenses.

Another of the creatures sprang again, but Sora was ready this time and he disposed of the shadow as he had its precursor. The other shadow creatures,

after seeing another of their kind eliminated, all began to quiver and shake.

Sora watched as each of them sank to the floor, reduced to dark amoeba like blobs that slowly formed into a great sea of shadow that engulfed Sora.

The boy tried escaping the embrace of the darkness, but he found it to be like wading through wet sand, the darkness only seemed to cling to his

small form the more he seemed to struggle until finally he was lost. Sora could not even scream as the darkness filled his mouth, tasting foul and unnatural upon his tongue.

Sora had closed his eyes in his struggle against the embracing darkness, so when he did open his bright eyes he found himself surprised to find the

clinging shadow creatures gone and himself sitting upon a new platform, this one of three hearst joined together to form a triangle.

Sora then noticed the doorway that stood at the opposite end of the platform waited a magnificent thing of pink marble that was covered with curving shapes

and symbols.

Sora slowly walked over to the mysterious doorway, wondering what lay beyond its shut exterior.

To continue onward, you must go through the doorway, are you ready? the voice asked Sora, suddenly the doorway lit up as if there was a great light

waiting upon its otherside.

"I am ready" Sora answered the voice, as he did the doorway swung open and admitted a bright light that left Sora blind as he stepped through

onto whatever awaited him upon its otherside.