Sora woke up cold; he wasn't in the bed he'd fallen asleep in. He opened his eyes and pushed himself up there was nothing around him, just blackness. Rubbing his eyes he took another look around and saw Roxas lying on his back a few feet away, his eyes closed.

"Roxas!"

He took a step and a blinding light shot up from the ground, a flock of birds began to lift off all around him, revealing more light when they'd finally flown away entirely he was left standing on a circular platform made of what looked like stained glass. Swallowing he approached Roxas, kneeling next to him and shaking him.

"Come on Roxas, wake up."

Roxas opened his eyes and looked around in confusion.

"Huh? Sora, what…where are we?"

"I don't know, I just woke up and we were both here."

"Don't be afraid."

Both boys jumped out of their skins and looked around, there was no one there. Where had the voice come from?

"Do not worry, I will not harm you. You have other matters to concern yourself with besides."

"Who are you?" Sora called.

He got no answer; he reached down and clasped Roxas' hand tightly.

"Good," spoke the voice again. "That is your strength, never forget it."

Their grips tightened on one another instinctively, both began looking around them, the ground began to rumble and two pedestals rose up out of the glass. Strangely it didn't shatter.

"Roxas, are we dreaming?"

"If we are, we're having the same dream."

Sora reached over and pinched Roxas.

"OW! What was that for?"

Sora smiled nervously. "We aren't dreaming."

"That's not comforting."

"Take your weapons." The voice intoned calmly.

They looked at the two pedestals; each now bore what looked like oversized keys. After looking at each other, they approached and eyed the keys.

"Are those…keys?"

Sora reached out and picked one up, examining it.

"It looks more like a sword."

He swung his experimentally, it felt light in his hand, it seemed to fit in his palm easily.

"Weird."

"Yeah you said it," Roxas had picked up another of the key-sword things and was also examining it. "Why do you think there are three of them?"

With a loud bang the third key vanished and reappeared in Roxas' other hand.

He looked at it in surprise. "Oh…."

Sora looked at the second key-sword curiously. "Why do you get two?"

Roxas handed him the second one, Sora took it, and no sooner had

Sora laughed. "I think it likes you."

"Yeah I got that too."

"Keyblade."

They jumped as the voice whispered again; this time they both brought their newfound weapons up.

"Good," whispered the voice. "You are key bearers, it is tasked to you to unlock the light, and seal the darkness."

"What are you talking about?" Sora called.

He received no answer; the glass began to rumble beneath them.

"SORA!"

Sora turned towards Roxas, and cried in surprise. There was, darkness, there was no other way to describe it, engulfing Roxas.

Sora reached out his hand. "Take my hand!"

Roxas threw aside one of the keyblades and grasped Sora's hand. Just as they touched, the darkness engulfed Sora as well. They were both sucked down, but were able to reach each other just before they were fully submerged, wrapping their arms around one another and clenching their eyes shut against the force around them.

A moment later they opened their eyes again, they were again on another stained glass platform.

"What was that?" Roxas asked, his voice shaking.

"I don't know…hey where'd the keyblade's go?"

"Keyblades?"

Sora shrugged. "Well that's what the voice called them."

Roxas held out his hands looking at them, there was a snapping sound and both his blades appeared in his hands.

He looked at Sora stupidly. "Uh…."

"Let me try." Sora held out his hand, another snapping sound, and his blade was in his hand.

"Cool."

Roxas shook his head. "No, not cool, this is crazy. What is going on?"

"Come towards the light."

They jumped and spun, the voice had come from behind them, and again there was no one there just a pillar of light.

"This is getting old." Roxas muttered.

Sora nodded. "Should we listen to it?"

"I don't think we have a choice."

They both took a deep breath and began walking towards the light.

"Good, never stop seeking the light, but you must be cautious. The closer to the light you are, the deeper the shadows will be; behind you."

Both turned in unison, stunned as they watched their shadows stand up and face them. Each shadow had two glowing eyes, and held the same kinds of weapons that the boys did. They didn't wait for the boys to gather their wits, they simply charged.

Roxas blocked his attacker and swung with his second blade, driving his foe back while Sora swung wildly at his opponent, forcing it back as well. The two shadows continued their assault, mimicking the strikes driven at them.

Sora cried out as he was struck on his arm, he looked at the wound; it looked like he'd been burned. Roxas moved in to defend him, his eyes burning angrily as he cut Sora's shadow in two.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," Sora said shakily. "It hurts."

They looked at the second shadow; it had stopped attacking them and seemed to be waiting. Sora gathered himself and ran at it yelling before Roxas could stop him. The pair clashed and Roxas watched as Sora beat the shadow back, and finally ran it through with his keyblade.

"Is it over?" Roxas murmured.

"Not yet." The voice answered.

Both boys turned to the fallen shadows and watched as they reassembled and grew in size, until they both towered over the pair. Sora moved closer to Roxas and the two stood back to back as the now massive shadows loomed over them. They no longer looked like mirrors of their owners. They had strange tentacle like limbs, and heart shaped holes in their chests.

"Sora…."

"I don't know, Roxas I'm scared."

"Me too, it'll be okay. Just stay together."

Sora nodded, facing his shadow resolutely despite the fear eating at him.

"You need never fear when you are together, you are unstoppable, and with the others you shall conquer the shadows. They cannot stand against you, keybearers."

There was another rumble, Sora and Roxas exchanged nervous glances, then the glass buckled beneath them, dropping them and their shadows into the darkness.

"SORA!"

"ROXAS!"

Both reached for the other, dropping their keyblades and gripping tightly as they fell, clenching their eyes shut as they plummeted into nothingness.

Sora woke up with a yell; he'd slept in his clothes so he had no need to get dressed as he leapt from his bed and flung his door open. Riku was standing in the hallway.

"I was wondering when you were waking up."

Sora ignored him, and yanked Roxas' door open to find his cousin in mid-grab to the door handle. They took a moment, staring at each other before they wrapped their arms around each other.

"You're alright!"

They both said, Riku blinked and sighed.

"You guys have a strange dream?"

They looked at him nervously, eying each other before Sora spoke.

"I don't know."

Riku shrugged. "I don't think any of us is supposed to. Come on," he turned to leave. "Yen Sid's probably waiting."

"Wait Riku," Sora called. "What did you mean "none of us"?"

Riku shrugged again, blowing Sora off, "nothing."

The two followed Riku as he opened the door leading to the stairwell, following him up the winding stairs, though it seemed that they went up further than they had come down.

They reached the next door, and opened it. Sora and Roxas had expected to find the dining room they'd been in the previous night. Instead they found themselves in the entryway, with Yen Sid smiling enigmatically by the bolted exit.

"I hope you slept well."

Sora opened his mouth, Yen Sid held up his hand.

"There is no need for talk, you know what you need, and you don't know what you do not need. That is all there is to it. Time will reveal what you need to know, be patient."

To Riku he said, "do not be so swift to hold grudges for unintended ills. You cannot stand on your own as you found out. Allies are always needed for anyone to stand strongly before a challenge."

Riku said nothing, moving past Yen Sid and exiting the tower. Roxas and Sora made to follow him, but Yen Sid stopped them, taking their hands and clasping them together as he stared into their eyes.

"Remember, this is your strength. Never forget it and you shall find your way even in the deepest shadow."

Both boys opened their mouths but Yen Sid motioned for silence yet again.

"No questions go, before your train leaves."

With that he shooed them out the door, the platform was where they'd left it, and the train sat patiently for them on the rails. Riku waited far less patiently inside.

"Finally, I was wondering if you were going to stay."

"Quiet Riku," Roxas muttered.

Riku smiled, looking at Sora for a moment before speaking. "I'll tell Kairi next time I see her where you are. She's wanted to write to you for a long time now."

Sora's face brightened. "Thank you Riku."

Riku shrugged, holding out his hand. There was a familiar snap and a keyblade appeared in his hand. He smiled at the stunned expressions on Roxas' and Sora's faces.

"You aren't the only bearers. We're supposed to help each other, so I'm doing that. Don't think I've forgiven you yet."

Roxas scowled at him. "Don't be a jerk."

The keyblade vanished again, and Riku sat down as the train pulled away. This time though he didn't try to intentionally distance himself from Sora and Roxas, he just sat down and remained quiet the entire way back to Twilight Town.

At the station they said their goodbyes; Sora promised that he'd write to Riku who simply shrugged as if the matter was inconsequential. They parted; Sora and Roxas began the climb back to their house. When they finally reached their front door and opened it, Tara blinked in surprise to see them coming in.

"Oh, good morning boys; I didn't know you'd already gotten up and left. I was making breakfast for when you got up. Where did you go?"

Sora and Roxas looked at each other, just what had Yen Sid done? Both decided they didn't want to know, and set about setting the table before sitting down and waiting for Tara to finish cooking. Neither said anything about their trip to Yen Sid's tower, or the strange dream they'd had the night before. If it had even been a dream, they weren't sure they'd even fallen asleep now.