AN: Well, I had intended to wait a few more days to publish, but I felt you all deserved a Christmas present from me. To those that either reviewed or personally messaged me and told me that they liked the chapter but felt it could have been better…I agree. It wasn't one of my better written chapters of any story I've ever written by any standard. However, while I knew what I wanted to put onto the word document, I couldn't get it to come out right. After going back and rewriting it several times over, and still finding myself unsatisfied, I decided simply to let my fingers discuss the matter with my keyboard and let what they came up with finally be the end of it.

Finally, to those that have reviewed, placed this story on their favorites or put it on alerts, I really do appreciate it. While I know it also might sound selfish, I would really appreciate reviews as well. I can't get better without your input. Tell me where I'm messing up or how I'm failing to capture a character properly. I'm only one person, I need each and every reader to essentially be my personal insult comic and tell me how much I suck because otherwise I don't reach new plateaus. Anyway, I suppose that's enough of me begging for reviews and criticism….With the way I'm begging for insults, I'll start to consider myself a masochist at this rate…Onwards!

Chapter 7:

Standing Tall

As Maleficent read through the data of the battle taking place on Destiny Islands at the moment, she couldn't help but be perplexed. She had been sure that once the attack began that Sora would rush back from wherever he was within the Realm of Darkness. The heartless she had sent after him had stopped their reports to their commander and none of the sentries she had sent later could find the boy. It was as if he had simply disappeared in the middle of the Realm of Darkness.

But how?

This was her realm. She was in absolute control. Nothing was outside of her power. So how was that boy missing inside of her dominion? Still, she had thought it mattered little. When King Mickey saw the massive hordes sent to the Destiny Islands, he would certainly summon back the Keyblade Master to fight and defend their last safe place and the problem would be dealt with. If not by her hand, then by one of the millions of heartless and nobodies thirsting for the taste of his heart in their mouths.

Still, as she watched the battle progress from the safe confines of her castle stronghold she was dismayed to see that not only had King Mickey failed to summon the boy but that the defenders were actually managing to hold their own. It made no sense! They had been split up according to plan. She had made sure King Mickey had not been able to make contact and formulate a proper battle strategy so what was the problem?

She was well aware heartless weren't the most brilliant things to ever grace the worlds but nobodies could learn and adapt and had intelligence, between heartless as well as nobodies along with the overwhelming numbers it should have been more than obvious who the victors of the Destiny Islands would be! She had to admit Mickey was a capable swordman and Riku had flourished under her teachings and learned to use the darkness proficiently. Even the boys Cloud and Squall Leonheart from Hollow Bastion were capable to say the least. However, they should not still be standing. She had the advantage in numbers and even their stamina could not last forever. She should be hunting down Sora right now, the boy a fugitive from her new regime of darkness, not a missing wielder whose presence was not required to assure victory!

"Enough!"

The harsh command was heard throughout the castle despite her not even shouting. Still, her words seemed to carry for miles due to the sheer calm fury in her tone.

"This should have ended hours ago. I will not be made a fool of by that royal rodent and his stupid band. I will deal with the fools myself. Beast. Sephiroth."

At her words, the two warriors appeared in a flash of green light in front of her. Beast stood at perfect attention, his armor emblazoned with her mark over the breastplate. Sephiroth however looked downright bored. It was a constant irritation to the witch. Despite her new powers, Sephiroth refused to acknowledge her or even face her in battle so she could prove her superior might. Instead, he simply maintained that for the moment, her path and his led to the same place and she would save him the effort of having to deal with everyone else on the island to deal with Cloud. When she had ordered her heartless to rip his heart down, she hadn't even have had time to blink before his sword was drawn and two dozen heartless evaporated into nothingness before her eyes. Just as calmly, as if they had been having a perfectly normal and average discussion over the weather, he sheathed his blade and returned to coming and going from the fortress as she pleased.

"What is it Maleficent?"

"What do you need My Lady?"

"This battle at the Destiny Islands had become a nuisance." The dark-robed witch muttered bitterly, "Furthermore, Sora remains outside of our knowledge and his location in the Dark Realm eludes the heartless I have sent after him. I want this battle ended before he can interfere. I will finish this myself and silence Mickey as I should have done when I ended his rule. That he lives still is more a testament to my failures than his triumphs. You two will handle the rest of his fighters while I dispatch of him personally. If possible, capture the boy, Riku, alive. I want to personally teach him the penalties of taking my teachings and attempting to use my generosity against me."

"Yes Lady Maleficent"

"Remember, do not engage any of them until I have isolated Mickey. Do not forget your orders and-"

Her words were cut off as Sephiroth appeared behind her in a flash, speaking calmly as always. "I answer only to myself Maleficent. I will help you only as far as your goals and my own happen to intercede. Do not mistake my temporary aid for loyalty. I had only one goal, to face Cloud again. Everyone else in the world, yourself included, is meaningless in comparison.

Despite the veiled threat, Maleficent managed to keep the pure rage she felt out of her voice. Mostly.

"Very well Sephiroth, but get in my way and you will not be treated any differently than any of them. When the world is overrun and destroyed by the darkness, if you have not already left, I will not help you offworld."

"I require no aid from the likes of you. I've wasted enough time in this place. Cloud is there. I'm going"

With that, he vanished in black light and Maleficent and Beast soon followed in flashes of dark green. In time, she would have to deal with the stoic warrior, but as long as he suited her goals, she could tolerate his insolence. She just needed time to watch him and decide what his weakness was. Once she found it, she could betray him and exploit it. After all, everything was fair in love and war.

The second she arrived on the island, her two associates beside her already, she could see the three in front of her were already trying mentally to restrain themselves. There was Mickey, apparently trying to formulate some sort of plan as if he had a change now that she had entered the fray herself. Beside him were the two young men from Hollow Bastion, Cloud and Squall Leonheart. Although she had heart he only went by Leon. Still, he had proven to be a thorn in her side over the years and it would be a pleasant victory to rid the worlds of his ilk. Just as she turned to Beast to give the order for him to finish Leon while Cloud was handled by Sephiroth she was cut off by a voice of pure rage and hate. Expecting to see Cloud, it was instead the young man, Leon, who was suddenly charging right at her with purpose in every step.

"You…You destroyed Radiant Garden, my home. You destroyed everything we worked so hard to rebuild! You ended lives, you stole the hearts of children! Forget about making Sora bother with it, I'll destroy you myself!"

This fool actually felt he could best her? There were few people that Maleficent considered worthy foes. Mickey, though it plagues her to admit it, Sora as well. Riku was as well and now Sephiroth had to be counted in that list. This boy though? He was barely an insect and he dared to challenge her! In a one on one fight as well? It was plainly insulting. Even as she block his blow and sent him spiraling down the beach with a snap of her fingers she felt barriers rise around them. It had to be Sephiroth, no one else would have the gall to block her from her target. Even now she could see Sephiroth engaging Cloud. The two had wasted no time and were aiming to kill from the first strike. Mickey had also drawn his blade against the Beast. It would be interesting to see the results of such a fight. Beast may have the strength and Stamina Mickey did not, but Mickey had speed, agility and made sure every blow landed and made a difference as well as a masterful control of his magical abilities. Still, would Mickey have the courage to strike down a friend, even a fallen friend?

Still, since the barriers had been erected, Maleficent knew she had no choice but to deal with this impetuous youth. It was a waste of her time and gave Sora further time to return but it would take longer to forcibly remove the barriers while simultaneously fending off this boy's attacks. Even now he was rising back to his feet, his gunblade at the ready. Furthermore, he wasn't blindly charging in this time. She had heard that this young man was a cold and calculating fighter somewhat like herself. She had presumed it to be a mere exaggeration when she saw him charge blindly, but perhaps he could entertain her for a few minutes.

Didn't she ever wear down?

Leon felt as if he'd been battling her for days without a break when in reality, it could not have been more than perhaps fifteen minutes. For every blow he managed to land or get past her defenses, she had a counterblow or a spell on the tip of her lips. She never even seemed to be paying attention and yet she was always ten moved ahead of him.

The jacket he normally wore was tattered and in shreds on the ground. A well placed fire spell, or well placed in his opinion, had been sent back at him by Maleficent and caused it to catch fire. His undershirt had small rips and his boots were filling with sand from trying to get some level of footing on this unstable surface. Furthermore, despite it all, he had yet to actually wound her. He had forced her to fall back a few steps or send powerful spells at him to knock him back and cease his attack, but he had been unable thus far to entirely pierce her defenses and get at her body. He knew she had grown more powerful due to being exposed to what King Mickey called Kingdom Hearts. Still, this was unreal. He felt like a rat trying to compete with a tiger. Outclassed in almost every way.

Still, for all her strength, she had to have a weakness somewhere. Everyone did. Even King Mickey had agreed on that much.

Flashback to earlier that day

"What do you mean Sora's not here! What if Maleficent attacks?

"Calm down Leon. I sent Sora away but to try and give us a chance at winning. I needed to get him off Destiny Islands to get a task done."

"So why not send me with him. He shouldn't be out there alone. Maleficent wants his head on a platter. Yours as well. You're sending him to his death."

"I would be sending us all to our deaths if I did not send him Leon. I don't mean to be mean but I have thought this through. This was something he needed to do alone and you couldn't help him with this."

"So send Riku with him. Those two are great together. They practically read each other's mind. They could watch each others' back while Sora gets whatever this is done."

"Enough Leon, Sora is already gone. I have faith in him. Riku is needed here, as are you. Sora will be back."

"I'm sure he will be. I'm more concerned about whether he will be able to be back here in time. We don't have a lot of time to spare before Maleficent gets impatient and decides to attack and we still have no idea how to stop her. If she finds out Sora is not even here anymore, she'll hit us as soon as she can."

"Maleficent is slow and calculating Leon. I do not think she will attack outright even if Sora is not here. She likes to understand things. She will want to know why we would risk sending him off world. I cannot guarantee anything of course, but I do not think she will want to risk attacking when she does not understand the full situation. She will wait and give us the time we need for Sora to get back."

"And what if you're wrong King Mickey? You're putting an awful lot to chance here. There aren't many other safe worlds out there besides this one anymore. If we lose this place, where do all the refugees go?

"I have arranged with Master Yen Sid for a safe place if this world appears ready to fall. He will be ready for them."

"And even if we do hold off her attacks or she doesn't attack at all, we still don't have any plan for when she finally does attack and participates herself. We've had plenty of time, no one can find a weakness in her. How do you plan to defeat her, she just seems too strong.

"She has a weakness Leon"

"Really? Would it kill you to share that revelation with the rest of us, your Majesty. It would be a decent morale boost to know she's not outright invincible."

For all his sarcasm, Leon had leaned over the desk separating him from the exiled ruler, his eyes shining with hope for the first time since Mickey could remember. Easily since the war began in earnest.

"Her weakness is that she thinks she is invincible."

"Excuse me, Your Majesty?"

"Pride. Pride is a weakness."

"Personally, Your Majesty, I would prefer stupidity."

A small chuckle from the mouse that was neither full of humor or life almost made the king's words inaudible, "Pride will do" Only Mickey heard the second part of that sentence in the back of his mind, 'It will have to do.'

End Flashback

'She's proud, Mickey believed we could use that same pride to defeat her. I have to take a chance that he was right…Otherwise I'm as good as dead.'

The words seemed to echo in his mind as warrior and witch stared each other down. One was tense with anxiety and the other was almost bored from the ease of the battle.

"It must be annoying. You come all the way here and Sora isn't here and all you get is little old Leon. I'm not even a real challenge. Your own troops disrespecting you. I grew up in Radiant Garden, I can sense barriers going up, and they came from Sephiroth. I mean, I'm sure it's great for him. You spend all this time beating us back and taking over the world and when all is said and done, he just has to kill you and take your place."

"Well boy, at least you know you've lost the fight. Still, you're quite wrong about Sephiroth. All he cares about is your friend. Furthermore, once the boy, Cloud, is dead it will quite easy to dispose of Sephiroth if he will not obey me willingly. He obeyed my orders so far since he knew he would get to Cloud through me."

"Have you ever MET Sephiroth before? He could get to Cloud anytime he wanted. He wouldn't have broken a sweat going through everyone if they were in his way. He could have won this battle single-handed if he wanted. Unless he wants you dead of course…"

Despite knowing his words to be false about Sephiroth's ambitions, Leon's words did strike a chord in Maleficent's mind. Ever since gaining power, she had found herself obsessed with keeping it. She had read tomes from the old worlds, before the formation of the World Order about empires of old that had risen and fallen. Already she distrusted her commanders, Pete included, for fear they might be whispering behind her back. The darkness didn't help either, whispering to her that she needed to keep them under her control, how they would betray her on a moment's notice.

The rage that found its way onto the witch's face surprised Leon's to say the least. He had been hoping for her to let down her guard. Instead she seemed to be thirsting for blood and she sprang onto the attack. He staff's base had transformed into a sharp point which she was thrusting with precision at his body in perfectly timed strokes. Only great experience with the Keyblade had stopped his chest from being split open down the middle.

A burst of light however interrupted his musings. It caught him directly under his chin and blew him back into a rock wall where his head collided at high speeds with the edge. Even as he struggled to stand amidst the pain, he could see the dark witch's murderous glare as she advanced towards him. Still, he could lie down for a bit, it wouldn't be long and a little rest for his eyes sounded so nice…

With Sora and Roxas on the Station of Awakening

Now that both were at their best, every blow was precise, every step designed to earn victory if the other made even the slightest miscalculation. It was no longer even just magic and Keyblade. Kicks and uppercuts had begun working their way in when one or the other had an opening and wanted to stun the other. Both of the boys were thoroughly bloodies and exhausted. Sora's left knee had a deep gash on it from where Two Becomes One had gotten past his defenses. Roxas has ripped into the skin without mercy and already Sora wasn't sure how much longer he could stand like this. Already he was unable to block due to the pressure it put on the muscle and tendon that was certain to be several damaged. Instead, he just had to keep pushing Roxas on the defensive. Roxas's blond hair was matted with blood where Roxas had been forced to block directly above his skull and, without good footing, had both the Oblivion and blocking Aublade brought down on his own skull. Furthermore, his right hash had a slide on the palm that seemed to be affecting his ability to hold his second Keyblade.

One thing was clear. Their fight was quickly coming to an end. If not for a willingness to continue, out of sheer inability to continue on either part.

"I was right the first time Sora…You make a good other…"

"I thought we said no more talking!"

Roxas's moment of reflection certainly cost him as Oathkeeper slipped through his guard and hit his shoulder. Furthermore, as he hit, Sora yelled out a fire spell and connected it directly with the new wound. It was enough to send the normally calm and controlled Roxas into screams of pain and agony before he fell to his hands and knees, Keyblades spinning away as Sora kicked them to the side. The brunette master was panting heavily as he held oblivion to the throat of his nobody. There was no smile and no joy at having won on his face, only exhaustion and determination.

"You lose…Don't make me kill you Roxas. Give up and fade back into me. I have to save my friends. I can't do that with this X-Blade, and to do that, you have to fail here."

Even as Roxas contemplated surrendering, he had a brief flashback to a similar situation. He had once held Sora in a position like this. No Keyblade, a weapon to his throat. He had believed and pulled through.

That was his body.

That was his life.

That was his heart!

He couldn't lose here!

Jumping back into a backwards roll, he called on what little energy he had left to summon Two Becomes One and Aublade back to his hands. Despite the agony, he even managed to stand and charge at his other. Sora had seemed to realized Roxas had nothing to lose and charged forward as well, Keyblades at the side and ready to swing upwards in a strike or block at any given second.

Just become they would have collided though, both swung their weapons upwards in identical patterns though. Metal collided on metal and in their weariness, both lost hold on their Keyblades. The legendary weapons disappeared in flashes of light and for a moment both of the boys looked at one another in a moment akin to understanding and comprehension.

Then it was gone.

Keyblades forgotten, Sora and Roxas charged again. This time their fists did all the talking that was needed. Although their injuries permitted only weak blows by either teen, it also meant even scathing marks felt like hot steel against their skin. A left hook by Roxas was ducked by Sora who threw a retaliatory jab at Roxas's gut and missed by centimeters as Roxas's moved to the left.

Knees to the gut at the same moment were blocked.

Punches on both sides were anticipated.

Even desperate head butts seemed planned in advance.

Finally though, both collapsed against each other, slipping onto the cool glass floor. Arms around one another, they simultaneously burst out laughing and crying.

After a few moments, Roxas finally managed to choke out "What were we thinking, we've pretty much shared a mind for years, how were we ever gonna really beat each other"

"I can't kill you Roxas…Not for this stupid X-Blade. We'll save the Destiny Islands our own way. I can't kill you. My heart is your heart, it's never been a contest."

After a moment of thought, Roxas finally nodded and held out his hand to Sora, who grasped it tightly, "We'll protect the light together. As a team. I already told you. You make a good other Sora. Go save your home now. I'll be right there with you."

Even as Roxas spoke, the other boy seemed to vanish as if turning invisible. There was simply no sign of the boy and even as an exhausted Sora turned to look, the glass platform of the Station of Awakening seemed to shatter and Sora fell into the endless void of darkness. Still, for the first time, he felt like dawn could be on the horizon. He and Roxas were one again.

Still, when he finally managed to open his eyes, all he saw was still black. It felt like everything around him was emptiness. Finally though, he looked down. He was in the arena and yet the arena itself had vanished. The symbol of the Keyblade was still on the ground and so was the altar but everything else was gone and the moon of the Dark Realm seemed even dimmer than usual. If that were possible.

It was the figure in front of him that drew his attention though. There was that same woman from before, Aqua. She was looking at him as if a specimen to be studied carefully. Partly in fascination and also at the same time in fear. Following her eyes to the altar however, he found the reason for her glances though. There on the altar was what he somehow knew instinctively had to the X-Blade. The golden hilts intersected and from which emerged two gleaming silver swords with connected to form the blade of the X-Blade. Around the edges were further teeth. In a way, it was beautiful, but the glow was almost eerie, as if calling out to be used.

The second he placed his hand on it, he knew immediately the reasons for which he had been cautioned against its power. It was as if being plunged into ice cold water. Suddenly he was exposed to an endless supply of power, suddenly all the knowledge of the world was before him. He was suffocating from the sheer intoxication of how wonderful it was. With this single weapon, he could end the strife in the worlds and unite them under him wisdom. This weapon was where it all started. He could feel the hearts of all life beating everywhere. He could feel the captured hearts of each heartless, the hearts of the princesses. The unknown hearts in various worlds. He could sense all those on Destiny Islands. He could even sense Kingdom Hearts, feels it's power, its pull. All it would take would be to open the door and he could have the same power Maleficent did. Furthermore, with this X-Blade, destroying her would be simple. He was a true Keyblade Master, nothing could ever manage to stop him.

It took all his willpower not to summon kingdom hearts right then. He didn't even know how but he knew he could. It was like being connected to all life. He couldn't sense everything in detail at once, but he could feel things on a general level and look deeper upon his choosing.

At once though, he found himself drawn back to Destiny Islands however. There was Kairi and Riku, and the king. There! He could feel Maleficent, rage was coloring her heart. He could also feel Leon and he was weak. Leon's heart was barely pushing forward, it was barely emitting any light anymore, the connection it had to kingdom hearts and the X-Blade was dim.

Glancing at Aqua who was looking at his face and then the X-Blade in his hand with trepidation, he managed to regain control of his senses and managed to get out what needed to be said:

"I'm going to Destiny Islands, I would rather have all the help we can there. If you help us, I promise to do whatever I can to help your friends after this battle is over…I promise to get rid of it when I don't need it anymore."

Her soft and sad voice was barely a whisper but he heard even bit of it, "I'm sure you think that but in only a few minutes, you're already addicted to its power. That weapon destroyed the Keyblade Masters. For your sake, I hope you're better than they were. The fact is, you may not have need of it for this, but you'll find some reason to need it. No one with that kind of power just throws it away Sora. I just hope you and your friends have the best of luck with saving your home."

"Fine, I hope I get the chance to show you how wrong you are then. I'm using this to save the worlds, it's not using me…goodbye Aqua. I will still try to return and help you and your friends. I still want to meet them one day."

Before he had even finished talking, the woman before him had vanished into the shadows of a Dark Corridor. Meanwhile Sora glanced back at the weapon in his hand before closing his eyes and focusing his heart on home. On his family, on the refugees who were counting on him. On King Mickey, Leon and Cloud, on the papou fruit that had tied them all together for eternity, no matter where they were. On Riku and Kairi, who needed Sora, the Keyblade Master.

Foolish at it might have felt to be talking to a Keyblade, Sora managed to swallow his pride as he asked, with as much pride as possible while talking to a piece of iron, "I need to get home and quick but I don't know how to get there. I need you to show me the way please."

As he asked, the Keyblade forcibly pulled his arm upward and a light rocketed out of the tip and emerged into a portal similar to a Corridor of Darkness but made of light as well of darkness in equal levels.

"Well…I'm on my way guys, just hang on a little bit longer, okay?"

With that, the Keyblade Master, now wielding the X-Blade and having passed his Mark of Mastery, stepped into the portal and it closed behind him within seconds.

Unbeknownst to either Sora or Aqua, a third person had been watching however and stepped out after Sora had left. As he spoke, he appeared more to be musing to himself as opposed to having an actual conversation.

"So the boy formed the X-Blade, he does have potential."

"But will he wield it, or will it wield him.

"Who is to say that he will not be the chosen wielder of prophesy who can wield it as an extension of himself while also using its full powers"

"Either way, our plans must be readjusted to accommodate this new dilemma."

"Will the boy even be able to defeat Maleficent now? Her powers only continue to grow as her hate and rage grown"

"It matters not, either way the worlds will fall and we will achieve our goals."

AN: Okay, the end is a little snippet of the later arcs for you so don't worry too much about it. For now you can almost think of him like a greek chorus in the old epics, they comment on what happens onstage to give context.

Moving on, Leon is certainly in a bit over his head, Sora has forged the X-Blade but did he really pass the Mark of Mastery. Also, can he master the addictive power of the X-Blade? He'd only held it for minutes and was so heavily intoxicated by it. Imagine it like the Ring of Power in a way. It can aid you, but it also has a mind and agenda of its own and shouldn't be underestimated or taken lightly. The X-Blade just don't have an evil master it's trying to get back to…so not entirely like the One Ring. Anyway, we'll reveal Leon's fate, get to Riku and Kairi hopefully and perhaps have Sora's return to the Destiny Islands. Hopefully he'll be in time to help Leon.

Next time: Dreams of Destiny