Body and Soul Chapter 20, a kingdom hearts fanfic

Hello faithful readers. It's been a while. Normally, I wouldn't do an author's comment at the beginning of a chapter, but it's called for now. I have decided to change Chapter 18's second half into Chapter Nineteen and divide the final chapter into two chapters, Chapter 20 and 21. So, yes, another slight delay, but a small one, because the final chapter is halfway completed and I promise it will be uploaded soon. I don't want to make you all wait any longer than I already have, and your patience will be rewarded soon.

Chapter Twenty: Night of Day 318: Dance in the Moonlight.

The thunder and lightning boomed and flashed, illuminating the only road ahead of her.

Aqua slowly and calmly walked down the street, following the single black asphalt path, her metal boots clanking silently, the maiden not even bothering to walk on the sidewalk.

Her footsteps were the only other sound beside the pitter-patter of raindrops.

As Aqua continued down the road, she was slightly…disturbed.

She stepped through an impasse between buildings and into a slightly wider road. As she continued to walk, she looked at the buildings, her eyes slowly moving from the left to the right. Again, she found her disturbance growing.

The buildings were identical, and this oddity gnawed at Aqua.

Well they weren't virtually identical, just…repetitive.

Some were just black or gray bricked buildings about two stories tall with the same glowing yellow windows, others were one stories with glowing neon signs hanging on them, though there was no visible door on any of them for someone to enter through.

There was another strange thing Aqua noticed, causing her to pause in her walking and stare up at one of the glowing electronic signs. At first she thought her eyes were just playing tricks on her. But then her eyes narrowed in realization, before widening back open and she gasped.

None of the signs had any distinguishable words on them.

Just random, intelligible symbols.

Aqua stared at the strange glowing circles and squiggles for another moment before she quickly turned away, resuming her slow walking down the path.

Up ahead, there was a break in the maze of seemingly identical door less black buildings adorned with neon signs. It was a small electrical grid, the area broken off by bars and rising bronze generators that were laid flat out, resembling platforms. The sound of Aqua's footsteps against the metal floor under her were broken suddenly when Aqua's foot touched rubber.

Pausing and glancing down, Aqua saw several large wires were exposed, no plating covering them and running directly into the generators. Aqua walked into the center of the small area and stopped, her head inclining slightly. Once more, she found herself slightly disturbed, remembering something she had noticed upon arrival to this world but had paid no mind.

The air was stale, odorless. She couldn't even smell the scent of the falling rain.

Aqua looked down on the metal plating that insulated the electrical wires. Raising her right foot up a few inches, Aqua slammed it back down as hard as she could. Normally, when a person would stomp there foot down on any surface, it would make some kind of sound and on a metal plating like this one it should have made a loud 'clang!'.

Instead, all Aqua got was a slight shudder through her leg, a small discomfort that made her wince. But other than that her stomp hadn't made any sound save for that same quiet, clanking of her boot. The only other sounds she had heard were the drops of rain falling in the few puddles on the road, sidewalks and wherever.

But even then they were still faint, and Aqua could only hear it right now, as she stood absolutely still.

Something wasn't right about this world.

Why would Terra leave a Corridor open that would take her here? Why would he even want to meet her here?

The more she thought about this world's oddities, the more she realized how familiar it actually was to another place she had been too.

Aqua shivered, bowing her head slightly.

She remembered the endless continuing single path overlooking a chasm of infinite darkness, the same darkness below matching the blackness that served for a sky, strange twisting, rising rock like formations jutting from nowhere, writhing in the black sky like plant leaves desperately searching for a single mote of light from a nonexistent sun.

This world, with such little sound, scentless air and no light…

It reminded Aqua too much of the Realm of Darkness.

She shivered again, taking a few more hesitant steps forward, moving closer towards the main road ahead.

She forced her memories of that terrible place back down. Now was not the time to think of that realm. Even if she was on a world that recaptured those feelings that realm inspired.

Aqua turned left at another impasse, then right, walking straight forward once again. All around her puddles rippled gently as the rain continued to fall, though the thunder and lightning had stopped just as quickly as it begun, the rain itself showed no signs of letting up any time soon. Aqua carefully avoided stepping in any puddles. The last thing she wanted right now was for rust to start building in them. As the water maiden moved past the puddles, their rippling forms consumed in shadows, the few yellow lamps from street lights reflecting in their murky surface. Then, suddenly, he puddles rippled fiercely, the glowing yellow lamp reflections moving like eyes, the glowing yellow orbs following Aqua's movements as the shadows suddenly seemed to rise…

As she continued down the single road, it began to expand out, leading into a small square common in cities, this small area filled with circular golden lights with red circles wrapped around them. Aqua was a little relieved by the added light they gave off, allowing her to better see where she was. To her annoyance, the buildings in this square were just as identical to the ones she had passed.

Well, not exactly true. Aqua found herself staring up at a rising, black tower skyscraper, adorned with wide glowing green and blue screens and a star shaped neon sign on the front of the skyscraper, right above the glowing yellow glass and window doors. The other signs were just the same intelligible symbols. Their were numerous screens high above the glowing signs, a huge one below a small bunch of smaller ones, each showing nothing but white static and there were two staircases on either side of the doors, leading down to the square and up to the doors.

Aqua walked towards the rising skyscraper, stopping when she stood in the center of the small square. She tilted her head back, staring up at the rising skyscraper. While it was perhaps the largest of these virtually identical buildings and the only true unique one…

Her watery eyes turned, gazing up at the white castle several yards ahead of her. She gazed back up at the skyscraper. Aqua realized this little skyscraper was nothing compared to that castle.

She lowered her gaze, turning her body and resuming her walk, moving down the left path towards the massive castle. But she had only taken a few steps when she stopped suddenly. She could hear a familiar chittering sound…

Aqua turned slowly, looking back towards the square.

Her watery eyes widened slightly when she dozens of inky skinned and yellow eyed Heartless, all identical to the man sized, long limbed ones she encountered in that fallen, crumbling world, Hollow Bastion. The Heartless stumbled and staggered towards the water maiden, their dead yellow eyes glowing eerily under what little light the signs and posts gave off. Aqua turned completely, facing the Heartless, her eyes narrowed.

Though they moved slowly, they moved as one, all of them stumbling towards her on shaky limbs. Aqua stood her ground, holding absolutely still as the Heartless staggered towards her. Only when they were a few feet from her did she begin to raise her right arm slightly, a single glowing pink petal swirling between her fingers-

The Heartless pounced as one, all of them leaping into the air, their wry bodies twisting as they reared their claws back, their yellow eyes glowing brighter in anticipation at the thought of devouring her heart-

Light and more ethereal petals swirled and gathered around her outstretched arm and open palm, the petals swirling around the light as it lengthened out, the glowing white turning into a shade of vibrant blue, like ocean waves. Spinning her blue keyblade Bright Crest in her flat palm and twirling her body in time with it, Aqua grasped her blade's hilt as it completed its spin and swept her keyblade out in a single slash.

That same slash released a wave of light that swept through the dozens of Heartless, and as soon as the light touched their inky dark bodies they exploded into black mist. No sooner had the wave of light appeared did it vanish into the shadows that littered the ground and in between the buildings, swallowed quickly by avaricious darkness.

Aqua lowered her keyblade, dispelling it in a flourish of petals. She watched the black mist that had once been several Heartless linger in the air, slowly dissipating. This disturbed her. It was one of several things disturbing her at the moment.

The first thing was the fact that so many Heartless had managed to sneak up on her like that. While they were very weak she still should have been able to feel the darkness they gave off, especially since so many had gathered together to try and attack her. But she hadn't felt the darkness emanating from them at all. She couldn't feel any kind of presence in this world…

The second thing was the fact that the black mist that remained of the Heartless hadn't faded away yet.

Normally, any being born of darkness upon its defeat and destruction would melt into black mist and instantly fade away, the darkness that made up for it being too weak now to survive in the Realm of Light. But…here…in this strange world…

Aqua saw that the black mist left over by the Heartless was settling onto the ground, melting into the puddles and staining them black. Aqua stared at the blackened puddles, disturbed how the lights cast a yellow glow on them…

The same yellow as the eyes of the Heartless.

Turning back towards the path that lead to the castle ahead of her, Aqua quickly resumed her walking, not sparing another glance behind her.

If the water maiden had looked back, she would have seen the same puddle she had been staring begin to quiver and ripple, the puddle rising up to form the small head and long antennas of another Heartless, its clawed figures beginning to rise out of the puddle as well-

But this Heartless never had a chance to completely reform as a black boot slammed down on its head, making no sound and only causing the now normal clear water puddle to ripple slightly.

A tall figure cloaked in black, the hood of his cloak pulled over his face, watched Aqua make her way up the path, closer to the massive white castle. Under the hood, twin eyes of lunar yellow narrowed. The eyes looked away from the blue haired woman and down towards the puddle, staring in disgust at the wisps of black mist that remained of the Heartless he himself had stamped out.

"…Useless."

With that, the figure turned and began to walk away. Making no other move besides his walking, the figure wordlessly called forth a swirling miasma of shadows that formed into a Corridor of Darkness. The figure stepped into the Corridor and vanished, the Corridor swelling before it collapsed in on itself, melting into a puddle of shadows that vanished as well. The square was empty, the lights from the various signs, screens and posts failing to reflect off any of the shadowy puddles.

But then again it was astonishing any light survived in this in-between world so close to the deepest darkness.

The path Aqua traveled down was a short one.

It was a rising hill, surrounded by more black buildings on both sides, trapping her in the middle.

The huge white castle loomed over her, its rising towers disappearing into the bluish black clouds that floated around it, flashes of lightning piercing through them briefly, no thunder breaking the silence.

Within moments of arriving on this path Aqua found herself stopping before a great chasm.

The road ahead was broken off, allowing no access to the castle ahead, the great steel fortress floating in midair on a slow spinning ring.

Aqua stared at the castle. So close, yet so far.

She looked up, staring at the central tower, the largest, the tip of it vanishing into the clouds above and around the castle. Her watery eyes narrow in a glare as she stares up at the massive castle, her hands clenching into fists by her sides. Aqua, "Why tell me to come here if you won't let me come any further, Terra?'

She lowered her gaze, staring across the bottomless chasm of darkness and the fortress of white steel hanging above it.

Hidden in the clouds high above, invisible in the darkness around the castle's tallest peak, a black gloved hand dripping in rain water extended out, the fingers flexing slowly, stretching the leather of the glove before suddenly clenching into a fist.

Back below, Aqua contemplated what to do next. She wanted to avoid drawing too much attention to herself while she was here but at this point it looked she would have to use her rider to reach over the chasm and into the castle. Sighing in submission, she started to reach for the armor on her left arm-

Before her fingers even so much as touched the charm on her shoulder there was a sudden flash of light before Aqua, appearing between her and the massive castle, pure light briefly obscuring the dark pit below and reflecting against the castle's steel surface, nearly blinding the girl.

Aqua stumbled back, the hand that had been reaching for her armor charm moved to cover her blinded eyes, shielding them weakly as small dots of light managed to slip past her tightly closed fingers, forcing her to keep her eyes shut. But just as quickly as this light appeared, it had already begun to fade away. Aqua lowered her hand away from her face, her eyes blinking rapidly, trying to make the spots flashing in her vision disappear sooner…

After a few seconds they did and Aqua opened her eyes, blinking one last time as they refocused, allowing her to see in the ever-present darkness around her-

Aqua found herself blinking once again, though in shock rather than blinded surprise. She took a single, shaky step towards the chasm between herself and the monstrous white castle floating over it. She took another step, her metal boot hesitating for only the briefest moment…

Then she completed her descent, the sole of her boot touching the glowing checker pattern surface of the energy path suddenly before her. Aqua took another shaky step, staring at the glowing path of energy before her, her gaze traveling over its smooth surface. She could feel the tingle of energy through the bottoms of her shoes, traveling up her legs and sending pleasant shivers through her body. She stopped suddenly, barely even a third of the way across, the maiden's deep blue eyes focusing on the checkered pattern of the path.

Something about it was very familiar. Too familiar…

It hit her, the maiden's sapphire eyes widening as she remembered she had seen this checkered pattern before.

Black and blue energy sparked between his hands as they thrust up to meet her strike, the sparks turning red as a strange perfectly square shaped shield appeared between her and the Unknown, deflecting her attack and shocking her with a rebound of energy that coursed throughout her entire body. Aqua hung in midair, her whole body not burning but freezing as the strength behind her own attack was reflected back at her. The Unknown lowered his shield and Aqua fell without a cry, just a look of confused pain. And she fell right into his arms for the second time.

Aqua stared at the energy path under her, the realization that it was a much bigger version of that strange barrier Terra had summoned in their brief battle having stunned her a bit. She lowly moved her gaze away from it, craning her head back so her eyes could gaze up at the tallest peak of the massive fortress before her. She couldn't see past the pouring rain clouds that blocked the tip of the tower…

But she could sense- no she could feel someone gazing intently down on her from the great height above.

Aqua stared right back up at her unseen observer, her lips moving slowly as she breathed out a single name.

"Terra."

Thunder rumbled above her, flashes of lightning rippling through the black clouds above.

Aqua looked away from the sky above, turning her attention back towards the path ahead of her. The glowing light of the path revealed the way. It continued straight ahead, rising slightly and going under the castle's huge flotation ring. Aqua's eyes squinted as she saw a large opening under the castle, like the underside was missing a huge plate or something.

Staring straight up and ahead for another moment, Aqua resumed her march up the path, her resolve unchanged. As before with the ground of this empty realm, her steps made no sound as they rose and fell on the path before her, the raindrops simply passing through the energy and into the darkness of the chasm below. Aqua brushed her wet locks out of her eyes, finding herself already two thirds of the way across the path.

Her gaze travels up the path, looking into the exposed entrance. She could see large mechanical objects inside the castle and-

Aqua froze where she stood, her sapphire eyes widening slightly.

Up ahead, something stood at the entrance to the massive castle underside.

Aqua stared up at the figure, her eyes narrowing a little as her eyesight refocused.

Correction, she thought.

Something floated above the entrance to the castle, hovering a good three feet over it, the figure's head bowed down slightly, no doubt their eyes were focused directly on Aqua.

Aqua stood there for another moment, her whole body tense. Then, she resumed her walk up the path, though at a slightly slower pace.

At first, she assumed the figure was Terra.

But as she got closer and closer, she realized it was someone else.

Or rather, something else.

Aqua stopped her ascent up the energy path, standing only a few feet away from the only entrance into the castle. And the creature floating above her. Aqua tilted her head back, staring up at the creature.

She had seen many, many strange things in her time…

But this about took the cake.

Its whole body was covered in, or made of, a strange rippling silver substance, and it appeared to be wearing a flowing robe or cloak of the same color and substance. Its waist was thin, inhumanly thin, and its arms were held together, appearing joined together at the hands like in a prayer of some sort. It had small rising tips on both of its shoulders.

Aqua had to admit that it could almost pass for human from a distance.

But now that she was up close, she could see why it wasn't human.

For one, it didn't have a face. The creature's entire head was covered in that same silver substance and had two interconnecting black lines running across and down its head, connecting like a cross. It had rising ridge like bumps above the horizontal lines, on either side of the vertical line running over the top of its head. It settled its eyeless gaze on Aqua, the bottom of its 'robe' rippling to an unseen wind. Aqua noticed its whole body rippled, like mercury.

A flash of white caught the maiden's eyesight when the robe rippled again. She continued to stare up at the strange floating and shaking creature before her, then slowly lowered her eyes to look near the bottom of the rippling robe. When she saw the symbol, her eyes widened instantly in shock.

A reversed heart, with three needle like blades sticking up and out on both sides. The same symbol she had seen on the backs of the Gambler's cards and inside that strange chamber where she had found her keyblade and her armor. A symbol she had seen one too many times when confronting these beings in the black cloaks.

Aqua turned her gaze, looking right into the black lines that passed for this thing's face.

The creature slowly began to descend closer towards Aqua, and the maiden unconsciously clenched her fists together.

Aqua's eyes followed the being as it continued to slowly float closer towards the floor until finally, it was at eye level with her.

What happened next made Aqua jump and gasp in shock and mixed fright.

It spoke.

Welcome, lady Aqua.

Genderless and toneless words echoed in the water maiden's head, and she once again found herself remembering her encounter with Terra at that strange area in that hollow world.

She blinked as the silver being bowed before her, before it straightened up and swiftly floated back, moving slightly as if to let Aqua in. The water maiden actually took a few steps back, very confused and uncertain, her guard broken by this thing talking to her and for a horrifying moment she thought about running away.

And then it spoke again. And Aqua knew it was truly too late to turn back now.

Our lord has been expecting you…

Twilight Town was definitely a strange sight at night.

Roxas reached this conclusion shortly after turning his gaze away from the town below the clock tower, the street lamps offering some visibility despite the deep shadows cast in the night. The blonde turned back towards the unconscious girl still resting against the clock tower's face. Roxas' eyes narrowed in growing concern.

It had been several hours since the weird incident at Castle Oblivion and Xion still hadn't woke up, the dark haired girl remaining slumped over and deaf to the world and the few noises of the night around her. Roxas' worry grew with every passing minute not only in concern for Xion but also for Axel, the fiery red head having not returned yet after leaving to find some potions for all of them.

The longer he was forced to wait, the more Roxas wanted to head after Axel and try to find him, his anxiety rising so high at one point he started to pace around the clock tower roof.

But, he thought, stopping his pacing and turning his head slightly, once more finding his gaze drawn to the sleeping girl.

Who'll watch Xion?

Roxas paused in his pacing, his eyes closing as he grit his jaw down, teeth grinding as he let out a slight groan of misery, his hands raising up, his index fingers rubbing the sides of his temples in an attempt to relieve the pounding behind his eyes.

This headache wasn't helping matters.

At first Roxas had been able to ignore it, never noticing it as he and Axel tangoed with the crazed Xigbar. But after Axel had taken him here and left shortly after to find some potions for all of them to heal their various wounds with, the pounding pressure had begun to take effect and it had only gotten worse in short order. Roxas let out a sigh, letting up on the pressure he was applying to his temples.

He hoped those potions Axel had promised would help with this.

The young teen turned his attention back towards the darkened Twilight Town, somehow hoping he would spot a familiar flash of red in the shadow eclipsed streets below that would signal Axel's approach back to the clocktower.

There was a sudden sound behind him, a soft sound, and Roxas was amazed he even heard it over the pounding in his temples. It was the sound of leather scraping over a hard surface. Mixed in with that sound was a softer feminine groan. Eyes widening, his headache instantly forgotten, Roxas whirled around, his blue eyes instantly settling on the shifting form of his injured and formerly unconscious friend.

"Xion," the blonde gasped and not even a second after he did was he suddenly crouching by the waking female. Xion shifted herself, now sitting slightly further up, her right hand over her face, her features twisting in a slight wince, no doubt from all the various aches over her body. Roxas once again found himself wishing Axel would hurry himself up. Xion's eyes fluttered, the dark ocean orbs quickly adjusting to the darkness, though she was still squinting, a soft groan slipping past her lips. No doubt she was suffering a similar headache like Roxas was.

Xion's fluttering ocean orbs met Roxas' sky blues and they widened as she gasped out, "Roxas?"

Said teen found himself breathing a sigh of relief, then smiling at Xion. Roxas, "Yeah, it's me. Everything's ok now."

Xion blinked, momentarily confused by this. Her eyes look behind Roxas, gazing at the starry night sky and the outlines of darkened buildings, very few of them illuminated by lights piercing through few windows. This only confused Xion even more though, the girl unable to recognize her surroundings-

Dark blue eyes widened in silent shock.

A flood of memories raced through her minds eye, recalling the events of Castle Oblivion in a split second.

In that same split second, Xion shot straight up on her feet, swaying slightly and still leaning against the clocktower. Alarmed by her sudden actions, Roxas gasped and stood up quickly as well. Xion looked around wildly, panting and gasping, speaking rapidly in fear. Xion, "Where is he? Where'd he go? Where is he?"

Roxas found himself staring at Xion, baffled by her strange actions and more so confused by her words. Cautiously, he places his hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her quivering form. "Xion!" His cry doesn't reach her, and the dark haired girl is still looking around wildly, her quivering now starting to become full-blown thrashing.

Sensing he had to act fast to prevent Xion from doing something that might result in her hurting herself, Roxas tightened his grip on her shoulders and gave Xion one fierce shake at the same time as he practically shouted her name, "Xion!"

The effect was instantaneous. Xion stopped thrashing, snapping her head in Roxas' direction, her eyes meeting his again. Roxas breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw the fear and panic that had gripped Xion so tightly had loosened its hold slightly, but hadn't let go of her. Taking a slow breath while Xion continued to breath in short, quick pants, Roxas spoke slowly, soothingly, trying to keep Xion calm less she panic again. Roxas, "It's okay. You're safe, we're safe. No one is going to try and hurt us again."

The girl blinked, looking at Roxas, the lingering fear in her eyes beginning to fade, though not totally. Xion, "B-but what happened? How did we get here? Where is here?"

Resisting a smile, Roxas calmly explained. Roxas, "It's alright, it's just Twilight Town." Xion blinked, her fear replaced by surprise. Her blue eyes looked past Roxas, the blonde also moving out of her way to let her get a better view of the town from their usual spot. Xion took a few hesitant steps forward, Roxas remaining close just in case, her eyes now scanning the streets below in awe. Xion, "Wow…It just…looks so different." She looked back at Roxas, offering him a slightly embarrassed smile.

Xion, "For a second there I thought we were back at the World That Never Was."

Roxas chuckled in understanding, moving next to her and staring down at the darkened little village as well.

He nodded in understanding before saying, "Yeah, I thought we were on a completely different world when I first saw it too. It looks so strange at night, doesn't it?"

Xion nodded in agreement but then paused, a frown appearing on her lips. Xion, "'We'? Who else is…?" She trailed off, her eyes looking away in thought. Roxas again smiled, trying to ease her tension. Roxas, "Who else would have brought us to the usual spot?"

Xion blinked, at first not understanding. But then her confused look turned into surprise and then a bright smile as she breathed out, "No way. Axel's here?"

Roxas felt his grin widen as he nodded, though it quickly turned into a scowl as he looked back down on the darkened streets below. Roxas, "Although I wish he'd hurry up and get back here already with those potions."

Xion blinked, her confusion only growing every second. Xion, "Potions? Why do we need those?"

Roxas looked back at Xion, his annoyance replaced once again by concern. Roxas, "Well…we were both pretty hurt after what happened at Castle Oblivion…you more so than me. So Axel went to see if any of the shops are still open and get some potions."

The teen turned his gaze back down to the dark streets. Roxas mumbled to himself, "He's been gone a while though…starting to get worried."

While Roxas' revelation cleared up her confusion over her current whereabouts and how she had gotten there, there were still some matters they had to go over. Specifically, what had happened after Xion had passed out. And what had happened to Ventus.

Looking back at Roxas, the said blonde still looking down at the streets, his concern gone and replaced with irritation towards Axel, Xion steeled herself and then spoke slowly. Xion, "Roxas…can we…well, talk about what happened?"

Roxas turned his attention away from the streets below, focusing again on Xion, a slight confusion in his eyes. Roxas, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Xion nervously clutched her hands together. She didn't know exactly what happened after she had passed out but Axel's sudden appearance while life saving didn't bode well. Taking a deep breath, Xion met Roxas' gaze and went on. Xion, "About…what happened at Castle Oblivion…after I passed out, remember?"

For a split second Roxas just stared at her, his look more confused then ever. Then a light seemed to dawn on him and he breathed out an, "Ohhhh, yeah. Sorry, I guess I took a harder blow to the head than I thought."

That caught Xion's attention but she said nothing, just nodded and urged Roxas to go on.

Roxas crossed his arms, closing his eyes in a thoughtful pose for a moment before opening them and saying, "Well, when I came too Axel was standing over me and shaking me. I had this really bad headache…" Roxas paused at that, his hand reaching up to soothingly run over one of his temples, a slight wince on his features. Roxas, "To tell the truth it really hasn't gone away but…well, it's not important I guess."

His hand lowered and he resumed his explanation. Roxas, "But he wasn't alone. Well, I wasn't alone. Xigbar was there too."

Xion's eyes widened but she didn't say anything, just nodded urgently, eager to hear more.

Roxas, "He was acting weird, well, weirder than usual. He kept ranting about some door and how he, the Superior and even Axel had been looking for something inside Castle Oblivion for a really long time. Xigbar said I led him too it but the only doors I saw were the ones that led to the top of the Castle."

Roxas paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Xion was thinking too, but kept her face blank while inside she was even more confused. Why were Xigbar and Axel there? And what had happened between Roxas and Ven, the boy in the armor? Roxas' story had too many holes.

For that matter, why did Roxas look as confused as she felt?

Just then Roxas resumed speaking. Roxas, "And then Xigbar did the…well, unexpected or craziest, just surprising…He attacked me!" Xion's eyes widened. Roxas nodded. Roxas, "Yeah, I know. He said something about how the Organization only needed one keyblade wielder and that you and I…" He trailed off, frowning suddenly, his hand reaching to rub his temples again, eyes closing in a grimace.

Xion hesitantly reached her hand out, but didn't touch Roxas. Xion, "Roxas?'

The teen shook his head, lowering his hand and offering a smile. Roxas, "Sorry. Like I said, I took a pretty bad bump. It's acting up a little. Anyway, Xigbar attacked and me and Axel took him down." Roxas suddenly rubbed his throat. "Though Xigbar didn't go down gently, believe me…" He muttered, more to himself than to Xion.

The dark haired girl stared at Roxas, her deep blue eyes still confused. That cleared up the 'how they got here' part but there was still something Roxas had left out, perhaps the most important thing. Taking a deep breath, Xion spoke up quietly. Xion, "Well, that does answer some questions, Roxas. Thank you." He nodded but didn't say anything when he saw the look on her face.

Xion thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully. She didn't know why Roxas hadn't just told her, and she wondered if the duel had even gone in his favor after she had passed out. For all she knew Roxas had been beaten even easier without her. But she had to know.

Xion, "But Roxas, you've left something out."

The blonde blinked his sky blue eyes, confused for a split second before his eyes flashed in an understanding. Roxas, "Oh, yeah, that."

For a moment Xion thought he would explain what she desperately wanted to hear but instead Roxas rubbed the back of his neck in slight discomfort. Roxas, "Axel told me he had saved you from Luxord. I forgotten Xigbar wasn't alone. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you, Xion."

For a second Xion was too confused to even respond, her eyes widening considerably. Luxord had been there too? And he had tried to eliminate her while she had been unconscious? She was suddenly a lot more grateful for Axel and his timely intervention, but Roxas was still avoiding what she so badly wanted to know.

Shaking herself out of her shock, Xion stepped closer to Roxas, grasping the sleeve of his cloak, surprising him and forcing him to meet her eyes. Xion's tone was pleading as she finally said, "Roxas, you're still not answering my question: What happened after I passed out while you were fighting Ven?"

Roxas didn't respond at all. He just stared at her blankly, confusion in his eyes. But Xion noticed something under the confusion, a slight flicker of recognition. But what he then said was more than enough for Xion to be completely floored.

Roxas, "'Ven'? Who's that?"

All the dark haired girl could do was stare up at her blonde friend, knowing that this was somehow a joke, a poorly tasted joke, but a joke nonetheless. But as she searched Roxas' face for some sign, any sign, she could find none. He was serious.

Shaking her head slowly in growing denial, Xion breathlessly asked, "How could you forget? He was the reason we went to Castle Oblivion! He's the reason we risked our lives, our existences, so how could you forget?"

Roxas just stared at Xion, his expression now very confused. Roxas rubbed the back of his spiky locks in a nervous gesture, looking away for a moment. Roxas, "To be honest, Xion…"

He looked back at her, his expression grim once more. Roxas, "I really don't remember why we even went to Castle Oblivion in the first place."

It was like getting slapped in the face again and again without pause. That's how Xion felt at this moment, unable to believe what Roxas was saying.

Xion, "Roxas, please, tell me you're not being serious. How could you forget? Try-try to remember!" She reached out suddenly, practically lunging, and grabbed the lapels of Roxas' cloak, clinging to him with shaky hands and looking up at him with desperate eyes.

Roxas flinched, shocked by Xion's behavior. Roxas, "Xion calm down! What is it that you want to know so badly?"

That caught Xion off guard.

In truth…

She didn't know why she wanted to know so badly. But she had too. She had to know why that boy in the armor looked so much like Roxas…

And while she couldn't explain this other feeling she had…a feeling she shouldn't have at all…

She felt…she felt this Ventus was somehow connected to him…

That other boy…

Taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, Xion let go of Roxas' cloak and stepped back. She met Roxas' gaze again and saw annoyance in his eyes. Taking another shaky breath, Xion closed her eyes and said, "I'm sorry, Roxas."

She opened her eyes and saw he was still staring at her, though his eyes had softened a bit. Grasping her hands together in front of herself and twisting them nervously, Xion went on. "It's just… you may not remember but I do remember…what happened at Castle Oblivion…and, well… after everything you went through…what I saw…"

She looked back up at him, her hands unbinding and her right hand rubbed her left arm. Her tone was sad as she murmured, "If you've forgotten it feels like it was all for nothing."

Roxas stared at her another moment, his blue eyes unreadable and barely visible in the darkness. Then he sighed, shaking his head and holding up his hands in helpless defeat. He opened his eyes, gazing back at Xion sadly. Roxas, "I'm sorry Xion. I just…don't remember."

Xion clasped her hands together again and she stood still for a second, lost in thought. Then she looked back at Roxas and asked, "Do you remember anything? Anything at all? Like, um, running around in the halls inside the Castle? Anything like that?"

Roxas gave her look and was about to say something when there was a sudden flicker of recognition in his eyes. He raised his right hand, rubbing his chin as he muttered, "Yeah…now that you mention it, I do remember that…but…was I…chasing something?"

Xion nodded quickly, a small smile on her lips. Xion, "Yes! We were in the halls and you were chasing after that glowing card. You do remember the cards don't you?"

That same flicker of recognition sparked again in Roxas' eyes though they looked a little distant now, as if he was trying to relive the moment of his lost memories. Unconsciously, he had started to rub at his temples once again, as if to stave off a coming headache.

Xion went on, hoping that somehow he had started to remember even just a little bit. Xion, "The cards Roxas. Do you remember them? They're the reason we went to Castle Oblivion."

Roxas nodded but wasn't really listening to Xion anymore. In his mind's eye he could almost see these cards she was talking about. There had been…three of them, of that he was almost sure. And there was something else too.

Like Xion had said he could picture himself running through the halls of Castle Oblivion…

And he was chasing something. But what was it? He could almost make it out, almost see through the strange gray haze shrouding his memories-

And suddenly, there was pain. The dull pounding and throbbing of his temples and behind his eyes had returned, ten times as strong as when it had really begun to affect Roxas and he gasped, hands instantly snatching towards his temples. But the pressure only got worse. He thought he heard Xion's voice but he couldn't tell as the pounding inside his head just grew worse and worse, consuming him utterly in a black haze o agony.

There was another sound he couldn't really hear.

Roxas swore it was himself screaming.

And then Roxas' whole world went black and he knew no more as he fell back into darkness.

For a moment, Xion had really believed Roxas would remember.

And then he suddenly clutched at his head and let loose a scream of agony that no doubt woke up the entire town.

Flinching back and letting out a terrified gasp, Xion cried out as Roxas suddenly stumbled, his hands still clutching at his head and his eyes clutched shut. The blonde staggered- and his legs bumped into the ledges rising from the ground, threatening to send Roxas careening over to the station platform below.

Xion saw this and shot forward, her arm reaching out as she cried, "No!" Once more she gripped the lapels of his cloak and pulled hard, making Roxas tumble forward instead back-

And an electric current seemed to rip through Xion's body from the moment she touched Roxas, passing from her arms and into her chest.

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to cry out-

-random bursts of numbers flashed over her eyes and she could see images under the numbers. A girl's face in front of a white background, two children sitting on a dock, those same children in front of a door in the middle of a cavern, the door bursting open and a gust of black wind following out, pushing the girl forward into, no through, the boy-

Xion felt her hand release Roxas as she staggered back, falling onto her behind and then sprawling on the ground, her blue eyes dull as they gazed up at the starry sky for only a moment before closing. Darkness consumed her thoughts…

And then she knew no more.

The two teens lay there, asleep once again. But they did not dream this time, of memories lost. Only slept.

The darkened town remained quiet and still.

There was a brief peace.

Sapphire orbs stared at the rippling silver creature before her, her lips parted in a response she had no yet come up with.

The creature floated, waiting patiently and silently.

Finally, all Aqua could come up with was: "What?"

The creature spoke again in its non-existent voice.

My master, the lord of this castle, is expecting you. He sent me to greet your arrival and guide you to him.

Aqua stared at this creature, her whole form tense and alert. She looked up, surveying the steel white surface of the castle. Then, she looked back at her greeter. Aqua, "Terra…he's expecting me?"

The rippling creature nodded again.

For some time now. Do you wish to make him wait any longer?

Slight feelings of guilt snuck into Aqua's heart and she turned away for a moment, hiding the sudden shame on her features. When she could bear to look at the strange creature once more, Aqua took a few hesitant steps forward. As she did, the creature, her guide, floated a little ways back, an unspoken gesture to venture further.

It spoke to her again; it's tone still flat and not truly there.

Come, lady Aqua. My liege waits.

And with that thought in her mind, the thought of seeing Terra once again, Aqua took a deep breath, her eyes closing briefly. When she opened them again, the hesitation and slight fear was gone, replaced by a cool, controlled look. She followed after the creature and stepped inside the massive floating castle for the first time.

She followed her strange rubbery silver guide up the ramp, her steps the only sound, the loud metal 'clanks' echoing into the castle entrance. To Aqua however, it looked more like a loading bay of some sort. In contrast to the castle she had seen in the world called hollow Bastion, the rising, crumbling fortress being repaired bit by bit, this castle was in no such state of disrepair save for the occasional exposed wires or pipe that looked more like they had been etched into the walls and were not actually ingrained into them, but it had a strange feel too it. It felt…new.

Everything was made from a silvery metallic metal and Aqua saw rising columns and floating sheets of metal in the empty areas on either side of her, and along the path her strange guide was leading her on, there was a glowing blue box or server of some sort in front of three objects that reminded Aqua of grain silos, only smaller. Her guide turned right and then about face, slowing slightly as it waited for Aqua to catch up. As her guide resumed his floating Aqua saw up ahead was an opened bay door, leading no doubt directly into the castle.

But it wasn't the opened doors that made Aqua stop abruptly, her sapphire eyes widening in alarm. It was the two guards by it.

Like her guide they were humanoid but that's where any resemblance to humanity ended. Their limbs were long and lanky, their 'flesh' that same silvery color but also occasionally tinged with purple onto their thighs, and a series of pink straps were tightened across their chests and long necks, twin sets of spiked wings jutting forth from their backs, the largest spike tipped purple as well and a thin purple tail swayed to an unseen wind between their thighs, the tips of their clawed feet making a small 'ticking noise. Their arrow shaped heads had no eyes but long ears and their long jaws parted open in a silent growl.

In both of the creature's right hands they each held a thin spear with pink spikes twisting about it's length and had three smaller spikes tipped at the end.

The ever-present reversed heart symbol was embedded on their left thigh.

Aqua's guide turned its square head when it saw its charge had stopped moving entirely. It looked at Aqua before turning itself again, following her gaze to the two creatures stationed by the opened bay door. It looked back at Aqua before speaking.

Fear not. They are under orders not to harm you.

Aqua gasped and flinched, still unused to hearing words inside her head, especially words that lacked such…feeling. She still made no move towards the bay door, looking at the guards nervously. She looked at her guide, the silvery creature ever patient and waiting. Aqua, "It's just…they…" She trailed off, her eyes lowering.

Then she shook her head and resumed walking forward, although it was more of a march now. As she passed her guide she muttered a quick, "Never mind," and moved towards the opened bay. As son as the guards heard her approach their arrowhead snapped instantly in her direction. Their spears snapped up, slamming against each other in front of the opened path, blocking Aqua from advancing any further. Their jaws parted wider still, emitting growls.

Aqua held her ground, glaring at both creatures with icy blue eyes. Her right arm lowered, her palm flexing open. The creatures tightened their grips on their spears, hissing.

But before she could do anything, Aqua's guide was suddenly between her and them. There was no sound exchanged between the creatures but the draconic ones snarled loudly before stepping back, bringing their spears back with them and exposing the way forward. They gave Aqua one last eyeless glare and hiss before turning their empty gazes forward and doing nothing more.

Aqua's guide turned back to her.

After you, fair maiden.

Aqua stared at it for a moment, dubious, then turned her attention forward. The bay door led into a long metal hallway with only a single light shining brightly at its end. A light at the end of a long tunnel.

She looked back at her guide, it's eyeless square head locked right onto her, it's body rippling gently.

Then without sparing another glance at any of the strange creatures, Aqua resumed walking forward in smooth controlled steps, her boots making metal clanks that echoed off the enclosed walls. Her guide followed after her silently, ignoring the draconian guards on either side of itself. The creatures as well made no more sounds or movements and simply resumed their duty.

For a long time Aqua and her guide moved forward, the light growing brighter ahead, allowing Aqua to see that the walls of the hallway had more wiring and pipes embedded in them as well. When she felt that she was far enough away from the two strange guard creatures, Aqua looked back over her shoulder in the direction they had come in.

"What were those things?" She murmured aloud before she could stop herself.

Her guide took her sudden pause to move ahead of her. As well as speak again.

Among our numbers, they are called Dragoons.

Aqua blinked, but didn't gasp this time, at the sudden string of thoughts entering her mind that acted as her guide's voice.

She looked at it and decided now was the best time to get some answers about those creatures-Dragoons- and maybe even a little info on the castle itself.

Aqua, "Your numbers? You mean there are more of them?"

Her guide's head rippled in what must have been a nod.

Oh yes, there are many of us. And while we are not nearly as numerous as the Heartless, we are still here in these halls, even if we are not meant to be.

The last part of her guide's answer caught Aqua's attention. Aqua, "Wait, 'not meant to be'? What does that mean?"

The creature's whole form rippled suddenly and Aqua swore it must have been laughing.

Surely you have learned of we nonexistent ones by now, fair maiden Aqua.

Aqua's eyes widened in understanding.

Aqua, "You…you and those… Dragoons…you're Nobodies?"

Its head rippled again, a nod.

Aqua stared at it in new wonder. She didn't understand. All the other Organization member Nobodies she had fought looked human. But these…

Our hearts were not nearly as strong as our masters.

Aqua flinched; surprised her guide was still in her mind and reading her thoughts. Unnerving her. Her guide paid no heed to feelings of discomfort and went on.

We lesser Nobodies serve our lords and masters faithfully. And they in turn give us shape and forms. The Dragoons are the loyal followers of lord Xaldin.

Explains the spears, Aqua thought dryly.

If her guide heard that thought it did not acknowledge it and continued its explanation.

I am a Sorcerer, the elite servants of the Superior of the Organization.

Aqua understood instantly. "Terra is your master."

The 'Sorcerer' turned away from Aqua and resumed floating ahead, directly into the light but its next words still echoed clearly in her mind unaffected by distance.

We are all his servants, lady Aqua. Everything inside this castle, everything, is his.

The words struck deep, and Aqua found herself shuddering involuntarily.

A tad too quickly did she resume following her Sorcerer guide and they both passed through the light and into the next area.

This new room took Aqua's breath away.

Ahead of her, connecting to the floor of the metal hallway she stood on but otherwise simply suspended over a vast pit of gray metal, Aqua realized she was inside one of the castle's towers as columns of pure light pointed upward and Aqua tipped her head back, following the glowing pillars and seeing more metal hallways jutting into the sides and that ever present reversed symbol of the Organization engraved on one of the walls. While Aqua was standing and admiring the inside of the pillar, her Sorcerer guide floated ahead and onto the platform, standing directly in the center of it.

It turned its rippling body back towards her, and the water maiden was still looking around in awe.

Coming my lady?

The sudden intruding thoughts snapped Aqua out of her childish wonder, her cheeks tinting a slight pink as she nodded and quickly stepped onto the platform.

No sooner had both her feet stepped onto the platform did the pillars of light rising from its ends all suddenly shine and the whole view from the platform was blocked off by walls of intense bright light. Aqua gasped, her body tensing into a slight crouch, prepared to battle.

The Sorcerer rippled again.

Calm yourself fair maiden. It is simply the transport activating itself now that you are on.

Aqua did a double take, giving her guide and incredulous look. But now she could see the occasional flash behind the walls of light, and even some strange green glowing lines as well. She too ka few more hesitant steps further into the platform. But no sooner had she did the flashing walls begin to slow, before fading away entirely, revealing a ceiling above and huge walls with that reversed symbol carved into them.

Aqua stared in wonder and she just faintly registered more of those lines of light on various places in the huge walls across from her and her guide.

The Sorcerer had begun to float ahead of her, pausing and turning once t stood next to the door to their next destination.

Aqua breathed in wonder as she gazed down below and saw she couldn't even see the bay door they had left from due to the great height they had traveled in such short moments. Aqua looked back at her guide and spoke in a breathless voice, "So fast…how is that possible? Normal transports don't go that fast in such short time."

The Sorcerer's form rippled.

Normal transports use gears and wires to carry themselves to their destination. Why use those when you can be carried by light? It's much faster.

Aqua looked at the pillars of light connecting the platform to the ceiling above, her eyes marveling at them in a new understanding for their purpose. Her Sorcerer guide rippled again, turning its body in the direction of the opened path before them.

Shall we continue?

Aqua nodded and followed after her guide, the rippling creature floating down the new path before them, another metal hallway with a single bright light at its end. As Aqua followed after her guide in silence, she was astounded by how much light there actually was in this castle, which was nestled, so deeply in this dark realm. She glanced at the Sorcerer but it made no indication that it had heard her thoughts. Or if it did, it chose not to answer.

When they stepped out of this hallway, Aqua now found herself on a series of glass like platforms connected to a large metal pillar connected to the ceiling suspended over a massive cylindrical pillar, wiring embedded inside the glass along with piping jutting out forth. Aqua peered over the platform carefully, noting there were no safety rails and one slip up would send her plunging down into the abyss below.

Her guide floated ahead of her, fluidly rising over the series of steps and stairs and stopping once it had climbed all the way, moving to the right and closer towards the metal cylinder jutting down from above. Aqua followed after it and saw an open passage into the cylinder itself, no doubt leading further into the castle. Aqua noted that while her guide had led her up several stories into the castle, it had not led her very deep inside the castle itself, just up it.

They once more wordlessly entered the new passageway and only after walking a bit and turning once they arrived in a new location.

Aqua found herself more surprised than ever, and wondered if this strange castle would ever cease at that.

Unlike the metal hallways and platforms that had been her path to this point this area was more of a hall than anything else. It was still a platform suspended over a pit of pitch-black shadows but the floor was blue with strange carvings and the ever-present Organization symbol engraved onto it. The walls before her were engraved with random lines and strangely, what appeared to be wings off an angel. There was a large podium built above the next-door, spikes rising off of its surface and three strange spiked black circles engraved below it, right over the doors.

Aqua slowly stepped into the empty hall, her eyes scanning it, taking everything in. Meanwhile her guide had floated further into the hall, slipping over he platform but stopping before reaching the next set of doors and turned, waiting for Aqua.

The water maiden had also stepped further into the room, her eyes looking above in wonder as she spotted the glass ceiling, revealing the cloudy black sky, the image slightly obscured by the sheets of falling rain. Aqua moved a little further into the room, stepping directly into the center of it-

And she froze when a thin beam of red light suddenly appeared on her shoulder, followed by another on her stomach, then a third on her leg, and the last one trailed directly between her eyes. Aqua stood there, the thin dots of the beams moving a little every few seconds. With out moving her body and only her eyes, Aqua quickly scanned the area above, her sapphire orbs following the trail of one of the red beams. When she finally saw the source, Aqua's eyes narrowed in fury.

Floating above on nothing but air was another one of the lesser Nobodies.

Its body was short and stout, probably no taller than Aqua was, its body mainly purple although she could see spots of that silvery gray near its hips where two long spike like objects jutted out. Aqua couldn't see any eyes from where she stood but these Nobodies had to have some form of them as each one was aiming a long, bulky crossbow at the water maiden, glowing sights trailed on her and energy arrows knocked back, their fingers on the triggers.

And ready to fire.

Turning her gaze away from the armed Nobodies, Aqua spared a wry glance at her guide.

The Sorcerer didn't acknowledge her and instead its square head was glaring up at the armed Nobodies above. Its eyeless face turned, looking at each one, all four in total. And then as the Sorcerer finally looked at Aqua the red beams on her flickered out, one by one, and the floating Nobodies above shouldered their weapons.

But did not dispel them.

With their weapons no longer trailed directly on her, Aqua was free to look up directly at these strange new creatures, though her eyes didn't hold the same fascination as they had when she observed the Dragoons and Sorcerer. Just anger, a burning hate and disgust, although not all of these emotions were directed towards the Nobodies themselves.

The Sorcerer floated over, body rippling as it spoke to Aqua.

My apologies, it said in her mind in that same toneless voice.

The Sniper Nobodies are a little…trigger-happy.

Aqua gave a short scoff and a small angry smirk appeared on her lips.

Without looking at the Sorcerer she said, "Let me guess…these are Xigbar's servants."

It was a question, but it wasn't really, as all Aqua was looking for was a confirmation she didn't need.

The Sorcerer nonetheless rippled its head to confirm it for her.

Aqua stared up at the Snipers another moment, their blank, featureless faces staring right back, their grips on their crossbows tightening ever so slightly. And then Aqua looked away and moved forward quickly, past the Sorcerer and towards the doors. Her guide followed after her, and the two exited quickly and quietly, leaving the Snipers to float above, the black lines on their heads that served as eyes watching the door they had left in for a long time. Then they simply resumed staring into space, hoping for an intruder not under the lord of this castle's protection.

Outside, Aqua found herself in the middle of the storm once more.

The rain was coming down in the bucket loads, and the excess of water spilled over the sides of the castle walkway she now stood on, consisting of another series of walkways that rose up and turned left, leading back into the castle.

Still simmering from her brief encounter with the Sniper Nobodies, a reminder of an enemy she had hoped never to deal with again, Aqua moved quickly, mindful of the slippery path ahead as the rain made the solid metal floor slippery and dangerous. Her guide didn't have to worry about such things, a combination of the Nobodies lack of emotions and the fact it could float over the slippery path ahead as it followed Aqua as she first moved up, turned right, then left as she moved up another path and then turned right again, marching straight forward towards a large alcove that gave way back into the castle.

But like the bay door that led to the transport carried by light, the doors back into the castle were guarded. And guarded well.

Aqua stared up at the two creatures in a combination of awe and blatant fear.

For one they were huge, easily twice Aqua's size in both in height and width, with tree trunk sized arms and legs, their bodies a disgusting silver and gold chrome, the symbol of the Organization imprinted on the left breast of their muscular torsos, their heads square and squat as the Sorcerer and Snipers. Like the Dragoons they each held a weapon that was crossed over each other although these were much intimidating then the Dragoon's thin spears.

For one they were hammers. For the other they were easily as big as the ones wielding them. The squat, eyeless faces looked down upon Aqua from their imposing height and while just as blank and featureless as the others, Aqua could their lack of impression towards her. Once more, the Sorcerer moved in front of her, its body rippling as it spoke unheard words not directed towards her but these massive goliaths. But unlike before with the past sentries and guards, these Nobodies did not immediately lower their weapons but instead glanced at each other as if to contemplate too themselves.

When they looked back at the Sorcerer, they still did not lower their weapons.

Aqua shivered suddenly, and not because of the rain covering her.

The likewise dripping Sorcerer rippled its body fiercely, no doubt saying more to these unmoving gargantuans.

Finally, and very reluctantly, the huge guards moved their giant hammers aside, allowing them to pass. The Sorcerer fluidly glided forward and Aqua followed after it quickly, for no sooner had she passed the massive hammer carrying Nobodies did they slam their weapons back down and across each other, the resounding clang almost as loud as a clap of thunder this storm had produced. Aqua looked back at the massive creatures, pausing in her steps. Then she quickly turned and resumed her pace, following after her guide and into a large alcove the hammer wielders had been blocking, giving Aqua a reprieve from the rain while the Sorcerer waited by the doors, its body rippling slightly.

As soon as she was standing by the Sorcerer once more the guide opened the doors with a silent command and led her back inside the castle, specifically the hall they had just been in, on one of the upper balconies. As soon as Aqua stepped in after the Sorcerer, the Sniper Nobodies all trained their gazes on her, but did not raise their weapons like before.

They simply observed.

Aqua quickly caught up with her guide, her boots clanking as she quickened her pace and she asked, "Was there a problem back there? Why wouldn't they let us pass?"

The Sorcerer paused, floating still for a moment. It turned its rippling body to face Aqua, looking at her eyelessly.

…the Berserkers only listen to their master, unless threatened by the one higher than he.

Aqua blinked, confused. Aqua, "But… didn't you say Terra is the lord of this castle?"

The Sorcerer gave her another rippling nod. It turned towards the door ahead that led further still into the castle they had yet to climb all the way to the top. But as it floated away, it spoke to Aqua once more.

But there are those who feel it is their right to uphold what they feel is best for the Organization…even if it conflicts with the lord Superior's given orders.

Aqua stared at the Sorcerer, following its movements with only her eyes, contemplating its words.

Xigbar was the only one she could think of as her true enemy within in the Organization…but he controlled the Snipers and they had let her pass without a problem. So…

Who controlled those…'Berserkers'?

Her guide waited ahead, floating patiently by the opened doorway across the other side of the balcony. Putting her thoughts aside for the moment, Aqua resumed following, ignoring the sightless gazes of the Snipers as they watched her every movement. The Sorcerer waited until she was next to it once more and then resumed leading her, floating over a flight of steps while Aqua followed behind.

Like with the hallways before these steps were cloaked in darkness but this time there was no light to guide her at the end of the passage. The stairs were short, probably only taking Aqua and the Sorcerer up by one level and they exited the darkness and into a slightly brighter hallway. Aqua blinked in surprise when she saw the walls on either side of herself were completely bare and a solid gray. She could see an opened passageway up ahead.

Aqua followed after the Sorcerer and into the next area-

And froze still, her eyes widening not in shock…

But in a kind of fearful awe.

Every area she had seen so far in this castle had a sense of smooth order, and oddly enough, so did this room. But it was what was in the room that frightened her so badly. The sorcerer floated ahead, standing directly in the center of a large circular hole in the room's end that served as the passage out.

Upon seeing her reaction to this new room, the Sorcerer spoke once more.

Welcome, lady Aqua, to this Proof of Existence for those who never had a right to exist…

Proof of existence…

What a strange way to sum up a graveyard.

It was a large room divided in half by six headstones on either side divided into three rows of one, then two and three headstones with blue glowing murals under them, though oddly, five of the headstones were broken and shattered, the murals under them a dull red. Aqua looked between the rows, her eyes wide, mouth slightly agape before she closed it with an audible 'gulp' in the dead silence of this room. Her gaze was drawn towards the last row on the right side of the room where two smashed graves were side by side next to a whole one.

Unable to help herself, Aqua found her legs moving of their own accord and in moments she stood before the two smashed graves.

The first one had no headstone to speak of and so Aqua saw no name. The dull, faded red mural depicted a long, elegant scythe. Aqua squinted when she noticed words engraved above the scythe. It wasn't a name, no, but a title.

The Graceful Assassin.

Aqua fought back a shudder. Quickly, she moved to the next one.

Like the one next to it, the headstone was smashed but half of it still remained, though like before Aqua could find no name. The dull mural depicted three throwing knives and three words were engraved above them.

The Savage Nymph.

Aqua stared at this mural for a while, her mind wondering.

Then she moved to the next and saw this grave was whole and glowed a vibrant blue. The pointed tip of the headstone had familiar numerals engraved on it.

XIII.

Her sapphire eyes betraying nothing, Aqua looked down, seeing like the headstone, the mural glowed a bright blue.

The weapon engraved on this one was as familiar as the numeral on the grave.

A Kingdom Key keyblade.

Under the symbol were more words.

The Key of Destiny.

Aqua understood in an instant.

"This…this is Roxas'…"

She stepped back, looking at the headstone in confusion. Why would they have a grave for a member who had not yet fallen? A voice that wasn't her guides whispered in her mind.

Just in case.

Fighting back a shudder, Aqua quickly moved away from these three headstones but did not approach the other three on the opposite side. She could see the glowing murals depicting more familiar weapons.

Two chakrams, a sitar and a deck of playing cards.

Climbing up the smooth pathway, Aqua glanced at the row above the undisturbed graves, seeing two more broken and ruined graves. Curiosity got the better of her, as she did not recognize the symbols engraved on the murals and she looked at them. The one closest to the pathway depicted a massive sword like tomahawk. Words were engraved above it.

The Silent Hero.

A hero among monsters, huh, Aqua wondered dryly. Moving a little and turning her gaze to the smashed grave to her left, Aqua saw this one's mural bore the symbol of a shield with jagged spikes at its edges. Engraved under it, yet another title.

The Chilly Academic.

Aqua wasn't too impressed. Unlike some of the others she had read or heard from the ones she fought, this fallen Organization member's title wasn't at all intimidating. Turning and moving away, Aqua saw one last smashed gravestone, this one perhaps in the worst condition yet.

The gravestone was completely obliterated and the mural was seemingly rent from the floor, exposing wiring and cables. But somehow, despite this terrible damage, the words that revealed this fallen one's title were still intact.

The Cloaked Schemer.

Aqua mulled over these words, wondering if they would reveal why this one could not rest in peace even after his final destruction.

Finding no answer, the water maiden moved away, angrily ignoring the final two uppermost graves when she saw familiar arrowguns and spears insignias and wished they were dull and as lifeless as the other five.

Aqua approached the large opening, seeing strange carvings on its sides that held strange symbols, only one of them clearly recognizable to her.

A roman numeral: 'I'.

The Sorcerer had waited, floating patiently under the circular passageway while she had indulged her curiosity, however morbid it may have been. But right before she approached nay further, she hesitated, her eyes wandering back up towards the 'I'.

She could feel him.

She could feel how much closer he was, no, how much closer to him she was.

Only a little further.

Sensing her trepidation, her guide spoke to her once again; its numb words a whisper.

He's waiting for you.

Closing her eyes, Aqua took in a slow shay breath, opening them again, their shinnying depths hard as gemstones. Without any further hesitation, she moved towards the gateway-

And stopped quickly with a gasp as magic flashed and a bright sheen of pink overlapped the way forward and glowed brightly, turning into an invisible barrier that revealed her guide but barred her path ahead.

Aqua stared in shock and even the emotionless Sorcerer had an air of surprise about itself.

Then, it suddenly looked past Aqua, and that confusion turned to understanding.

It seems, the sorcerer spoke, that the final lord wishes to speak with you, my lady.

At first Aqua didn't understand and only looked at the Sorcerer in confusion. Then, she followed its gaze, turning and looking behind herself.

The final grave she had not observed, the one right next to the horribly ruined resting place of the Cloaked Schemer, was glowing an even brighter blue than before, and the headstone's surface had taken a translucent look to itself.

Aqua looked back at the Sorcerer but it spoke no more.

Steeling herself, Aqua turned and moved slowly back towards the second row on the right, arriving in front of the glowing headstone.

The number engraved at its top was a VII.

Before she moved any closer, she glanced down at the mural to see what type of weapon or other this one depicted.

Of all of them, it was the most odd looking. It had the hilt and built of a sword, almost resembling a claymore, but at the same time it was a sword at all. The end of it was a jagged half circle with five spikes on each end, four pointed crosses inside it to bridge this end to the main blade while still holding the design of the Organization its wielder served. Her eyes wandering up, Aqua looked at this one's title.

The Luna Diviner.

And like with the first one, this one's title sent a shiver unbidden up her spine.

Looking up at the glowing gravestone, Aqua wasted no more time and quickly stepped forward. The translucent blue hue rippled like water, parting and accepting her inside and for a moment, that was all Aqua saw.

A cool shade of soothing blue.

The water maiden stepped through the blue and back into the dull gray steel of the castle.

Aqua shook her slight daze off, and then looked around, taking in what she could see of this new area.

The path ahead curved, leading into what Aqua could only make out so far as a large open space with a massive window making up most of the wall, revealing the storm outside was still going strong, but there was a break in the clouds she could see that much, though she didn't know why. On her let side was a fence with the familiar pointed reverse symbol worked into its bars, the fence itself surrounding a single hole. What its purpose was, Aqua couldn't begin to imagine, not that she had the time to imagine.

Taking another breath, Aqua followed the short path ahead, seeing more of the room and confirming her suspicions that it was a just empty hall of some sort, though paused for two reasons.

The first reason was when she saw the large window, strange symbols etched into the glass and the panes that she could not make out due to the driving, pounding ran obscuring them. Beyond the window, qua could see tips of the castle's towers. Rising over them was that familiar golden heart shaped moon, its blue outline shining so brightly it cast odd glows on the windows, shifting green and blue. The clouds still rained down but parted away from the bright heart of hearts, almost as if they felt unworthy to be near it.

Or frightened to be dissipated by it.

But while the majestic view of Kingdom Hearts did momentarily steal her sight, it was not what drew all of Aqua's attention.

It was this strange viewing room's other occupant, his back to Aqua's.

He was tall, standing at equal height of many of the other Organization members, Terra included. Long locks of icy blue hair not unlike her own trailed down to rest just above the small of his back, and Aqua could see many spiked locks on the top of his head, his shoulders were broad, his posture stiff and controlled. Aqua approached only a little further and then stopped once she was completely standing in the empty area directly opposite of its occupant and then stood her ground, saying nothing.

She noticed this stranger's head was tipped back slightly, and no doubt he was gazing up at the glowing moon, completely ignoring the storm around it and the castle.

Finally, his head lowered, and he turned slowly, meeting Aqua's sapphire orbs with burning amber flares of lunar yellow.

Aqua fought back a gasp, stifling herself quickly. It was not his eyes that caught her off guard but the two inter slashing scars that shaped an 'X' between his eyes and over his nose. His expression was hard but flat, bored almost, and yet, amused.

He smirked at her, and this look made Aqua glare back.

"So, you've made it this far." His voice was cold, emotionless, but like his gaze, it somehow carried a slight amusement to it. He gazed dispassionately at her, looking her up and down for a moment. He crossed his arms, looking unimpressed.

"Hmph. Then again, the doors were left wide open, and the path guided before you. You have done nothing to earn the right to be here."

Aqua stifled down a retort seeing his game easily.

She had been goaded before, but not this time.

The blue haired Organization member looked away from, gazing back up at the glowing moon of hearts. For a split second that she almost missed, his lunar eyes softened. Then, he turned back to face Aqua, his smirk morphing into a sneer.

"Do you see what we have accomplished in less than a year? What can you offer us, that our own keyblade wielders can't?"

Aqua met his gaze evenly and just dispassionately.

"I'm not here to finish your Kingdom Hearts," the water maiden said, keeping her just as level and controlled as his.

He smirked, chuckling once.

"Really? Ah, yes. You're here…to meet the Superior." He paused, thinking over his own words.

"Or, should I say, reunite with him?'

Aqua couldn't help avoiding his gaze, unable to meet those cruel burning flares of amber. She could feel his smirk.

He lowered his arms, raised his right arm, extending his hand out and pointed at her. His look was blank and clam, all pretenses of cruel joy gone. Not that they had ever really been there to begin with.

"Listen well, chosen of the keyblade. Your presence this last month has disrupted an entire years worth of hard work and dedication. I will not let my plans be ruined by whatever connection you have to the Superior's past."

Aqua responded instantly, "My intentions are my own and have nothing to do with this Organization!"

His smirk returned, his arm still outstretched.

"It matters not. Your fate was sealed the moment you entered this room."

Blue fire erupted in his palm, extending out of his hand, stretching almost the entire length of his body before it began to solidify, turning into cold looking icy blue and yellow metal embedded with blue gems along its length, the pommel of the hilt a single spike and the end that strange circular edge with spikes, four golden points inside it acting as a cross.

Aqua made no move though her heart began to pound at the sight of the monstrous weapon he held with no effort.

He twirled the weapon, holding it reversed, spreading his arms wide and tilting his head back, bathing in the light of the moon that pierced through the window.

He looked back at her, a smirk of crazed glee on his lips and madness in his eyes.

"I, second in command of this Organization, Saix, will see you fall here before me."

No sooner had he finished this declaration did Aqua swing her right hand out, calling forth her keyblade Bright Crest in a flourish of pink petals and she declared back in challenge, "I've come too far to be stopped now!" and charged forward. Saix met her attack head on, swinging his massive claymore out and deflecting Aqua's swing with no effort and blasted her back in a gust of wind that sent Aqua flying back, the water maiden barely able to stop herself from colliding into the wall.

Saix gave her no time to recover and charged forward, swinging his claymore out once he was in range and delivered a quick flurry of wide seeping blows that Aqua narrowly dodged, the water maiden forced to throw up her green barrier when Saix got too close and she couldn't avoid his final blow-

The barrier held up against the claymore, but shattered when it released a burst of blue fire, sending Aqua flying back with a cry of pain.

Saix smirked. "There's no exit."

Aqua righted herself, gritting her teeth and shooting the Luna Diviner a glare. Thrusting her keyblade out, Aqua released a salvo of fireballs upon him. Saix responded by swinging his claymore out twice, deflecting all of the fireballs easily. But by then Aqua was already vanishing into a sphere of light that shot over him and she shot down, keyblade swinging, slashing him in a column of light, then vanishing before could retaliate with a blow from his claymore that would no doubt break every bone in her body if he connected with it just once and reappeared, shooting down above and vanishing again and again as she struck Saix over and over until finally back flipping away when he swung with all his might, releasing a gust of wind from his raw strength alone.

Aqua glared at Saix once the wind died down, dismayed to discover that she saw no blood but she had cut up his cloak a little. Saix didn't show any signs of distress and charged forward in a blur of blue, releasing a small shockwave of that Aqua narrowly avoided by cart wheeling away at the last second. While Saix was righting himself, Aqua charged forward, her barrier reappearing and exploding out, shards of green magic colliding with his form and knocking him back across the room, a grunt of pain slipping past his lips.

Aqua continued her assault, charging over and swinging her keyblade down, leaving a trail of blue lines after her blade that struck Saix in his chest after her blow connected, cutting him open even further and finally spilling a few drops of his blood. Saix let out a growl and swung his claymore out, Aqua only having enough time to raise her keyblade in an attempt to deflect his blow, and once more she found herself sent flying across the room by the sheer raw strength Saix possessed. Aqua rolled and righted herself in midair this time, and landed in a crouch, sliding across the floor as the momentum faded. Aqua looked up at Saix, and was pleased to see him glaring furiously at her, his jaw grinding town, his grip on his claymore tight.

He was strong, she had no doubts about the sheer power he possessed but it was just raw strength, and those explosions of blue fire were dangerous but easy to avoid. All in all, he was only as dangerous as long as she remained too close for too long. If she used her long distance attacks, or only stayed up close for short bursts while relying on her superior speed, she could defeat him without too much trouble.

Swinging her keyblade up and out, Aqua focused her magic at its tip, forming a multi colored orb of light at its base and when she felt the power had gathered to full strength, she released it, and the orb exploded into seven beams of different color. Saix's lunar eyes widened but quickly vanished into a snarl of rage as he swung his claymore out, meeting the blasts head on-

They exploded on contact and Saix finally let out a below of surprise more than pain. Aqua kept her blade raised as Saix's form was briefly obscured by smoke. When it finally dissipated, Saix's free arm was shielded over his face. He lowered his hand, glaring at Aqua with a fury unmatched.

Saix, "I misjudged you…"

Aqua allowed herself a small smile. Aqua, "Every last one of you has."

His glare melted into a smirk. And that made Aqua frown.

Aqua tensed as Saix moved directly back to where he had been standing before the fight, right under the light of Kingdom Heart's moon. He spread his arms out, titling his head back, lunar eyes closing for a moment. Aqua stared in wonder, confused by the fact he had just left himself open and-

His eyes snapped open, making Aqua gasp and step back from their sudden intensity.

"Do you feel it?" His voice echoed all around her, reverberating off the walls.

Aqua didn't have a chance to respond as Saix looked back up towards the moon.

"Do you feel the moon's light, bathing you in its cold embrace?"

And then a burst of blue fire surrounded him, and Aqua watched in amazement as Saix floated into the air, his claymore slipping free from his grasp and moving behind him, its end rising over his head as his head hung low and his arms thrust out on either side of himself.

"Moon!" The Luna Diviner called. "Shine down!"

And then not even a split second after his beseeching, Saix let out a primal snarl as his whole body erupted, surrounded by swirling blue fire and twisting thorns of darkness, the end of his claymore extending out, the blades doubling in length.

Saix landed back on the ground, his whole upper body covered in a fiery blue aura, the ends of his hair wild and floating in the air of their own accord, his mouth open, the canines of his teeth over pronounced, resembling a wolf's. But this wasn't the worst of his face's changes. His eyes, those lunar orbs of cold, calculated cruelty, had been replaced with sightless white orbs of pure, utter, fury.

Saix tossed back his head and howled to the moon like a beast. There wasn't a hint any humanity in his cry.

Aqua was too overcome with shock and fear that she hadn't moved once during the whole thing.

Wasting no time, Saix leapt up and brought his claymore down, releasing pillars of blue fire all around himself as he charged at Aqua, who finally overcame her horror and swung her keyblade out, calling her barrier up when she saw Saix had already cleared the distance between them, leaving a trail of blue fire in his wake and he brought his claymore up and down on Aqua's barrier, shattering it instantly as he screamed, "Move aside!"

Aqua let out a cry of pain as the pillars of fire burned into her, thankfully not accented by a blow from Saix's claymore that she had somehow avoided.

Moving faster than she had ever moved before, Aqua performed a series of cartwheels and back flips, maneuvering herself as far away from Saix as she could, the berserker currently tearing after her, swinging his claymore out in a flurry of wide sweeps and spinning slashes that tore into the walls Aqua had been trapped against before realizing she had escaped his grasp and he let loose another howl of rage.

Aqua couldn't help her sudden shudder and the spike of fear in her heart but she wasn't frozen by his howl this time. Thrusting her keyblade out, Aqua released bursts of fire, ice and lightning upon Saix, the berserk Luna Diviner charging forward while furiously swinging his claymore out and releasing more bursts of blue fire. To Aqua's dismay, Saix had deflected the magic with a shockwave of blue fire as easily as brushing aside a fly and he wasn't even consciously trying from what she could see, just madly charging towards her, consumed by his enraged madness to destroy her completely.

Aqua quickly resumed dodging away from his blind charges, trying to clear the distance again so she could try to blast him again, this time with either Ragnarok or Prism Rain-

But Saix didn't give a second to spare as he charged forward, leaping into the air and grasping his claymore as he reared back and let loose a scream of, "Be gone!" and threw his claymore, the huge weapon spinning and becoming consumed in a spiral of blue fire.

Aqua moved quickly, cart wheeling to the right as the claymore crossed the distance between itself and her, slamming into the wall and releasing more pillars of blue flames, the ends of them licking Aqua's exposed back, not burning her but chilling her.

Turning and righting herself as quickly as she could, Aqua saw that the crazed Luna Diviner now stood his ground, hand extended out towards his claymore that had embedded itself in the wall after failing to connect with Aqua. Said water maiden saw her chance and thrust her keyblade, out, magic gathering at its tip before being released in a burst of magenta light that exploded into a burst of the seven beams of Ragnarok. All seven beams flew and collided with Saix, who in his crazed state failed to notice or even attempt to dodge the blasts, his arm still outstretched.

Smoke obscured his form once again, but Aqua could see he was still standing, apparently unaffected by her attack.

Before she could try to follow up with another blast of magic, the smoke around Saix exploded into blue fire as his claymore reappeared in his outstretched hand, and he turned his sightless, infuriated gaze back on Aqua. Aqua braced herself for another one of his mindless, extremely dangerous charges. But Saix stood his ground, his body hunching over; his jaws grinding down so hard thin trails of blood ran down his mouth. And then he tossed his head back, arms thrusting out from his sides as blue flames erupted and exploded off of his body.

"ALL SHALL BE LOST TO YOU!"

What happened next Aqua had no way of defending against.

Saix began slamming his claymore down like a hammer, releasing shockwaves of pure blue fire as he charged at her, howling all the while, igniting the floor. Aqua had no time to move, not that it would have mattered as Saix leapt and slammed his claymore down, releasing another series of shockwaves that sent Aqua flying across the room with a scream of pain. Saix did not relent and charged across the room in a blur of fire, pillars of it rising up where he ran at the same time he thrust his weapon out and it was only by a miracle that Aqua ducked and dodged the blow as it cut right through the wall behind her and rent it apart like a hot knife cutting through butter.

Aqua staggered away from Saix and the crazed berserker suddenly began running in circles around her, leaving a trail of blue flames and shockwaves. Soon the water maiden found herself trapped in the center of the room by a wall of blue fire too high to leap over. Aqua looked around desperately, her eyes searching for some way out to escape this beast that had only moments ago passed itself off as a man-

And then Saix leapt high into the air, the window revealing Kingdom Hearts right behind him, his dark body lined up with its golden center, both of his hands gripping his claymore as he raised it high over his head, its metallic length igniting.

Grinning with insane glee, Saix roared in triumph, "I will leave you-"

And he screamed the last word in a cry of victory at the same time as he swung down and released his claymore, the weapon shooting straight down directly into the center of the flames. And right for Aqua.

"WITH NOTHING!"

Saix's howl of victory mixed in with the sound of exploding flames, but these sounds still couldn't drown out Aqua's cry of agony as the whole center of the room was consumed in a rush of blue fire.

Just as quickly as it had begun, it was over.

Saix fluidly slipped back down to the ground below, his whole body shaking as he panted softly. His crazed rage had simmered down, his hair beginning to go limp though a few strands still floated, his sightless eyes revealing his pupils at last, though the rage had not completely left them yet.

He looked into the room's center, obscured by smoke and lingering embers of icy blue fire. He smirked to himself. Saix, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…"

He extended his arm out, the fingers of his right hand flexing open as he willed his claymore back to his side-

And then his eyes widened, the molten orbs of lunar yellow widening in shock as he felt something block his call and the smoke had finally begun to settle…

Revealing a delicate hand covered in a fingerless glove gripping the hilt of his massive weapon.

Saix stumbled back, his head shaking slowly in denial as he saw a bloodied Aqua collapsed in a crouch but somehow having found the strength to grasp his weapon and deny it from him. Saix, "No…impossible!"

His gasp of shock died in his throat as Aqua raised her head to look up at him…

Revealing a bloody, yet somehow still beautiful face with eyes consumed in white orbs of utter hate.

Aqua rose up shakily before tossing her head back and screamed her awakened rage, her cry echoing around herself and Saix, chilling the Luna Diviner to the depths of his soul.

And then she was upon him, his own weapon colliding into his chest with bone shattering force that knocked his breath and second wind out of him at the same time it propelled him into the air. Aqua followed after him, slamming his weapon into him again and again, screaming the whole time as she did while Saix himself could only remain silent in his shock and awe.

With each blow, Aqua screamed out one word.

"I!"

The claymore slammed across his side.

"HAVE!"

It smashed his left arm into a useless pulp.

"LOST!"

Its spiked end cut him across the face.

"EVERYTHING!"

And then she released a flurry of blows that ended with her thrusting the claymore forward, the weapon propelling its wielder back. Saix flew through the air and slammed into the giant glass window behind himself. As soon as he struck it, the glass exploded, sending shards and rainwater flying through the room. The only thing that had saved Saix from flying out into the cloudy sky below was the fact he had collided with one of the panes that had held the glass.

Aqua fell back onto the floor in a crouch, her whole body shaking as she panted fiercely. But she kept her head raised, refusing to take her eyes off of Saix. And then, with a pained sigh, Saix slipped down onto the floor below, crushing glass underneath himself where he fell, his claymore clattering by his outstretched arm. But he did not rise again.

Seeing her enemy down allowed Aqua to breath a shuddering sigh, but not one of relief.

For a few moments, all she did was remain there in a crouch. Slowly, she raised her hand up, calling and releasing a wave of green magic and ethereal leaves over herself, closing her wounds and restoring parts of her strength. When the last cut had knitted, Aqua rose back up on shaky legs. She looked up at the ruined window, gazing out at Kingdom Hearts, feeling the chilly wind breeze across the room.

Her heart pounded furiously, the anger ignited by simply holding the Luna Diviner's weapon not easily fading. She spared the fallen Organization member a look of pure disgust before turning and beginning to walk away, heading back for the gateway that had led her here. She hadn't taken five steps when she heard glass shift and crinkle along with a few drips of rainwater.

Whirling around, her sapphire eyes wide with lingering fury, Aqua called forth her Bright Crest with a swipe of her hand, the blade pulled back-

But she stopped, seeing that Saix had only enough strength to raise himself onto one arm before limply falling over onto his back, his right arm weakly extending out, his limp hand grasping towards the black sky.

Aqua followed his hand.

She saw he was reaching, futilely, for Kingdom Hearts.

And then, just barely audible over the rain and wind, Aqua could hear Saix whisper a final beseeching to his moon.

"Kingdom…Hearts…"

His hand reached out, his desperation reaching its limit.

"I see you…in the sky…so…why…"

His hand closed, his eyes following.

"Why…don't… I…have…a heart?"

And then Saix finally passed out, his arm falling limp by his side, his hand resting by his claymore's hilt.

For another moment, all Aqua did was stand there, her eyes never leaving Saix's still form.

She had fought all of them, never feeling anything but contempt and disgust towards all of these Organization members for their selfish desires. Only Xigbar, no, Braig, and the one called Xaldin had truly made her feel anger and hate for their utter lack of disregard to the order of the worlds and those who inhabit them.

But this one…

This one, who claimed title as second in command of them, who wielded raw rage as his power and madness as his guide and forced her to face a cruel reality through only his words…

This one she pitied.

Turning away, her eyes downcast as she dispelled her keyblade, Aqua left Saix where he lie and headed back for the gateway and the graveyard beyond it.

As she had said, she had come too far to be stopped now.