"A fair fight?" Aqua asked curiously. Gabranth nodded.

"Indeed. You needn't worry, I consider myself an honorable warrior." Gabranth said as Aqua looked at him skeptically.

"You'll excuse me if I don't believe you." Aqua said with a hand on her hip.

"If you insist. Before we begin our battle, I must ask. How are you able to continue your quest after all that you know has happened?" Gabranth asked as Aqua arched a curious eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"I refer to the knowledge that you have, albeit inadvertently, created Xehanort and indirectly caused countless worlds to descend into darkness." Gabranth asked as Aqua tightened her grip on her Keyblade.

"I didn't create Xehanort! I didn't cause any worlds to fall!" Aqua yelled angrily.

"But you did. You allowed Xehanort to escape being pulled into the realm of Darkness, sacrificing yourself for him. You allowed him to survive, and to perform his experiments on the heart, thus creating the Heartless and the Nobodies as well. You deliberately allowed him to survive and thus doomed the worlds to darkness as a result." Gabranth explained as Aqua looked shocked.

"I never saved Xehanort! I saved Terra! Despite what you may think, Terra's heart still remains within his body while Xehanort simply claimed it as his own! When I saved Terra, it was because Xehanort was trying to overwhelm Terra's heart with darkness, something which would have given him complete control of Terra's body! I only stopped him from succeeding. Xehanort would have gone unchallenged had he succeeded in subverting Terra and we wouldn't be having this conversation now!" Aqua said as Gabranth looked at her with a stoic glare.

"I suppose that is your reasoning then." Gabranth said, donning his helmet and taking his double-sword in both hands in a battle stance.

"Now then, let us commence with this battle." Gabranth said as Aqua's helmet appeared on her head and she dropped into her battle stance. (Battle Music Cue: Chaos-Last Battle 1 – Final Fantasy Dissidia)

"Shine your light upon my black blade." Gabranth said as Aqua aimed her Keyblade at him, attempting to use a Shoot Lock. Gabranth suddenly charged, separating his double-blade into the two individual swords as he ran. Aqua had to quickly leap into the air over him before landing and quickly spinning back around to block an attack from the Judge.

"Show me your hatred!" Gabranth said as they glared at each other through their helmets.

"You think that I fight with hatred?" Aqua asked as she lurched backwards, using Firaga Shield to force the judge back.

"There is no other way to fight!" Gabranth replied as he swung at her with a powerful gust of wind following after it that knocked her onto her back. Aqua quickly leapt at him, feet plowing into his chest and knocking him into the throne behind him.

"You're wrong! I don't fight with hatred!" Aqua replied as she hurled a Blizzaga at the judge who quickly rolled clear of the blast and coupled his swords together in one swift move. He then charged at her and swung the double-blade in a powerful sweep, causing her to jump over the blade then block with her Keyblade as the blade came back around towards her head.

"What of your hatred of Xehanort?" Gabranth asked before kicking the feet out from under her and attempting to run her through with the other end but she rolled out of the way less than a second before he stabbed the ground.

"Isn't that hatred what drives you?" Gabranth asked as Aqua started charging her Keyblade with energy.

"You don't get it do you?" Aqua asked back as Gabranth charged at her again but she instead unleashed the Shiny Bloom Shoot Lock, spinning around, firing off orbs of devastating magic power as the spinning became more and more elaborate. Gabranth leapt backwards out of the way but one magic orb hit the ground immediately in front of him, knocking him onto his back. Aqua came to a dead stop and simply glared at Gabranth from through her helmet.

"Hatred isn't what drives me!" Aqua said before Gabranth flipped over backwards on his hands, landing on his feet and separating his swords once again in a single move. He then started swinging across in front of him with each blade, creating four crescent shaped bursts of energy that headed straight for Aqua. She quickly used Reflega to absorb the attacks, Gabranth jumping clear before the bursts of light shot out from the sides.

"Hatred is what drives ME!" Gabranth said before landing and stabbing his two swords into the ground on either side of him before putting his hands together. Suddenly a long black beam of dark magic shot from his hands, tendrils lashing all around it as it fired. Aqua leapt clear of the beam and charged for him when the beam vanished. She attempted to attack with the Keyblade but his hands started to glow yellow before he delivered a quick punch to Aqua's face, followed by another, and ended by a final blow to the stomach, causing Aqua to be knocked back to the opposite side of the arena. Luckily the armor absorbed most of the damage but she was forced to dismiss it due to the damage it had taken.

"Take your last breath!" Gabranth said as his hands started to glow again. Suddenly a multitude of glowing yellow swords made of energy with red auras appeared all around and aimed at her. She quickly threw up a Reflega shield just in time as they crashed into the shield.

"Surrender now to OBLIVION!" Gabranth said as he grabbed his swords and made a scissor slice with them in midair towards her, creating a massive swirling vortex of darkness magic above her head. She could feel it trying to pull her in but she kept her ground. She then aimed her Keyblade at the vortex and fired a beam of blue energy into it, causing it to seal shut.

"What? How?" Gabranth asked as Aqua looked at him with a determined glare.

"I already told you. My drive isn't my hatred of Xehanort." She said before Gabranth attacked again, but she leapt out of the way and struck him with a Thundaga blast followed by a Blizzaga, then a Firaga. Finally she shunted the resulting energy in her heart into her Keyblade, entering the Magic Wish command style.

"My drive…" she said as she cast Magnega and trapped the judge in the swirling purple spell. She then started casting Thundaga repeatedly before casting Magnega again to keep him pinned down, shunting the resulting power into her Keyblade and entering the Ghost Drive command style. Almost instantly Gabranth found himself overwhelmed by a number of lightning fast attacks from the Keyblade Master. Once she finished he dropped to his knees and then onto his chest in pain, his helmet falling off his head as he fell. (End music.)

"My drive…my drive is love. Love for my friends. Terra, Ven, Sora…they're my friends, and I love and care for them far more than I hate Xehanort. It's my desire to make Sora a master, restore Ven, and free Terra of Xehanort's influence that drives me." Aqua said as Gabranth slowly pushed himself off the ground. He attempted to reach for his swords but Aqua kicked them out of his reach and held the point of her Keyblade to his chin.

"It seems…" Gabranth said as he pulled himself up onto one knee, "…that there is a greater drive than hatred after all."

"My master used to tell me that, there are two types of hatred, the hatred in your mind, and the hatred in your heart. The hatred of your mind, blinds you to reason but can be dispelled but the hatred of your heart will consume you. Letting go of both will redeem you." Aqua explained as Gabranth looked at her with a look of wonder.

"Redemption? I never believed myself capable of redemption." Gabranth said as Aqua dismissed her Keyblade and knelt down to his level.

"My master would say that no one is incapable of redemption, that they need only a second chance." Aqua said as Gabranth looked at her in wonder again.

"Even Xehanort?" Gabranth asked as Aqua pondered.

"Well…I guess there is the odd exception, but you are definitely not an exception." Aqua said as she extended a hand to the wounded man. He accepted her hand and together they climbed to their feet.

"I thank you for your wisdom, Master Aqua of the Keyblade. You have given me much to consider." Gabranth said as he placed his helmet back on his head. Aqua placed a hand on her shoulder guard and her armor, sans-helmet, reappeared.

"I pray, that when your death finally comes, that you rest a little more peacefully in knowing the peace you will have brought to mine." Gabranth said as he took up his swords, sheathing them, and then bowing to her in respect before turning and looking skyward as a beam of light appeared at his feet before he disappeared, leaving Aqua alone as the arena faded away.

Elsewhere…

Sora and Stitch were sitting in total darkness. They could see each other just fine, but the arena was pitch black.

"Sure is quiet around here." Sora said as he sat on the floor, Stitch sitting next to him.

"Ih." Stitch said, picking his nose with his tongue and eating the booger.

"Eww, Stitch." Sora cringed as Stitch laughed with delight before suddenly vanishing in a flash of light.

"Huh? STITCH!" Sora exclaimed. He leapt to his feet, looking around frantically before he suddenly heard what sounded like rushing wind. He could also feel it too. Suddenly a massive wall of flowing green energy erupted upwards from all around him, reaching far up into the air and disappearing into the blackness. The ground beneath him began to tremble and suddenly massive chunks of it ripped free along with large vertical rectangular pillars that rocketed up into the air before finally stopping and hovered in place.

"What world is this supposed to be?" Sora asked confused as he looked around overhead, taking a step forward but he didn't realize that he had just stepped off the edge of one of the many platform-like chunks of rock and subsequently he started to tumble down towards a central platform at the lowest point in the center of the new arena. He managed to stop his aimless tumbling and started flying face first towards the central platform. Suddenly his Keyblade summoned itself, confusing him for a moment until he saw a lone black figure right where he was headed.

"HEADS UP!" Sora shouted as he held the Keyblade up in front of him but the figure didn't budge. He clinched his eyes shut just before impact.

CLANG!

He didn't move, still maintaining the same position as he had when falling, feet hanging over his head as if he were perfectly balanced on something.

"Well-well. Isn't this a surprise." A hauntingly familiar calm voice said. Sora's eyes snapped open and he saw, staring up at him from below was a pair of calm yet piercing green cat-like eyes attached to a head of long silver hair. Quick as a flash Sora found himself launched upwards, his helmet quickly forming on his head before eight lightning fast blows landed against his armor plating, the final one knocking him hard into the ground. He looked up to see none other than the One-Winged Angel himself staring at him with his chilling smile on his lips. (Battle music cue: One winged angel, preferably the Advent Children version)

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Sephiroth asked smoothly.

"Sephiroth!" Sora exclaimed as he dropped into his battle stance.

"I don't believe I caught your name the last time we did battle, though it's not like it matters anyway." Sephiroth said as he aimed the tip of the Masamune at Sora who didn't dare budge or say anything.

"You asked what this world was. This is the world that Cloud and I both come from. This is where we did battle once, a long time ago, on a different planet far from this one. I had hoped it would be Cloud that I would be facing, but as I remember, you'll do well enough." Sephiroth said as he dropped into a battle stance.

"Show me your strength." Sephiroth said before he charged at Sora with a flurry of attacks so fast the naked eye couldn't see them. Luckily Sora remembered the move from their first encounter and was able to block each of the blows. Sephiroth then spun around and swung his sword at Sora with his infamous Octaslash attack but Sora managed to block each blow.

"You're skill hasn't improved much." Sephiroth said before he took a single swing of his sword, though in reality he had made a countless number of swings in less than a millisecond and only streaks of light remained where the blade flew. The attack caught Sora by surprise, knocking him up into the air. Sephiroth quickly leapt up and chased after him.

"I've thought of a wonderful gift for you…" Sephiroth said as he took a swing with his sword and nearly hit Sora had the latter not dodged and landed on a platform. Sephiroth landed on the side of one of the platforms overhead with a smirk as he stood perfectly normal as if gravity were nothing. He suddenly launched towards Sora again, blade raised in front of him. Sora quickly blocked the blow but the sheer force of the attack shattered the platform beneath Sora's feet, causing them both to fall towards the central platform.

"…Shall I give you despair?" Sephiroth asked before knocking Sora towards the ground with a single violent swing. Sora crashed into the ground, throwing up a cloud of dust. Sephiroth flew in for a final blow but just as he swung down, Masamune met Keyblade as Sora blocked the blow again. This time Sora launched him away. Sephiroth froze in midair with a curious smile on his face.

"Oh, where did we find this strength?" Sephiroth asked before Sora leapt to his feet and hurled a Firaga at the One-Winged Angel which hit him head on though had no noticeable effect.

"That's no good." Sephiroth said with a chuckle. He was suddenly hit by a Blizzaga and a Thundaga in close succession.

"That's enough." Sephiroth said before raising his hand, causing four purple spheres of dark magic to appear around Sora. However Sora had counted on it and quickly used Reflega to block the spheres. Sephiroth paused as he realized the reflega sphere wasn't disappearing but Sora knew why. He had activated his unique tier one Command Style again, Destiny Blitz. Sora leapt up at Sephiroth, Keyblade reared back and glowing. He then swung forward, releasing two spells at one time, Firaga and Thundaga.

"This is new." Sephiroth said as he batted away both attacks but Sora fired two more. Batted away again. Then two more. Again batted away. Finally Sora's Keyblade and Sephiroth's Masamune clashed together once more but this time it was Sora who was batted away. He crashed through one of the pillars before Sephiroth caught up with him and knocked him upwards towards the black and empty ceiling overhead. Sephiroth reappeared over Sora and took a vicious swing at him but once again Sora blocked. The two crashed into the ground, Sora's armor bearing the brunt of the impact. Sora's armor disappeared into the shoulder piece, leaving him with only his Keyblade in hand. At that, Sephiroth's smirk widened.

"Tell me what you cherish most…" He said, pushing down on his sword that budged closer to Sora despite the Reflega shield around him, "…give me the pleasure of taking it away."

Sora grunted under the strain but he managed to shove Sephiroth off and fire another Firaga and Thundaga at him but Sephiroth once more batted it away.

"You never learn, do you?" Sephiroth asked but Sora said nothing, as the reflega sphere started shrinking in and around his Keyblade, earning a curious look from Sephiroth.

"You're wrong, Sephiroth. I do learn. And I just learned this." Sora said as his Keyblade became enveloped by a single pure and crisp white beam of light and enveloped Sora in a matching radiant aura. It was his unique tier two command style, Light of the Worlds.

"That's enough!" Sephiroth said, his smile gone, as he lunged at Sora. Before Sephiroth could even follow through with the attack, Sora had blocked with only one hand on the Keyblade. Quicker than he could react, Sephiroth found himself launched into the air followed closely by Sora, light streaming from him like a comet flying through space. Behind him, a crown shaped insignia appeared in midair and he aimed his Keyblade at the one-winged angel, causing a crisp white circle of light to form around the tip before firing off a single large beam of light from the tip like he were locking a keyhole but this time Sephiroth was caught in the beam. The second the beam hit him, the arena was bathed in a blinding white light and when it faded, Sephiroth was plummeting to the ground where he landed with a thud. (End music)

Sora floated down to the ground as the light faded from around him, his Command Style's energy expended. Sephiroth climbed to his feet slowly, his back turned to Sora and sword in hand.

"So…you have grown stronger. I'm impressed…" Sephiroth said calmly as Sora remained silent, Keyblade still ready to strike if necessary.

"…But…I'm not surprised." Sephiroth said as he turned and with a single swing, launched three waves of blue energy at Sora but fortunately the boy managed to block each one as Sephiroth leapt into the air with his hands outstretched to his sides.

"Descend, Heartless Angel." Sephiroth said before Sora could react and instantly Sora felt his strength and power get sapped from him and he had nothing to replenish it with. He fell to his knees in pain as Sephiroth landed before him on his feet.

"You may have a bright future ahead of you, but there will still be despair. You'll see what I mean soon enough." Sephiroth said before he stepped back and disappeared in a beam of blue light, leaving a confused and injured Sora behind as the arena faded out again. This time however, he wasn't alone.

"Sora? SORA!" Aqua exclaimed as she saw him appear and raced to his side.

"What happened to you?" She asked as she quickly cast Curaga on him.

"That Sephiroth guy…he was my opponent. But…he let me live, and told me something strange." Sora said as Aqua looked at him worriedly.

"Odd. What did he say?" she asked.

"He said that I might have a bright future ahead, but that there would still be despair and that I would see what he meant soon." Sora said as Aqua tapped her chin, her mind flashing back to Kefka's final words to her before disappearing.

"I don't like the sound of that. I was told that I was truly blind to what was really going on by that Kefka guy. At first I thought he was just being insane but now I'm wondering if he was serious about this after all." Aqua said as she helped Sora up.

"Yeah…but I'm confused about something else too." Sora said as Aqua arched an eyebrow.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Why did Sephiroth spare me? He had me beaten and he didn't kill me." Sora asked as Aqua looked confused.

"I dunno, but whatever his reasons, there must be some kind of underlying reason behind it all." Aqua said as she glanced around the blackened arena and a familiar chill ran down her spine. Little did she realize that she couldn't have been further from the truth.

End Chapter 27.

By now, Sora has learned all of his Command Styles and Shoot Locks. They are as follows…

Tier 1 Unique Command Style: Destiny Blitz (learned in Chapter 15)

Tier 2 Command Styles: Light of the Worlds (Unique, learned in chapter 27), Light of the Heart (Shared with Kairi, learned in chapter 15), and Light of the Night (Shared with Riku, learned in chapter 12)

Shoot Locks: Ragnarok Ultima (learned in chapter 23), Trinity Drive (learned in chapter 26), and Thirteenth Strike (learned in chapter 21)