All I can think about is the tip of the sword moving closer and closer to my chest. I don't want to die, but I'm ready. The only way to save myself is to join Xemnas in forming a new Organization. Death would be better. I won't be cursed like that.

I open my eyes to find that Xemnas has a look of fierce determination on his face. Why is it so important to him that he kill me? Is it just because I refuse to join him? Now that he can't control me with that sword like he did before, am I that much of a threat to him? Will my death mean anything?

Many things happen at the same time. I take in a deep breath as the sword is about to plunge into my chest. The determined look on Xemnas's face melts into one of shock. He lets out a howl of pain as a Keyblade slams into him, knocking him off to the side. I can't it clearly because it's moving so fast. All I can see is a blur of black. It's Oblivion. Roxas is here.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

No. Roxas isn't supposed to be here. I should have been too far ahead of him. He can't be here. He should be still at the castle, where it's safe.

The others jump over me and start attacking Xemnas. Roxas kneels next to me.

"Dexlin, are you okay? Why did you do this?"

"He…knew. All this time…he knew who I was."

"Hold on, Dex. We're going to get you out of here."

"Roxas…"

"Hold on." He put his hand on my side. I feel a sharp pain from his touch. He pulls his hand away and it is covered in blood. My blood. "Please, hold on. I don't know cure magic." Tears start to fall from his eyes. "Sora! Help!"

But Sora is locked in battle. Xemnas isn't letting him go. The others are trying to take the brunt of the attack, but Sora can't get free. He is fighting like I have never seen fight before. His face is twisted in a mask of rage. I've never seen that before.

"Roxas…"

"Don't try to talk. Save your energy. Sora will be here soon." He wipes the blood off his hands all over the front of his shirt. "Just don't give up."

Namine's blonde hair whips around as she swings her Keyblade. Kairi attacks Xemnas's feet. Sora and Riku are trying to break through his defenses to hit him in the chest. But Xemnas is using all his powers to keep them away. They are not going to win this fight.

"Roxas…go."

"What? I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you when you're like this."

He's so hard headed. "You have to. Help them. You can't let Xemnas win."

"No! That's not important now."

"Yes…it is. It is the only thing that is important right now. Don't let this have happened to me for nothing." He can't save me. I know that. I am going to die. But the least I can do is make sure that Xemnas doesn't survive before I go. "Please. Do it…for me."

He looks like he's fighting really hard with a decision. "Promise me that you'll hold on until we can get back."

"Promise." I hate that the last words I will speak to Roxas are a lie, but there is not other way. "Just go."

"I'll be back soon." His face morphs into the same look of rage that Sora has. He jumps over me and joins the fight.

I can barely move my head to look at the battle. They all seem to have a renewed sense of strength that they didn't have back at Xemnas's castle, even without rejoining. Roxas's entrance into the fight seems to have thrown Xemnas off. He's struggling to keep up with all the attacks flying at him.

Even though it causes me horrible pain, I grip the handle of my Keyblade. I can't be a part of this fight, but that doesn't mean that I can't do my part to help. Trying to push through the pain, I focus my mind on the Keyblade. Light surrounds it, but not as bright as it usually does, and it disappears. On the other side of the room, it appears in Riku's hand. It worked.

Riku doesn't even miss a beat when it appears in his hand. He just uses it to hack away at Xemnas's defenses.

Roxas is thrown from the battle by a flying lance covered in flames. He picks himself off the ground, but doesn't jump back in. I watch him as he stands there, breathing heavily. Underneath his angry face, I can see he's concentrating very hard, but on what?

Around the others fighting, these creatures rise out of the ground, just like the Heartless did. The creatures are a white and grey and they are all holding swords. They form a tight circle around the fight before jumping in the middle of it.

"You dare use my own pawns against me, boy. I shouldn't be surprised at such treachery from you."

"You're the one who taught me how to control the Nobodies. Maybe you trained me a little too well."

This is no longer a battle. It is a war.

Roxas jumps back in the middle of the fight. He's using moves that I've never seen before. I can only guess that they are all things that he learned during his time in the Organization. He's holding nothing back.

I feel something wet touch my hand. Straining to look, I see that my blood has been spreading. It won't be much longer now. I can only hope that I can hold on just long enough to watch Xemnas get it in the end. 'Please, at least let me see it. Let me know that I've been redeemed.'

Something happens and Xemnas splits in two. He's cloned himself. The clone doesn't last long. Roxas and Sora slash at it and it disappears. Xemnas tries again and again, but each time a Keyblade destroys it. It looks like Xemnas is getting desperate because he can't protect himself from all the attacks.

The Nobodies that Roxas called are falling fast, but every time one gets destroyed, another one appears in its place.

I see Sora duck as Lexaeus's tomahawk flies by his head. Quickly he runs towards Xemnas while he's distracted by Kairi and Namine. Xemnas doesn't even see what is happening before it is too late. Sora plunges his Keyblade into Xemnas's stomach.

His scream echoes in the giant room as he flies back. He slams hard into the wall and crumples to the ground. The others stand over him. They haven't lowered their Keyblades. Everyone knows that Xemnas doesn't always stay beaten.

I don't know how much longer I can hold on. I want to watch to make sure Xemnas is finally finished, but the pain is becoming unbearable. It has filled every inch of my body. And I still can't move. I want to let go so badly, just to end the pain.

'Where does a Nobody go when he dies?'

"You haven't won, heroes. You can fight me all you want, but Kingdom Hearts will be mine. And then I will be unstoppable. You were foolish not to join me when you had the chance." He struggles to pick himself up from the ground. One arm clutches his chest, where there is a wound from Sora's Keyblade. "This isn't over."

A portal opens behind him and he enters it before the others can reach him. They stand around the spot where he disappeared.

Roxas looks up. "Dexlin."

Their footsteps pound against the floor as they run towards me. Roxas hits his knees, not even caring that he is in the middle of all my blood.

"No…go after him. Stop…him."

"Sora, help him."

"No." I try to pull myself away from him, but I can't. "Xemnas…get Xemnas."

Sora stands over me. "I don't know if my magic will be enough. He's hurt really badly, Roxas. There might not be anything we can do."

"TRY!"

Sora doesn't argue. He holds his Keyblade up to my chest. The tip causes me pain, but I'm not strong enough to move away from it. I can see tears in his eyes too, like he knows he's hurting me. "CURE!"

A green light swirls around me. The pain eases quickly and finally leaves me altogether. Relief floods through my body. I take a deep breathe, filling my lungs. I haven't been able to take a decent breathe since I hit the floor. Tears start to fill my eyes too. 'I'm not going to die.'

"Come on, Dexlin. Let's get you off this floor."

I'm scared to move. I'm not sure if my back will allow me to stand up. But Roxas puts his hand under me and picks me up. No pain. I can move. I can stand. And I can finish what I started.

"You should have gone after him. He can't get away. Why did you come for me instead?"

"You were dying. I couldn't leave you like that."

"You should have let me die. Stopping Xemnas is the only thing that is important." Roxas tightens his grip around my shoulder.

"It is important to stop Xemnas, but not at the expense of your life." Sora wipes tears from his eyes.

"You don't understand. None of you do."

"What don't we understand, Dex?" Roxas's whisper only makes me cry harder. This is awful.

"This is my fault." I can see the look of surprise on all of their faces. I don't want to admit this. The sympathy in their eyes cuts me.

"Dexlin, no. This isn't your fault. Xemnas found a way out even after you didn't help him. You didn't let him out." Kairi puts her hand on my arm.

"No!" I pull away from her and Roxas. "You don't get it. It's my fault. All of it. I started this whole thing."

"What are you talking about? How is any of this your fault?" Sora doesn't look shocked or sympathetic. He just looks confused. "Why did you do this, Dexlin?

"Don't you see? I had to. To make up for what…what I did. It's my fault because…" Just say it. Get it over with. "…because I opened the door."