A.N. Warning, there is gore in this chapter!

Bait, Chapter 29

"I had an extra special payback in mind for what you did to Demyx..."

"Please...nooo..."

Riku woke up listening to snippets of Xigbar's gloating threats, to find that he was shirtless and tied up with his wrists suspended over his head. Looking toward the source of the noises, what he saw was indeed a horrible sight.

Xigbar was trying to strip Sora naked, but was having trouble from the combination of his attempts to fight him off and the countless belts and buckles that made up Sora's outfit. He was getting ready to violate him in the same manner Riku had been in the dungeons, and Riku wouldn't stand for it. Looking everywhere around him for something, anything that could be used to help him escape and fight off Xigbar before he went too far.

He found nothing, and was forced to watch helplessly as Xigbar succeeded in getting Sora's clothing off. But the boy was still fighting- he had positioned his body in such a way that Xigbar couldn't get anywhere near his nether regions without leaving himself open for a swift kick.

Not that Xigbar noticed or cared. An attempt to pry Sora's legs apart earned him his first counterattack. Sora's foot made swift and powerful contact with his chin, sending him flying backwards. Xigbar got up and punched Sora in the mouth in retaliation, and he got his second comeback: a swift kick between the legs.

"UHNNNN!" Xigbar hit the ground, doubled over in pain and clutching at the area Sora just kicked. He remained like this for several minutes, before he rose up, seething. He drew out a thin razor and proceeded to walk to Sora, waving it threateningly.

"Nuh-uh, shouldn't do that. Now I'll have to punish you!"

Riku was once again forced to watch helplessly as Xigbar prepared to torture Sora again. He had the razor positioned right over Sora's heart, and was beginning to slowly press it into his flesh. Sora began to cry- he was in pain and terrified. Riku felt he could bear the worst tortures this sadistic individual had planned far better than to watch Sora suffering like this.

"STOP!" Both Sora and Xigbar froze at the voice. Riku spoke again.

"Please, Take me, do whatever you want to me! Just please leave Sora alone!"

Xigbar turned around and grinned that same sadistic grin Riku saw him use so many times during his confinement.

"Sora, you're a lucky kid. Riku here just said he is willing to take everything I had planned for you as well as what's in store for him..."

Don't paraphrase my words, you bastard!

"I guess it's time to see just how good a friend Riku is to you... If he truly cares about you, he'll keep his will intact long enough to endure everything. However, if he dies before I have had my fill... you will get double what was remaining. So hold out Riku, your best friend's life just might depend on it!"

Xigbar closed the distance between the two of them in few steps. Riku knew what was coming, again. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, like last time, but his heart was racing.

Pain and surprise met Riku as he felt a deep, stabbing pain in his chest. Xigbar was not preparing to violate him again. He had something else in mind.

"You brats ever experience heartbreak before? It's unbearable isn't it?" Xigbar joked as he widened the cut on Riku's chest and plunged his hand right in, breaking two of his ribs as his hand thrust past them. "It feels sort of like... having your heart torn out from your body!" His hand found the frantically beating organ and began to enclose his hand around it. Riku let out a gurgling cry and slumped forward.

"NO! STOP IT! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!" Sora frantically struggled against his bonds, trying in vain to escape.

XXXXXXXX

So this is how it all ends. Xigbar cheated, and I think he planned it that way. Please forgive me, Sora. I won't be able to save you... he felt himself falling into deep, endless blackness.

Most people claim that in your final moments, you see your entire life flash before your eyes. Riku saw nothing, but he felt a deep, crushing pain deep within, the pain of several emotions competing for hold on his mind. Guilt, shame, terror, loss. He felt, deep down, that he was responsible for this.

"Riku?"

The voice broke through the black abyss, then faded back to silence.

"Come on, Riku. You don't need to endure this alone. Let me help you..." he felt warm, strong hands encasing him, pulling him away from the blackness.

But Riku couldn't accept it. He couldn't allow himself to be free of the pain he had just forced Sora to bear. The form of his replica appeared in front of him, looking at him with an urgent intensity.

"You're both going to be fine, trust me! Come, let me help!" The replica held out his hand, and Riku, though hesitantly, accepted it.

XXXXXXXX

Riku had not made another sound after that one awful cry. Sora continued to struggle against his bonds until he felt them loosen around his wrists, allowing him to slip free and summon his Keyblade. Xigbar was too intent upon his prey to notice.

"Why don't you scream, you little brat? I couldn't seem to get you to shut up in the dungeons..." He savagely slapped Riku across the face, and Sora noticed with revulsion that the bulge in his chest where Xigbar's hand was had constricted even more. He was trying to crush Riku's heart in his hand.

"Let him go!" Sora snarled. Xigbar ignored him, enjoying the feeling of power, having complete control over whether this pathetic child lived or died. With a protective growl, Sora charged at the man.

"I said to let him go, you bastard!" Xigbar did not notice the sudden closeness of Sora's voice until it was too late. He had looked around just as Sora savagely swung his Keyblade at his neck, breaking it on impact. Xigbar slumped to the ground, dead. Sora ran to Riku and saw with horror that Xigbar's hand was still plunged inside his chest.

Knowing Riku's life was being cut short every second that Xigbar's vice-like grip remained on him, and that he was the only one who was there to do this, Sora stifled a gag as he reached inside the bloody cavity as gently as he could manage and pried the mans hand off the still-beating heart. Riku was still alive, but he didn't know how much longer he would be without medicine. Pulling his clothes back on, Sora cut Riku's bond's free and carefully laid him on the floor, using the few medical supplies he brought to clean and bind the deep gash on his chest.

Riku had not made a single response, though he appeared to be conscious. His eyes were open, but they seemed to stare at nothing. He was in shock, and Sora did not know how severe it was. Try to move him at the wrong time and it could shorten his life even more.

Once Sora was sure he was stable enough, he lifted Riku and carried him over his shoulder and out of that awful dwelling. Despite knowing Riku was unable to answer, Sora spoke to him as though he were awake anyway.

"Come on, let's get out of here..."

End of Chapter 29