Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.

"I see, so even my sons would betray me." Sephiroth said, finding himself surrounded in one of the open courtyards of the castle. No guards to protect him, only himself with a long sword. "And here you are, Zexion, hiding behind your little friends." He sighed. "I almost expected you to put up a better fight than this, just like Terra. Hmm… or is it that your little siren dying is breaking you?"

He's not dead. He's not. Zexion told himself so he could remain calm. "Sephiroth, this is the end of the line. You cannot continue as king." Zexion declared. "Either step down willingly or I will make sure you are removed."

"You? Pfft, don't make me laugh." Sephiroth smirked. "Fine then, fight me if you feel you can. Force me to step down."

Zexion sighed and pulled out a dagger he had hidden on his person. He kept it hidden just in case, always carrying it with him. He then stepped up. Father may have told me that a physical weapon didn't always win the fight, but it sure helped to have one sometimes. He thought to himself. Sure of things, he charged at Sephiroth, knowing he had to fight him. He had a plan to get him taken down without killing the malevolent king.

"Yeah, these are books I've found. This cave had to have beenthe home to someone else; by the time I found it, it was abandoned." Sora had said, showing little Ienzo-turned-Zexion a collection of books. "I keep them here so they don't get damp and bad; I can't read them, though."

Zexion looked at one of the books in a wooden crate. "Wow, they're diagrams of human bodies and all about them!" he exclaimed, looking amazed. "I can read the words; Mommy, Daddy, even Isa taught me them." He smiled. "I'll teach you, too, if you want."

"Okay!" Sora cheered, looking happy.

"These books… people think such knowledge is forbidden. To understand the human body… whoever wrote these must have worked with people a lot… even the dead." Zexion said. He then picked up another book, one with spells and magic written in them. "And magic books, too?"

"Magic?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, like your singing. But this is magic humans can learn; I was always told, though, that it was forbidden." Zexion said. "Demon stuff, they said." He smiled a bit. "It'd be nice to learn it, but..."

"Who's gonna make you stop, though?" Sora inquired. "I won't. No one else is here, too."

"You're right." Zexion nodded. "Yeah! I wanna learn magic, maybe with it I can also protect you so no one tries to hunt you down." He smiled brightly. "So, magic and understanding the human body, I think I can learn all this with ease!"

Zexion nodded, knowing he had to the right points on Sephiroth. The shoulders to make it hard for him to move his arms and the knees to keep him from running. He knew he had to do this, it was a matter of getting around him. If their plan worked earlier, Sora would have used a song to immobilize Sephiroth, but it didn't work… so now he was doing this with force and fighting.

Zexion moved, dodging the attacks sent his way the best he could. Because of the long sword Sephiroth used, though, he couldn't get an opening so easily. He paid mind to the fact that Sephiroth fought using his left hand. He knew that was the arm to go for first. Nodding, sure of his tactic, he moved around and got close enough. He dug his dagger into Sephiroth's shoulder, earning a shout… and a piercing pain.

Zexion stumbled back, unsure what happened and why he was in pain, especially when he saw Sephiroth drop the sword before fleeing again, some of the Organization members following him. He then looked down, seeing a dagger in his chest.

Leave it to Sephiroth to also keep a dagger hidden on him to use if Zexion got too close.

Zexion collapsed to the ground, breathing heavy as the pain filled him.

"No! Zexion!" Saïx stared wide-eyed. He rushed to his nephew. "No, this can't… no..." He wanted to call for Vexen, but the blonde was treating Sora. Plus, Zexion was a human with a dagger through his heart; unlike with Sora, water couldn't possibly heal him. "No, please… please don't..." He moved so Zexion's head and shoulders were propped on the other's lap. "Please..."

"Zexion!" Roxas was at Zexion's side, pleading the male to stay with them. "C'mon, don't go… don't die… Zexion!"

Demyx stood in fear, staring at where Zexion was, unable to help but cry. He collapsed to his knees. Seeing Zexion there… seeing the dagger up to its hilt in his chest… "This… this can't be…" he whispered.

Riku stared in horror. Zexion was lying there. He could see he had already stopped breathing and was staring up at the sky with cold, vacant eyes. The tear Sora gave him was held close, words ringing in his mind. Maybe it'll come of use. He hoped the use could be for Sora, but he knew he had to try and use it on Zexion, hoping the magic in it would change this.

Riku knelt beside Zexion and removed the dagger from his chest. He then pulled the tear out, sticking it in the wound.

"What are you doing?" Roxas demanded.

"Sora gave me this the other day… he said it could be of use; I think he somehow knew something bad would happen." Riku explained, putting his hands over the wound, keeping the gem in place. "C'mon, c'mon, please work… please… don't let Sora shed that tear for nothing..."

"Sora's tear?" Roxas inquired, looking quite surprised. He then looked down at Zexion, hoping it would work. "Please work..." he whispered.

"I can't stay… I can't… Mommy… Daddy..."

"It's okay, sweetie, we know."

"It's not your time, after all. Go back… be strong… you'll know what to do."

"I love you..."

"Mom… Dad..." Zexion blinked. He glanced around, trying to come to his senses and remember what happened. He looked to see his uncle, Roxas, and Riku there, all looking relieved. "I saw Mom and Dad..."

"Oh Zexion..." Saïx whispered, pulling his nephew up into a hug. "You're okay..."

Zexion sighed, putting his hand to his chest. "I could hear you guys… Sora… gave you a tear, didn't he?" he asked Riku and the young male nodded. He then looked to where he figured Sephiroth ran off to. "I have a new plan..." he said.

"There's no escape, Sephiroth! Surrender quietly." Xemnas ordered.

Sephiroth held his arm, mentally cursing Zexion for doing something, making it impossible to use. "I refuse to give up so easily!" he hissed, his glare narrowing.

"So be it." Xemnas said, readying himself with his sword.

"Enough!" Zexion called. "We aren't killing him!" He walked into view, stepping in front of Xemnas. "We aren't killing Sephiroth; it won't change what he's done to the people, the kingdom… to everyone if we did kill him."

"No, but it's a start." Marluxia declared.

"But then where would the end be?" Zexion inquired. He stepped closer to Sephiroth.

"I killed you..." Sephiroth grumbled, not understanding how someone could come back from a dagger through the heart.

"Never turn your back on your enemy until you're sure they're dead. Even if that means cutting off their head; that's a mistake on your part, Sephiroth." Zexion instructed. He then put his hand up in the air and Sephiroth expected magic. When he flung it downward, Sephiroth went down, but not due to magic. Three arrows. One in his good shoulder, one in each knee. "And unfortunately for you, you have a lot of enemies. That's another mistake you made; you failed to check where your enemies lurked."

"Bastard!" Sephiroth hissed, trying to move. He couldn't feel his limbs. He was weak… unable to move.

"Don't think I spent these past thirteen years hiding in a forest; I've done more than that, including finding the weakest points in a human body without causing death." Zexion said. He looked up to the balconies, seeing Xigbar at one with his crossbow and Roxas on another with a bow. "You've also made the mistake of coming to an area with balconies; you used them to watch from above… and now that you're below, your attackers could get you."

"Well, you've got me now… are you so weak that you won't finish the job? Execute the man who killed your parents? Who killed many who dared stand for your claim?" Sephiroth bit out.

"No, I'm strong enough to not kill you because I refuse to be on the same level as you." Zexion declared.

"Zexion! I found it!" Demyx came running in with Saïx, the blonde carrying a crown in his hands.

"So… you're taking up the crown again..." Sephiroth grumbled.

"I'm not, but as the true heir to the throne, I have a right to choose my replacement." Zexion said, walking around Sephiroth to where Riku was with his brothers. "Riku..."

Riku stared a moment before kneeling before Zexion. Zexion smiled and put the crown on his head. "You are my chosen successor… do as you must… and please… protect this kingdom."

"I will." Riku said, rising to his feet. The Organization members there knelt, including Zexion, Axel, and, though on the balcony, Roxas. Riku then walked over to his father, watching him. A man he once respected and saw grow to be a tyrant, but he couldn't find himself to hate this man. "Sephiroth Crescent, as king of Radiant Garden, I sentence you to imprisonment."

"You traitor..." Sephiroth hissed.

"If betraying you means I'm helping the kingdom, then so be it." Riku declared. He looked to his brothers who all nodded, clearly agreeing with his decision. "Have him taken to the western wing dungeons and under guard." Some of the Organization members nodded in agreement and did as told since most of the guards were still unconscious.

"Looks like it's over." Riku said, walking to Zexion.

"Not quite; you've got quite the task of returning the kingdom to its former glory." Zexion said.

"With the right support, I don't think that'll be much of a problem." Riku chuckled.

"Probably." Zexion smiled. He then remembered Sora. "Sora!"

Heyo, lovelies!

Ah, the second to last chapter! I hope you've enjoyed this story thus far!

Ciao!

~ Chibi