Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; all credits go to the game!

Sora couldn't believe that the old man had disappeared! He didn't have any information for the King; the man didn't say what his plans were.
He just said 'I want to unfold your true power in exchange for your loyalty to me'. Well, he could forget about that! What could that man be scheming?
But there was no time to think about that now, his wounds needed care and it was still a long way to Merlin's house. He ripped a piece of his clothes and bound it around his leg and his arm before he started to hobble his way to his friends. The man definitely had a plan, Sora remembered him saying something like 'don't forget this fight, because there will be more'. There would be no time to hang around. Three days... Did this old man really think that he would change his mind in three days? No way! They would defeat him with their own power! There has to be a weak spot in his defence, Sora just knew it.
He looked at the sky: "I just need to find it."

When he got back at Merlin's, he was exhausted and his leg hurt like hell. But he didn't complain. On the way back, there was a trail of blood that he had followed... Riku's blood. The moment he stepped inside, Kairi embraced him with watery eyes.
She whispered in his ears: "I was so scared... just don't do that again... with Riku like this... I thought you were..."

She didn't need to say more. Sora embraced her with his good right arm and knew she was right. If that old guy hadn't ran off, he would be in a worse shape than this. He looked over her shoulder at his friend. Aerith was putting all her effort in helping Riku. His friend looked pale but he would recover as always, Sora just knew it. Riku was a tough one.
He whispered back in Kairi's ear: "We're not going down so easy, you can count on that."

Kairi's grip loosened and she let him go. A little smile appeared on her mouth and a tear rolled from her eye over her cheek.
He caught the tear on her cheek with his thumb and said: "It'll be fine, really."

When Yuffie looked at Sora's wounds, she immediately said that she had to take care of them and Kairi turned to face Riku again. She began helping Aerith by refreshing the water and the towels that she had used. Sora was amazed of how she dealt with this situation. She really was strong. He looked again at his friend and he saw his shoulder covered in blood. That was the same attack that Sora had dodged by rolling on the floor... Why didn't it hit him? Riku was always faster than him... And now...

"Sora, can I speak to you outside?"

Leon looked cautious and Sora followed him outside. Leon looked at the sky and almost a minute passed by before he spoke.

"I'm not going to lie to you."
"How is he? Will he be ok by tomorrow?"
"It's a serious situation. He's got a high fever and his wounds... Aerith is doing everything she can."
"I know, it's just... Riku is stronger than me. Why didn't that old man finish me off then?"
"Tell me everything you know about him. It could help me find clues for the King."
"Right..."

Sora began talking about their meeting with the black coats, but for some reason he didn't tell Leon about the deal that the old man offered him. He didn't know why, but he didn't want anyone to know that the man was interested in him. They wouldn't let him fight anymore and he needed to fight that man. For Riku. Leon listened carefully and when Sora was done talking, he looked at Sora.

"Sora, don't be reckless from now on."
"I... but I wasn't in time. If I had checked on him sooner... Then this wouldn't..."
"You couldn't do anything about it. You had your own fight. Just don't be reckless because of this."
"But I need to catch that man! He did this to Riku! And he plans on doing more! I have to stop him!"
"More? When did he say-"

Leon stopped talking because the front door had opened and Kairi came outside.
She looked concerned while she said: "Is everything alright? I heard Sora yelling..."
Leon looked at Kairi and asked: "Sorry for asking Kairi, but did you hear that man saying that there would be more fights like this?"
"I... I don't think so."

Leon looked at Sora, but he let it go for now. It had been a hard day.

"Ok, that'll be all then. I'll be taking the first watch on Riku. Sora, we need to talk about that later."
"Fine."

Sora didn't want to talk about it, he wanted to do something. Not waiting around.
Leon went inside and when the door closed, Kairi came to Sora. He was glad that she was her, on his other journey's there were only thoughts of her being safe so now he was glad that she was safe with him. She looked at him and he knew that she wanted to ask something.

"What's worrying you?"

She looked very cautious and finally said what was on her mind: "It's what Leon said... Did you really hear that man say that there would be more of this? When did you hear that?"
"Come on Kairi, you were with me all along. He said it right before we started fighting."
"I know that you asked him what he was going to do with you, but I didn't hear him saying that."
"But I... He said that we needed to pay attention to this fight, because there would be more..."
"… Maybe I didn't hear him."

Sora leaned against the wall. Nothing made any sense at all.

"I really don't know what's going on here..."
"Me neither, but we'll get through this. Like you said, it'll be fine..."

Sora looked at her and he saw a scratch on her hand. He placed her hand in his and looked at it.

"When did you get that? Yuffie needs to take care of that."
"It's nothing. And Yuffie is busy with Riku... they need all the bandages they can get..."

He looked at her. All the bandages... So Riku really was in a bad shape. Now he started worrying. What if she got hurt like that in a battle? He didn't know if he'd survive that. He would protect her with his life. He embraced her. She was so strong; she handled so much in such a short time...

"He's going to be fine. And I won't let anything happen to you. Don't worry."
"Promise?"
"Promise."

It felt good to have her in his arms. The darkness could do whatever it wanted, but this moment was their moment. Although it couldn't last. They were brought back to reality when Sora heard that voice:

Are you sure that you can promise her that?

Sora looked around and loosened his grip on Kairi. He asked her: "Did you hear that?"
She looked surprised and the voice talked again.

No, she can't hear me. Only you can, and only because I want you to, Sora.

Sora looked at Kairi and it really seemed like she didn't hear anything. How was this possible?

You know, your friend is my first statement. I will get what I want. Do you want her to get hurt next?

Sora swung his arm in front of Kairi and said: "Don't you dare to even touch her!"

I can touch what I want. Let's put it to the test. How's that leg of yours?

Kairi didn't understand what was going on, to whom was Sora talking? Suddenly an unversed appeared in front of them and Sora summoned his keyblade.

"You won't touch her, you hear me?"

Sora ran to the unversed and attacked it, but it dodged and hit his right leg, right where his wound was. A pain went through his leg. The pain came back and the new bandage started to turn red.

Is that all you've got? I thought that you wouldn't let anything happen to her? Or was that a lie?

"Just leave her alone, ok? I'm the one you want!"

Another unversed appeared next to Kairi. It didn't attack her, but just held on to her left arm.
Sora didn't know if it was the adrenaline, but with one strike, the creature was gone. Then he faced the other one that had attacked his right leg and killed it in two strikes. But it already was too late anyway. That unversed had touched Kairi's left arm. The old man really did what he said, he should be more careful. Next time, he wouldn't let him do that. He needed to train harder.

Well done boy, let that hate for me guide you. Tomorrow is the first day. See you soon, Sora.

When he was sure that the voice was gone, he gave in to the pain in his right leg. He nearly fell onto the ground, but Kairi caught him right on time. She put his arm around her neck for support.

"How did you know that they were coming?"

He didn't know what to say... He knew that he could tell Kairi the truth, but would she be exposed to more danger if he told her? No, she would find out soon enough. Not tonight, he had to protect her. So he said: "I don't know. I just felt them coming... Are you alright?"

She smiled at him, like nothing happened: "I'm fine. But you could've warned me. I have a keyblade too, you know. Let's get you some rest for now."

Sora nodded at her in agreement and they got inside. Kairi put Sora on a bed in the restroom.

"Thanks Kai, you should rest too."
"I'll first get some soup for you, or you'll starve."

Sora's stomach grumbled by the thought of food. She was right; they didn't eat anything from the moment they got to Hollow Bastion. He just didn't think of that because of all the fighting.

"Soup sounds nice. I totally forgot about food!"
"They say there's a first time for everything, I'll be right back."

After they ate their soup, Kairi left Sora in his bed and went to see if she could help Aerith. Sora laid himself on the bed and put his good right arm behind his head to look at the moon through the window. He thought about what the voice had said: 'Tomorrow is the first day'.What was waiting for them tomorrow? Another trap? He thought about the man's offer. Riku and Kairi didn't know about that. If he would do what the man asked him to, then his friends would be safe. But what did he have to do for that old man? And what did that man win by it? Why did he say that Riku was his first statement? Would he really hurt all his friends in these three days?

.. So many questions and no answers. Sora just hoped that Riku would be fine by tomorrow as he fell asleep.