Bloodbath Kingdom

by SpringBorn

Sora, Donald and Goofy crash land into a world that is unknown to them. They soon meet Lanna Scarlet Kennedy, a young agent sent to the old village in Spain to save her parents. OcXSora Is being rewritten. Other characters include Jake, Sherry, Chris and Jill. Finished

7. Chapter 6

Bloodbath Kingdom

Author: Springborn

Co Author: Warrior of Six Blades

Chapter Six

(Riku's, Ada's, Kairi's P.O.V.)

The air was tense as Riku, Ada, and Kairi stared down a smirking Wesker and a smiling Maleficent. Both looking like they already had this battle won and honestly it pissed Riku off a bit. It reminded him of when he was the one standing by Maleficent, as she used him for her plans and made him believe Sora had betrayed both Kairi and himself.

Riku not standing the sight of her face any longer, rushes ahead at high speeds with his blade poised to pierce Maleficent's heart. A blur of movement on his right forces Riku to raise his keyblade to a defensive stance as Wesker's weapon clashes with Riku's own. Riku's eyes widen at the design of the weapon. It was a sword with a single edge and black steel blade made of darkness. With a red handle and oddly no guard...

Wesker smirked at Riku cruelly and pushed him back, lunging forward and slashing at him. "Not so fast young man," he said. His weapon changed to the groups horror and amazement, turning into a gun as Wesker aimed at Riku and fired.

"Riku!" Kairi screamed in horror but yelped as Ada yanked the girl back, seeing Maleficent cold smirk.

Turns out this was a wise move on Ada's part as the spot Kairi was previously at was struck by green lightning. Looking up the see the witch humming in thought with a dark smile. "I see you two are gonna be a handful, but I wonder if you're strong enough to handle this!" Maleficent said as she raised a hand forward. making two Defender Heartless appear much to their shock.

Looking like two big knights in blue and purple, but their only weapon was oddly a shield with a dog face. What worried Kairi and Ada was the mouth of the dog face was moving...and growling.

Ada frowned as she saw this. "Damn..." she muttered and looked at Riku fighting Wesker and looked at the heartless. "This has become complicated..."

Kairi swallowed and nodded. She was scared as she didn't know as much as Riku and Sora. "This is gonna be bad..." she said.

"Not on my watch," Ada said as she pulled out her crossbow and aimed, firing at the heartless. "Stay close, Kairi" she said. Kairi nodded and summoned her keyblade, aiming.

Riku meanwhile was deflecting and dodging Wesker's bullets with his keyblade. Barely keeping up enough to avoid getting shot as both moved around the room at high speeds. 'How long does the bastard intend to fight me from a distance?!' Riku thought getting annoyed with this medium to long range fight so far.

"Go and destroy them, my heartless!" Maleficent commands as the heartless slowly move forward as the growling got louder.

Wesker smirked as he lunged at Riku with his Hidden Death, slashing at him quickly and sent out a kick at his ribs. He jumped back. "Come on, Riku..." he taunted.

Ada swore as she got into a stance as she scooped up Kairi and put her near the cage as she lunged to the side, trying to distract the heartless as she didn't want Kairi to be a target. She slid behind the Heartless and shot at their backs.

"Grrr...Bring it!" Riku shouts rushing Wesker and slashing at the revived tyrant. Both Wesker and Riku's blades clashing repeatedly before Riku jumps over a lunge from Wesker with both of Riku's hands holding a Dark Firaga. "Eat this!" Riku roars as he rapid fires a Dark Firaga barrage at Wesker. He manages to deflect three, but gets hit by the rest as it sends him tumbling from the rapid hits.

Wesker growls as he turns around and rushes toward Riku. Slamming his fist into Riku's stomach as the boy grunts in pain and surprise from Wesker's strength.. "It's not over yet, Riku," he growled, pissed as he would have to up his attacks. He lunged again as he started to throw punches at Riku, making the boy dodge or block, grunting as his fist was caught. He smirked and grabbed Riku's wrist and flung him over his head.

"Think you can help them?" Wesker asked as Ada jumped over the heartless, shooting at them but being careful of their attacks. Kairi sent out a Firaga spell, trying to help Ada.

"I will..." Riku said as he looked at Wesker dead in the eyes with a determination he only felt when fighting Roxas. He won't go as far as to risk losing his body's from again to Ansem's own. But he will show Wesker what facing true darkness is like and how dangerous the power is. "Just as soon as I show you a lesson that even Maleficent never taught you. Something I learned from Xehanort back when I was a stupid brat trusting the wrong people..." Riku told Wesker as a dark aura circles around his feet. An air of caution and danger surrounding his very presence. Almost like something was wishing to be freed and unleashed for the world to see. A power that made Wesker and Maleficent look at his cautiously. Even Kairi felt a chill run down her spine glancing at Riku in worry for his safety.

Ada was startled as she saw Riku do this, surprised and felt uneasy as the darkness swirled under his feet. Kairi bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with worry. "Riku..." she said.

Wesker watched Riku, his brows furrowed. Something was off about this young man. Had Maleficent known about this? No, she had told him all she knew about his abilities and his friends. This had to be something new. Circling around him slowly, Wesker kept Riku in his sights.

Riku concentrated as the darkness latched on to his skin only leaving his head exposed for a few moments before seemingly fading away to reveal Riku's clothing had changed.

He now stood there in a full body suit that looked like was some kind of muscle with a black heart over where his own is. Black and purple in color, with a piece of cloth hanging from the back and sides of his waist. Only leaving the front exposed oddly. It was familiar to Maleficent, but the power she felt was different...darker even and yet familiar.

It was Riku's Dark Mode clothing, but he long since had no need or desire to use it in the past. So he normally wouldn't be able to use these clothes to enhance his strength, speed, and endurance. Not unless he used the darkness from someone he locked inside of his heart that is...

'I can't stay in this mode for long... Ansem is gonna notice me using this sooner or later and try to take over again. So I'll have to kill them both fast.' Riku thought looking at them both seriously before looking solely at Wesker. 'Starting with Wesker.' Riku thought looking at his opponent before seemingly vanishing in a burst of speed.

Wesker's instincts kicked in and he immediately dodged to the right. Only getting a shallow wound as he saw Riku standing a little behind where he was with his keyblade out in a slashing motion. The shockwave from the slash destroying part of the wall in the room they are fighting in. He looks at Wesker over his shoulder with a determined gaze.

"I hope you're ready, Wesker, to learn how dark and deep the abyss really is." Riku says knowing from experience as he once looked into the abyss without blinking. Back then it was the beginning of his mistakes and caused his friends to suffer for those choices. This time he'd make sure to use this power to protect them and try to finish this before Ansem tries to fight Riku for control.

Wesker watched him, silent. "Very well," he said as he put his gun away as he wanted to go to hand to hand right now and would only use his gun if he needed it. He let out a slow breath and lunged forward, disappearing from sight only for him to reappear behind Riku and sent out a powerful kick at his back.

Riku seeing this spins around faster than the eye can track and catches Wesker's leg, before throwing him into the air and appearing above him. Slamming him down into the ground with his keyblade. While landing Riku notices Wesker protected himself using darkness to enhance his crossed arms.

"Not bad, but you better get your sword out before you lose those limbs of yours." Riku informs rushing toward Wesker at high speeds, before breaking off to dodge a green thunder bolt from Maleficent. "Two on one then, fine by me..."

Wesker growled in annoyance as he summoned his sword, glaring at the boy as Maleficent joined the fight.

Ada watched as she tackled one of the heartless while Riku was fighting. Sherry watched, holding Elly close as the fight was raging with Ada and those monsters and with Riku, fighting their abductors. She just hoped Jake wouldn't learn this but knowing him he would. She just didn't want him to lose it.

Wesker twirled his weapon, darkness radiating off it, but was well under control. "Shall we?"

"Let's," Maleficent said firing her magic in several thunder bolts forcing Riku to evade them as he made his way toward Maleficent. He thrusts toward her, but only to hit air as she turns into a green ball of light and evades the attack. Reappearing some distance away from an annoyed Riku. Before deflecting Wesker's blade as the two started clashing their blades with surprising force that made shockwaves. Damaging the walls around them as they glared at one another.

"Dark Break!" Riku shouts as he breaks the blade lock and instantly vanished in a burst of speed. Wesker raises his blade to a guard position as he quickly scanned around for movement. Before noticing a shadow above him and raising his sword, Hidden Death, defensively as Riku came rocketing down and back up again to repeat the cycle. He kept up this attack three more times and the third strike being the most powerful as it broke through Wesker's guard and made a deep slash wound into his chest.

Wesker barely managing to avoid it being a stab by timing his dodge enough to avoid fatality. Though Riku could tell he was far from happy and arrogant anymore. No, he was treating Riku seriously now and Riku was forced to break out of his analyzing by ducking a green fireball from Maleficent that made Riku narrow his eyes in annoyance.

Wesker growled and lunged again, slashing at Riku but only to have his attack blocked again and again. He ducked a slash to the head and jumped back, glaring. He wouldn't let this boy defeat him! He would have to be careful now as felt his wounds start to heal from the attacks that he got from Riku.

Maleficent continued to rain Thunder bolts on Riku as he starts dashing for the witch. Surprising her as Riku started slashing at her rapidly, before sending her flying with a harsh slash. Maleficent panting as she winced from the blows Riku brought down on her and looks up to see Riku charging two dark firagas in his hands.

"Dark Firaga barrage!" Riku shouts only this time the attack was noticeably bigger and more power. Also, it was aimed at both Wesker and Maleficent. "Get behind me!" Maleficent shouts erecting a barrier of black and green Flames to block Riku's onslaught as Wesker quickly got behind her.

(Scene change Chris and Jill P.O.V.)

"Go get him Riku." Chris said happy to see Wesker on the run for once and the witch getting what's coming to her. He had to admit at first he was worried for the three, but now Riku seems to be doing much better.

Jill smiled as she saw Riku starting to get to Wesker and Maleficent. "Yes, go Riku," she said, relieved to see the tables have turned. She had been worried as she didn't think the group would last this long but she had been proved wrong. "Do you think he can end it all with this attack?" She looked at her husband.

"Hard to say, that witch's flames seem to be barely holding them back so far. Though I'll definitely say Riku has the advantage now If he can just kill off either one of them at least. The fight will be more in their favor." Chris says seeing Riku stop the attack and rush to the barrier. Before jumping over it and unleashing another repeat jumping attack he called 'Dark Break' on Maleficent. She took more damage than Wesker did though much to their delight before Maleficent sent Riku flying across the room with a giant green fireball. Much to their relief Riku got up and glared showing only minor damage on his person.

(Scene Change: Leon's, Claire's, and Simmons's P.O.V.)

Leon was watching both impressed and hopeful to see Riku shrugging off the attack like it was nothing. Yet, something in the back of his mind troubled him...Why hadn't Riku used this power right at the start? Was it some sort of ace he was saving or was there something about his new look that came with an unknown burden. Being a member of the D.S.O. and a former secret operative of the Government taught him to see the hidden lines and meanings in life.

Things like this for example, as Riku who had access to this form for who knows how long. Clearly was using it here and now after getting beaten around by Wesker at first. Why would he wait when he could've used it from the start if it had no side effects or risks? Sure, Leon hoped and prayed Riku would win, but something about the timing of Riku's use of this power concerned him.

"Don't screw around, Riku, finish the fight quickly..." Leon said keeping a calm front for Claire's sake, but on the inside he was worried.

Claire looked at Leon and looked towards the screen, feeling hopeful. "Leon, what's wrong?" she asked, hearing the tone. She knew he was hiding something. She wanted to believe the Riku could defeat Wesker or Maleficent but something felt off. She wasn't sure if it was her mother senses or the years of a fighter for Terrasave.

"I'm...I'm not sure, honey." Leon answered both not wanting to worry her and at the same time not truly sure if his suspicions were right or not. He truly hoped he was wrong. Watching as Riku traded blows with Wesker and jumps over Wesker's palm thrust. Before kicking him in the chin and throwing a Dark Firaga at his tumbling form.

Simmons watched fight and frowned. "The boy is only lucky," he said. 'Wesker and Maleficent will beat him and the others." He was sure of this, though he wasn't aware of Riku's history with darkness.

Claire ignored him as she was busy watching the fight and soon frowned. She had noticed something with Riku. He seemed off but wasn't sure what yet. Was she only imagining it?

(Scene Change: Riku, Ada, and Kairi vs Wesker and Maleficent 3rd P.O.V.)

Riku and Wesker both clashed their blades before forcing each other back. Both of them bleeding from slash wounds with Maleficent charging a spell as she kept her distance. Maleficent had multiple tears in her cloak much to her annoyance with blood running down her body from several slashes she's taken from Riku covering Wesker.

She hated to admit it, but Riku had gotten powerful. Not enough to kill them both, but certainly very powerful and maybe enough to kill either of them one on one with great difficulty. Maleficent was right to have Wesker help her in this fight and was glad he was such a fast learner in the arts of darkness or he'd be dead by now.

"Begone!" Maleficent shouts firing a fierce storm of thunder bolts toward Riku as he dodges and deflects the strikes expertly. Though with bits of a struggle as he internally cursed. This was taking longer than he was hoping, but these two were not making it easy for him. Wesker was dangerous at close combat and clearly favored it, but was able to shift his weapon to gun mode or sword mode to keep Riku guessing. While Maleficent's spells made her purely a long range fighter with teleporting abilities and heartless at her command. Speaking of the heartless, Ada had successfully killed one and was now teaming up with Kairi to kill the other.

"Dark..." Riku calls as his body glows purple and starts floating up slowly toward the ceiling. His sword resting in one hand before slowly bring it to his second hand in front of his face. "Aura!" Riku shouts disappearing in a blur of movement before reappearing to lunge at Wesker again and again. Hitting him seven times before appearing above him. "Your finished!" Riku shouts driving his blade into the earth as he barely misses Wesker, only for the shockwave to hit him and send him flying into a wall.

Ada panted as she was a bit wounded and bleeding from a few scraps and a gash, her jacket ripped. She reloaded her gun as her eyes narrowed. "Get ready Kairi!" she said.

Kairi nodded as she looked worn out as she was certainly learning how to fight a bit more and how to use her keyblade but wasn't even close to Riku or Sora. "Okay!" she said as she sent out a Firaga spell at the last Heartless, the fire roaring as Ada sneaked in behind and shot at the heartless, gritting her teeth as the heartless gave in finally, dying.

Sherry looked relived at this and turned to hear the fight going on to her right, seeing Wesker pull himself from the wall and rolled his shoulders as turned his sword into a gun, charging it up with dark aura and started to shoot at Riku. He smirked as he noticed that Riku was having a hard time.

Riku seeing the shots deflects them and dances around Maleficent's lightning, gritting his teeth in irritation at the difficulty he was having. Even his strongest attack wasn't keeping Wesker down, but did find some comfort in know he was dealing serious damage to them. He just needed a way to get past their teamwork and beat either one of these two down!

"Or you could let me destroy them both." A hauntingly familiar voiced echoed in his mind making Riku hesitate in surprise. a Mistake that costs him as he gets hit by Maleficnet's Lightning "Aaaagghhhhh!" Riku cries out before blurring away from follow up strikes, deflects Wesker's bullets, and hurls a Dark Firaga at Wesker point blank in his face. Riku tries to follow up, but feels his body not responding to his commands.

'Stay out of this! I can win this without losing myself to you again!'

"You say that and yet I sense you using part of my power to boost your own. Face it, you're too weak to defeat them both. Maybe kill one if lucky, but not both. If you were to let me have your body, I could easily destroy them both and show them the true power of darkness!" The voiced shot back as Riku held his head with his free hand fighting against the spirit of Ansem.

Something Maleficent noticed as she too sensed the power inside Riku and began cackling.

"I-I can't believe...You'd do such a risky gambit, Riku. Were you truly so desperate a fool as to try using power from another soul inside yourself? Foolishly risking the chance it might fight you for control as it is, I'd pity you if I didn't already want you dead!" Maleficent said firing more green thunder bolts toward Riku who deflects and dodges them. Before jumping back to avoid several bullets from Wesker who was without his glasses now. Showing his eyes glowing in power, arrogance, and slight anger.

Kairi looked at Riku, worried. "Come on, Riku. You can do it!" she said, wanting to help him somehow. Ada saw that Riku was struggling and frowned. 'What is going on here?' she thought. Riku had the upper hand before, but now he seemed to be having trouble. She noticed that the tides had changed when he started using the dark aura and looked at Maleficent, listening to what she had said. 'Another soul inside of Riku?' She thought. 'How is that possible?'

Wesker spat blood out and lunged at Riku, his fist knocked back to deliver a blow to his chest. The attack hit, sending Riku back a few feet and shot at him.

"Damn!" Riku cursed as he forced his body to dodge Wesker's shots and blurred toward Wesker. Reappearing in front of him before slashing him diagonally to the upper left sending him flying before kicking him against the ceiling as he jumped up after Wesker. Making a crater in the ceiling upon impact and shooting off toward Maleficent. Maleficent seeing the boy's lunge unleashes a power green flame toward Riku like a flame thrower as Riku thrusts forward mid aerial dive. Surrounding his body in darkness as he clashed with Maleficent's power and pierced through to hit her staff. Causing an explosion of magical energy to make both slam against the walls on opposite sides of the room.

"How long do you intend to fight me boy?!" Ansem's voice demanded as Riku held his head tighter with his free hand. "This is MY fight!" Riku shouts back as got back up using his will power to keep Ansem down. 'This isn't good...if I keep using Ansem's power I am putting myself more at risk, but if I stop using it and try to lock him away again. I will be at a disadvantage against them...' Riku thought to himself trying to think of someway out of this mess fast.

Maleficent got up from her position being slammed into a wall thinking how to end this fight and kill him. 'Riku will only dodge if I keep attacking him directly and Wesker can't keep him still for long enough. If I am going to make Riku pay for his crimes, I need to stop thinking of hitting him...' Maleficent thought with her thoughts trailing as she turned her gaze to Kairi and Ada. Watching Kairi kill the last heartless by reflecting the fireball back to the shield creature to stun it. Before running up and cutting it down from behind.

'I need to think of using Ada and Kairi as targets to force Riku into expending his power to protect them.' Maleficent thought with a wicked grin. 'All I need to do is herd them both into one spot close enough for Riku to act, but far enough to keep him from realizing it's a trap.' Maleficent thought as she summoned two more defenders, much to Kairi and Ada's anger and worry.

(Scene Change: Chris and Jill P.O.V.)

"Damn it! What the heck is wrong with the kid, he was in control a minute ago. Now he looks like he's got some mental problem or maybe he's getting delusional?" Chris wondered seeing Riku's performance slipping more and more, but the way Riku shouted back at apparently no one had him worried about the boy's mentality. Unless what Maleficent said about another soul inside him is true...but how would that be possible?

"Maybe the witch wasn't lying..." Jill said as she thought. She didn't want to believe the witch's words but what if there was some truth to it? She looked at Chris. "We don't know where Riku and his friends come from. Maybe their world has different rules than our's. It would explain the keyblades, their powers, and Disney characters coming to life."

"Maybe...but either way, Riku and the others need to think of something fast or they're all screwed." Chris said watching worriedly as Maleficent was using the heartless to push Ada and Kairi away from the cages. While Riku was trading blows with Wesker while dodging Maleficent's attacks.

(Scene Change: Leon, Claire, and Simmons 3rd P.O.V.)

"Damn it...I was hoping I was wrong." Leon said simply hearing the witch's explanation as Riku start slowing down and seeming to suffer some pain in his head. Now he knew what was going on, that Riku was fighting an internal battle for doing something reckless to gain a power boost.

Simmons laughed. "Seems like the poor boy is struggling now," he said, enjoying the scene.

Claire looked at Leon. "You figured that something was up?" she asked, head tilted. Leon was smart when it came to these situations, earning him the spot as one of the best agents in history.

"It's just if he had access to that power this whole time without drawbacks. Why didn't he try to use it from the start? Instead he tried to fight Wesker without it and got beat around by Wesker's new weapon for his trouble. So I figured this power must come with some sort of risk or maybe it had a condition he needs before it works. Judging from what maleficent has said, it's safe to say Riku is definitely putting himself at risk the longer he uses that power." Leon explains watching warily as Riku uses Dark Aura again and slams Wesker multiple times wearing him down more, but it's clear Riku has a tough fight ahead.

Claire nodded as she watched. "So it seems," she said and frowned. "I just hope it doesn't kill him." She saw Maleficent toy with Ada and Kairi, frowning. "She's up to something...it's like she's drawing them away from the cage..." She looked at her husband, looking nervous. "It may hurt Riku..." She was worried.

"Let's hope he can pull through whatever scheme Maleficent seems to be plotting..." Leon said watching the screen worriedly as the fight went on, holding his wife's hand in a supporting grip.

(Scene Change: Riku, Ada, and Kairi vs Wesker and Maleficent 3rd P.O.V.)

Riku grunts in pain as he stumbles back barely avoiding Wesker's blade. Before lunging forward to send Wesker's blade up high clashing against each other, before kneeing Wesker in the gut to make him back off. Riku tries to follow up, but hesitates in pain as Ansem once again tries to take over Riku's body. "You will submit!"

"Never!" Riku shouts unleashing an aura of darkness and light in a massive burst that manages to wound a surprised Wesker. before he finds himself sent flying from the burst of energy. Upon landing he sees Riku trying to fight the spirit Maleficent spoke of with a free hand clenched on his head. Riku's eyes flashing between blue and gold colors as he glared at Wesker.

"Wesker! A moment if you would please!" Maleficent called wanting to relay her plan to Wesker in secret while sending some Defenders to keep Riku busy just as they are for Ada and Kairi. Sure, Riku would kill them, but they only needed to stall the boy for a few moments.

Wesker raised a brow at Riku's eye changes and nods as he headed towards Maleficent. He kept his eyes on the boy and looked at the witch. "What is it?" he asked, keeping his tone low.

Ada and Kairi watched Riku worriedly and turned to look at the big wigs that were in control of everything. What were they planning?

"I have an idea to end all three in one move, but I need you to move Riku to a spot where he can dash to Kairi and Ada's aid when I unleash one of my more powerful attacks. Knowing the fool, he'll try to block it with a Dark Barrier again and we can use that chance to end them all. He can't keep it up forever, thanks to that spirit fighting for dominance and holding our combined assault off at the same time. The barrier will break and all three will be finished." Maleficent speaks at a low tone to Wesker watching as Riku eliminates one Defender, but is still struggling for dominance. his eyes changing colors slowly now compared to how fast it was before showing Riku was starting to push the spirit back somewhat.

Wesker nodded. "Alright, that would work," he said as he wanted to finish this off quickly. They had been at this fight for too long. He looked at Riku and smirked. "Let's end this."

Kairi and Ada frowned, watching the two converse.

"Feel my fury!" Maleficent shouts as Thunder rains down toward Ada and Kairi forcing them to dodge desperately. Only for Kairi to see a Defender spinning it's shield as it's eyes glowed red. 'Oh no...Ada!' Kairi thinks lunging in between Ada and the Defender as the fireball fired. Being anew keybearer, she could feel the power behind the fireball but swings her keyblade at it. The ball and keyblade clash in a contest of fire vs light as sparks gave off as Kairi struggled for a second. Before giving out a battle cry as she swung it away with all her might back at the shield knocking the Defender back.

She had no time to celebrate her victory though as she saw Maleficent fire a green thunder bolt toward her. Knowing she wouldn't dodge in time, before feeling Ada's arm grab her around her waist and leap away closer to Riku, but still a distance away.

Riku himself was busy trying to fend off Wesker's blows, he slashes at Wesker who parries his strike. An arrogant smirk on his face that Riku wants to cut off permanently.

Wesker smirked as he kept fighting Riku, but was slowly edging towards Kairi and Ada. He dodged a blow for Riku, hearing the girls help each other out and almost feels the smirk on Maleficent's face, as their plan was coming to fruition. He lunged at Riku, their blades connecting and headbutted the teen and pushed him away.

'It's time to end this.' Maleficent thought maliciously as she focuses her power to her cornered pray. "Now you shall know true power, Meteor!" Maleficent says as a portal opens behind her and meteor start flying toward them. Much to their shock and horror of giant flying rocks with large amounts of darkness rushing for them. Riku hearing this and seeing the attack, deflects Wesker's strike and rushes toward them. Ignoring the quick slash wound he got in the back from Wesker as he got in front of Ada and Kairi.

"Dark Barrier!" Riku shouts holding off the meteors slamming against the barrier. Straining himself to hold up the shield and trying to repair any cracks that kept forming so far.

Maleficent seeing this new it was time to press their advantage now that they had it. "Wesker! Join me and shoot the fool's shield to further weaken it. While I call on some lighting to finish them!" Maleficent calls diverting some of her attention to a second magic as a large dark thunder cloud loomed above. Green lightning sparking dangerously inside it as the spell charged up to be unleashed.

Wesker nodded as he pulled back the hammer and started to shoot at the shield, seeing the scared face of Kairi and the anger on Ada's face as Riku kept the shield up. "Die!" he roared as he kept shooting the shield. He could see cracks forming on the shield from the combined attacks and the strain on Riku's face was clear.

"Almost!"

"Riku, hang in there!" Kairi said and gasped as she saw the wound on her friend's back. "Riku!"

"Let me out or you and your little friends will die!" Ansem's voice shouts as Riku grits his teeth forcing the spirit back into the darker corners of his heart again. Clearly using his powers was too much a gamble to truly rely on after all. But he could use his powers for one last move to save them...

'It's risky... but I need to summon a Dark Corridor. With all of these attacks slamming into the shield, I don't think they'll notice.' Riku thought pulling one hand away and focusing it to create a corridor of darkness. It soon appears behind Ada and Kairi both of which looking at the portal in worry.

"Perish into oblivion!" Maleficent said as the charged up Dark Thunder magic slams into the shield as Riku forces his feet forward. grabbing Ada and Kairi as he held them close in front of him. Using his body as a shield feeling the thunder and dark bullets slamming into his back.

"Aaagggghhhhh!" Riku cries out in pain as he flew into the portal that swiftly closed behind him. The attacks slamming into the wall and floor he was last at, making a huge crater from the force. The attacks kicking up a huge dust cloud that stayed for a few seconds. Slowly dispersing to show no sign of Riku, Kairi, or Ada. Just one big smoking crater as Maleficent smiled cruelly and began to chuckle lowly at the sight.

"Hehe...hehehe...Ahahahahahahahaha!" Maleficent chuckles had soon turned to full blown cackling as she couldn't sense or see Riku anywhere. At last one of the people she wanted revenge on is finally dead!

Sherry and Elly stared in horror and in shock. Riku and the others...dead? Neither of them wanted to believe it, but they had seen the attack and it would be hard to evade it. "I can't believe it..." Sherry said as Elly whimpered and started to cry. The older woman hugged the younger girl, feeling sick.

Wesker laughed, seeing the crater. He got a message from Salazar that he would be showing the feed to Lanna and her group. His smirk on grew wider. "Good..."

"Ah...Wesker, I truly must thank you for this alliance of ours. You have no idea how great this feels for me." Maleficent says grinning at the victory she has gained.

Wesker nodded. "A pleasure my dear," he said and grinned. "You brought me back to life and I never hold out on my debts. If you enjoyed that than you'll be even happier to know that Salazar has recorded the whole thing. He'll be playing it for Sora and his friends." He couldn't wait to see their reactions to the video feed.

Maleficent couldn't keep the cold smile off her face at this bit of news. "I look forward to it, but first I need to make sure Pete loads our experimental B.O.W.s to their containers for testing safely. I won't tolerate any mistakes from him when we are so close to our revenge after all. If you'll excuse me for a few moments, I'll join you in the research room once done." Maleficent said vanishing in green and black flames as Wesker smirks. Glad to see things falling into place and looking forward to how things unfold for his plans now. Silently striding his way to the research room to continue their plans, as well as check up on Alex's and Luis's progress on B.O.W. research and development.

(Scene change: Chris and Jill 3rd P.O.V.)

"No..." Chris said feeling sorrow for Riku, Kairi, and even Ada believing they had perished. He couldn't see with the lightning and meteors slamming into the barrier or during the dust cloud. But he could hear Riku's screams as the barrier broke and the lack of bodies when the dust cloud cleared left him feeling doubt they survived.

Jill lowered her head, feeling sadness and almost feeling lost. "I can't believe it..." she said as she heard the screams like Chris did. It was horrible. "They...can't be gone..." But the evidence was there in the crater. Nothing could have survived the attack...

"This is a nightmare..." Jill whispered, feeling sick. "They're...gone..."

"Jill..." Chris said unsure how to comfort her at this time, hell he wasn't feeling much better than her and all he wanted was to hold her right now. To chase away the worries and doubts in her mind, even as it haunted his own.

(Scene Change: Leon, Claire, and Simmons 3rd P.O.V.)

"Damn it...Not them..." Leon said holding his distraught wife after seeing the fight and hearing Riku's screams. Despite his best efforts, Riku couldn't keep it all back and now nothing was left... 'God...I know I don't talk to you much...but we need a miracle...' Leon thought desperately for his wife and daughter's sake than his own. Only wishing he could shield them from this hell they were in.

Simmons laughed as he heard the cries of Riku, his eyes flashing excitedly. "Yes! How is that for your hope, Leon? How will your daughter and her friends will take it?" he taunted, but he felt sorrow for losing Ada once again. He would have to ask Maleficent if there was a way to get her back but without her memories...

Claire held onto her husband, crying. Since being pregnant her moods were wonky and never knew how she would act, but this time he did know as her body shook from crying. She just wanted to go home with their family and friends. She wanted her baby to be safe. "Oh God...Lanna...Sora...how are they gonna take it...?"

"I don't know...But we have to believe in them...For their sake and ours..." Leon said hoping that God was willing to hear his pleas, despite not being the most religious person around. Even a non believer will turn to God if they were pushed into a corner.

(Scene Change: Riku, Ada, and Kairi 3rd P.O.V.)

Riku pants tiredly as he forces his body to hurry through the dark corridor. Seeing Kairi and Ada in pain from being inside this space affecting their hearts. If he didn't hurry, the darkness might turn them...

"Submit!" Ansem's voice shouts trying to force Riku to give up, but Riku forced Ansem into the darker corners of his heart. Before sealing him in there with a force of will power and what light he does have in his heart.

"This isn't the last you'll hear from me, Riku! You hear me?! I will have that body as my own one day!" Ansem's shouts before being silenced from his mind as Riku felt him sealed away. Opening his tired eyes to reveal their natural blue color as he was able to move more easily now.

"Not now and not ever, Ansem. I won't lose to you and I won't fail my friends!" Riku shouts as he rushed out the corridors dropping to his knees as he gently let Ada and Kairi down on the ground. Seeing them groan in pain as they rubbed their chests where their hearts are. "Sorry...Ada...Kairi...I tried...I'm...glad...you're...alright..." Riku said tiredly as he panted before passing out from the wounds he collected. His back showing the slash wound from Wesker, where the dark bullets left bleeding holes on his back, and scorch marks from Maleficent's thunder.

"Riku!" Kairi said weakly, struggling to get up as her chest hurt. It felt like someone was squeezing her heart with a clamp. It was painful. Ada groaned weakly and pushed herself up as she half dragged and half crawled over to the boy. She pulled out her med kit and motioned for Kairi to come over.

"I'm...gonna bandage him up..." Ada wheezed. She pulled Riku's vest and got to work cleaning his wounds. Her head felt dizzy from being in that dark corridor and felt lightheaded. All three of them needed a serious break and would need a safe place to hold up in till Riku was alright to be moving. She stopped the blood flow and cleaned the area before taking a health spray and sprayed the wounds, seeing the less serious ones healing up but it was the larger and deeper ones that made her worry.

Taking a look around, they saw that Riku brought them to a different part of the castle. Thankfully vacant of any enemies or heartless as they took the time to move Riku. Ada recalled it as the place where she took a ride with Leon to the island.

"What is this place?" Kairi asked as she looked around and saw the Merchant in the corner, watching them.

"I know this place. This is the boathouse," Ada said and looked at Kairi. "I took Leon to the island this way." Kairi nodded and looked at Riku. "Isn't that the place where the machine is to take out the plaga inside of Lanna?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Welcome, Strangers. I wasn't expecting you all to show up before I was done setting up shop, but would you like some wares?" The Merchant asks surprised to see them, but adjusting to it all quickly.

"Kairi, stay with Riku. I'm going to get some upgrades and health," Ada said and headed to the Merchant. "Yes. I need some upgrades and some health." She had some food on her but not a lot. Riku would need rest and plenty of it. She just hoped the others were alright. She looked at the man in the cowl.

"That I can do for you, as long as you have the money stranger." The Merchant said putting up some first aid sprays. "What guns do you wish upgraded and in what way is the upgrades made?" The Merchant asks curious of which part of her guns she'd want to customize.

Ada pulled out a large sack of gold, looking at him. "Ammo and fire power for the machine gun," she said and looked back to see Kairi staying close to Riku. There was a look of worry on her face.

"Done, anything else?" The Merchant said giving her the first aid sprays, while getting to work on the ammo and firepower for Ada's machine gun.

"Hand gun too, please." Ada said as she handed over her hand gun. Her crossbow didn't need any modifications as it wasn't like a gun. You wouldn't want to mess around with it too much.

"Sure, firepower and ammo I take it?" The Merchant asks finishing the upgrades on her machine gun and handing it to her.

"Yes," Ada said nodding. "That would be great."

"Done and done..." The Merchant said customizing her gun to allow more ammo with a fresh clip same as the last one. Before upgrading the firepower of Ada's handgun and once finished hands it to her. "Pleasure doing business with, ya." The Merchant says as Ada takes her guns and makes her way back to Kairi and Riku.

(Scene Change: Sora, Lanna, and Jake 3rd P.O.V.)

"Where could have they gone?" Donald asked Lanna, looking at her. Since Ada was gone, Lanna was the most knowledgeable about the castle and the island.

Lanna ran her finger's into her hair roughly, not even wincing from the slight pain as she was thinking. "I...I really don't know," she said honestly, feeling useless at the moment. Plus she didn't want to give false hope either.

"We have to find them!" Donald said, looking worried.

"Riku...Kairi..." Sora trailed off worried before stomping his foot against the door that took them. "Damn it! I should've reacted faster!" Sora said kicking himself for letting the surprise catch him off guard like that.

"Sora, it's not your fault. None of us saw this coming," Jake said trying to calm the young keyblade wielder as he was trying to think of what to do.

"He's right, Sora," Lanna said gently, looking at young man. "We'll find them." She was ready to say more when her cell went off. Picking it up, she flicked it open and her face turned dark. "Salazar!"

This caught the attention of everyone in the group and gathered around Lanna.

Salazar's face appeared on her screen, a smirk on his melting face. "Ah, I'm glad I remember how to jack the line of phones," he said and laughed. "I have a surprise for you all..."

"What? Gonna send some pets of yours or lead us into a death trap?" Jake asks with a scowl figuring either would be possibilities. Not that he thinks the midget will admit to leading into a trap, no one is that stupid, but Jake didn't care for being subtle.

"Temping, but no. I have something much more...something to do with your friends," Salazar said grinning cruelly.

"What did you do to them?" Lanna demanded angrily, her eyes flashing. She would strangle the midget if she ever got her hands on him. It was because of him that the plaga's were resurrected and the cause of their living nightmare.

Donald and Goofy glared at the midget.

Salazar laughed, tossing his head back. "Oh ho! Such anger! And all for a few rats..." he said and sighed a bit. "If you insist..." His image was replaced with a video feed, showing Riku, Ada and Kairi falling into arena. There was a cage in the background, but Lanna couldn't make out who it was on the inside.

"Where is that?" Sora asks watching the feed as Ada, Riku, and Kairi got up before spotting the cages.

"Not sure, spikes, but it probably ain't nowhere good knowing Salazar." Jake says watching them walk up to the cages, unable to see who was in them. "Think it's your dad, Chris, or Jill in there?" Jake asks Lanna wondering what she thought.

"I'm not sure. Maybe, I hope so," Lanna said as they didn't know the real truth yet. "Oh man...it's Wesker and Maleficent!" They watched the two big heads stepped into the room and seeing Riku and the others get into position and Wesker revealing his newest weapon. "If I didn't hate the man and the dark powers I'd almost be envious of the weapon..."

"Lanna, I've been meaning to ask. But has Wesker or that guy Jake fought ever shown abilities to use darkness before Maleficent showed up?" Sora asks wondering if he could teach them to use light like Maleficent had done for Wesker in darkness.

Lanna looked at him. "No, never," she said. "I'm guessing Maleficent taught them somehow...I didn't think it was possible..." She looked at Sora as the fight was going on. "Why? What's up?"

Donald and Goofy were too busy watching the feed.

"I'll tell you after the video and the phone is off. Don't want Salazar or Wesker listening to my idea." Sora said deciding to keep this idea as an ace if it works. Watching worriedly as Riku was trying to take on Wesker, but getting his butt kicked. Before paling as he saw Riku's Dark Mode suit appear.

"Oh no..."

Donald and Goofy paled as they saw the form. "He didn't..."

Lanna was confused. 'What are you talking about?" she asked and looked at the feed. "Did Riku learn a new trick?"

"It's not a trick and it's a very dangerous one," Donald said as Riku and Wesker fought on even ground and it looked like Riku was winning.

"I don't get what's wrong, spikes, Riku is winning and even going two on one! Man he's faster and stronger now!" Jake said excited, but was worried as Sora only frowned more seeing Riku use more darkness.

"If you knew how dangerous using Ansem's power is for Riku, you wouldn't think so...I hope he finishes this fight fast." Sora said watching worriedly as he nails Wesker with Dark Break from above multiple times.

Lanna was silent, remembering what Sora had told her about the people he had fought in the past. She swallowed a bit. The fight was going in Riku's favor, but it started to change. They could see Riku having problems and could see his eyes changing color.

"Oh crap..." Donald said, seeing this. "Not good!"

"Come on, Riku. Don't lose it now," Goofy said, worriedly.

"What the heck is up with his eyes and why is Riku getting slower and weaker now?" Jake asks not knowing about what Sora told Lanna about Ansem and neither of them knowing the full details of Ansem's connection to Riku.

"Riku's fighting for control and it's affecting his ability to focus..." Sora said uneasily as he winced seeing the damage Kairi and Ada were getting, but was proud to see them kill the Defenders... Before Maleficent made a move to distract Riku, Kairi, and Ada as they talked lowly to each other.

Lanna looked worried. "They're up to something..." she said as they watched the two converse before Wesker going after Riku again. something felt wrong but wasn't sure what. She bit her lower lip.

They could see Ada and Kairi dodging attacks, as did Riku. Even though he was getting some hits in now, but he still wasn't as fast as he started out to be.

Sora and Jake watched anxiously as Maleficent seemed to be using the heartless to push Kairi and Ada away from the cage before going in herself to push them further...Oddly closer to Riku as he too was being pushed back.

"Are they...herding them? I thought they separated them to make it easier to pick off. Why would they want them together now?" Jake asks more to himself than the others as he watches this confused. He knew basic tactics is to divide and conquer groups of enemies to avoid team ups.

"Something smells fishy," Lanna said frowning as she knew some basic tactics from training. "Unless..." She didn't want to believe her fear was happening.

"Unless what?" Donald asked, looking at the girl

"Unless they plan to finish them off in one go..."

Sora watched in panic as Maleficent summons meteors at Ada and Kairi, before Riku dashes between them and the attack. Though he took a slash in the back from Wesker for his troubles. Summoning a Dark barrier as the meteors slam against it. Cracks appear and trying to repair itself as Riku channels darkness and magic into it. Only to break more as Wesker joins in.

"No...They figured out Dark Barrier's weakness. If Riku doesn't do something soon he, Kairi, and Ada will be..." Sora said not wanting or willing to finish it as he watches in worry.

But their darkest fear had came true...

Maleficent started her biggest attack yet as a ball of energy grew in size and threw it at the trio and hit the barrier dead on and broke it. The ball of energy left a giant size crater in the wall and floor, leaving nothing behind. No bodies...

"No..."

Lanna felt horrible and sick."No...they're..."

"Damn it!" Jake cursed as he turned away unable to watch as the witch cackled.

"Riku...Kairi..." Sora said feeling like his heart got pierced by a spear twice as he fell to his knees. His eyes watering as his fists clenched from the sorrow and anger coursing through him. Unknowing of the small brief flash of darkness surrounding his form before it faded away.

Donald lowered his head, feeling tears well up in his eyes.

"..." Goofy sniffed, rubbing his eyes and sat on the stairs.

Lanna sighed heavily. "Sora?" she asked, worried about him as Riku and Kairi had been his childhood friends and he had done everything for them and with them. He had to be taking it the worst.

"I-I can't...How could..." Sora said unable to finish his sentence as his heart felt like the spears in his heart was twisting. Jake could only look at Sora in sympathy knowing how close those two were to him.

"They'll pay for this, spikes, make no mistake." Jake said trying to offer whatever help he could as he clenched his fist.

Donald nodded. "Yeah...we'll make them pay," he said. He hated seeing Sora like this. The teen looked like his world just did a 360 and it didn't plan to stop any time soon. They hadn't seen the dark flicker around Sora's body earlier.

Lanna looked at Sora and touched his shoulder gently, looking concerned.

"You're right about that..." Sora said in a voice that slightly startled them all, it was friendly or optimistic, understandably so, but it was a tone that promised nothing but pain. "They will pay." Sora said his tone changing more back to his determined self when serious, but not as dark anymore. Much to their relief, though internally they were a little worried about Sora's dark moment there.

Donald and Goofy shared a look, worried about their friend.

Lanna looked at Sora closely, not saying anything. "Let's...get going," she said as she started walking and saw the rickety and crumbling walkway. "Careful guys. It's not the most sturdiest..." She tested the floor with her foot before putting her weight on it, walking slowly till she made it to the other side.

"Just take it one step at a time everyone and watch your footing." Jake says making while looking at Goofy specifically.

Goofy rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly as he went first since he was the clumsiest. He swallowed and wobbled a bit, keeping his arms out as he made his way over to Lanna. He was soon followed by Donald, then Jake, and then Sora. Lanna nods looking at the door, pushing it open, and entered a hallway that led outside.

In front of them was a large tower that looked like it had seen better days and a bridge that led to another part of the castle, but had Zealots waiting for them. Lanna picked up some handgun ammo and a green herb.

"Well, the castle is nice, but the bridge is a piece of shit. I wouldn't buy it without getting a discount for the bridge." Jake said humorously trying to cut the tension, but could only frown seeing Sora was still down. Not that he could blame him...

Lanna looked at Sora and sighed, worried about him. She walked next to him. "Sora...I'm here," she whispered to him. "We all are." She wanted to comfort him somehow. She touched the back of his hand gently, letting him know he wasn't alone and she understood how he felt.

"I know...I...I just need time. I'm sorry for worrying you all, especially you, Lanna." Sora says lowly that the others barely hear him, but Lanna being the closest hears him just fine. As well as the hurt, regret, and guilt in his tone.

"Shh...don't be," Lanna said softly, walking with him. "It wasn't your fault, Sora. They wouldn't want you to think that." She squeezed his hand gently. She knew he was hurting and blamed himself even though it wasn't his fault.

"But they were waiting for ME to save them, Lanna, and when they saw me here they had hope. Now because I wasn't with them, they died at Wesker and Maleficent's hands..." Sora rebutted knowing what she was trying to do and appreciates it, but can't stop the guilt in his heart.

"Don't do that, Spikes...I seen many good men go down a dark path thinking like that and it rarely ends with a happy ending." Jake warns knowing how guilt can destroy a person's life and hurt those around them.

Donald looked at Sora. "Sora..." he said, feeling useless. Goofy nodded.

Lanna squeezed his hand. "They wouldn't want you to feel guilty, Sora," she said.

The group had made it to the bridge where more Zealots waited for them. One had a rocket launcher with them.

"Donald, Goofy, stay back with Jake and Lanna. Leave them to me and I mean ALL of them." Sora said with a determined tone, though Jake caught an undertone of restrained fury in Sora's words.

Donald and Goofy looked at Sora, worried but nodded as they stayed back with Jake and Lanna.

Lanna heard the tone and looked at Jake. She had a bad feeling. Losing one's self to anger and guilt was never a good thing...

The Zealots said something in Spanish, pointing at them and ran towards them.

Sora just looked at them eyes burning in anger, deciding to vent off some of his anger before he did something he would regret. Raising his keyblade in a thrusting stance Sora zoomed forward at speeds that made him a blur. "Sonic Blade!" Sora shouts rushing through zealot after zealot and even destroying the few who had shields. The one with a rocket launcher tried to shoot Sora, but missed due to how fast Sora went and killed two of his comrades by the explosion instead. He had no time to reload as Sora thrust the keyblade right through his heart. Making the last Zealot fall dead as Sora pulled the keyblade out, his head hanging as he tried to calm the storm in his heart.

Lanna was amazed, but was worried at the same time. As Donald and Goofy gathered the fallen items, they're looking at Sora worriedly. They didn't want him to lose himself to his anger, remembering what had happened the last time... Lanna walked towards Sora, rubbing his back. "Breathe," she murmured, feeling the bunched up muscles in his back. "Breath..."

Sora did as Lanna told him and breathed. Feeling his tension, anger, and guilt lessening somewhat. It was good a feeling, but he knew it wasn't all gone, that it was still there. But he obeyed and kept breathing as Lanna told him too, happy for her support.

Lanna smiled at him gently, knowing it wouldn't take all the pain away but hopefully it would lessen it a bit. "Come on," she murmured and pecked his temple gently, as the others were waiting for them at the gate. Their backs turned so they could have a moment together.

"You two ready?" Donald called out.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Sora said ready to go in there and save Leon, Chris, and Jill.

"Be ready for anything guys, we're fighting not just to rescue anymore, but to avenge our fallen friends to. We can't do that if we're dead, so don't do anything stupid." Jake says trying to make sure they were going in with cool heads.

"Like you're one to talk? You're one of the hotheaded ones just like me and Donald!" Sora said pointing at Jake and Donald.

Lanna and Goofy snickered at that as she joined the others and started to push open the doors. 'Alright hotheads, let's go" she said and entered a room with two sets of stairs and two bells. On the stairs were two Zealots and two more of the claw monsters. "...You have got to be kidding..."

Donald and Goofy groaned as they saw what was waiting for them.

Sora only grinned as he got a mischievous idea. Summoning his keyblade, Sora aimed and threw it to hit a Zealot in the far back with a crossbow in the gut. Making him double over in pain and cry out. Making the claw monster look in the man's direction and race toward him. "Worked like a charm...They attack any noise." Sora whispers to his friends as he silently summons back his keyblade.

The Zealot was torn apart as the second Zealot gave a cry of surprise, alerting the second claw man and attacked him as well. Blood and body parts went flying in every direction. Donald looked at Sora in surprise, his eyes wide. "That's...whoa..." he whispered, keeping his tone low. Lanna and Goofy were just as surprised.

Lanna bit back a surprise cry as the two claw men turned around towards the group.

"Be quiet..." Jake warns the group silently in a low tone with a finger to his lips.

Lanna and the others nodded. "What do we do?" she asked quietly, watching the clawed men as they walked down the stairs slowly. She could feel her pulse rise quickly, her heart thumping against her ribs. She could have sworn that everyone in the room could hear her heartbeat.

Donald and Goofy stood still, breathing slowly.

Sora watched them approach cautiously knowing they had one chance at this without risk. "Guys, you four gang up on one, I'll lead the other on a chase and keep him busy." Sora whispers seeing them getting closer and feeling the pressure of how much time he had left before they found them.

Donald and Goofy nodded as they moved off to the side slowly and quietly. Lanna looked at Sora and nodded as she followed after them as the clawed demons kept coming, almost on top of them now. Donald looked to see two bells and nudged Jake in the arm and pointed at the bells. He mouthed 'Can we use them?'

The tension was rising in the room due to the giant monsters with claws as you didn't know when they would attack.

Jake looked at the bells and nodded as Sora broke off into a sprint alerting the two monsters as both surprisingly tried to chase him. Seeing this Jake shoots at one of the bells diverting their attention between chasing one or attacking the other.

One turned towards Sora, chasing after him as the second one headed towards the bell with a roar and ran towards and slashed it to pieces with a swipe, looking around for the one the created the sound.

The first man with claws growled as he ran at Sora with the intent of slashing him open.

Jake seeing Sora still leading the other one on a merry chase shoots another bell. Watching as it turns toward the noise and fires his Elephant Killer into it's back while charging.

Sora meanwhile did some quick and sharp turns, while back flipping over the claw monster. Slashing at the plaga on it's back as he does so.

The claw man roared loudly as yellow blood splattered everywhere but didn't die yet as it turned and headed towards Jake. Lanna aimed and fired at the back, making it twist away from Jake and stumbled, falling to his knees.

The second claw man growled and stumbled and turned to look at Sora, lunging at him.

Sora deflects the blow and dodge rolls past the man before aiming the keyblade at him, as the keyblade tip glows an icy blue. "Blizzaga!" Sora shouts shooting him in the back and the ice spell freezing him solid before looking toward Lanna's group. Jake shooting the man's plaga on his back while Donald was assisting by shooting fireballs at it.

The clawed monster growled and stumbled as Lanna shot at the plaga with Jake. Watching it explode from the combined assault from the bullets and the monster fell forward, dead.

"Done..." Lanna said and looked at the others, breathing slightly heavy. "Is everyone alright?"

"I'm good," Donald said nodding.

"Me too," Goofy said.

"I'm good," Jake replies as Sora shatters the last claw man that was still frozen. Then turns his attention to the team as they look at him. "I'm finished over here!" Sora informs to assure them he is fine. Picking up the gold the monster dropped as he killed it. Though some gold pieces were stuck together in the magic ice, Sora knew it would be free once the ice thaws.

Lanna nodded. "That's good," she said as she looked at the dissolving bodies of the claw men. She shook her head as she headed up the stairs, picking up a green herb. She looked at the doors and looked at the others. "Everyone ready?"

"Yup!" Donald asked. Goofy nodded. "I am," he said.

"Ready as I'll ever be, little red." Jake says with a smirk as he fully loads his guns. "Gonna need some more machine gun bullets though in the future." Jake says noting how while he has 8 bullets for his Elephant Killer, 28 for his samurai edge, but has only 40 for his AK 47.

"About that...I may have an idea to save you guys on bullets." Sora says remembering his plan to try teaching Jake and Lanna about how to use light.

"Yeah, I have only ten bullets for my Glock and two for my shotgun," Lanna said and she only had eight bullets for her sniper rifle. She looked up and turned to look at Sora as his words fully registered in her brain. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Donald and Goofy were confused by this.

"Lanna, you said that guy Jake fought never had darkness before and neither did Wesker when they were alive correct?" Sora asked wanting to refresh their memories on this subject.

Lanna raised a brow. "Yeah, that's right. They never did till now," she said, thinking it was odd, but she knew everyone had their own darkness and light inside of them. It was just the person's choice on how to use it. "I didn't think you could teach someone how to use it though." She looked at Sora curiously.

"Well clearly Maleficent has proven otherwise and now I think maybe the opposite is true too." Sora said surprising everyone in the room. "Think about it guys, Darkness and Light are opposite sides of the heart. Both can be used by keyblade wielders and even people too. Like...Riku and myself or Cloud. Remember Donald, Goofy? How Cloud used to wield darkness when we first met him, but in his second fight with Sephiroth. Cloud used Light to defend Tifa as he fought off Sephiroth." Sora explains to his friends while reminding Donald and Goofy of Cloud's struggle. Both against his worst foe and his own inner darkness.

Donald nodded. "Yeah!" he said. "He used Light pretty well after that!"

"That he did," Goofy agreed as he remembered.

Lanna looked at Sora. "Okay," she said as she saw the connection that Sora was making. "So...you think that you can teach me and Jake to use Light?" The idea was pretty cool actually but she wasn't sure if could be done.

"I think it's worth a shot, I mean no one has ever taught me how to use light or my swordsmanship. Everything I learned was from life or death situations as I was learning from experience. Merlin's magic training was the only safe training I ever had since I had no real keyblade teacher or swordsmanship teacher." Sora explains with a casual tone drawing shocked looks from Lanna and Jake. Unknowingly drawing shocked looks from certain prisoners and enemies of his listening in by secret cameras too...

(P.O.V. change Leon, Claire, and Simmons 3rd P.O.V.)

"He's self taught..." Leon muttered with wide eyes at the prospect of Sora being an untapped potential child prodigy. If he had a proper teacher he'd be a force of nature itself!

Claire was just as surprised as Leon and Simmons. "For someone who haven't had a teacher...he did pretty great for himself!" She said and looked at her husband. The idea of Lanna and Jake learning how to use Light was an interesting one but it did make her nervous.

Simmons snorted. "He was lucky," he said frowning. "He should be dead by now. His luck will run out." He didn't want to admit that he was surprised and a bit impressed..

(Scene Change: Chris and Jill in 3rd P.O.V.)

"Holy shit...I would really like to know what kind of training he went through to get that strong from only self teaching." Chris said impressed at the fact Sora was this strong from being taught mostly from experience.

"Same here," Jill agreed as she was surprised by this. "He had to go through hell to get that strong." She was really surprised and looked at him. "I can't believe it." She was wondering who else would he teach? And would be at his level over time? She was really curious about this and knew her husband would be as well.

"Do you think Jake and Lanna could really learn?" Jill asked.

"Hard to say, but I really hope so. They need all the edge they can get against Wesker and Maleficent." Chris says hoping that using light was teachable for both Jake and Lanna's sake.

Jill nodded in agreement. "Agreed. They need it," she said as she looked at the video feed. She was hopeful but wondered how it would react to the plaga inside of Lanna. She was a bit worried and it showed on her face as well. "I just hope it works..." The group needed some luck on their side at the moment.

(Scene Change: Sora, Lanna, Jake, Donald, and Goofy. 3rd P.O.V.)

"You're self taught...You've got to be shitting me, spikes." Jake murmured completely amazed and shocked that someone in his teenage years could be so strong and mostly self taught.

"He is," Donald said grinning. "He's one of the best and is still learning."

Lanna looked at Sora, head tilted. "It's not impossible..." she said. She bit her lower lip, thinking.

"Of course you would believe you're boyfriend..." Jake mutters half grumbling and half amused.

"A-Anyway, what do you guys say? Want to try and see if I can teach you light or not?" Sora asks wanting to get away from Jake's teasing and see if they can learn it or not.

Lanna stuck her tongue out at Jake and looked at Sora. "...What do we have to lose?" She said and gave a nervous smile. "Let's do it." She was nervous.

"It'll be alright Lanna," Goofy said grinning. "It'll be fun!" he said.

"Alright, first I think it'll be best if you got a feel of the light that comes from ones heart. So you know what feeling to look for when trying to bring out your own." Sora said focusing the light of his heart to create an aura around his body. Thinking of Lanna, Jake, Donald, and Goofy. All people he cares for and on his desire to protect them.

"I need you guys to hold my hands and understand how light feels coming from me. It'll feel the same for you when you do this, except it'll feel like it's coming from within your heart first and then spread through your body to whatever you focus the light on." Sora explains holding his hands out for Lanna and Jake. Jake looks at his glowing hands skeptically, before sighing in resignation.

"So help me, Spikes, if I start glowing in the dark 24/7 I'm blaming you." Jake said holding his hand and feeling the warmth, kindness, care, loyalty, and friendship Sora feels for him.

Lanna breathed slowly and took his hand, holding it. Once she did, Lanna could feel warmth, loyalty, friendship, kindness, care and love for her. It warmed her heart and eased her fears that she had deep inside of her. She breathed slowly and smiled, feeling like she was being wrapped up in his arms. She felt safe.

Sora smiled seeing the first part of his plan was working, now for the next part. "Now I need you two to listen carefully, keep your eyes closed and focus on what would be your light. Light for people's hearts is usually someone you care for, like a friend, family member, a special place that grants you happiness and peace, a dream you believe in, or most importantly someone you love with all your heart. The last one is the strongest lights of all in a person's heart, but all forms of light is special and powerful too, make no mistake." Sora explains catching his breath for the next part of his explanation.

"I tell you this because to bring out your light, you need to look for that feeling you feel from my light as you think about your own personal light. Once you sense a light within your heart as you think about your personal light, embrace the feeling and guide it to flow through your body. DON'T try to force with muscle or willpower, just guide it. Like a river that needs to flow, allow it to do so, but guide through the body." Sora explains watching as Jake struggles a bit in doing so.

Jake could easily picture Sherry and did sense his light, but there was another power there trying to grab his attention. A darker, cold, and rage like feeling trying to claw at his attention and take him, but he forced through it and focused on the light again.

'Sherry...You saved me so long ago and as cheesy as it sounds, if anyone was to be my light, it's you.' Jake thinks as he feels the light flowing through him as he guides it. Unknowing of the proud smile Sora has for Jake in not only finding his light, but defeating his inner darkness because of his love he had for someone. If Sora was a betting man, he'd bet it all on that Sherry girl he all on Jake's phone.

"Okay," Lanna said and closed her eyes. She thought of the people that were in her life, her family, her friends, and the places she had been through. She kept her eyes closed as she felt her heart tug at the one person that had become so important to her in a short time. Sora. She felt the same warmth again and this time she felt the light coming forward, but she could feel her worry about the plaga.

'No...I won't let my fear get the better of me,' Lanna thought as she battled with that fear, the fear of losing herself into the madness, but pushed it away as she remembered the love she felt for Sora.

Sora couldn't keep the happy smile off his face. Feeling the love in Lanna's light for him and gently gripped her hand a little tighter in a loving manner. Both Lanna and Jake would go far as warriors of light in time, but for now he had to teach them as much as he could.

"Lanna, Jake, you two are doing great for my very first students! But now we need to focus on the next part of my lesson, this could be our ace to help you two fight better against B.O.W.s or to hold your ground against Wesker and Maleficent." Sora explains to his two new students. Maybe when he sees King Mickey he can recommend they start training more people in light so everyone can defend themselves better against the heartless and other threats on other worlds! It'll at least reduce the number of victims to heartless or people with evil intentions.

Lanna nodded, smiling a bit as she gripped his hand gently. She did love him and the fact she wanted to protect him, as well as protect the others made her feel stronger. "What's the next step?" she asked, wondering what they would do next.

"Next we focus on having you learn to channel the light to enhance your body, one body part at a time. The goal is to learn to constantly channel the light around your body to enhance it's strength, defense, and in some cases speed. Keep in mind speed happens for some more than others so it's not guaranteed, but worth a try." Sora explains as he demonstrates to Lanna and Jake. Making an aura of light around his body and starts moving around at high speeds that seems like a glowing blur with a faint afterimage to it.

"When channeling light, you have to learn to keep your focus or the energy will vanish and put you back on your normal levels." Sora says stopping behind Lanna. Making Jake and Lanna jump and Sora chuckle at their reactions. Lanna's little squeak of surprise was especially cute as he stopped right behind her and spoke into her ear quietly.

Lanna's face turned beat red at this and swallowed. "Um alright," she said as she looked at Sora. "Do we close our eyes again?"

Donald and Goofy watched silently, surprised at how well Jake and Lanna were doing.

"I would recommend that to help you focus, but you both should try to learn to do this with your eyes open. I can't tell you how hard it was for me when I was younger, because I wasn't good at meditating back then. The goal is to learn how to channel light like I did while walking or running to better protect yourselves. I doubt our enemies will wait for you to bring out your light." Sora explains agreeing they close their eyes to better focus for now, but explaining what he wants them to accomplish.

"Alright, that makes sense..." Jake mutters understanding where Sora was coming from before looking at him mischievously. "Though I can see you being the hyper constant sugar rush kid when you was younger. You still seem like that mostly in a way..." Jake says making Sora's eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

"Haha..very funny. Just meditate smart ass."

Lanna held back laughter as she listened to the two. "Alright," she said as she closed her eyes and breathed slowly. She cleared her mind before concentrating on her hand and and the light within her. She remembered her happy place. Nothing happened except for a few flicks of light in her hand. She kept her eyes closed as she didn't push the light, but let it flow easily. Slowly, but surely, a light started to surround her hand..

Sora looked on with a proud smile seeing her progress as Jake started focusing on channeling his own light. It was taking him longer, Sora could see Jake was making steady progress and was glad to see Jake progressing on his first try.

Lanna kept her eyes closed as she kept mediating as the light surrounding her hand flickered and wavered a bit as it started to grow along her wrist slowly and along her arm.

Jake slowed his breathing as he tried to calm himself and focus on channeling the light within him. The light started out flicker around his hand at first before it became solid and continuous, before Jake start to slowly focus on channeling it slowly up his arm.

'Not bad for a first attempt, I wonder if they'll actually get it around their whole body or not..." Sora thought watching them silently, before looking at Donald and Goofy seriously. Giving them silent hand gestures to watch their backs so no one sneaks up on them or tries to attack them while Sora is teaching them how to use light. He doubts anyone would show, but he wouldn't take chances.

Donald and Goofy nodded at him as they would keep an eye out for trouble. They couldn't risk getting attacked now.

Lanna kept her eyes closed as the light went up her arm and reached her shoulder. She looked calm as the light flickered around her, creating a soft glow.

Jake has a look of serenity as his light was now up to his shoulder and slowly spreading over his chest in tendrils of light. It wasn't easy, but he could feel the difference in how solid and strong his body felt when encased in the light. How his muscles felt a charge of strength and firmness with the light bonding with his body. Soothing the muscles and priming them to be ready to move at a moments notice, but most of all is the peace and love he felt making him feel lighter. Both physically lighter and emotionally more encouraged at the same time.

Lanna breathes slowly as the light spreads up her shoulder, up her throat, and down her chest. As her muscles relaxed, feeling lighter from the light spreading through and around her body in a heavenly glow. She felt like she was full of energy and was ready to work or fight at the moment. She gave a light smile as the light stretched around her body more.

Sora watched as the light spread over their heads and down their chests now fully covering their upper bodies perfectly. Before making it's way down once the left arm was finished.

'Come on guys, you are half way there...' Sora thought mentally keeping track how long it took them to do this. He'd have to help them learn to do this in seconds if they want to use this ability to it's fullest. For now though, he wanted to see them actually succeed.

Lanna kept concentrating as the light slid down their bodies and down their legs. Soon covering them completely till there was nothing left of them showing. It had worked.

Donald and Goof were surprised as they watched the lights surround their friends. "Whoa..."

"I knew you guys could do it. Now try to hold that as you move your body around,start off slow to get use to the feeling of the light aura enhancing your body.." Sora instructs his friend and love, watching over them carefully as their eyes opened.

Lanna looked down at her body and her eyes widen at the sight. "Whoa!" she said and covered her mouth as the light around her flickered a bit from somewhat losing her concentration but it stayed. She looked sheepish and nodded as she started to move slowly. "Okay." She didn't want to lose the progress she made so far by being too excited.

"Nice..." Jake said admiring the glowing view the light gave him, but keeping his focus better. Almost reminded him of that time when he was baby sitting Lanna and Elly as they watched the Disney movie Hercules together. Where Hercules was glowing from his demigod powers being more god like, before deciding to stay mortal so he could be with Meg.

Good times...hopefully one of more to come in the future...

Moving around and getting use to the feeling the light had on his body. Jake starts giving off a few practice jabs and kicks in a shadow boxing manner. While ducking and weaving around an invisible enemy that only he has imagined as a sparring partner. He had to admit the light really makes him feel invigorated and have a sense of strength that he never felt before.

"This is pretty cool," Lanna said feeling stronger than she used to be as she moved around, testing her new power. "I wonder if I can float...whoa!" Her feet were no longer touching the floor.

Donald chuckled. "It's not flying really."

"More like hovering from the look of it. I'm surprised you got to that stage so quickly, Lanna. That actually took me a year to learn how to do, you must be a natural at using light." Sora said watching Lanna hover over the ground and try to get use to moving around in such a manner. While Jake bounced on his feet in his shadow boxing. Quickly getting use to his increased speed, strength, and endurance the body now has with this power.

"Man...It took you a year? Guess I know my goal to beat then." Jake said with a challenging smirk looking forward to learning to do that in less time it took Sora.

"Really?" Lanna asked as she dropped to her feet and stumbled a bit from hovering for a few minutes. It felt weird that was for certain. She looked at Jake and chuckled a bit. "And the challenge is on." She looked at Sora. "You can really fight in this form?" She looked at him curiously.

"Well, I could, but only Wisdom Form and Final Form can use that trick. In my normal state or my other forms I am unable to." Sora said recalling how only two of his forms granted him the ability to do that. He tried doing it in his normal state, but none of his attempts has harked so far...

"Forms? You have forms now? Why haven't you used them sooner? Are they any good?" Jake questions as both Lanna and himself were quite curious.

"Well, it's like this. My form drives are all different for what they focus into, like Valor for purely physical strength, speed, and attacks. While Wisdom is focused on magic, Master is the mastery of my current physical attacks and magic, and Final Form unleashes some of my hidden potential as a keyblade wielder." Sora explains recalling what he knew about his form drives and their specialties.

"However, they do have a few catches. First is that all drive forms have a time limit before I revert back. Secondly is that I need to save up what I call drive energy to take on these forms. I have a lot to spare, don't get me wrong, but too many forms at once can drain it all quickly." Sora explains making Jake nod in understanding as he could see those side effects would make one cautious of using it recklessly.

Sadly, those weren't the only reasons or the most important ones in Sora's mind. There was one other reason he prayed he'd never have to explain. A form he hopes to never use anywhere near his friends again. Even now he can still feel that form in his heart, just waiting to come out again.

"Makes sense," Lanna said thinking, as she and Jake were both unaware of the dark form that he and his friends were fearful of. She looked at Sora and grinned. "So...Mr. Sora, what else are we gonna learn?"

"For now, focus on learning to use that light aura faster while dodging Goofy and Donald. They won't try to hurt you guys, but we have to make you learn to use that light aura faster while in a fight. Because Wesker and Maleficent won't give us any free chances if they can help it." Sora informs them as he nods to Goofy and Donald.

"Okay," Lanna said nodding and yelped as she dodged Goofy coming at her. Landing on her butt from a hasty, but sloppy dodge. "Ow..."

Donald looked at Jake, grinning. "This will be fun," he said as he wanted to help them both.

"Bring it on, duckling." Jake challenged smirking back as he planned to use Donald's temper problem to his advantage. One thing he was very thankful for now about those times in the past. When he was forced to watch Disney with Lanna as a little girl because she needed someone to keep an eye on her and the girl, much like Elly, felt lonely watching cartoons alone. It was thanks to that he knew of Goofy's clumsiness and Donald's temper. Two things he knew both Lanna and himself were going to use.

"Be careful you two! Donald and Goofy may not be keyblade wielders, but they have been fighting beside me for over a year! Which means they can pack a punch if you get careless!" Sora warns out to them watching Lanna get back and vault over a charging Goofy. Making him lose balance for a second as Lanna quickly started to make distance.

Donald frowned before lunging at Jake with speeds that was surprising for a duck of his size. Lanna got ready as Goofy lunged at her once again and jumped over him, rolling into a crouch. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she ducked under an attack with the shield.

Jake was internally surprised at Donald's speed at first, but his training and reflexes kicked in as he sidestepped the duck's lunge. Making sure to trip him mid lunge to make Donald stumble and buy Jake more time, as he tried to concentrate.

Donald stumbled but turned around and aimed a punch at his side. Lanna yelped as she ducked again from the shield and slid under Goofy and kicked out at his leg, making the dog fall over. Jumping to her feet, the light crumbled as she had lost her concentration but understood by what Sora was talking about. She grunted and remembered the feeling. "Come on..."

Jake's eyes snapped open as he barely dodged Donald's fist, before grabbing his outstretched arm and doing a judo throw. Sending Donald crashing to the floor in front of him, before Jake jumps back and starts to slowly run. Trying to concentrate on bring out the light aura while being on the move, but found it incredibly difficult. "Come on dammit...Focus, Jake..." Jake mutters to himself trying to help it flow through his body. Light flickering on and off on his arms, as Jake's eyes narrow in annoyance.

Donald grunted, as he got up slowly and waved his arms around to get the feeling back into them. Before running after him. 'Come on, Jake,' he thought. 'You can do it.'

Lanna rolled away from Goofy where his foot would have been on her gut and jumped to her feet. Her own light flickered and jolted as she struggled and climbed to her feet, panting a bit. "Ugh..." she said.

Jake clicked his tongue in annoyance seeing Donald chase him. His body was having a hard time making the light flow as he runs at the same time, but he could do his arms fast enough so far...

'Wait... Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way...' Jake thought as he stops trying make it flow all over, but instead focuses it on his arms.

Just as he hoped it was easier for them to get set up with a aura of light around them in seconds. Spinning on his feet, he surprises Donald by charging him and dodging Donald's swipe with his staff. Grabbing the staff, Jake sends Donald flying toward Goofy to buy him and Lanna time to focus properly.

Sora can't help smiling at this, while he knew they wouldn't always have teamwork like that as an option, he would allow it. Since technically they were doing this as a team and he didn't forbid it when they started. So it was a fair and rather clever tactic that he would've done in their place. Sora's smile grew a little seeing them now taking the time to focus. Jake's light now spreading to his chest and head. While Lanna's arms were now being covered in an aura of light like Jake.

Lanna grinned as she felt the light surround her arms and sighed a bit, feeling calmer and stronger. As she was focusing easier now than trying to force the light. 'Jake figured it out and so can I,' she thought, remembering what Sora had said when they first started this. She slowed her breathing down, letting the light flow and smirked as the light started to wrap around her legs. Her eyes twinkled as Goofy swallowed.

"Uh oh...ach!" He yelped as Lanna lunged at him.

Donald grinned as he saw the two get better and got up with Goofy's help. He went after Jake again, lashing out at him with his staff. "Better, Jake!" he said.

Jake only smirked as he finished coating his body in a aura of light, while Donald was approaching. Snapping his eyes open he dodges Donald's attempts to hit him and counters by tripping his legs from underneath. As Donald falls Jake becomes a blur of motion as he attacks testing out his skill on Donald who barely dodges Jake's strikes.

"Now for part two of your test! You have to maintain those light auras as long as possible while sparring with Donald and Goofy! If your focus breaks, you'll have to spend time trying to get it back up and they won't give you any breather about it. There is no winning or losing terms here, just testing to see your limit! As using light can be tiring after a while, you don't notice it at first, but you will! So use this power wisely to end fights quickly!" Sora said knowing how crazy his own stamina was to use light, limit breaks, magic, and even his own swordsmanship the way he does. One needs high stamina to fight 1000 heartless and a member of Organization XIII in the same day without collapsing in exhaustion.

"Okay!" Lanna said feeling the light around her as she still felt strong as did Jake. Not yet feeling the tugs of exhaustion from using their lights. Goofy and Donald nodded at each other and lunged at the two once again.

Goofy threw a punch at Lanna and dodged it, grabbing his arm and flung him over her shoulder, watching the dog bounce on the ground. Donald ran at Jake and sent out a kick. Jake responds by deflecting the kick and rushing in an elbow to Donald's gut. Before giving a quick one-two punch to his face and closing in to launch a palm thrust to Donald's chin to knock him into the air. Jake watches in amazement that his new enhanced strength sends Donald flying.

Donald landed on his feet, panting a bit. "Heh..." he said and raced at him once again, dodging to the side to aim another attack to his side. This reminded him when Sora was just starting out.

Lanna ducked and slammed a fist into Goofy's stomach, trying to keep concentrating on her light as she felt it flickering a bit.

Jake winced a bit from the hit, a bit surprised as his light flickered from a second of his focus wavering and from the pain he felt. Apparently Sora wasn't joking about their strength.

"Not bad, but don't underestimate me!" Jake said rushing toward Donald, before back flipping into a kick that knocks the duck mage into the air in surprise from Jake's tactic. Only for Jake to jump up and grab Donald's legs mid flight to throw him at Goofy like a missile.

Both Goofy and Donald went crashing into the wall, groaning weakly from the hit. Lanna looked at Jake and nodded, grinning. "Nice one!" she said grunted a bit as her light flickered again. "Darn it..." She yelped when Goofy ran at her and barely had time to dodge as she was sent crashing to the floor. Her light flickered again.

Donald frowned as he charged Jake again and sent a blizzard spell on the floor that Jake was on.

Jake stumbled and tripped, falling on his butt as his light faded much to his shock. "A-Are you kidding m-me!" Jake said struggling to get back to his feet on the ice. His full focus on his footing preventing him from trying to bring back the light aura again.

Lanna kicked Goofy off as her and rolled away, wheezing a bit. Sora had made it look so easy, that was a mistake on their parts and they were paying for it.

"Don't c-count me o-out yet, feathers!" Jake shouts barely jumping off the icy patch of ground and onto dry rock again. Much to his relief as he focuses light on his arms first again.

Donald chuckled as he watched. "Let's see you dance, Jake!" Donald said as he shot another ice spell at the man. He wouldn't tell Jake that he found it funny to see him falling and slipping on the ice.

"Do you quit Lanna?" Goofy asked the young woman, looking down at her. Lanna panted and smirked. "Not even close!" she said and pushed herself backwards, landing one her feet before lunging at Goofy, the light surrounding her arms and fists as she roared, landing punch after punch into Goofy before ducking and rammed her shoulder into him. Goofy gasped and smirked, blocking what attacks he could.

"Okay, time to get serious!" Jake shouts cracking the ice with his fist before throwing himself toward Donald like a missile. Using the light on his arms to increase his strength enough to throw himself into the air free from the ice. Mid flight he quickly coats both arms into an aura of light, using one to deflect Donald's staff to avoid a fire ball he tried to shoot, and then using the other to punch Donald over the head with a Superman style punch. Knocking Donald backwards skipping on the ground before rolling to lessen his momentum.

Jake took the time Donald was sent flying to get back to focusing his light aura. He already had most of his body covered with only below the knees left to go. He was certainly getting faster at using his light aura, but Sora could see that both he and Lanna needed to be a bit faster. So he'd wait for now and see if they could get it in the next few minutes. If not they'd have to continue training as they go on during the rescue mission for Lanna's dad, Chris, and Jill.

Their enemies weren't going to wait for them to be strong and Sora wanted to cure Lanna as soon as possible. Sora could sense the light was preventing the plaga from doing much harm and was thankful for it, but they still had a time limit to worry about.

Lanna panted as she was starting to feel the drain now, a thin trail of sweat running down the side of her face. She wiped it away with the back of her arm as she concentrated. Her eyes seem to sparkle with determination and growled as the light surrounded her once again, but flickered as she and Goofy lunged at each other, trading blows and blocks.

Donald panted, lunging at Jake and jumps over his head. Aiming a kick at his back in three different places as he was trying to catch him off guard. Jake grunts as he takes the hits with his light flickering and he feels the strain of keeping his light aura up. It's not too bad, but he was starting to tire and his body feeling slightly tired.

Jake lunges for Donald as the two trade blows as Jake struggles to keep his light aura up. Sora watching both fights with a critical look in his eyes that he only had when in his own battles. Analyzing every move they made and the state his companions was in as they sparred.

'I'll give them five more minutes before stopping it here.' Sora mentally decides as he watches on in silence.

Lanna gasped as she was hit in the gut with the shield and landed on her back. Panting as she rolled away from a kick from Goofy as she breathed. She wheezed and ducked as she had her light up still.

Donald kept his attacks up as he noticed Jake and Lanna were slowly reaching their limits in their light forms. He and Goofy were impressed they had managed to go on this long.

Jake cursed as he felt his body beginning to reach his limits and deflects Donald's staff. Before rushing in and using the Palm Thrust on Donald, but made sure to hit his gut instead of his chest to avoid possibly inflicting more damage than intended. Watching as in his powered up form, Donald got sent flying toward Goofy like he hoped and was about to press his advantage. Only to drop to a knee as his light finally gave out and his body was too tired to keep moving.

"D-Damn..." Jake muttered to himself in self disappointment that he reached his limit already.

Lanna dropped to butt, leaning back on her hands as she had reached her limit. "That...was...intense..." she wheezed and fell backwards as her light went out. She had he eyes closed, breathing heavily. Donald and Goofy groaned a bit as they both struggled to stand up but they were exhausted from the training.

Sora seeing his friends were tired, decided to call it for now. "That's a great job guys, now come over here so I can heal you all at the same time using Curaga." Sora said walking over to them calmly as Jake manages to force himself to his feet and made his way to Lanna. Supporting her with her arm around his shoulders to hold her up.

Lanna leaned against him, her head swimming. "Ugh...stupid room...stop spinning..." She grunted as Donald and Goofy headed over to the group as well. They all looked like they went through the ringer.

"You two alright?" Donald asked Jake and Lanna.

"We'll live, but that healing sounds really nice right about now." Jake said as Sora approaches the group and brought out his keyblade. Focusing his power as he raises the keyblade above his head, "Heal!" Sora shouts as a green bud appears and blooms into a beautiful flower. It's leaves dropping on all four of his friends nearby him. Instantly healing their wounds as Sora watched them with a proud smile, before turning his attention to Donald and Goofy.

"Well guys, from your personal opinion of Jake and Lanna. How did they do for their first time using light aura to fight against you two as a team?" Sora asks wanting to know what Donald and Goofy thought about their fighting abilities.

"Their both good fighters and they have improved since being here," Goofy said. "And they're decent at light using, but they will need more training."

Donald nodded. "But they did good for their first time. I haven't seen anyone except you take to light so quick," he said.

"That's great to hear, sounds you two have passed the test, but like they said. You'll need time to train your powers to master them properly in the future. For now though, it should help you fight B.O.W.s easier and hopefully leave you less exposed against Wesker and Maleficent." Sora explains to Jake and Lanna with a proud smile on his face as Jake let's Lanna stand on her own legs now that she's feeling better.

"Good to hear, Spikes, but I'll admit these two really are tougher than they look." Jake says looking at Donald and Goofy with some respect they have earned in his book.

Lanna nodded in agreement. "They're a lot stronger than they look," she said and smiled. "I'd spar with you two any day."

Both Donald and Goofy looked sheepish. "Thanks..." Lanna chuckled softly as she felt much better and stretched a bit. "Mmm...and I don't feel as sick."

"Sick? You mean the plaga?"

"Yeah."

"I noticed that too actually, I think the light could be not only safe to use with the plaga inside you. But it also seems to be keeping it from acting up too much." Sora says wondering if it could help buy them time, but immediately pushes the thought aside for now. "We should press on though. We have to rescue Leon, Chris, and Jill while we still can." Sora says before a ringing noise catches everyone's attention to Jake's phone. Jake eyes it warily wondering who would be calling him as he answers it only to see static.

"Okay, who is it?" Jake asks not liking the unreadable number as that must be their enemies, but curious of who'd want to speak to them now and what they want to say this time...