The completed version of this story is on Archive of Our Own under the same username and title, I'm not planning on updating here frequently.

Note: FFN won't let me right align text so a bunch of the formatting in this isn't how it's meant to be, but hopefully it still makes sense!

As the day went on it became clear the ordeal wasn't over yet.

Riku didn't sleep long, woken an hour later by faint grumbling, and Sora's hand twitching in his own. When he opened his eyes Sora's face was scrunched up, as though in pain, but the nightmare didn't seem too severe. "Shhh, it's alright," he mumbled sleepily, stroking the back of Sora's hand with his thumb. It didn't seem to help though, as Sora began fidgeting and breathing hard through gritted teeth.

"No... no don't..."

Maybe he should wake him up? His dream seemed to be getting worse but he was so exhausted... He needed sleep so badly. "It's alright Sora. It's alri-"

Riku jumped as Sora unexpectedly cried out and bolted upright, his hand wrenched from Riku's as he twisted his head back and forth, eyes wide. "It's OK, just a nightmare," Riku said gently, sitting up and rubbing his back. Sora's face was shining with sweat and he was breathing fast, but that was normal at these times. What concerned Riku was how he suddenly groaned and hunched forward, screwing his eyes shut and raising his hands to his heart. "What's wrong?"

"Chest... hurts..." he muttered in a strained voice, then gasped, as sharp stabbing momentarily overtook the ache. Riku wasn't sure what to do, but thankfully the pain passed quickly. Sora's body relaxed and he let out a low whistle. He turned to him, looking weary but no longer pained. "I'm alright now."

"Are you sure? That seemed pretty intense."

Sora didn't often react this strongly to these attacks, but he nodded and eased himself back down into bed. Riku stayed sitting up, staring down at him as though monitoring his every move. Sora patted his arm. "It's just the usual pains, don't worry."

Riku was worried though. 'Unstable'. That had been the word Ienzo had used to describe the state of Sora's heart. Maybe it was expected that he would experience more of these pains for a while?

Riku pulled the blanket back up over his already half-asleep boyfriend, lay down with him, and touched Sora's forehead again to compare it to his own. Definitely warmer, but not enough to be a fever... not yet at least. He'd have to keep an eye on that. Sora murmured something, turning his face away from Riku's hand. "Are you feeling sick, Sora?" He didn't reply, already asleep. Riku tried to push the worries from his mind and go back to sleep as well.

He was allowed barely half an hour's rest this time, before being jerked awake by the sound of a yelp, hurried footsteps, and the bedroom door being thrown open. "Sora?" he mumbled, sitting up and staring around with bleary eyes. Another door banged open just down the hall, and he heard the unmistakable sound of someone being sick.

He leapt out of bed, dashed the short distance between their room and the bathroom, and found Sora hunched over the toilet and retching. He closed the door behind him to give Sora some privacy and placed a hand on his back as he knelt down beside him.

If he had been sweating earlier it was nothing compared to now. His shirt was soaked. Through the drenched material, Riku could feel an unnatural heat coming from his skin, as Sora panted and let his head rest on his arms, folded over the bowl. There's that fever...

It took Sora a minute or so to catch his breath, then carefully lift his head and reach up to flush the toilet, desperate to get the smell of vomit out of his nose. Riku assumed that meant things were over and pressed his palm to Sora's forehead. "You're burning up..."

"Ughh, I think I'd rather be too cold again," he grumbled, leaning into the wonderfully cool skin of Riku's hand. "This just seems unfair..."

"That's putting it mildly." Riku squeezed his shoulder and stood up. "I'll get you some water."

"Any chance you could get me some mouthwash too?"

There was a glint of attempted humour in his eye as he turned to him and Riku gave him a sad smile. "Course."

When he returned he found Sora slumped against the wall with his arms wrapped around his midriff. He looked just as unwell as when he'd collapsed on the night he had told them about Rage. Maybe worse. After rinsing his mouth and forcing down some water he groaned miserably. "Sorry Riku..."

"What are you apologising for?"

"It seems like you're always having to take care of me."

"I wouldn't be much of a boyfriend if I didn't take care of you when you were sick, would I?" He placed a hand on his knee. "Besides, you'd do the same for me."

"Heh, that's true." Sora returned his smile, then abruptly hunched forward, inhaling sharply and pressing a fist to his chest.

Riku shifted to sit beside him and put an arm around his shoulders as they waited for it to pass. After several long seconds, Sora let out the breath he'd been holding and leaned back. "Has the pain gotten worse?"

"Definitely."

"Is there any way I can convince you to let me dive?"

"Definitely not."

"I might be able to help somehow?" Sora shook his head and Riku sighed, unsurprised but disappointed.

As they sat and waited for his nausea to fully recede Sora dropped the hand from his chest and started massaging his forearm, as though his old injury were bothering him. "I thought he was after me again..."

"Yen Sid?"

"No, that man... Quadratum." He closed his eyes, too tired to get the full sentence out. It had been a while since he dreamt so vividly about that final battle with his tormenter.

"You'll never end up back there. We won't ever let that happen." Riku gave him a squeeze and he smiled.

"Thanks."

They sat quietly for a few minutes until Riku noticed Sora was drifting off against his side despite the hard bathroom tiles beneath them. "Ready to go back to bed?"

"Yeah." He opened his eyes and began trying to push himself up, but Riku slipped an arm under his legs and picked him up before he could reach his feet. Sora made no protests this time and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Stop it," Riku giggled, in a way he would be embarrassed by in front of anyone else, as Sora brushed a few kisses along his collarbone. "I'll drop you if you keep that up."

Three heads popped around the edge of Ven's door as Riku carried him back to their room. "Is everything alright?" Kairi asked quietly, unsure if Sora was awake. She, Ven, and Chirithy had also heard the banging of doors and were peering at Sora in Riku's arms with concern.

"...mm-okay..." Sora mumbled into Riku's chest.

Disagreeing, Riku called back to them. "Could you give Ienzo a call and see if they've found out anything else?" He kept his voice light for Sora's sake, as though he was just being overly cautious, but the look he gave Kairi made it clear he was worried. She nodded, and they all withdrew to Ven's room.

Sora passed out quickly after Riku pulled the blankets back up over him. He didn't join him in bed this time though, not wanting to fall asleep again. He pulled a chair up beside the bed so he could keep an eye on him, but not before quickly fetching a bowl from the kitchen, in case Sora didn't make it to the bathroom next time...

There was a soft knock at the door a few minutes later, and he went into the hall to speak with Kairi, not wanting to wake Sora. Aqua was with her, having just returned, and Riku was all too happy to move aside and let her into their room to check on him. Kairi handed him her phone with Ienzo's face on the screen. He was looking worn out as well, and his floppy hair wasn't falling quite as perfectly as usual. "Hello Riku, Kairi said Sora isn't doing very well?"

"No, he's really sick. He might have just caught a cold or the flu or something, but he's getting a lot of chest pain too, more than usual." Ienzo grimaced and looked down, immediately worrying Riku more.

"I can't say I'm surprised..."

"Did you find anything out?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, there isn't really much more I can tell from the data Even logged. But I'm sure this must have destabilised his heart further. It's a wonder he survived at all, his heart was already so unstable beforehand... Although from what Even said it almost seemed like something forced the machine to stop when they tried to use it."

"Something made it stop..." Had that been what was happening when he was plunged into that dark void with Sora? That his heart had been under assault and that was why he had called out to him for help? It must have been. His stomach churned at the thought, remembering the pain and fear he had sensed within Sora's heart at the time.

"I suspect his heart is doing what it can to repair itself right now, so I'm hopeful the pain will pass."

"Right..." Riku and Kairi looked at each other. She looked as worried as he felt. They thanked Ienzo and Kairi promised to update him with any changes before hanging up. After slipping her phone into her pocket she stared down at her feet, shoulders slumped in defeat. Riku put his arms around her, and they waited in silence for Aqua to come back.

After balancing the risks, Aqua decided against administering any magical treatment. Sora probably needed all his strength right now for holding those cracks in his heart together. That seemed a higher priority than hurrying his illness along.

For now, it seemed that all they could really do was wait, and watch over him as he recovered. Apparently, plenty of people wanted to help with that, because a whole crowd of people had followed Aqua, Terra, and Ventus back. Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Roxas, Xion, and Axel were all gathered in the castle, while Leon and the others in Radiant Garden had stayed to keep an eye on Ansem the Wise.

Riku suspected part of the reason so many of the others were now camped out in the lounge was to ensure there was a small army here in case Yen Sid, or anyone else, showed up looking for Sora. Despite Mickey's assurances that he was no longer a threat, most of them were still wary that the sorcerer might return. He felt an enormous rush of gratitude, though was also relieved that no one was clamouring to see Sora right now so that he could rest.

It took almost two hours for the next nightmare to arrive, and Riku was relieved Sora had been allowed at least a little more rest. He tried to calm him, holding his hand and massaging his arm as he talked to him softly. "Shhh, it's OK, you're safe Sora, it's OK."

But his brow furrowed and he switched strategies again as Sora's mumbling escalated, sounding closer to anger now than fear or pain. He squeezed his shoulder and shook his arm. "Sora? Hey, Sora." But he wasn't waking up this time, and Riku began calling out to him loudly. "Sora? Wake up!" He shook him roughly and Sora was trying to pull away from him, face screwed up and breathing hard.

"Hey Sora! Come on! SORA!" His voice finally broke through the deep cloak of sleep and Sora woke with a jolt, eyes wide. Riku froze.

He'd imagined it. He must have. The flash of red had turned to blue so fast.
Your mind is playing tricks on you, you're just tired and stressed.
He must have imagined it.

Immediately Sora curled into a ball, gasping as his chest - no, definitely his heart - smarted, the pain all-consuming.

Riku shook himself internally. Snap out of it! He couldn't start losing it when Sora needed him like this.
He must have imagined it.

When the pain passed its peak Sora pulled himself towards Riku without a word, and let his head hang off the side of the bed. Riku quickly lifted the bowl to his mouth and grimaced. It was a wonder Sora had anything left to bring up at this point...

He massaged his back as Sora tried to pretend this wasn't really happening. He wasn't sure if his chest had ever ached this much. A three-way tie between this, the height of his depression, and a hazy memory of lying on the floor of a Gummi ship with half of his ribs shattered. That seemed about right. When it was over he gritted his teeth, waiting for the pain in his heart to wane. It lasted longer this time than any of the previous attacks.

Eventually, it ended and he rolled onto his back, letting out a long sigh of relief. He was shivering though, and still pouring sweat. Riku sat on the bed beside him, gave his shoulder a squeeze and held out a glass of water when he opened his eyes. "Thanks," he breathed softly as he sat up slowly and took it. The taste of acid lingered in his mouth, but it was an improvement. He returned the glass and fell back, exhausted.

"Sora please, I have to try-"

"No," he cut Riku off before he could ask his question. "What if Rage is in there..."

Exactly... "If this keeps getting worse I have to try."

He stared at him imploringly. Sora wanted to say no, but his mouth was having trouble forming words. Riku saw him struggling and his expression softened. "Alright, I won't, but please just think about it?" Sora stared back at him, taking in the desperation in his eyes, then closed his own and gave a small, resigned nod. Riku smiled. "Thanks."

Sora felt a hand running soothingly through his hair, as Riku tried to help him get back to sleep. He was so drowsy he didn't notice the soft creak of the door. Riku did though and looked up. Kairi must have heard Sora being sick again. She crept quietly across the room, took the bowl from the floor where Riku had left it and replaced it with a clean one. He mouthed a silent "thank you." She gave him a sad smile and a kiss on the forehead before leaving.

He managed to calm Sora through the next few nightmares, holding his hands and repeating comforting assurances that he was safe until he stopped his whispered pleas and managed to escape whatever entity was haunting him. The respite didn't last long though, and eventually, a nightmare Riku couldn't chase away began.

"Stop... Don't hurt..."

"Hey it's alright, it's alright." He was rubbing his shoulder but Sora was pushing himself away again, voice rising as he tried to escape Riku's hand. Riku knelt on the bed and gripped his arm, trying to stop him from rolling away, and placing his free hand on Sora's cheek, desperate for him to hear him calling out. "Sora, wake up! Wake up!"

"Stop... get away... get away!"

"SORA!"

A sharp shake of Sora's arm ultimately roused him and his eyes flew open. The pain took him straight away, causing him to cry out. Riku's hand was immediately in his and he gripped it tightly, clenching his teeth and his eyes shut again. He was sure there must be a knife in his chest.

After what felt like an hour it passed, and his grip on Riku's hand loosened. His stomach was churning but he didn't think he had the strength to drag himself to the edge of the bed this time. He felt Riku slide an arm beneath his shoulders and quickly sit him up, in case he did need to be sick again. But there was nothing left in him now. He just leaned into Riku, breathing hard, and keeping his eyes closed so he didn't have to watch the room spin.

After half a minute Riku decided the bowl wasn't needed, and discarded it in favour of the cup beside the bed. Sora felt it touch his lips and gladly drank as Riku titled the cold water into his mouth. "Thanks..."

Riku's gut was in sickening knots as well. It was getting harder to wake Sora up when the dreams began, and it seemed that each time he did wake he was even weaker than before. If things didn't start improving soon he was going to dive no matter what Sora said.

"When was the last time you ate?" he asked as he lowered him back into the pillows, only now realising how hungry he was himself, and that he hadn't seen Sora eat since they found him.

"Umm, not sure..." When was the last time? Surely it couldn't have been two days? Oh, it was. "Before I left." He reached up, still not opening his eyes, and pulled Riku's hand from his shoulder so he could hold it instead.

No wonder he was so sapped of energy, Riku thought. On top of everything else, his body was running on empty... "I'm going to get you something to eat." Sora groaned. He didn't think his stomach would cope with food right now. "I know," Riku said, understanding what he was trying to tell him. "But I'm sure you'll feel better with some food in you."

Even with the horrendous nausea, Sora was faintly aware of how hungry he was. He groaned again but, knowing Riku was probably right, gave him a tiny nod. Riku doubted he had fully understood what was going on though, because when he made to stand up Sora's grip on his hand tightened rather than loosened. He sat back down and ran his free hand through his hair. "I'll be back in a few minutes, five minutes tops."

Sora opened his hazy eyes and stared up at him. "Promise?" he murmured.

"Promise."

With a small pout, and a disgruntled "fine," he reluctantly let go of his hand, and Riku chuckled. He leaned down and brushed his lips against his forehead with a reassuring kiss that sent him almost immediately back to sleep. Riku stayed where he sat for a few more minutes, a hand on Sora's shoulder, and a growing, sickening fear in his gut.

Then he left, and Sora sunk back into his nightmares.

Riku jogged down the hall to the kitchen, wondering what would be the easiest thing for Sora to keep down. There he found Roxas and Ventus chatting, sitting together at the table like a mirror had been placed between the seats. He wondered if the rest of their friends were still around, perhaps hanging out in the lounge, or attempting to distract themselves from their worries by enjoying the beautiful weather outside.

"Hey, Riku," Roxas called out when he saw him come in, surprised to see him out of his and Sora's room.

He had to get away. There was danger in the shadows.
Figures in dark cloaks stalking, following, coming closer with a knife in their hands.
He tried to run. Legs heavy and steps clumsy. Staggering away, shoulder colliding with walls as he lurched this way and that.
Something else was trying to control his legs.

He could feel darkness in his fingertips, its tingling fire contorting his hands into sharp points,
snaking up his arms, searing his skin as it did.
Don't let it take over though, can't let it take over, can't let Rage.
Have to fight. Fight without Rage.

"Hey." He seemed distracted as he made his way to the pantry. Aqua often seemed to feel under the weather on the occasions she and Terra came back late from a night out in Twilight Town with Axel and Isa. What was it Terra had made for her last time? He'd have to ask him. Maybe toast would be a good place to start for now...

The man in the cloak was advancing. Rage begging to strike.
He swung his Keyblade and it passed through the figure.
They dissolved into smoke. Another appeared.
Strike. Smoke. Another.
Strike. Smoke. Another.
Rage climbing into his chest.

Let me out and end him Sora.

No.
Strike. Smoke. Another.
Lashing out with blackened claws.
No.

"How's Sora?" Ven asked, looking hopeful.

"Not good," he said glumly. "He's really sick. I'm going to try and get him to eat something, see if that helps."

Metal twisting around his wrists
His neck
Choking

"Would it be worth getting Baymax to come see him?" Roxas suggested. Riku paused, then nodded.

"Yeah, if he doesn't start getting better soon that would be a good idea." He doubted the robot could help with the heart pain, but maybe he could help get his fever under control.

Running

A bang from the hall caused the three of them to jump, and Riku's heart dropped at the sound of a strangled yell. "Sora?"

Let me out

Burning beneath his skin

They dashed for the hall and found a dreadful scene. The light from the high windows was dim. The very air before them seemed tinged with red. It tasted of smoke.

For the first time, Riku beheld Rage.

Just one strike

Sora was roaring and slashing at something they couldn't see, slicing through the air and sending splinters of wood flying as his Keyblade caught at the wall and left deep gouges. The fingers clasping the hilt had sharpened to cruel, tapered claws. Trails of darkness snaked around his neck and his limbs had turned entirely to black, except for the glowing red cracks. They trailed down his arms.

"SORA!"

He ran for him, then leapt back as the Kingdom Key swung at his throat. He couldn't get close.

Just one strike

Riku tensed up, preparing to blink past him and grab him from behind, he had to wake him up. But, before he could summon his magic Sora's bellows of fury came to an abrupt halt as he gasped.

Tearing
Pain in his stomach.
Pain in his chest

He stopped lashing out and doubled over, Keyblade falling from his hand and disappearing as it clattered against the tiles. With a cry of pain, he slumped to the floor, curled up and clutching his stomach.

Riku saw his opportunity. He dived forward and turned Sora on his back, trying to figure out what was causing him such agony. The mutated claws had torn through his shirt and scratched the skin below, but the scratches were far too shallow to be causing him anywhere near this much pain. Roxas dropped to the floor on Sora's other side and took hold of his wrists, dragging his hands away from his chest before he could do any real damage. Terrified, all Ven could do was watch.

At the other end of the hallway, Kairi and the others appeared, and she sprinted towards them.

Riku had an arm around his shoulders and a hand in his black-streaked hair, cradling his head as he called out to him. "Sora can you hear me? It's just a dream! Wake up!" But it seemed Sora couldn't hear a word. He lay in Riku's arms, moaning as if in terrible pain, desperately trying to pull himself from Roxas's grasp.

Blood seeping through his fingers

Let me help

Kairi appeared at Roxas's side. He held Sora's wrists tightly, keeping them away so he didn't injure himself again, and she reached out and took Sora's blackened hands in her own. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out, as claws pierced her skin.

"Sora, wake up! WAKE UP!"

No, no, don't let this be real, don't put him through more.

Riku could barely breathe. He'd thought this was over, thought he was safe again, thought this monster wasn't torturing him anymore. "Sora, what can I do? What can I do to help?" Riku yelled, desperate for him to hear his voice.

Sora opened his eyes, and Riku froze. The blue was gone, each iris and white engulfed in fire. Glowing red.

"Sora..."

Can't win

Let me help

Where it ends

Sora shut his eyes again, whimpering in pain

"Sora please talk to me," Riku begged. He didn't know what to do.

"Don't hurt him..."

"What?"

"Stop... hurting him..."

Aching head
Blood in his eyes

They didn't understand, was he simply having another nightmare? Seeing Rage and the Unversed attacking Riku again? "No one's hurt Sora, it's OK. We're all safe, I'm safe," Riku called out as he stroked his cheek with his thumb. Sora opened his eyes and stared up at him, the glowing red illuminated Riku's face. They were so bright they seemed to almost give off heat. "You aren't hurting me, you aren't hurting anyone."

But his words did nothing to calm him.

"Don't hurt him... it hurts."

"It's OK Sora, everyone is alright," Kairi tried to tell him.

"Stop..."

A chain
Pulling
Tightening

Kairi let out a small cry of pain as the claws cut deeper into her hand, hitting bone, but she held on.

Cracking

No...

Without warning, Sora clenched his eyes shut and screamed out in agony, louder than any other sound he had made and his right hand and arm went limp. Roxas almost slammed his wrist to the floor, having been pulling back against it so hard and for a horrible moment he thought he might have broken it, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it. Sora's hand had been yanked out of Kairi's as he released his grip and she shared a confused look with Roxas.

Then the horrible familiarity of the situation dawned on her; of the three of them gathered around Sora on the ground, of his arm lying limp and still, of him trying to grasp his chest and stomach in anguish.

"Riku! He thinks he's back there, he thinks he's in Quadratum!" He tore his eyes away from Sora's pained face and stared at her, bewildered. "He thinks he's being attacked!"

Blood in throat
Can't breathe

Sora was gasping in pain again. "Stop... you're killing him..."

And then Riku understood.

He knew who Sora was talking about, and why his skin had turned black and his eyes to red. It wasn't Sora who was scared right now. He wasn't the one pleading with some unknown entity.

It was Rage.

The same Rage who had come to Sora's aid in the past. The same Rage who Sora used to call on for help in the most desperate of times. The same Rage who had savagely protected him -them- before, whenever Sora was nearing the end of his strength. He turned back to Sora and put a hand on his cheek.

"No one's going to hurt you, we won't let them hurt Sora."

Sora groaned and pressed his face against Riku's shoulder. "Stop... hurting him..."

"No one here who will hurt him."

Falling

Kairi understood now as well. She gave Roxas a nod and he let go of Sora's wrist, shifting away so Kairi could move closer.

"Sora's back home now, he's not in that city, he's not in that lab, he's safe," she called out to him calmly. "He's with friends, and he's safe."

Falling

"It's all right, you can stop fighting now," Riku told him softly, wiping away the sweat on his brow and the tears on his cheeks.

Voices

It was working. The smoky tendrils of darkness were beginning to fade, growing smaller and smaller as they dissipated into the air. The veins of black throttling his neck were fading.

Kairi wrapped her free hand around his, holding it in both of hers. "We'll protect him, the same way he protects us."

Kairi?

Riku ran a hand through his hair and watched the black streaks begin to lighten, his fingers brushing the scar along his temple.

Sora shivered at his touch, and the black on his hands began to recede. As they returned to their usual colour they softened, and soon Kairi's hands were being gripped by desperate fingers, no longer pierced by claws. The darkness was leaving his limbs.

"You don't have to fight anymore."

Riku?

Sora's eyes opened and the red glow was fading.

The whites of his eyes were gradually appearing again, but his irises were a dark, blood red, staring up at Riku with terrible pain in them. Riku leaned down and pressed his lips to his forehead, and smiled at him as he drew away.

Riku

He touched the necklace around Sora's neck, the one he had given him so many years ago. "I promise, you're safe now."

Light

Riku's heart clenched as blue began creeping into Sora's eyes, and he and Kairi beamed as the red slowly, slowly, receded inwards. As the pain faded away from his face his blue eyes returned.

But the black of his pupils did not.

Their smiles faltered.

"Sora?"

He stared up at Riku with empty eyes and a blank face.

Then his eyes slid shut again. His hand dropped from Kairi's as he released his grip, and fell to the floor with a thud.

Falling.

Or maybe sinking.

Sinking into dark water.

Is any of this for real?

Bright bubbles rushing upwards.

None of this... makes sense to me...

He closed his eyes, and let the current take him.

"Sora?" Riku shook his shoulders. "Sora? SORA!"

The crisis seemed to be over, but Sora's consciousness didn't return. Everyone else in the hall remained silent, terrified by what they had just seen. Roxas dropped down beside Kairi again, took her bloody hands in his and summoned his Keyblade to heal her, trying to slow the bleeding from the deep wounds Sora had unintentionally made in her skin, as Riku continued shaking him.

"Sora wake up! Sora!" Not again, please. "Open your eyes! Sora!"

He pressed his face to his, eyes clenched shut as he pleaded.

"Please... Wake up. You have to wake up..."

Tears dripped from his face onto Sora's, running down his cheeks.

"Please wake up Sora... just wake up... just wake up..."

For a while the only sound was Riku's choked voice, begging for Sora to come back to them.

But there was no point begging. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes again. He knew what he had to do.

Riku lowered Sora to the floor as gently as he could and got to his feet. Taking a few steps back, he summoned his Keyblade.

"Hey, what are you doing!?" Roxas yelled as Riku pointed the weapon at Sora.

"Diving into his heart."

"What?"

"Something's going on, I have to help him!"

By now the others in the hall had approached, and Mickey stared up at Riku, fighting the urge to tell him not to do it, to tell him it was far too dangerous. But he, and everyone else there knew there was no point, and that Riku was almost certainly right.

Riku's Keyblade and Sora's body glowed as he summoned the portal.

"We'll watch him while you're gone." He turned to Kairi, crouched beside Sora with shining eyes and bloody hands. Her voice was soft. "Be careful."
I can't lose you both...

He gave her a final nod and raised his Keyblade back up to the portal. He'd woken him up before, he could do it again. He had to.

The portal pulsed, and he dove.

But it was different this time.

There was no wide black expanse of cool air to descend through, no colourful stained glass beneath to slowly glide down to. It was as if he were caught in a storm, a thick, swirling fog enveloping him in streaks of grey, black, purple, and red, buffeting him from every side, stinging his skin and eyes. He was floating and as he spun he saw the air above him seemed just a little clearer. He willed his body to ascend and rose.

As he left the storm behind he looked down at the horror of the scene below.

A dome of darkness.

A dome of twisting, swirling smoke and fire engulfed the top of the ornate pillar that he knew was topped with Sora's heart station. As he studied the towering structure he saw deep cracks down its sides. Some had cut through and shattered the beautiful arched windows that extended down into the depths below, the light from them gone, leaving dim craters in its surface.

He couldn't see a hint of the coloured glass of Sora's station through the storm. The clouds sporadically flashed with red and purple light, each flare accompanied by a sound like thunder, as though lightning crashed inside.

"Sora! Sora!"

He yelled into the void and his voice rang out as loudly as the thunder, reverberating in the empty space. There was no answer though. He summoned his Keyblade and pointed it at the station, closing his eyes and calling out for Sora's heart with all his strength, all his love. And it called back. Their heart-song was faint, but between the crashes of lightning, he could hear the melody sing out. But when he opened his eyes the storm was still raging.

"Sora! Can you hear me? Answer me!"

He waited, clinging on to the faraway sound of their melody. It only lasted for a second, but in that second that the swirling smoke thinned away he saw him. Saw him hovering in the centre of the window, floating above the glass, suspended with his chest arched towards the sky, and his eyes closed.

The glass of his station was cracked just like the sides of the tower, deep black fissures cutting through the stained glass. His pieces barely held together.

The vibrant blues and reds were wrong, dulled and murky, yet glaring and brutal. They weren't Sora. This couldn't really be his heart?
A black shape was flitting beneath the surface. A shadow.

He called out again but the clouds had already rushed back in and blocked Sora from view, and now they were billowing violently, streaks and wisps of smoke twisting around each other in a vortex that was shooting up, up, engulfing him, choking him, searing his skin like fire. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe. Couldn't call out to him. The music was fading as the tempest roared.

"Riku!"

Someone was calling his name. It wasn't Sora, but he knew the voice.

"Riku! Riku!"

She was screaming his name. He opened his mouth but there was no air in his lungs to respond. Just fire and water. He was drowning.

"Riku!"

Kairi's voice was growing closer. The sound of the storm was fading. He felt a small hand close around his wrist.

He slammed to the ground, sliding across the floor, and a cacophony of voices broke out.

"Riku!"

"Kairi! What..."

A haze of sound and pain through blurry eyes.

"... hear me?"

There was a hand in his but it was bloody. His arm scarlet with someone else's blood, and more voices were ringing in his ears.

"Is Sora..."

"...pulse..."

"... he's breathing!"

He couldn't see him, where was he? "So...ra...?"

"Riku?"

More red. Red hair and a pale face. It must be her hand in his, but the blood was all he could see now. "Kai..."

Red faded to black.