"Oh dear! Master! Please, Master! Please! Compose yourself!" Cogsworth cried out as the Beast swiped his claws at Sora.

Goofy jumped in front of Sora with his shield raised high. The following impact pushed Sora and Goofy back on to the barrier.

Donald aimed his staff at the Beast and shouted "Thunder!"

The Beast stumbled back, roaring out in pain as he was struck by the lightening.

From behind the door Xion placed her hand on the barrier and whispered another cure spell aimed at Sora and Goofy. While Roxas and Axel swatted away any stray heartless that attempted to join the fight.

With renewed energy Sora leapt from behind Goofy and landed a blow directly on the Beast's chest. This time the Beast fell on his knees.

He groaned slowly. His eyes no longer hazy. "Cogsworth... what happened." The Beast asked.

Cogsworth was skittish. "Well, Master... ah, you see...t-that is... How shall I say... well uh..."

Donald rolled his eyes. "Well, you put everyone down there in that dungeon!" There was a bit of anger in his voice.

The Beast's eyes went wide, his shoulders fell slightly, "I did what?"

Cogsworth walked towards the Beast and patted him gently on the leg. The Beast just stared at the floor ashamed.

There was a moment of silence before Sora spoke up. "Who was the guy you were talking to? The one in the black coat?"

Even though nobody else said anything, they all wanted to know what happened to the Beast in order the make him snap. Three hidden figures were especially interested to find out what their former coworker was doing outside his missions.

The Beast sighed out in exhaustion. "Xaldin... that's his name. He came from the darkness. H-he used my anger to control me. He took all my sorrow, my sadness, my pain and used it all into rage. There was nothing I could do... I could no longer see the truth." He admitted.

•••

Xion gripped the side of the of the door. She was shaking without even knowing it as she listened into the conversion. The Beast is clearly surrounded by all these people who cared for him? Why can't he just let them help him instead of dealing with Xaldin on his own?

She could see Goofy scratching his head. "Gawrsh, well I'll be." The knight started. "That must be why you threw all your friends down there into the dungeon. You wanted to make sure you didn't hurt 'em, right?"

The Beast mumbled, "Was that it? To protect them?"

Something in his voice struck a chord in Xion. She wanted to go into the room. She wanted to yell at the Beast and tell him to quit being stupid and just open up. She wanted to plead with him not to make the same mistake she did. After all, pushing your precious people away was never a good idea.

But she didn't, instead she backed away. Opting instead to follow Roxas and Axel as they murmured a plan to keep a safe distance from both Sora and Xaldin. The trio walked away from the from the master bedroom.

Roxas gave Axel a worried glance as they noticed Xion lagging behind them once they entered the secret passage. The two Nobodies looked over their shoulders to see the youngest Nobody looking down. They shrugged and slowed down their pace so Xion could catch up with them. They contemplated for a moment.

Being the adult he is, Axel spoke first. "Hey Xion? Did something happen? You're kinda quiet?" He asked softly.

Xion looked up for moment. Axel and Roxas's eyes looked so worried, all for her. It made her feel... guilty? Was that the right emotion? Guilt? Guilt that she didn't reach for help sooner. Roxas didn't know until it was too late, and Axel was never given a chance to help. If she had just reached out, there they were only a few feet away from her. Maybe it wasn't too late, maybe she could still reach out now to quiet her troubled mind. After all, what good was a second chance if she ended up repeating the same mistakes as before?

Xion took a deep breath. This time she would reach out, but before she could speak a loud roar echoed through the secret passage. It sounded close.

'I'll tell you later.' She mouthed. And with that they ran into the main hall before taking a shortcut into the first passage that overlooked the main hall.

They barely made in time, as soon as they were well hidden Sora and the Beast were seen running to the East hall. It was like they were running towards something. Towards what, who knew? Now that the trio were out of sight, they had more pressing matters to attend to.

The sea-salt trio took a moment to catch their breath, it seems all they ever do now is run around in circles. Not that they minded.

Axel turned his attention to Xion, who was fitting under Roxas's worried gaze. "Xion?"

The raven-haired girl looked up at the sound of her name. There was a sense of shame at how much they worried over her and yet it was also comforting.

Axel sat on one of the many crates that littered the passage, he patted the space next to him. Xion said nothing but sat down next to him.

Roxas followed, he frowned when he realized there wasn't enough space for all three of them. So instead he settled for a nearby crate. It confused him, Xion seemed fine not too long ago. Yet something bothered him. Xion seemed fine not too long ago. And it couldn't possibly be something related to their power and Sora, or else he would feel off too. Maybe it was one of those girl things Axel warned him about. He remembered the last conversation they had about girls and trying not to push the wrong buttons.

Xion closed her hands together, it was a bad habit she picked up whenever she was nervous. "I'm sorry."

Axel and Roxas just stared at her. Out of all things for Xion to say, they didn't expect an apology to be one of them.

"But Xion, you haven't done anything wrong." Roxas tried to say.

Xion just shook her head. "Saix used to call me a monster. " Her words cut through both Axel and Roxas. "And maybe he was right."

Axel did his best to keep his temper in check "That's not true Xi-" But Xion cut him off.

"Xaldin called the Beast a monster too. And that's when I realized the Beast and I aren't so different. You saw it too, didn't you? The Beast almost lost himself in in darkness, the way he isolated himself. He was so caught up in himself that he didn't see that he had people around him that care for him. He just pushed them away, and because of that Xaldin almost succeeded." Xion stared straight at Axel and Roxas. "He should have just let them help him! I should have just let you help me." Her eyes began to water. "If I just opened up in the first place instead of keeping it to myself then maybe... maybe things would have turned out different. But instead I hurt you both. Axel, Roxas, I'm sorry."

Axel's face just softened. 'So that's what was bothering her. Jeez these kids are making me soft.' He thought to himself.

Roxas reached over and grabbed her hand. "It wasn't just you. We all messed up. Right Axel?"

Axel couldn't help but to smile at the two pair of eyes looking back at him. "Admittedly we could have handled that better. But as long as we're open and honest with each other now, everything will turn out alright. And hey, I'd say we're doing pretty good so far." He offered.

Xion smiled up at him, leaning over she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thank you, Axel." She whispered.

Axel could feel his face burn up. something that was backed up by the sound of snickering next to him. "Oi, what are you laughing at?"

Roxas just snickered as he leaned in to join the hug. "Xion was right, you really are sweet. I don't know why you act all tough, you're just a softie."

Axel just held them tighter for a moment. Just for a moment he let them enjoy the hug. "Now get off me you little gremlins, we have a mission." He said as he tried to free himself from his two-favorite people. With all three of them having smiles on their faces they finally returned to the task in hand.

Finding Sora. But how?

Apparently by following the sound of metal clashing come from down the hall.

The trio scrambled down the hall and into the second floor of the ball room. Or what they thought was the ballroom. Another barrier impeded them from continuing even further. Occasionally the barrier would waiver to reveal the battle within. Whatever heartless Sora was battling, it was clearly putting up a fight.

Roxas couldn't help but to grit his teeth. If it wasn't for the barrier, he'd have no problem jumping into the battle. It was irritating, but instead he was currently side-lined. How was he supposed to get stronger if he couldn't even fight? He quickly glanced over to Axel and Xion. They were currently looking for breaks in the barrier, Axel sent out fire spelling while Xion used her ice and cure magic to help out. His magic may have improved, but it was nowhere near their level.

He gripped the railing as he watched Donald and Goofy get thrown to the other side of the ballroom. 'Come on Sora, you gotta finish it now.' The Beast attempted to attack the Heartless but he knocked off to the side by the swinging chandelier. Which left Sora as the last man standing. Roxas reached out his hand, almost as to use his own power to give Sora a much need boost.

The chandelier possessed heartless swung around again with Sora caught in the crossfire. The brown haired boy was tossed up into the hair. His face looked pained. And in the split-second Sora was in the air, Roxas saw something he never wanted to see ever again.

"SORA!" Roxas cried out as he made eye contact with his other. His blue eyes met Sora's golden eyes. It sent a chill down his spine. Wisps of darkness began to emerge from Sora's skin, leaving the skin darkened. It was almost inhuman. For that split second Sora reached out to Roxas with his clawed hands before he fell back down into the ballroom floor.

The second Sora touched the ground Roxas could see Sora's brown spiky hair bouncing around once more as continued to fight. He faltered a bit in his steps, but other than that Sora continued to fight as if nothing happened. Roxas took a few steps back. He looked over to see if Axel or Xion saw anything, but they were too busy healing Sora's companions.

'What was that?' he thought. For a moment he could have sworn Sora looked like a heartless. But that was impossible, wasn't? Surely if something happened to Sora he would have felt it. Xion should've felt it! But they didn't. As Sora swung his keyblade into the Heartless, Roxas couldn't help but to feel a sickening twist in his stomach as a bright pink heart floated into the air.

Heartless... There was no way Sora was heartless? Was there?

Xaldin stepped back into the white-washed castle he learned to call home. He couldn't help but to grin.

'An interesting visit if I do say so myself.' Xaldin took a moment to gaze upon the heart-shaped moon in the sky. Sure he technically failed his mission, but the information gathered will serve to be invaluable to the Organization. Especially regarding Sora and Axel. He chuckled a bit, to think that Axel out of all people had betrayed them.

"Is there any particular reason you have yet to turn in your mission report?"

Xaldin turned around to see Saix glaring at him, or perhaps that was his natural look. To think someone like Saix stood as Xemnas' right hand, it irked Xaldin. "I assume if it was a normal mission then I suppose that mission report would have been turned in by now. But of course we all know the world doesn't work that way."

Saix scowled. "You better have a good excuse for your behavior."

"Ha, you think you hold power over me? If you're so high and mighty why don't you bring Sora here yourself. Or are you afraid of getting involved with Axel's new friends?"

Saix's face remained still but even Xaldin could see the amber hues threatening to go feral.

Xaldin just let out an empty laugh, "Oh? Did I forget to mention, seems your little friend has left you again. But don't worry, you can read all about it in my report." With that he let himself out of the Grey Area, leaving Saix alone with his thoughts.

The blue-haired man did his best to ignore the way his golden eyes reflected off the glass, a constant reminder of who he now was. 'Abandoned us again, huh Lea?' His kept glowing until the whole iris was a brilliant amber. He smashed his fist into the glass, shattering the whole panel. Saix's hand trembled in anger as it began to bleed.

He could feel the darkness creeping up inside him.

He and Axel were in this together. For her.

"And yet he already left you twice." He stated bitterly.

So what was the point, he was already too far gone to change. And without Axel by his side what was the point in resisting. At that moment he looked up at the heart-shaped moon above him. Kingdom Hearts. And he gave into the darkness.

A/N: Originally, I was going to take just a week off for my birthday but then the election happened and jeeze was it stressful. But here we are back again with the semi-regular updates. As a reminder I will try to update KTT every Monday or Wednesday. So there's that.

Updates aside, let me know what you think, lemme know if anything needs to be improved upon. Other than that, thanks for sticking with the series. For those who are just joining I recommend with the first installment "Bringing them Back"

~Ink