Aerith kneeled praying between the bodies of Cloud and Ansem. In her heart, she willed for the safe return of Tifa, the reawakening of Riku, and a rebalance within Cloud. They all needed healing and she did her best to provide it the only way she knew how.

Despite all the flaming braziers everywhere, the Underworld felt so cold. Desolate. In the background, the faint moans and wails emanating from the River Styx carried through the air like a horrendous cacophony of the damned. Yet despite all the chilling distractions, Aerith maintained her composure. She distanced herself from the physical realm, wandering instead somewhere in between everything on her quest to find the lost ones.

Cloud was the first to regain consciousness. With a groan, he pushed himself to his feet and glanced around to regain his bearings. "What happened?" he muttered, spotting his Buster Sword discarded several feet away.

"Nothing fun," Aerith replied, her eyes still closed. She could hear Cloud stalk over to his blade and reclaim it, its sharp edge slicing against the ground as he lifted it.

"Why's the kid still like that?" Cloud said, spotting Ansem.

"I think he's having a nightmare."

"How do we wake him up?"

"I'm working on it."

Cloud glanced from Ansem to Aerith and crossed his arms. "I don't think prayer's gonna help this time."

"It will if you stop interrupting me. Why don't you go scout around and make sure the coast is clear?"

"Clear of what? We're the only ones here."

"You can never be too careful."

"I guess." Cloud lingered a bit, uncertain if he should really leave Aerith. She looked so vulnerable kneeling like that. But he also couldn't stop fidgeting. He needed something to do, anything to keep the creepy-crawling whispers from worming back into his mind. With quiet, measured steps, he left to explore the expanse on the other side of the mountain.

Meanwhile, Aerith focused her prayers on Riku. In her mind, she pictured an island. It began as a crude outline—a blob of dirt floating in a wide, expansive blue sea. But the harder she concentrated, the sharper the image grew. Trees sprouted, followed by the sand, the tide, the seashells, the sun. And there, sitting on the shore with his melancholic eyes staring into the horizon, was Riku. Aerith walked over to him, her hands clasped, and sat down nearby.

"Nice breeze today, huh?" she said with a gentle smile.

"How did you get here?" Riku replied, shocked.

Aerith shook her interlaced fingers. "I willed it."

"Right…"

"So what're you thinking about?"

"Lots of things. Terrible things."

"Like…?"

"Like how I'm no good anymore." Riku drew his knees to his chest and buried his face into them. "I'm just broken. Overrun with darkness. How can I ever be with Sora and Kairi again? They're so full of light, and I'm…not."

"That's not true. You helped me against my Heartless, remember? Someone overcome by Darkness would never do that."

"Maybe I only did it because they were an inconvenience to me. You ever think of that?"

"Nope, never, because if that were true you wouldn't have warned me to not give into the fear."

"You're giving me too much credit."

"I'd say you're not giving yourself enough."

Riku closed his eyes and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp, sea air. "Aerith, I…I'm just…not that good of a person."

"There's darkness and light inside of everyone, Riku. Sometimes you'll make mistakes, slip up, hurt the people you love—become the villain in their story. But that doesn't mean you're resigned to that role. Life's dynamic, you know? We're never staying too long in one place. What's good today might be evil tomorrow and vice versa. That's why balance is so important. As long as you can recognize your motivations and know when you've done something hurtful, you can always come back from that. You can change things, become someone new—someone you'll be proud of."

"You really believe that?"

"I've seen it. Not everyone is going to be a Keyblade master like Sora or a Princess of Heart like Kairi, but that doesn't mean those that aren't can't be loving or loved. You clearly care about your friends, Riku. Let that be your guiding light right there. Follow it out of this darkness and back to where you belong: with them."

Riku fell silent, lost in thought. Then, out of nowhere, a bright light burst out from the horizon, reaching across the sky until its blinding radiance blanketed the island.

Back in the Underworld, Aerith opened her eyes. She quickly got up and rushed over to Ansem, who transformed back into Riku. Within moments, he opened his eyes and sat up.

"I'm back," he murmured, rubbing his head.

"Yes you are," Aerith said with a warm smile. She placed her healing hands on his shoulders, siphoning away his fatigue, hunger, and physical pain. All of his cuts and bruises from the previous fight vanished, and he got to his feet feeling better than ever.

"Thanks for always helping me," he said, somewhat bashful.

"That's what friends are for, right?"

Riku let out a self-spiting chuckle. "Right." He quickly cleared his throat and glanced around. "Where's Cloud?"

"Off adventuring somewhere. We should go look for him." Aerith stood up and dusted herself off before heading off to explore the narrow path leading away from the grand doors. It led to an expanse that overlooked the Underworld's labyrinthine innards. Just when she started wondering of Cloud got lost somewhere down there, he trudged up a near path and made his way to her.

"We should get out of here," he said, glancing at Riku. "No telling what could happen next."

Riku crossed his arms. "And go where, exactly?"

"To see Hades," Aerith stated, shocking them both.

Cloud's rigid facade almost cracked. "What?" he half shouted. "Didn't you hear anything that I told you?"

"I know, but we don't really have a choice."

"How can you say that?"

"The Underworld is where life and death mingle. I think Tifa and Leon are caught somewhere inside the in-between state. Hades is arbiter of that, so we'll need his help."

"You can't trust him, Aerith," Cloud implored, his long-buried emotions seeping through with every word. "Even after I signed a contract with him, he changed the rules and tried to kill me when I wouldn't go along with it."

"From what Sora told me once, he has to honor a deal once it's struck."

"Do you call it 'honoring a deal' when he sicced his giant, three-headed dog on me?"

"Knowing you, you were probably just caught up in your own little world while Hades ran with his own plans."

"Own little world? Excuse me?" The once stoic warrior unconsciously shed his distant and detached demeanor. Color crept back into his pallid cheeks as the passion inside his heart reignited. It had been so long since he actually felt anything that he had started associating himself with one of the dead souls caught in the River Styx.

"You can be kind of klutzy sometimes, Cloud," Aerith said with a playful laugh.

"I'm not a klutz!"

Aerith was full-on laughing now while Cloud's blush turned deep crimson.

Meanwhile, Riku just watched them, unsure of what to say or do. He found it amusing at first, but a deep sense of trepidation kept gnawing at him. If they did visit Hades, his whole history as Maleficent's lackey would come to light. And yet, considering his transformation to Ansem, he started to think maybe it didn't matter anymore. Aerith seemed willing enough to accept him no matter what that circumstances.

"You really don't know what you're getting into," Cloud contended. "Hades only makes deals that will net him the best outcome."

"There's no harm in just talking to him," Aerith replied. "Let's just see."

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you're dog chow."

Aerith grinned and patted Cloud on the shoulder. "I'd expect you to come running long before the first tear's shed." Cloud just crossed his arms and grumbled something under his breath. "Now come on, let's go find Hades!" Aerith took a few steps, nodding to Riku, when suddenly a plume of dark smoke cut in font of her.

In a fiery flash, the Lord of the Dead appeared, towering over everyone. "Hey, there. I've been hearing my name all day, and I gotta say: it's getting a little noisy." A cheesy grin stretched across the god's narrow face as he glanced around at his visitors. "What a motley crew—and hey, didn't think you'd have the guts to show your face around here again." Hades poofed himself next to Riku and coiled an arm around him. "Tell me: how's it feel to get beaten up by the tiniest short-man to ever swing around a toy sword? I've seen drooling toddlers with more mettle than you."

Riku shoved himself free and jumped back, fingers wrapping around the hilt of his blade. "Don't touch me," he seethed.

"Whoa, tough crowd." Hades smiled wide, showing off his fang-like teeth. "Does your new gal pal over here know who you are? What you've done?"

"Shut up…" Riku tightened the grip on his sword.

Hades smacked his open mouth with mock surprise. "You didn't tell her that you're Maleficent's little errand boy? Tsk, tsk. Lies aren't the greatest foundation for a budding, new friendship. Especially when the liar kidnaps young, beautiful maidens for a living."

The Darkness started to swirl around Riku's heart again. Aerith was staring at him now, confused and silent, and he averted his gaze. He struggled to suppress the urge to strike, to give in, to become a terror. But Hades knew exactly which buttons to press.

"Knock it off, Hades," Cloud growled, stepping in to shield Riku before the young warrior lost his cool. "We don't have time for your games."

"Games?" Hades frowned. He poofed in front to Cloud, staring him dead in the eyes with a white, hot fury. "You want to talk to me about games? What about those Olympic games where you were supposed to take care of my little problem?"

"You mean when you betrayed me?"

"Whoa, hey—I didn't betray anyone," Hades said, suddenly on the defensive. He threw his hands up in protest and backed away. "It was an accident."

Cloud opened his mouth to argue, but Aerith interrupted him. "Hades, I want to make a deal."

"Aerith, no!"

Hades shoved Cloud to the side and sauntered over to where Aerith stood tall, firm, and resolute in her decision. He gave her the once over and grinned. "Well, you just know those are the magic words, sweetheart. Let me guess, you want…" he extended his arms, holding his palms facing the air where fire swirled into the image of a man and woman, "these two."

Not prepared for his offer, Aerith suddenly felt faint. The faces peering back at her from the fire weren't who she expected. It had been too long since she laid eyes on her father, and even longer since she had seen her mother. Trying to stay strong, she forced the tears back, but a stray managed to escape and streak down her chin. She never saw them die, had no real confirmation, but always knew deep down inside that she would never see them again.

"Why couldn't you just tell me…?" she whispered so low that no one else could hear.

"Is that a yes?" Hades said, perking his ears.

Aerith did her best to shake free of her melancholy. Wiping her eyes dry, she turned towards the Lord of the Dead. "No," she said, keeping her voice steady despite wanting to break down and cry.

Confused, if not slightly irritated, Hades clapped his hands together and wiped them free of both image and ash. "Well then what do you want? I'm not exactly a genie. I deal in dead people, not wishes."

"I want Leon and Tifa."

"They're not really dead, though."

"But they're not alive, either."

"True, true…" Hades tapped his chin in thought. "Well, almost true. Somewhat. Okay, let's call it what it is: they're not not alive."

"Well then what are they?" Cloud growled, getting agitated with all of the god's crazy mannerisms.

"Whoa, hey, let's not get ahead of ourselves, eh?" Hades cozied up to Aerith, and she fought the urge to recoil. "Let's say I can get them back for you. What are you willing to give me?"

"What do you want?" Aerith asked, conscious of Cloud's disapproving glare.

Hades beamed. "I knew I was gonna like you. So here's the deal: your boyfriend did come here. But before I could chuck him into the river, a couple of—let's call them 'inconveniences'—happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Tell you what: you sign my contract and I tell you the full details." With a snap of his fingers, Hades summoned a parchment speckled with teeny-tiny print. At the bottom was a line with a giant X. He handed Aerith a quill.

"Aerith, I'm serious—don't sign it!" Cloud shouted.

"Relax, I'm just going to read it first," Aerith said, taking both the quill and the parchment. She squinted to make out each letter. "Excuse me, Hades? Can't you make this larger?"

"You get what you get, lover girl," replied the god. "These contracts are standard size with boilerplate legalese."

"But I can barely read it. I have the right to know what I'm signing."

"I'll sum it up for you: You agree to take care of a little problem of mine and I agree to give you custody over your boyfriend's soul."

"What about Tifa?"

"Uh-uh. I'm strictly a one-soul-per-deal kind of god. If you want her, you or lover boy over there will have to make a new deal."

"But this isn't what I want."

"Well too bad, Little Miss Daisy, because what you want and what I'm legally allowed to give are two very different things. So what's say we compromise, eh?"

Aerith glanced over at Cloud, who did nothing to disguise his disgust. "Just leave Tifa out of it," he said. "I'll find her without his help. And you should do the same."

"Fine, then I'll make two deals."

"Aerith!"

Hades just laughed. "You've got moxie. I like that." He snapped his fingers again and summoned a new contract. "Voila. Now just sign 'em both and we'll be on our merry, little way."

"First give me a magnifying glass," Aerith said, taking the second parchment.

"You really are a stickler, aren't you?" Hades gave an unenthusiastic wave of his hand and conjured a pair of magical spectacles. "Here, put these on and go nuts."

Putting on the glasses made all the text giant and legible. Even if they made her look like a dowdy secretary in the process. Aerith stood there for a long time studying every corner of both documents. Meanwhile, Cloud struggled to hold his tongue. He kept itching to grab his sword and slice up both parchments then take a broad swing at the god himself. The urges twisted and churned, roiling his blood. Then the whispers started. Beads of sweat prickled along his forehead as his body grew as hot as an inferno. He tightened the grip on his hilt.

"Wait," Aerith looked over to Hades, her vision slightly blurry from the glasses, "this says you want me to kill Cloud!"

"Yeah, see, that's the only way you're ever going to get the business-end of that deal," Hades said nonchalantly.

"I would never!"

"Then you'll never get Tifa back. It's that simple."

"I want a different deal. There must be something else you want."

"No, see, you don't understand. Tifa is—"

WHAM!

Cloud slammed his Buster Sword down on Hades, who quickly turned to smoke and reappeared far away. "Haven't you ever heard of not shooting the messenger?" Hades quipped. But Cloud didn't stop there. He lunged at the god, who effortlessly dodged all of his assaults. "Do you see what I have to put up with? Here I am—Mr. Nice Guy—trying to give you everything your little hearts desire, and this is my thank you?"

"Shut up!" Cloud roared, angrily slashing his sword. When he couldn't land a single hit, the voice in his head grew louder, more defined. Bolts of dark energy crackled around his torso, paving the way for the growth a new black wing.

"Cloud, don't do it!" Aerith shouted. "Don't give in!" But it was too late. Cloud was possessed by his battle lust.

Hades and Cloud zoomed all over the place. At first, the god found Cloud's little outburst amusing. He cracked some jokes, had some laughs, twirled around to the peppy choral arrangement provided by the Muses who boogied onto the scene at the promise of singing a new ballad. But all of that zaniness came to an abrupt end when Hades grew bored. After spending the entire time on the defensive, he switched tactics and slapped Cloud with a fiery backhander. He went flying into some nearby columns, crushing them all into rubble.

"Okay, that's enough play time. You ladies take five, huh?" He winked at the Muses as he sashayed back over to Aerith, still humming the catchy little tune they sang earlier. "So, where were we? Oh yeah, you were going to kill your second boyfriend over there. Well, I already did half the work for you, so…?"

Aerith shook her head. "Hades, no. There must be some other way!"

"Look, it's like I was trying to tell you: Tifa is—" The words died in Hades' throat. He looked down and saw several feet of a sharp katana blade jutting out from his chest. "Don't you ever give up?" The god poofed away and reappeared in back of Sephiroth. "You know, things are getting a little too crowded around here. I'd love to stay and romp around with you, but I get mid-life crisis shudders just looking at your well-conditioned locks. So how about you all duke it out and I'll take a rain check on your contracts, hmm? Toodles!"

Hades vanished and Sephiroth stalked towards Aerith like a tiger cornering its prey. With a cunning smirk, he raised his blade and lunged. The tip of the katana hit a magical shield, but wasn't rebuffed. He just leaned heavier into it, forcing it to crack until shards of magical energy exploded and flittered through the air like pixie dust. Aerith was vulnerable and outmatched, but not without support. Riku, who had remained quiet and distant throughout the entire encounter, darted to her side. He struck Sephiroth from the side, knocking his blade off course by mere inches and saving Aerith from losing her head.

"Run!" he cried, parrying a counterattack.

Aerith did as she was told and sprinted as far as she could before getting cut off by powerful shock waves flying out of the katana. The wind knocked her off her feet. She stumbled, rolled in the dirt, and landed flat on her back. Everything was spinning. Sephiroth flew towards her and Riku struggled to keep up. He ran as fast as he could, but he was losing ground. He didn't know if he was going to make it. If he didn't—if he failed—she would die. In that moment, he looked deep inside his heart and he knew exactly what he needed to do.

Lifting a weak, dazed hand, Aerith tried to conjure a spell. But it was too late. Sephiroth was upon her. He leaped into the air, katana aimed downward, and plunged towards her heart. Just a fraction of a second before the tip penetrated Aerith's chest, the Heartless guardian grabbed Sephiroth by the hair and yanked him all the way back, tossing him like a rag doll into the ground.

Aerith sat up. "Riku?" She watched as Ansem and his guardian flew towards Sephiroth, who had flipped back onto his feet. The two Heartless fought each other, claws smacking against the sharp blade at high-speed. They hacked and slashed their way across every inch of the battlefield. But as the fight waged on, it was clear Sephiroth had the advantage. Something was holding Ansem back. Every time he reached to tap into his full potential, Riku's will would overpower him so as not to lose control. Eventually, he was outmaneuvered by the swordsman and he crashed into the dirt, transforming back into Riku, who slid face-down unconscious.

The entire fight, Aerith kneeled in motionless prayer. She could have tried to support Ansem with her magic, but she knew deep down that nothing either of them did would stop Sephiroth. That all of it was just delaying the inevitable. Only one person stood a chance against the Heartless swordsman.

"I need you. Please come back."

Sephiroth stopped just inches from Aerith. "She can't hear you anymore," he said, raising his blade. With a swift flick of his wrist, he slashed down.

Aerith was gone.