Maiden of Darkness

I waited for Riku to reply, as the heartless stroked without warning. Their eyes and shadow figures grew closer and closer every second. My body panicked and stood frozen until Riku's voice ringed in my ears, "Promise!" I opened my eyes in shock but was quickly blinded by the weight and force that was thrown onto my body as the heartless attacked me. Darkness shrouded my vision and I felt the heartless inflicting pain on me.

However, as they attempted to devour my existence my heart began to give a sensational feeling. The warmth started to spread throughout my body causing it to glow. The heartless started to disintegrate and dissolve from the light. Riku's words echoed through my head over and over, causing the warmth in my heart to become stronger. Soon, the light completely cleared the room from every heartless in the area. As my vision cleared and my body returned to its original state, I saw Riku on the floor with his weapon still at hand. "Aniko!” he called out.

"Riku!” I called back running towards him, his face seemed puzzled. "How did you?", he asked, I knelled down next to him grabbed his arm and pulled him up. "I don't know. One minute I'm talking to you about to attack the heartless, then my heart-", I stopped to feel the beat of my heart. Normal pulse. "I really don't know". He nodded then looked back; the heartless would come back if we remained where we were. "Come on, we have to keep moving!", and with that we kept moving. Though I wondered what had made my body glow back there, for one thing it had to do with my heart.

*Sora's Point of View*

"Firaga!", I shouted while blasting the group of heartless that was around us. I felt relieved as the fire vanquished them. I swung my keyblade over my shoulder, "How many more of these can there be in this castle?", I asked. Leon and the King cleared the room, Goofy and Donald did too. "Gwarsh, I lost count a long time ago", Goofy scratched his head trying to count. "Those heartless weren't after us though, we just got in their way", Leon stated. "If they're still distracted we should follow them", I jumped into conclusion. If we just followed the heartless then maybe they could lead us to Aniko and Riku. Great! "Let's Go!", I ran up the stairs.

*Aniko's Point of View*

"Riku, where are we going?", I asked him. He ran besides me making sure that I wouldn't get left behind with the heartless that were following us. "Don't worry about it. You should be worrying about them", Riku joked referring to the heartless. Honestly, I know I could stop them from attacking us if made them, but with my powers being controlled by Maleficent I wasn't sure I could. We continued running towards the heart of the castle, where the keyhole stood. I continued looking back every chance I had. I had summoned one of my chakrams in my free arm so I launched it to the heartless that came to close to us.

Riku turned around dragging me behind him, grabbed his weapon and yelled, "Dark Firaga!" The purple flames shot straight at the group of Defenders and Wizards. Without looking Riku and jumped away and both of us went to either side of the entrance. The explosion took form, but before it could reach us Riku and I pushed the doors on the sides of the entrance and shut the explosion out. Its sounds filled the castle.

A sense of relief was lifted off my shoulders as I noticed the keyhole standing right before us. I took in a deep breath then slowly walked over the keyhole. It was quiet, too quiet. I took a step forward and was topped when Riku placed his arm in front of me. "She's here...". In seconds, a familiar chuckle filled the halls as the green skin witch approached from the shadows behind the keyhole. "I see you're relying on your senses, my pet". She grinned, I summoned my chakrams and got in defense. "Now, is this how you're going to act towards me, Maiden? I give you unlimited power beyond your lead, a place to stay and the person your heart has long for. Yet, you point your weapon at me when I can simply make you drop them".

The orb of her staff glowed a bright green as a sharp pain inflicted my head; I grabbed my head with both of my hands dropping my weapons to the ground falling on my knees. My eyes were losing focus as my vision was fighting against Maleficent's control. Riku panicked, "Aniko", and then turned his head towards Maleficent. "This wasn't the deal Maleficent!" She laughed in response, "I do not tolerate with behaviors such as hers, especially from treacherous fools such as yourself, Riku". Riku launched his weapon at Maleficent, this time with full force.

*Riku's Point of View*

This witch is gonna get it. I swung my weapon at her full force, knocking her off her feet and towards the ground. My weapon against her neck, her staff still tightly gripped in her hand. "It's over, Maleficent. We're through playing your games. You're finished". She cackled back at me, I placed my weapon tighter to her neck. "You fool.” her body was suddenly gaining heat as fire was being released from it.

I backed away, as she rose into the air. "Now you'll have to deal with me, and all the powers of the darkness". Her body was rapidly covered in flames and started to transform. Her staff glowed, and started floating towards the keyhole. I jumped after it reaching towards it, but it slipped my hand and fell into the keyhole. "no..", I stood edges away from the keyhole, then looked that the flames of Maleficent's body were expanding. "Riku-", I heard my name being called as Aniko was holding her head with one hand, while using the other to help her stand up.I quickly ran by her side and carried her to the back of the room where the flames couldn't reach.

"Are you alright?", I asked her about her headache. I noticed her eyecolor was changing back and forth from dark to a shade of purple. I realized she was trying to fight off Maleficent's control. "I'm fine. I can fight", I placed her down but she was still having trouble focusing, becoming unbalanced to walk. "Are you CRAZY? You can't even see, you should stay here", I said, trying to convince her, but she shook her head. "You need help, you'll get hurt", she struggled to pronounce. I looked back and noticed Maleficent had transformed into a dragon, the flames still on her wings. Her roar pierced through the room, as she cackled afterward.

"Hey Riku! I thought you'd be done with her already. Guess you're gonna need some help", I looked around the room to recognize the voice, to see Sora falling from the upper level of the room. "It's gonna take even longer with you helping me out now", I answered. Donald, Goofy, Kairi where behind him. Sora summoned a Thunder spell at Maleficent, as she growled in pain. Kairi approached us in shock, "Are you guys okay?'' she looked at Aniko who's eye colors were still changing. "We're fine!", Aniko argued, but I ran off to help Sora, "Kairi stay here with Aniko while we go off and fight". With that, I ran off.

*Aniko's Point of View*

Not again. I continued to say to myself. Not again. Once again, I was useless and fighting to keep myself in control. "Kairi, I'm fine, really", I kept insisting, trying to sound calm, but she refused to believe me. I looked up to her, her face would black out and then regain form yet I ignored it trying to focus. "Aniko, I'm not letting get over there", she said. Goofy nodded, "She's right, Aniko you could hurt yourself". I looked to the front of the room where Maleficent had created a fire wall around her, I could slightly see that Leon and King Mickey had joined Sora and Riku. The pain in my head was getting worse, I yelled in pain. Donald quickly casted the Curaga spell, but didn't work.

While yelling out in pain, a familiar voice entered my head, "We all have to find the darkness within ourselves".

Roxas's voice filled my mind. As I remembered what he had told me, I closed my eyes and stopped fighting. My eyes had turned completely purple and my vision was gone. "I have to find the darkness within me..." I said.

*Sora's Point of View*

"You're not gonna win Maleficent", I yelled as I jumped on her back and striked her wing, causing heavy damage. Maleficent growled. "You've caused enough trouble, Maleficent", King Mickey exclaimed, his keyblade shining bright. As I called Riku over, we were ready to do a final attack on Maleficent. It was finally going to be over. "SORA!", I jumped and looked back. Maleficent did the same. Maleficent laughed as she saw the sight of Aniko's body releasing a dark aura. "Now, you will all be devoured by your own allies' power", she laughed.

Aniko raised her hands and summoned her chakrams. Kairi, Goofy and Donald moved back for safety. "Now, attack them!", she growled. I pushed Riku away as I dodge roll out of the way. Aniko ran towards the King, but before he could dodge Aniko jumped over him and threw her chakram straight at Maleficent's wings. The chakram sliced her wing off. Maleficent yelled in pain. "HOW?!!!" she cried. I looked over at Aniko, she smirked at Maleficent's face. Maleficent backed away and blew fire from her snout cause another firewall. The light blinded us, as Maleficent jumped into the keyhole. "We can't let her get away!", I said summoning a blizzard spell. Suddenly, I saw Aniko's chakrams flying through the fire, resulting a passage way to the keyhole. She quickly ran towards it and jumped. "Wait! Aniko stop!", I cried out, but it was too late.