Zexion pushed through the crowd of memory drawn citizens and soon found himself at the entrance of his destination… his home. He took a few steps forward but immediately found that his path was blocked by two heavily armored soldiers. Dressed in what would later be called Sandoran elite armor, the pair immediately crossed lances and impeded his advance.

"I am Zexion, King of Serido," he stated. "Stand aside; I must speak with my Uncle."

"I am sorry but His Majesty Doel is presently elsewhere," one soldier said in a monotone voice. Zexion asked again in a different tone, a more demanding tone but the second soldier repeated the answer in the same monotone voice.

"Hey." Xaldin grabbed Zexion's shoulder and pulled him back. "What the hell are you running off like that for? This is neither the time nor the place for us to separate like this."

"They will not let me in," Zexion muttered as he glanced to the statue-like soldiers.

"Maybe it's not time to see Doel yet," Axel said putting a hand on Zexion's shoulder and leading him away from the castle gates. "We still haven't found a way through this mess; we should continue on, maybe our path will lead us back here."

The others moved off with Axel and Paine leaving Zexion standing alone. He held his dragoon spirit tight in his fist while he bit his lip, and then the jade dragoon stone glowed pale green for a few seconds before shimmering, encouraging him that all would be okay. "Zexion come on," Xaldin called from beside the portal. Stuffing the stone back in his shirt he dashed off towards Xaldin and their new path.

The light flashed and the pair found themselves on the other side of the portal. It was quite a change from the sun lit and cheery square of Serido's capital. The thumping heartbeat of the Virage embryo was near deafening here. Each beat rang in their ears and rattled their bones and brought a wave of fear and worry to their nerves. The scene before them was dark and resembled the internal structure of something deformed and demonic. The ground, walls, and ceiling were flesh covered with pulsing veins and oozing fluid. Each pulse made the world around them move in time with the beat of destruction. The air smelled and tasted sour.

"What is this?" Xion asked stopping next to Xaldin and pointing at one of the fleshy walls the portal sat against. Paine grimaced and kept her arms tight to her side to avoid touching anything. Demyx, however, approached the wall and poked it carefully.

"EW!" he cried jumping back, hitting Lexaeus and then glided into the air on his wings to keep off the ground, which was also fleshy and moist. "This is disgusting!"

"You can say that again," Axel muttered, his face loosing what little color it had.

"We need to get out of here," Paine said whipping around and walking down the fleshy path. "This… it must mean that the body is being awakened and is preparing to take its soul back." She did not have to say it twice; the others swiftly followed eager to continue forward and to leave this horrifying sight.

It did not take too long to find the next portal and there was no second guessing this one. As the light dimmed the sight before them once again changed as did the sound. The drumming heart beat was no longer deafening but had taken a back seat to the sound of wind and breathing. As they opened their eyes the new scene unfolded.

No longer were they inside the bowels of a beat, but standing with in the clouds and the cold of a winglie fortress.

"Oh gods!" Xigbar yelled and Demyx out of fear flew upwards. They had been teleported several miles above the ground and into the clouds. Xion had grabbed Xaldin's arm and Axel had fallen into Xigbar.

"Stop worrying," Paine snapped looking back at them, she had apparently had regained her vision before the others and was kneeling down and touching the sky. She moved her hand a forward a few times before standing up. "The floor is made of glass." Demyx was not totally convinced and took the time to fly a little further from the group and examined the ground and the strange pillars around them.

"We're not going to fall through it like in Mayfil are we?" Xion asked, still holding on Xaldin's arm. "Because we won't survive this fall."

"No," Paine responded. "The floor is magical."

"Look down. It's Bale down there, do you see?" Zexion whispered.

"This is not right." Demyx said flying over the clouds and then looking at the group. "This is a winglie city, but cities like this haven't floated in the air for over eleven thousand years."

Paine tensed and drew her sword, stepping in front of the group and pulling their attention to her. "This moon… no not a moon, it's a demon," she said quietly. "It's toying with us; whether it is Soa or the demon within I don't know." She turned to them. "But this… this was Flanvel. A part of it at the very least."

Demyx landed and shivered. "This tower was tasked with wiping out any and all human cities that appeared during the actual war…" His eyes scanned the area again. "But it shouldn't exist in the same world as Serido. The human countries didn't fully form the way they are now until almost-"

"Five thousand years ago," Paine finished. Her face softened, "Sometimes I forget how much you know, kid."

"You don't think it's a warning or something do you?" Zexion asked.

Paine shook her head. "No that tower is dead, it can no longer fly. You saw what it looked like when we traveled there to find the Moon Mirror. I suspect that the only reason why the teleporters still worked was the power of the dragoon spirits."

"Feels so cold to be up this high," Xion said, carefully leaving Xaldin's side and exploring the area around them.

"A perfect feeling for the hearts of those who controlled these-" She stopped pacing and speaking almost at once. The look on her face changed to one of pure shock and horror. She spun around and swiftly raised her rapier with any words.

"Is something wrong?" Axel asked, but almost as soon as he finished his question a shadow shot across their feet and vanished, Paine's eyes never leaving it.

"This is…" she breathed her eyes widening. The creature flew by again letting out a crackling roar of furry. "It can't be!"

"Paine what is it?" Xaldin demanded.

"Run!" Paine called, throwing Axel forward. Everyone followed the order.

"Paine what is going on!" Demyx yelled but the blasts from above prevented answers from coming. Zexion threw up his hand creating a wind barrier which took a few of the attacks. "Is that a dragon?"

"It's a Vassal dragon… My dragon." She turned as the others ran. "Michael! STOP THIS!" She threw out her hand but the dragon dived low and took aim right for her.

"PAINE GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Xaldin yelled. Axel turned on his heel and dived at her, catching her round the middle and causing them both to fall through one of the holes in the floor.

"Xaldin!" Xion screamed as the dragon turned against them. Xaldin dived forward and the remaining dragoons jumped to the holes on the right.

Demyx floated down and let his wings phase back into his back. "They're not here," he said sounding worried and looking to the few in his group. Xaldin leaned forward from where he sat and patted the teen on the shoulder, all the while Lexaeus stood silently and looked around the canyon walls.

They had again arrived into a new land and a new location created by the moon. This area was new and unknown to everyone there well, not everyone; only one person seemed to recognize the area and he stood as silently as the canyon walls he observed. Every detail about him seemed to tell all the others something was going to happen here.

"Well they have to be here somewhere and we need to find them," Zexion said wiping his brow and getting to his feet.

"Zexion is right," Xion said looking to Xaldin and Demyx. "They may need our help. Lexaeus ?" The tallest man in the group looked down at her and then at Zexion before slowly unfolding his arm and nodding his head once.

As a group they began to climb the stairs when Demyx broke the silence. "You know it may just be me, because I flew around the place, but doesn't this place look sort of like the home of the Gigantos clan?"

"Yeah it-" Zexion began but he was cut off by Lexaeus almost at once.

"It is." He stomped past the others and was the first to reach the top of the cliff and looked over the edge. "It was the holy land of my people long ago," he said after his panting companions finally reached him.

"What does…" Demyx began as he flopped next to the giant man. A yell floated across the air silencing him and the others.

"Urgh! Damn it!"

"Get off your lazy ass you bloody bastard! We need to finish this!"

"Commander look there is one hiding down here!"

Well, kill it! Don't miss any! Annihilate all the Gigantos!"

"ARRRGGGGGGHHHHHH! MY ARM! THAT LITTLE PUNK BROKE MY ARM!"

"SHIT! COMMANDER! IT'S THAT BASTARD DOEL!"

"DOEL!? RUN YOU IDIOTS RUN!"

The group watched in horror as blood stained soldiers began to flee around the corner out of the cave and out of the way. The sound of thundering hooves soon became deafening as horses bolted around the cliff path.

The familiar black armored man, who had once been the beloved knight and uncle burst around the corner mounted atop a dark war horse. His blade was raised and from the sound of his yell he was riding with fury. "No man shall ever devastate this holy land!" he roared, and within moments the men before him were silenced forever.

His horse reared and the sound of stomping once again filled the air. "Finish off these men," he called to the others. "And then search for survivors!"

"Is this Doel?" Xigbar said looking and sounding rather startled.

"Yeah… Nothing like the man we knew," Xaldin muttered under his breath and looking just as surprised. They watched the soldiers move around the canyon, checking every nook and behind each boulder. The whole time Lexaeus stood stoically.

"Your Highness!" A soldier called from above. "We… We found them. I think we were just too late."

Another soldier closer to Doel, in a defeated tone, started, "If only His Majesty Carlo had given us permission to dispatch-"

"Do not talk about him!" Doel cut him off. "He… is no longer alive."

"AHHH! A soldier suddenly was thrown from the mouth of the cave and into another.

"Your Highness! There's someone in here!" Doel dismounted and kept his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Come out," he called into the cave, flanked with two knights on each side. A few seconds of silence followed before a young child stepped from the shadows. Zexion let out a slow breath and Lexaeus's fists began to shake.

"A child…" Doel breathed sounding relieved. "I am the new King of Serdio, Emperor Doel. There are no more people here to persecute you. You can live in peace now."

"Get out human!" The kid screamed drawing the hatchet off his side.

"Don't be disrespectful you little brat!" a knight to the far right yelled drawing his sword.

"Enough!" Doel yelled at the soldier before turning to the child once again. "Yes… I am a human and I am flawed but I wish to live in peace with all the species. I wish for peace between all." The child's arm shook and the hatchet lowered. "What is your name?"

"Everyone else… They are all dead… I… I am Lexaeus, the last…"

"Do you want peace?"

The child nodded.

"Then come with me," Doel extended his hand. "Come with us and help us bring peace." The hatchet dropped from the child's hand and he stretched his. "There will be no more persecution on you ever again…"

"This is your memory, Lexaeus?" Demyx asked.

Lexaeus's knees giving way he smashed his hands into the rocks beneath him and let out a heart breaking howl.

"This… is the truth of my uncle?" Zexion asked the wind as he watched the memory in the distance fade.

"You wanted peace," Lexaeus whispered hoarsely. "We… wanted peace. But we were not strong enough… even with everything…" Lexaeus lifted his head and looked up at the temple above. He sniffed back tears and growled, "I will not be defeated so easily." He stood up knocking Xigbar and Demyx aside. "Emperor Doel said a strong leader was required to make the world equal. A strong leader needs a strong power. I will take that power and use it to end this all!"

"What are you talking about!?" Demyx yelped as he tried to follow.

"Demyx, wait for him here," Xigbar said sternly. Demyx turned around and then back to the fading form of Lexaeus . "This is his task to complete."

Lexaeus entered the dimly lit temple and sternly searched the area with his eyes. The statues which were nothing but ruins when he last saw them were back and standing in the same glory he remembered them in as a child. The walls shimmered like glass and the orangey brown glow of the sacred hall filled him with pride, awe and humility. Memories of the good times began to slowly flood back to him and a small fear spread in his heart.

As he climbed the last few steps he was able to see the massive figure before him. A full chill ran down Lexaeus's body as he did what he could to stay composed. The last time he had seen and spoken to this man, he was only a child and had been forced to watch his beheading.

"So you came. Finally," the figure said in a deep slow voice.

"Brother, I have become stronger." The figure laughed coldly and slowly stood up. The cracking of the old armor was magnified in the large chamber, mixing with the slow beat of the heartbeat of the god.

Blood stained the front of the armor and seemed to be dried on the massive man's neck. Chains rattled before him, and connected to the ends of massive tomahawks on his waist. "I see." He sneered looking down on the smaller younger brother.

"I will overcome you, brother Indora."

Indora let out a second laugh that shook the ground. "Then come at me, runt!" Lexaeus threw out his arm as he charged forward. The large tomahawk materialized there and taking it with his other hand he brought it up. Indora pulled up the two on his hips and brought them down on top of Lexaeus.

The axes clashed shattering the air and the ground around their owners. Lexaus pushed back with all his strength but felt as if he was not pushing at all. His brother was twice his size and build and even in death he was still far stronger than he. Indora laughed heartily. "What's the matter brother?" He kicked forward sending Lexaeus flying backwards and into the base of a statue.

Lexaeus cursed but had almost no time to get out of the way as his brother dived down from the sky. Rolling forward he grabbed his own weapon, and watched as the statue where he had been moments before shatter like glass as Indora's attack claimed it.

Even in armor that weighed a ton, Indora was still twice as fast as he was; fitting, as he was the strongest of any of their kind. He ducked as the chain tomahawk was thrown at him. This did nothing to hinder the attack, as if it had a mind of its own it wrapped around him and pinned him to a newly formed pillar of earth.

Lexaeus could not break from this and took Indora's heavily armored fist to the chest. It felt as if his ribs had turned to dust as the pillar and his body broke under the attack. Earth flew up around him as he landed in a half daze.

"What is wrong with you! You're nothing! Pathetically weak!" Indora roared with laughter. "You think you have what it takes to be our hero! You are still nothing more than a child wanting a taste of his mother's milk!"

Lexaeus got to his feet and wiped the blood off his lips. Indora was right, he was weak he was letting his feelings get in the way. The memory of his brother, the memory of Doel, everything he had seen over his life, the death and destruction that he desperately wanted to prevent. If he could not defeat Indora then all this would continue tenfold. The god of destruction would be born and all would die before its feet.

He let out a long breath and relaxed his shoulders. He was a dragoon and he was chosen by a spirit of earth, he was the earth. He cracked his knuckles. He had been asked several times by the crew why he was here, why he was doing this what was his purpose. His purpose was to fight and was to fight hard and for all the ones who could not do it for themselves. He drew back his right hand. He did not need his weapon for this fight.

He slammed his foot against the floor and felt the earth shiver. The world would suffer if he failed; he could not. Indora let out another cold laugh and charged straight for him, tomahawks raised and ready to strike his limbs from his body. Lexaeus let out a slow breath and shifted his feet slightly and braced himself.

His eyes met his brother's and ducking low he threw his fist into his brother chest. A blast of sound ripped through the air as the armor shattered under the attack. Lexaeus brought his other fists into the attack and then whipped around tearing the weapons from his brother's hands.

"I am not weak!" he roared as he brought the weapons against their owner. "I fight! For emperor Doel! For the world! For us!" He jumped into the air before bringing them both down onto his brother's shoulders.

Lexaeus breathed hard as he waited for the dust to clear, blood was strong on the air. Slowly the broken figure of his brother appeared from the gloom. He was breathing hard, blood dripping from his body and beneath the shattered armor. He looked as he had the last time Lexaeus saw him alive.

Indora panted but was laughing. "You really have grown strong."

"Brother-"

"Go. Go to the people who need you."

"Brother, I-"

"Do not follow my path, Little One." Lexaeus fell silent as tears slipped down his face; so many years he's been the largest in the room, but still to Indora, he was small. "Mine lead to the destruction of our people but to care for others is real power." Indora smiled, teeth red. He spat blood and leaned heavily on his weapons. "Once, you gave me the power to fight the invasion of our Home, and now I give that power back to you. Fight for family, Little One; whichever family you find that will have you. I only wish… I had truly appreciated my family when I had the chance."

Indora, his will and strength spent, fell.

"Brother!" Lexaeus reached forward but for the second time in his life his brother was taken from him. His knees gave way and his hands slumped to the ground. He sobbed to himself for what seemed like years. "I'm sorry…"

He stood up looking for his lost weapon but it was nowhere to be seen. He turned his head a few more times when something flashed before him. His brother's tomahawks, two of them connected by chains. He reached forward and took the handles and felt a knot in his chest as he read what was written on the chain. "Bound and chained together by fate." Upon the axe on the left, "Lexaeus" and the right, "Indora."

"Brothers in arms," he said softly. He whipped the two out and felt the ground once again shiver beneath him. "I'll fight and help save this world. We'll bring peace. And I will bring pride back to you, Indora."

Xigbar stood up which prompted the others to turn. Walking down the stairs looking as if he had survived a massive rockslide was Lexaeus. Xigbar smirked and waited for the larger man to stop. "You conquered it didn't you."

"My brother praised me. For the first time he praised me. I am…happy."

"I don't get it what does the moon want to show us," Demyx cut in looking to the others.

"It's not a moon… not anymore," Lexaeus muttered looking to Demyx.

"It never has been," Zexion corrected. "It is the flesh of the god of destruction. And what it wants is to show us annihilation."

"No…" Xion said looking to him. "It does but Soa wants to show us hope."

"If Soa is helping us then we need to take what he gives us." Demyx said jumping forward.

"For once I'm going to agree with the kid." Xaldin said looking around. "We need to find Axel and Paine and finish this once and for all."

"Damn it this place is confusing as hell!" Xaldin groaned as his head hit the table. They had returned to the bar in Bale, each one splitting up and searching the safer areas for signs of the missing companions.

"I couldn't find any sign of them anywhere." Zexion said taking a seat opposite of his lifelong friend.

"Well…Let's wait here." Demyx said passing out the last of the water containers. "Look around this area, there are tons of portals. I bet they are likely to end up here when they get from where they are."

"Seems like a good idea." Xion said looking around nervously. "What do you think?" She said looking to Lexaeus.

"I think Demyx is right. We need to stay put and wait for them to come rather than getting separated even more looking for them. "

"Wow lot of words from the big guy." Xigbar chuckled as he appeared before them. "But I think he's right. I checked a few other portals and they all seem to lead to this location.

"Well…time to wait." Zexion said tapping his fingers to the beat of the god's pulsing heart.

The smell of sulfur and brimstone rotted the air and soured the lungs. Axel groaned as he felt the painful rocks cutting into his back. His head was as fuzzy as his vision. It felt as if he had decided to lie on a bed of nails after running fifty miles and entering a boxing tournament.

He slowly sat up letting out another groan as he did so. He had no possible idea to where they were; well he knew they were in the moon, egg thing whatever the hell it was but the location he was now being shown was not one that he personally recognized. The dull light hurt his eyes and he squeeze one shut while still looking around. Standing a few feet away looking up the mountain was Paine. Her sword was drawn and she looked visibly shaken.

"Paine are you okay?" She turned only her head but did not look directly in his direction.

"I'm fine." She turned back to the mountain path and remained quiet.

"Are the others here?"

"No."

"Damn it."

"Why did you Vassal Dragon attack us?" Paine did not answer and Axel finally got to his feet. Both his vison and his mind were slowly beginning to work and he realized that he was being watched by a bunch of small wyvern like creatures. "Dragons?" he looked around again and it suddenly dawned on him where they were.

This must have been the Mountain of Mortal Dragons before his time. "Did he want to bring us here to the birthplace of dragons"

"I think…We will find out soon enough. "she turned to him. "We should go, to destroy the Virage Embryo…or to fight Dart, I will need everyone at my side."

"Paine…"

"Don't be stupid. I trust everyone as much as you." She turned swiftly on her heal, her black hair swaying sharply as she did so. Axel rolled his eyes and followed her.

"You don't have to keep your emotions locked away all the time." He said catching up to her.

"My emotions are my own and are not meant for anyone else." She said sharply not looking at him.

They continued down the path a while when something crossed the path before them. Axel dodged around her and looked at the creature and then the nest that was close by. "Hey Paine…What are these?"

"That is a Pseudo dragon…It seems that everything past and present exists in this place. My favorite Pseudo dragon did not make it to the present…" Her voice trialed away and she shook her head. "We don't have time to be sentimental. Let's continue." Axel lagged behind for a moment looking at all the dragons that had once existed but now were long gone in his time. To think that both man and winglie wiped these creatures from history.

They were reaching halfway up the hill when Paine flung out her arm stopping Axel. "Could you…Wait for me here? He is calling me up there."

"Okay." Axel said sounding a little uneasy. Paine nodded and continued on her own.

Each step she took on that hill made it feel like a knife was slowly plunging into her chest. Memories of her past friend flashed through her mind and when she reached the top it became a climax. At the cliff edge was a corpse. The form of a medium size dragon laid there, its body open and exposed to the harsh elements of this mountain. Paine stood over the form for a moment before looking around the area.

"I knew it…This place. It is where I met Michael for the first time…" She closed her eyes and let out a small breath.

The mountain was bellowing out smoke and the clash of a sword echoed through the air. Rose landed hard against the ground her rapier drawn up and her eyes fixed on the bloody reptile before her. The Dragon let out a roar and tossed her head and extended her wings. She was not going to go down without a true fight. She turned her head to Dart who nodded once. Nodding back she looked to the dragon and charged. Demon's dance would finish it. Rose dodged around the dragon's darkness attacks and brought the sword up and against the wounded body. She turned on her foot and trust the sword back into the dragon's chest. With a roar it crashed to the ground its body beginning to fade in a black mist.

"Darkness dragon…forgive me… I am sorry. We don't have time. The Winglies are mighty, mighty enough to annihilate all of us, all of the species. In order to liberate the humans and the other pressed we have to sacrifice you." She held out hand. "Now is the time to decide, extinction or war." The darkness congealed before her hand and the stone shown through in a ghostly purple light. As the mist vanished a small creature flop forward onto his wings. The armor began to creep across Rose's body and wings span out from her back.

"We choose 'War'" Dart said in a confident tone. "The dragoon spirit left by the Darkness Dragon and this new born dragon will be the blade that fuels it." Rose stepped forward and took the dragon into her arms before stroking its head.

"This baby needs a name…How about Michael?" she laughed. "Black Burst Dragon Michael."

"You're going to name you dragon Michael?" Dart laughed. "Rose the Darkness Dragoon and her Vassal Dragon, the Black Burst Dragon Michael. I guess it is a good name…But we should go now."

"Yes…The real war has yet to start."

Rose opened her eyes to see the corpse before her rise up. Its body was taking shape the darkness was filling in the space creating the dragon she had raised, trained and loved with all her heart. "Michael!" She called stepping back. "Michael! Don't you recognize me?"

The dragon's wings spread out wide and he let out a bellowing roar which shook the mountain and was echoed by the roars of others. He lashed out with his jaws and Paine deflected the attack with her sword and jumped back.

"Michael! It's me! Its Rose! ….. Don't you recognize me!" The dragon's chest opened up and he fired a dark energy blast right for her. Axel once again tackled Paine to the ground and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge as the attack missed they by inches.

"I don't think it's working." He said pulling her up and then jumping away as the dragon flew right at them.

"It is just like last time! He is out of control..." She flipped backwards dodging the dragon and turning to Axel. "He forgot the pride of being a dragon and turned himself into a ravaging beast" The dragon let out another blast of the cannon on his chest. Axel threw out his hand creating a wall of fire and deflecting the attack away from him before summoning his chakrams and diving left as the dragon's claws ripped through the hardened earth.

Axel got to his feet ran up the wall and threw down his chakrams only for the dragon to vanish into a dark portal in the wall. "God damn it!" He roared. "He's not yielding to anything!" he turned to see Michael dive right at Paine who let out a series of dark blade like attacks only for them to deflect away. "He's as wild a Freybrand!" Axel jumped off the cliff and onto the dragon's back beating against the heard scales with his chakrams. The attacks did nothing more than break the edges of one of the blade like fingers.

Michael's head turned nastily and he flew up fast and then dived at the ground slamming Axel as hard as he could. Axel had barely enough time to dodge the massive cannon blast that was aimed straight down but it still caught him and Paine in the shockwave nearly sending both off the cliff.

"Magic and blades aren't doing anything to him." Axel growled as they were once again forced to scurry across the ground like mice.

"Darkness dragons are the strongest dragons. They have the best attack, defense and a high agility."

"You don't say." Axel said sarcastically as he blasted another one of the dark attacks with his own fire attack. "Listen Paine I don't give a shit about the history of the dragon species just tell me if there is a way to defeat him."

Paine gritted her teeth and could not move let alone speak; her eyes were fixed on the creature that was once her friend and her child. "Michael's shell is a special armor for the darkness dragon species. It repels any enemy attack."

"Then what the hell are we supposed to do?!" Axel looked up and was immediately grabbed by the creature and thrown into the air.

"Axel!" Paine screamed.

Axel kept his eyes closed till he could feel that he was falling. The moment he opened them he saw the sickening blood thirsty gleam in the dragon's eye and the cannon fully out and charging. "Shit!" he threw his hands out in front of him as he was blasted at point blank range.

Paine watched in horror as Axel was blasted into the ground. "Michael!" She begged. "Please stop this!" tears were at the corner of her eyes. It was soul tearing to have to end him the first time but now…Now the gods were making her do it a second time. What did they want with her?! Was it fun for them to torture her?! What had she done to deserve all this hate and death in her life!

"God….What should I do. " She looked up to see the dragon hovering over the weakened Axel. "I can't…Not again…I can't do it…" She looked down at the sword it flashed in the light and in that instant she saw the dark liquid that had once pumped through the veins of the one she loved. All those years, all those fight and battles, the trials of fighting the evil and protecting the world and they were rewards with a disease of the heart and mind making them nothing more than mindless killers.

She looked up tears streaming down her cheeks. Her dragon had suffered this fate because of her. He followed in her mindless kill and slaughtering of the servants of the god of destruction. She had done this to him, caused him to become this monster, to become her.

Michael landed and she saw the cannon begin to charge. She had to do it again…Taking a deep breath she summoned just her wings and shot forward deflecting the attack with her sword and striking at the cannon disabling and striking at the weak armor covering his heart.

Michael let out a roar that pulled at her heart strings, just like it had the first time. With tears streaming behind her she lashed out at the dragon's chest taking out the armor and exposing his weak point. In that moment she saw their time together. Michael as a baby, their attacks on the winglie armor and the battle at the capital city, Michael being there when she woke up every morning, their time patrolling outside of the countries, them being together in isolation.

But the darker memories came, Michael's cannon turning people to ash and dust his claws tearing through flesh and leaving blood marks across the towns they had to cleanse, his attacks against the cities his disobedience and his furry against all.

Paine blinked the tears from her eyes and rammed the sword through his heart feeling the pain as if she had received the same thing. Michael let out a long scream that carried through the air and around the beating heart of the evil god. Dark blood poured from his body onto her and to the ground. His wings flapped meaninglessly and he collapsed to the ground trying to breath, trying to retain life. His body convulsed a few times before his eyes fell onto her. Paine felt sick covered in his blood and her throat closed up as the dying eyes of her friend fell onto her.

Then they glinted, like they had so many times when they were together and happy. "Michael….I am…So sorry I did this to you…" She knelt down to his side and placed her hand on his head. Michael let out a soft coo like sound before his eyes went dark and body went limp. Slowly his body began to fade leaving her sitting there alone. Though she was no longer covered in his blood she still felt it on her skin.

Axel groaned as he got up feeling as if he had been thrown into a volcano, before he mastered fire. He rubbed his head and retrieved his chakrams only to see Paine kneeling down next to the corpse of a dragon which had long since passed.

"A…Dragons body is capable of enormous endurance and power…But its heart like all of us…Is not….After all those battles during the war…the fights and trials we went through…A dragon will become savage after all that bloodshed…They will no longer listen to the order of dragoons or the order of their kind…." She bowed her head unable to fight back her tears. "It's why I had to kill him!" She yelled out. "I killed him with these hands." She said dropping her rapier and looking at her hands. To her they were stained with the blood of her beloved friend and hundreds of thousands of innocent souls.

Axel walked forward and picked up her sword and placed it back into her hands. "Enough looking to the past. You've live four over ten thousand years Paine. You did it because you refused to see the future that you guy fought for, destroyed by an evil that did not want to die." He said soothingly. "If you stop now we won't get through this." He took her arm and pulled her to her feet. "If we can't stop this then the suffering of Michael will never be able to rest understood?"

"….You are right." She wiped her face with the back of her hand. "Let's fine the others we need to get to the core."

"Now that the person we know and love." He said thumping her on the back. He stopped after a few steps and looked around. "Well…Um…How are we going to get to find the others?" Paine let her sword vanish and then looked around.

"Every part of this world is connected…If we can we should be able to find a portal that will lead us back to that in in Bale. That area seems to be the main linked point in this messed up place."

"You think the others will be there?"

"They should, Zexion is with them, luckily he's the brightest one of that group." She stepped forward but paused at the hill to look at the dragon corpse but it was no longer there. "I'll keep my promise to those in Mayfil…and to you…I'll join you when my mission is completed."

"Come on Paine." Axel called from the bottom. "There's a path this way that seems to have open up. We can check there for a portal." She hurried down and they stood side by side and walked through the area.

"The heart beat is getting louder." She said after several minutes in silence.

"That can't be a good sign." Axel said looking and sounding worried. "We need to get there in time to save Roxas." Paine nodded and she picked up her pace. "I have a feeling though it that my father won't let us get there so easily."

"It's not him that worries me." Paine said seriously. "With the body on earth and the soul within the body will do everything to keep us away and may throw everything in its control and power to do so." As they rounded the dark corner they found a portal not too far before them.

"Finally!" Axel cried and he stopped before it and waited for her. "Ready?" Paine nodded once and Axel touched the strange pulsing surface. A white flash and they were once again in the after birth scented flesh hallway.

"Urrggggggg!" Axel cried as he pulled his shirt over his face. "Why?!" Paine half smiled and looked around.

"There are two other portals here…Wait this could be where we were earlier." She looked at him. "Wait here I'm going to check this one out just to see." Axel groaned, he did not want to stand in the bowels of the embryo alone but obeyed the command. It only took Paine a few minutes and when she returned she pointed to the Portal to the right.

"That was the Winglie city, Bale is this way." Without a second though the two ran to that portal and found themselves landing in the street of the Bale twenty years ago. Someone dashed up to them, not one of their companions but one of the memory people.

"Have you heard the news? His majesty Doel has returned." The kid dashed away and the two dragoons looked at each other.

"We should tell Zexion this." Axel nodded in agreement and they ran through the crowd and to the portal where the bar was located.

"Paine! Axel!" The two were barely removing their vision when their names were screamed across the room. Axel blinked a few times and then rushed forward to the relieved faces of his companions.

"I knew waiting here was a good idea." Demyx said waving his water flask around. "Where have you two been?!"

"Let's exchange information and you'll find out." Demyx pulled up a few chairs from them and smiled.

"You guys look like hell." Xigbar said with a frown.

"We took care of the dragon blocking our path." Axel said accepting water from the elder. "Where did you guys end up?"

"The sacred land of the Gigantos." Lexaeus said sternly. Zexion looked around and when no one seemed to be paying attention he slipped away.

Zexion continued to run ignoring the calls of his friends. The gates were locked but he knew a way in. A way that not even Xaldin knew. He dashed into an alleyway and found the one stone he was looking for at the end.

He pushed against it with both hands and watched a small opening to his right appear. Swiftly he ducked inside and watched as it closed. Nothing was going to stop him from this. Several emotions were coming to him at once but this was it. Everything, all the problems in his life were going to be solved, everything was going to be answered this time.

Zexion stopped and looked up at the castle before him. He remembered when it looked this beautiful and alive. His heart beat a little faster as he knew what was to come. The soldiers at the entrance bowed to him and opened the doors.

The entrance hall was deserted as was all the rooms along the sides. The only sound came from Zexion's very determined steps. There was no lying; he knew who was here and what was to come. As he walked up the stairs he felt the dragoon pulse and give him strength.

At the top of the stairs he found himself in a very large room, the throne room. Several figures were sobbing at the throne and as he approached they disappeared. Now a tall lone figure stood before the throne, his back was facing Zexion. That armor had plagued his nightmares as well as the voice of the man himself.

"You have finally shown up."

"I have Uncle Doel." Doel turned to face Zexion. His face was pale and rather gaunt but his eye, they were sparkling with malice and joy. Two swords appeared in Doel's hands, each stained with blood. Zexion did not move but closed his eyes briefly for a moment.

He remembered Doel standing at the throne like he just had been. The young prince had been lead to see him this was the moment when Doel told Zexion that his father was dead, killed in his sleep by a lone assassin who was never caught. Zexion knew now who that assassin had been and he was now standing before him once again.

"Why did you do it uncle?" Zexion said, his voice full of anger and strength. "Why did you kill my father?"

"Why did I kill my brother?" Doel asked. His voice and face remained the same for a moment but then his eyes flashed and he looked darker than ever. "TO SAVE SERIDO FROM AN INCOMPETENT RULER NAMED CARLO!" He pointed the bloodstained white sword at Zexion.

"My father was a good man, loved by his people." Zexion yelled back. Doel let out a howl and charged. Zexion froze, he had no weapon and his dragoon was not going to interfere with the battle. Zexion threw his hands forward as if hoping the gesture would stop his uncle's murderous attack. The sound of steel against steel echoed through the hall. Zexion opened his eyes and found that he had summoned a small staff to his hands and blocked his uncle's attack.

The staff was no longer than he was tall but was embedded with many strange markings and patterns. His heart began to race; it was like the walking stick his father used to carry with him. Zexion took a step forward and pushed his uncle's attack back. He felt stronger more alert; he spun the small staff in his hands and put it down against the ground.

Doel recoiled and glared at him. "My father loved his people; he would do anything for them."

"Carlo was weak." Doel said again this time more forcefully. "To think that the he got the throne over me! Only for it to then for it to be ensured to a book worm with no talent." Zexion stepped back feeling stung. "You have no idea how badly I wanted to end you that night as well." Doel said dangerously. "But it would have looked to suspicious at the time. When I became king I could finish you off, the loss of your mother years beforehand, and the loss of your father, no one would think twice of a suicide. But then they gave you the throne. A child with no talents and no idea what to do. I decided that day I would take split the country, take the southern half build my army and take the northern half by force."

"Uncle."

"I shall do it now!" Doel charged but this time Zexion was ready. He took the staff in both hands and changed. There was no contest, Zexion was much faster than Doel and with one push the staff penetrated the armor and came out the other side of Doel's back.

"I will do anything to protect my country even…even if I have to kill you to do it." He said his voice cracking slightly. "But I will not allow my people to suffer any more." He drew the staff out of his uncle's chest and watched the older drop to his knees.

Doel clutched at his chest and began to breathe heavily. "That's what I was missing." He said deeply. Zexion looked down at Doel and held back his emotions. "You are indeed Carlo's son….Forgive me."

"Uncle!" Zexion reached down but his uncle was gone. He dropped to his knees and looked at the staff on the ground. It began to glow and the other half began to appear bearing the symbols that were once on his uncle's swords. His hands shaking Zexion reached forward and took the staff in his hands. "father….Uncle…" he looked down but felt two hands on his shoulders. He turned to the right and saw Xaldin at his side and to the left Axel.

"I'm alright." He said blinking back the tears. "I found what I needed." He said standing up. "We need to continue, for Roxas."

Axel walked forward carefully. The blast holes that were left by Paine's dragon were no longer in sight though there was one that seemed to become a portal, maybe the portal that the others managed to jump into to get away? His eyes scanned the area carefully, they appeared to be in the sky and the last thing they needed now after coming back together as to be broken apart again. He turned to the right and saw Pain stand up.

"It's all clear." She said looking to him and then to the rest of the group who were back by the portal. "I don't think anything else if going to attack us now."

"That's a relief." Xaldin said as he led the rest of the group forward. "I think the last thing we need is to be delayed again."

"Agreed." Pain said as she looked forward to the crystal staircase. "Let's get moving." Axel nodded and raced towards the staircase with the others on tow.

Hold on just a little while longer Roxas we are almost there…I'm coming for you.

As Axel reached the top of the stairs he lost his breath and stopped dead. Pain stopped a moment later. "What is this?" He asked his voice quivering. Pain turned her head and looked around at the massive castle made from crystals and glass. "I've never seen anything like this? The crystal palace is close but this…"

"This… it's better than the Crystal Palace."

"It's the palace of the winglies." Pain turned quickly to look at Demyx who was staring at it with distain.

"There is no way that could have been made with human technology."

"No, it could not." Pain said her voice holding a sense of anger.

"We need to go further." Demyx said angrily looking at them. He rushed forward the others in tow.

"Axel the path!" Axel turned to see it glowing. He jumped up and summoned his wings along with Paine and watched as the path below them vanished.

"It vanished!" Axel yelled looking around. "Demyx look out!" Demyx turned and watched as a bright streak shot by him. Demyx turned swiftly and for the first time the rest of the group saw anger flit across his face.

"There is something I need to do you guys go on I'll catch up."

"Demyx no wait!" Paine threw out her arm and stopped Axel from going any further.

"Axel, he needs to go. Demyx will catch up we need to get across and through the castle."

Demyx folded in his wings as he landed gently on the platform. He stepped forward and looked around. He knew what the attack was, he knew what was here. "I know you are here." He called to the empty tower. "I can sense you; I can feel your hate in my heart." As he said his last words the creature appeared in a flash of white light. "Archangel."

"You… You threw away the pride of the sublime Winglies away and cast yourself with the barbaric humans." The eight winged figure's wings flung out and his four arms summoned his weapons. "For such a breach of honor I cannot allow you to exist any longer."

"Human are not barbaric!" Demyx yelled throwing out his arm and summoning his dragoon wings. "They have many good things! They have so many good qualities that they have that we don't!"

Archangel remained silent and glared down at the small figure below him. "That is enough!" He yelled throwing out his arm wielding sword. "You are a disgrace to your kind! I will make you remember the sublime spirit of a wingly!" The winglie god dived down straight at the teen. Demyx spread his wings summoning his armor and flew back swiftly.

Demyx threw out his arm sending the icicle crush spell down at the spirit. The eight winged figure drew up his shield arm and waited for the attack to end. "Wake up Demyx, you have already seen the arrogance and barbaric nature of those creatures, they are ignoble and not worth the time they take from this world."

"You're wrong! Humans are not ignoble. They don't have to know each other and yet they still help one another through the troubles that come forth. They have dreams and hopes just like all of us!"

"You fail to comprehend the dangers they are to the earth and to themselves. They must be ruled or they will eventually exterminate themselves." The winged figure flew up high and raised the horn to his lips. The blasting sound of heaven's gate filled the air. The clouds above Demyx and Archangel parted revealing the army above.

"No… I comprehend them more than you or anyone else does!"

"Silence you fool!" The figure roared as he raised his hand summoning the troops from above. "Have you forgotten what you species achieved? What we created! We stabilized a world of chaos and warm we saved tribes and people from thing that would have otherwise left them extinct; people that would not have even existed in the eyes of history!"

Demyx drew back and gritted his teeth. He knew this was no lie; the winglies of the past had saved many from death when dominance was exerted over them and the lands.

"Once there was one hundred and seven species on this earth. More than half of them were extinct, people gone and forgotten by all. When my rule, the rule of winglies spread we prevented the subversion of the world! We saved them."

"You're full of it!" Demyx roared throwing out his arm sending the ice attack back at the angelic figure. "You claim that we saved so many when we took over but in reality my kind killed more species then we saved! We stamped out so many other species to get where we are! Saving the few was only a ruse to make us look good in history!"

"The ones that were lost were meant to be destroyed. They had no right in living for they had no place in society."

"LIER! You destroyed them because they rebelled against the winglies!"

Archangel remained silent as he stared down at the young teen before him. "A Heretic like you disturbs our ordered world…You are far to much of a nuisance to be left standing. Your presence disrupts the order world of my will." He flew up and landed on the middle head of a three headed elephant. The wide white wings of the beast moved out as the creature let out a triumphant call.

Demyx tensed up his wings nearly freezing at the site before him. "This is the end. I will have no more of this, no more of your heresy in MY WORLD!" He lashed out with his sword and the winglies above began to descend.

The young teen felt something rise in his chest, this power the anger of his dragoon the anger of his own heart. Roxas was his friend and he was human, so was Axel, Pain, Zexion, Xaldin, Lexaeus, and Xion. They were humans, but they were his friends and they needed him. This creature wanted to kill them for being them. No. He could not let his friends get hurt. He needed to protect them. He needed to.

The dragon pushed against his mind telling him what to do. "I won't let you hurt my friend!" Demyx roared. He threw his hands forward and summoned the portal for his dragon. The blue creature burst forward making the army scatter all around. "Take him out! Make them pay for what they did to everyone!" He yelled throwing out his arms.

The dragon let out a thunderous roar and rushed forward the water crafting all around the army drowning them all. Demyx turned to Archangel and flew forward. He did not need his weapon for this. He summoned the spell to his hand and threw it forward. Ice formed around the winglie god before he could move. It crushed in closer before Demyx released the second part of the spell, shattering the ice and armor of his foe.

The eight winged god hit the top of the tower cracking the area he landed in. The blue sea dragoon swam through the air around them growling at the fallen god. "I've traveled a lot and for a long time. I know humans, and I know something else. You're not a god , you're not even real. You're an imaginary, an excuse for my kind to do bad things."

"You deceive yourself heretic." The figure said standing up. "I'm a reflection of the minds of all, a reflection of your mind and your distain for the humans, your mind summoned me here."

"You're a liar!"

"Don't lie to yourself you foolish child! I am a god! I know what lies in your heart; even the dark depths of your mind cannot escape my gaze!"

"You're the fool! I love humans! I adore Axel! I love Roxas and Xion, Xaldin and Zexion! Even Xigbar and Lexaeus are cool!" He yelled, the dragon flowing around them began to grow louder and louder. "They are my friends! I love the humans, I love what they stand for! My goal is to reunite them with my kind! To bring peace! That is what is real and you! You are not!" He summoned and ice spear and hurled it forward striking the fallen god in the chest. "You cannot control me! YOUR people are gone it's time for my people to rise up and be free from the mistakes of the past." He threw out his hand again calling the ice and the dragon to finish him. "Leave me alone!" He raised his hand up ordering his dragon to strike.

Axel looked around and soon saw the white wings of their fellow dragoon. "Demyx is back!" Xion called. Paine turned and smiled very slightly.

"Sorry I'm late guys," Demyx said grinning as he landed neatly near them. "You guys didn't get attacked did you?"

"A few enemies nothing we could not handle," Xigbar said grabbing Demyx around the shoulders. "So you won your own challenge."

"Yep." He looked forward. He looked towards Axel and Paine. "I'm ready to move on, let's go get Roxas."

The portal flashed and they all blinked several times. "What the hell is this?" Xaldin asked glancing at the scene they were now in

"Paine…What is going on here this is far different than anything else we have seen…It's not something I have seen in our world."

Paine remained silent as they looked at the moving and living looking walls. They seemed slimy but were smooth to the touch, things floated around them, strange screens like one would see in a winglie village or tower, the ground was misshapen but angled in strange ways. Gravity was warping, maybe even reality.

"Indeed this is nothing on our world…It is something vastly different…We are currently in a different world." She said half glancing at the group behind her. "Do not let your guard down here."

"Do you think this is the core of the moon?!" Axel asked.

"This looks appropriate for the world of the god of destruction." Demyx spun around on his toes and continued, "The perfect place for it to be born."

"We need to hurry now," Lexaeus said. "Dart and Roxas should not be too far ahead."

The group was halfway across the distorted room, the blinking screen to their left when the pulse of the moon began to increase in volume and speed. Paine stopped and looked around as if searching for someone who was talking.

"My world….My future…my….heart."

"Who's there!?" Xaldin growled.

"My world…..My future….My Heart."

"It's the body and soul of the Virage," Paine said waving them forward. "We need to keep going."

"…Axel…!"

"Roxas!" Axel rushed away from the group.

"Axel stop!" Xaldin rushed after him. "You can't do that we don't know what's-" Xaldin and several others came to a complete stop when they hit and fell over Axel.

"What in the name of the devil is this thing?" Xion asked looking mortified.

"It's a super virage… Must be acting as the gate keeper."

"Roxas is beyond that thing… He's close," Axel said his hands tightening into fists. "I won't let this thing stand in my way! I don't care if there is hundreds of them! I will not stop!"

Axel rushed forward allowing the brilliant flames to sweep across his body.

"For Roxas!" Xigbar yelled flying up after him.

Zexion and Xaldin looked at each other and nodded. "I've got your back if you got mine."

"Of course," Xaldin said with a nod. The pair summoned their dragoons, Xaldin took up the dragon buster and charged in Zexion close behind.

"I want you all to be careful!" Paine voice said echoing through everyone's minds and dragoons. "This super Virage is not like the last one that we encountered. This one is whole. It will not have a timer if it decided to go so focus all attacks on the body and not the head. If we do too much damage to its head it will blow apart without warning."

"Understood!" Axel yelled as he spun the burning chakrams in his hands. "All attacks, on the body! Let's take this son of a bitch down!"

"All in for that one!" Lexaus roared as his tomahawk materialized in his hands. With a yell he slammed down onto the creature planting several hits on its body before the dark energy forced him to flee. Axel moved in swiftly throwing both his flames breathing weapons forward. As they approached their target the creature drew up its arm with impressive speed before jumping backwards with just as much.

"Holy hell where did that come from?" Xigbar yelled as he was forced back by the beam attacks from the creature's chest.

"This one definitely has more power in it than it appears." Paine yelled as she drew back and whipped down her sword. "It is starting to create a magical barrier."

"How do we stop that from happening?"

"Leave that to me," Zexion said determinately.

"I don't know if that is a good idea," Paine said swiftly.

"Trust me on this one I know what I am doing," Zexion persisted and he turned to Xaldin who also looked unsure but nodded.

"If you have a plan I'll give you cover."

"That's all I need," Zexion said sounding relieved that his close friend was backing him up.

Paine drew her sword. "Whatever you have up your sleeve don't waste too much magic on it, we don't have enough time or energy to waste."

"Understood." Zexion flew forward swiftly and summoned what he could to his hands. His friends needed to save their energy; they would need to fight anything else that came forward. Ever since his dragoon started to obey him he found that his power regenerated faster than anyone else; maybe it was to make up for his lack of true power, whatever the case he had been saving up for a while to be of use, to be able to protect the others from fighting.

He drew back his hands and took a deep breath, he had seen his friends do this before, he knew how it was done he just had to focus and connect with his dragon. He closed his eyes and felt the others deflecting the attacks, for the first time ever he was going to be the one attacking. It was now or never!

Zexion flung out his wings and threw his hands forward feeling the realm around him shatter. "Come forth! Jade Dragon! Time to take that creature down!"

The green wings unfolded and pushed outwards as the creature drifted on the stale air that was the twisted realm. The creature tossed its head and unfilled its tail. "Take him down!" Zexon roared throwing out his hand out and grinning widely. The orange eyes of the jade colored dragon flashed to him before turning back to the misshapen mass of flesh before them. It let out a shrill howl before its body began to light up.

"The jade dragon! Excellent job! Dude!" Demxy yelled throwing his arms up. Zexion turned and smiled before looking back at his companion. The dragon's body was fully charged and now it was time to finish it off. With a howl the dragon flung out his many frilled wings, the atmosphere around them began to warp and twist; strange winds began to draw into the dragon before with a mighty roar it pushed the altered winds forward and onto the foes.

The resulting blast echoed violently through the space and shook the very Moon. The heartbeat of the God of Destruction quickened as if afraid or excited; with Roxas as the soul it could be either.

As the dust began to clear the dragon began to fade away, revealing the broken and fading remains of the foe. "Dude you have been holding out on us!" Demyx yelled as he grabbed Zexion around the neck and began to rub his fist into the elder's hair.

"Demyx get off!" Zexion yelped as he tried to break free.

"Guys enough!" Paine yelled catching them all off guard. "We need to push on now! I can sense them, I can sense the Moon changing! The transfer is almost complete! We have no time left!"

Axel turned to the others and then pushed forward forcing his wings onwards. Hold on Roxas we are coming.

Veroxen: I am not dead and I am soo sorry for the people who waited for this to come out. *threatens cowering life in corner* A lot of thing have happened since our last update, I graduated with a bachelors degree in Aquatic sciences only to be diagnosed with COPD which has nearly killed me several times :'D, as well as working as my duty as an admin for a group on Da which I am both a writer and artist for. Anyways this update comes form you straight for the warm lands of Canada where I am staying for a month.

This is the last split chapter for the series, yes the next chapter is the end but don't be sad we still have something else planed. As for the next chapter it will be a full collab between myself and Cy and will come out WAY SOONER than this update I promise. As for the very end of this, I took the approach on how I face this boss. Literally use Albert's dragoon and stomp it in one move :P

Ps- Shameless advertising: If anyone would like to get a hold of me I'm on DA every day and is the fastest and easier way to find me and or bug me for updates :'D. If you would like you can find me here .com and if you want to join a fun rp artist/writing group check out us at .com we accept all levels of skill and us writer's admins even offer critiques on works now :)

Cy: I'm sorry, guys. Don't blame Veroxen on how late this is. It's all on me. The length of this chapter was daunting and every time I opened it to beta it I got scared and put it off. Yeah, I put it off for years. My bad, My very bad. Next chapter is the last one and let's hope and pray that it doesn't take half as long as this one did to write and post.