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Testing, testing. Please don't hate me anymore rich text editor....
Title: Burning Heart
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer; Disney and Square own it all; I only wish I did. Why in the hell cant I come up with these wickedly cool characters and twisted plots? Why?
Summary: Nomura has stated that now that his Heartless and Nobody have been destroyed, Master Xehanort will be reborn. What if he is reborn, but not in the way everyone thinks?
When Xavier dragged himself from the depths of sleep, he was alone in the bed, and the light coming through the windows told him that it was mid afternoon at least. He sat up and raked his fingers back through his hair and saw that he and Isa were the only ones in the room. He could hear conversation drifting up from downstairs, and he threw the blankets back and padded barefoot across the room to check on Isa.
He had improved slightly over night; his face had a little color to it, and his breathing wasn't as labored. His hands and feet had warmed up some as well. That said though, he still burned with fever, and Xavier could clearly hear the fluid popping and crackling in his lungs with every breath. A few seconds later, a weak, wet sounding cough shook the frail body, and Xavier carefully sat him up and gently thumped his back between his shoulder blades, hoping to dislodge the phlegm. A few coughs later, a large gob of foul smelling dark green sputum that was flecked with blood landed on the blankets, so he carefully laid Isa back against his pillows and began to clean up the mess.
Footsteps sounded on the creaky stairs, and Taylor appeared, followed by an anxious looking Lea, to check on his patient. Master and apprentice swapped out IV bags, changed the bandages on Isa's wrists and ankles, bathed him, and changed his gown. At some point, someone, likely Ienzo, had gotten a second oxygen tank, but there was still plenty of gas left in the first one, so it wasn't needed at the moment. Once they were done, Lea took up residence in the chair by the bed, and Taylor turned to Xavier.
"Once you're dressed and presentable, come downstairs." he said quietly "There are people waiting to speak to you." Xavier nodded, and once the master physician had gone downstairs, he washed his face in the basin that was by Isa's bed, dragged a comb through his hair and gave himself a quick shave. He then smoothed his rumpled clothes out as best he could, slipped his socks and boots back on, and walked down the stairs into the kitchen.
Ienzo was at the table, talking quietly with Taylor. Siting beside Ienzo, with his arms folded over his chest and wearing a look of extreme irritation upon his face, was Even. Beside the blond scientist sat Dilan, and aside him was Aeleus, and the red head's blue eyes tracked Xavier as he came down the stairs.
Taylor excused himself from the table, and he, along with Alexander, walked out of the house, leaving Xavier alone in the kitchen with people that had every reason to hate him.
The room was silent for a long moment, which made Xavier had to fight the urge to squirm under the four pairs of eyes that were staring at him, and then Even spoke.
"We shouldn't trust him." the blond spat, green eyes flashing "He's betrayed us twice already; what's to stop him from doing so a third time?"
"Even," Ienzo said warningly "He spoke the truth; he had no intention of harming any of us."
"For now," Dilan replied "What about later? Xehanort didn't start out as the monster than he became, if you remember."
"That is very true." Aeleus stated thoughtfully "What is to stop him from turning that way again?" They all focused their gaze on him, and Xavier looked down at the table top. What could he say?
"Hmph," came Even's voice "I say we turn him into Ansem to be dealt with now and wash our hands of the entire affair. We're already on thin enough ice as it is. If he finds out that we knew that Xehanort was here and said nothing, he'll condemn us to rot in the prisons along with Saïx."
"We are not going to turn him into Ansem." Ienzo said firmly "We are going to give him a chance."
"This is a mistake, Ienzo." Dilan added.
"He is going to get the same chance that we got." Aeleus said quietly "Or have we forgotten so soon that we were just as guilty as Xehanort was?"
"He led us down that path!" Even snapped.
"I didn't see any of us refusing either." Ienzo said easily. "He may have led us, but we followed willingly."
"Then be in on your head; I warned you." the blond snarled, and he stood up abruptly from the table and stalked out of the house. Dilan also stood up and walked out, but not before giving Xavier a dangerous look.
"Good luck, Xehanort." Aeleus said gently, and the big man also left the house, leaving Xavier alone with Ienzo.
The Cloaked Schemer stood up as well, which prompted Xavier to do the same. "I will sit with Isa. You need to go find Naminé." He gestured, and a portal appeared in the kitchen. "That will take you to her, but I must warn you. She does not live alone, and those she stays with will attack you on sight. Be careful."
Xavier nodded. "Thank you, Ienzo."
"Don't thank me yet. I lost ten years of my life because of you, Xehanort. Every sense I have is screaming for me to hate you, to turn you in to Ansem, so he can have you executed, but I remember a different Xehanort. I remember a lost foundling that was desperate for somewhere to belong, that just wanted a home and family to claim his own. I considered that Xehanort a friend, and I like to think that you are him, and will take the chance that I'm offering." Ienzo graced him with one of his rare smiles, and for a second, Xavier saw the bright eyed boy that he remembered, before the man spoke, and the image was destroyed. "Now go."
With a nod, Xavier walked through the portal. He barely heard Ienzo's quiet. "Good luck, Xavier." as it closed behind him.
When Xavier stepped out of the portal, he was in front of a strange looking castle, with tan walls and green spikes all over the place.
Castle Oblivion...
His heart filled with an aching pain, and for a moment, he remembered a beautiful castle with five towers connected to four peaks by long golden chains, surrounded by green hills and sparkling water.
This is our home, right Xehanort?
It certainly is, Eraqus.
He walked quietly up the dirt path to the castle doors, and to his surprise, they opened before he could touch them. A teenaged girl with white blond hair and deep blue eyes poked her head out.
Naminé.
"Ienzo told me that you were coming." she said quietly "Hurry, come inside before the others see you." She beckoned him with one slim hand, and he hurried up the steps and slipped inside. She shut the doors behind him and began to trot out of the large white, gray accented room. "This way."
She led him through an endless maze of rooms and corridors, and he was hopelessly lost within minutes. Naminé, however, seemed to know exactly where she was going, and after a few more minutes, she led him into a simple room, furnished only with a bed and a desk. She carefully locked the door, and gestured for him to sit in the desk chair, while she sat nearby on the bed.
"You want to know what you can't remember." she stated simply, and Xavier nodded "Ienzo told me that you were not out to hurt anyone, that you just wanted to know. I can help you with that, but what are you going to do with those memories?"
"What do you mean?"
"You've regained memories once before, Xavier, and with them, Xehanort betrayed those that had taken him in, destroyed Radiant Garden, and tried to plunge the universe into darkness. So what will you do?"
Xavier looked down at the pristine white floor. "I... I just want to go home, but right now I've no home to return to."
"And?"
"Everyone hates me. I've been told some of it, but I really want to know the rest. I just need to know."
Naminé gave him a searching look, and then she nodded and patted the bed beside her. "Come lay down. This will be easier if you're lying down." The two of them swapped places, with Xavier moving to the bed, and Naminé taking the chair that he had vacated. He laid down on the soft white blankets and saw her pulling a sketchpad and pencils out of the desk drawer. Then she looked at him.
"Are you sure that you want to do this, Xavier?" she asked "Some things are best left forgotten."
"I need to know."
"Very well then. Close your eyes and try to relax."
Xavier let his eyes sink shut as his head sank into the pillow. He heard Naminé's pencil scratching across the surface of the paper in front of her as he slowly sank into the depths of sleep.
When he opened his eyes, he was lying on the floor in the lab just off Ansem's office. Looking around in confusion, he shakily got to his feet.
"Why am I here?'" he asked out loud.
"Because this is where it began for us." said a voice, and he spun around to the doorway to see a familiar person standing there, leaning against the doorway.
"Xehanort?"
The young man, dressed in the same clothing that Even and Ienzo had been wearing, including the white lab coat and purple ascot, nodded, but did not move from his position. "We are in our mind, which, for now at least, you are in control of. Because of that, I can speak to you freely."
"Who are you exactly?"
Xehanort shrugged. "I am, or rather was, Xehanort. The lost foundling that was taken in by Master Ansem. I was, for intents and purposes, his adopted son, and I lived here in the castle with him and his other apprentices for three years."
"Was Xehanort?"
Xehanort smiled a sad smile. "I am merely an echo, Xavier, a memory, of the person you used to be. You are the personality in control of the heart now; basically, you are me reawakened. I'm sure that you know that there are two other personalities in your heart now, and young man, and an old man, correct?"
Xavier nodded warily. "What can you tell me about them, about us?"
Xehanort stood up from the door frame and began to walk slowly into the room, looking around in longing. "For two years, I lived here peacefully in Radiant Garden with my new family. Like you, I wanted to know about where I had come from. Had I been abandoned, cast out, kidnapped and then left to die? I had been near death when Braig led Master Ansem to me, so some suspected that the latter was the case. Master Ansem had his men search all over the world for anyone that could lay claim to me, but there was no one. Braig attached himself to me quickly; he claimed it was because he didn't want me to feel alone. He was lying, of course, but I wouldn't learn that until it was too late.
"Two years after I was found, Master Ansem became concerned about the darkness in peoples' hearts, and what could happen if that darkness were to grow out of control. He wished to unlock the secrets of the heart, but he needed a test subject for that. Braig encouraged me to volunteer, and though I was reluctant, I eventually agreed, enticed by his promises of regaining my memories if the tests succeeded. I was a fool to subject myself to that; no one knew what kind of effects it would have on me. Master Ansem was reluctant to experiment on someone that had no memory, but there were no other willing subjects available, so he agreed." Xehanort sighed with regret. "If I had known what the tests would awaken, I would have stayed for away from them."
"What did they wake up?" Xavier asked hesitantly.
"Our original persona," Xehanort said heavily as he looked to his left, and on the large glass window to Xavier's right, an image appeared like it had been projected there. "Master Xehanort."
Xavier slowly turned his head to face the window and was not surprised to see the creepy old man that spoke to him in his dreams.
"I began to dream of him." Xehanort continued, still staring at the image "He spoke of crazy things, the Keyblade War, the X-blade, the Darkness. I was frightened by him, but I was also frightened of what people might think if I told them. I confided in Braig, and he warned me to keep silent, that others would think me insane, and the experiments would be discontinued, and I might never regain my memories. I took his advice, and the experiments continued, but the dreams only became more vivid and disturbing. I began to remember things: a boy named Ventus, and young man named Terra, and how Master Xehanort had betrayed them and hurt them both so badly." The image on the window of the old man vanished, to be replaced with other images; of the young man that Xavier had seen, and a boy that greatly resembled Roxas, "I remembered killing one that I had once considered a brother and destroying his world. I often woke screaming in horror from those dreams, but no matter how many times Master Ansem or Even shook me awake, I wouldn't speak of what I had seen to them. I only told Braig, and he kept warning me to keep silent about it.
"He began to take control of me. I began to do and say things that I had not intended to say or do. I began to change, and Master Ansem stopped the tests on me, fearing that he had damaged me in some way, but it was too late. I finally decided to ignore Braig's advice and tell Master Ansem everything, but I found myself unable to speak of it. Whenever I tried, it felt as though someone was freezing the words in my mouth before I could give them voice. I spent hours trying to speak or write down the words, but I was never able to do so."
Moving images began to appear on the glass; of a frustrated Xehanort trying to speak, but finding himself unable, of sitting at his desk in his room, tears streaming down his face as he tried to force a pen to move across paper and getting nowhere. Those images were replaced by others: Xehanort speaking to the other apprentices and smirking in delight when they agreed to go along with him; dragging helpless townspeople into dark cells under the lab, and the inhumane experiments that they were subjected to.
"I was helpless to stop him, and soon, his takeover was complete, which forced me to be a mere spectator in my own body. I watched as he led the others down the path to darkness and destruction. I could do nothing to stop him from destroying the hearts of the innocent people that were kidnapped on his orders. I was trapped in my body, screaming in horror at what I was witnessing, but unable to to change anything. Master Xehanort had me firmly under control.
"One year after the experiments began, the remnants of the seal on our heart were broken, which allowed Master Xehanort to fully awaken. It was here, in this very room, where he put the next phase of his plan into motion." Xehanort looked up at the screen, as it showed him summoning the same keyblade that Xavier had used after the destruction of Haven's Bridge. He attacked Even first, as the eldest apprentice tried desperately to protect Ienzo, ripping out the blond's heart as Ienzo screamed in horror. He next went after Ienzo as the terrified child frantically shook Even's fading body and cried for him to wake up. Braig then wandered into the room, and he was quickly taken down, followed shortly thereafter by Dilan and Aeleus. Xehanort then walked calmly from the room, and found Ansem in the chapel. He quickly overpowered the older man and threw him into a dark portal. Ignoring the horrified castle servants, he then strode purposefully into the next room, where he used his keyblade to plunge the world into darkness. Heartless began to pour out of every shadow, and they swarmed the castle, attacking everyone that they came across.
In a scene that mirrored the destruction of Haven's Bridge almost exactly, the entire world began to break apart, swirling in a vortex and being dragged up into a orb of darkness in the sky.
The glass returned to normal then, and Xehanort continued. "I spent the next ten years as a spectator, as his Heartless wreaked havoc across the worlds, unable to interfere, but unable to stop watching. It was the purest form of torture. Eventually, Sora and his friends destroyed the Heartless and later the Nobody, which allowed the complete being, our heart in control of Terra's body, to be reborn, and it was shortly thereafter that an opportunity arose."
"What happened?"
"Master Xehanort fell ill. In his weakened and disoriented state, Terra and I were able to seize control back from him. We then closed off his memories, leaving me - you – in control once more. We knew it wouldn't stop him forever, but it would buy time. In doing so, you – or rather me – were reawakened. Like me, you remembered nothing. Like me, you were adopted into the family that found you. Like me, you wanted to know where you had come from. Unfortunately, like me, you began to remember things, which allowed Master Xehanort to start waking up."
"Is he... is he going to take control of me again?"
"Eventually, if you don't do anything to get rid of him."
"But how do I do that? We have the same heart!"
"Hearts can be split, Xavier. It is dangerous, but it can be done."
"But I don't know how to do that."
"Master Xehanort does, and since you share a heart, you can access his memories and his knowledge." He answered the question before Xavier could voice it. "Naminé will be able to help you in that regard, but before she does that, there are more things you need to know."
"Tell me."
"Our Heartless, which consisted of our own heart, as well as Terra's controlled the Heartless. They obeyed his every command, and once he was defeated, their numbers dropped drastically, as they had no one to direct them any longer. However, the lock that Terra and I placed weakened with time, which allowed an echo of him to awaken. He is not conscious or aware like I am, and for that matter, neither is Xemnas, our Nobody, but his power still called to the Heartless. It was that call that summoned the Heartless to Haven's Bridge."
Xavier's breath hitched as his eyes widened. He took a step backwards, stumbled, and slumped to the floor. "You mean, Haven's Bridge was destroyed because I was living there?" Tears stung his eyes, but he made no attempt to wipe them away as Xehanort knelt down in front of him and nodded sadly.
"It is not what you wanted to hear, Xavier, but it is a large part of the reason why the Heartless have been following you around. They are drawn to you because of who you once were. Being a Keyblade wielder does not help; they are drawn to the keyblades like magnets. They will always follow you because of that, but their numbers and frequency will decrease once the darkness in our heart that attracts them is destroyed. Once it is gone, the world's heart will be freed, and it will be reborn. When you return there, you will be able to find and seal the world's keyhole, which will prevent them from destroying it again."
"How do I do that?"
"You've already done it once. Remember what happened on Raliaum's world?"
"The keyhole in the field, the light from the keyblade. I did seal it, didn't I?"
Xehanort gave him a small smile and nodded. "When Haven's Bridge is restored, you need only do the same there. The keyblade will show you the way."
Xehanort stood and pulled Xavier to his feet with him. "Naminé is going to take you deeper into our memories now. " The scientist hesitated. "Xavier... there will always be those that hate you. They will not care that you were not in control of yourself; they will only care that you are responsible for whatever misfortune fell upon them. We may never find forgiveness, especially from Master Ansem," Xehanort trailed off, and Xavier felt a stab of pain in his chest at Ansem's name "but hopefully through your actions we can find redemption." Xehanort smiled and engulfed Xavier in a warm hug. Xavier was surprised, but he returned the embrace, and when Xehanort stepped back, Xavier could see the wall behind him.
"You're fading!"
Xehanort smiled again, although this time his smile was sad. "I know. I am only an echo, Xavier, not a complete person. I can't last forever."
"But what will happen to you!"
"I will remain, as part of you. The two of us are the same personality, given life upon the sealing of Terra and Master Xehanort's hearts." Xehanort stepped further back, barely visible now. "Redeem us both, Xavier." Then he just dissipated, like light smoke on a wind.
Xavier stared at the spot where Xehanort had been just a second before and wiped his damp eyes. "I will, Xehanort. I promise." He sighed and looked around the silent room. "I'm ready, Naminé." No sooner had he spoken, than the room around him began to fade into blackness, and he was falling, falling, falling...
Fourteen year old Xehanort looked out over the water at the setting sun as the salty breeze ruffled his long white hair. A desperate longing filled his heart, a desire to escape, to see and do more than work in his father's store, get married, and raise a family as was expected of him. He felt like a caged animal, and his restless heart just wanted out somehow.
'"This world is too small." he said quietly to himself.
It was the sound of feet walking across the wet sand that made him break from his thoughts and turn around. Behind him, looking around with large, teary eyes, was a small boy, perhaps no older than six or so. The boy's long black hair was tied up in a loose knot, his clothes were dirty, and he was missing a sandal.
"Are you alright?" Xehanort called out to him "Where are your parents?"
The boy sniffled, "I can't find Master Limahl." and then burst into tears. Xehanort was taken aback – he would be the first to admit that he had no experience with children – but he walked up to the crying child and knelt down in the sand in front of him.
"Hey, don't cry. I'll help you find him, okay?" The boy threw himself at him and wailed into his shoulder, and Xehanort awkwardly hugged the kid back. The boy's cries quieted after a few minutes, and Xehanort stood up and took his hand. "Let's go find him. What's your name?"
The child gave him a watery smile. "Eraqus. What's yours?"
"Xehanort. Now, shall we go find this Master Limahl?" Eraqus nodded eagerly, and Xehanort led him over to the dock, helped him climb into the row boat, and then easily rowed the two of them to the main island. If Eraqus' master was on the Destiny Islands somewhere, it stood to reason that sooner or later, he would end up at the mayor's house, looking for his missing charge. He might already be there, so it was going to be the first place they went upon reaching the main island. If he wasn't there, well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
It was full dark by the time they reached the main island, and Eraqus' head was bobbing up and down as Xehanort tied the boat up. He then picked up the sleepy child and carried him through the darkened streets to the mayor's house. Eraqus was sound asleep with his head resting on Xehanort's shoulder by the time they reached their destination. Xehanort's knock resulted in the door being opened immediately, and he carried the sleeping child inside.
"Eraqus!" A tall, wiry man, with blue eyes and long auburn hair that was streaked with gray and combed back neatly into a tail ran up to him and took Eraqus into his arms.
"Master Limahl?" Eraqus mumbled sleepily as he nestled close and went back to sleep. "M'sorry. Didn't mean to get lost."
"It is alright, little one. I'm just relieved to see you safe." Limahl looked past Eraqus' dark haired head to land his gaze upon Xehanort. "Thank you, young man, for finding my apprentice."
Xehanort nodded. "You are welcome. I really should be heading home now though." Limahl nodded in understanding with another smile, and Xehanort spared a glance at Eraqus' sleeping quietly in his master's arms before he left the mayor's house to return home.
The following afternoon, after finishing his work for the day in the store, Xehanort once again found himself staring out over the water at the sun on the island that the children used as a playground. He wanted so desperately to leave, it was almost painful.
"You have potential." said a voice behind him, and Xehanort spun around to see Limahl standing there, with Eraqus holding onto his hand.
"Potential?" Xehanort asked "Potential to do what?"
"This." Limahl said simply, and he held his hand out. In a flash of light, the strangest weapon that Xehanort had ever seen appeared in his hand. It looked like a giant key, and he felt something tugging at his heart as he looked at it. Without realizing that he was moving, he stepped closer to look at it.
"What is it?"
"A keyblade, young Xehanort. It is a very powerful weapon, and can be used for good or ill, light or dark. Wielding it carries great responsibility, but once you have one, no barrier or wall can stop you. The universe will be yours to explore freely."
"I could leave here?"
"Yes. If you were to accept what I'm about to offer, you would leave this world behind and come to live with Eraqus and myself."
"What are you offering then?"
"To be my apprentice and learn from me."
"How would I do that?"
Limahl spun the keyblade in his hand and held it out handle first to Xehanort. "In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."
Limahl fell silent, waiting for Xehanort to respond. Xehanort looked back in the direction of the main island, where his parents were, where his home was, and then looked back at Limahl. He then reached out and took the key in his hand.
Limahl had gone offworld to speak with Yen Sid, leaving Xehanort in charge of Eraqus and the castle. Xehanort stood in the bright sunshine, practicing his katas while Eraqus did the same nearby.
"I'm thirsty, Xehanort." Eraqus said "I'm gonna get something to drink."
"Go ahead then, but make sure that you come right back. Master Limahl won't be happy if he hears that you slacked off, or that I let you."
"I will." The small boy skipped off in the direction of the castle, and Xehanort watched him go out of the corner of his eye. Master Limahl had warned them that the Heartless could appear out of nowhere but Xehanort knew that once inside the castle, inside the protective cocoon of its wards, Eraqus would be safe. The wards around the castle were formidable, and they were added to by each Keyblade Master that resided there. He saw Eraqus jog up the steps and vanish through the front doors, so he turned his attention back to his katas.
A few minutes later, he stopped his practice keyblade in mid swing as a sudden feeling of uneasiness stole over him. Something felt wrong, just wrong, and he didn't like it at all.
And then he heard the scream. Immediately, he dropped the practice keyblade and ran towards the source of the scream, towards the castle.
"Xehanort!"
Dear lord, it was Eraqus. Xehanort increased his speed as he saw the child standing in front of the castle, surrounded by a squirming mass of Shadow Heartless. He knew that he would not reach Eraqus in time. As one, the Shadows leaped, and Eraqus vanished under a writhing mass of darkness.
"No!" Xehanort barely recognized the voice as his own, and a fierce desire to protect Eraqus, to get the Heartless away from him, boiled up from somewhere within. With a flash, cool, smooth metal appeared in his hands, and part of him realized that he had just summoned his keyblade for the first time as he swung at the Heartless that were piled on top of his little brother.
As one, the Shadows turned to him, leaving Eraqus scratched and bleeding on the stones of the courtyard, but alive and crying, which meant they hadn't torn out his heart.
"Run Eraqus!" he shouted as he swung the keyblade to keep the Shadows at bay "Get inside!" The boy stumbled to his feet, but he didn't not run. Instead he only stared at the Heartless in wide eyed horror, and Xehanort realized that he could not hope to run himself as long as Eraqus was outside with him. If he fled, the Heartless would turn their attention back to Eraqus, and the smaller boy would stand no chance against them. Hell, Xehanort knew that he was seriously outclassed as one of them managed to rake its claws down his leg. He had been living with Master Limahl for only a few months and hadn't learned much yet.
"Eraqus! Get inside!"
"Fire!" From behind Xehanort came a large fireball, and it exploded in the midst of the Heartless, killing a few of them and scattering the rest. He then felt the comforting weight of Master Limahl's hand on his shoulder. "Xehanort, take Eraqus and get inside the castle. Now." Xehanort nodded and used his keyblade to bat away a few of the dazed Heartless to create a path across the courtyard to Eraqus. He snatched the boy up and ran up the steps to the front door, with Eraqus clinging to him in white knuckled terror. Once safely inside the front doors, he turned back to see Master Limahl easily destroying the remaining Heartless. The older man then ran up the steps and joined them inside.
"Are you hurt, Xehanort?" Xehanort shook his head in the negative, and Master Limahl turned his attention to Eraqus. "Eraqus?" The boy, shaking like a sapling during a thunderstorm, raised his eyes to meet their master's, and then he burst into tears. Master Limahl gently took the sobbing child into his arms and carried him off to get him cleaned up, but before he disappeared into a hallway that led to the closest bathroom, he turned back to Xehanort. "I noticed that you summoned your keyblade, Xehanort." he said, nodding to the weapon that Xehanort was still hanging tightly onto. "Good work." He then carried Eraqus out of the room, and Xehanort shifted his attention to the strange, blue-gray keyblade in his hand. He studied it closely for the next hour, until he was summoned for dinner and then sent to bed. He finally had his keyblade! If only it hadn't appeared in the midst of the most frightening experience of his life...
Xehanort wasn't the least bit surprised when Eraqus climbed into bed with him in the middle of the night. After the events of the day, they both needed the comfort of the other's presence.
"You both performed admirably." Master Limahl said as Xehanort and Eraqus stood at attention in front of him "You both have passed your Mark of Mastery exam, and I cannot express how proud I am of both of you." Xehanort and Eraqus, now sixteen and twenty-four respectively, shared a quick grin before their master's words made them focus their attention back on him. "However, I can only choose one of you to be my heir and successor, and for that I chose Eraqus. Xehanort, you have been a wonderful student, and it was a joy to teach you, but you lean too close to the darkness. That said, you may stay here if you wish, or you may explore the worlds at your leisure. Just remember, you are a Keyblade Master, and the title carries great responsibility. You both are dismissed, though Eraqus, I will speak to you later. There are things that we need to discuss."
"I'm sorry, Xehanort." Eraqus said quietly after the elderly Keyblade Master had left the training hall.
Xehanort waved that away. "I have suspected that he would choose you, Eraqus, for quite some time. You and I know, I never quite understood his absolute opposition to the darkness. It must be in balance with light, so why destroy it and damage the balance between the two?"
Eraqus shrugged absently, though Xehanort knew his lack of answer was because he agreed with their master but was simply to polite to voice it. "You know that you will always have a home here." he said instead.
Xehanort smiled. "I know, and thank you for saying that. The Land of Departure has been my home for so long..."
"Have you given though to returning to the Destiny Islands and seeing your family?"
"No, I doubt I'll ever return there. What of you?"
Eraqus shook his head. "No, you and Master Limahl are the only family that I can remember anyway."
"Well then, enough of the serious talk. Interested in going out to Twilight Town and celebrating?"
Eraqus grinned. "Lead on. Race you there?"
"You're on."
Xehanort stared out the window of his comfortable room at the world below. Night slowly crept in as darkness overtook the light of day. The deepening gloom outside allowed his reflection in the window glass to become clearer, until his face, marked with age and time, was plainly visible. With one hand, he reached out and touched the reflection, met its fingertips with his own. How long had it been since he had cast away his boyhood home, forsaking the family of blood for another that was bound together by the power of the keyblades?
Turning away from the window, he returned to the small desk that he had been diligently writing at earlier and read over what he had written.
Was my time drawing to an end, then, after all I had accomplished since casting away the place of my birth? Surely waiting for a quiet death would not do, not when there was still so much I needed to see for myself. Powers help me, I thought, my body is so old...
Yes, he was an old man, his life was nearly at its end. He laughed suddenly, wishing that Master Limahl were still alive so he could show him. Show him that he had been wrong. The old master had said that darkness had been dangerous and would consume them at the first opportunity, yet Xehanort had escaped its grasp and now controlled it instead. The old man would probably be horrified!
Xehanort laughed again as he rose from the desk and went to the bed, dousing the lights as he went. As he dropped off to sleep, he thought that maybe it was time to finally find an apprentice of his own, to pass his knowledge and skills onto.
Xehanort dropped to the ground, leaning heavily on his keyblade for support, chest heaving, as Terra approached him. The boy thought that he had bested him, but he did not know that Xehanort had simply gone easy on him, not wanting to damage his vessel.
Beneath their feet, the ground shook, and a column of light rocketed into the sky.
"Oh," Xehanort looked up and pointed "There, you see! The X-blade has been forged!" He regained his feet as Terra stared in horror.
"Ven!"
"And now Terra," Xehanort said as he raised his keyblade to his own chest. "It is time for the final union!" With that he rammed the blade into his own chest, and a bright light began to shine.
Terra spun around to face him. "What?"
Xehanort let go of the keyblade, and it vanished as his heart floated free of his body. "At last our moment is here. Out with the old and brittle vessel, and in with the younger, stronger new one." His heart floated free above him, as white light began to shine around his body. Through it all, Terra stared at it, too shocked and horrified as he realized what was going to happen to him. "I swore I would survive, and be there to see what awaited beyond the Keyblade War." Xehanort looked down from his free floating heart, to Terra. "And now it is your Darkness that shall be the ark that sustains me!" With that he pointed at Terra, and his heart dropped down and raced over to the boy. Terra activated his keyblade armor, but it was no protection. For a moment, he stood there, choking, shaking, surrounded by a dark aura, as Xehanort's body dissolved and vanished into light.
The keyblade armor fell away, and Terra's keyblade fell from his hand. In his new body, Xehanort smiled. "This heart belongs again to Darkness."
He blinked his eyes open and saw only blurs of color and light. Where was he? Why was he in so much pain?
"I see that you are awake now, Xehanort."
He tried to turn his head towards the voice, but his neck was stiff and sore and wouldn't move at all, no matter how much he tried to make it. He groaned quietly in pain as agony shot up his spine and radiated down his arms and up through his neck.
A hand came down gently on his forehead, and Xehanort – Was that his name? - shivered at how cold it felt. Did he have a fever? "Don't try to move; you'll only hurt yourself more. Just relax."
"Where... am I?" he rasped weakly.
"You're in the castle infirmary on Radiant Garden. Do you know what happened to you?"
Xehanort tried to think, tried to remember what he had been doing, but his mind came up blank. "I... I don't know." He could vaguely remember someone holding him and asking his name, but that was all. Why couldn't he remember anything else? What was wrong with him? He struggled to come up with something, anything, but his mind stubbornly refused to cooperate. A frustrated cry escaped his lips, and the hand began to stroke his hair soothingly.
"It will be alright, Xehanort. I'm sure that once you have healed, your memory will return. Rest now. Things will be better in the morning."
"Who are you?"
"You may call me Ansem."
Stop! Xehanort tried to scream as the crying child was thrown into the room full of Heartless. What are you doing!
It was useless; his body was no longer his to control. The door was closed, but not even the heavy steel could block out the sounds of the screams emanating from within. The body walked away from the door, and up a flight of steps to an observation deck. For a brief moment, the glass allowed Xehanort to see what had become of him, how his brown eyes and turned from brown to a bright yellow-gold, and how the very look of evil seemed to be etched into his features. Then the lights in the observation deck were dimmed, which allowed him to see the child being consumed by the Heartless below. The boy lasted longer than most, but all too soon, his heart was torn free, and his small body faded away into the darkness.
"Four minutes, Xehanort." came Braig's voice from the left, and Xehanort's head turned to face him.
Why Braig? he tried to wail. Why did you want this to happen to me?
Instead, the old man answered. "Still not long enough. Let's try a younger subject next time."
Braig grinned. "I'll get Dilan and Aeleus on it."
Trapped in his own body, with no hope of rescue or escape, Xehanort silently sobbed out his horror and grief.
Xehanort stood, keyblade in hand, in the town center in Radiant Garden, watching with a satisfied smile as the world came apart around him. Heartless swarmed over the area, attacking any that they came across. A few lucky ones managed to escape. Most, however, did not.
Trapped within, Xehanort watched, with sickening horror, the world's destruction. He watched as the old man, his original incarnation, Master Xehanort, he now knew, once again used the keyblade on himself, separating his heart from his body, only this time there was no new vessel for it to possess. He saw his heart float free and take on a human shape. A human heartless, that looked remarkably similar to his complete self stood in front of him as his body faded away.
"It is futile." Xehanort's Heartless said as he floated in the endless void, Sora and his two friends nearby "The Keyblade alone cannot seal the door to darkness." He spun around and reached for the door in front of him. "Kingdom Hearts! Fill me with the power of darkness... Supreme darkness!"
"You're wrong." Sora said with firm conviction "I know now, without a doubt. Kingdom Hearts... is light!"
The door opened, and pure light flooded out from behind it. The Heartless was shocked, and unable to bear it. He threw his arms up to protect his face before staring in disbelief at the sight in front of him. "Light... But why?" The light consumed him, destroying the being born of darkness, and freeing the two hearts that composed his being.
Xemnas was unable to block the blows being rained down on his by the keyblade wielder. Dual wielding his own keyblade as well as his friend's, Sora knocked Xemnas backwards into the air. The boy then landed next to his friend, and the two of them used Sora's keyblade to fire a beam of pure light directly at him, and he felt pain unlike anything he had felt before. As he floated there, stunned and in agony, the two attacked him, and his body could no longer bear it.
"Cursed... keyblade." was all he managed to say before he began to dissolve into the darkness whence he came.
"Damn it, Xehanort." Braig cursed between huffing breaths as he carried him through the trees "Sometimes I really wonder if you're worth the damned trouble."
Xehanort only moaned in response. He was burning up with fever and too ill to use his own healing magic on himself. Whatever illness it was that had him in it's grip had struck suddenly, and he had deteriorated rapidly, which forced Braig to take them off their intended route to try and find a doctor. It had begun with a stiff neck and a pounding headache. Then he had become unable to tolerate light or sound. Braig had landed their ship – using the Corridors of Darkness could allow others to find them – but he had missed the town by quite a distance, and the damned engines refused to start back up, which forced him to carry Xehanort the rest of the way.
A groan was the only warning the former Freeshooter got before Xehanort suddenly sicked up the small amounts of water and food that he had ingested since falling ill all over him.
"God damn it, Xehanort!" Braig snarled "You know what? To hell with this! I didn't sign up to play nursemaid to you, and I'll be damned if I'm going to take care of your sickly ass while you puke on me!" He dropped Xehanort none too gently to the ground under a tree. "If you're lucky, maybe someone'll find you before you kick it. Now I'm getting' the hell out of here."
"Braig..." Xehanort moaned "Don't go. Don't leave me here... We had an agreement."
"Nowhere in that agreement did it say anything about carrying you around and cleaning up your puke! So goodbye and good luck!" And with that, the Freeshooter walked off, back towards the gummi ship.
"Braig." Xehanort called out weakly "Braig, damn it, come back." The marksman ignored him and kept walking, and soon he vanished into the gloom of the night. "Braig..." The one eyed man didn't answer return, and after a few minutes, Xehanort heard the sound of the gummi ship's engines starting up and saw him rocket across the sky, leaving him, sick and alone, under the tree.
Realizing that it was up to himself to get the help he needed, Xehanort managed to roll over onto his hands and knees, and his arms and legs shook hard as he struggled to stand. Weakly grasping onto knots and knobs sticking out of the tree, he pulled himself to his feet, but as soon as he let go of it to take a step in the direction of the lights that he could see across the field, his legs buckled, and he collapsed back to the dry grass.
Damn, he couldn't die now! Everything had been going perfectly to plan, but then this thrice cursed illness had set in, and now Braig had abandoned him, and...
Xehanort moaned in pain as his fall made his head throb more fiercely than before. He needed to get help, but he was so tired. Maybe he would just lie here and rest a bit... Then he could find someway to drag himself to safety... He closed his eyes. Just for a little while...
Arms around him, holding him close. "Open your eyes, little one." Elissa's voice...
Open your eyes...
Open your eyes...
Wake up...
Time to wake up...
"Wake up!" an angry voiced demanded.
Xavier's eyes flew open, and he sat up in the bed to see a furious blue haired woman standing at the foot, keyblade out and pointed threateningly at him. He stared at her in surprise for a moment; he knew her, but when he opened his mouth to speak, it was not his voice that came out.
"Aqua?"
Chapter 9 - Chapter 11
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Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer; Disney and Square own it all; I only wish I did. Why in the hell cant I come up with these wickedly cool characters and twisted plots? Why?
Summary: Nomura has stated that now that his Heartless and Nobody have been destroyed, Master Xehanort will be reborn. What if he is reborn, but not in the way everyone thinks?
10.
When Xavier dragged himself from the depths of sleep, he was alone in the bed, and the light coming through the windows told him that it was mid afternoon at least. He sat up and raked his fingers back through his hair and saw that he and Isa were the only ones in the room. He could hear conversation drifting up from downstairs, and he threw the blankets back and padded barefoot across the room to check on Isa.
He had improved slightly over night; his face had a little color to it, and his breathing wasn't as labored. His hands and feet had warmed up some as well. That said though, he still burned with fever, and Xavier could clearly hear the fluid popping and crackling in his lungs with every breath. A few seconds later, a weak, wet sounding cough shook the frail body, and Xavier carefully sat him up and gently thumped his back between his shoulder blades, hoping to dislodge the phlegm. A few coughs later, a large gob of foul smelling dark green sputum that was flecked with blood landed on the blankets, so he carefully laid Isa back against his pillows and began to clean up the mess.
Footsteps sounded on the creaky stairs, and Taylor appeared, followed by an anxious looking Lea, to check on his patient. Master and apprentice swapped out IV bags, changed the bandages on Isa's wrists and ankles, bathed him, and changed his gown. At some point, someone, likely Ienzo, had gotten a second oxygen tank, but there was still plenty of gas left in the first one, so it wasn't needed at the moment. Once they were done, Lea took up residence in the chair by the bed, and Taylor turned to Xavier.
"Once you're dressed and presentable, come downstairs." he said quietly "There are people waiting to speak to you." Xavier nodded, and once the master physician had gone downstairs, he washed his face in the basin that was by Isa's bed, dragged a comb through his hair and gave himself a quick shave. He then smoothed his rumpled clothes out as best he could, slipped his socks and boots back on, and walked down the stairs into the kitchen.
Ienzo was at the table, talking quietly with Taylor. Siting beside Ienzo, with his arms folded over his chest and wearing a look of extreme irritation upon his face, was Even. Beside the blond scientist sat Dilan, and aside him was Aeleus, and the red head's blue eyes tracked Xavier as he came down the stairs.
Taylor excused himself from the table, and he, along with Alexander, walked out of the house, leaving Xavier alone in the kitchen with people that had every reason to hate him.
The room was silent for a long moment, which made Xavier had to fight the urge to squirm under the four pairs of eyes that were staring at him, and then Even spoke.
"We shouldn't trust him." the blond spat, green eyes flashing "He's betrayed us twice already; what's to stop him from doing so a third time?"
"Even," Ienzo said warningly "He spoke the truth; he had no intention of harming any of us."
"For now," Dilan replied "What about later? Xehanort didn't start out as the monster than he became, if you remember."
"That is very true." Aeleus stated thoughtfully "What is to stop him from turning that way again?" They all focused their gaze on him, and Xavier looked down at the table top. What could he say?
"Hmph," came Even's voice "I say we turn him into Ansem to be dealt with now and wash our hands of the entire affair. We're already on thin enough ice as it is. If he finds out that we knew that Xehanort was here and said nothing, he'll condemn us to rot in the prisons along with Saïx."
"We are not going to turn him into Ansem." Ienzo said firmly "We are going to give him a chance."
"This is a mistake, Ienzo." Dilan added.
"He is going to get the same chance that we got." Aeleus said quietly "Or have we forgotten so soon that we were just as guilty as Xehanort was?"
"He led us down that path!" Even snapped.
"I didn't see any of us refusing either." Ienzo said easily. "He may have led us, but we followed willingly."
"Then be in on your head; I warned you." the blond snarled, and he stood up abruptly from the table and stalked out of the house. Dilan also stood up and walked out, but not before giving Xavier a dangerous look.
"Good luck, Xehanort." Aeleus said gently, and the big man also left the house, leaving Xavier alone with Ienzo.
The Cloaked Schemer stood up as well, which prompted Xavier to do the same. "I will sit with Isa. You need to go find Naminé." He gestured, and a portal appeared in the kitchen. "That will take you to her, but I must warn you. She does not live alone, and those she stays with will attack you on sight. Be careful."
Xavier nodded. "Thank you, Ienzo."
"Don't thank me yet. I lost ten years of my life because of you, Xehanort. Every sense I have is screaming for me to hate you, to turn you in to Ansem, so he can have you executed, but I remember a different Xehanort. I remember a lost foundling that was desperate for somewhere to belong, that just wanted a home and family to claim his own. I considered that Xehanort a friend, and I like to think that you are him, and will take the chance that I'm offering." Ienzo graced him with one of his rare smiles, and for a second, Xavier saw the bright eyed boy that he remembered, before the man spoke, and the image was destroyed. "Now go."
With a nod, Xavier walked through the portal. He barely heard Ienzo's quiet. "Good luck, Xavier." as it closed behind him.
******
When Xavier stepped out of the portal, he was in front of a strange looking castle, with tan walls and green spikes all over the place.
Castle Oblivion...
His heart filled with an aching pain, and for a moment, he remembered a beautiful castle with five towers connected to four peaks by long golden chains, surrounded by green hills and sparkling water.
This is our home, right Xehanort?
It certainly is, Eraqus.
He walked quietly up the dirt path to the castle doors, and to his surprise, they opened before he could touch them. A teenaged girl with white blond hair and deep blue eyes poked her head out.
Naminé.
"Ienzo told me that you were coming." she said quietly "Hurry, come inside before the others see you." She beckoned him with one slim hand, and he hurried up the steps and slipped inside. She shut the doors behind him and began to trot out of the large white, gray accented room. "This way."
She led him through an endless maze of rooms and corridors, and he was hopelessly lost within minutes. Naminé, however, seemed to know exactly where she was going, and after a few more minutes, she led him into a simple room, furnished only with a bed and a desk. She carefully locked the door, and gestured for him to sit in the desk chair, while she sat nearby on the bed.
"You want to know what you can't remember." she stated simply, and Xavier nodded "Ienzo told me that you were not out to hurt anyone, that you just wanted to know. I can help you with that, but what are you going to do with those memories?"
"What do you mean?"
"You've regained memories once before, Xavier, and with them, Xehanort betrayed those that had taken him in, destroyed Radiant Garden, and tried to plunge the universe into darkness. So what will you do?"
Xavier looked down at the pristine white floor. "I... I just want to go home, but right now I've no home to return to."
"And?"
"Everyone hates me. I've been told some of it, but I really want to know the rest. I just need to know."
Naminé gave him a searching look, and then she nodded and patted the bed beside her. "Come lay down. This will be easier if you're lying down." The two of them swapped places, with Xavier moving to the bed, and Naminé taking the chair that he had vacated. He laid down on the soft white blankets and saw her pulling a sketchpad and pencils out of the desk drawer. Then she looked at him.
"Are you sure that you want to do this, Xavier?" she asked "Some things are best left forgotten."
"I need to know."
"Very well then. Close your eyes and try to relax."
Xavier let his eyes sink shut as his head sank into the pillow. He heard Naminé's pencil scratching across the surface of the paper in front of her as he slowly sank into the depths of sleep.
******
When he opened his eyes, he was lying on the floor in the lab just off Ansem's office. Looking around in confusion, he shakily got to his feet.
"Why am I here?'" he asked out loud.
"Because this is where it began for us." said a voice, and he spun around to the doorway to see a familiar person standing there, leaning against the doorway.
"Xehanort?"
The young man, dressed in the same clothing that Even and Ienzo had been wearing, including the white lab coat and purple ascot, nodded, but did not move from his position. "We are in our mind, which, for now at least, you are in control of. Because of that, I can speak to you freely."
"Who are you exactly?"
Xehanort shrugged. "I am, or rather was, Xehanort. The lost foundling that was taken in by Master Ansem. I was, for intents and purposes, his adopted son, and I lived here in the castle with him and his other apprentices for three years."
"Was Xehanort?"
Xehanort smiled a sad smile. "I am merely an echo, Xavier, a memory, of the person you used to be. You are the personality in control of the heart now; basically, you are me reawakened. I'm sure that you know that there are two other personalities in your heart now, and young man, and an old man, correct?"
Xavier nodded warily. "What can you tell me about them, about us?"
Xehanort stood up from the door frame and began to walk slowly into the room, looking around in longing. "For two years, I lived here peacefully in Radiant Garden with my new family. Like you, I wanted to know about where I had come from. Had I been abandoned, cast out, kidnapped and then left to die? I had been near death when Braig led Master Ansem to me, so some suspected that the latter was the case. Master Ansem had his men search all over the world for anyone that could lay claim to me, but there was no one. Braig attached himself to me quickly; he claimed it was because he didn't want me to feel alone. He was lying, of course, but I wouldn't learn that until it was too late.
"Two years after I was found, Master Ansem became concerned about the darkness in peoples' hearts, and what could happen if that darkness were to grow out of control. He wished to unlock the secrets of the heart, but he needed a test subject for that. Braig encouraged me to volunteer, and though I was reluctant, I eventually agreed, enticed by his promises of regaining my memories if the tests succeeded. I was a fool to subject myself to that; no one knew what kind of effects it would have on me. Master Ansem was reluctant to experiment on someone that had no memory, but there were no other willing subjects available, so he agreed." Xehanort sighed with regret. "If I had known what the tests would awaken, I would have stayed for away from them."
"What did they wake up?" Xavier asked hesitantly.
"Our original persona," Xehanort said heavily as he looked to his left, and on the large glass window to Xavier's right, an image appeared like it had been projected there. "Master Xehanort."
Xavier slowly turned his head to face the window and was not surprised to see the creepy old man that spoke to him in his dreams.
"I began to dream of him." Xehanort continued, still staring at the image "He spoke of crazy things, the Keyblade War, the X-blade, the Darkness. I was frightened by him, but I was also frightened of what people might think if I told them. I confided in Braig, and he warned me to keep silent, that others would think me insane, and the experiments would be discontinued, and I might never regain my memories. I took his advice, and the experiments continued, but the dreams only became more vivid and disturbing. I began to remember things: a boy named Ventus, and young man named Terra, and how Master Xehanort had betrayed them and hurt them both so badly." The image on the window of the old man vanished, to be replaced with other images; of the young man that Xavier had seen, and a boy that greatly resembled Roxas, "I remembered killing one that I had once considered a brother and destroying his world. I often woke screaming in horror from those dreams, but no matter how many times Master Ansem or Even shook me awake, I wouldn't speak of what I had seen to them. I only told Braig, and he kept warning me to keep silent about it.
"He began to take control of me. I began to do and say things that I had not intended to say or do. I began to change, and Master Ansem stopped the tests on me, fearing that he had damaged me in some way, but it was too late. I finally decided to ignore Braig's advice and tell Master Ansem everything, but I found myself unable to speak of it. Whenever I tried, it felt as though someone was freezing the words in my mouth before I could give them voice. I spent hours trying to speak or write down the words, but I was never able to do so."
Moving images began to appear on the glass; of a frustrated Xehanort trying to speak, but finding himself unable, of sitting at his desk in his room, tears streaming down his face as he tried to force a pen to move across paper and getting nowhere. Those images were replaced by others: Xehanort speaking to the other apprentices and smirking in delight when they agreed to go along with him; dragging helpless townspeople into dark cells under the lab, and the inhumane experiments that they were subjected to.
"I was helpless to stop him, and soon, his takeover was complete, which forced me to be a mere spectator in my own body. I watched as he led the others down the path to darkness and destruction. I could do nothing to stop him from destroying the hearts of the innocent people that were kidnapped on his orders. I was trapped in my body, screaming in horror at what I was witnessing, but unable to to change anything. Master Xehanort had me firmly under control.
"One year after the experiments began, the remnants of the seal on our heart were broken, which allowed Master Xehanort to fully awaken. It was here, in this very room, where he put the next phase of his plan into motion." Xehanort looked up at the screen, as it showed him summoning the same keyblade that Xavier had used after the destruction of Haven's Bridge. He attacked Even first, as the eldest apprentice tried desperately to protect Ienzo, ripping out the blond's heart as Ienzo screamed in horror. He next went after Ienzo as the terrified child frantically shook Even's fading body and cried for him to wake up. Braig then wandered into the room, and he was quickly taken down, followed shortly thereafter by Dilan and Aeleus. Xehanort then walked calmly from the room, and found Ansem in the chapel. He quickly overpowered the older man and threw him into a dark portal. Ignoring the horrified castle servants, he then strode purposefully into the next room, where he used his keyblade to plunge the world into darkness. Heartless began to pour out of every shadow, and they swarmed the castle, attacking everyone that they came across.
In a scene that mirrored the destruction of Haven's Bridge almost exactly, the entire world began to break apart, swirling in a vortex and being dragged up into a orb of darkness in the sky.
The glass returned to normal then, and Xehanort continued. "I spent the next ten years as a spectator, as his Heartless wreaked havoc across the worlds, unable to interfere, but unable to stop watching. It was the purest form of torture. Eventually, Sora and his friends destroyed the Heartless and later the Nobody, which allowed the complete being, our heart in control of Terra's body, to be reborn, and it was shortly thereafter that an opportunity arose."
"What happened?"
"Master Xehanort fell ill. In his weakened and disoriented state, Terra and I were able to seize control back from him. We then closed off his memories, leaving me - you – in control once more. We knew it wouldn't stop him forever, but it would buy time. In doing so, you – or rather me – were reawakened. Like me, you remembered nothing. Like me, you were adopted into the family that found you. Like me, you wanted to know where you had come from. Unfortunately, like me, you began to remember things, which allowed Master Xehanort to start waking up."
"Is he... is he going to take control of me again?"
"Eventually, if you don't do anything to get rid of him."
"But how do I do that? We have the same heart!"
"Hearts can be split, Xavier. It is dangerous, but it can be done."
"But I don't know how to do that."
"Master Xehanort does, and since you share a heart, you can access his memories and his knowledge." He answered the question before Xavier could voice it. "Naminé will be able to help you in that regard, but before she does that, there are more things you need to know."
"Tell me."
"Our Heartless, which consisted of our own heart, as well as Terra's controlled the Heartless. They obeyed his every command, and once he was defeated, their numbers dropped drastically, as they had no one to direct them any longer. However, the lock that Terra and I placed weakened with time, which allowed an echo of him to awaken. He is not conscious or aware like I am, and for that matter, neither is Xemnas, our Nobody, but his power still called to the Heartless. It was that call that summoned the Heartless to Haven's Bridge."
Xavier's breath hitched as his eyes widened. He took a step backwards, stumbled, and slumped to the floor. "You mean, Haven's Bridge was destroyed because I was living there?" Tears stung his eyes, but he made no attempt to wipe them away as Xehanort knelt down in front of him and nodded sadly.
"It is not what you wanted to hear, Xavier, but it is a large part of the reason why the Heartless have been following you around. They are drawn to you because of who you once were. Being a Keyblade wielder does not help; they are drawn to the keyblades like magnets. They will always follow you because of that, but their numbers and frequency will decrease once the darkness in our heart that attracts them is destroyed. Once it is gone, the world's heart will be freed, and it will be reborn. When you return there, you will be able to find and seal the world's keyhole, which will prevent them from destroying it again."
"How do I do that?"
"You've already done it once. Remember what happened on Raliaum's world?"
"The keyhole in the field, the light from the keyblade. I did seal it, didn't I?"
Xehanort gave him a small smile and nodded. "When Haven's Bridge is restored, you need only do the same there. The keyblade will show you the way."
Xehanort stood and pulled Xavier to his feet with him. "Naminé is going to take you deeper into our memories now. " The scientist hesitated. "Xavier... there will always be those that hate you. They will not care that you were not in control of yourself; they will only care that you are responsible for whatever misfortune fell upon them. We may never find forgiveness, especially from Master Ansem," Xehanort trailed off, and Xavier felt a stab of pain in his chest at Ansem's name "but hopefully through your actions we can find redemption." Xehanort smiled and engulfed Xavier in a warm hug. Xavier was surprised, but he returned the embrace, and when Xehanort stepped back, Xavier could see the wall behind him.
"You're fading!"
Xehanort smiled again, although this time his smile was sad. "I know. I am only an echo, Xavier, not a complete person. I can't last forever."
"But what will happen to you!"
"I will remain, as part of you. The two of us are the same personality, given life upon the sealing of Terra and Master Xehanort's hearts." Xehanort stepped further back, barely visible now. "Redeem us both, Xavier." Then he just dissipated, like light smoke on a wind.
Xavier stared at the spot where Xehanort had been just a second before and wiped his damp eyes. "I will, Xehanort. I promise." He sighed and looked around the silent room. "I'm ready, Naminé." No sooner had he spoken, than the room around him began to fade into blackness, and he was falling, falling, falling...
******
Fourteen year old Xehanort looked out over the water at the setting sun as the salty breeze ruffled his long white hair. A desperate longing filled his heart, a desire to escape, to see and do more than work in his father's store, get married, and raise a family as was expected of him. He felt like a caged animal, and his restless heart just wanted out somehow.
'"This world is too small." he said quietly to himself.
It was the sound of feet walking across the wet sand that made him break from his thoughts and turn around. Behind him, looking around with large, teary eyes, was a small boy, perhaps no older than six or so. The boy's long black hair was tied up in a loose knot, his clothes were dirty, and he was missing a sandal.
"Are you alright?" Xehanort called out to him "Where are your parents?"
The boy sniffled, "I can't find Master Limahl." and then burst into tears. Xehanort was taken aback – he would be the first to admit that he had no experience with children – but he walked up to the crying child and knelt down in the sand in front of him.
"Hey, don't cry. I'll help you find him, okay?" The boy threw himself at him and wailed into his shoulder, and Xehanort awkwardly hugged the kid back. The boy's cries quieted after a few minutes, and Xehanort stood up and took his hand. "Let's go find him. What's your name?"
The child gave him a watery smile. "Eraqus. What's yours?"
"Xehanort. Now, shall we go find this Master Limahl?" Eraqus nodded eagerly, and Xehanort led him over to the dock, helped him climb into the row boat, and then easily rowed the two of them to the main island. If Eraqus' master was on the Destiny Islands somewhere, it stood to reason that sooner or later, he would end up at the mayor's house, looking for his missing charge. He might already be there, so it was going to be the first place they went upon reaching the main island. If he wasn't there, well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
It was full dark by the time they reached the main island, and Eraqus' head was bobbing up and down as Xehanort tied the boat up. He then picked up the sleepy child and carried him through the darkened streets to the mayor's house. Eraqus was sound asleep with his head resting on Xehanort's shoulder by the time they reached their destination. Xehanort's knock resulted in the door being opened immediately, and he carried the sleeping child inside.
"Eraqus!" A tall, wiry man, with blue eyes and long auburn hair that was streaked with gray and combed back neatly into a tail ran up to him and took Eraqus into his arms.
"Master Limahl?" Eraqus mumbled sleepily as he nestled close and went back to sleep. "M'sorry. Didn't mean to get lost."
"It is alright, little one. I'm just relieved to see you safe." Limahl looked past Eraqus' dark haired head to land his gaze upon Xehanort. "Thank you, young man, for finding my apprentice."
Xehanort nodded. "You are welcome. I really should be heading home now though." Limahl nodded in understanding with another smile, and Xehanort spared a glance at Eraqus' sleeping quietly in his master's arms before he left the mayor's house to return home.
The following afternoon, after finishing his work for the day in the store, Xehanort once again found himself staring out over the water at the sun on the island that the children used as a playground. He wanted so desperately to leave, it was almost painful.
"You have potential." said a voice behind him, and Xehanort spun around to see Limahl standing there, with Eraqus holding onto his hand.
"Potential?" Xehanort asked "Potential to do what?"
"This." Limahl said simply, and he held his hand out. In a flash of light, the strangest weapon that Xehanort had ever seen appeared in his hand. It looked like a giant key, and he felt something tugging at his heart as he looked at it. Without realizing that he was moving, he stepped closer to look at it.
"What is it?"
"A keyblade, young Xehanort. It is a very powerful weapon, and can be used for good or ill, light or dark. Wielding it carries great responsibility, but once you have one, no barrier or wall can stop you. The universe will be yours to explore freely."
"I could leave here?"
"Yes. If you were to accept what I'm about to offer, you would leave this world behind and come to live with Eraqus and myself."
"What are you offering then?"
"To be my apprentice and learn from me."
"How would I do that?"
Limahl spun the keyblade in his hand and held it out handle first to Xehanort. "In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."
Limahl fell silent, waiting for Xehanort to respond. Xehanort looked back in the direction of the main island, where his parents were, where his home was, and then looked back at Limahl. He then reached out and took the key in his hand.
******
Limahl had gone offworld to speak with Yen Sid, leaving Xehanort in charge of Eraqus and the castle. Xehanort stood in the bright sunshine, practicing his katas while Eraqus did the same nearby.
"I'm thirsty, Xehanort." Eraqus said "I'm gonna get something to drink."
"Go ahead then, but make sure that you come right back. Master Limahl won't be happy if he hears that you slacked off, or that I let you."
"I will." The small boy skipped off in the direction of the castle, and Xehanort watched him go out of the corner of his eye. Master Limahl had warned them that the Heartless could appear out of nowhere but Xehanort knew that once inside the castle, inside the protective cocoon of its wards, Eraqus would be safe. The wards around the castle were formidable, and they were added to by each Keyblade Master that resided there. He saw Eraqus jog up the steps and vanish through the front doors, so he turned his attention back to his katas.
A few minutes later, he stopped his practice keyblade in mid swing as a sudden feeling of uneasiness stole over him. Something felt wrong, just wrong, and he didn't like it at all.
And then he heard the scream. Immediately, he dropped the practice keyblade and ran towards the source of the scream, towards the castle.
"Xehanort!"
Dear lord, it was Eraqus. Xehanort increased his speed as he saw the child standing in front of the castle, surrounded by a squirming mass of Shadow Heartless. He knew that he would not reach Eraqus in time. As one, the Shadows leaped, and Eraqus vanished under a writhing mass of darkness.
"No!" Xehanort barely recognized the voice as his own, and a fierce desire to protect Eraqus, to get the Heartless away from him, boiled up from somewhere within. With a flash, cool, smooth metal appeared in his hands, and part of him realized that he had just summoned his keyblade for the first time as he swung at the Heartless that were piled on top of his little brother.
As one, the Shadows turned to him, leaving Eraqus scratched and bleeding on the stones of the courtyard, but alive and crying, which meant they hadn't torn out his heart.
"Run Eraqus!" he shouted as he swung the keyblade to keep the Shadows at bay "Get inside!" The boy stumbled to his feet, but he didn't not run. Instead he only stared at the Heartless in wide eyed horror, and Xehanort realized that he could not hope to run himself as long as Eraqus was outside with him. If he fled, the Heartless would turn their attention back to Eraqus, and the smaller boy would stand no chance against them. Hell, Xehanort knew that he was seriously outclassed as one of them managed to rake its claws down his leg. He had been living with Master Limahl for only a few months and hadn't learned much yet.
"Eraqus! Get inside!"
"Fire!" From behind Xehanort came a large fireball, and it exploded in the midst of the Heartless, killing a few of them and scattering the rest. He then felt the comforting weight of Master Limahl's hand on his shoulder. "Xehanort, take Eraqus and get inside the castle. Now." Xehanort nodded and used his keyblade to bat away a few of the dazed Heartless to create a path across the courtyard to Eraqus. He snatched the boy up and ran up the steps to the front door, with Eraqus clinging to him in white knuckled terror. Once safely inside the front doors, he turned back to see Master Limahl easily destroying the remaining Heartless. The older man then ran up the steps and joined them inside.
"Are you hurt, Xehanort?" Xehanort shook his head in the negative, and Master Limahl turned his attention to Eraqus. "Eraqus?" The boy, shaking like a sapling during a thunderstorm, raised his eyes to meet their master's, and then he burst into tears. Master Limahl gently took the sobbing child into his arms and carried him off to get him cleaned up, but before he disappeared into a hallway that led to the closest bathroom, he turned back to Xehanort. "I noticed that you summoned your keyblade, Xehanort." he said, nodding to the weapon that Xehanort was still hanging tightly onto. "Good work." He then carried Eraqus out of the room, and Xehanort shifted his attention to the strange, blue-gray keyblade in his hand. He studied it closely for the next hour, until he was summoned for dinner and then sent to bed. He finally had his keyblade! If only it hadn't appeared in the midst of the most frightening experience of his life...
Xehanort wasn't the least bit surprised when Eraqus climbed into bed with him in the middle of the night. After the events of the day, they both needed the comfort of the other's presence.
******
"You both performed admirably." Master Limahl said as Xehanort and Eraqus stood at attention in front of him "You both have passed your Mark of Mastery exam, and I cannot express how proud I am of both of you." Xehanort and Eraqus, now sixteen and twenty-four respectively, shared a quick grin before their master's words made them focus their attention back on him. "However, I can only choose one of you to be my heir and successor, and for that I chose Eraqus. Xehanort, you have been a wonderful student, and it was a joy to teach you, but you lean too close to the darkness. That said, you may stay here if you wish, or you may explore the worlds at your leisure. Just remember, you are a Keyblade Master, and the title carries great responsibility. You both are dismissed, though Eraqus, I will speak to you later. There are things that we need to discuss."
"I'm sorry, Xehanort." Eraqus said quietly after the elderly Keyblade Master had left the training hall.
Xehanort waved that away. "I have suspected that he would choose you, Eraqus, for quite some time. You and I know, I never quite understood his absolute opposition to the darkness. It must be in balance with light, so why destroy it and damage the balance between the two?"
Eraqus shrugged absently, though Xehanort knew his lack of answer was because he agreed with their master but was simply to polite to voice it. "You know that you will always have a home here." he said instead.
Xehanort smiled. "I know, and thank you for saying that. The Land of Departure has been my home for so long..."
"Have you given though to returning to the Destiny Islands and seeing your family?"
"No, I doubt I'll ever return there. What of you?"
Eraqus shook his head. "No, you and Master Limahl are the only family that I can remember anyway."
"Well then, enough of the serious talk. Interested in going out to Twilight Town and celebrating?"
Eraqus grinned. "Lead on. Race you there?"
"You're on."
******
Xehanort stared out the window of his comfortable room at the world below. Night slowly crept in as darkness overtook the light of day. The deepening gloom outside allowed his reflection in the window glass to become clearer, until his face, marked with age and time, was plainly visible. With one hand, he reached out and touched the reflection, met its fingertips with his own. How long had it been since he had cast away his boyhood home, forsaking the family of blood for another that was bound together by the power of the keyblades?
Turning away from the window, he returned to the small desk that he had been diligently writing at earlier and read over what he had written.
Was my time drawing to an end, then, after all I had accomplished since casting away the place of my birth? Surely waiting for a quiet death would not do, not when there was still so much I needed to see for myself. Powers help me, I thought, my body is so old...
Yes, he was an old man, his life was nearly at its end. He laughed suddenly, wishing that Master Limahl were still alive so he could show him. Show him that he had been wrong. The old master had said that darkness had been dangerous and would consume them at the first opportunity, yet Xehanort had escaped its grasp and now controlled it instead. The old man would probably be horrified!
Xehanort laughed again as he rose from the desk and went to the bed, dousing the lights as he went. As he dropped off to sleep, he thought that maybe it was time to finally find an apprentice of his own, to pass his knowledge and skills onto.
******
Xehanort dropped to the ground, leaning heavily on his keyblade for support, chest heaving, as Terra approached him. The boy thought that he had bested him, but he did not know that Xehanort had simply gone easy on him, not wanting to damage his vessel.
Beneath their feet, the ground shook, and a column of light rocketed into the sky.
"Oh," Xehanort looked up and pointed "There, you see! The X-blade has been forged!" He regained his feet as Terra stared in horror.
"Ven!"
"And now Terra," Xehanort said as he raised his keyblade to his own chest. "It is time for the final union!" With that he rammed the blade into his own chest, and a bright light began to shine.
Terra spun around to face him. "What?"
Xehanort let go of the keyblade, and it vanished as his heart floated free of his body. "At last our moment is here. Out with the old and brittle vessel, and in with the younger, stronger new one." His heart floated free above him, as white light began to shine around his body. Through it all, Terra stared at it, too shocked and horrified as he realized what was going to happen to him. "I swore I would survive, and be there to see what awaited beyond the Keyblade War." Xehanort looked down from his free floating heart, to Terra. "And now it is your Darkness that shall be the ark that sustains me!" With that he pointed at Terra, and his heart dropped down and raced over to the boy. Terra activated his keyblade armor, but it was no protection. For a moment, he stood there, choking, shaking, surrounded by a dark aura, as Xehanort's body dissolved and vanished into light.
The keyblade armor fell away, and Terra's keyblade fell from his hand. In his new body, Xehanort smiled. "This heart belongs again to Darkness."
******
He blinked his eyes open and saw only blurs of color and light. Where was he? Why was he in so much pain?
"I see that you are awake now, Xehanort."
He tried to turn his head towards the voice, but his neck was stiff and sore and wouldn't move at all, no matter how much he tried to make it. He groaned quietly in pain as agony shot up his spine and radiated down his arms and up through his neck.
A hand came down gently on his forehead, and Xehanort – Was that his name? - shivered at how cold it felt. Did he have a fever? "Don't try to move; you'll only hurt yourself more. Just relax."
"Where... am I?" he rasped weakly.
"You're in the castle infirmary on Radiant Garden. Do you know what happened to you?"
Xehanort tried to think, tried to remember what he had been doing, but his mind came up blank. "I... I don't know." He could vaguely remember someone holding him and asking his name, but that was all. Why couldn't he remember anything else? What was wrong with him? He struggled to come up with something, anything, but his mind stubbornly refused to cooperate. A frustrated cry escaped his lips, and the hand began to stroke his hair soothingly.
"It will be alright, Xehanort. I'm sure that once you have healed, your memory will return. Rest now. Things will be better in the morning."
"Who are you?"
"You may call me Ansem."
******
Stop! Xehanort tried to scream as the crying child was thrown into the room full of Heartless. What are you doing!
It was useless; his body was no longer his to control. The door was closed, but not even the heavy steel could block out the sounds of the screams emanating from within. The body walked away from the door, and up a flight of steps to an observation deck. For a brief moment, the glass allowed Xehanort to see what had become of him, how his brown eyes and turned from brown to a bright yellow-gold, and how the very look of evil seemed to be etched into his features. Then the lights in the observation deck were dimmed, which allowed him to see the child being consumed by the Heartless below. The boy lasted longer than most, but all too soon, his heart was torn free, and his small body faded away into the darkness.
"Four minutes, Xehanort." came Braig's voice from the left, and Xehanort's head turned to face him.
Why Braig? he tried to wail. Why did you want this to happen to me?
Instead, the old man answered. "Still not long enough. Let's try a younger subject next time."
Braig grinned. "I'll get Dilan and Aeleus on it."
Trapped in his own body, with no hope of rescue or escape, Xehanort silently sobbed out his horror and grief.
******
Xehanort stood, keyblade in hand, in the town center in Radiant Garden, watching with a satisfied smile as the world came apart around him. Heartless swarmed over the area, attacking any that they came across. A few lucky ones managed to escape. Most, however, did not.
Trapped within, Xehanort watched, with sickening horror, the world's destruction. He watched as the old man, his original incarnation, Master Xehanort, he now knew, once again used the keyblade on himself, separating his heart from his body, only this time there was no new vessel for it to possess. He saw his heart float free and take on a human shape. A human heartless, that looked remarkably similar to his complete self stood in front of him as his body faded away.
******
"It is futile." Xehanort's Heartless said as he floated in the endless void, Sora and his two friends nearby "The Keyblade alone cannot seal the door to darkness." He spun around and reached for the door in front of him. "Kingdom Hearts! Fill me with the power of darkness... Supreme darkness!"
"You're wrong." Sora said with firm conviction "I know now, without a doubt. Kingdom Hearts... is light!"
The door opened, and pure light flooded out from behind it. The Heartless was shocked, and unable to bear it. He threw his arms up to protect his face before staring in disbelief at the sight in front of him. "Light... But why?" The light consumed him, destroying the being born of darkness, and freeing the two hearts that composed his being.
******
Xemnas was unable to block the blows being rained down on his by the keyblade wielder. Dual wielding his own keyblade as well as his friend's, Sora knocked Xemnas backwards into the air. The boy then landed next to his friend, and the two of them used Sora's keyblade to fire a beam of pure light directly at him, and he felt pain unlike anything he had felt before. As he floated there, stunned and in agony, the two attacked him, and his body could no longer bear it.
"Cursed... keyblade." was all he managed to say before he began to dissolve into the darkness whence he came.
******
"Damn it, Xehanort." Braig cursed between huffing breaths as he carried him through the trees "Sometimes I really wonder if you're worth the damned trouble."
Xehanort only moaned in response. He was burning up with fever and too ill to use his own healing magic on himself. Whatever illness it was that had him in it's grip had struck suddenly, and he had deteriorated rapidly, which forced Braig to take them off their intended route to try and find a doctor. It had begun with a stiff neck and a pounding headache. Then he had become unable to tolerate light or sound. Braig had landed their ship – using the Corridors of Darkness could allow others to find them – but he had missed the town by quite a distance, and the damned engines refused to start back up, which forced him to carry Xehanort the rest of the way.
A groan was the only warning the former Freeshooter got before Xehanort suddenly sicked up the small amounts of water and food that he had ingested since falling ill all over him.
"God damn it, Xehanort!" Braig snarled "You know what? To hell with this! I didn't sign up to play nursemaid to you, and I'll be damned if I'm going to take care of your sickly ass while you puke on me!" He dropped Xehanort none too gently to the ground under a tree. "If you're lucky, maybe someone'll find you before you kick it. Now I'm getting' the hell out of here."
"Braig..." Xehanort moaned "Don't go. Don't leave me here... We had an agreement."
"Nowhere in that agreement did it say anything about carrying you around and cleaning up your puke! So goodbye and good luck!" And with that, the Freeshooter walked off, back towards the gummi ship.
"Braig." Xehanort called out weakly "Braig, damn it, come back." The marksman ignored him and kept walking, and soon he vanished into the gloom of the night. "Braig..." The one eyed man didn't answer return, and after a few minutes, Xehanort heard the sound of the gummi ship's engines starting up and saw him rocket across the sky, leaving him, sick and alone, under the tree.
Realizing that it was up to himself to get the help he needed, Xehanort managed to roll over onto his hands and knees, and his arms and legs shook hard as he struggled to stand. Weakly grasping onto knots and knobs sticking out of the tree, he pulled himself to his feet, but as soon as he let go of it to take a step in the direction of the lights that he could see across the field, his legs buckled, and he collapsed back to the dry grass.
Damn, he couldn't die now! Everything had been going perfectly to plan, but then this thrice cursed illness had set in, and now Braig had abandoned him, and...
Xehanort moaned in pain as his fall made his head throb more fiercely than before. He needed to get help, but he was so tired. Maybe he would just lie here and rest a bit... Then he could find someway to drag himself to safety... He closed his eyes. Just for a little while...
******
Arms around him, holding him close. "Open your eyes, little one." Elissa's voice...
Open your eyes...
Open your eyes...
Wake up...
Time to wake up...
"Wake up!" an angry voiced demanded.
Xavier's eyes flew open, and he sat up in the bed to see a furious blue haired woman standing at the foot, keyblade out and pointed threateningly at him. He stared at her in surprise for a moment; he knew her, but when he opened his mouth to speak, it was not his voice that came out.
"Aqua?"
Chapter 9 - Chapter 11
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