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Burning Heart Chapter 11
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?
The blue haired keyblade master stared at Xavier in shocked silence, while Xavier's eyes widened in surprise. That hadn't been his voice; it had been...
"Terra?" Aqua said questioningly, though she didn't lower her keyblade.
Xavier scratched his head sheepishly, though it hadn't been him that told the arm to move. "Yeah, it's me." said Terra's voice out of his – Terra's – damn it! - mouth.
Aqua lowered her keyblade just a fraction. "You've regained control from Xehanort?"
"Yes and no. I've temporarily taken control to stop you from attacking Xavier, but no, Master Xehanort is not in control."
Xavier could see the question mark in Aqua's eyes. Terra evidently could as well, since he hastened to explain. "Remember when Master Xehanort locked our hearts away?" Aqua nodded faintly, still looking as though she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "When he did that, it allowed a third personality to emerge. It is that third personality, Xavier, that is in control now. Master Xehanort took over him once before, so he came here to regain his memories and learn how to split the two of them apart."
"How do I know that it's really you speaking, Terra, and not just Xehanort using your voice?"
"Remember when you were ten, and I dared you to sneak into Master Eraqus' room, and you -"
"I believe you!" Aqua said hastily as her face turned red and she dropped her keyblade to point at the floor "You don't need to say anymore."
Terra grinned. "Are you sure? Because I'm sure that Xavier and Naminé would love to hear how you walked in on him when he was -"
"Terra!"
"Alright fine." He sighed. "Aqua, I need to cede control back to Xavier now, but I'm still here, and I can hear you. He needs your help, Aqua, not your hatred." Aqua frowned, though she still nodded as Xavier felt Terra relinquish control and retreat to the back of his mind.
He was naked. Terra whispered, and Xavier choked back a laugh as Aqua glared at him.
"Don't you tell him, Terra!" she growled, and Xavier could hear Terra snickering as the latter's mind quieted and settled.
"Thanks, Terra." Xavier grumbled "Leaving me alone in a room with a pissed off Keyblade Master..."
You're welcome.
"Jerk..."
"Now," Aqua said evenly and Xavier looked up at her to see her keyblade pointed at him again "What do I do with you?"
"Ummm," Xavier said meekly "Help me, like Terra asked?"
"And how would I help you?"
Xavier fell silent for a second, and then he looked her straight in the eye. "Tell me – does the Keyblade Graveyard still exist?"
"It does. Why?"
"Because that is where I'm going to end this. That was where Master Xehanort took Terra over, and it is where I will force him out."
"You're talking about splitting your heart. You know that doing so may create the Unversed again."
"I know, and I'll deal with that problem when it arises."
"And what about you?"
"What about me?" He looked at her again as he got up from the bed and straightened his clothing, and he couldn't help but notice that she almost looked... concerned? Concerned for him or for Terra, he didn't know.
"Xavier, when Master Xehanort split Ven's heart, Ven nearly died. If you collapse, Master Xehanort will simply take over again."
"I'll figure out something. I have to do this, Aqua, I can't let him win." He turned away from her to look at Naminé, who was still seated at the desk, pencils and paper in hand. "Thank you, Naminé."
She smiled at him. "You're welcome, Xavier, and good luck."
One handy thing about getting his memories back, he thought idly as he stepped back into a portal that he had just opened, was that it made getting to other worlds much quicker and easier. Before the portal closed, he saw Naminé and Aqua looking at him, and he thought he saw a tear trickling down Aqua's face before he stepped out of the portal on the other side.
He stepped into a barren, rocky wasteland. He was in a small valley between tall rocky cliffs, and the hot wind howled around him, carrying dust and dirt. This was where Master Xehanort had torn Ventus' heart in two, creating Vanitas, and, inadvertently, the Unversed. It was also where he had taken over Terra's body and life.
Xavier's eyes narrowed with sudden anger. Well, today was the day that he was going to put it to rights. Even if he had to destroy his own heart to do it.
He walked out of the small valley, through a narrow tunnel formed by cliffs that leaned inward towards each other, and out into the Seat of War. He was greeted by thousands upon thousands of dead keyblades, masterless, forlorn, abandoned and disintegrating in the harsh environment. He remembered Master Limahl's tales of the Keyblade War, and, contrary to what Ienzo had said, the universe had nearly been destroyed, only to be saved by the light in the hearts of children. No matter what had happened, it could not be allowed to happen again.
He walked down to the crossroads, where he stopped, and summoned Terra's keyblade. The weapon appeared in his hand, and he closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment. His family's faces flashed through his mind, and he thought of them, of Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, of Eraqus, of Lea, Isa, Even, Aeleus, Dilan, and Ienzo. This was for them.
Keeping his eyes closed, Xavier raised the keyblade above him and willed it to do what needed to be done. There was a strange sound, and then his body filled with the most excruciating agony he had ever felt. No words could describe it as he felt his very being being sheared in two. He howled in pain as he dropped the keyblade, which clattered to the ground and vanished, and staggered backwards a few steps. Oh gods, what had he just done?
"Finally!" said an aged voice in front of him "Free at last!"
"No," Xavier groaned, and he felt a gloved hand push against his chest, shoving him to the ground. He landed hard on his back, and he opened his eyes to see Master Xehanort looking down at him. Behind the elderly keyblade master were several small dark forms, darting around quickly.
"The Unversed," he groaned as he struggled to stand, to which Master Xehanort only laughed and shoved him back down. Privately, Xavier was amazed that he hadn't fallen into a coma yet due to the damage to his heart.
"Did you believe that merely splitting our heart in two would be enough to be rid of me?" the old man asked mockingly "Were you intending to defeat me? You foolish boy, you can barely stand, yet here I am, and," He summoned his keyblade and pressed the end of it against Xavier's chin, which forced him to look up and meet his darker half's eyes. "you have given me the heard of light and the heart of darkness needed to try the X-blade a second time. Of course, I will have to find a new vessel, but there are a few candidate already from those that I saw around you." Master Xehanort's yellow eyes seemed to glow with eager malice. "One is young, but I would then be hidden, protected, and cared for while the Keyblade War wages on, all the while growing stronger and furthering my plans. After all, no one would suspect little Alexander, would they?"
"NO!"
Two voices, Xavier's as well as Terra's, howled in unison, and a surge of pure rage allowed Xavier to leap to his feet. His left hand shot forward, and ball of pure darkness flew from his fingers and slammed into Master Xehanort, knocking his down. As the elderly keyblade master regained his feet, Xavier strode up to him as Terra's keyblade reappeared in his hand. A dark aura flared and snapped around him, and he could plainly see the calculating look in Master Xehanort's yellow eyes.
"You will stay away from Alexander." Xavier said "And as you can see, my half of the heart is not purely light, which derails your plans for the X-blade." He smirked. "Now, let's end this, shall we?"
Master Xehanort returned the smirk. "Let's."
Xavier attacked first. He streaked across the rocky ground towards Master Xehanort and leapt into the air and brought the keyblade slamming to the ground at the old man's feet. Jagged boulders erupted from the impact site, knocking Master Xehanort into the air, and he followed with an upward swing of the keyblade. The keyblade master recovered in mid air, and which forced Xavier to dodge out of the way. He didn't move far enough though, as Master Xehanort slammed his keyblade into the ground, and a shockwave of darkness erupted from it, throwing Xavier off of his feet. Xavier rolled with the impact and came back standing, and he dashed towards his darker half, surrounded by whirling flames. The keyblade master staggered under the assault, and Xavier immediately followed it up with a Thundaga spell, which knocked the old man down. Before he could regain his feet, Xavier cloaked himself in darkness and dashed towards him, holding Terra's keyblade like a spear. Master Xehanort stumbled, blinded, holding his face in his hands as small puff of darkness wafted up from him. Taking advantage of the opening, Xavier launched himself into a flurry of slashes with the keyblade, knocking Master Xehanort away, though the old man somehow managed to keep his feet. The attack ended with a slam to the ground which caused a small shockwave of light to erupt, which finally knocked the keyblade master down. Leaping back several feet, he leaned over and focused hard on the inert form on the ground, holding Terra's keyblade out behind him. He could feel the power building within him, and when it was ready, he hopped up into the air as the keyblade transformed into a large cannon, which he held easily on his shoulder despite its size. A large molten orb fired from the cannon's mouth and rocketed over to where Master Xehanort was lying unmoving on the ground. There was an explosion which shook the very ground that Xavier was standing on, and when it cleared, there was no sign of Master Xehanort. The Unversed too were gone.
Xavier slumped to the ground, using the keyblade for support. Had he done it? Was it over? Had he really just destroyed part of his own heart? Why was he still conscious then and not in a coma from the damage?
His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. It was true that working on a farm built muscle, but tending animals and crops were nothing compared to combat, even if it had been most decidedly one sided. He raked his sweat soaked hair back from his face and shakily stood up before taking a look around. He was alone in the crossroads, though it was much bigger than it had been before. His attacks had blown away several of the old keyblades that had been nearby. Save for the mournful howl of the wind, the area was silent and still.
"Is it done?" he asked no one in particular.
No, came Terra's voice It isn't.
A slow clapping came from behind him, and Xavier spun around to see Master Xehanort slowly walking towards him.
"Masterfully done, my boy!" the old man said, and Xavier's jaw fell open.
"Wh.. what? How?" he stuttered as he looked back and forth from where the old man had been lying to where he was currently standing, without so much as a scratch on him.
"I am a disembodied heart, boy, I only take damage if I allow myself to. Fooling you into thinking that you had me down so you would exhaust yourself was simple."
The Unversed sprang up then out of the ground, and Xavier realized with despair that he was surrounded by hundreds, possibly thousands of them, and they were slowly closing in on them. He wouldn't be able to fight them all.
"And now," Master Xehanort continued as he walked steadily up to where Xavier stood "It is time for the two of us to become one again, and I will make sure that I consume you this time, to prevent such rebellions from happening in the future."
With a single gesture from the keyblade master, Xavier found himself bound and restrained by several Unversed. As much as he wiggled and struggled, he couldn't get free of them as Master Xehanort walked up to him and reached out to touch his chest above his heart. He tried to back away, to prevent what he knew was going to happen, but the Unversed only tightened their hold, which forced a gasp from him as the air was crushed from his lungs.
"Do not struggle, Xehanort." the old man said, almost gently "By the time I am through, you will no longer exist; it will be easier if you surrender and let it happen."
"Xavier," Xavier managed to wheeze, which caused the Unversed to tighten their grip still further. Darkness crept around the edges of his vision as his body screamed for air that he could not draw. Master Xehanort simply stood and watched, obviously waiting for him to pass out.
Oh god, oh god, oh god. I don't want this to happen! I don't want it to end this way!
"Just relax, Xehanort. It will be over soon."
"Dance, water, dance!"
There was a wave of water, and the Unversed released him suddenly and vanished, while Xavier collapsed to the ground, greedily gulping the hot, dry air into his lungs. His vision cleared, and he was treated to a brief glimpse of complete surprise on Master Xehanort's face before the surprise twisted into an enraged snarl.
"I will have you back!" he snarled and he reached for Xavier anyway, but a whirling fire wheel came from behind Xavier and knocked him back. Xavier managed to regain his feet then, and it was then that he noticed he was dripping wet.
"Are you okay, Xavier?" Emyd asked as he walked up and helped Xavier steady himself "Sorry about the water; it was the only way I could get them off of you."
Xavier managed a hysterical titter than ended in a raspy cough. "I don't mind. Thanks."
"You're welcome," Lea said as he sent his other chakram spinning towards Master Xehanort "Taylor thinks that Isa's going to make it, so getting that lunatic over there away from you was the least I could do."
"Just admit it, Lea." Roxas added as he used his own keyblade to fire off a ball of pure light at Master Xehanort, who had to scramble to dodge it "You were worried about him."
"If you four are quite through wasting time," Even said as he walked up, Frozen Pride in hand, followed by Dilan, Aeleus, and Ienzo "I would like to get the battle over with quickly. I have some experiments at home that can't be left for too long." The blond looked over at Master Xehanort, who was eying the large group warily, and then turned to Xavier. "It seems as though you were telling the truth. I misjudged you, and for that, I apologize."
Xavier smiled weakly at the scientist, and then his gaze hardened as he turned to look at Master Xehanort. "Keep the Unversed off of me." he said firmly "I will deal with him."
"Yes, Superior." Emyd said cheekily, which drew chuckles from everyone but Even, who simply rolled his eyes. The former members of Organization XIII turned to take care of the Unversed, while Xavier calmly began to walk up to Master Xehanort.
"You killed Eraqus," he said quietly, dangerously "You destroyed the Land of Departure, you possessed Terra and stole his life, you destroyed my life, you loosed the Heartless on the universe, you destroyed Radiant Garden, all so you could indulge in your sick curiosity to see what would happen after a Keyblade War."
Master Xehanort smirked. "And, once I have reabsorbed you and consumed you, I will continue right where I left off."
Xavier came to a stop only a few feet away from his darker half, Terra's keyblade in his hand. "Not if I can help it. I will stop you, even if I have to destroy us both to do it."
The old man grinned. "Then so be it." He took a step back. "Braig."
Beside the keyblade master a dark portal formed, and the one eyed marksman stepped out, and the portal closed.
"Well hey there, little dude!" Braig exclaimed cheerfully "What's up?"
"Braig!" Xavier snarled "You! You're the one that let Xehanort be taken over! What the hell is wrong with you! He trusted you, and you betrayed him!"
"Whoa, easy there, little dude. Nothing is wrong with me; I just knew what side I was one, and it sure as hell wasn't that little snot nosed brat's! 'Oh, I've lost my memory! I don't know who I am! Waa, waa, waa!'" Braig grinned, and Xavier gritted his teeth. He remembered well the anguish of being so lost and confused, cut adrift with no sense of identity. He also remembered the love, care, and concern of the people that had taken him in, but he had lost them, twice, due to the actions of the two in front of him.
"Braig," Master Xehanort said quietly "There is one other matter to be attended to."
Braig turned to face him. "Huh?"
"There is still the issue of your abandonment of me that needs to be dealt with."
"Oh c'mon, Mr. Master. You know I wasn't -" Braig's words gurgled to a stop, and the marksman looked down to see Master Xehanort's keyblade implanted in his chest.
"Not... again..." he groaned as the keyblade was pulled out, though his heart did not fly free like it had before. His body began to collapse, and Master Xehanort shrank, and took the form of a partial heart before he flew straight into Braig's body, now lying still on the ground. There were a few seconds where nothing happened, but Xavier didn't dare approach, not sure if the lack of motion was a ruse or not.
Then the body began to move, and Braig slowly regained his feet, but when his eyes met Xavier's, Xavier knew that it was not Braig that he was seeing anymore. Master Xehanort was in control.
Xavier looked at him warily. "Did you leave anything of him?" he asked.
Braig, or rather Master Xehanort, grinned. "No, Braig is gone, consumed. I don't want anymore rebellions after all. Now, I believe that you and I have some unfinished business to take care of." The dark keyblade appeared in Master Xehanort's hand, and with a sickening grin, the keyblade master charged.
Xavier dodged the first swing, which prompted Master Xehanort to dash away and fire a volley of dark orbs. Xavier held the keyblade in front of him, and they were all deflected, with some striking Master Xehanort, who recoiled under the assault. Xavier rushed into striking range and reused one of his attacks from earlier, launching into a furious set of swings and slashes, but he was barely halfway through the combo before Master Xehanort blocked and countered, forcing Xavier to dodge out of the way. The keyblade master followed up with a combo of his own, and Xavier was grateful that it was nearly impossible to destroy a keyblade as he strained to guard against the blows that rained down on him. He was also grateful that one could not be harmed by one's own magic as he cast one of his favorites, which he had learned long ago under Master Limahl, and which Terra had also learned under Master Eraqus.
"Fire!"
He was rewarded with a look of horror upon Master Xehanort's face as the small flame exploded into a massive fireball. Xavier wasn't hurt by it, but it still knocked him back several feet. Master Xehanort was blown away, and Xavier charged him to take advantage of the opening that he had created. Once he was close enough, he flung the keyblade, and the spinning weapon stuck the possessed marksman and coated him in a solid sheet of ice. Even as this was happening, Xavier didn't slow his stride, and he easily caught the keyblade on its return, whereupon he leapt into the air and brought the keyblade slamming to the ground at Master Xehanort's feet, as a hail of small meteors rained down. Master Xehanort somehow managed to dodge them all and countered with an eruption of rock from the ground that dwarfed the one Xavier used earlier. Xavier was flung into the air, and the keyblade master launched into a furious attack while Xavier was unable to block or dodge.
Xavier cried out in pain as the blows rained down, tearing his clothing and opening large gashes in his skin. After several strikes, gravity asserted its pull on him, and he crashed to the ground, and he was just barely able to muster up the strength to send his own volley of dark orbs to keep the keyblade master busy while he regained his feet.
"Heal," he gasped as he pointed Terra's keyblade skyward, and he sighed as his wounds closed and the pain melted away. Master Xehanort charged him again, and he dashed away, dodging a second earth based attack as he went. He dashed as far away as he could get to give himself some breathing room, and then focused on his target again, this time powering up the dark attack he had just used. This time though, he wasn't wounded and in pain, and he was able to use it at full power. When it was ready, he leapt into the air and fired dozens of the dark orbs from the keyblade. They were larger than they had been before, and Master Xehanort was unable to dodge them in time. They slammed into his new body hard, and Xavier could hear his pained grunts as he dropped to the ground and used the distraction to ready his next attack. He gathered his power and began to glow with light as he raised the keyblade up and streaked forward too fast to be seen, swinging the keyblade as he went. When it ended, he was standing several feet opposite of where he had been, and Master Xehanort, in Braig's body, was gasping, and in agony from a large gaping wound that had opened up from chest to groin.
"Heal," he just managed to gurgle, and the green light of the spell flowed over him, but it was not enough to close the wound. Xavier strode towards him, intent on finishing the job, and the keyblade master looked up at him and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"This body is not as good as that one is." he wheezed as his chest heaved, exposing the bone and muscle underneath. Xavier said nothing; he just kept walking, and Master Xehanort raised one of his hands. Darkness gathered and swirled, and Xavier paused, unsure about what the old man was doing. When the darkness cleared, there was a child standing in front of Master Xehanort, with one of the keyblade master's hands resting on the boy's blond haired head.
"Alexander!" Xavier cried.
Alexander looked around, his eyes large and filled with tears. "Xav'er?" he said shakily.
"How cute." Master Xehanort managed to sneer despite his wheezing and gasping, and he raised his keyblade, intending to release his heart.
"Don't do this!" Xavier pleaded.
"I will. Any attempt to remove me just might damage Alexander's heart as well. Will you let him live, full in the knowledge that it will be my heart taking control? Or will you destroy him and face the rage of your family?" Master Xehanort smiled, and the sight of it set a chill in Xavier's heart.
From somewhere off to the left came the sound of a blade slicing through air, and a blast of red energy surrounded by cherry petals slammed into the keyblade master, knocking him off of his feet and away from Alexander. A pink haired figure, dressed in an Organization coat and carrying a massive scythe appeared, scooped the crying child up in one arm and ran towards where the others were still dealing with the Unversed.
"A life for a life." Raliaum said icily as he ran past, and Xavier watched him hand Alexander to Even, who held the boy in one arm and used Frozen Pride to hide him, while the others gathered in a circle around them to keep the Unversed away.
"Thank you, Marluxia." Xavier said quietly before a groan made him turn back and look at Master Xehanort. Raliaum's attack had undone the healing spell, and Master Xehanort was lying still on the ground, bleeding heavily from the massive injury and struggling to breathe.
"No," he gasped as Xavier began to walk up to him again "I won't let it... end this way. I will have you back, and I will take over that child's body." Summoning the last strength left in Braig's dying body, he raised his keyblade and, before Xavier could stop him, he tore his heart free as the body gave one last gasp and died.
The fractured heart rose into the air, and it floated freely for a moment, almost as if it were looking around for something, and then it began to move towards where Alexander was still being shielded by Even.
"Oh no you don't.' Xavier growled, and he dismissed the keyblade, darted forward, and grabbed the heart in his hands.
There was a flash, and Xavier felt himself falling, similar to how he had felt when Naminé had taken him back into his memories. He was surrounded by nothingness, like he had in the dream back in the Castle That Never Was, but he soon spotted a light far below him. He saw as he came closer to it that it appeared to be a platform of some kind, circular, and having the look of stained glass. There were two figures formed in the glass, himself/Xehanort on one side, and Master Xehanort on the other. Between the two were smaller portrait like images, filled with those that he and Xehanort held dear, Elissa, Jascha, his adopted siblings, Master Ansem, Even, Ienzo, and the others.
Xavier landed lightly on his feet and across from him, he saw Master Xehanort do the same.
"So a battle of wills, is it?" the keyblade master said with an eager lift of his eyebrows.
"I suppose so." Xavier said without taking his eyes off of his darker half.
"Unfortunately for you, there are more of me than there are of you."
"What?"
Master Xehanort chuckled, and out of the darkness around them, two figures emerged. One was dressed very similarly to how Master Xehanort himself once dressed, though his skin was much darker than either Master Xehanort or Xavier's. It was his Heartless, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. The second had hair longer and wilder than Xavier's, orange eyes, and was wearing an Organization coat. It was his Nobody, Xemnas.
"So you see, Xehanort," Master Xehanort said with a dark chuckle "There are three of us, and only one of you."
"Two," came a firm voice from behind Xavier, and Terra walked up calmly to stand beside him. Xavier looked at him gratefully, and then...
"Three."
All five of those on the platform turned to look at the source of the new voice, and Xavier, as well as Terra, felt tears spring to their eyes as Master Eraqus strode up confidently to stand on Xavier's other side. "I should have ended you when I had the opportunity, Xehanort." Eraqus said evenly "Instead I gave you a chance, and this is how you repaid me."
"You were always a fool, Eraqus." Master Xehanort spat "And I took great pleasure in ending your pathetic life. It was you that kept me from absorbing Terra's heart, and even now the two of you are supporting my sadder half to keep him from falling into a coma like he should have done the instant he separated me off."
Xavier smiled; it was nice to know that they supported him in such a way, but he quickly focused on the task at hand. "Let's end this."
"Terra and I will keep the other two away from you, Xavier." Eraqus said calmly "We need you to focus only on Master Xehanort."
Xavier nodded. "I understand." He barely noticed as Eraqus went over to Ansem and Terra went over to Xemnas. His gaze was locked onto Master Xehanort as he approached the man. He didn't summon a keyblade; he readied no attack. He knew that they would not be needed. He reached his darker half and calmly reached out and placed his hands on his shoulders. Light flared out from under his hands where the two touched, while Master Xehanort simply stared at him with a smug smile. The old man obviously thought that he could win the upcoming battle of wills.
Xavier closed his eyes as the light brightened and spread to encompass the both of them, wiping out the area around them and preventing him from seeing Terra, Eraqus, Ansem, and Xemnas. He ignored it as he focused his entire being on doing what he had to do; absorbing and consuming Master Xehanort like the keyblade master had tried to do to him and Terra. Once absorbed, Xavier would retain the man's memories and skills, but his personality and self would be destroyed, leaving only Xavier's in their heart, with no chance of a future takeover.
Xavier felt Master Xehanort's will begin to push against him, trying to do the same to him first, and the sheer darkness of it made him stagger. The man's mind and heart were a vile cesspool, filled with hate, malice, and cruelty with no sign of the kind young man that he had once been. Xavier grieved for the innocent boy that had once existed, and he felt Eraqus' grief as well, which allowed him to push back a little harder. He felt Terra's heart within him, shining brightly with the love that the young man held for Eraqus, Aqua, and Ventus, and he felt his own love and affection for his family, for Jascha, Elissa, Masa, Akim, Heras, Jachin, Yuta, and Alexander, and he could feel what was left of Xehanort's feelings for Even and the others, and it was enough.
With a yell, Xavier gave one last push...
… and felt Master Xehanort simply shattered under his hands. The light vanished, and he opened his eyes to see dozens of small lights sparkling and floating around him as he floated in an endless void. The lights swirled around him before they flew towards him, and he felt his fractured heart mending itself as he floated down to land on his feet. Beneath him the darkness scattered in a brilliant display to reveal the glass platform, though instead of himself on one side and Master Xehanort on the other, he was on one side, dressed in the simpler clothing that he normally wore with a white lab coat over it. The image's eyes were closed, and in his right hand he held the keyblade that was once Master Xehanort's but now his in a loose grip. On the other side were the portraits of the others.
Xavier smiled slightly before he closed his eyes, leaned back, and faded away into light.
A/N : So I get to the scene where Xavier opens in eyes to see Master Xehanort staring down at him, and Hot Stepper by Ini Kamoze starts running through my head.
Curse youuuuuuuuuuuuu, DCWyverx and your Kingdom Hearts Stupid Files Season II, Episode 7! XDDDD
A/N 2: The attacks Xavier uses are: Geo Impact, Aerial Slam (interrupted by Master Xehanort's recovery and counter) Fire Dash, Thundaga, Chaos Blade, Ars Solum, and Ultima Cannon.
2nd round consists of: Ars Solum (interrupted), Mega Flare, Freeze Raid, Meteor Crash, (Master Xehanort follows with Quake and a combo) Dark Volley, Curaga, (Master Xehanort uses Quake again) Dark Volley a second time, and Zantetsuken
Chapter 10 - Chapter 12
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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?
11.
The blue haired keyblade master stared at Xavier in shocked silence, while Xavier's eyes widened in surprise. That hadn't been his voice; it had been...
"Terra?" Aqua said questioningly, though she didn't lower her keyblade.
Xavier scratched his head sheepishly, though it hadn't been him that told the arm to move. "Yeah, it's me." said Terra's voice out of his – Terra's – damn it! - mouth.
Aqua lowered her keyblade just a fraction. "You've regained control from Xehanort?"
"Yes and no. I've temporarily taken control to stop you from attacking Xavier, but no, Master Xehanort is not in control."
Xavier could see the question mark in Aqua's eyes. Terra evidently could as well, since he hastened to explain. "Remember when Master Xehanort locked our hearts away?" Aqua nodded faintly, still looking as though she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "When he did that, it allowed a third personality to emerge. It is that third personality, Xavier, that is in control now. Master Xehanort took over him once before, so he came here to regain his memories and learn how to split the two of them apart."
"How do I know that it's really you speaking, Terra, and not just Xehanort using your voice?"
"Remember when you were ten, and I dared you to sneak into Master Eraqus' room, and you -"
"I believe you!" Aqua said hastily as her face turned red and she dropped her keyblade to point at the floor "You don't need to say anymore."
Terra grinned. "Are you sure? Because I'm sure that Xavier and Naminé would love to hear how you walked in on him when he was -"
"Terra!"
"Alright fine." He sighed. "Aqua, I need to cede control back to Xavier now, but I'm still here, and I can hear you. He needs your help, Aqua, not your hatred." Aqua frowned, though she still nodded as Xavier felt Terra relinquish control and retreat to the back of his mind.
He was naked. Terra whispered, and Xavier choked back a laugh as Aqua glared at him.
"Don't you tell him, Terra!" she growled, and Xavier could hear Terra snickering as the latter's mind quieted and settled.
"Thanks, Terra." Xavier grumbled "Leaving me alone in a room with a pissed off Keyblade Master..."
You're welcome.
"Jerk..."
"Now," Aqua said evenly and Xavier looked up at her to see her keyblade pointed at him again "What do I do with you?"
"Ummm," Xavier said meekly "Help me, like Terra asked?"
"And how would I help you?"
Xavier fell silent for a second, and then he looked her straight in the eye. "Tell me – does the Keyblade Graveyard still exist?"
"It does. Why?"
"Because that is where I'm going to end this. That was where Master Xehanort took Terra over, and it is where I will force him out."
"You're talking about splitting your heart. You know that doing so may create the Unversed again."
"I know, and I'll deal with that problem when it arises."
"And what about you?"
"What about me?" He looked at her again as he got up from the bed and straightened his clothing, and he couldn't help but notice that she almost looked... concerned? Concerned for him or for Terra, he didn't know.
"Xavier, when Master Xehanort split Ven's heart, Ven nearly died. If you collapse, Master Xehanort will simply take over again."
"I'll figure out something. I have to do this, Aqua, I can't let him win." He turned away from her to look at Naminé, who was still seated at the desk, pencils and paper in hand. "Thank you, Naminé."
She smiled at him. "You're welcome, Xavier, and good luck."
One handy thing about getting his memories back, he thought idly as he stepped back into a portal that he had just opened, was that it made getting to other worlds much quicker and easier. Before the portal closed, he saw Naminé and Aqua looking at him, and he thought he saw a tear trickling down Aqua's face before he stepped out of the portal on the other side.
He stepped into a barren, rocky wasteland. He was in a small valley between tall rocky cliffs, and the hot wind howled around him, carrying dust and dirt. This was where Master Xehanort had torn Ventus' heart in two, creating Vanitas, and, inadvertently, the Unversed. It was also where he had taken over Terra's body and life.
Xavier's eyes narrowed with sudden anger. Well, today was the day that he was going to put it to rights. Even if he had to destroy his own heart to do it.
He walked out of the small valley, through a narrow tunnel formed by cliffs that leaned inward towards each other, and out into the Seat of War. He was greeted by thousands upon thousands of dead keyblades, masterless, forlorn, abandoned and disintegrating in the harsh environment. He remembered Master Limahl's tales of the Keyblade War, and, contrary to what Ienzo had said, the universe had nearly been destroyed, only to be saved by the light in the hearts of children. No matter what had happened, it could not be allowed to happen again.
He walked down to the crossroads, where he stopped, and summoned Terra's keyblade. The weapon appeared in his hand, and he closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment. His family's faces flashed through his mind, and he thought of them, of Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, of Eraqus, of Lea, Isa, Even, Aeleus, Dilan, and Ienzo. This was for them.
Keeping his eyes closed, Xavier raised the keyblade above him and willed it to do what needed to be done. There was a strange sound, and then his body filled with the most excruciating agony he had ever felt. No words could describe it as he felt his very being being sheared in two. He howled in pain as he dropped the keyblade, which clattered to the ground and vanished, and staggered backwards a few steps. Oh gods, what had he just done?
"Finally!" said an aged voice in front of him "Free at last!"
"No," Xavier groaned, and he felt a gloved hand push against his chest, shoving him to the ground. He landed hard on his back, and he opened his eyes to see Master Xehanort looking down at him. Behind the elderly keyblade master were several small dark forms, darting around quickly.
"The Unversed," he groaned as he struggled to stand, to which Master Xehanort only laughed and shoved him back down. Privately, Xavier was amazed that he hadn't fallen into a coma yet due to the damage to his heart.
"Did you believe that merely splitting our heart in two would be enough to be rid of me?" the old man asked mockingly "Were you intending to defeat me? You foolish boy, you can barely stand, yet here I am, and," He summoned his keyblade and pressed the end of it against Xavier's chin, which forced him to look up and meet his darker half's eyes. "you have given me the heard of light and the heart of darkness needed to try the X-blade a second time. Of course, I will have to find a new vessel, but there are a few candidate already from those that I saw around you." Master Xehanort's yellow eyes seemed to glow with eager malice. "One is young, but I would then be hidden, protected, and cared for while the Keyblade War wages on, all the while growing stronger and furthering my plans. After all, no one would suspect little Alexander, would they?"
"NO!"
Two voices, Xavier's as well as Terra's, howled in unison, and a surge of pure rage allowed Xavier to leap to his feet. His left hand shot forward, and ball of pure darkness flew from his fingers and slammed into Master Xehanort, knocking his down. As the elderly keyblade master regained his feet, Xavier strode up to him as Terra's keyblade reappeared in his hand. A dark aura flared and snapped around him, and he could plainly see the calculating look in Master Xehanort's yellow eyes.
"You will stay away from Alexander." Xavier said "And as you can see, my half of the heart is not purely light, which derails your plans for the X-blade." He smirked. "Now, let's end this, shall we?"
Master Xehanort returned the smirk. "Let's."
Xavier attacked first. He streaked across the rocky ground towards Master Xehanort and leapt into the air and brought the keyblade slamming to the ground at the old man's feet. Jagged boulders erupted from the impact site, knocking Master Xehanort into the air, and he followed with an upward swing of the keyblade. The keyblade master recovered in mid air, and which forced Xavier to dodge out of the way. He didn't move far enough though, as Master Xehanort slammed his keyblade into the ground, and a shockwave of darkness erupted from it, throwing Xavier off of his feet. Xavier rolled with the impact and came back standing, and he dashed towards his darker half, surrounded by whirling flames. The keyblade master staggered under the assault, and Xavier immediately followed it up with a Thundaga spell, which knocked the old man down. Before he could regain his feet, Xavier cloaked himself in darkness and dashed towards him, holding Terra's keyblade like a spear. Master Xehanort stumbled, blinded, holding his face in his hands as small puff of darkness wafted up from him. Taking advantage of the opening, Xavier launched himself into a flurry of slashes with the keyblade, knocking Master Xehanort away, though the old man somehow managed to keep his feet. The attack ended with a slam to the ground which caused a small shockwave of light to erupt, which finally knocked the keyblade master down. Leaping back several feet, he leaned over and focused hard on the inert form on the ground, holding Terra's keyblade out behind him. He could feel the power building within him, and when it was ready, he hopped up into the air as the keyblade transformed into a large cannon, which he held easily on his shoulder despite its size. A large molten orb fired from the cannon's mouth and rocketed over to where Master Xehanort was lying unmoving on the ground. There was an explosion which shook the very ground that Xavier was standing on, and when it cleared, there was no sign of Master Xehanort. The Unversed too were gone.
Xavier slumped to the ground, using the keyblade for support. Had he done it? Was it over? Had he really just destroyed part of his own heart? Why was he still conscious then and not in a coma from the damage?
His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. It was true that working on a farm built muscle, but tending animals and crops were nothing compared to combat, even if it had been most decidedly one sided. He raked his sweat soaked hair back from his face and shakily stood up before taking a look around. He was alone in the crossroads, though it was much bigger than it had been before. His attacks had blown away several of the old keyblades that had been nearby. Save for the mournful howl of the wind, the area was silent and still.
"Is it done?" he asked no one in particular.
No, came Terra's voice It isn't.
A slow clapping came from behind him, and Xavier spun around to see Master Xehanort slowly walking towards him.
"Masterfully done, my boy!" the old man said, and Xavier's jaw fell open.
"Wh.. what? How?" he stuttered as he looked back and forth from where the old man had been lying to where he was currently standing, without so much as a scratch on him.
"I am a disembodied heart, boy, I only take damage if I allow myself to. Fooling you into thinking that you had me down so you would exhaust yourself was simple."
The Unversed sprang up then out of the ground, and Xavier realized with despair that he was surrounded by hundreds, possibly thousands of them, and they were slowly closing in on them. He wouldn't be able to fight them all.
"And now," Master Xehanort continued as he walked steadily up to where Xavier stood "It is time for the two of us to become one again, and I will make sure that I consume you this time, to prevent such rebellions from happening in the future."
With a single gesture from the keyblade master, Xavier found himself bound and restrained by several Unversed. As much as he wiggled and struggled, he couldn't get free of them as Master Xehanort walked up to him and reached out to touch his chest above his heart. He tried to back away, to prevent what he knew was going to happen, but the Unversed only tightened their hold, which forced a gasp from him as the air was crushed from his lungs.
"Do not struggle, Xehanort." the old man said, almost gently "By the time I am through, you will no longer exist; it will be easier if you surrender and let it happen."
"Xavier," Xavier managed to wheeze, which caused the Unversed to tighten their grip still further. Darkness crept around the edges of his vision as his body screamed for air that he could not draw. Master Xehanort simply stood and watched, obviously waiting for him to pass out.
Oh god, oh god, oh god. I don't want this to happen! I don't want it to end this way!
"Just relax, Xehanort. It will be over soon."
"Dance, water, dance!"
There was a wave of water, and the Unversed released him suddenly and vanished, while Xavier collapsed to the ground, greedily gulping the hot, dry air into his lungs. His vision cleared, and he was treated to a brief glimpse of complete surprise on Master Xehanort's face before the surprise twisted into an enraged snarl.
"I will have you back!" he snarled and he reached for Xavier anyway, but a whirling fire wheel came from behind Xavier and knocked him back. Xavier managed to regain his feet then, and it was then that he noticed he was dripping wet.
"Are you okay, Xavier?" Emyd asked as he walked up and helped Xavier steady himself "Sorry about the water; it was the only way I could get them off of you."
Xavier managed a hysterical titter than ended in a raspy cough. "I don't mind. Thanks."
"You're welcome," Lea said as he sent his other chakram spinning towards Master Xehanort "Taylor thinks that Isa's going to make it, so getting that lunatic over there away from you was the least I could do."
"Just admit it, Lea." Roxas added as he used his own keyblade to fire off a ball of pure light at Master Xehanort, who had to scramble to dodge it "You were worried about him."
"If you four are quite through wasting time," Even said as he walked up, Frozen Pride in hand, followed by Dilan, Aeleus, and Ienzo "I would like to get the battle over with quickly. I have some experiments at home that can't be left for too long." The blond looked over at Master Xehanort, who was eying the large group warily, and then turned to Xavier. "It seems as though you were telling the truth. I misjudged you, and for that, I apologize."
Xavier smiled weakly at the scientist, and then his gaze hardened as he turned to look at Master Xehanort. "Keep the Unversed off of me." he said firmly "I will deal with him."
"Yes, Superior." Emyd said cheekily, which drew chuckles from everyone but Even, who simply rolled his eyes. The former members of Organization XIII turned to take care of the Unversed, while Xavier calmly began to walk up to Master Xehanort.
"You killed Eraqus," he said quietly, dangerously "You destroyed the Land of Departure, you possessed Terra and stole his life, you destroyed my life, you loosed the Heartless on the universe, you destroyed Radiant Garden, all so you could indulge in your sick curiosity to see what would happen after a Keyblade War."
Master Xehanort smirked. "And, once I have reabsorbed you and consumed you, I will continue right where I left off."
Xavier came to a stop only a few feet away from his darker half, Terra's keyblade in his hand. "Not if I can help it. I will stop you, even if I have to destroy us both to do it."
The old man grinned. "Then so be it." He took a step back. "Braig."
Beside the keyblade master a dark portal formed, and the one eyed marksman stepped out, and the portal closed.
"Well hey there, little dude!" Braig exclaimed cheerfully "What's up?"
"Braig!" Xavier snarled "You! You're the one that let Xehanort be taken over! What the hell is wrong with you! He trusted you, and you betrayed him!"
"Whoa, easy there, little dude. Nothing is wrong with me; I just knew what side I was one, and it sure as hell wasn't that little snot nosed brat's! 'Oh, I've lost my memory! I don't know who I am! Waa, waa, waa!'" Braig grinned, and Xavier gritted his teeth. He remembered well the anguish of being so lost and confused, cut adrift with no sense of identity. He also remembered the love, care, and concern of the people that had taken him in, but he had lost them, twice, due to the actions of the two in front of him.
"Braig," Master Xehanort said quietly "There is one other matter to be attended to."
Braig turned to face him. "Huh?"
"There is still the issue of your abandonment of me that needs to be dealt with."
"Oh c'mon, Mr. Master. You know I wasn't -" Braig's words gurgled to a stop, and the marksman looked down to see Master Xehanort's keyblade implanted in his chest.
"Not... again..." he groaned as the keyblade was pulled out, though his heart did not fly free like it had before. His body began to collapse, and Master Xehanort shrank, and took the form of a partial heart before he flew straight into Braig's body, now lying still on the ground. There were a few seconds where nothing happened, but Xavier didn't dare approach, not sure if the lack of motion was a ruse or not.
Then the body began to move, and Braig slowly regained his feet, but when his eyes met Xavier's, Xavier knew that it was not Braig that he was seeing anymore. Master Xehanort was in control.
Xavier looked at him warily. "Did you leave anything of him?" he asked.
Braig, or rather Master Xehanort, grinned. "No, Braig is gone, consumed. I don't want anymore rebellions after all. Now, I believe that you and I have some unfinished business to take care of." The dark keyblade appeared in Master Xehanort's hand, and with a sickening grin, the keyblade master charged.
Xavier dodged the first swing, which prompted Master Xehanort to dash away and fire a volley of dark orbs. Xavier held the keyblade in front of him, and they were all deflected, with some striking Master Xehanort, who recoiled under the assault. Xavier rushed into striking range and reused one of his attacks from earlier, launching into a furious set of swings and slashes, but he was barely halfway through the combo before Master Xehanort blocked and countered, forcing Xavier to dodge out of the way. The keyblade master followed up with a combo of his own, and Xavier was grateful that it was nearly impossible to destroy a keyblade as he strained to guard against the blows that rained down on him. He was also grateful that one could not be harmed by one's own magic as he cast one of his favorites, which he had learned long ago under Master Limahl, and which Terra had also learned under Master Eraqus.
"Fire!"
He was rewarded with a look of horror upon Master Xehanort's face as the small flame exploded into a massive fireball. Xavier wasn't hurt by it, but it still knocked him back several feet. Master Xehanort was blown away, and Xavier charged him to take advantage of the opening that he had created. Once he was close enough, he flung the keyblade, and the spinning weapon stuck the possessed marksman and coated him in a solid sheet of ice. Even as this was happening, Xavier didn't slow his stride, and he easily caught the keyblade on its return, whereupon he leapt into the air and brought the keyblade slamming to the ground at Master Xehanort's feet, as a hail of small meteors rained down. Master Xehanort somehow managed to dodge them all and countered with an eruption of rock from the ground that dwarfed the one Xavier used earlier. Xavier was flung into the air, and the keyblade master launched into a furious attack while Xavier was unable to block or dodge.
Xavier cried out in pain as the blows rained down, tearing his clothing and opening large gashes in his skin. After several strikes, gravity asserted its pull on him, and he crashed to the ground, and he was just barely able to muster up the strength to send his own volley of dark orbs to keep the keyblade master busy while he regained his feet.
"Heal," he gasped as he pointed Terra's keyblade skyward, and he sighed as his wounds closed and the pain melted away. Master Xehanort charged him again, and he dashed away, dodging a second earth based attack as he went. He dashed as far away as he could get to give himself some breathing room, and then focused on his target again, this time powering up the dark attack he had just used. This time though, he wasn't wounded and in pain, and he was able to use it at full power. When it was ready, he leapt into the air and fired dozens of the dark orbs from the keyblade. They were larger than they had been before, and Master Xehanort was unable to dodge them in time. They slammed into his new body hard, and Xavier could hear his pained grunts as he dropped to the ground and used the distraction to ready his next attack. He gathered his power and began to glow with light as he raised the keyblade up and streaked forward too fast to be seen, swinging the keyblade as he went. When it ended, he was standing several feet opposite of where he had been, and Master Xehanort, in Braig's body, was gasping, and in agony from a large gaping wound that had opened up from chest to groin.
"Heal," he just managed to gurgle, and the green light of the spell flowed over him, but it was not enough to close the wound. Xavier strode towards him, intent on finishing the job, and the keyblade master looked up at him and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"This body is not as good as that one is." he wheezed as his chest heaved, exposing the bone and muscle underneath. Xavier said nothing; he just kept walking, and Master Xehanort raised one of his hands. Darkness gathered and swirled, and Xavier paused, unsure about what the old man was doing. When the darkness cleared, there was a child standing in front of Master Xehanort, with one of the keyblade master's hands resting on the boy's blond haired head.
"Alexander!" Xavier cried.
Alexander looked around, his eyes large and filled with tears. "Xav'er?" he said shakily.
"How cute." Master Xehanort managed to sneer despite his wheezing and gasping, and he raised his keyblade, intending to release his heart.
"Don't do this!" Xavier pleaded.
"I will. Any attempt to remove me just might damage Alexander's heart as well. Will you let him live, full in the knowledge that it will be my heart taking control? Or will you destroy him and face the rage of your family?" Master Xehanort smiled, and the sight of it set a chill in Xavier's heart.
From somewhere off to the left came the sound of a blade slicing through air, and a blast of red energy surrounded by cherry petals slammed into the keyblade master, knocking him off of his feet and away from Alexander. A pink haired figure, dressed in an Organization coat and carrying a massive scythe appeared, scooped the crying child up in one arm and ran towards where the others were still dealing with the Unversed.
"A life for a life." Raliaum said icily as he ran past, and Xavier watched him hand Alexander to Even, who held the boy in one arm and used Frozen Pride to hide him, while the others gathered in a circle around them to keep the Unversed away.
"Thank you, Marluxia." Xavier said quietly before a groan made him turn back and look at Master Xehanort. Raliaum's attack had undone the healing spell, and Master Xehanort was lying still on the ground, bleeding heavily from the massive injury and struggling to breathe.
"No," he gasped as Xavier began to walk up to him again "I won't let it... end this way. I will have you back, and I will take over that child's body." Summoning the last strength left in Braig's dying body, he raised his keyblade and, before Xavier could stop him, he tore his heart free as the body gave one last gasp and died.
The fractured heart rose into the air, and it floated freely for a moment, almost as if it were looking around for something, and then it began to move towards where Alexander was still being shielded by Even.
"Oh no you don't.' Xavier growled, and he dismissed the keyblade, darted forward, and grabbed the heart in his hands.
There was a flash, and Xavier felt himself falling, similar to how he had felt when Naminé had taken him back into his memories. He was surrounded by nothingness, like he had in the dream back in the Castle That Never Was, but he soon spotted a light far below him. He saw as he came closer to it that it appeared to be a platform of some kind, circular, and having the look of stained glass. There were two figures formed in the glass, himself/Xehanort on one side, and Master Xehanort on the other. Between the two were smaller portrait like images, filled with those that he and Xehanort held dear, Elissa, Jascha, his adopted siblings, Master Ansem, Even, Ienzo, and the others.
Xavier landed lightly on his feet and across from him, he saw Master Xehanort do the same.
"So a battle of wills, is it?" the keyblade master said with an eager lift of his eyebrows.
"I suppose so." Xavier said without taking his eyes off of his darker half.
"Unfortunately for you, there are more of me than there are of you."
"What?"
Master Xehanort chuckled, and out of the darkness around them, two figures emerged. One was dressed very similarly to how Master Xehanort himself once dressed, though his skin was much darker than either Master Xehanort or Xavier's. It was his Heartless, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. The second had hair longer and wilder than Xavier's, orange eyes, and was wearing an Organization coat. It was his Nobody, Xemnas.
"So you see, Xehanort," Master Xehanort said with a dark chuckle "There are three of us, and only one of you."
"Two," came a firm voice from behind Xavier, and Terra walked up calmly to stand beside him. Xavier looked at him gratefully, and then...
"Three."
All five of those on the platform turned to look at the source of the new voice, and Xavier, as well as Terra, felt tears spring to their eyes as Master Eraqus strode up confidently to stand on Xavier's other side. "I should have ended you when I had the opportunity, Xehanort." Eraqus said evenly "Instead I gave you a chance, and this is how you repaid me."
"You were always a fool, Eraqus." Master Xehanort spat "And I took great pleasure in ending your pathetic life. It was you that kept me from absorbing Terra's heart, and even now the two of you are supporting my sadder half to keep him from falling into a coma like he should have done the instant he separated me off."
Xavier smiled; it was nice to know that they supported him in such a way, but he quickly focused on the task at hand. "Let's end this."
"Terra and I will keep the other two away from you, Xavier." Eraqus said calmly "We need you to focus only on Master Xehanort."
Xavier nodded. "I understand." He barely noticed as Eraqus went over to Ansem and Terra went over to Xemnas. His gaze was locked onto Master Xehanort as he approached the man. He didn't summon a keyblade; he readied no attack. He knew that they would not be needed. He reached his darker half and calmly reached out and placed his hands on his shoulders. Light flared out from under his hands where the two touched, while Master Xehanort simply stared at him with a smug smile. The old man obviously thought that he could win the upcoming battle of wills.
Xavier closed his eyes as the light brightened and spread to encompass the both of them, wiping out the area around them and preventing him from seeing Terra, Eraqus, Ansem, and Xemnas. He ignored it as he focused his entire being on doing what he had to do; absorbing and consuming Master Xehanort like the keyblade master had tried to do to him and Terra. Once absorbed, Xavier would retain the man's memories and skills, but his personality and self would be destroyed, leaving only Xavier's in their heart, with no chance of a future takeover.
Xavier felt Master Xehanort's will begin to push against him, trying to do the same to him first, and the sheer darkness of it made him stagger. The man's mind and heart were a vile cesspool, filled with hate, malice, and cruelty with no sign of the kind young man that he had once been. Xavier grieved for the innocent boy that had once existed, and he felt Eraqus' grief as well, which allowed him to push back a little harder. He felt Terra's heart within him, shining brightly with the love that the young man held for Eraqus, Aqua, and Ventus, and he felt his own love and affection for his family, for Jascha, Elissa, Masa, Akim, Heras, Jachin, Yuta, and Alexander, and he could feel what was left of Xehanort's feelings for Even and the others, and it was enough.
With a yell, Xavier gave one last push...
… and felt Master Xehanort simply shattered under his hands. The light vanished, and he opened his eyes to see dozens of small lights sparkling and floating around him as he floated in an endless void. The lights swirled around him before they flew towards him, and he felt his fractured heart mending itself as he floated down to land on his feet. Beneath him the darkness scattered in a brilliant display to reveal the glass platform, though instead of himself on one side and Master Xehanort on the other, he was on one side, dressed in the simpler clothing that he normally wore with a white lab coat over it. The image's eyes were closed, and in his right hand he held the keyblade that was once Master Xehanort's but now his in a loose grip. On the other side were the portraits of the others.
Xavier smiled slightly before he closed his eyes, leaned back, and faded away into light.
******
A/N : So I get to the scene where Xavier opens in eyes to see Master Xehanort staring down at him, and Hot Stepper by Ini Kamoze starts running through my head.
Curse youuuuuuuuuuuuu, DCWyverx and your Kingdom Hearts Stupid Files Season II, Episode 7! XDDDD
A/N 2: The attacks Xavier uses are: Geo Impact, Aerial Slam (interrupted by Master Xehanort's recovery and counter) Fire Dash, Thundaga, Chaos Blade, Ars Solum, and Ultima Cannon.
2nd round consists of: Ars Solum (interrupted), Mega Flare, Freeze Raid, Meteor Crash, (Master Xehanort follows with Quake and a combo) Dark Volley, Curaga, (Master Xehanort uses Quake again) Dark Volley a second time, and Zantetsuken
Chapter 10 - Chapter 12
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