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The Price: Rescue Part 2
Rating: R for the mansex even if it's not graphic.
Disclaimer: Disney and Square Enix own it all, though I wouldn't mind “renting” Xehanort for a while. He's just so cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute – even when he's summoning his keyblade and yanking out hearts with it.
Summary: Direct sequel/in betweenqel to Despair, which explains what happened between Xehanort throwing himself into the falls and Even seeing Terra in Radiant Garden and what follows.
A/N: A huge thanks to GypsyKate, whose short little ficcy "Under Geas" gave me the idea I needed and got this fic moving again. :)
Over the next several days, as Xehanort regained his strength (The spell that had been used to give him physical form basically made a copy of Terra's body, with Xehanort's own heart inside. So he had all the scarring and weight loss that Terra had as well.) Terra often wondered what to do about Braig and the others. He knew that he needed to get Braig to confess somehow, but if Ansem thought that Braig had been forced in any way, he would disregard any confession. Of course, Terra could simply appear at the castle one day and demand why they thought it was acceptable to allow his brother to be abused, but one wrong word from Braig could destroy that. He knew well that the only "siblings" that Terra had were Aqua and Ven.
What he needed was someone that Xehanort trusted, someone that would help Terra figure the best way to get Braig to admit to all the abuse. What he needed was -
Soft sniffling interrupted his thoughts, and he walked out of the study into the bedroom, where he found Xehanort kneeling on the window seat and looking up at the sky, with tears pouring down his face.
"Xehanort?" he asked quietly as he sat down beside him "What's wrong?"
Xehanort slowly turned away from the window to look at him. "I miss Even, Terra. I really miss him." Then he began to cry as Terra wrapped his arms around him and tried to soothe him. After a few minutes, he was able to walk Xehanort back to bed and tuck him in, and he sat on the bed beside him as he fell asleep, thinking.
Who he needed, he realized, as Xehanort settled down with a sigh, was Even.
******
The following night, once Xehanort was sound asleep, Terra made the short flight to Radiant Garden again, timing his arrival so he would arrive once the town had gone to sleep for the night. Before he had departed the Mysterious Tower, Master Yen Sid had given him a Black Coat for Even to wear on the return flight if he did decide to accompany Terra back. The coat, he said, would protect Even's heart from the darkness in the Lanes Between.
Terra landed his glider in front of the castle's front doors, glad to see that they kept no late night guards as usual. It made things much easier for him. He dismissed the glider, and, after slinging the coat over his shoulder, walked up to the front doors and used his keyblade to open them. Once inside, he walked the familiar path through the dark, silent halls to the apprentices' apartments. To his surprise, and disgust, there was light coming from Xehanort's old rooms, and a quick check confirmed that Ansem had already replaced him. Shaking his head, he walked over to Even's door and eased it open.
He was surprised a second time when him found him awake inside, seated in a chair by his fireplace. In the light of a single lamp, the Senior Apprentice looked terrible. He was unwashed and ungroomed, and his clothes looked as though he'd been wearing them for days. Even from his place by the door, Terra could smell the whiskey, and Even's face, which had always been thin, now looked positively gaunt.
Terra slowly walked up to him, not sure how the ice elemental would react, but at the same time, he was glad that he had decided to go find him. It was clear that Even's guilt over Xehanort's supposed death was eating him alive, and it was also clear that again, no one was doing anything about it. Terra remembered well Even's gentle care and concern for Xehanort when the latter was in the infirmary recovering, and in many ways, the blond was as much of a parental figure to Xehanort as he was to Ienzo, and it made Terra's heart ache to see him in such a state.
"Are you haunting me, Xehanort?" Even asked in a low voice as he raised bloodshot eyes that were ringed with shadows to look at Terra as he approached "Do you want me to hurt as much as you did before you died?"
The blond lowered his head, and Terra knelt down on the floor in front of him to look directly into his miserable green eyes. "I'm not Xehanort, Even, and I don't want you to hurt -"
"Too late there." Even said bitterly, leaving Terra slack jawed at his about face in personality as the apprentice took a long pull from the bottle in his hand "They took Ienzo away from me, you know. Said I couldn't care for a child when I couldn't even care for myself." He laughed a hoarse laugh that ended in a sob. "My fault. I failed them both." He raised the bottle and took another drink.
"Where's Ienzo now?"
"He's staying with Ansem now, and they won't let me see him." Even laughed again, though there was no mirth in it at all. "What I get, I suppose, for pushing Xehanort to kill himself. I listened to my master; that's what apprentices are supposed to do, and look at where it's gotten me. One child dead, the other taken away." He raised the bottle to take another drink, but Terra snatched it out of his hand and threw it into the cold fireplace.
"So you're just going to sit here and drink yourself to death? Is that it?"
"What else can I do? Xehanort is dead, and even if I sober up, they won't give Ienzo back to me. I've lost them both, so there is no point anymore." He slumped down in his chair, looking defeated, and Terra stood up and wrapped his arms around Even's too thin frame, and he noted in the back of his mind that he'd been giving out a lot of comfort over the past several days as the blond cried softly into his shirt.
After a few minutes, and after Even's sobbing had dropped down to sniffles, Terra pulled him to his feet and half carried, half dragged him into the bathroom, where he started the water running in the shower and shoved the blond in. Even yelped and tried to get out of the stall, but Terra blocked the doorway and wouldn't let him pass. He simply pointed to the soap and washcloth lying on the small shelf, and Even sighed in defeat, stripped out of his dirty clothes and began to wash himself. Once he was clean, Terra dragged him out and made him dry himself off and comb out his tangled hair. He then hauled him into the bedroom and made him dress in clean clothes before he sat him down on the bed and pulled up the room's only chair to sit across from him.
"Feel better?" he asked.
Even nodded faintly. "A little, thank you." He raised his head to meet Terra's eyes. "Who are you?"
"My name is Terra."
"Are you... related to Xehanort somehow? You resemble him a great deal."
"In a sense, yes."
"What does that mean?"
"It isn't important. What is important is this; do you care for Xehanort still?"
Two tears leaked out of Even's eyes and ran down his face. "I do, though it's too late for that."
"If you could, would you go to him?"
Even's head snapped up, eyes flashing. "What kind of question is that! Xehanort is dead!"
"If you could, would you go to him?"
"Of course I would, but he's dead!"
"No, Even, he's not. I saved him just in time and took him someplace safe to heal and get away from the hostility. He's alive, and he's asking for you."
"He's alive?" Even whispered, and he looked so desperately hopeful that it nearly broke Terra's heart. "And he's asking for me?"
Terra smiled at him and put his hand on his shoulder. "Yes, to both. He misses you Even, and he wants to see you."
"Where is he? How do I see him?"
"I'll take you to him."
"When?"
"Now, if you want."
"Of course! I want to see him! But," Even seemed to deflate then. "I can't leave Ienzo behind."
"We'll take him with us. I'm sure he had can hide inside the coat." Ienzo was small, Terra thought, and his gilder should have problem with the added weight.
Even leapt to his feet, looking much more like himself. "Let's go then! Ienzo is staying in Ansem's rooms. Let's get him and go!"
"Alright."
The pair walked out of Even's rooms, and Even seemed to want to break into a run to Ansem's rooms, though he was clearly in no shape to do so. As they walked down the silent corridors, Terra kept one hand on the elder's shoulder in support, which was a good thing because by the time they reached Ansem's chambers, Even was shaking with exhaustion. He leaned against the wall as Terra silently opened the door and led the way back to the second bedroom where Ienzo was sleeping. He stood guard by the door as Even sat down on the bed and gently ran his hand over Ienzo's hair to wake the child up.
Ienzo stirred and opened his eyes "Even!" and leapt into Even's arms. The pair held each other tight for a long moment before Ienzo let go and sat back. "What are you doing here, Even?"
"I need you to get dressed, Ienzo." Even said quietly "We're going someplace."
"Now?"
"Now. Now get dressed, quickly."
Ienzo scrambled to obey, and he was dressed in record time. "I'm ready. Where are we going?"
"To Xehanort."
Ienzo looked at Even strangely. "Eh, Even? Xehanort died, remember?" The blue haired child looked at Terra. "Though he looks a lot like him."
"I don't have time to explain, Ienzo." Even said "Now let's get going." He looked at Terra. "Lead the way."
Terra tossed the black coat at Even. "Here, put this on. You'll need it where we are going." Even hastily slipped the coat on, and then he and Ienzo followed Terra from the room. Once they were out in the hallway, Terra opened the pathway to the Lanes Between and summoned his glider. Ienzo's eyes widened comically.
"We're going to all fit on that?" he asked incredulously, and even Even looked a bit dubious.
"It's the only way." Terra explained "So get on."
"But -"
Behind them they heard someone moving around in Ansem's rooms and heard the man's voice. "Ienzo, where did you get to?"
"Now!" Terra hissed, and Even scooped Ienzo up and climbed onto the saddle behind Terra. "Put him inside your coat, Even." He waited until the blond had done so, and then he said: "Now hang onto me, and whatever you do, don't let go of me or Ienzo. Got it?" Even nodded in understanding, and Terra sent the glider rocketing forward through the portal just as Ansem opened the door behind them.
On the other side of the portal, Terra heard Even gasp in shock and amazement, but he ignored it in favor of concentrating on the dot of light that was the Mysterious Tower ahead. As much as he wanted to make the flight as quickly as possible, he had to be careful of the two passengers behind him. He definitely did not want one or either of them to fall off. It was a slow flight to Mysterious Tower, and when they arrived, Master Yen Sid met them at the door with a rare smile.
"He is still asleep." the elderly keyblade master said quietly as he looked at Even and Ienzo "But I'm sure that he will be very happy to see you two."
"He's really here." Terra heard Even whisper as he led him and Ienzo up the spiral stairs and through the study to the bedroom. The room was dark, but the bright moonlight shining through the window allowed them to see Xehanort sleeping quietly in his bed.
"Xehanort." Even breathed, and the blond crossed the distance between the bed and the door in the blink of an eye. Like he had with Ienzo, he sat on the bed and gently ran his fingers through Xehanort's hair, and Xehanort stirred and woke at the touch. He turned his head and his brown eyes blinked up at Even, as if he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not.
"Even?"
Even smiled tearfully. "It's me, Xehanort. I'm here."
"Even!" Xehanort threw himself into Even's arms and burst into tears, and Ienzo ran up to the bed to join them while Terra quietly slipped out the door to give them some time alone. Behind him he could hear Even crying as well between mumbled apologies, and he smiled as he joined Master Yen Sid in the study.
"Even does not look well." the elderly man said evenly, and Terra nodded in agreement.
"His guilt over his treatment of Xehanort was eating him alive, and no one seemed to care."
"Then this reunion will be good for both of them."
After several minutes, the voices from the bedroom fell silent, and Terra headed back in there. He found Even still seated on the bed, with his arms around Xehanort, who had fallen asleep against him. Ienzo was curled up next to them, and Even sighed as he rocked Xehanort slightly.
"I won't fail them again." he said as Terra approached the bed "I don't care what I have to do; I won't let anyone hurt Xehanort again. I won't neglect Ienzo anymore. I won't."
Terra laid a hand comfortingly on Even's shoulder. "You're here with him now; that's the important thing. Now, it's late, and you're exhausted. Go to bed, Even, get some rest. Xehanort will still be here in the morning."
Even sighed and nodded, and he carefully laid Xehanort down and tucked him in, before he kissed him lightly on the forehead. Terra pointed to the other bed, and Even went over and flopped down on it, and Ienzo climbed up beside him. They both were asleep almost instantly, and Terra shook his head as he pulled the blanket over them. He then went and curled up on the window seat. Even with Even and Ienzo nearby, he didn't want to leave Xehanort alone.
******
In the morning, the four of them had breakfast in the bedroom, and Xehanort glued himself to Even's side, though he kept sending glances Terra's way, as if he was making sure that his "brother" wasn't going to disappear on him. After they had eaten, Even coaxed Xehanort into taking a bath, brushing his teeth, and combing his hair, things that Terra often had to do for him. Even with the revelation (as false as it was) that he had living family that loved and cared for him, the deep depression that had resulted from the betrayal of his adoptive family had not lifted. Seeing Xehanort combing out his damp hair after taking a bath on his own, things that he had no interest in doing before, made Terra's day.
Afterward, Xehanort curled up beside Even on the couch, and the two of them began speaking to each other in soft voices. Realizing that the conversation was between the two of them, Terra slipped out the door and went outside to practice his keyblade and magic. He was severely out of shape and out of practice, so he needed to work on it as much as he could before confronting Braig. Even before the possession, when he had been at his best, Braig had been a struggle for him in battle, and if he had to face the marksman again, he wanted to be ready.
And maybe the next time he would take out the raping bastard's other eye.
And the worthless hunk of flesh between his legs too.
Banishing those angry thoughts, Terra turned back to his katas and allowed himself to get lost in the familiar routine.
"You're not really Xehanort's brother." came a voice from behind him, and his concentration was broken as he turned around to see Ienzo standing behind him, regarding him intently with one blue eye.
He had forgotten just how perceptive Ienzo could be when he wanted to. "What are you talking about? Or course I am."
The child's one eyed gaze didn't waver. "No you're not. I don't know who or what you are exactly, but you're not his brother. You may look like him, but you're not related to him. So who are you?"
"That is a question that I would answered as well." came Even's voice as he walked out of the tower onto the lawn.
"Where is Xehanort?" Terra asked.
"He is sleeping." Even walked up to stand beside Ienzo and looked at Terra intently. "Who are you really? Xehanort has told me that the two of you are brothers and that you were separated when your world was destroyed, but I don't believe that. Earlier you navigated the castle halls like you had lived there, and you knew exactly where Master Ansem's second bedroom was. So who are you?"
Terra sighed heavily and ran his hand down his face, before he gave Even a knowing look, who then nodded in understanding.
"Ienzo," he said "Go inside. I'm sure Master Yen Sid has some books that you would enjoy."
Ienzo gave his surrogate father an indignant look but did as he was told, and once the child was inside the tower, Even looked at Terra intently. "Tell me everything."
Terra sat down on the grass and raked his fingers through his hair, and Even sat down beside him. Where to start?
"The simple truth is," he said after a moment "I have lived inside the castle. I was living there from the day that Xehanort was taken in up until he tried to kill himself." He ignored Even's look of disbelief and continued. "I knew where Ansem's second bedroom was because I had stayed in it for a few weeks with Xehanort while he finished healing."
Even's eyes narrowed and flashed with anger. "What kind of fool do you take me for?" he snapped "I know no one was there aside from Xehanort, because I helped care for him. So instead of making up some fanciful lie, why don't you try telling me the truth?"
Terra sighed. "The beginning then, though I doubt you'll believe me anyway. It all began when I was about to take my Mark of Mastery exam, so I could earn the title of Keyblade Master..."
Terra kept his eyes on the grass in front of him as he told Even about the possession, the events leading up to it, and how Master Xehanort sealed their hearts away. He didn't want to see Even's disbelief, though he considered it a good sign that the blond hadn't got up and left. He told of how Master Xehanort had vanished on him, of watching Braig abuse Xehanort and wishing that he could do something, and how he shared Xehanort's relief once they were discovered. He also shared his heartbreak when Xehanort was rejected, first by Ansem, and then by the others. He then went on to explain Xehanort's suicide attempt, and how he had used his despair to seize control back at the last second, saving them both. He explained throwing the lab coat into the water, hoping to fool others into believing that Xehanort was dead, and then flying to the Mysterious Tower to recover. Finally he told how Master Yen Sid, the three fairies, and the wizard Merlin cast a spell to give Xehanort a physical body, his catatonic state afterward, the Heartless attack that snapped him out of it, and his tearful declaration that he missed Even. He also admitted that he had lied to Xehanort about their relationship.
"I couldn't tell him the truth." Terra said quietly "He's so fragile right now that telling him the truth would have destroyed him."
Even said nothing, and after a moment, he simply stood up and walked back inside. Terra sighed heavily and lightly rapped the end of his keyblade against he grass for a while before he too stood up and went inside. Master Yen Sid was at his desk, while Ienzo was seated in a corner with his nose buried in a book that was almost as large as he was. Master Yen Sid nodded at him, and Terra returned it as he walked into the bedroom.
Inside he found Xehanort sleeping in his bed, while Even sat beside him, stroking his hair.
"Master Yen Sid insists that you're telling the truth, that everything you spoke of happened." Even said quietly "As hard as I find it to believe, the fact remains that there is still so much that I don't know about the heart, so I can think of no reason why a possession wouldn't be possible. I've also known about keyblades for years, though their power is largely unknown to me. You rescued Xehanort from himself, brought him to safety, and cared for him when I could not. You have no reason that I can think of to be lying to me, so I'll have to take your word for it and trust you for now." He leaned over and softly kissed Xehanort on the side of his head, which made him smile in his sleep. "Now, why don't you tell me the real reason you brought me out here. Xehanort asking for me was part of it, but there's more, am I right?"
Terra nodded. "There is."
"Hmmm, let's leave Xehanort to his nap, and you can explain everything in the study." Even stood up and strode quickly from the room, and after a quick glance at Xehanort, Terra followed him.
The two of them sat down in the chairs in front of Master Yen Sid's desk, and Ienzo put his book back on the shelf and perched on the arm of Even's chair.
"I need your help." Terra said simply "We need to get Braig to admit to abusing Xehanort, so he can go home. He misses Radiant Garden and the people there, and he wants to go back."
"But he can't do that with everyone believing that he is the guilty one." Even added with a sigh. "I see."
"You've known Braig much longer than I have," Terra said with a shrug "so if you have any ideas, I'm open to them."
"I don't know. Braig will never admit to it willingly, and any hint of coercion will simply result in Ansem and the others disregarding any confession."
"What about magic?" Ienzo asked while casting a glance at Master Yen Sid, who gave him a slight smile in return "Is there a spell to make him tell the truth?"
Terra and Even looked at each other for a second, and then, in perfect unison, they turned to Master Yen Sid and looked at him questioningly.
"There might be." the keyblade master sighed "I will do some research on the matter later. For now though, Even you must focus on getting well. You cannot help Xehanort if you are ill yourself, so you must regain your strength. Only then can we take the steps necessary to allow Xehanort to return home with you."
Even nodded, and any further conversation was halted when Xehanort wandered into the room then, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Ienzo hopped down from his perch, and Even stood up and Xehanort walked into his open arms and nestled close, though he did look at Terra and smile at him. Terra returned the smile, and Even walked Xehanort back into the bedroom to get dressed for the day. Ienzo followed.
Once the door had shut, Master Yen Sid spoke.
"Using magic to force Braig to tell the truth could very well cause him to reveal who Xehanort really is."
"Who he was." Terra corrected absently "He's not that monster anymore."
"You are right; my apologies, but the problem remains. And unfortunately, even if Braig does confess and Xehanort is able to return home with Even and Ienzo, there will always be those that believe that Braig was the victim."
Terra nodded. "I guess we'll deal with that when we get there."
Master Yen Sid closed his eyes and nodded in agreement.
******
Days passed, while Even ate and rested, Xehanort slowly climbed out of the shell that he had built around himself, and Terra slowly built himself back up to how he had been before the possession. Master Yen Sid, with Ienzo's assistance, searched for a spell of some kind that could be used to force Braig to tell the truth (but now the whole truth, that would be a disaster.), and all they would say on the subject was that they had some ideas that they were looking into.
Terra made periodic flights to Radiant Garden to check up on things, and while he was somewhat relieved to discover that Even and Ienzo's disappearance had Ansem frantic with worry, part of him still was angry at the old man. He had failed to protect Xehanort, and then he had missed Even's depression and deteriorating health. If he had cared, he should have seen it. Braig, of course, was still strutting about the castle like he owned it, and Terra again had to restrain the urge to commit violence whenever he saw the raping bastard.
There was one other issue to deal with, and Terra felt like kicking himself when it reared its head. He should have seen it coming.
As he practiced his keyblade and magic against resetting targets that Master Yen Sid had conjured for him, he was aware of Xehanort behind him, seated on the castle steps, watching. After he had laid waste to the targets and was waiting for them to reset, he heard Xehanort speak.
"If I was living with Master Eraqus, does that mean that I have a keyblade too?"
Terra froze as his mind locked up for a second. Then his thoughts began to run around in panicked circles as a serious problem occurred to him.
Fact: Xehanort likely did have Master Xehanort's keyblade.
Fact: Summoning it could very well awaken Master Xehanort himself, if he was still in there, buried deep.
Fact: He could lie to Xehanort and tell him that he didn't have a keyblade, but that lie would get blown out of the water if Xehanort ever managed to summon it, which could very well make Xehanort question other things that he had been told.
Fact: Telling Xehanort that he did have a keyblade could result in him trying to summon it, which could result in the block on his memory breaking. Even if Master Xehanort did not awaken, regaining the old man's memories would destroy him.
Which all led Terra to the conclusion that he needed to start talking, fast.
"Terra?"
Damn, damn, damn! What do I tell him? What do I say?
He turned around slowly, hoping that Xehanort wouldn't see the sheer panic that had to be visible in his eyes. He had to make a decision; they could deal with the consequences later.
"No," he finally said "You were never able to summon one."
Xehanort's face fell, and he looked so crushed that Terra hastily went over to him and pulled him into a hug.
"But, but, if I didn't have one, why did Master Eraqus let me stay?"
"We both had the potential," Terra patiently explained, even as he hoped that he wouldn't regret it later "but only I was able to summon one. You went through the same training I did, and Master Eraqus loved you every bit as he did the rest of us. He wasn't going to make you leave. You could still hold your own in a fight, you just used a regular weapon instead of a keyblade."
"Can I use magic like you can?"
"You could before, and you were a terror with it. I'm sure that if you were to practice with me, you'd get it back."
Xehanort managed a feeble smile and leaned into Terra's embrace. "When can we start?"
"Not now," came Even's voice from behind them, and they turned to see him standing in the open doorway "Lunch is ready."
Xehanort sat up and Terra dropped his arms. "Go on up; I'll be up in a minute." Xehanort nodded and went inside and up the stairs, and once they heard the door at the top of the stairs close, Even spoke.
"Do you think that that was a good idea?" he asked worriedly.
Terra sighed. "No, I don't know, but if he summons that keyblade, Master Xehanort, if he's still there, could awaken, or he could regain the old man's memories."
"And regaining that monster's memories would crush him in this state." Even said heavily "I understand."
"At least this way, I hope, if he ever does summon it, I can act all surprised that he finally managed it."
Even nodded and the pair proceeded up the stairs to join the others for lunch.
That night, after Xehanort was asleep, Terra asked Master Yen Sid if there was a way to permanently prevent Xehanort from ever summoning the keyblade and explained his reasons why.
"No," the keyblade master replied "there is not. Once you have summoned one, it is with you for life. It is only due to the lock on his heart that Xehanort cannot summon his at the moment."
"If that lock were to break..."
"Yes, Xehanort would regain his keyblade, and his previous incarnation's memories as well."
"Is it possible to... reinforce the lock? To stop it from ever breaking?"
"It can be done, but doing so carries great risk for Xehanort. He could lose his memory again, or his sense of self could be utterly destroyed. Do you wish to risk him?"
Terra shook his head vehemently. No, he would never do that if it could harm Xehanort. They would just have to hope that the current lock never broke.
That night Xehanort crawled into bed with Terra again, and again Terra whispered stories to him about growing up on the Land of Departure. He told him how, when it became clear that Xehanort would never be able to summon a keyblade of his own, Master Eraqus told him that the Land of Departure was his home and that he would never make him leave.
"'Magic is a force unto itself.' he said." Terra whispered as Xehanort looked at him with bright eyes "He said that while it did not have the power the keyblade had, it too could be used to hold back the dark, and since you were so gifted with it, he knew that you would do well. It made me green with envy sometimes; I struggled with magic, while you had no trouble at all."
Xehanort smirked then, and Terra shuddered at the memories that smirk had invoked.
"Terra? Are you okay?" Xehanort was looking at him with suddenly worried eyes "Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no, no, you did nothing wrong. It was just... a bad memory. Now, did I tell you about the time that..."
Xehanort snuggled close as Terra whispered stories to him, and like he had before, he ended up falling asleep in Terra's arms.
******
The following morning, Xehanort followed Terra out to the practice range, where they began to try calling up his magic. Since only the knowledge on how to use magic is affected by the heart, not the possession of the magic itself, he hoped that they would see results quickly. It soon turned into an exercise in frustration, however, for no matter how hard Xehanort tried, his magic stubbornly refused to come to him. After an hour of trying, by the end of which Xehanort was sweaty, exhausted, and suffering from a nasty headache, Terra called it off. Xehanort wanted to keep trying, but Terra refused to let him.
"You can't do magic when you're tired, so take a rest, and you can try again later." Xehanort sighed heavily and nodded, and the two of them went back inside. Xehanort laid down for a nap and quickly fell asleep, while Terra explained to Even how the first attempt had gone. He then went back outside to practice his own magic.
He had barely gotten started however when he was interrupted by a terrified scream that came from the tower, so he ran for the front doors. As he ran up the spiral stairs, there was another scream, followed by a third. He burst into the study and flew into the bedroom, where he found Even sitting on Xehanort's bed, holding the latter tight while he sobbed in terror.
"What happened?" Terra asked as he dismissed his keyblade.
Even was too busy soothing Xehanort and did not answer, so Ienzo answered instead. "I think he had a nightmare. He was sleeping, and then he started to cry, and then he screamed."
Terra nodded in understanding and sat down on the bed beside Xehanort and Even just as Xehanort began to speak.
"I want to go home, Even! When can we go home?"
Even rocked him and stroked his hair. "Not yet, Xehanort. We still have to figure out what to do about Braig before we can go home. It's not safe for you there right now."
"I don't care about him! I just want to go home."
Even looked up at Terra, who nodded, understanding the silent question. Terra then took Xehanort into his own arms, and the latter curled close to him. "I'm sorry, Terra, I just want to go..."
"It's alright. Radiant Garden is the only home that you can remember, so it's understandable that you would want to return there." He laughed bitterly, as the memory of his own actions rose to the forefront of his mind. "There's nothing left of the Land of Departure anyway."
Xehanort snuggled close, and Terra soothed him while Even went off to see about lunch and Ienzo buried his nose in a book again.
During lunch, Even and Terra shared a silent conversation; it was time to get things moving.
******
"There are two different kinds of magic." Master Yen Sid explained that night once Xehanort was in bed asleep, with a sleep spell of Even's cast on him to make sure he stayed that way for the night "You two," Here his gazed moved between Terra and Even. "are proficient in one kind: elemental magic. It is very powerful and works well in combat, due to its fast casting time and short cool down. The second kind of magic covers structured spells and covers rituals, enchanting, curses, maledictions, and the like. It was a structured spell in the form of a ritual that gave Xehanort a physical body.
"Under curses, there is a certain kind of curse, called a 'geas'. It is a spell that forces the person it is cast on to conform to whatever the caster wishes. For example, Terra, I could place a geas upon you to make you tell Xehanort the truth about his origins, and you would be compelled strongly to do so. Failure to adhere to the conditions of the geas are often fatal, and even if the victim survives, they are often left permanently addled."
Even caught on immediately. "So you're saying that we could put a geas on Braig to force him to tell the truth about what he did to Xehanort without telling everyone about Xehanort's true origins?"
Master Yen Sid nodded. "Exactly. Sadly, neither one of you are proficient in such magic, and while you, Even, are strong in elemental magic, you may not be strong enough to make the geas unbreakable, especially since Braig has the power of Darkness on his side. It will take both of you to cast it."
Terra was fine with that. "When do we start?"
******
Over the next few days, Terra and Even worked closely with Master Yen Sid at night when Xehanort was asleep, trying to master the magic that they would need to ensure Xehanort's future and safety in Radiant Garden. Terra also made a point to visit said world, and he was somewhat delighted to find out that Braig had landed himself in trouble. He was delighted that Ansem finally had some proof that his favorite marksman wasn't as innocent as he'd believed, yet saddened that it took the attempted rape of a teenaged girl for the man to realize that. Braig was locked up in the castle's prison prior to his public trial, and Terra realized that the trial was the perfect chance to get Braig to fess up about what he had done to Xehanort.
He quickly returned to the Mysterious Tower and told Even and Master Yen Sid what he had discovered, and they agreed that it was too good an opportunity to pass up. They had to move quickly, Braig was scheduled to stand in the court hall in less than a day.
"You're as ready as you're going to be." Master Yen Sid told them the following morning "The two of you worked very hard on this, and hopefully, the two of you casting in unison will be enough. I have bespelled your black coats so that no one will pay attention to you, so that you may move through the world unbothered. I will remain here with Xehanort and Ienzo. Now go, and good luck."
Ienzo, seated in a corner with his nose in a book like usual, got up and gave them each a hug. "Good luck and come back safe." Terra smiled at the boy, and Even leaned down to kiss his blue hair before the two of them slipped black coats on and and went down the spiral stairs and out the front doors. Once they were out on the lawn, Terra turned to Even.
"Ready for this?"
Even looked at him and nodded. "As I'll ever be. Let's get this done."
"Right." And with that, Terra summoned his glider and opened the path to the Lanes Between. The pair of them then flew through without another word.
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