Author Note: Well now here we are again are we? Well basically this is the first of two prequels to that epic that was Resonance of the Soul, but wait it's get even more confusing because this is in fact a prequel to a rewrite of said story before its even been written so consider this the first in the "Soul" series, Precursor of the Soul and Resonance of the Soul ReMix will follow shortly afterwards.
If you don't like OC based stories you may want to at least give it a chance but if not then don't start complaining because I'm allowed to do whatever I want.
Special shout out to The Unknowing Herald for helping me with realising my flaws with Resonance of the Soul and motivating me to continue writing!
Kingdom Hearts: Rage of Maximus Chapter 1: I'am Maximus and I'am Dead
Radiant Garden- Capital City of the Empire
"Could all citizens be reminded that no firearms are to be used or carried at any time" came a female voice over a speaker as the many hundreds of people who live in the city of Radiant Garden walked through the main street of the city.
The hustling and bustling of the townsfolk filled the air as people pushed and shoved their way through the crowds that crept along the cities popular square.
People stood on the sides of the main street with stalls selling products of all shapes and sizes, right next to the stair case shaped buildings that seemed to travel forever upwards onto the mountains. These were the houses of the poor and lower class population.
Right next to these houses was a giant concrete wall, several feet wide and nearly twenty feet tall, it cut straight through the city like a line a child would draw on his desk and tell the person sitting next to him that this was his area; it split apart the Higher City and the Lower City.
Resting on top of the wall with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed was a young boy ten years of age, his name is Maximus. Unlike most boys his age Maximus was not a fan of going out and playing Blitzball or going down into the town to try and sell pieces of scrap metal for the junk collectors.
Instead Maximus was a fan of resting and relaxation and as such was not prepared when a young girl, two years younger than him, with long blue hair tied back in a ponytail climbed up and stood over him with her arms crossed and an amused expression on her face.
"Dear my big lazy brother, this is your wakeup call" she said before leaning down and grabbing his nose and squeezing it tightly causing him to flail around in pain as she laughed and dodged his uncoordinated punches at her, "Wakeup Goldilocks!" she shouted she let go and he rolled and fell off the wall, landing safely on a pile of newspapers and rolling down to the ground.
He rolled across the ground before looking up and her and frowning "You little goon" he said slowly as he picked himself up. She laughed as he looked round in confusion and annoyance "Hey Max, nice fall" she shouted as she looked down at him with her hands on her hips, "What time is it?" he said grumpily as she jumped down to meet him.
"It's time, Dear brother of mine, to interrupt your little daydreams as we have work to do in case you'd forgotten. So could you please help your dear sister lift this heavy box of useless junk down to the stalls in the main street, pretty please Maxi?" she said in the most innocent voice she could muster as he put her in a headlock. "I told you not to call me that Levy!" he said annoyed as she broke free and stuck her tongue out at him.
"You like it when Terra calls you that" she teased as his face turned to that of embarrassment, "I do not" he said quickly as he picked up the box she had mentioned and started walking off. She laughed and skipped after him, "You love her" she said in a sing song voice as he scoffed and shoved her away.
"Oh grow up; can we please focus on what we're going to do with this stuff right now?" he said with a pout to hide his red cheeks. She laughed as he looked round nervously while running his hand through his ear length brown hair, "She's not in, I went to call on her before coming to get you but her mother said she was out, guess we'll see her at the Usual Spot huh?" she said as they started to walk down a long concrete path that led into the town centre of the Lower City.
They kept walking in silence as Maximus looked up to watch several fighter jets fly over them and circle themselves round the city, "Wonder what's up with them?" he said as Levy stopped to watch with him. "Mum says there was another bombing yesterday, those AVALANCHE people again she said, blew up one of the trains" said Levy as she looked down to the city in worry, he nodded before shrugging and kept walking.
"Maybe we shouldn't go then" she said suddenly and backed away, he looked round at her in confusion, "Levy what's wrong?" he said in concern. She looked away from him, "I just have a bad feeling that's all" she said as she held onto her arm. He sighed and gestured down to the box, "Fine I'll take it to the depot those Gab-Brass guys own, ok sis?" he said as she smiled and nodded.
"Thanks Max" she said as they walked off the path and walked down through the slum like houses towards a patch on the wall with several stair cases leading up to the top of the wall. Right next to it was a brown colored building with a large silver chimney coming out of the roof, black smoke poured out of it as the sound of steel cutting could be heard.
Levy let Maximus go in himself as she wasn't a fan of the inside of the factory, she told him to meet her at the top of the wall, their "Usual Spot" once he had done. She carefully and quickly climbed to the top of the wall and sat down with her legs hanging over the edge; she put her hands behind her and stretched and flexed her shoulders.
She could hear people down below shouting all kinds of obscenities at each other as she stared out to the tall castle in the middle of the skyscrapers that looked more like melted glass than buildings. The people walking through the town looked like ants to her as she looked out into the horizon and smiled as she felt the sun's rays on her face.
"Sometimes I wonder why they can't just accept everyone instead of shutting us out like this" she said to herself as she saw the sun reflect off the glass pyramid like buildings and create a beam of multi colored light that shot out into the sky, she watched in amazement as it went off into the clouds.
"Levy?" shouted a voice that she instantly recognised, she grinned and spun round and looked down to where the factory was. Looking up at her was a young girl with long curly green hair tied in a ponytail; she placed her left hand over the top of her face to stop the sun getting in her purple colored eyes as Levy waved down at her.
"Hey Terra get up here, the views brilliant today!" Levy shouted down at her friend. She then span back round but to her disappointment the ray had gone and the sun had become blocked by the ever-growing black clouds that were looming towards her. "Easier done than said" said Terra as she carefully and slowly made her way up the stairs to the top, "That's always the worst part" she said as she sat down next to Levy.
"Bet you wished Maxi would carry you up the stairs, then you wouldn't be so scared of them" said Levy as Terra blushed and pushed her away, "No of course not, I just don't like heights that's all. I don't know why this has to be the Usual Spot anyway, it's way too high up" she said as she peered down to the other side nervously.
Levy laughed and patted her on the back, "Come on Terra, look at this view isn't it beautiful?" she said as she looked out as did Terra. Terra frowned and crossed her arms over her legs, "Yeah looking out to all the people that have better lives than us" Terra said sarcastically.
Levy looked round to her as Terra's face dropped and she looked down to her hands, "Terra something wrong?" said Levy as Terra looked at her with tears nearly coming out of her eyes. "They came again Levy, those men that Mum's always shouting about. They come every few weeks and they ask about me, they ask such strange things and then Mum gets upset. She never tells me what's wrong always telling me that I'm not old enough" she said as Levy placed her hand over Terra's.
"We're here for you Terra, no matter what happens me and Max would come and help you, that's a promise" said Levy as Terra smiled at her. "Thanks Lev, you're my very best friend" said Terra as Levy beamed. "Hey aren't you girls forgetting about me?" came an amused voice behind them as Maximus walked over and sat down between them.
"Oh of course we couldn't forget you Max, we need the big goon with us for protection don't we Terra" said Levy as Maximus rolled his eyes while Terra giggled. "Yeah whatever, your both on your own" he said as he lay back and stared out to the sky. The other two lay back with him and stared with him, "Makes you wish what was out there huh?" said Maximus.
"What do you mean?" said Terra as she looked over to face him, "Well there must be other worlds out there right, someone once told me that the worlds all share one big sky and we're just part one of one big world and that there are thousands out there, millions even" he said as Levy smiled at him and waved at the sky.
"Hi aliens!" she shouted as Terra and Maximus laughed, "But you know I'd like to see those other worlds one day, I wanna to see them all" said Levy as Terra smiled sadly. "Maybe we could go somewhere were people would stop chasing me" she said as Maximus placed his hand over hers, "Don't worry Terra if anyone ever tries to hurt you, I'll protect you" he said as she blushed and looked away from him to hide the big smile on her face.
"Ewwww get a room you two!" teased Levy as she stood up and ran down the stairs as Maximus tried to grab her, "Get back here Levy, you know you're not allowed to wander off by yourself!" he shouted after her. "Come on, we'd better go after her" said Terra as she stood up and walked down after Levy.
Maximus stood up as well and looked back out onto the city in the distance, he looked at the tall white towers of the Radiant Garden Castle, the tallest building in the city "Max!" shouted Terra from the street below. "Coming!" he shouted back as he gave the castle one last look.
He then turned round and followed his friend down the stairs and back onto the streets to look for his sister. Levy ran until she was at the side of a narrow road that would have only been big enough to fit one vehicle, she sat down and pulled out some chalk from her pocket and started drawing on the pavement, she was completely unaware of two people standing next to a large white and blue van about forty feet away from her.
The van was being filled with steel pipes; one man, Rai, was carrying them and lifting them into the back of the van with only one hand, due to the other being wrapped in bandages. He frowned at his friend, a young man with blonde hair wrapped in a bandanna, who was talking to a young woman with silver hair, which covered half of her face; she had a look of disgust on her face as the man started laughing.
"Oh you should have been there Fuu. Rai was trying to fix the puncture and he had the thing up on that shitty jack, this is a jack for a usual car but he was using it for the van. He was under the thing when it came flying down, right on top of his hand and his fucking pinkie flew off!" he shouted before roaring with laughter. Fuu looked at Rai in shock before turning back to her friend and pinching her face with her hand, "Seifer" she said in annoyance as Seifer kept laughing.
"I nearly pished myself" he said as he reached over into the wheel of the van and switched on the ignition, "Seifer you idiot! Make sure the hand brake is still on before you switch the thing on, y'know!?" shouted Rai as Seifer rolled his eyes, "Yeah whatever" said Seifer not paying attention as the van started to roll forward, slowly at first but started to go faster and faster downhill.
"Seifer!" said Fuu in alarm as he turned round to see the van speeding away from them, "Oh for fucks sake!" he shouted as he chased after the van with Rai following. Only a few feet away Levy was still sitting at the edge of the pavement and drawing, completely oblivious of the danger powering down towards her.
"Levy! Where are you!?" shouted Maximus as he ran down the edge of the road with Terra behind him, they stopped and saw her sitting with the van only about ten feet away, "Levy!" shouted Maximus as he ran forward, Levy looked up and screamed as the van came speeding down towards her.
He grabbed her and through her out of the way seconds before the van smashed straight into him, all he could see was darkness and he heard the screams of Terra and Levy before he felt himself fall into the dark abyss of death
ROM
Graveyard- Several Days Later
"And so it is with great sadness that we must bid young Maximus farewell as he travels to paradise" said a priest as he closed his book and bowed his head as the wooden coffin was lowered slowly into the grave below.
Levy held onto her mother's hand as she watched her brother be buried under the earth, she looked round but couldn't see Terra anywhere. "Where are you Terra, why won't you come?" she whispered as she felt tears role down her face. Terra hadn't been seen since the accident, Levy had tried phoning her but had received nothing and when she went to her house there was no-one in.
"Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust" said the priest as everyone stood up to drop flowers onto the coffin, Levy stood up and walked while shaking over to the grave, she threw in some flowers to join the rest before kneeling down and looking at the coffin.
"Max, please do me a favour, don't be dead. Please don't be dead Maximus, you can't just leave me like this" she said before breaking down and crying her eyes out as her mother wrapped her arms around her and whispered comforting things in her ear.
That Evening
Autopsy Room- Inside the Castle of Radiant Garden
"I must say that you have misjudged yourself this time Hojo, he's just a child" came a low dark voice as two men in lab coats looked down at a body lying in the middle of the autopsy room. Above them were various mechanical arms that hung like vines from a circular sphere that was covered in various lights and screens displaying information.
"I assure you Curian that this one is the one we need, his blood type is the exact one that matches our preferences and requirements" said Professor Hojo as he produced a syringe and extracted another sample of blood from the body.
"Name?" said Curian as Hojo placed the syringe down and picked up a clip board and looked down to it, "Maximus, born in the country. His birth date is unrecorded but judging from the samples and his physique I would say he is around ten years of age" said Hojo as Curian frowned and lifted the sheet that was covering the body.
He looked down to the bloodied face of Maximus, his eyes were closed and Curian could see that much of the skin on his face had been carved off, he pulled a face of disgust and covered Maximus's face again.
"How did he die?" said Curian, Hojo produced a cigarette and took a whiff before checking the board again, "Killed by a runaway van, the owner hadn't left the handbrake on and it came ploughing down the road where he was, apparently he pushed his younger sister out of the way before it hit him" said Hojo as he smirked.
"The funeral was earlier today, shame for them they didn't know the body inside was that of a homeless bum one of the Failures had killed" said Hojo as Curian cursed in frustration, "Another one?" he said as Hojo nodded and produced a syringe with a green and blue serum in it.
"I had number XI deal with it" said Hojo simply as he approached the body while Curian started pressing several buttons, "Hojo you are fully aware that this serum has never worked on any of our other subjects for this experiment, what makes you so positive that this boy will be any different?" said Curian as Hojo prepared to inject Maximus with the serum.
"This boy's blood type only appears in one in a billion humans, if his blood does not react with Shinryus cells then Mateus will have the project cancelled, we have created many Schisms but this one, if the cells react properly, will be more powerful than any of the others combined" said Hojo as several sheets of information flashed on screen.
"Schism, a by-product of Professor Hojo's work in bio-weaponry. Created by fusing the cells of a human with that of an Esper a Schism is the ultimate achievement in the Empires ever growing mission to create super-soldiers of war as they continue their ever growing conquest of all planets in this star system" said a robotic female voice as Hojo injected the serum into Maximus's corpse.
"And now we will have one that topples even the Emperor himself in power!" said Hojo grinning evilly as he finished injecting the serum into Maximus, "Computer bring up all life readings of the subject" said Curian as a screen flashed on various pieces of data.
"Connecting material, extrapolating cells, initiate cellular reconstruction!" shouted a metallic voice as a close up of DNA appeared on the screen. "Muscle cells regenerating and growing, brain tissue has begun to reactivate and repair itself, nervous system re-enhancing, bone structure strength increasing" said Curian as he read the readings of the chart.
"What else is happening?" shouted Hojo as Maximus's body began to convulse, "Shinryus cells are reacting with him Hojo, their speeding up his regeneration, he will be back to being a fully healthy human being in a few minutes" said Curian in amazement as he watched the cells fused with the DNA of Maximus through the reader.
"Anything else?" said Hojo in excitement as he saw Maximus begin to start breathing again, "Negative Hojo, the cells have stopped reacting. They seem to lying dormant in his body, but they do not seem to be reacting further than causing mass regeneration" said Curian in disappointment.
"Dammit!" shouted Hojo as the readings came up on the screen, "He's just an ordinary Schism now, no he's not even that. He's nothing but a useless human!" he shouted, "And yet Shinryus cells remain dormant inside him" said Curian as Hojo let out a yell of frustration and turned away from the operating table.
"So what? If the cells don't react now then the experiment has failed, all we've done is brought a useless boy back from the dead" he said he sat down on a nearby chair and placed his hands over his face and sighed in frustration.
"Something the matter Hojo?" said another voice that entered the room, Hojo stood up tall and his eyes widened as a man dressed in golden armour with a long gold cape and long wild blonde hair, he was carrying a golden sceptre that ended in a fork like end, his face was plastered with white makeup complete with purple lipstick and eyeliner.
"Lord Emperor Mateus, what brings you down here?" said Hojo in shock as Curian stopped what he was doing and saluted Mateus, "I have come to see our newest recruit of course" said Mateus as he walked down the stairs and into the lab.
"Well I'm afraid that he will not be of much use My Lord" said Curian as Mateus frowned and looked at him in confusion.
"Explain" he said simply as Hojo brought up the readings on the screen, "While Shinryus cells have combined with his; but there has been no change to his general physique. His body remains that of a human but his genetic makeup is now that of a Schism, there has been no change to his senses or his physical strength. The only noticeable change is a vast increase of cellular regeneration, his body can now heal itself at a superhuman rate, even Logan could not heal as quickly as him" said Curian.
"Interesting" said Mateus as he inspected Maximus, he was still sleeping but the colure had returned to his skin and all his wounds had healed completely. "What is the state of Shinryus cells in him now?" said Mateus as Hojo kept checking the screen.
"Dormant" said Hojo simply as Mateus nodded in understanding, "Very well, I want you to take him into our ranks and keep him under watch and we shall raise him as a warrior like the rest. However if there are no changes in his physique in the next few years then I want you to have him exterminated" he said before turning round and leaving. "But Sir he will be of little use to us in this state, he's just an ordinary child!" shouted Hojo.
"I didn't waste all that time capturing the Espers from another world and extracting their cells to create my Schism for nothing, keep the boy I'am sure he can be of some use and when the cells finally awaken then we will use him as our ultimate weapon and then nothing will stop us in universal domination, long live the Empire!" he shouted before laughing evilly and turning round to leave the lab.
"Now if you just excuse me, I have a meeting with the Leader of the Space Trading Company, he wishes to hear more about our work with the Espers" he said as he left, "Oh and one more thing" he said turning back round to the two scientists, "Yes My Lord?" they said in unison.
"Wipe his memory; from now on he will be Maximus, Number 49 of the Schism, the Runt of the Litter we'll call him and that is all he should now when he awakens, am I clear?." said Mateus grinning cruelly as the two scientists nodded and he left.
"Well that was unexpected" said Curian as he brought down a helmet like device and connected it to Maximus's head, "Our Emperor has made his decision and despite it being an incredibly stupid one we have to obey" replied Hojo spitefully.
As they were about to activate the machine Maximus's move started to move, "Te…." He whispered, "He's trying to say something!" said Curian in fascination, "Terra" whispered Maximus as Hojo frowned and nodded to Curian.
"Wipe his memory; leave not a trace of his previous life"
Authors Note: And so begins the tale, Maximus has been reborn as a super- warrior but also at the same time happens to be useless because all he can do is heal really quickly. What is in store for him when he awakens, the adventure is only just beginning.
Next Chapter:
"Strange, the funny thing is I don't remember him"
"I had another dream about her Eleanor"
Data-Banks
Name (Origin, Age)
Maximus (Rage of Maximus, 10 at beginning, 18 for the rest of the story): A young boy who dreamed of exploring the stars, he was killed in a road accident but now has been reborn as a member of the Empire's super soldier group known as Schisms, he lacks any of the superhuman quality's seen in usual Schism but has incredible healing powers. He is the carrier of the cells of Shinryu, the God of Espers. He is currently number 49 in the group, the lowest rank given so far.
Levy: (Fairy Tail, 8) Maximus younger sister, Maximus was killed saving her causing her great sadness and regret. She never saw either Maximus or Terra after that day due to Terra disappearing a few days later.
Terra Branford: (Final Fantasy VI, 10) A young girl who was best friends with Maximus and Levy before Maximus untimely death. Her mysterious past caught up with her and she vanished without a trace the day after Maximus's death, her current whereabouts are unknown.
Professor Hojo: (Final Fantasy VII, 23) The mastermind behind the Schism project, he is a sick and twisted individual who sees his subjects as lab rats and nothing more. He has very little faith in Maximus and sees him as a failure.
Dr Curian: (The House of the Dead, 22) Hojo's assistant, Curian is more fascinated with bringing dead corpses back to life than he is in developing super soldiers, he does work closely with Hojo but has little involvement with the Schism project.
Emperor Mateus :( Final Fantasy II, 345 (Yeah I know!))The ruthless sounding and flamboyant looking Emperor of the Galactic Empire, his strange appearance masks a dark and truly evil personality. He is the overseer of the Schism project and has big plans for them and the worlds he wishes to conquer.
The Empire: (Final Fantasy VI) Mateus's Empire has been running the world of Radiant Garden for as long as it has existed, upon the discovery of space travel and its collaboration with the Space Trading company led to the discovery of the Espers and their world which the Empire have since colonised and populated along with several other planets.
Espers: (Final Fantasy VI) Magical creatures with incredible power they were captured by the Empire long ago and now only a handful remain, their cells were taken and used for the Schism project, their proper homeworld is unknown as the world they were found in by the Empire was confirmed to not be their true home world.
Schism: (Rage of Maximus) A bio engineered super soldier created for the Empire for one purpose, destruction. The Schism's are the power weapons of the Empires army and are often sent to other worlds to investigate or to prepare them for invasion. Most Schism's are totally ruthless although some have been able to hold onto their remaining humanity. They are created by fusing human cells with that of an Esper creating a whole new life form.
Radiant Garden: (Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep) One of the many worlds that the Empire now controls, the city of Radiant Garden is now the central world for the Empire. It is here that all operations are controlled and where Emperor Mateus commands his forces, once a beautiful city known for its rare flowers, it has now been split in two into the Higher City, where the rich and military live and the Lower City, where the poor and working class people live.