Her Choice was Made, Her heart Given Away

Kingdom Hearts

The vortex swirled, allowing the female to drop. She was barely conscious and falling. Faster and faster, as if she was a rag doll, her flaccid body colliding with the branches of tree, as if they were outstretched arms trying to halt her ascending speed. But, instead of stopping her, the wood cracked beneath her weight and momentum of the descent. Lushes green leaves drifted to the bottom of the forest floor as each branch slowed her little by little until she could fall no more.

The girl coughed and cried in agony as the air was forced out of her lungs and the blood dripped from the scrapes she had acquired from the collisions above. She could hear a revolting crack within her chest followed by a nauseating pain. It had at least shattered one of her ribs.

Her breathing started heavy, each breath more difficult than the previous. She groaned, trying to keep it under control, she had to stay awake, if she didn't—who knew what would happen. It was slowing as her alertness faded, sleep was claiming her. It beckoned her, and the pain, the pain was so intense. Reluctantly, the girl allowed it to take her as a faint light glowed around her hand, and then faded, leaving some sort of object in its place. And, that's were she lay for the majority of the afternoon and where the man found her, watching her with a keen fascination. But, as the hours passed he began to think she was dead, until, before he left, her eyelids fluttered and she stirred.

"Ugh," Amber groaned as she began to regain consciousness. Apparently the portal that she and her friend had created did not care if it dropped her into the new world in a very gentle fashion or not. Her hands clasped into a fist as she used them to push her body into a sitting position. She attempted to rub her forehead, later realizing that her arm felt unusually heavy. Her emerald eyes wandered to her clenched fist. In it there was a- well she wasn't completely sure what it was.

Slender fingers wrapped around a handle, similar to the hilt of a sword. When the handle ended, a blade extended from it into what seemed to be an upside down heart, except, instead of coming to the end point, it extended into a cross.

But what caught her attention the most was the shape that wrapped around the blade. The gold wrapping began around the hilt in the shape of a hexagon, with the sides dipping in toward the center, and, at the beginning of the blade, the top point of the hexagon split into two rods that wrapped around it, then reforming a heart facing the opposite way.

The girl pulled her legs into her body, crossing them as she examined the—whatever it was, it was beautiful when she looked at it, simple yet intricate. A small heart dangled off the end of a delicate silver chain that was attached to the hilt. She lifted the object above her head and, due to her curiosity, allowed it to drop onto the rock in front of her.

The object made a soft clunk as it collided with the rock and ricocheted upward. It rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell. The motion continued for a considerable amount of time, intriguing her in its basic structure. The blonde was so enthralled by the object that she did not realize the person behind her. He silently crept closer while she remained oblivious to him.

Amber continued to raise the item and allowed it to drop in front of her. Again, and again it fell, one time after another, until eventually the blade fell for the final time, rebounded, propelled itself upward, and collided with Amber's head, leaving a sharp ache that felt as if it would split her skull in two.

"Ow," She whined, clutching her throbbing head and allowing the object to fall to the ground.

"Nice, what're you trying to do, give yourself a concussion." Amber turned in the direction of the scoff, startled. Her green eyes settled on the man behind her. Instinctively, her body pushed away and shrunk back from the life form. She tensed and her heart raced. Moments later the muscles in the girl's body began to relax as it recovered from the shock, after realizing that he probably meant her no harm. She rubbed the back of her neck and giggled in embarrassment realizing that she had just made a complete fool of herself in front of a total stranger.

"Maybe," their eyes connected. The girl deduced the situation considering her next motion, "I thought that's what you were supposed to do with it." Her tone was snide to cover the innocence behind it. Of course she didn't know what it was for, but she would never let him know that. Unfortunately, the tone she didn't want him to hear was the one he noticed. A look of disbelief crossed the man's face, his green eyes were wide as if astonished, or out of curiosity, Amber wasn't sure which.

"Come on; don't tell me you don't know what a keyblade is." The girl stood, picking up the object as she did, noticing that the man in front of her was significantly taller. Amber placed her hand on her hip as if annoyed.

"Of course I know what a keyblade is, who doesn't know what a keyblade is," She brushed his comment off as if it was nothing before turning around to face him again, dropping her act, "What's a keyblade?" The man snickered at her comment as if it was a joke. They stood there, Amber staring up at him, a blank expression on her face as he stood there, laughing, before realizing that she was not trying to be funny.

"You seriously don't know do you?" The blonde shook her head, the golden hair swayed with the motion while her bangs fell lightly against her cheek bones. It hung down on her back, barely passing her shoulders. The man stood there in astonishment before running a hand through a vibrant shade of red hair that seemed to clash with the afternoon's sunshine. "Well, it's like a key-"

"A key! A key to what?That must be one hell of a door,"

"Yeah, well it's not just a key, it's a weapon, got it memorized?" Amber's head cocked to the side, confused.

"A weapon? Come on, what are you supposed to fight with a key?" The man raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms in disbelief. His hand rubbed the back of his neck. He considered the best answer to give her, deciding that, even if she didn't know what a keyblade was, she surely would know about the creatures that could attack without a moments notice.

"You can fight nobodies," The girl stared at him blankly; expressing that she had no idea what he was talking about. The red head continued, hoping to list something she was familiar with, "heartless,"

"Heart- what?" She continued to look bewildered, as if her brain was trying to comprehend what he was telling her. Or overloading with all of the information she was acquiring.

"Dusk?" It was the last thing he could think of. If this girl really didn't know anything about the potential dangers within these worlds, she would surely loose her heart within the day.

"It's kind of bright out isn't it?" His last hope failed him. The blonde really didn't have any idea of where she was or what she was doing there.

Amber's eyebrows furrowed then rose, just beginning to realize the man's attire. He was covered in black, from head to toe, literally; the man had a black trench coat, black gloves, black pants, and even black boots.

What made it more bizarre was that the day was incredibly warm. She opened her mouth about to make a comment, but stopped herself, deciding against it. Instead, Amber gave the man a kind smile and turned to leave, taking the keyblade with her, "well I should probably get going," His green eyes followed the girl; a curious thought crossing his mind.

"Do you have any idea where you're going?" The blonde stopped mid step, considering the question.

"Actually," she smiled sheepishly as her gaze met his, "I have no idea." The man approached, running his hand through his hair before placing it on the girl's shoulder.

"How 'bout you come with me?" Amber held the man in her sight as he led her away and opened a portal. Her emerald eyes shifted from the man to the vortex that he opened, it was ominous, dark, and sinister all at once. A knot twisted inside of her stomach, "What's the matter, don't trust me?"

"N-n-no, it," her words were chosen carefully, "it just caught me off guard, that's all," she allowed him to lead her to it. The whirling mass swirled in front of her. The girl looked at the man beside her and smiled, "My name's Amber."

"Axel," it was the last word he spoke while leading her to the abyss, the dark energy swallowing them both.