Author's Note: So…this is the first chapter, or prologue, rather, of a fanfic I've been thinking up for about two months now. It required a lot of planning, and so I hope it is received well. It's basically a Kingdom Hearts 3 type of thing, based on the secret ending of KH2 as well as on something my friend Shiro found on wikipedia. We're not sure how it got onto wikipedia, but it did, and I liked it, so I decided to play with it. Thanks goes to Shiro for finding that and helping me with some character designs.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I do, however, lay some claim to any characters you do not recognize.
The Starfall Exequies
Prologue: "Numbers in the Dark"
His body was wracked with pain and trembled violently as he stumbled forward, out of the darkness, gasping for breath and clutching his sides. Vision swimming, he groped for a wall, found one, and leaned against it heavily.
The darkness…it still hurt to use, but it was the only way to save Her.
"Tikx!" a voice called, sounding faded and, oh, so far away as thundering footsteps clambered towards him.
"Where is Nirvax?" he asked, words slurring, as he strained his eyes, forcing them to focus on the slight thing before him. It was a boy, barely eighteen by the looks of him, with a shock of red hair and wild green eyes. He was pale, so much so that his white robe threatened to blend with his milky skin.
"Nirvax is in the throne room. Where have you been?" the boy asked, pulling Tikx's arm around his shoulders and hoisting him away from the wall.
"Take me to him," Tikx snapped, still struggling for breath.
The boy started down the long corridor, careful to shield Tikx's bright eyes from the dim light of the many candelabras that graced the cold, stone walls, which were thick with moss and reeking of mildew. Briefly, he wondered if, after living for the darkness for a long while, one would lose the ability to see in the light.
"Tikx," he began softly, "you shouldn't be - "
"Take me to Nirvax!" the older man cried, his eyes snapping open. The boy shrunk into himself a little, frightened by the manic look that swam in those sapphire orbs, framed by wisps of dark hair.
"I've found Him," Tikx offered quietly, as some type of explanation that the boy did not understand.
"Found who, Tikx?"
"He can help us. The Master."
The boy's viridian eyes widened suddenly, glimmering with awe, and his hushed whisper echoed that same emotion.
"The Master? You've found the Key- "
"Shut up!" Tikx interjected, pressing a finger against the redhead's lips. "We need to tell Nirvax first. If the others find out before he does, it will ruin everything. You know how they are."
"The other's are gone. Neldalvx is the only one here."
Tikx slipped away from the boy, sliding down a wall to slump at the bottom and pant for breath.
"I'll go to them, Tikx. I'll tell them you've found Him. Nirvax will let you rest once he's heard the news."
The older man nodded slowly and the green-eyed boy dashed down the hall, smiling to himself.
This was it. Tikx had found Him. Everything was so close now. It was just a matter of time before he returned to his home, and finished what he started. It was just a matter of time before they were all whole again. Now that Tikx had found Him, they could save Her.
And She, in turn, could save them.
"Nirvax!" he cried, bursting through the doors of the throne room in a rush of excitement. His voice echoed through the pitch-black walls, sliding over silver inlay and ruby accents and the ivory floor, which exuded cold as he crossed it to stand before a large ebony throne.
"Hush, Xydarj," a tall man crooned from where he was stretched across the throne. Pale blonde hair pooled over his broad shoulders and his dark eyes danced dangerously as he smiled at the redhead, twirling his fingers in the dark hair that was spilling across his lap.
"Neldalvx is not feeling well today, and there is no reason to be so excited as to bother him," the blonde man whispered.
"Nirvax, Tikx is back," Xydarj explained, much calmer now that he had been chided.
Nirvax's dark eyes narrowed and he straightened, the mass of body curled at his feet shifting position and grunting in displeasure as its pillow moved. Pale hands clutched at a head of jet-black hair and Nirvax placed his own head over them.
"Where has he been?" he hissed, gently moving the hands he held and again cradling the head in his lap.
"He wouldn't say," the boy answered, his head shaking and his smooth, chin-length hair dancing in front of his eyes in strips of copper. "But he did say that he found Him."
"Found who?" Nirvax snapped, teeth flashing and eyes glowing.
"The Master, Nirvax. He's found the Keyblade Master."
The head resting in Nirvax's lap snapped upwards and angry orange eyes locked onto Xydarj.
"Why isn't he reporting this himself?" the man snarled, pointed white teeth bared threateningly. "He has more information, doesn't he? And he'd be much more considerate about delivering it!"
"Now, now, Neldalvx," Nirvax crooned softly, pulling Neldalvx's dark hair away from his face and tying it back loosely with a strip of leather that had been curled on his thigh. "You know as well as I do that Xydarj is the most sensible among us, despite being so young."
Pausing, Nirvax glanced up at the boy and narrowed his obsidian eyes dangerously. But as he spoke, his tone remained eerily calm and possessed an almost singsong quality.
"And, as such, you think he'd realize that it would have been wisest to send Tikx himself."
"Tikx…needed rest, Nirvax," Xydarj offered weakly.
Growling, Nirvax stood quickly and snapped, "He doesn't need rest he needs practice!"
"Nirvax!" Neldalvx snarled, sitting upright finally, and glaring at the blonde.
"Oh, be quiet!" Nirvax said bitingly before calling out Tikx's name. The throne room rumbled with anger as the call echoed in the darkness before the air settled silently. Xydarj shifted his weight nervously as Nirvax scowled and Neldalvx remained silent and disgruntled.
The air before them shifted and shimmered, glowingly darkly as Tikx stepped out of the shadows, hair mussed and eyes ringed with fatigue.
"Yes, Nirvax?" he murmured breathlessly.
"Tikx," the blonde sighed, "sending Xydarj to do your dirty work, are you?"
"I'm not used to the dark- "
"Xydarj may be younger than all of us, but he is in a much higher position than you are," he growled, "Do not send him to make reports that are yours to make."
Neldalvx sighed angrily and leaned back against the throne, catching the hem of Nirvax's robe and fingering it absentmindedly. The other man glanced back at him quickly before turning to Tikx and continuing.
"Where is He?"
"We can't reach him right now."
"Then what good does he do us?" Neldalvx grumbled from his seat on the floor.
"He can help us, with Dava."
"I know that, Tikx," Nirvax drawled, running a hand through his golden hair, "but it still doesn't do us any good if we can't get to him."
"Use your creatures," Tikx said, gazing at the floor, expression blank and fingers curled into tight, white-knuckled fists. "The world he lives on is surrounded by light. We cannot get to him. But, the creatures…if we use them, we can make him leave his home and return to Radiant Garden."
Nirvax was silent, his brows furrowed as he processed this before speaking.
"Neldalvx," was all he said, and the dark-haired man disappeared into the darkness quickly, nodding curtly as he did so.
"He is with two others, as well," Tikx added.
"Who?"
"One is a second Master."
"A second Master?" Xydarj cried, eyes impossibly wide and mouth splitting his face with a lopsided grin. "Nirvax! Do you know what this means?"
"Yes, I know exactly what it means," Nirvax murmured, smirking to himself. "What about the third Master?"
"The third Master?" Tikx echoed, his eyes narrowed in confusion.
"There's a third?" Xydarj asked.
"If there are two, there's got to be a third. Haven't you heard of the Trinity? Or Thruallida?"
"No, Nirvax, I haven't," Tikx admitted, "and I will find the third Master."
"No matter, Tikx. If the third Master is not with the other two, you'll just waste precious time. Who is with them?"
Tikx smirked and Xydarj glanced between the two older men, trying to intercept their silent exchange.
"Ah…" Nirvax sighed. "You have a plan then?"
"Yes."
"Xydarj, where is Apoxol?"
The boy scoffed and rolled his eyes. "You know just as much as I do."
"Where could he be?" Nirvax snapped, lip curled in a threatening scowl.
"Tortuga, most likely," Xydarj answered, voice filled to the brim with disdain.
"Get him."
"Why? What use is he?"
"Xydarj, don't be nasty just because dear Apoxol gets to play more than you do."
"I'd get to play plenty if I were a worthless half-with, then?" Xydarj grumbled as he opened a path and, pouting, stamped through it, into the hungry darkness.
"He can help us with Dava, you say?" Nirvax asked once the boy had vanished.
"Yes, Nirvax. If we take the girl, we can get Him, and use his power."
"But we'll still need her. For Dava, and for Neldalvx."
"For Neldalvx?" Tikx asked, a glimmer of suspicion sounding in his voice. "Yes…I suppose we would need her for that."
"But we deal with Dava first, Tikx, as promised."
"Thank you, Nirvax," the blue-eyes man muttered before turning on his heel and marching out of the room.
"What do you plan on doing with me?" a voice called from a corner, shaking as it slipped coldly through the room.
"I'm going to save you, Neldalvx. You travel too easily through the darkness, so I'm going to save you," Nirvax crooned, turning towards the thin, dark-haired man and grasping his hands. "Not of word of this to the others, Neldalvx. If they ever found out…" he trailed off, pressing his forehead against the other man's cringing at the fragile feel of his impossibly pale skin.
"There aren't enough, Nirvax," Neldalvx stated, curling his fingers and digging nails into the blonde's palm.
"Make more."
"I need more energy. I'll die if I make them now."
"When Xydarj gets back with Apoxol, I will tell him he can go home. I'll tell him to wait there for the Master. He can get you the energy you need."
A third voice cut through the air, lilting and joyful as the daylight it knew long ago.
"So the brat's finally leaving us, eh? I say it's about time!" a man called, sauntering into the room, long braid swinging behind him and clear blue eyes dancing merrily. "Word on the street is that your Highness is in need of my assistance."
"Yes, Apoxol," the blonde crooned, "it's finally time we put you to good use."
"Sounds exciting," Apoxol said with a wide grin.
"I think you'll find it to your liking. Go to Radiant Garden," Nirvax instructed, smoothing out Neldalvx's hair as the other man groaned lowly, "wait for the Keyblade Masters and the girl. Then, lead them to Xydarj. Don't touch her until I give the word."
"As you wish, Nirvax," Apoxol sighed, sweeping into a melodramatic bow, clearly disappointed that he was not to be used to his full potential.
"Coordinate with him, Apoxol. I don't want your little lovers' quarrels messing this up."
"Lovers! Pah!" the brunette spat, rolling his eyes several times before he caught the blonde's stern, scolding expression and threw up his hands apologetically. "Don't worry, Nirvax. I'll play nice for now."
As Apoxol exited the room, his sullen footsteps echoing through the vast corridors beyond the heavy door, Neldalvx groaned weakly, slumping forward against Nirvax, who held the dark-haired man close.
"Soon, Neldalvx, soon," he murmured softly as the other's fingernails dug into his arms and a heavy cold dripped from them, seeping into his flesh.
He shuddered and pulled the dark-haired man closer to him, breathing shallowly as the latter pressed warm kisses along his neck.
"Hurry," Neldalvx whispered, "Hurry."