Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
A/N: I've been working on this for a really long time and it's been sitting in my doc manager forever waiting for me to finish it. It's actually not completely finished and you'll see why in my end notes. The title and story was inspired by the song Falling Apart by Gemini Syndrome.
Part 2 of the How far will I fall series
un-beta'd
He wakes as limbs and skin mold together again. The inky blackness cradles his broken body, soothing the angry lines of ripped flesh. He grips the Darkness to his lips to call for the others but there is no answer. He hesitates because there is only silence throughout the stretch of black. He wonders how long he will survive in the gaps of space alone. How long before he turns to ash or will he simply expire?
When the pain dulls he hears them approach in the distance. Their large gray and white bodies slip through the folds of matter gliding effortlessly. Even as they move closer he can see a large symbol blaze in the Darkness, 'the Nobody insignia', his brain supplies, etched on their chests as their bodies twist and ripple into different shapes. He smirks because these lesser creatures belong to him. He can feel their power hum dangerously but they bend low when he stands. The tallest steps forward, its body changes to green specked armor with horns curving close to its skull. The beast towers over him but he does not fear this being as it kneels before him.
-Master.-
Through clenched teeth he asks, "Where are the others?"
-Fallen.-
"Fallen," the Nobody whispers.
Their disappearance doesn't make him worry and he groans as a memory stirs in the back of his mind. Yes, he had sent them to search for more worlds and hearts but also for an escape.
He reaches forward to grip the mind and sees everything. Somewhere in the far corner there is a rip in this universe that overflows into another bathed in Light. Oh, it is tempting to explore but most of all to destroy.
He would have overlooked the floating rock so near the opening but there is something that calls, it calls to all of them. It's a temptation because this, this, would be enough but no, he's heard tales of other Heartless and Nobodies fail and he will not be made a fool. He vows to succeed where others have not if he decides to harness the power of Kingdom Hearts.
The creatures lead him to the rip at the edge of the universe pulsing with life. He realizes only a few will be able to cross through when Light shines through the tear. His only option is to cross and gather as much Darkness in the new world in order to pull the rest of his army through.
He rips through the doorway engulfed in electricity and fire when the corridor of Darkness becomes unstable. The humans scurry in panic as they catch sight of the few Nobodies gathering behind him. Their emotions bombard his senses and it leaves him gasping for breath.
A one eyed man demands, "Who are you?"
His laugh, his smile, comes out crazed because he cast away his Nobody name and has no desire to speak his true name. Any name he chooses would be a curse and destroy him like in his previous life. He ignores the soldiers as he dusts his black cloak and straightens the hood covering his head. He grins when the few dusks that came with him kill the humans around him.
He extends a hand towards a cowering scientist, "You will obey."
He grips the Darkness within the heart and twists it painfully. The human stands to follow obediently when he turns to leave. Someone approaches from behind him but his hand is out, already settling over the heart. This one is different, stronger, with so much potential.
"You have heart."
He will enjoy the moment he breaks and shreds this one across the void.
/|||\
Some of the humans under his command don't need their heart to be tampered with to join his cause. The speck of Darkness growing within them is so great that it's intoxicating. It makes him feel drunk with so much power that many of his followers worry he's sick. He waves them away and enjoys the sensation of feeling so much that it envelopes him completely.
His eyes stray to Barton, the loyal one that never leaves his side. He can almost taste the tainted Light sputtering within the archer and it makes him want. Instead he pulls away from the encroaching madness swelling within the mortal to oversee the machine his scientists are working on.
/|||\
There is no plan.
No real plan for world domination as many would believe. This world is just a casualty of the mischief he was not been able to exercise since he came to be. Memories of joy spring to mind as fire and destruction rain down because this is fun.
"Loki!"
He laughs at the thunderer because, yes, he can feel the Darkness spark within the Asgardian. If he can twist and pull just so then maybe the god will fall like the others.
"You are mistaken."
The blond growls, "Brother, I am taking you home!"
"I am not your brother."
If he had been the original, the true bearer of his face, this would have been yelled in anger and pain. This is why he smiles because he is himself and emotions disappeared a long time ago with the heart of his one. He is no longer controlled by the lingering emotions of his past life. By pretending not to care, in truth he doesn't, it'll give him a chance to destroy the god and make him a slave.
"Loki!"
"You are not listening," he grins, "I am not, nor will I ever be, Loki. I regret to inform you, Loki is gone."
After the words leave his mouth their talk is interrupted by two newcomers. He sighs and leans back, fingers twisting around Darkness to corrupt the hearts before him. He yawns in boredom, he remembers this is what boredom would feel like, as he watches Thor fight.
Really, he shouldn't be surprised his once brother is still easy to goad, especially with the flying armored man's mouth. When the man hefting a shield calls for a truce does he finally pay attention.
"Are the squabbling children finished?"
He smirks at the growls sent in his direction.
"Well," he smiles, "if that is all I-"
He stops, realizing the armored man has somehow managed to enclose his hands in metal cuffs. He almost rolls his eyes knowing that with a jerk of his arms they'd turn to ash under the weight of his power. However, this gives him more opportunities than before.
"You're coming with us."
/|||\
The cage is interesting.
The reinforced glass and steel makes him pause briefly before he turns away to see the room outside. The flying fortress is remarkable, he'll admit, but in the end it'll be another heap of scrap.
At the edges of his thoughts he can feel a glimmer of something cruel just begging for release. Something on the ship that is all anger and waiting beneath the surface to tear everything apart. He hopes he'll run into this creature before he leaves.
The sound of footsteps catches his attention. His hands fist and he bares his sharp teeth in the direction of the newcomer. The approaching woman makes his hackles rise. Something in her movements makes him want to hiss and break through the glass. He wants to strip the porcelain face apart piece by piece and scalp her if he manages to grip her hair. This heart is one he would never use. He would rather eat the polluted thing and let it rot in the pit of his stomach. He breathes slowly, beating down the urge to absorb her into the Darkness swimming within her.
He wills his face to stay neutral as he nears the walls of his prison. His breath fogs the glass when he whispers, "My, my, a Keyblade Master."
That's all the woman needs before her red and black blade crashes through the glass to slice him. His staff, wrought from his old weapons, materializes in his hands to cleave her neck.
She leaps overhead, knives raining down as a distraction, aiming for higher ground away from his outstretched hand. She staggers feeling something turn and twist in her heart before shutting out the pain. She barely winces hauling her weapon and releasing it in one smooth motion. He roars when the blade crashes against his chest only to boomerang back into her hands.
This is unacceptable.
He rushes her, hand tight around her neck, "Your heart is weak."
/|||\
Since the attacks and killings the world began to fear and in turn hate. Negative emotions combined only to make the barrier keeping the Nobodies of a different world at bay weaker. This allowed more to slip through to follow their master. No bullet or knife is strong enough to stop them.
The humans aren't prepared for white twitching bodies to explode out of black portals materializing from all directions within the carrier. When the air ship crashes into the ocean many people die. Half of the people who survived the Nobody attack escape through pods while the other half drown. Everyone scrambles, they try to regroup, and search the dark waters for any survivors. After realizing no one would've survived the burning ship or the crash they press on.
Agent Natasha Romanoff is placed on the KIA list.
/|||\
He eyes his left arm with interest. It's bone white and the color is already spreading across his shoulders and chest. The air chills around him and blue cracks appear here and there. No doubt his final form is building strength in case he needs to call upon it later.
He sighs, staring down at the humans milling around Stark Tower. In the beginning he thought it would've been fun to let this world fall in despair and let itself wallow in Darkness until it ceased to exist. Now, after fighting a keyblade, he wants to kill everyone and not bother harvesting their hearts.
The Nobodies that tower over him whisper, -Death is coming.-
He moves to the roof of the building where his remaining Nobodies wait for their orders. The scientist he kidnapped on his first day is already turning on a machine. The archer stands near the ledge, eyes scanning the skies for Thor and the one named Iron Man.
"Pulls negative energy," the scientist explains, "with this your army will come through."
A black energy shoots into the sky and the Nobody smiles hearing the wards begin to groan and crack. The energy funnels and Nobodies of different sizes, shapes, and forms claw through.
"Am I late?"
He turns to see a woman panting not far from him. Her red hair is nothing but tangles and her torn suit and split lip tell him she had a rough journey through the corridors of Darkness. He had thought she'd lose whatever Light she had left to the creatures lurking within the inky depths.
"Of course not."
In a rush of white the Nobodies on the rooftop move. They swipe and cut everything in their path in order to destroy her. A wall of fire erupts between the keyblade wielder and bullets of fire hail from the sky. The fire follows the direction of the blade, striking the twitching white forms until they disappear. He watches in mild curiosity as the woman fights through her exhaustion and pain to reach him. He sees her almost flinch when her blade is stopped by the archer's black and purple key.
/|||\
He barely registers the other heroes arriving nearby. He realizes the only reason they aren't out fighting his army is due to a barrier keeping his soldiers at bay. He hums staring in amusement at the third key blade wielder in his midst. He should have known the blond captain would become a problem.
"Loki, stop this madness!"
The mortals clutch their weapons, eyes never straying from his.
"Thor, son of Odin, prince of-"
Thor growls, "I know my titles serpent."
"Yet it seems you do not know and one must wonder why the All-Father has failed to mention it? Or is the gate keeper the only one with this knowledge? Did I sever his tongue when I froze him last time we met?"
Thor raises his hammer threateningly, "What lies do you weave trickster?"
"Loki, the man you love so dear has been dead for a very long time. The one who fell from Bifrost was not your brother."
"If you are not Loki," Thor snarls, "Where is my brother? Speak shape shifter!"
"He expired... many, many centuries ago," the Nobody looks away, "It's saddening you were unable to notice his passing. If I had a heart it would surely break knowing my brother replaced me so easily with a Nobody."
The man in gold and red armor tilts his head, "What the hell is a Nobody?"
"Lies," Thor grinds through his teeth, "Loki is alive. I would know if he-"
"No, you would not and did not notice. Loki is dead and with his strong heart I came to be. It's disheartening to think Loki died to save you and yet you are nothing but a failure. You couldn't even save your own brother."
Thor lunges, his hammer slamming against the gold staff. His anger roils and burns each time his strike misses. The Nobody doesn't smirk or grin, he doesn't mock or taunt. Thor falters because Loki would've done something by now. Loki would've made some speech about being superior but this thing only fights. The others try to join but are blocked by the white wriggling creatures.
The curved end of the staff swings the hammer aside and Thor gasps when a sharp object pierces through his armor. He continues to swing but he feels weak. The Nobody eyes him warily, fingers twitching as if pulling strings. The thunderer staggers watching the white dagger embedded in his ribs disappear in a cloud of smoke. Something deep inside tugs at his heart and he feels like he's suffocating.
"Farewell, Thor."
The sky darkens.
Someone yells as they're brought to their knees.
Another roars in anger and it fades as it falls from the building.
The Nobody feels the white armor shift and the ice under his skin push upwards. Blue horns sprout to decorate his head curling forward like a bulls instead of mimicking his old helmet. He feels minor discomfort when spikes grow down his spine, over his shoulders, and down his arms sharp and ready for use. His body grows as armor upon armor snaps into place and it resembles thousands of scales under the cloudy sky.
He turns to face the warriors still struggling to stand before him just as the armor crawls up his neck to cover his face and eyes. He can feel the humans tremble in anger and despair knowing his smooth, still face devoid of any human characteristics is alarming. He walks towards them slowly to savor the feel of power at his finger tips. He shivers when a a gust of wind brushes against the pairs of large gray wings dragging behind him. If his face didn't appear as a blank slate he would've smiled but it doesn't matter, nothing matters anymore.
-Everything will fall.-
End Note: I'll most likely turn this into a trilogy since I have a few ideas that over lap with this chapter. I'll need to refresh my memory on the Black Widow though. Help would be appreciated so I can get a better hold on how to write her since she'd be the main character of the third part.