The once solid, warm structure had been severely damaged in the sudden attack. The sharp, thin roof had been torn and cracked, the west wall had been reduced to rubble, combined with the neighbouring house, it was unclear which was which. And the smooth cobble path was cracked and loose, chunks of stone had been dug out of it.
Cerulean eyes stared in horror at the desolation, the far-branching havoc continued to echo elsewhere, but that part of the quaint city had been left silent. Stealing a quivering breath, Sora continued to watch over the same house, once filled with wonder and magic, reduced to a toppling heap. Something, be it his heart or otherwise, had drawn him to the isolated march, his hopes dropped with every slow, shaken step as he peered around at the familiar place, eclipsed in a darker, perverted version of what gleamed with radiance.
"He's in there." Sora said to no-one, but perhaps himself in a gripping attempt to shake the deepening fear and anger that began to overtake him, twisting his stomach with a heightening instinct to stand his ground. Whatever had lured him there, while conflicted with his growing despair, was sure of his presence – Xehanort.
The elder keyblade master, seeker of darkness and destroyer of innocent lives, was inevitably inside the small cottage, which fortunately for his dampened spirit, had managed to survive the crippling attack on Radiant Garden. Such an event had not gone unheard, and the scattered keyblade wielders had journeyed back to the once 'Hollow Bastion' to find it much like their first image of the world, a dark and isolated wasteland.
Alone, without a clue of the whereabouts of his friends in the continuing desolation, Sora had found himself wandering alone to the gentle whispers of his heart, a muffled voice guided him through the devastated haven. Such a task had poised him in an active defensive demeanour of stealth and caution, a growing sense of mortal danger at the memory of his previous slip into darkness, crippling him into a cold, tight embrace of darkness that had almost shrouded his heart permanently, only for Riku to dive into his heart to rescue him. He owed his life to the silver haired youth, and was determined on returning that debt.
"Then maybe you should focus on getting stronger," A familiar voice sneered, his tone clear and suggestive. A light flick shot through his heart, not enough to cause him agony, but enough to stiffen the brunette. "Instead of focusing on your – friends."
Sora frowned. "At least I have some." He called out in instinct, a stirring, itchy feeling of deja vu fell over him.
The figure, clad in a ebony, muscled armour with scarlet designs over his chest, forearms and legs and a thin, skimmed fabric wrapped around his waist by a belt of the same colour. It was almost identical to the one worn by Riku, possessed by Ansem, years before but without the heartless emblem and blue webbing along his chest. A mirroring helmet and mask also hide the boys face, reflecting back the peeved face of Sora.
"What do you want?" He spoke low, his voice a mere whisper. The boy's appearance didn't seem to alarm him, but rather coax him further into the house.
The boy had no difficulty in hearing him, despite his reluctance to speak. "The same as you...for Xehanort to be destroyed."
"Yeah right..." Sora scoffed, rolling his eyes as he turning back to the figure with a deep look of annoyance. It was clearly a conversation he wanted nothing to do with. "Like I'd believe you."
The boy chuckled softly, his deeper voice hummed without a hitch through his throat. "You should, after all...you believed Riku when he said you both would always be friends-"
"You leave him out of this." Sora demanded quickly, his voice a blur. "We are friends, we always have been - and always will."
The masked boy shook his head in dismay. "Clearly..." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Look at you both right now. Riku, a master, high and mighty. While you scramble to even hold a keyblade that isn't even rightfully yours. Face it, he's leaving you behind."
"No." Sora growled. "Riku earned that title, he earned his keyblade. Just as I earned mine."
"I'm not so sure. Remind me again, but...who was named master?"
Sora's stern glare weakened as he held his gaze but his anger had subdued slightly. "Riku. But-"
"Exactly. You fell into darkness, almost becoming what you have sworn to fight against. You'd be nothing without him. Weakling."
"I am not weak." Sora's fists tightened, his knuckles flashed a pale white. "And I only ended up in darkness because of Xehanort's manipulation."
The boy crossed his arms over his chest. "I was wrong, your exactly like he was. Naive and destined to become the darkness you think you will stop. You'll fall to darkness again, just you wait. Then we'll see how long you play the good little messenger boy." He snarled. his voice clung to ever word as he studied Sora's expression, his hidden grin grew at the slight drop of strength in him, his eyes coated in self-doubt.
"Might wanna hurry...the geyser inside." And with that, at the confident flick of a hand, the boy hopped through a corridor of darkness, the trails of dark smoke dissolved and left the courtyard once again empty.
Sora stared on, his mind raced at the others words but after a moment, turned his attention back to the ruined house. With his nails dug securely into his palm, he tore open the hinged door with caution, his senses primed for the signs of a fight.
"You seemed distressed boy." The older man slurred, his bright golden eyes locked onto the sky blue, interlocking with his thoughts, stirring around the hints of his stance, face and actions.
Sora frowned, his eyes held a fear that the man knew well, but not for what he had expected. "So...your master Xehanort."
"Indeed. But I don't believe introductions are required, we are both aware of the other." Xehanort said simply, his fingers curled together behind his back, resting against his tail bone. "To be honest, I am disappointed. You seem far greater keyblade master material then Riku, but then again...the trials are quite obscure."
"Why are you here? To gather hearts, or to just hurt people?"
Xehanort didn't seem faltered by the ignorance of the comment, but rather glad of so.
"Many years ago, I lived in this world. Studied here, unaware of my true purpose. I personally preferred the gentle hum of the north fountains, accompanied with good book. And such, I have no use in causing entropy. Rather, I am here on the quest of something much more mundane."
"Like what?" Sora spat – actually spat, like it was the most revolting, disgusting thing he had ever heard. His eyes narrowed, his body tense in position for an assault.
A grin dusted the older man's lips, curling into a statement of assurance. "Why...I am hear to speak to you. Sora – oh, may I call you that? Where are my manners?"
Sora didn't reply, his mouth fell into a stern, hard frown that seemed to burn into his jaw.
"Very well. As I had said before, Sora. I only wanted to met you, after which the I hope we can come to a mutual understanding-"
"Save your breath."
"Despite what you may believe, you and I hold quite a few...similar characteristics." Xehanort cocked a brow, pursing his lips. "After all, we both have been abandoned by the ones we saw closest to us."
Sora growled, "I haven't been abandoned...your just making stuff up now!"
"Be that as you may think, but I have been watching you. And your friends. To tell the truth, I find it ironic that the one who saved you from your own darkness not too long ago, is the one to originally spark it."
"Wha-"
"Come now, Sora. Do you not see that you are the burden that Riku cannot bare? Quite like Eraqus..."
"I'm not a burden..." Sora denied, his voice quaked into a shaky laugh, almost as if the older man had told a terrible joke. " And I'm nothing like you."
Xehanort held his tongue, sinister golden orbs looked over the boy with what seemed like admiration. His mouth curled into a timid smile, a deep sadness flickered behind his eyes for a split moment, before washing it away in a quick blink, his hands returned to his back. "We will see. But know this boy...the events that are led to transpire will not be pleasant, despite lying on opposite sides, I wish you luck."
"Events to transpire...?" Sora flinched back, another sharp sensation ran through his chest. "Your just babbling!"
Xehanort drew a sigh, his arched figure was slow in turning back away from the confused teenager. "Oh. I hope so."
There was a few silence moments between the two, the echoing clashes seemed closer, but never the less destructive. Breaking the serene peace in the air, Sora stepped forward.
"If you wanted to just us to speak, then why attack this world?" He asked, his voice filled with curiousity that seemed to numb the prickling inside his chest. "You guys seemed to easily track me."
Xehanort nodded. "Yes, I apologize for such uncomplimentary timing. Such a shame, I was quite hopeful that you would pass. But, fate calls for sacrifice." His eyes seemed empty as he wiped his hand over a stray book, dusting off the debrie that had coated it in the conflict. The golden letters scribed the words that Sora had never hoped to include with Xehanort.
A Hundred Acre Wood.
His stomach churned, cerulean eyes stared in horror as the elder man gazed longingly at the book, as if reunited with a old friend. He gasped,"What are you doing?!"
Xehanort didn't seem to hear the question, his eyes locked onto the soft, olive stained pages with a smile. It wasn't a smile of evil, nor one of a cunning plan. But that of a simple man, over looking a memento of his lost years.
"This book...has been around for far longer then you can comprehend, boy. It's pages hold many lives, many hearts lost to the inevitable force of time, one that even its creator could not overcome." His fingers stroked the sharp cutted edges, flickering with reminscene
through its pages. "During my own travels, I came across it. Such happy times, crafted with a kindness I have long given up on experiencing again. Such a waste..."
The elder man gently shook his head gravely, raised the book up, hovering it over his palm in a light, violet glow. "My dear...old friends..."
"Wait...NO!" Sora roared, reaching out, as if expecting the elder man to not do what he clearly planned, his critism broke into a plea. "P-please...don't!"
Xehanort clenched his palm, flexing his fingers into a curl as the darkness grew deeper and larger, snatching the book hungrily like a beast, smothering the old paper without remorse. He released it from his hold, allowing it to fall to the floor. A light hiss could be heard as the book clenched and spasmed, before fluttering into a dead pile of flickering darkness.
His legs no longer held the power to support him. Falling to his knees, Sora reached into the darkness, ripping the torn remains from the splurting darkness that dissolved until nothing remained, his hands curled around the remains, gripping it tightly against his chest, hugging it above his heart. A soft whimper broke through his throat, coughing into broken sobs. His neck was bent, not allowing Xehanort to see his eyes close with a misted shine.
"Y-you..." He panted, his form trembled as a deep, unfamiliar shiver ran through him, his senses felt ablazed as his hands clenched the wilted remains of A Hundred Acre Wood, the ash filtered through his fingers. " - monster..." He gritted his teeth, holding back the raging screams that threatened to burst through his throat, his eyes narrowed with a deep aura of anger, sadness and disgust that even half way across the town, intelligent, green eyes shot up at the burning scent that knocked at almost everyones senses, including the several black coated men, who all froze, their eyes widened in triumpt, disbelief and fear . It was all the same, for both sides, whom stopped fighting immediately.
"As I said boy – Fate calls for sacrifice." His voice was not of truimpt, nor of remorse, but of a soft pity as he watched the stray embers of crumbling paper float to the floor, his expression a stern frown, one that seemed forced.
A rushed, nervous plea whispered through his steaming thoughts. 'Sora...don't-'
'Please Sora.' Another voice, a female, soft and familar, also cried out. 'He is planning on yo-'
'SORA, DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DI-' The voice was the same as the first, but more crisp, more hardened in tone of a thicker link to him.
Each voice, clearer and more familar, was lost in the growing anger that swept over him, his heart blazed with rage, and a thirsty for vengence as the memories of a bright orange bear, a bouncing tiger, a small pig, a nervous rabbit and many other interesting and colourful animals bled through his heart, pulsing the deep violet glow that ignited like fire at the centre of his chest, spreading like wildfire over him.
His voice was a mere whisper, but deeper, sown with more darkness then any could have guessed to thrive in such a happy, cheerful boy. His eyes flooded with dry tears, his teeth gritted into a furious growl, his lip quivered. The remaining ashes were crushed in his tightening grip, escaping through the cracks between his arms, which continued to tighten around his chest. He stole raspy breaths through sobs, the light violet aura, similar to the same that had consumed the book, continued to grow darker around him, until it was almost a cloak of burgandy smoke trailing from his back and shoulders. A bright glow pierced his eyes for a moment, striking a calm summer sky with a lightning storm.
"You...". In the midst of that single word, containing so much darkness, his clothing faded into the darkness, returning in a white flash as a full body suit, similar to the masked boys only minutes before, with the addition of a golden crown eblem on his chest. His body tensed as the darkness continued to travel through him, his thoughts clouded with the only thing that would keep him sane. His friends...but, now they were gone.
His knee jerked as he rose slowly to his feet, his form trembled as power washed over him. He stared up at the elder man, for a split moment, his golden brown hair sunk to a ebony, his blue orbs flashed with a sinister gold, much like those he had previous spoken with.
Xehanort held the silence proudly, his once knowledge – thirsty gaze once ran over the boy, admiration curved between his cheeks into a small grin, flashing a pair of sparkling white teeth that seemed sharper then usual. "Well boy – it seems that even after all this time, you are still naive. It seems that to attack this world – to lure you away from your friends... has done very well, you passed excellently."
"What...?" His darkness seemed to linger for a moment, his eyes widened in fear as he found a tightness grow around his heart, his eyes clenched as he groaned in pain.
"P-passed what?"
"All in due time. To be frank, I am impressed. Perhaps you will be a far more expandable vessel then Riku...we will see."
"Xehanor-ahh!" Sora cried out, the purple smoke continued to grow bigger, ripping and tearing at the air like a starved animal. Sharp fingers pierced his cheeks as the older man grasped his jaw, pulling him towards his face, leaving on centimetres between them.
Xehanort allowed himself a light chuckle, his grin grew as did the cloak of darkness gripping the boy, a light sweat coated his tanned skin. If you were to look over the boy closely, there was an almost similarity between both of them at that age. His eyes, once a bright, hopeful blue, now the rims of his irises cracked with a less darker gold then his own, the colour was minor but noticeable from a close view. The seed had been planted, all that was left was the torns to grow again. He could already feel the familar presence through the darkness, a mocking grin and an urge for destruction carved into the air.
"In a short time, you will once again come to call me master. But until then, boy...I'll be keeping my eye on you." He threw the boy back down to the ground, his body cracked against the broken wood flooring, a light groan escaped his lips, looming on the edge of consciousness, nevermind the line of light and darkness.
The older man said nothing else as he turned away, his sleek cloak flew behind him as his hands fell back to his tailbone, a truimpt smile split through his lips as he left the whimpering teenager, scrabbling to conprehend what had just happened, the oncoming cries of his friends pursed closer as he turned the corner, vanishing into a corridor of darkness.
"Sora! Kid, where are yo-" A hard, commanding voice called out, the flickering of blond hair and a large, defying physics swords, faded to his mind at the sound of the voice, his thoughts slipped into darkness as his fatique overtook him, but not before the man saw the faded smoke fade from his crippled body. "Sora! Get the others, he's in bad shape!"
The voice seemed to have a companion as he heard another form skid through the gravel, wind flickered over them as the second pair of footsteps faded away. The battle far off had grown silent. "C'mon kid, your gonna be alright. Your stronger then this."
"Cloud..." He groaned, winching as the shift from his side sent a burning sensation through him. "I-"
Cloud stopped him, his voice was more sincere then he had spoken to the boy before, filled with genuine concern. "Shh, kid. Where the hell happened to you?"
"I-I..I used darkness..." He whimpered, his voice broke as his failed to hold his crumpling demeanor, his throat felt tight, unable to breathe without feeling like someone had crushed his windpipe. "Xehanort..."
The calm blue eyes that managed to spark through the darkness stole a glance at his lower body, the violet smoke had all but dissolved into the air. "Everyone does once in their life, kid. Your gonna be fine."
"He killed them...he destroyed the book."
"Book?" Cloud cocked a brow, the boy was clearly dislusional. "Kid, just focus on breathing. The others 'll be here soon. Just rest."
"Their...their go-" The teenager failed to finish as his breathing grew slow, his vision was clouded as he faded into a shroud of darkness. His heart was pulsing, his light flickered as the last call of his name filled his thoughts, pushing the darkness back slightly.
Riku...Kairi...
'Forget them. Where were they when you were in darkness...? Oh yes, not caring about you. Face it...your alone.'
'No, They will save him. How could you ever understand friendship, when you never experienced it?'
'I was right...you both are so alike...'
'Just hold on Sora...you are the one who will open the door.'
'And how will he do that, when those he trusts locks him behind it, right where the darkness belongs?'
'You'll see.'
'Oh, I hope so.'
A/N: This is my first Fanfiction for Kingdom Hearts, as the new trailer and promise of another has led me towards motivation. Note, this concept is not mine, only the story is. This came into being at the genius mind of HMK, I suggest you check him out. As said, HMK came up with the intriguing concept of Xehanort, in a method to turn Sora into his thirteenth vessel, is to burn A Hundred Acre Wood, in acting Sora's rage and despair. There are also other implied concepts by HMK, one being Xehanort as a Fatalist, along with Sora already being a vessel due to Vanitas' existence inside of him.
I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix and Disney have those marvellous bragging rights.