Kingdom Hearts
Shadowy Strings of Fate
By cold-insignificant-play
PROLOGUE
"I hate you," Bernard said softly without looking up.
Sora stood dumbfounded at the Secret Place's entrance, not knowing what to say.
His friend was sitting bare-chested in front of the Door without a Handle, his enflamed wings covering his arms.
Unlike the rest of the Islands, The Secret Place was the only area at which the fire had NOT spread.
The fire, caused by Sora's miserable and wretched looking friend.
"Bernard…why?" Sora asked tremulously after finding his voice in the seemingly deep oblivion of his chest.
"I hate you," Bernard replied still not looking up.
"Why do you hate me? WHY?" The floodgates holding back Sora's tears had opened up and emotion filled his voice, "I don't understand, Bernard! I thought we were friends? We've been through a lot, you and me! But…THAT?" he motioned to the exit meaning the destructive inferno that was raging outside "Why did you have to destroy my home? Why, why, WHY?" He ran to Bernard, sank on his knees and put his arms on his shoulders and shook them rapidly as he spoke and wept.
"I don't understand, Bernard Viljoen! I just don't understand," tears choked his voice, "I…."
His voice dried up and so he couldn't finish the sentence. He burst out in a fit of sobs and then buried his face in Bernard's shoulder.
Bernard didn't respond to this. He kept looking down at the ground as if there was an interesting looking bug crawling about.
A moment of silence followed between the two boys, broken only by Sora's sobs.
Then, as if possessed, Bernard screamed inhumanly and kicked Sora away from him with a tremendous force.
Sora flew back at a high velocity and hit one of the cave's chalk-covered walls. He slid down and sat upright in a daze, a batch of fresh tears still glistening on his face.
Bernard stood up slowly.
"I hate you," he said with much more strength and emphasis than before, "I will kill you and I will hold your severed head up for the world to see!"
Sora regained awareness and beheld his friend's new physique in terror.
The Chaos had been at work,
Bernard's chest had broadened and become more muscular and there was a scar that was dripping a sort of molten gold liquid that trickled down his abdomen. He wore only a pair tattered jeans and an ugly looking gash on his left leg. And then his skin...the normal, warm tanness had disappeared and an ashen grey pallor had taken its place. Iron claws replaced his nails and he clicked them together menacingly.
His kindly brown eyes were absent and were replaced by molten gold ones, the same colour as the liquid seething out of the wound on his chest. His hair had gone from brown to pitch, raven black.
And from his back, two large, majestic looking wings covered in flame, protruded.
"Wha…what has it done to you?" Sora asked wide-eyed, partly from awe, partly from terror.
Bernard didn't respond, he took his Keyblade that was stuck in the ground nearby and advanced menacingly to Sora.
"Bernard, stop!" Sora pleaded, "Think this through!"
"There's nothing more to think about," Bernard responded without emotion, not pausing, "You deserve to die!"
"You're mind is corrupted by the Chaos!" Sora tried negotiating, "It's not making you think straight."
"Nothing more to think about!" Bernard muttered, moving nearer without hesitation, "Nothing to say! Sora deserves to die!"
"Bernard, please! I don't want to fight you!"
"No use fighting. No use. I will kill you."
Bernard's Keyblade dragged behind him, leaving a trail of dust puffing up from the ground.
Sora scrambled to his feet and tried to escape back through the tunnel but Bernard simply clicked his claws and a wall of flame appeared at the exit.
"No use escaping. No use fighting. Sora dies now."
Sora sighed deeply looking down, then resolutely turned around to face his hostile friend and let his Keyblade appear in his hand.
"Fine," he frowned, "Let's fight."
...
Author's Note: Just a little taste of what's to come. See! I keep my promises!