A/N: A little fic idea that was inspired by Dream Drop Distance. This is quite possible the darkest fic idea I've ever written, and it contains the PHYSICAL ABUSE and TORTURE of a CHILD (though it's not seen), so bail now if that squicks you. This fic will lighten up as it moves on, and the M rating is mainly for this chapter.

A/N 2: This takes place in the same universe as Burning Heart and deals with the same characters, but I'm sure if it can be counted as an actual sequel or if it's going to be an AU of that fic. I'll have to think on that one.

1.

After everything that he had experienced, first as Dilan, then as Xaldin, then as Dilan again, it shouldn't have surprised him to see the depths that people will sink to in the pursuit of vengeance. He knew what Master Ansem had done to Roxas and Riku, and the suffering that Saïx's Other had endured on the man's orders, and that was just what one man had done. He knew that some of the rulers on the other worlds had done far worse, but even after seeing what he thought was the worst that people could do, some things were still able to shock him to the core.

He should have refused, he told himself for the millionth time. He should have said no, but he, eager to make up for his betrayal, had agreed without hesitation when Master Ansem had asked him if he was willing to take on a "special assignment".

Damn it all, he should have said no! The "special assignment" consisted of acting as a guard in the offworld prison that housed those that had committed serious crimes when darkness had fallen. There were people locked up for aiding the Heartless, those that had sacrificed others to save themselves, those that aided Organization XIII, as well as those that had just taken advantage of the chaos that was wreaking across the worlds to run wild and commit as much crime as they had wanted. The former members of Organization XIII had nearly ended up there themselves, but only the fact that they had all kept their Nobody powers saved them. It was possible to restrain and imprison a former Nobody, like Ansem had done to Saïx's Other before the latter's escape. (The official story was that he escaped, but Dilan just knew with a certainty that Lea and Xehanort had had something to do with it.) but it was difficult, so the other members of the Organization (Save Xehanort and Braig) had been allowed to go about their lives, but with a stern warning of what would happen to them should they stray again.

Most of the world leaders knew of the prison, and many had people imprisoned there, so most of them also sent one or two of their own people to help guard it. Dilan worked a twelve hour on, twelve hour off shift for a week, and then he rotated home to Radiant Garden for three weeks. It was a simple assignment, as well as a stark reminder of what could have happened to him, and Dilan had done as he'd been asked faithfully for many months without a complaint, but then...

They had brought him in.

Dilan wasn't sure how they had managed it, but somehow they had, and he had to stand at his post listen to the child's cries and screams.

But he's just a child!

He had to ignore that. He had to ignore that it was just a boy, a young teen to be precise, that was locked in the cell closest to his post. He tried to ignore the screams, the cries, and the sounds of suffering coming from behind him as the boy was brutally punished for crimes that he had yet to commit.

They had somehow plucked the boy from his homeworld and brought him here. The child had gone from living his life with loving parents to suffering in a cell that was only blessed with light when someone came in to punish him, which, sadly, was often. All of the worlds' leaders knew that the boy was there, including Master Ansem, and most of them knew who the boy would grow up into if given the chance and what he would do then. Many of them gleefully took the opportunity to torture the one that would be responsible for so much destruction.

But he hasn't done it yet. He hasn't done anything wrong.

Dilan winced as the crack of leather slapping against flesh echoed from the cell behind him, followed immediately by a breathless scream. He didn't know the person that had gone into the boy's cell just a few minutes ago, and to be honest, he didn't care to know. Anyone that took enjoyment out of tormenting an innocent child was no someone he wished to be acquainted with. He heard another crack, followed by another scream, which was then followed by a garbled plea for mercy. The poor child had no idea what he was being punished for, no idea why he had been taken from his family and brought here.

He heard a snarled "Shut up!" followed by another crack, and he knew that whoever had just belted the boy across the mouth to try and silence his crying. He took a deep breath as he reached into a pocket of his jacket and fingered the small bottle of healing potion that he carried there. They had brought the child in during his rotation home, right after he'd left for it actually, which meant that the poor creature had been imprisoned for nearly a month, enduring daily beatings and torture.

It was only two days into Dilan's week on, and he was already counting the minutes until the end.

Behind him came several sharp cracks in rapid succession, and after each one, the teen's screams grew louder. Finally there was another, louder, crack, and the boy fell silent. A few seconds later, the person that had been beating the child walked out and past Dilan. There was blood spattered on the bastard's clothes, and Dilan waited until he was certain until the monster (He could not in good conscience call such a person a man.) had left the prison, and then he left his post and went into the child's cell. The room was pitch black, but a quick flip of a switch saw the lights come on, which revealed a terrible sight.

The shivering child was lying sprawled out on his stomach in the center of the floor, shackled to the floor by chains that were too short for him to stand or even sit upright. He feebly raised his bloodied head when Dilan walked in, but he was too weak to hold it up for long, and it sank back down to the floor. His face was broken and beaten beyond recognition, with his eyes swollen shut, and his mouth and nose dripping blood. His body was wasted, with all excess fat consumed in a desperate attempt to stave off starvation, and it was clear that muscle was being consumed as well. From shoulders to knees, the boy's backside had been whipped bloody, and, if the heavy scarring that was visible under the fresh lashes and blood was any indication, it wasn't the first time it had happened. It was cold comfort that, as far as he could tell, the boy didn't appear as though he had suffered a rape, though Dilan knew that it was only a matter of time until someone thought of it.

He knelt down by the child's head and tilted it back, before he uncapped the healing potion and poured into the boy's mouth. The child swallowed it immediately, and he then tried to suck on the empty bottle, as if he was searching for nourishment in the cold glass. Dilan took the bottle away and gently stroked the boy's blood matted hair before the sound of approaching footsteps made him leave the cell and return to his post.

He stood at attention as more screams echoed from the cell behind him, and he closed his eyes and tried to will himself elsewhere.

This is wrong! This cannot be allowed to continue!

It didn't work.

OOOOOO

Once he was off shift, he retired to his private quarters, locked his door, and took the Corridors of Darkness straight back to Radiant Garden. He had to talk to Even. Even could give him advice on how to handle the situation, and most important of all...

Even knew where to find him.