Under Geas
By GypsyKate
Time: Pre-BBS
Summary: Why did Eraqus trust Master Xehanort, despite having good reasons not to?
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square Enix. The following quote isn't mine, either.
Geas...is something magically laid on you that you must do or not do. This can be a nuisance, because the Geas takes no account of the feelings you may have about whatever is laid on you. For instance, you can be under Geas to marry the next person you see with violet eyes, or to kill every third red-haired man, or to visit every COUNTRY on the MAP, and you will do those things. You may weep and curse, but do them you will.
–"The Tough Guide to Fantasyland" by Diana Wynne Jones
"Wait, Xehanort...there is a reason the precepts bar us from such knowledge. Why do you seek the X-blade? Would you blanket all the worlds in darkness, reduce them to nothing?"
His old friend did not turn to face him. He looked old enough to be his father, despite them sharing the same age.
It was another sign that Eraqus did not wish to see.
"But darkness did cover the world once, in legend. We know so little about the Keyblade War– only that it was just the beginning. Amidst that crisis a precious light was found. It is a curious tale– and one worth exploring."
He acted like himself– the dramatic hand gestures, the enthusiasm that increased the more he discoursed. But his words...
"They say ruin brings about creation. So what, then, would another Keyblade War bring? When the darkness falls, will we be found worthy of the precious light the legend speaks of? I must have these answers. The X-blade needs to be forged, and with it, the door to the Keyblade War unlocked!"
Eraqus did not want to hear that.
"Fool...you would risk the apocalypse out of sheer curiosity? I will never allow it, Xehanort. Not while I live!"
Where was the old Xehanort who would be horrified by what he now spoke of? Or did he never exist?
"But once again you have it all wrong, Eraqus. Darkness is a beginning, you see, not an end. At birth, every one of us emerges from darkness into a world of light, do we not?"
Eraqus couldn't spit out his next words out fast enough.
"Poetic excuses!"
Xehanort turned to leave.
"If words won't dissuade you, only one thing will."
Eraqus summoned his keyblade and charged, but his once-friend responded with a spell that blasted agony into his head and drove him to his knees.
The black fire eating away at his face answered the unspoken question that he still asked.
"That power...has the darkness taken you, Xehanort?"
"Not your concern." His enemy walked away, then turned back, almost as an afterthought.
"Oh, and Eraqus?" The old man`s demeanor changed subtly, imperceptibly.
"Do as you are bidden,
And keep this in your memories hidden."
Xehanort turned and left. The dark fire faded, but a different pain replaced it.
Subtly, imperceptibly, Eraqus` mind shuffled itself around and invented a lie for his new scars in a heartbeat.
It created many more before the enchantment wore off– by then, it was too late to repair the damage.
Many thanks to the Troper at tvtropes who pointed out that Eraqus could've easily prevented the tragedy in BBS by speaking up. Here's my reason why he didn't.
Xehanort strikes me as a very, very competent magician. That frightens me. I also assume that he wanted Eraqus alive to train more people for his upcoming Keyblade War.
This is my first OC-less fic. I hope ya'll enjoyed it, even though it's mostly a recap.
10/14/14: ...One of these days, I'll come up with a good explanation for why Xehanort didn't use the memory-wiping card again.
~GypsyKate
