Darkness…
Each world emerges from darkness; will they end in darkness?
Darkness…
The heart can be plunged in and still survive, but at what cost?
Only Kingdom Hearts can shed true knowledge.
Chapter 1Ryan looked over the night sky. The stars gently twinkled in the dark abyss of space.
He breathed in the cool night air; fall was coming. The trees and all the animals could sense it to.
"Ryan!"
Ryan turned to see Katie run towards him. She wore a big grin and her brown hair streamed behind her.
"What?" Ryan asked as she stopped by his side. He ran his hand through his light brown hair.
"I was just wondering what you were doing," she said with a smile.
Ryan looked nervously at the sky. Some of the stars were twinkling oddly and some just disappeared all together.
Katie just smiled at the stars, like nothing was wrong. Ryan stared at her, wondering why she didn't feel the same feeling he did, the tight nervousness and the anxiety of wait for something.
"Darkness," Katie said still smiling.
"What?" Ryan asked. He looked from the sky to Katie and back again.
Katie turned to him; her hazel eyes showed sadness and her smile turned grim.
"Oh, nothing," she said absently. She did a little spin on the spot and looked Ryan strait in the eyes.
Katie giggled then ran off, waving to him. "See you later, Ryan!"
Ryan waved back; his thoughts were running a mile a minute.
He looked at the sky again and turned to go back to the camp. Katie's words had given him chills.
What darkness, what did she know that she didn't tell him? He was nearly as old as she was.
Ryan sighed as twigs snapped beneath his black DC shoes. His breath came out in white vapor. Ryan stopped. It was the middle of August; it shouldn't be cold enough to freeze his breath.
Something rustled behind Ryan. He swiveled around, but saw nothing but an obis of shadows. His heart started to beat faster and his breath came out in great huffs.
Why? Ryan asked himself, why is my heart racing?
The shadows twisted.
Run! Run! Run! Run! Ryan's instincts told him. Fear paralyzed his legs and would not move.
No! No! No! No! Ryan felt cold sweat run down his spine. He tried to yell but his voice seemed to be lost. His heart raced so fast it would explode and his breath came out so ragged and fast he became light headed.
"Ryan RUN!"
The adrenaline kicked in and Ryan turned and ran as fast as he could. The forest loomed before him and tried to catch him with their finger like branches. Ryan tripped on a fallen log and fell face first into the dirt and undergrowth.
Ryan pulled himself up, but slipped and fell again. He lay there; the adrenaline ran out and left him drained.
"Ryan, get up!"
It was the same voice that told him to run. He looked up and saw Katie staring darkly at him.
"Get up!" Katie yelled. Her voice pierced through the darkness and the trees seemed to tremble in her wake.
Ryan pulled himself to his feet. He felt a new fear, a fear of Katie. She stood tall and defiant; she didn't fear the darkness.
"W-what's happening?" Ryan asked in dismay.
"Darkness," Katie said coldly then walked away.
Ryan swallowed hard and considered his options. It seemed safer to travel with Katie than alone. Ryan ran after Katie.
They made there way though the pitch-black forest; the trees avoided Katie and pulled back their branches. Ryan looked at the branches as they gently pulled themselves away.
"Where are we going?" asked Ryan nervously.
Katie turned and smiled grimly which sent shivers to the very marrow of his bones. "Darkness…"
A scream split through the darkness. Ryan turned to the source.
"Mom…" Ryan whispered. Ryan started to run but Katie grabbed his arm fiercely. "Let go!"
"It's to late for them," Katie shouted. The shadows around them twisted violently. Katie glared at them and pulled Ryan away from the source of the scream.
"Let go!" Ryan said, he pulled with all his might, but Katie seemed to have super-human strength. "Let go! Let go!"
Katie let out an annoyed growl. "Keep this up and I might," she threatened.
Ryan saw the shadows take form. "Ah, Katie!" he yelled pointed at the mass that started to form a small body.
Katie cursed and walked faster. Ryan couldn't take his eyes off the shadow blob. It had grown blank yellow eyes that rolled around until the "head" formed.
It was small, but Ryan could feel it was missing something important, and it was looking for it. Ryan feared he had it, so he stopped resisting Katie and walked beside her.
"What is that?" Ryan asked looking over his shoulder. The shadow thing was gone.
"Don't know," Katie said emotionless. Her eyes darted left and right, stopping every time they came across a black mass.
Katie put her arm out and stopped. Ryan stopped and looked over her arms.
Ryan gasped. There were hundreds of those creatures. There were creatures still developing from the shadows only to add to the army.
Katie slowly let out a breath then tentatively took a step back. The creatures took no notice. Ryan followed Katie's suit. They were almost out of sight when Ryan tripped. He landed hard on his back.
A hundred pairs of yellow eyes turned to them. Katie slowly bent down and helped Ryan up. The eyes followed them without falter.
"I want you to count to three, then run," Katie whispered.
"What about you?" Ryan's voice quivered will fear. Every fiber in his body told him to run right now, just to get away from this horrid place.
"Don't worry," Katie said, a small smile played across her face. "I am tougher than I look."
Ryan nodded. "O.K., one."
Katie slowly breathed out and in.
Ryan swallowed hard.
"Two."
Katie got ready to run, but she was going to run into the shadow creatures.
Ryan was about to say something when Katie gave him a look. It was written across her face. "Trust me" it said and Ryan did.
"Three," he whispered. Ryan spun around and ran away from the shadows.
Ryan had just enough time to see Katie run into the shadows. Ryan ran; he ran as fast as he could. Tears streaked down his face. Only one thought ran through his mind:
I couldn't save her. I need to be stronger. I will get stronger. I couldn't save her. I need to be stronger. I will get stronger.
Ryan slowed and stopped. He gasped for air. His muscles were sore and he was tired.
The shadows bubbled around him. Ryan backed away slowly. He turned to run, but another shadow creature waited behind him.
"Ah," Ryan yelled and jumped back.
Shadow creatures surrounded him blocking he path from all sides. Ryan pulled out his Swiss-army knife and pointed it threateningly at one of the creatures.
The shadow thing tilted its head, like it didn't understand. It flattened itself until it wasn't even solid. Then, like the shadow of a bird of prey that flew over head, it moved in for the attack.
Ryan ran at it, his weapon was ready just incase it would jump at him. Instead of attacking it Ryan nimbly leapt over the shadow.
Ryan ran, zigzagging through the fading forest. The trees were drained of life and they hung solemnly waiting for the end. The forest was full of the shadow things. They scuttled around looking for the next victim.
Ryan's legs felt like rubber and his lungs threatened to burst and leave him gasp for air like a fish for water on the hook of a lucky fisherman.
Ryan stopped and just stood there. His head tilted towards the heavens. The darkness had blotted out the starts and he looked into an endless blackness.
I have to get going, Ryan told himself, but even he dared not to move, fearing he would collapse because of exhaustion. Katie gave her life, so I must go!
Ryan's body refused to move; just standing there was better than running. Tears of frustration ran down his cheeks.
The shadow creatures surrounded him. Ryan hardly took notice.
This is the end, Ryan thought grimly. Well, I guess I couldn't get stronger…
The shadows jumped and swallowed Ryan in a wave of darkness…